A New Definition of Family
Chapter 20: Dragons and Other Impossible Tasks
Disclaimer: I do not own any of JK Rowling’s characters or any portion of the Harry Potter universe. Any characters, places, necklaces, books, charms, situations, or spells that you don’t find in her fabulous books, well, they belong to me!
The cold November air felt unnaturally heavy and it took all the effort Harry had to wade through it and follow Professor McGonagall around the edge of the forest. He listened dully to the advice she was offering in an anxious voice. It went in one ear and out the other. Finally they came to the large tent that had been erected to block the dragon enclosure.
His godmother was lurking near the entrance. Harry was beyond the ability to be surprised. McGonagall and Rinna locked eyes and Harry felt like something unspoken passed between them.
“You’ll see to it that he goes into the tent, Arinna?” McGonagall asked her.
“Of course. What did you think I’d planned to do, Minerva? Kidnap him and take him abroad?”
McGonagall raised an eyebrow. “That’s exactly something I would think you might try,” she said evenly.
“Don’t think the idea hasn’t tempted me,” the younger witch replied under her breath.
“Or me either,” the deputy headmistress noted. She turned to Harry. “You’re to go in here with the other champions and wait for your turn, Potter.” Her voice was shaky. “Mr. Bagman is in there… he’ll be telling you the procedure.” She placed a hand on his shoulder and squeezed gently. “Good luck.” (*)
“Thanks,” Harry said flatly at her retreating back. He stood awkwardly for a moment, shuffling his feet. Suddenly he was enveloped in a huge hug as his godmother wrapped her arms around him.
“I’m not supposed to be here,” she whispered. “Fortunately, Minerva is a soft touch where you are concerned.”
Harry was momentarily distracted from his anxiety as he looked at Rinna incredulously. “Soft touch? She almost rides me harder than Snape does!”
Rinna ruffled his hair. “I know. It’s her bizarre way of showing affection. It took me four years at Hogwarts to figure that out.”
Harry felt her slip something around his neck. He looked down and fingered a silver amulet that hung from an intricate chain. Standing out in relief was a dragon, a Chinese Fireball. Harry looked up at her quizzically.
“It was my stepfather’s,” she explained. “He was an amazing man… His name was Lau Loong.” She looked at Harry significantly. “One interpretation of his name is ‘Dragon Slayer.’”
Harry’s eyes bugged out. “But I can’t… I’m not meant to… I can’t kill a dragon!” he gasped.
Rinna shook her head. “No. Not kill it. Just get past it.” She patted his shoulder reassuringly. “Hermione said you have a plan?”
The panic that had been briefly held at bay by the unexpected appearance of his godmother came rushing back to him. His mouth went dry and he gulped nervously. “Yeah. A plan…”
Rinna closed his hand around the amulet. “Focus, Harry. You can do this. I know it,” she said firmly.
“Right,” he croaked faintly.
“You’d best get in,” she said softly before pulling him into one more hug. Then she released him and watched him disappear behind the tent flap.
----- -----
Rinna made her way numbly to the stands, a leaden feeling pulling her heart to the pit of her stomach. She had loathed to let Harry pass into that tent, but had no choice, binding magical contracts being what they are. She stopped suddenly, arrested by a mental picture of a woman with chestnut-colored hair squeezing a red-headed girl’s hand reassuringly as her father came to collect her for his allotted two weeks.
Rinna closed her eyes. Part of her had always hated her mother for sending her little girl into danger each year, even when she’d grown old enough to understand that Avril had had no choice; her father and the Office of Nuptial Regulations had seen to that. But after watching Harry enter that tent, the hatred finally died because she understood now that her mum had felt exactly this way each time; leaden and numb and unable to fight the binds of the divorce and custody contract. Rinna swayed. Not now. I will not think of this now”
“Whoa, Dunnie! Easy there!”
A hand gripped Rinna’s shoulder and steadied her. She opened her eyes to Nymphadora Tonks’ concerned expression. Grateful for her friend’s timely interruption and distraction, she asked, a bit shakily, “Dorrie, what are you doing here?” She took in Tonks’ Auror robes and had her answer.
“I’m part of the law enforcement contingent here today. I had to jump through a few hoops, and call in a few favors, but here I am!” Tonks peered into Rinna’s face. “You okay?”
Rinna grimaced. “Don’t I look okay?”
“Actually, you look like hell. That’s why I asked.”
“Thanks, Dorrie,” Rinna said sarcastically. “I’ve been better.” She noticed that her friend was carrying a small cage. “What is the wee owl for?”
“Oh, well, as you know, Scops owls are great for fast, short range communications. Great for a quick report to, say, someone stationed out in the woods here.”
Rinna paled. “Those two reckless fools aren’t”“
Tonks interrupted. “Our mutual friend Remus decided to come to the area, lend his support in spirit and all that, and it wouldn’t surprise me if he brought that stray mongrel of his…” she trailed off, looking at Rinna significantly.
Rinna understood. She sighed, and then said pointedly to the young Auror, “One thing you should just resign yourself to, Dorrie: Marauders like to get their way.”
Tonks’ grin had a slight leer to it. “Now that is a topic I want to revisit at a more appropriate time, Dunnie!” She looked around. More bodies were pressing around them. She needed to return to work. “Once I’m officially off duty, I’m going to take a stroll in the woods… to, uh, clear my head.”
“I’m sure I’ll have to clear mine as well,” Rinna noted, “so I’ll likely catch up to you then.”
Tonks gripped Rinna’s upper arm and pulled her close. “Don’t worry, luv, everything is going to be fine,” she said in a low voice.
Rinna made her way to the teachers’ section in the stands. She was glad Dorrie was here today. Of course, she had no doubt Tonks had finagled the assignment so she could arrange for the lads to be in the woods, and so she could be near Rinna, in case something awful happened. Perish the thought. Everything will be fine.
----- -----
Cedric Diggory, the first Champion to undergo his task, was flamed by the dragon and suffered burns. Rinna was one giant knot of anxiety, concerned for him and for the three other youths who had yet to compete.
Fleur Delacour’s Entrancement Enchantment put the dragon to sleep, but did not keep it from snoring out a jet of flame. She, too, caught fire, but had the presence of mind to put it out with her wand before she was seriously injured. Rinna had to restrain herself from gnawing off her fingernails.
Viktor Krum used the Conjunctivitis Curse brilliantly and Rinna felt very guilty that she hadn’t broken the rules and taught Harry that one herself.
Rinna’s stomach threatened to turn itself inside out as Harry stepped out into the arena. Following on the heels of Viktor Krum, he really looked like a lost little boy. For one mad instant, Rinna felt like leaping to her feet and screaming for him to stop, but suddenly he gripped the amulet at his neck and his face changed. Even at a distance, she could see the expression of determination as he extended his arm and pointed his wand in the direction of Hogwarts, and shouted something. Did he just use a Summoning Charm?
The moments stretched into eternity until, sure enough, Rinna spotted something flying through the air toward Harry: his broom! “Oh, brilliant, Harry! Well done!” Rinna shouted even as the rest of the spectators in the stands broke into an uproar when the broom came to a stop in front of him.
Rinna’s breath caught when her godson leapt onto his Firebolt and zoomed into the air. Her heart stopped when Harry pulled out of a dive, narrowly avoiding the irate Horntail’s shot of flame. It began beating again, but this time lodged in her throat when he was struck in the shoulder by one of the dragon’s tail spikes.
Harry began to weave back and forth and the Hungarian Horntail’s head began to sway in her attempt to keep him in sight. Higher and higher he went, ducking her flames of irritation, coaxing her upward. Rinna realized what he was trying to do as the dragon responded like a cobra before the flute of a snake charmer. She let out the breath she did not know she was holding when the dragon suddenly reared, exposing her clutch of eggs.
Harry dove, like lightning in the flesh, seized the golden egg, and shot into the sky. He’s done it! Rinna closed her eyes in relief; it was over. Harry had done it, and spectacularly, too! She felt like screaming to the world that Harry was her godson and how damned proud she was of him. She didn’t realize she was crying, until Minerva gently pressed a handkerchief into her hand.
----- -----
Rinna paused at the flap of the first aid tent; she was sure it was Ron who was saying, “Harry, whoever put your name in that goblet” I “ I reckon they’re trying to do you in!” Rinna pushed her way in quietly as Ron attempted to apologize and Harry told Ron to forget it. The boys exchanged nervous grins, and in that moment, the friendship was restored.
Rinna could quite sympathize with Hermione as she burst into tears, but having finally gotten her own face dry from her recent bout of crying, she struggled to not follow suit.
“There’s nothing to cry about!” Harry told Hermione.
“You two are so stupid!” Hermione shouted. (*)
Rinna found herself agreeing for the moment, especially when Ron called the girl barking mad after she had hugged them and run out. Then Ron suggested the two boys go out to get Harry’s scores and the look on Harry’s face made her grin. Triumph and joy; she’d seen that same expression on James’ face when Gryffindor had won the House Cup his final year.
Harry and Ron paused when they saw her there. Rinna’s grin grew broader. “That was some pretty gutsy flying there, scamp!” she said. And then her face softened. “Your parents would have been very proud of you today, Harry,” she told him gently.
Harry shoved the golden egg and his broom into Ron’s hands and threw his arms around his godmother. “Thanks,” he said gruffly, sounding like his throat was suddenly tight. He pulled away and started to take off the necklace she’d given him.
Rinna stopped him. “Keep it, Harry. I want you to know that I’m proud of you, too.” There was an odd choke to her voice as well. Her eyes moved to his companion. “You’ll take him out to get his scores, won’t you, Ron?” The boy nodded.
“You’re not coming to see them?” Harry wanted to know.
Rinna quickly swiped at her cheek with her fingertips. “Oh, I’ll be there in a moment. I, uh, just got something in my eye…”
She heard Ron mutter as they left the tent, “Must be a woman thing. Completely barmy, crying when you weren’t even hurt…well, much…”
----- -----
Rinna moved swiftly through the woods, using a Locator Charm. She had put her walk to good use, calming her emotions and getting her face dry once more. She discovered her friends in a small clearing, Tonks having arrived before her. At the sight of them turning toward her expectantly, waiting for a report about the extent of Harry’s injuries, Rinna found herself bursting into tears again.
Immediately she was surrounded. Sirius pulled her to him. “Merlin, what’s wrong, Rinna?” he demanded in alarm.
Tonks’ hand flew to her mouth. “Harry’s hurt worse than just a scratch, isn’t he?” she asked in horror. Sirius and Remus gasped.
Rinna shook her head, and pulled away from Sirius. “He’s fuh-fine,” she sobbed out.
Sirius held her loosely at the shoulders, and shook her slightly. “Then what has you so upset?” He was annoyed that she’d given him such a fright.
“I duh-don’t n-n-know!” Rinna said angrily as she pushed his arms away and sat down hard on the ground. She was trembling, and her face would not stop leaking, and she felt very out of control. “What’s wrong with me?” she wailed.
Tonks sat down and pulled her into a hug. “It’s nerves, luv. A bad case of nerves.”
“Well, I don’t luh-like it,” Rinna sobbed petulantly.
Sirius had crouched down in concern, and Remus followed suit, reaching out to pat his friend awkwardly on the knees. “This is reaction setting in, I think, Rinna,” Remus said reassuringly. “Your body is finally giving in to all the pent-up emotions of the last few days.”
Rinna pulled her hands away from her face and looked at Remus, her breath hitching a few times before she managed, “Been guh-getting a certificate in M-mind Healing in your sp-spare time, Remy?”
Remus sat back on his rear and crossed his legs in front of him, leaning back on his hands. “Why not? I am a man of many talents, you know.”
Rinna huffed out a laugh before choking on another sob. She continued to laugh and cry as Sirius stared at her and said, “She’s hysterical. Someone needs to slap her.” He rocked forward on the balls of his feet.
Tonks snatched Rinna away protectively. “Get away from her, you git! She just needs to get it out of her system!” Rinna began to laugh harder, which had the unfortunate effect of causing hiccups. Tonks felt her friend’s body tense up even more and looked at her in concern. “Rinna?”
Red-faced and gasping for air, it became apparent that Rinna was out of control. Tonks, taking quick action, fetched her a light smack on the side of the face. “You need to snap out of it!”
“HEY!” Sirius reacted in indignation as he tried to pull his lover from his cousin’s arms. “If I’m not allowed to slap her, you most certainly aren’t!”
“Oh for Merlin’s sake!” Remus stood up, reached between them, and pulled Rinna up by the arm. She landed against his chest and he began to murmur a Sweet-Soothing Charm over her.
Rinna didn’t know whether she should be grateful or insulted as she felt the shuddering sobs diminish. After all, it was a charm whose purpose was usually to calm wounded animals or hysterically crying babies. By the time Remus had repeated the charm, even the hiccups had receded, and Rinna took in a deep, appreciative, unhindered breath. She felt Remus loosen his grip, and she stepped back and smiled at him. “Thanks, Remy.”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I’m just glad it worked, because my only other plan was for all of us to start smacking you.”
Rinna snorted, and looked significantly at them all. “It’s a lucky girl who has such good friends,” she said wryly, but she was smiling.
Sirius, who, along with Tonks, had stood when Remus had snatched Rinna away from the cousins, took her hand and pulled her closer to him. “I think you should come back with us to the house,” he informed her. “You need to get away from here for a while.” He looked at her hopefully.
“I think that’s a splendid idea!” Tonks chimed in. She turned to cock an eyebrow at Remus. “What does Mr. Mind Healer think of that plan?”
Remus put on a thoughtful look. “I’d say that a well deserved respite is certainly called for in order to avoid a repetition of the histrionics we just observed.” He raised his eyebrows at Rinna. “Wouldn’t you agree?”
“Hmm… sorry?” Rinna grinned. “I was just seized by a flashback of you Marauders trying to get me and Lily to skive off our prefect duties.” She laughed at the twin looks of affected innocence on the two men’s faces. “But you have me convinced, although I would argue that the word ‘histrionics’ wasn’t necessarily called for. I need to go back and make sure I’m not needed for anything else, but I’ll meet you in an hour?” She turned around and hooked her arms about Sirius’ neck, pulling him down for a quick kiss. “And I think we need to discuss this sudden urge you have to slap me…”
Sirius practically leered at her. “The urge I have to slap you isn’t nearly as strong as the urge I have to snog you.”
----- -----
Sirius glanced around the living room, assessed the damage, and decided he could easily spruce it up in less than an hour. “I’ll take care of picking up,” he volunteered to Tonks and Remus. He smirked. That would give them some private time together in the kitchen.
Eventually he came across the box that had been hastily shoved under the coffee table a few nights ago, and he was reminded of Rinna’s odd behavior about the contents. He lifted the lid. On top of the periodicals was the book she’d looked through. It had almost seemed to him that she hadn’t wanted him to see that book. He picked it up, wondering why.
Rinna found him sitting on the couch with the book in his hands, unopened. She saw that the periodicals had been scattered across the table and couch. She felt a little shiver of apprehension. “What are you doing, Blackie?” she asked, trying to keep her tone light, wishing she’d had the presence of mind to put that box away the other night.
Sirius was startled out of his roiling thoughts. He jerked slightly. “I was looking through this rather impressive collection you have of dragon lore,” he informed her without meeting her eyes. “And I started to wonder, Rinna, just when it was that you developed a liking for dragons.”
“Oh, well, uh, the dragon industry is big in central Europe, you know,” she said vaguely, desperately trying to figure out how much Sirius knew. She wished now that she’d told him, but she hadn’t found an appropriate opportunity; ever since they’d become lovers again, they hadn’t spent much of their time talking…
“Yes, but you were taken with them passionately enough to have articles about professional Dragon Keeping? And a book titled The Dragon Keeper’s Guide to Keeping Dragons?” He lifted the book she’d tossed back into the box the other day for emphasis.
Rinna shifted nervously. “Look, Sirius, I can explain”“
Sirius’ voice increased in volume as he talked over her. “Well, I found this book to contain some very valuable information, actually. I discovered it wasn’t dragons you were so partial to; so much as you’d developed a fondness for dragon keepers. Or should I say a dragon keeper.”
Rinna could hear the tremor of jealousy in his voice. “Sirius,” she whispered, “I didn’t mean for you to find out like this…”
Sirius looked down at the book in his hands. No, I suspect you didn’t mean for me to find out at all. He seemed strangely detached from himself as he watched his hands open the book to the writing on the inside cover. Words written in dark blue ink seemed to jab themselves sharply into his eyes: My beautiful Rinna… without your love and encouragement, I would never have been able to write this… you are my inspiration, my passion, my light… Yours always, Jindrich… Sirius felt his gut wrench again. He looked at her. “You had a relationship with this man.” It was a statement, not a question.
She eyed her lover. He was jealous; so much so that his eyes were practically turning green with it. “Yes, I did. But it was a long time ago,” she said softly.
“What kind of relationship?” he asked, his tone still edgy, but tempered with a slight wistfulness that Rinna knew he was hoping she’d tell him it had been just a friendly, platonic situation.
Rinna’s temper flared. Does he think I lived like a nun all those years? That I would just spend the rest of my life pining away for him? “What”do you want all the sordid details, Sirius?” she snapped. “That we were lovers? That it lasted for almost a year and a half? Is that what you want to hear?”
Sirius threw the book back into the box, grabbed her by the arms and shook her. “I want to hear that it meant nothing to you!” His eyes bored into hers, and she saw the flicker of nervousness behind the anger.
“I can’t tell you that. If it had meant nothing, it would have lasted only a week,” she said softly. “But it’s over. Long over. Ancient history.”
“If you were still in love with me all these years as you say, how could you have replaced me like that?” His voice was raw with hurt.
Rinna angrily shoved him away from her. “Damn it all to hell, Sirius! You were GONE. You’d been in Azkaban for years! Don’t you get it? I thought I would never see you again! It was like you were dead.” She gave a little choking sob. “I had to go on with my life…” Tears started to slide down her face. “And no one could have replaced you in my heart, you idiot! That’s why it ended more than five years ago.” She turned and hastily retreated to her bedroom.
Sirius found her sitting on her bed, her head resting in her hands and her elbows on her knees. He leaned against the doorway, and let out a long breath.
Rinna stiffened, but did not lift her head. “I can’t change the past,” she said, the evidence of tears in her voice.
Sirius entered the room and went to stand near the bed. “I can’t change how I feel, Rinna,” was his quiet response. “I can’t help but be jealous at the thought of another man touching you…”
She removed her head from her hands and glared up at him. “I think I’ve made it pretty clear who I want to be with now.” She stood up and moved in very close. “Aren’t you the one who said the past doesn’t matter any more?”
Sirius growled and hooked his hand around her waist, pulling her roughly to him. With his other, he none-too-gently grabbed her chin and held her eyes locked with his. “You are mine,” he said harshly.
“You know I am,” she agreed.
“I’m never letting you go again.” His gaze was a hot blue flame. “I will fight tooth and nail for you, Rinna, before I ever let that happen.”
“I know.” Her heart was pounding madly and she was finding it hard to breathe.
His voice was fierce, intense. “I want you, Rinna, only you. And I want you to want only me.”
“I do. You are the only man I’ve given all of my heart to,” she whispered.
“And I don’t want anything to come between us…”
“Nothing will,” she assured him. “Nothing can anymore. You have to believe that, Sirius.”
“Rinna,” he groaned, and he crushed her to him possessively as he forcibly met her mouth in a desperate kiss. She threw her arms around his neck and passionately returned the kiss until they both felt breathless. His hands roamed over her, stroking and touching her everywhere, erasing the memory of anyone else’s touch, until she moaned his name. He released her lips, and leaned his forehead onto hers, breathing jaggedly. Finally he said, “I’m sorry I was irrationally jealous.”
She caressed his cheek. “I’m sorry you were hurt. I should have told you.”
He pulled her in to his chest and held her for several long moments. Very quietly he said, “Dragon-boy wasn’t your only lover over these years, was he?”
She opened her mouth to answer but was stopped when he said, “No. Forget I asked. I don’t need to know. You’re here in my arms now, and that’s what matters.”
She lifted her cheek off his chest. “I’m here to stay, you know. I’m like a burr stuck on a dog’s coat.” She smiled at his guffaw, and pulled his mouth down to hers.
Sirius gently pushed her down to the bed as he kissed her, stretching himself over her. Then he propped up on his elbow to look down at her. “Well?”
“Well, what?” She peered at him quizzically.
“We’re being honest about our past here, aren’t we? Don’t you have something to ask me?” He raised his eyebrow meaningfully.
“You can’t be serious.”
“What makes you think I haven’t had any lovers these past thirteen years, hmmm?” he asked, looking slightly affronted.
“In Azkaban,” she said disbelievingly.
He huffed out an exasperated sigh. “I escaped from Azkaban well over a year ago, you know.” He watched her raise her eyebrows skeptically. “How do you know I didn’t run into some willing witch and tell her, ‘You can either turn me in to the Ministry, or you can have the shag of your life.’?”
Rinna’s laugh rang out, making Sirius smile. Mischief snapped in her eyes and her grin grew rather salacious. “Well,” she said huskily, “I know which offer I would have chosen.”
He leaned over her so his lips were millimeters from hers. “You do, huh?”
“Oh yeah.” She brushed her lips against his before hooking her leg around him and pulling him intimately against her. “So when do I get this ‘shag of my life,’ anyway?” she asked, rather breathlessly.
He rocked his hips against her in answer and growled, “Any time you want to take me up on the offer.”
Rinna elegantly waved her hand, and the bedroom door shut as she whispered at it, “Silencio.”
----- -----
Tonks registered the sound of someone flooing into the living room, and heard her former roommate and her cousin talking. Her indulgent smile quickly slid off her face in alarm as she heard her cousin’s voice rise in anger.
Tonks hastened out of the kitchen in concern, Remus at her heels, resulting in witnessing the brief row in the living room. Tonks watched Sirius’ face as Rinna told him, “It was like you were dead.” Her heart broke a little for him when she saw the comprehension there; his absence had affected Rinna deeply. Tonks did not miss the change of expression, either, when Rinna informed him that no one had replaced him in her heart before fleeing to her room.
She crossed quickly to Sirius and put her hands gently on his shoulders. “Hey,” she said softly, “You both have had a rough few days, and you need each other now.” She caught Sirius’ eyes. “I’ve never seen her as happy as she has been these past few months. She loves you. She always has.” She patted his cheek. “This is not the time to bugger anything up, cousin dear.”
Sirius looked intently at Tonks a few moments before he pulled her into a hug and kissed the top of her head. “Right,” he said gruffly. Tonks stumbled as he abruptly let her go and strode down the hall after Rinna.
Remus deftly stepped in to catch her before she fell, but her momentum forced them both to the couch, Tonks sprawling ungracefully on a semi-reclined Remus. He let out a small “oof” as air was forced from his lungs. Tonks struggled to get herself upright.
Finally succeeding, she grinned at him. “Thanks for saving me from that fall, Remus. Very chivalrous of you. Why, if you hadn’t been there, I might have landed on this nice comfy couch, and that would have been terrible.”
He raised an eyebrow. “How do you know that this wasn’t my intention all along, O Mistress of the Backhanded Compliment?”
Tonks pulled him up next to her. “Smooth, Professor. Very sly. Much more effective than, say, asking me to sit with you on the couch.”
“Nymphadora, would you sit with me on the couch?” he deadpanned.
She rolled her eyes at him. “Not if you call me ‘Nymphadora’.” But she made no effort to get up, so he took her hand and pulled her close into the crook of his arm. She settled against him with a sigh. “On the other hand, you make a pretty convincing argument.”
Remus chuckled. “And I didn’t even say anything.”
“Oh, you did, Remus. Just not with your mouth.” Tonks’ words hung in the air, heavy with implication as the two of them gazed into the fire.
Tonks heard the echo of laughter from down the hall. “Sounds like our two lovebirds have made up,” she commented with a smug grin of satisfaction that grew even bigger when she heard the bedroom door slam. “Looks like I have a gift for encouraging relationships.”
“You’ll get no argument from me there,” Remus said softly.
Sensing a change of mood, Tonks shifted around to look at him quizzically. He smiled at her, and brought her hand to his lips. “You know,” he said, almost conversationally, “I’ve never been in a romantic relationship with someone for more than a few months.”
“Why is that?” Tonks asked carefully, already guessing the answer.
Remus raised one shoulder, then let it drop. “That’s how long it usually took before the lady would start asking questions, or getting suspicious. I’d had enough experiences with dates finding out about the lycanthropy that I did not want to repeat that… so, it was just easiest to end it.” Regret spread across his face. “Safer to be the bastard that hurt someone, than to be the one who got hurt.”
Tonks brought her hand to his cheek. It was a familiar gesture that he’d felt over and over in his dreams since that night on her balcony. The reality of the warmth of her hand was even better, and he leaned into it. Up until now, he’d really not held much hope of finding someone who would accept him as a lover if she knew of his affliction. Could it be that this young woman (too young for the likes of you, the negative voice in his mind whispered) might be the one? The promise of her caress seemed to indicate it.
“Well,” she whispered lightly, warmly, “it seems your luck is changing. It’s been almost three months for us, and I haven’t even gotten the least bit suspicious about your lycanthropy.” Her smile, and the twinkle in her eyes, was quite impish. And just like that, she reminded him that she already knew, and she accepted him completely.
Warmth spread from her hand on his face into his heart, chasing away any doubts. He grinned at her. “May I kiss you, Nymphadora?”
Mischief made her eyes dance. “Only if you stop calling me ‘Nymphadora’.”
A look of profound regret crossed Remus’ features. “Alas, that is too high a price to pay, I’m afraid.” He made as if to get up from the couch but Tonks grabbed his arm.
“What do you mean?” she demanded. She was surprised by the truly wicked grin on his face when he returned to his seat and looked at her. It made her heart seem to skip a beat.
“Well, Nymphadora, when I call you by your given name, you frown.”
She was confused. “So?”
“And when you frown,” he continued, (and she could only describe the look on his face as ‘wolfish’) “you have the habit of pursing your lips together like so.”
“And?” she queried, a bit impatiently.
His lips quirked to one side lasciviously. “And…when you do that, a most adorable dimple appears,” and he brushed his thumb across her lower cheek, “right here.”
Tonks felt her breath catch. She snaked her hand around his neck and pulled him toward her. “I think you should kiss me now, Lupin, or suffer the consequences!” she growled.
His lips brushed against hers, “I’ll take that as a ‘yes’ then,” and he snogged her thoroughly before pulling her to a standing position and slowly leading her to his room in between more kisses.
Viktor Krum was used to girls swooning over him. And he knew that they were all interested in him only because he was famous. After all, he would not be considered “handsome” by any stretch of the imagination. He was gangly, awkward, and slouchy, and while he may have had a decent enough face, he wasn’t graceful; unless he was on a broom, of course. He had no illusions of himself as suave and debonair. As a result, any girl who showed more than a passing interest in him was suspicious, and met with indifference. Yet, amazingly, most girls didn’t take the hint. It was galling, and very tiresome.
Viktor supposed that the first thing he noted about the Hogwarts girl with the frizzy brown hair was that she didn’t act like the other girls did around him. She didn’t fawn over him, giggle when he walked by, call his name or follow him like a lost puppy. She practically ignored his existence. It was refreshing. It intrigued him. It made him want to see more of this quiet girl with the ink-stained fingers.
Now that the first task was over, he’d had time to do some investigation, and so, with the confidence of one who was doing the pursuing for a change, he entered the library armed with new information, not the least of which was her name. She was there, at her usual table, a picture of calm and tranquility amid a swirl of books, ink pots and parchments that fanned out away from her like she was the eye of a hurricane. Viktor was pleased to see that the youngest Hogwarts Champion was not with her. He hadn’t been back to the library with her since the first task.
Viktor smiled as he walked across the library toward her table, mostly to cover the nervousness he suddenly felt. Chasing a Golden Snitch came naturally, but chasing a girl was entirely new to him; what if this went badly? He swallowed hard as he stopped next to her and said quietly, “Miss Granger?”
Hermione was startled by a low, intriguingly accented voice. She turned to see none other than Viktor Krum smiling a bit awkwardly. The first thought that came to mind, even as she answered, “Y-yes?” was: He looks much better when he smiles.
He cleared his throat. “I vould very much like to learn more about the Castle Hogwarts. I vas told that you are an expert on the subject,” Viktor’s voice rose hopefully. He was delighted to see her blush a little.
“Well, I have read Hogwarts, A History a few times,” she said modestly, “but I don’t think that qualifies me as an ex”“
“For example,” he interjected smoothly, “vould you explain to me vat is the purpose of having four Houses?”
What was he playing at? She studied him closely. He really looked like he was interested to know. “All right,” she said, gesturing to a chair at the table, “I’ll do my best.”
Hermione didn’t even really mind when the inevitable gaggle of girl admirers started lurking nearby, whispering and giggling annoyingly. After all, what was the passing irritation of a few pesky devotees compared to the heady feeling of having an older boy (and it didn’t hurt that he was an internationally-known Quidditch star) hanging on your every word? Besides, she was willing to bet that none of those girls had ever gotten close enough to him to know that his eyes were hazel, there was a small cleft in his chin, and he had a rather appealing dimple in his right cheek when he smiled…
----- -----
After the excitement of the first Triwizard Task, the year had slipped quietly into December and the student enclave from Durmstrang had become just as preoccupied with finding a date to the upcoming Yule Ball as their peers from Hogwarts and Beauxbatons. Well, all of them but one it seemed. Igor Karkaroff could not understand what it was his prized student found so fascinating about the Hogwarts Library that made him visit it at least four times a week. After all, the library at Durmstrang was far superior…
Harry looked at the small note in his hand. His godmother had sent it in the Owl Post this morning, asking him to stop by and see her. He looked at the group of Ravenclaw girls in the hallway, Cho Chang in the middle. If he waited just a bit longer, Cho’s friends might just leave her and he’d be able to approach her…but it would mean he’d miss his chance to go see Rinna.
He’d wait one more minute. He fumbled with a book, opening it and trying desperately to look like he always stopped to read in this part of the hallway. He cursed himself when he realized he was holding the book upside down. Okay, another minute wouldn’t hurt. He glanced over the top of the book at Cho, who was happily chatting with her gaggle of friends. Really, someone should do a sociological study on why girls always seemed to travel in packs when a bloke wanted to get one alone for a moment. Maybe he’d mention that to Hermione. On second thought, maybe not.
One final minute, and that was it. He looked down at the book and realized that he’d chosen his History of Magic text to look so engrossed in. Had Cho noticed? He didn’t want her to think he was a geek. He looked back up and realized that the entire Ravenclaw group had moved away, Cho right smack dab in the center of them. Damn! And now he didn’t have enough time to go see Rinna.
----- -----
After dinner, Harry hurried to the Defense classrooms, poked his head into Professor Dunlevy’s office and knocked politely. His godmother looked up and smiled. “Sorry I didn’t come by today like you asked. Something, uh, came up,” he apologized.
“Anything serious?” she asked. “You weren’t dueling in the halls again, I hope.” The slight smirk at the corner of her mouth indicated to Harry she was teasing. Rinna suspected she knew what was troubling Harry. She’d heard George and Fred snickering before class about Harry’s and Ron’s lack of dates for the upcoming Yule Ball.
“No, nothing like that.”
She came around the desk and pulled up two chairs. She sat down and gestured for Harry to take the other seat. “Well, I’m done being professor for the day. Your godmother is all ears.”
“Did you know that I have to open the ball with the first dance?” Harry asked her glumly.
She looked at him sympathetically. “One of your duties as a champion, I take it?” Harry rolled his eyes. “So who is the lucky girl who opens with you?”
Harry studied the floor. “Well, erm, see, that’s the problem… I haven’t asked anyone yet.”
“Ah.” Rinna nodded knowingly. “You still have time, though.”
“Rinna,” Harry looked at her very seriously, “I don’t think you understand what’s at stake here. I have to dance. With a girl. In front of everyone in the whole school. If I can’t find some girl to go with me, I will die of embarrassment. And I’m not even sure if any girl would want to go with me.”
“Well, I wouldn’t worry about that, Harry. I’m sure you could have your pick of the girls, really. After all,” she teased, “you aren’t hideous by any stretch of the imagination.”
“Gee, thanks. And you have to say that. You’re my godmother.” He looked at her, desperately exuding insecurity. “If you were fourteen, would you go to the dance with me?”
“If I was fourteen…” A far-away look stole across her face. Sweet Merlin, when I turned fourteen, I would have given my eyeteeth to have one of the Marauders ask me out. And Sirius and I started dating while I was still fourteen. She had forgotten how young she’d still been when her apparent, and reciprocated, dislike of the cocky young Gryffindor had begun to change into something much more… complicated.
“Rinna?” Harry prompted.
She smiled wistfully. “When I was fourteen, your father was certainly on my list of cute boys I didn’t mind looking at.” Harry’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “And you look remarkably like him. So, I’d have to say, that if I was fourteen, I would quite likely say yes… But I’m not, so no help to you there. Besides, you don’t want to go with a girl who’s only reason to go with you is because she thinks you’re cute.”
Harry furrowed his brow. “I don’t? Why not?”
“Because that would be basing a relationship solely on superficialities like physical appearance, which would be shallow.”
“Relationship?” Harry squeaked. “I don’t want a relationship! I just want some girl to dance with me and keep me from making a fool of myself!” Well, maybe I wouldn’t mind it so much if Cho and I had a ‘relationship.’
Rinna raised both her hands up, palm out, in a placating gesture. “Fine, fine! No relationships. Just a dance partner. I get it.” She pursed her lips. “I wish I had some advice for you, but I’ve never had to ask someone to a dance. In my day, the girls were the ones who were asked.” She furrowed her brow in thought. “But now, times being as modern as they are, I’m surprised the girls aren’t asking you!”
Harry thought of the curly-haired Hufflepuff third year who’d asked him, and flushed beet-red. “Well, actually... a third year did,” he mumbled.
Rinna raised her brows. “And?”
“I didn’t even know her name! She was from Hufflepuff!” he answered, a bit defensively, wondering if he had unwittingly let his only potential partner slip away. Still, he really wanted to ask Cho. “Besides, I want to be the one doing the asking.”
Rinna sighed. “I say, Harry, I think you are making this bigger than it has to be. You only have to ask a girl to a dance. Compared to taking on a Hungarian Horntail, how hard can this be?”
“I think I’d rather take on the Horntail again,” Harry groused.
Rinna hid a smile and cleared her throat. “Listen, the reason I asked you to stop by is… You know that a shortened holiday break is being offered? The Hogwarts Express is leaving for London Christmas morning?” She watched Harry nod. “Well, I was wondering if you would want to spend the break at my house?” Rinna suddenly felt nervous; almost like she was the shy fourteen-year-old asking someone to the dance.
Harry’s jaw dropped. “Really? The rest of the Christmas holiday at your house? Are you serious?”
Harry’s obvious elation did much to calm her nerves. “Of course I am.” She smiled as Harry pumped his fist in the air. “I take that to mean you might be interested?”
“Oh yeah,” was all he could manage.
“All right. But there is something you need to know.” Rinna actually blushed, to Harry’s surprise, which intrigued him greatly. “I don’t think Molly Weasley would approve.”
Harry was confused. “Why not?”
“Well… Sirius will be there…” She had to smile as Harry gave a whoop. “Listen, Harry, this is important. Molly tends to be a bit old-fashioned about such things… you know… a man and a woman, living together…”
Harry’s eyes widened in comprehension. “You think she’d be upset that he’s staying with you and you’re not married?”
Rinna took in a deep breath and let it out. “I think she’d be upset if we had you stay there with us, given those circumstances…you know, being poor role models and a corrupting influence on you and all that.”
Harry bit his lip in thought, and finally said softly, “Rinna, I really want to go with you and Sirius. I’ve never spent a holiday with any family that cared about me before.”
Rinna felt her heart break and tears filled her eyes. Harry seemed to have that effect on her more and more often these days. She pulled him into a hug. That seemed to be happening more often, too. “Then it’s done. I’ll make all the arrangements tonight,” she assured him. He gave her a quick tight squeeze, forcing the breath from her lungs briefly, before letting go and beaming at her. In that moment she knew she would happily walk barefoot through bubotuber pus to see that look on his face again.
Hermione sat on the edge of her four-poster in her dorm room, a death grip around one of her squishy decorative pillows. She had never been so annoyed with her best friends in her life. Sure, they had had disagreements before, which had been rather hurtful (the snubbing she’d received last year over reporting Harry’s gift Firebolt came to mind), but never had she felt such a strong desire to wring their stupid, shallow, unthinking, unfeeling boy-necks, the prats!
It was bad enough that they hadn’t even thought to ask her to the Yule Ball until they were under the wire and all other prospects seemed slim, but then Hermione realized that it was RON who’d done the asking. Ron! Who obviously had never thought of her as anything other than one of the “guys.” Harry hadn’t even asked her, even in desperation! Oh sure, Harry had been willing to kiss her this past summer, when there weren’t any other girls around, well except Ginny… But now, when there were obviously much prettier girls available…
No. She was not going to let her thoughts go there. Viktor had told her that HE thought she was pretty. But still, it hurt, that Harry would just forget about her like that. Especially when she’d stuck by him when Ron was being such a jealous idiot. Hermione felt tears start to prick her eyes. She was not going to cry about this, she wasn’t. After all, she wasn’t the one without a date to the Ball. Ha! Take that, Harry Potter!
Hermione wished she had someone to talk to about this; she was sure it would help her feel less violent toward the boys. Parvati and Lavender were out of the question. Ginny… well, if it had been anyone but Ron she was hacked off at, she might have talked to Ginny, but Ron was her brother. Hermione turned over in her bed, shoved her face in her pillow, and screamed in vexation. In the silence that followed, her mind played a little voice in her head. Hermione, I want you to know that you can always come and talk to me…
----- -----
Rinna was walking briskly toward her classroom office when she saw a familiar face coming toward her. “Hermione, what are you doing here?” she asked kindly.
“Oh. I was looking for you, but you weren’t in your office…” The Gryffindor girl looked upset.
Rinna cocked her head to look at her. “Is everything all right?”
Hermione was having second thoughts. This woman was Harry’s godmother and Ron’s cousin twice removed or something like that… “Um, well…”
Rinna studied Hermione. Something was clearly bothering the girl, but she was reticent to bring it up. “Tell you what,” Rinna suggested as she hooked an arm around Hermione’s shoulders and began to steer her back to the office. “Why don’t I conjure us some tea, and we can talk. Or would you prefer hot cocoa?”
“Tea is fine,” Hermione acquiesced and allowed herself to be led to Rinna’s office. When Rinna handed her a steaming cup, she mumbled, “Thanks, Professor.”
“Right now, it’s ‘Rinna,’” she corrected as she sat down next to the girl. “Look, Hermione, I know we’re not exactly bosom buddies, but it’s obvious something is bothering you and I’d like to help if I can…”
Hermione took one look at the older woman’s compassionate expression, and spilled everything, from the upsetting conversation in the Gryffindor common room to Harry’s snubbing of her. “And they had the gall to think I was lying when I told them someone had already asked me to the Ball!” she finished angrily. Her hands clenched into fists. “Do you think I could get away with strangling them?”
Rinna leaned back in her chair and sighed. “I think you’d get at least a detention for that,” she said mildly. “Hermione, it’s pretty obvious what is going on here.” At Hermione’s inquiring look she added, “Harry and Ron are being as thick as posts.” Hermione’s eyes widened at this pronouncement. “Not to mention shallow, immature, unkind and blind.”
Hermione was flabbergasted. “But… but… you… you’re…”
Rinna raised an eyebrow. “You don’t agree?”
“Well, of course I do. But I didn’t think you would say something like that about Harry.”
“He may be my godson, but that doesn’t mean I’m blind to his faults, you know.” Rinna gave her a long look. “Your birthday was in September, wasn’t it?” she asked the girl.
Confused by the sudden change in subject, Hermione answered, “Y-yes.”
“You turned fifteen?”
“Right, but I don’t see”“
Rinna interrupted smoothly, “And Ron’s birthday is, uh, sometime in the spring, if I recall…”
“First of March,” Hermione corrected, “but I don’t”“
“And Harry is almost a year younger than you, then.”
Hermione’s voice rose in frustration. “Yes! But what has this got to do with anything?”
“Don’t you see, Hermione?” Rinna explained patiently. “It is a well known fact that girls mature at a faster rate than boys. And those two are already younger than you, anyway, so the sad reality is…” she paused, looking Hermione right in the eyes, “when it comes to maturity, you are millennia ahead of them, I’m afraid.”
“Oh.”
Clearly, Hermione had never given much thought to the difference in ages between the Trio. It had never been an issue before. Welcome to the disparity of puberty, my dear, thought Rinna.
Hermione peered at her. “So you’re saying that I shouldn’t blame them for being idiots?”
“Well…” Rinna chose her words carefully, “I’m saying that you need to understand that at this age, they have more of a propensity toward idiocy. It doesn’t excuse idiotic behavior, but it helps you to be a bit more sensitive to their plight.”
Hermione pondered this. “So I should feel sorry for them.”
“They are the ones without dates for the Yule Ball, after all,” Rinna pointed out. “But I think you are well within your rights to be rather brassed off at them.” She raised her teacup to Hermione. “Here’s to hoping they grow up soon and stop being prats!”
Hermione clinked her cup against Rinna’s. “Hear, hear,” she said fervently, but there was a smile on her face.
Rinna set down her teacup and leaned forward eagerly. “So,” she said, the mischievous glint in her eye making her look more like a schoolgirl than a professor, “do I get to know the name of this mystery date?”
Hermione smiled slyly and leaned forward, too. “You have to promise to not tell a soul.”
“I do solemnly swear,” Rinna avowed as she placed her right hand over her heart.
Hermione paused in anticipation. “Viktor Krum.”
Rinna’s eyes widened and a delighted grin took over her face. “I say, Hermione! He’s athletic, has brains, and obviously good taste in women. I think it is a brilliant match.”
Hermione returned the grin, and decided she was feeling infinitely better.
Rinna slipped in the entrance doors, red-faced and out of breath from her run; she’d taken advantage of the break in the sleety cold weather when Sunday morning had cracked cold and clear. She was so tired of running in the castle, and had been almost beside herself with delight at being outdoors. Never mind that it was quite chilly, because a simple warming charm took care of that little issue until physical exercise could take over. She’d gotten so warm, she’d even stripped off the track jacket and had tied it around her waist.
She cancelled the warming charm and immediately regretted it as the cold air of the castle hit her, causing a gasp and gooseflesh. Even more alarming, though, was the strong rough hand that closed painfully around her left wrist. “I have finally remembered where I have seen you before, Professor Dunlevy,” growled her assailant.
“And you have finally bothered to learn my name, Professor Karkaroff.” She turned to face him, heart pounding even as her mind sharpened. She had not thought that he would have remembered their one encounter long ago. “What is it that you want?”
Karkaroff turned her hand palm up, and ran his other hand across the underside of her forearm. “Have you noticed it is becoming clearer?” his question was whispered with a hint of fear.
Rinna shivered in distaste at his touch. “I have no idea what you are talking about,” she snapped. “Release me at once!” Her voice had become dangerous.
He peered closely at her left arm, running his hand across it once more, before looking up at her, startled. He dropped her arm as if it had burned him. “I-I’m sorry, Professor. Apparently, I was, ah, mistaken about knowing you…”
Rinna didn’t bother correcting him, but counted her blessings that he’d been very drunk that night and had a foggy memory of her at best. She seized the opportunity afforded by his confusion at his supposed mistake and looked directly into his eyes. Legilimens she chanted silently.
Her own confusion vanished as she ascertained that he’d been searching her arm for the Dark Mark. Well, it was nice to know she’d made a convincing little Death Eater devotee back in the day. She didn’t dare dally in his mind; she broke eye contact and glanced at his hand. “I’d advise you to never lay a hand on me again, Professor.” Her voice was deceptively calm, but rang clearly through the entrance hall.
“KARKAROFF! You traitorous bastard! What trouble are you causing now?” bellowed the voice of Mad-Eye Moody as he clambered down the stairs, wand in hand, followed by a scowling Severus Snape. Rinna and Karkaroff whirled as Moody continued his onslaught like an enraged bull moose. “You lying son of a… how DARE you accost a respected teacher at this school?”
“Quiet, Moody!” Snape snapped. “Do you want to cause a scene?”
Moody didn’t even attempt a veneer of civility. “I should hex you into next year for even thinking of laying a hand on this woman! She is far too good for the likes of”“ Moody broke off as his eyes raked up and down Rinna’s bare arms. He seemed to choke on his words for a minute, before turning and stalking away.
Snape fingered his wand. “Igor, I suggest you leave quietly… now.”
Rinna watched impassively as Karkaroff left the entrance hall, before muttering scathingly to the man beside her, “On a first name basis with old Igor, are you? I’m surprised you didn’t do the secret Death Eater handshake.”
He narrowed his eyes. “You’re welcome.”
She glared at him. “For what? I didn’t need rescuing, you know; I can take care of myself!” She ignored his snort. “And why did you have to bring Mad-Eye with you?” She paused as something struck her. “Severus,” she said slowly, “don’t you think his reaction was rather odd?”
“I didn’t bring him, he was the one who was harassing me. And I didn’t think his reaction odd; the man is a complete lunatic. He always overreacts.”
Rinna felt a sharp pain beginning behind her eyes, the effect of using Legilimency, and her concern over Moody was replaced by her memory of what Karkaroff had said to her. She grasped Snape’s left forearm. “I say, Severus, is anything happening to your arm?”
Snape gasped and shook her hand off as if her touch pained him. His eyes glittered blackly. “What are you talking about?” he hissed.
Rinna leaned in very close. “The Dark Mark is reappearing, isn’t it?” she said very quietly.
His eyes smoldered with malevolence. “What do you know about it?”
“More than you realize.”
Black eyes bored into hers. “The Dark Lord marks people in many ways, Arinna.” His eyes fell to her left forearm, and returned to her face. “Not all of them are visible, are they?”
Warning bells rang in her head as she utilized Occlumency a moment too late; Rinna felt pain lance through her skull. “Damn you!” she rasped, glaring.
Snape clicked his tongue. His eyes raked over her as he took in her tank-top and sweaty skin. “Put on your jacket, Dunlevy. You look like a cheap tart in that get-up.”
Her eyes Avada’d him. “You utter bastard.”
“Does this mean you won’t be my date to the Yule Ball?” he asked mockingly.
“In your dreams, Snape,” Rinna snarled, and she turned to stride purposefully up the staircase, pulling on her track jacket as she went.
Severus Snape smirked momentarily at having elicited such a childish remark from her. Then he watched her disappear from sight, his lips pursed in thought.
A/N: (*) McGonagall’s quote outside the tent and Ron’s, Harry’s and Hermione’s quotes inside the first aid tent come directly from JK Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Chapter 20: The First Task. And the part about girls traveling in packs, and Harry rather taking on the Horntail again, while not quoted directly, were shamelessly borrowed from GOF as well from Chapter 22: The Unexpected Task.
Big hugs go out to all who left fabulous reviews last chapter! You all rock! I'm looking forward to your reactions to this chapter...
A New Definition of Family by RahNee
Chapter Notes: Harry takes on the Horntail, Rinna freaks out, Sirius gets suspicious, and ROMANCE is in the air! Hermione and Rinna finally have a heart-to-heart, and Rinna runs into someone from her past.
And for all you Lupin/Tonks shippers... this is the chapter for you!