Chapter Fifty Five – Harry v Ginny

Disclaimer: The Harry Potter universe belongs to JK Rowling, Scholastic, Bloomsbury, Warner Bros and some other high falutin' companies. Me, I'm just a PR professional. I don't profess to own - and would never dream of making any money off - JKR's wonderful world. However, its her sandbox and she's left the gate unlatched so we can go in and play a bit. Which, I've done.

Chapter Fifty Five – Harry v Ginny

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-==(oIo)==-

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Christmas was as wonderful as Harry had come to expect them to be in the Greengrass household. He was congratulated on his gifts as they represented something new, thoughtful and properly valued.

While Cygnus was, at first, unsure of the embossed letterheads, it was Wendell who convinced him of the value they represented. He was full of excitement in showing both Cygnus and Sirius the utility of letterheading and how it made their letters seem more official.

Ducking back home to Dagworth-Granger Manor he brought forth examples of his own business letters and what he'd received from other businesses. He also showed both men how to use them for themselves.

Isabel loved them. It meant she could also send out official invitations for functions and the like and drastically cut down on her writing.

Within a year, every important House was using them. Within eighteen months so was the Ministry and Wizengamot. Within the same eighteen months even Hogwarts was using them. The first letters sent using them were to the students for the 1995-96 year. And Mister Scrivenshaft, who had magically patented the concept, was quickly becoming wealthy from the sheer amount of embossed parchment he was selling.

Harry didn't mind, either. As a ten percent stock holder he was raking in the money, too.

Wendell and Monica also loved the display quill set of which Harry gifted them. He'd already spoken with Hermione about teaching them how to write with quill and ink on parchment.

Monica thought it was 'quaint' but understood how it made her written correspondence to the magical world more 'acceptable'. And Isabel also offered to teach how to write formal wizarding correspondence as Monica, though a muggle, was seen as the acting Dowager Lady of the House.

However, Monica also quickly learned that writing done with a fountain pen was indistinguishable from writing done with an expensive quill; and switched to that when she wasn't specifically practicing writing with a quill. Isabel later admitted to her she did the same and that she knew other Ladies of Manors also adopted the fountain pen for the same purpose.

Harry wasn't stupid. When he heard, he went out and bought expensive fountain pens for himself and his friends that most closely mimicked a quill. On returning to school they began to use fountain pens whenever they were writing their assignments in private. What the Professors didn't know, wouldn't offend them; especially Professor Snape or Dumbledore. It also sped up the process of writing the assignments out, quite significantly; giving them more free time to dedicate to other pursuits.

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-==(oIo)==-

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Over at the construction site near Folkestone, Pettigrew made his move. Christmas Day was the one day of the year the construction sites on both sides were vacated. Only a pair of security guards manned the sites at each end to keep away sightseers who came too close. He headed in to the construction site at 1.00am, when the last shift were pulled out and were away.

In his animagus form he scurried through the construction site and into the tunnel. He had to cross through twenty three and a half miles, then evacuate the construction site at the other end, before he could consider the obstacle passed. As soon as he was far enough into the tunnel to be out of sight, he switched back to human form.

Knowing he wasn't in the best of health, he kept his pace down to a brisk walk. It would not do to trip over a railway tie, sleeper or building debris and twist an ankle - or, worse, break a leg. Steady but continuous forward movement would do it.

He estimated that, if he kept his pace to about two and a half to three miles an hour - stopping for the occasional short rest - it would take him about ten to thirteen hours to reach the other end of the tunnel. Then he would rest and sleep and wait for dark again before he made his way through the French construction site before the first shift after Christmas arrived just before midnight. His long experience walking from the north-east coast near Aberdeen to the south-east coast had taught him it was a pace he could manage, so long as he didn't continually have to dodge auror search parties.

"I'm coming, Master," he murmured, strengthening his resolve.

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-==(oIo)==-

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As they had returned to London five days before Christmas, it also meant they'd be returning to Hogwarts earlier. So, on the 2nd January, the group were back on Platform 9 ¾ and boarding the Express.

Of course, most of the talking was about what people received for Christmas, or gave others. A few had news of short holidays celebrating Christmas abroad.

But, before long, they were back in the castle, and returned to their studies the next day - the Monday.

On Monday afternoon they found Hagrid, sobbing, leaving the castle.

"Hagrid?" asked Hermione as the group hurried out of the castle after the grounds keeper. "What's wrong?"

The big man spun about and saw Harry and the Seven standing there, together. With dropping shoulders and tears in his eyes he said, "They're going to kill Buckbeak."

Harry didn't know who Buckbeak was but it seemed Hermione and Neville did. "The Hippogriff?" asked Hermione. "Why?"

"Because he hurt young Mister Malfoy," sobbed Hagrid. "Perfesser Dumbledore - grea' man - he's tryin' ter get 'im a reprieve. But, it's the Ministry, yer see. Lord Malfoy wants Buckbeak killed and there's a hearin' comin' up!"

"When is this supposed to happen?" asked Daphne.

"Not sure," replied Hagrid, blowing his nose and wiping his eyes with a small tablecloth. "Prob'ly in a coup'la weeks. Paperwork, and all."

The group let him head on his way. "I hope he's alright by this afternoon," said a worried Neville. "We've got Magical Creatures then."

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-==(oIo)==-

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Studies picked up pace. They were working hard but they were all thankful they were still working ahead of the rest of their year mates. Effort was also made in helping Luna with drawing in magic for her own spell practicing.

Thankfully, she was already a decent enough Occlumens, but she wouldn't say why. All they knew was it was something to do with her father. They knew enough not to push, as they knew not to push Hermione and Neville about how they were maintaining their course load.

Hermione's had eased, though, almost immediately after they had returned. Her parents and the Greengrasses convinced her to drop Divination; which she reluctantly did.

On the second Saturday after their return, Harry had his second game of Quidditch for the year. This time, it was against Slytherin. He knew it was going to be a hard game as he'd been told all the horror stories about how badly the Snakes cheated.

Though, he knew, experiencing it was an entirely different matter.

The Snakes now knew Harry rode a Firebolt, and that Malfoy was no competition against him. As the game hinged on the performance of the seeker, the team beaters, Crabbe and Goyle - Malfoy's personal twin bookends - targeted him immediately; as did Flint and Malfoy.

For most of the game, Harry spent dodging and weaving away from bludgers, beaters bats, and sheer muscling from Flint. Malfoy held back and spent the time laughing at Harry until Flint yelled at him to find the snitch.

Because the beaters were focussing on Harry with the bludgers and themselves, the Slytherin chasers were using their superior body mass to muscle Ravenclaw's chasers. However, with Harry effectively keeping the beaters out of the game by staying well away from the Ravenclaw chasers, the score was steadily rising for the Eagles.

At two of the somewhat rare times the Slytherin chasers had control of the Quaffle, Harry used them to separate himself of the Slytherin beaters by diving and climbing through their formations. It was similar to how basketballers position themselves to knock a player's 'tag' off the person with the ball. He even managed to make Goyle crash into, and injure in the process, one of the Slytherin chasers.

During the time out due to injury, Martin instructed Harry to keep the beaters and Malfoy away from their chasers, and that it was about time he started using the higher speeds and manoeuvrability of the broom.

So, returning to the air, Harry used the broom to draw the beaters to him, and then accelerated away. He ducked, weaved, dove and climbed. He caused both Crabbe and Goyle to bounce off the walls of the tribunes and, once even, had them run into each other.

Finally, he saw it. But Malfoy was closer and saw it at the same time. The race for the snitch was on. And Harry had both bludgers chasing after him.

Luckily, the snitch zigged and Malfoy misjudged and zagged. By the time he was back on it, Harry was over the top of the blonde ponce and pounced. Further luck was on Harry's side as Malfoy reached out and wrenched hard on one of Harry's footpegs. They were both only a few feet off the ground when it happened. Unluckily for Harry, his arm was at full extension when Malfoy pulled his cheating stunt.

Just as his fingers grasped the snitch firmly within his fist, he was sent flying across the ground without his broom. He hit the ground, hard, and was sent sliding and bouncing across the ground.

He had just managed to come to a stop when he was, in turn, slammed into by Malfoy and both brooms.

When Malfoy wrenched on Harry's footpeg - thereby unseating him - Harry's broom's automatic systems worked to bring the broom to a complete stop. It spun about due to the grasp on one footpeg and smashed across Malfoy's face, breaking the boy's nose and knocking teeth loose or breaking them off completely.

In pain and while trying to stop, Malfoy lost his own grip on his broom and, tangled with both brooms, bounced once off the ground before smacking hard into Harry.

Both boys woke later in the infirmary.

Harry suffered the biggest injuries with two broken ribs, an arm broken in two places, a broken shoulder, and a concussion.

But Malfoy actually came off worse with a broken nose, three broken teeth, a broken wrist and strained shoulder. The broken teeth required the remains to be removed and the teeth regrown. A painful process.

When he woke up Daphne, who'd been crying, spent one second yelling at him for not being careful enough, another crying because he was so injured, a third yelling at Malfoy for cheating and a fourth wanting to hug him senseless without further damaging him.

Harry didn't even have a chance to say a word back. He just made soothing sounds. However, he was soon rescued by Madam Pomfrey, who came along and shoo'ed his upset betrothed out the doors.

Harry was out of the infirmary the next morning, but Malfoy had another day under Madam Pomfrey's care and in pain for most of it. Harry felt the other boy deserved that and even more. What he had done could have killed him.

It was also hours before he found out Ravenclaw had slaughtered the Snakes and pretty much already secured the Quidditch Cup; and the season was officially only half way through. Their only threat now was the Gryffindors, who they played on the 19th of March, in nine weeks. If they beat the Lions, Ravenclaw wins, and the final game of Gryffindor and Slytherin on the 16th of April will only be for second place.

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-==(oIo)==-

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Once free of the infirmary before breakfast the next day, Harry joined the others at the Slytherin table. Without Malfoy there to spend most of the meal sneering at them and making snide comments, it was actually quite pleasant. And, Crabbe and Goyle, while not the brightest candles in the chandelier, were actually pleasant to talk to away from Malfoy. Both boys were actually normally quite shy.

"Can we spend today researching the law regarding magical creatures harming witches and wizards?" asked Hermione during the table chit chat.

Looking in surprise at the girl, Harry asked, "You want to try and save Buckbeak?"

"Yes," she replied. "I don't think it's right for such a beautiful animal to be killed just because Malfoy was an idiot."

"You do realise that as an animal, magical or not, the Hippogriff has no rights?" asked Daphne.

"You're more than welcome to try, Hermione," said Harry. "But, I'm sorry; the creature hurt a student. The fault lies entirely with Hagrid bringing a very dangerous animal to his first class. And Third Years, at that.

"No, a hippogriff is something for Fifth Years and above; not Third Years," said Harry. "I just hope Hagrid has learned a very valuable, though painful, lesson from this incident."

"Well, I'm going to try," huffed Hermione.

Harry nodded and said, "And I wish you luck. But Daphne and I have etiquette club, this afternoon. And, you know how important that is to the two of us."

Hermione blushed and said, "Sorry. I forgot."

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-==(oIo)==-

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Three weeks later Ravenclaw played Gryffindor in Quidditch. All through the three weeks in the lead up to the game, Harry ensured Ginny had the Nimbus for training. However, he could see the look she tried hard to disguise in her eyes that she did not fully believe he would loan her the broom for the game.

On the morning of the game he waited outside the portrait of the Fat Lady. As soon as he saw her step out, he was standing there smiling, with the Nimbus in his hand.

She looked back at him a little warily as he stepped forward and offered her the broom. He said, "A promise is a promise."

When she accepted it with tears forming in her eyes, she said, "I know you're a man of honour, Harry. But, I - confess to doubting you would still loan me this wonderful broom when we played you."

"Have more faith in me, next time; alright?" he said.

She nodded as a single tear flowed down her cheek; until, suddenly, she threw herself at him, embracing him on a tight hug. Another grapple-hug.

"Thank you!" she cried.

"Errff - girl!" he cried back. "Are you trying to bust me up so I can't play?"

Releasing him and stepping back, she giggle-sniffled, "I think you'd still play, even with busted ribs."

Giving a shrug, with a smile he replied, "Yeah, I probably would."

That caused the small group of Gryff's who were standing around to chuckle. The only one who wasn't was her slightly older brother, Ron, who just stood there glaring.

With a jaunty wave Harry walked off and said over his shoulder, "Even though I loaned you a broom, I'm still going to kick your butt on the pitch!"

"In your dreams, Potter!" she called back.

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-==(oIo)==-

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The game that afternoon was one for the legends of the school.

It was also learned from Daphne, who had heard Malfoy talking about it with Flint in the Slytherin common room that Malfoy, Flint, Crabbe and Goyle were planning on sabotaging Harry while he was flying during the game. With the help of the others, their plan was squashed within moments of the attempt.

The four boys had all drawn their wands and were trying to cast light-free hexes and jinxes Harry's way. However, as soon as their wands came up, the others all disarmed them.

In the game, everything started off fine. The twins even joshed good-naturedly with him, giving him fair warning they were going to be playing spoilers against him if they thought he got a whiff of the snitch.

Harry was on the Firebolt, which gave him far better handling and manoeuvrability. But, Ginny was both smaller and lighter on the Nimbus 2000. They were even more closely matched than Harry dreamed. And Ginny knew how to defeat the advantages Harry had with a faster and more manoeuvrable broom from playing with her brothers on their better brooms in their backyard Quidditch pitch.

The snitch must have also been kicked up a notch in it's movements as it darted all over the pitch.

Harry would get into a good position to grab it when it'd change direction. He'd make the turn, but Ginny would use him by ricocheting off him to make the turn herself, while also pushing Harry out of line. It also wasn't cheating, either, as she was not intending to harm him and was focussing on the snitch.

Then Harry would have to use the better qualities of his broom to get back in over the top of her and regain the better line.

Neither could spare the time to watch the other players battle it out. If Harry had even taken the time to view the scoreboard he might have even panicked. The Lions of Gryffindor chasers and beaters were all over the Eagles of Ravenclaw. And the Lions were streets ahead in points.

However, after the longest game Harry had participated in since he'd started playing, he was eventually able to find a defence against Ginny using him like a pool table cushion and caught the snitch. Ravenclaw won - 290 to 270. A victory, yes; but, the Cup was won based on the number of total points across all four games a team secured. And Gryffindor was still in with a good chance.

When it was finished, Wood was off to one side crying on Spinnet's shoulder about how unfair the world was. Martin was dancing around in happiness one moment, then berating Harry for loaning Ginny his Nimbus the next. Everyone else were heartily congratulating each other for a very well fought match. And both seekers were commended for their flying.

Lee Jordan had even coined a name for the ricochet manoeuvre Ginny seemed to have perfected - it became known as the 'Weasley Bounce'. It seemed no one had ever used it before that anyone could recall as, until the Firebolt, brooms had not been so poorly matched.

The Cup would come down to the final game of the season, after all. The game in mid-march of Slytherin against Hufflepuff would not be a spoiler. However, if Gryffindor slaughtered Slytherin in April with enough points they could win the Cup, even though Ravenclaw won all three of their games.

Harry's Firebolt had received some minor damage by Malfoy during the Ravenclaw against Slytherin game, and he desperately wanted to send it back to the factory to be properly repaired with damaged twigs and ever-so-slightly bent footpegs replaced. However, he'd made a promise to Ginny, so he'd hang on to it until after the Gryffindor Slytherin game in mid April.

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-==(oIo)==-

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During the week, Neville and Hermione heard from Hagrid that Buckbeak's hearing was scheduled for the Friday. Dumbledore had already promised Hagrid he would be allowed to attend the hearing.

Hermione was almost frantic in her search for any law, or part of a law, that would help to save Buckbeak from his fate. But, she'd had no luck right up until the hearing.

She had even approached Remus to seek help. But, Harry's honourary uncle didn't have the heart to tell her there was no chance of saving the creature.

It was finding Hagrid sobbing his heart out on the Saturday afternoon after they were returning from a Hogsmeade weekend that let them know of Buckbeak's decided fate. Weirdly, however, he wasn't to be executed until June.

Even though sentence had been passed, Hermione was still trying to find a way to save the beast when they returned to 'their' room in the Come and Go Room.

"Hermione," said Neville. "I'm sorry, but it's done. Even if you find something now it will do no good There are no appeals available in these kinds of cases."

Hermione burst into tears. Susan and Hannah moved to comfort her.

Harry mentally sighed and thought to himself, 'I guess I'll just have to save the creature, then.'

He and Neville looked at each other. Neville adopted a look of pleading while Harry, almost imperceptibly, nodded once. Neville looked relieved and nodded back.

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The Eight soldiered on with the teens all now focussing on their studies and training. They'd even reached the point where some, including Harry, were up to three target dummies.

The dummies were now firing more and more powerful Curses and Charms as the teens dodged, danced and shielded. Sometimes, they'd have four target dummies with a wider area of battle and two teens would be training simultaneously as a team.

Harry was still a force to be reckoned with and definitely not taken lightly. His speed was incredible. But, Luna was developing a style all her own. While nowhere near as fast, she'd developed patterns and spellchains that were brilliant, and sometimes awe-inspiring.

She'd managed to chain a set of spells that included the Water Jet Charm, Freezing Charm and Bludgeoning Hex. With a strong enough Freezing Charm the damage from the follow up bludgeoner was - dramatic. The parts of the target that were hit would shatter. While the target was often either unable to move quickly, or frozen to the spot.

Based on witnessing that, Harry dedicated quite a bit of time into developing his own custom set of spellchains; ones that would do damage to a single target, or many. The secret, as Professor Flitwick told him, was to merge the last movement of the wand movement of a spell into the first of the next one.

With his ability of perfect recall, Harry was almost instantly able to see all the Curses and Charms he'd already learned that had the same first wand movement as the last of the previous, or was in an easy position to lift into the next. One example was a slash wand movement that started high right and finished low left, which would then feed into the next spell which started from the low left and ended back at the ready point at hip height on the right.

Harry also noticed how he was often casting through his own Shielding Charm with a curse, yet the Shielding Charm in no way affected his curse. He took the matter to Professor Flitwick.

"Ah!" said the Professor. "I was wondering when you'd notice that. It means your spell casting is getting that quick that the two overlap."

"Thank you, but why does it happen?" asked Harry.

"It has to do with how the Shielding Charm is unidirectional," replied the Professor. "It's designed to protect from an arc about one hundred and twenty degrees wide spread evenly from the central direction in which you cast.

"For anything else, the shield only - diminishes - the curse. However, if you cast both shield and curse, it isn't affected at all. That's because the magical signature of both match. You'll learn more about this effect, and why it happens, in Arithmancy after your OWLs and if you undertake a Mastery in Charms. That is, of course, if you continue the subject into your NEWTs."

Harry frowned and thought for a bit. The little professor, knowing a Ravenclaw puzzling things out when he saw it, waited. Harry asked, "What happens when the shield and the curse are conjured by the same person, but with different wands?"

Surprised, and not a little shocked at the question, the professor replied, "I do not know." He then thought a bit and said, "It actually creates an interesting situation. I've not heard of a wizard or witch who would set a Shielding Charm with one wand while casting - say - a Bludgeoning Curse with the other through the shield.

"There are laws in place that restrict a witch or wizard to only one wand. However, it does not mean that, in a life and death battle, one would not have two on their person; irrespective of what the law says." He thought a bit more and said, "Logic dictates that, if the wands were identical, then there should not be much of a difficulty. However, if the wands differed quite a bit, then I have no idea what the effect would be."

Harry stood thinking a bit more and mused, "It sounds like you're talking about resonance."

"Pardon, Mister Potter?" asked the professor.

"Resonance, Professor," said Harry. "All energy - including light and sound - travel in waves. I'll get you a muggle physics book that explains it in detail. But, suffice it to say, it also makes sense to me that magical energy in the form of spells would do the same.

"Because the wand is a focussing tool for the casting of spells, it would have an impact on the frequency of the waves that form the magical energy of the spell. Using two quite different foci in two different wands, must then affect the frequency of the cast. However, when cast through near identical wands - and, therefore, near identical foci - the frequency would also be near identical.

"Resonance would be the point where the frequency is close enough for the energy wave for both the shield and the curse to be in synchronicity or phase, and would allow the curse to pass through the shield unimpeded."

The Professor looked back at Harry in stunned surprise bordering on shock. "Actually, Mister Potter," said the professor, after a few moments. "While the terms you used are different to what is used in the magical world, that is almost exactly the answer for a Masters level question in charms."

Harry smiled back and said, "Then it appears, Professor, I'm on the right path. Now all I have to do is test my theory."

"And, I'm afraid, that's going to require a second wand that's as much in tune to your magic as your existing wand," said the professor. "And you're not allowed to own two wands under current wizarding law, Mister Potter."

Harry smirked back and said, "That's not actually true, Professor. The law states I'm not allowed to carry two wands. It says nothing about owning two.

"However, this school currently hosts two sets of identical twins; with one set being so in tune with each other they seem to be of one mind. I can always ask them to help. It would also not surprise me if the Weasley twins owned identical wands."

Surprised yet again, the diminutive professor said with a little awe, "That - is actually an incredible idea. I wonder just how close their wands actually do match."

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

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After he approached the Seven and sought permission to do so, Harry approached the twins and took them aside for a private discussion.

"Boys," said Harry, "What do you know of the Come and Go Room?"

The twins glanced, confused, at each other before one asked, "The what and what room?"

"Obviously nothing," said Harry with a smirk. "I need your help with something and I need to show the two of you a - special - room within the castle to get that help."

"What sort of 'special' room..."

"Harrikins?"

"T'would be best if I just showed you," he replied, before he started to walk away. "Come with me, please."

Harry led them up to the seventh floor corridor and gestured at the door.

"We don't remember there..."

"... being a door here."

Smirking, Harry led the twins inside to be met by the Seven. A new couch also appeared around the table as the extra seating was needed.

Both stood just inside the door looking around in shock. Harry had to hustle them forward a little to close the door.

"What is this place?" asked one.

"The house elves call it the Come and Go Room," replied Harry. "It will configure itself to the wishes of whoever needs it."

He walked towards the sitting cum studying area and gestured to the new couch. "Come take a seat, boys."

The twins, still looking around, came over and sat on the couch.

Before they could formulate what they wanted to say or ask, Harry said, "You're obviously full of questions; ask away." And sat back.

Over the course of over an hour, Harry and the Seven answered every question they could. Some, of course, they couldn't as they didn't have the answers, themselves. However, there were very few that fit in the last category. And no one was giving up Harry's secret of his eidetic memory. But that was unrelated to the Room, so wasn't even asked.

At the end of the question and answer session, one twin turned to the other and asked, "Why did we never find this room, brother of mine?"

"We never knew of its existence, is why."

"And yet we found all the tunnels."

"No, we found the Map which showed the tunnels."

"Too true"

"Of course."

"Map?" asked Daphne.

"Ah!" said one twin.

"The Marauder's Map"

"its how we can find anyone..."

"... we're looking for..."

"... within the castle," they said together.

One of them drew the Map from within his robes and laid it on the table before them all. The other then drew his wand and held the tip against the middle of the Map, and said, "We solemnly swear we're up to no good!"

Lines began to trace across the page in all directions similar to the inheritance test ritual.

When it was finished, one of the twins said, "We humbly present the Marauder's Map..."

"... made by our heroes, the Marauders..."

"Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail."

Sitting forward suddenly, Harry asked, "Prongs, Padfoot, Moony and Wormtail?"

"The same," the twins nodded and said together.

"Then, it may interest you to know, I'm the son of Prongs," said Harry. He then whipped out his wand and cast his patronus. "That's what he looked like," he said, gesturing at the form."

The twins looked between Harry and his patronus in shock. A quick glance at each other and they were both off the couch and kneeling on the floor. "We're not worthy!" they cried.

"Oh, do get up," said Hannah.

The two boys rose and retook their seats. "You would not happen to know..."

"Who the others are, do you?"

"Yes," said Harry. "However, they clearly used their Marauder names on the map for a reason. I will not break their trust to reveal them to you. "Sorry."

The two boys glanced at each other again before one said, "Then, for you sharing your knowledge of this room with us..."

"... because it's bloody brilliant for you to share it with us..."

"... And, because this Map is obviously a family heirloom..."

"We solemnly return it to you."

And both boys then slid the Map in Harry's direction. With a quick demonstration of how the map worked, Harry could see just how useful a tool it actually was.

"And, by all means, you're welcome to come here and use the room," said Daphne. "If there's no one here, when you walk back and forth in the corridor outside, just think of this room and that you want to use the room Harry and his friends use. Then the door will appear for you to be able to enter. Just, please, keep it a secret."

"You have our word, Miss Greengrass," said one.

"The word of two of the new Marauders," said the other.

"Thank you to you both," said Harry. "However, I've not just brought you up here to show you this marvellous Room. I've also a favour to ask of you both."

"Oh? Pray tell..."

"... Harrikins."

"Firstly," Harry began, "I know you are very near identical physically, intellectually and emotionally. But, do you know how close you are magically?"

"Close enough that we..."

"... have identical wands."

"And that almost answers my second question," said Harry before asked, "Just how identical are your wands?"

"Mister Ollivander made them special for us," said one.

"When we tested out in his store..."

"... to both have the best results with the same wand..."

"... he then made us two new wands..."

"... from the exact same block of wood..."

"... and tail hair off the same unicorn."

"Eleven inches long - made of elm - with a unicorn hair core," they said together and whipped them out.

"Wow! That must have cost a bit of gold," said Susan.

"Nope," said one.

"Mister Ollivander gave them to us for free..."

"... as long as we keep him informed of anything

"... that seems funny happening to them."

"And it's perfect!" exclaimed Harry, leaning forward. "Now, I've got something I want you two to help me with; and I'm willing to pay you for it."

The two boys glanced at each other and grinned before leaning forward.

"Here's what I'm looking to do," said Harry, as he began to explain why he specifically wanted them for his experiment on spell resonance.

_‗_

-==(oIo)==-

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