Tannim's blog: "Harry Potter and the Mental War"

August 6^th

Everyone decided to have a lie-in the next morning, simply because after three non-stop days of battles, pranks and weddings, everyone was either exhausted, hung over, or in some cases, both.

One couple was neither and was up early.  Instead, they were outside in the morning air.  A passerby, if there had been any around, would have seen two dogs running around the Quidditch pitch at top speed.  One was sleek and fast, a black and red blur, and the other one just as fast, but even redder and some fur flying behind.

Eventually they slowed to a trot, and the greyhound and the Saluki ran together side by side, shoulder to shoulder, a perfectly matched couple.  Occasionally the greyhound would playfully nip at the muzzle of the Saluki and vice versa.  They left the pitch and headed to the front steps of Hogwarts, where they came to a stop.  The two changed forms, and Harry and Ginny, sweating from a good morning workout, headed into the Great Hall (which had turned back to normal overnight) for breakfast.

Since the occupants of Hogwarts were currently only the professors and staff, plus Harry and Ginny, there was only one table in the hall.  As they walked in, holding hands, professors were walking in, but Flitwick and McGonagall were already at the table.  Harry and Ginny took seats across from them.  Breakfast appeared and everyone dug in.  Harry noticed that Hagrid ate almost as much as Ron normally would.  Conversation was light and most of the time was occupied with bacon, sausage, eggs, waffles, and fruit.  Eventually everyone had their fill, and McGonagall cleared her throat.

"Since everyone is already here, we need to discuss the upcoming year.  Since Mr. Potter and Miss Weasley are here, we might as well start with them." She looked at them pointedly, then waved her wand, and a scroll flew in from somewhere and landed in front of Ginny.  "Your O.W.L.s, Miss Weasley."

Ginny nervously unrolled the parchment and began to read.  She became less nervous as she read further, and finally she gasped as she read the last sentence.

"You're skipping me up one year?  Do Mum and Dad know?"

McGonagall smiled.  "Yes, we've discussed it and they agree.  Only Miss Granger, or should I now say, Mrs. Weasley, has ever scored higher in their O.W.L.s, so we felt it was right.  But it is conditional on passing the sixth-year exams.  We would want you to study up for the tests between now and September 1, with all the help here you need.  We all feel you will pass without any problems."

"Headmistress, before we go any further, I think I need to speak to Professor Dumbledore's portrait," Harry responded.

Harry got up from the table and walked over to the easels.  Sirius was out of his portrait at the moment.  Dumbledore looked at him, waiting.  Harry opened the link in his mind to Ginny so she could listen in.

"How much do they know about the Soul Bond?" He asked very quietly.  "And about that other thing?"

"Nothing to both questions, Harry," replied Dumbledore just as quietly.  "But I recall that you were going to discuss 'that other thing' with both Minerva and Ginny today."

"Since they both tie together, I think I should explain them both.  What about the rest of the staff?" asked Harry.

"I think right now it would be prudent to include Madam Pomfrey and perhaps the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher in this, but that depends on who it is, and I have no idea at this point," Dumbledore replied.

"Fair enough.  OK, I'll tell those two, and as far as the new DADA teacher goes, we'll make that call depending on who it is."  Harry left the portraits and returned to the table.

:What's that other thing, Harry?

:I'll tell you in a bit.  First things first.

"Headmistress, I need to ask an important question:  Has there been a decision made on the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and if so, who?"

"There has, Harry, but we have not yet heard if the candidate for the job will accept it."  McGonagall smiled.  "The question is, will you do it?"

"Wait a moment.  What? ME?  Why me?"  Harry hadn't expected this at all.

"Professor Flitwick and I talked to the Board of Governors and they all agreed you are uniquely qualified.  They reviewed the exam scores of all the students, and every single member of Dumbledore's Army scored top marks, and that obviously shows you can teach well.  We also want that club, renamed the Defense Association, to continue, and we want to make it required for both O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. examinations."  McGonagall smiled.  "Harry, we know you can do this, and we will help you in any way we can."

"But what of my own studies?"  Harry asked.  "I can hardly plan lessons, teach, grade papers, and still get my own N.E.W.T. classes in at the same time!"

"We thought of that as well, Harry," Flitwick piped up.  "We feel that you should be able to test out of most of your N.E.W.T. exams by September 1, and that will free up your schedule.  Plus, we can easily arrange independent study time in the evenings for everything else."

"I can see a complication here, though.  Some of my family and close friends will be in these classes.  How can I teach them and grade them and not appear preferential?" Harry asked.  "I don't want to be another Snape, or even seen as one!"

"Simple, Harry.  You make a list of those people, and we'll have someone else grade those for you," replied Professor Sprout.

:They seem to have covered everything, Harry.

:Not everything, Ginny.

"Headmistress, before I accept this, I need to speak with you, Ginny, Dumbledore, and Madam Pomfrey in private."  He looked at the rest of the staff and grinned at the speculative looks on their faces.  "And no, it's not THAT!  That's more likely with Ron and Hermione when they get back from their honeymoon."

Harry, Ginny, Pomfrey, and McGonagall headed over to the portraits.  Sirius had returned.  Harry cast a Muffliato Charm around them.  McGonagall started to ask Sirius to leave, but Harry stopped her.  "It's all right, Headmistress, he knows what I know, and he can stay."

"My first question, Headmistress, is what kind of arrangements are made for married students?"  Harry asked.

"Well, the castle does have suites of rooms that can be used for married students, even though it doesn't happen very often," McGonagall responded.  "Since this year's Head Boy and Head Girl just got married, they'll be in one of those suites.  Usually we house guests in them."

Harry took a deep breath and let it out.  Ginny clutched his hand tightly.

:Here goes.

:Just say it; you'll be fine.

"Headmistress, you may have to set up another suite."

That caused McGonagall's eyebrows to raise high enough to disappear beneath her hat.  "What are you saying, Potter?"

"Headmistress, Ginny and I Soul Bonded at my birthday party.  It was witnessed by all of the Weasleys, Hermione, Dobby, Lupin, Tonks, Dumbledore, and Sirius.  According to wizarding law, we are married."  McGonagall let out a gasp, truly startled.  "There's more.  For safety reasons, plus the fact that Ginny is not of age, we have decided to keep this a secret.  To the public we are a dating couple, but in reality we are Mr. and Mrs. Harry Potter.  Naturally we want to spend every waking moment and most sleeping moments we can with each other, but we have agreed to not do anything to, um, consummate the marriage until after we can have an 'official' wedding for the public to see.  That raises the accommodations questions."

McGonagall thought a minute.  "Ginny Weasley will have to stay in the dormitory.  But as a prefect she will be able to be in the corridors at night.  However, Ginny Potter will have access to the rooms you get as Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.  Would that work?"

Harry and Ginny exchanged looks and nodded.

"There's one more thing, Headmistress, and this is why I asked Madam Pomfrey over as well," Harry started.  "Professor Dumbledore gave me, Ron, and Hermione a task to do before he died.  Due to the Bonding I am including Ginny in it as well, since she'll find out about it anyway, but if I'm going to teach here, you need to know about it so we can make adjustments as needed, and Madam Pomfrey needs to know about it in case anyone gets hurt."

:This is "that other thing," isn't it?

:Yep.  You may not like this very much.

He proceeded to explain about the Horcruxes, basically recounting the conversation of two days ago in the Burrow.  Ginny clasped his hand tighter when he mentioned the diary, and he knew it was still giving her nightmares at times.  He sent his love to her through the link, and she relaxed some.  When he finished, it was quiet for a moment, then McGonagall spoke.

"I think then, the solution will be to have Remus fill in for you at those times when you have to be tracking down these last two Horcurxes.  We'll just have to be sure that's not during the full moon.  I was going to ask if you minded him being the extra grader for you anyway."

Harry said, "If we can make those arrangements, then I will accept the post.  One last thing, though: make Ron the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain.  He knows the game inside out, and I have plenty on my plate anyway, so I can give that up."  McGonagall nodded.

Harry removed the charm and they made their way back to the table and sat down.

"Welcome aboard, Professor Potter." McGonagall frowned.  "Oh, dear, I need to get used to that."

Harry just smiled.  "Me, too."