Chapter 80 - Ch. 80 A Valentine

With my time with my family coming and going quickly, and a few private sessions with Tory, it was now time for the three of us to return to Hogwarts.

From what I can remember, the golden trio should have made the polyjuice potion since I saw them in Myrtle's bathroom so much on the map and sneaked into the Slytherin common room. I'll check to see if Hermione is half cat at the moment.

I caught up with my two other friends in the train and Hogwarts was once again in sight as we returned to our home away from home.

The first thing I did when I got back was head to the infirmary with Tory. She wanted to say hello Madam Pomfrey since she is her healing instructor and thought it would be polite to do so, while using the same excuse, except that I'm more of a former protege turned colleague. But yeah, time to see kitty Hermione.

We walked in and immediately Poppy was on us.

"Ah! Aedan, Victoria, come and help me with this case. I don't know what Ms. Granger has done to herself, but I want your opinions on the matter." She said as we approached the bed with the curtains drawn.

She revealed what was essentially a human shaped cat. It had the general height, frame and body type of Hermione, but the facial features were almost completely like a cats. Hermione was know covered in hair, with a cats nose and eyes, with the cat ears so many wish for, but it just wasn't cute like this.

"Morgana's locks, is that the little girl you're always helping Aedan?" Said a very surprised Victoria.

"Hmm. It would appear so. I know I told you to be creative during the holidays, but I didn't think you'd take it this far. You're even giving me firsts now." I said with a little chuckle to tease the cat girl. Which seems to work as she groans with embarrassment and fidgets as she wants to hid her face from someone she genuinely admires.

"Any ideas Aedan? I've tried everything I could think of, but nothing's working. And just like Mr. Weasley from last year, she is adamant that she doesn't know what went wrong." Madam Pomfrey explained in disp.l.e.a.s.u.r.e.

"I have a few thoughts, none great. Madam Pomfrey, do we have any cases on either human-transfiguration or botched animagus attempts?" I asked with a serious face.

"Hmmm. Maybe. I think I remember something like that being mentioned in 1865, or was 1685? I'll go check the records." She muttered to herself before making her declaration and leaving quickly.

"Tory, this is going to be a private talk and I'll fill you in later ok? I need to have a honest chat with the girl." I say gently as I turn to her.

"Alright, but if you don't tell me it's going to cost you." She answered with a grin.

"Thanks. Don't worry I'm not tempting fate." I reply with a chuckle as she nods and departs.

"So. Polyjuice potion with cat hair. Not the best course of action to turn oneself into an animal." I simply stated with a smile and get a look of utter shock.

"How?!" Was all she managed to ask.

"Obviously because I know such a useful potion in, out and backwards. I've even improved it. Took way too long to brew. But yeah, that's besides the point missy. Very illegal and how'd you even get the ingredients in the first place?" I say in response and ask a question I know the answer to already.

"Got it from Snape's stores." Murmured a very ashamed Hermione.

"Impressive and very gutsy. Now I know why he was being an extra large git before the holidays. Gave him eight times the amount of homework for that." I say with a large smile on my face.

"You can't say that about a professor!" She exclaimed in horror.

"Oh don't get me wrong. The man is a true master in potions, but he's a shit teacher and acts like a git." I say with an even larger smile.

"So, since this was very illegal, and very dangerous, what should I do with you Hermione?" I asked her half-seriously.

"I deserve what happened to me. This why you shouldn't break the rules. I made such a stupid mistake." She said with her ears down and sounding like she was about to cry.

"You do realize that I said I brewed the potion all the time right? I told you I was doing something technically illegal myself." I say, getting her to perk up but be confused.

"I've also said I've improved it right? Well i also did it for the reversal potion. I was trying to figure out Thief's downfall, but then I got inspired. So are you willing to be my first true tester of my polyjuice eraser?" I asked with a smile while fishing out a bottle from my bottomless pouch.

That was half a lie. I did actually study thief's downfall. I received a sample from the goblins as we were doing business and showed interest in the stuff. It's so useful. Dispels any control, disguise or cloaking magic. Washes away any potions effect on a person body. I got it from the king for my birthday when I was 10, and boy were they surprised when I improved its complexity even further and boosting its concentration. So it was now twice as difficult to decipher and they only needed to use half to get the same effect. I also used it it improve the polyjuice removal potion, but I made this one specifically for the situation.

"Really? This will turn me back?" She asked hopefully.

"This ones got an 80% chance, but if it doesn't work I'll just have to brew a cat specific reversal potion and that'll do the trick." I reassure the girl

She hesitantly took the potion in her hands, took a deep breath and chugged the whole thing like a champ.

With a look of disgust at the taste one usually has when drinking potions, her body slowly started to change. Her fur was receding, the cat ears disappeared, her eyes and nose returned to their usual shapes and colors. And finally Hermione was back, so I gave her a mirror to check herself out. She took it with some fear, but looked at herself after a few seconds and was relieved to see herself.

"Thank you Aedan! I'm so glad I won't have to look like that until it wore off." She said gratefully.

"No problem Hermione. It's impressive you brewed the potion without blowing yourselves up, but try to do it properly next time alright? And as a heads up, don't think about stealing from Snape again. He is a very cautious man and has most likely put up a lot of security after he's found out someone stole from him." I advise seriously. She nods furiously in agreement.

"Alright. I'll go tell a fake reason I could change you back quickly, Madam Pomfrey will check you over for a while, but you should be able to get out in a day or two so sit tight." I say as I ruffle her bushy hair playfully and take my leave.

I explained that it was an advanced version of self-transmutation to increase ones abilities temporarily, but a mishap happened. Fortunately I am very skilled in the field and was able to get her in order. With that story in place, I left and started the rest of the semester. From what I know, no new attacks will happen for a while, so normal school time.

The most noticeable change for me was obviously the dueling club. Professor Flitwick And I took turn overseeing the two rooms we had decided to renovate for the club. One was the dueling arena. A room filled with standard fencing-like dueling platforms surrounding a real dueling ring, with each one properly warded to stop stray or deflected spells, and with some spectator or guest seats for people who wanted to watch or wait for their friends. The second was a practice room. It was kind off like the RoR's version when I started practicing. We had a dozen moving practice dummies, a shooting range for accuracy and spell strength training, bookshelves filled with materials on the art and I actually got a pensieve with a collection of dueling memories from an old dueler who had passed away and who's things had been auctioned off. I was in charge of mostly teaching and supervising the kids from 4th year and below while the professor gave more advanced lessons in the art to 5th year and above. It worked well since I was old enough and respected amongst the younger kids, especially after that display we did, as it had giving the kids a lot of respect for the basics.

And so with a new addition to my schedule, I settled into my routine. Splitting my time between training, classes, friends, Exchange, club and ritual magic research. The last one getting me some good results as the possibility of success rose the more I polished it, making me believe I should be able to present the finished form by the end of the year to the Headmaster. I made the man a promise and I would keep it. I was developing an impossible ritual for anyone else to actually survive unless they were like me, life bonded with a phoenix. It was in nature, a neutral ritual and hoped it would help the man not reject it instinctively.

Harry actually came and thanked me for my gift, saying it made him feel a lot better about his parseltongue and that he promised to study it when he was good enough to learn the spells in it. Ronald was the biggest surprise for me. He became very determined to follow the training advice I had written in my book for him. He started to run in the morning and put some effort into preparing his body to duel properly. To encourage his efforts, I often went with Christian to support the kid and help him persevere. Christian's opinion still wasn't good about the kid, but it was improving as Ronald kept trying. It is always helpful for someone like Ronald, who's always been forgotten and finally finds something he's willing to strive for, to be encouraged and have the idea that what he's doing is good reinforced.

Time passed and people began to think that the troubles plaguing the school were finally over, so with Lockhart telling everyone he somehow was responsible for it stopping and Valentine's Day the next day, he decided to do something ridiculous like he'd done in the books: he dressed dwarves as Cupids and got them to sing and/or deliver messages. I for one was wondering where he'd gotten them. From what I knew, Dwarves are native beings from Germany, so how'd he do it? And how in the world did he convince them to do this crap?

I was honestly annoyed at his behavior. It was even more annoying when they kept coming after me in waves, so I confunded them and made them believe all those letters were for Lockhart.

'He should like getting the attention right? Plus these girls never write mine or their names in these things. Always preferring to describe some physical characteristics and I'm certain the Narcissist will believe these descriptions will be about him.' I thought to myself.

I'd actually invited Victoria to the RoR to give her my Valentine's Day gift. I had bought a large unpolished emerald and transfigured it into an amazingly detail rose made of the precious stone. Every bit of it was polished until the light hitting made rays of gentle green come out of the flower, the petals were all perfectly formed, looking so thin and delicate one might think they'd be able to pluck one, it even dance to movement or the wind as if a real flower. It was a true Emerald Rose I had enchanted to be near unbreakable, protected from most spells and it could even lightly give of a source of green light if one tapped it and said 'viridi lux'.

"It's beautiful Aedan, and emeralds are becoming a bit of a theme with you aren't they?" She lightly teased with a tender smile as she c.a.r.e.s.sed the rose.

"What can I say? I love your beautiful green eyes Tory and I believe that emeralds are their only match." I say as I lift her chin up gently and gaze into her eyes.

"That is probably one of the cheesiest things I've ever heard." She giggled, but was happy with her mans compliment. "But you still deserve a reward." She said with a seductive smile.

We then proceeded to make out in the RoR for the next half-hour, not caring about anything else but the taste of each other's lips as we groped every part of one another's bodies. But as much as we wanted to go further, we restricted ourselves to that much. Having a full on n.a.k.e.d make out session would be impossible with us needing to attend our duties and the need to keep our relationship secret for now. So although we both yearn for each other, we are also calm and understanding individuals. That's one of the reasons I try so hard to be there and give her the best I can. I know how hard what I asked of her is and i feel guilty. So I show my love how I can.