Yuletide Blessing

Clue

Besides trying to find why Moody posed a threat, Harry also had to decipher the clue in the egg which he had retrieved during the first task. All that he tried was to no avail. The screeching sound stayed unintelligible even when he managed to lower its volume to supportable levels. Hermione wasn't able to come with a useful idea either.

Fleur approached them at dinner. "Congratulations, Lord and Lady Potter, for your marriage. I've been sure you would become a couple, but I didn't expect this to happen so soon."

"Neither did we," Harry said, "but things happened and we are very glad that we ended up married."

Fleur smiled at them and then became serious again. "Have you found the clue in the egg?"

"Not yet," he admitted.

"Try taking it to the bath. I've heard you have quite a large one in your apartment." Her suggestive wink made both Potters blush.

"Well, thank you. I'll try it," Harry said.

She winked once again and moved away. As Harry turned back to the table, he noticed that all boys and some of the girls were drooling and their eyes looked glassy and unfocused. He just shrugged and resumed his meal.

As they returned to their apartment, Hermione grabbed Harry for a passionate snog. It was several minutes before he could speak. "Not that I mind doing this at any time, but what brought this so suddenly?"

Hermione smiled happily. "Have you noticed other people around us when Fleur left?"

"Yes. I was wondering why they were drooling."

"Fleur blasted us with her allure at full power. It subdued most everybody around to drooling fools. Only we two were not affected at all! Don't you see what it means?" She could barely hold her joy.

"That we are immune?" he said, not quite sure.

"Yes, and it means that our love is real, as only those who feel true love are not affected by Veela allure!"

Another, longer snog followed, leaving Harry with a dumb smile on his face. Hermione, although smiling as well, didn't lose her focus. "Now, take the egg to the bath. I'll join you shortly."

Harry was so dazed, that he was still wearing his boxers by the time Hermione stepped into the bathroom, wearing only a smile. This didn't help him become more lucid. Half an hour later, they were finally able to focus again, after several orgasms.

"Let's try immersing the egg in the water," Hermione suggested. Harry opened the egg in the water, but they could hear almost nothing. They put their heads into the water and were finally able to hear the clue. None was in a mood to try and figure it out. Hermione only summoned her waterproof writing pad and scribbled the text on it. They had more important things to do at the moment.

They had History of Magic the next morning. Hermione still tried to stay awake and take notes, which was always quite difficult and was made even more so by the activity she had been engaged in with Harry for half the night. Harry, like most other students, didn't even try. He put his head on the table and was fast asleep, yet his mind was still preoccupied with the clue.

"Shouldn't we try to decipher the clue from the egg?" Harry asked Hermione on their way to lunch.

"I think it is clear enough, except for one thing," she said. "You'll have an hour to retrieve something from the bottom of the lake. I'm not sure what they intend to put there, though. It should be something you really feel attached to, I believe."

"Well, the only thing I have here that I really care about is my Firebolt, and I doubt they'd take it away. It must be something else."

Harry fell silent as they walked onward. He then suddenly stopped. "I don't think they'll take an inanimate object. I believe they'll take a person down there. Someone I'd really miss." He then looked her in they eyes. "I won't let them take you, no matter what."

Hermione felt his agitation growing. She held his hand tightly and caressed it with the other. "Harry, you don't need to bother yourself about it right now. We'll have time to think about it later, as we have more than a month until the time for the task arrives. I'm sure we'll find a way to make it safe."

Harry was still angry at the thought of anybody endangering his wife, but her words and her actions did calm him down somewhat.

"We have a free period after lunch. We may spend it in our apartment. We may even think of something then," she said.

The implied promise about something else they would be able to do after lunch had the desired effect. Harry calmed down enough to put the second task aside and enjoy a normal meal with his friends.

Back in their apartment, he was losing his calm again. "I won't let them take you!"

"Harry, we may use different ways to act, some of which may remove the dangers altogether."

"What do you mean?"

"Concerning me, you can threaten the Headmaster that making me take part in the task would be cause enough for a blood-feud. That's serious enough for him to choose another."

"It only means putting somebody else in danger," Harry said, not very convinced. While he wanted his Hermione protected, he didn't want to put anybody else in danger.

"Have you felt any part of the school communicating with you lately?" she asked.

"I'm not sure. I don't hear anything, but each morning, as we leave our lodging, I feel as if somebody greets me. I also feel as if somebody says 'Goodnight' when we're ready to fall asleep, but I'm not sure."

"I feel the same, and I'm quite sure it is Hogwarts, in whatever form, that greets us. Why don't we try a real conversation?"

"How would we do that?" Talking with a castle seemed weird even with all the magic around.

"Let me try first," Hermione said. She only had a rough idea, but she felt quite confident it would work, although she was still unsure about the details.

"Hogwarts, we would like to talk with you," she said loud and clear.

There was no audible answer, yet they both sensed, 'Of course, Lady Hufflepuff.'

"We would like to remove dangers from the second task, which is going to take place in the lake. Can you extend your powers there?"

'I can reach about half across the lake right now. I may need some additional charging to cover the whole lake.'

"What do you mean by 'charging'?" Harry asked.

'My powers come from the magic embedded in me by the founders, My Lord, and from magic I absorb from all spells cast within my bounds. That is normally more than enough to keep the wards active over the whole area between the outer walls down to the middle of the lake, but to cover more than this you'll have to charge me with your magic just before you need the wards extended.'

"How can we do it?"

'There's a stone near the head of your bed,' they sensed, as a stone in the wall started glowing. 'Touch it with your wands and pump in some magic. It may exhaust you, so you'll need to do it a few days before the event, leaving you enough time to recuperate.'

"Shouldn't we try to do some 'charging' now, so we know what to expect?" he asked Hermione.

"Maybe before going to sleep. We need to go soon to another lesson and we still have something to do before it," she said. Her teasing smile and the way she moved her hips made Harry understand perfectly what she had in mind.

They barely made it to the next lesson on time, but they were both looking very happy.

That evening, just after another session of sharing their love, Harry took his wand and tapped the stone in the wall. It started glowing softly. Hermione had her watch ready. "Only pump in about ten seconds. I don't want you to get exhausted," she said.

Harry concentrated for a moment and then nodded and held his wand to the stone.

"Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one, STOP!" Hermione counted down the seconds. Harry removed his wand at her command. He didn't feel any more tired than before. They repeated the procedure, exchanging roles. Hermione felt only slightly affected. "Hogwarts, how good was this charging?"

'It will allow me to extend my wards over the whole lake, and over the whole forest as well, for two weeks. How do you feel?'

"We feel fine, thank you, only a bit tired after a day full of school work."

'You seem to be more powerful than I expected. That's good. When do you need to activate the extended wards?'

Harry replied. "It will be almost another month, and we only need them extended to the lake. I want you to prevent anybody from going deeper than three feet into the lake, starting a few days before the task. Can you do it?"

'That's no problem at all. Don't you need anything else?'

"Not right now, thank you."

Hermione turned to Harry. "I'm glad you didn't exhaust yourself. I think we may be able to do a bit more before falling asleep." She was already letting her robe fall. Harry smirked as he did the same.

"I'll ask to meet the Headmaster after lunch," he told Hermione the next morning.

"With Hogwarts on our side, why do you need to talk to him?"

"I still don't want them to take you away, even if the dangers are minimized. You're too important for me to take any unnecessary risk."

"Do you want me to come with you?"

Harry looked apologetic. "I think it's better if you don't join me this time. The wizarding world is still too backward, and in this case, a wife is treated just like an object of some limited value. It may turn awkward if you take part in the conversation."

She smiled and kissed him lightly.

"What can I do for you, Lord Potter?" the Headmaster asked as Harry came in.

"I want to make sure that Hermione, Lady Potter, is left out of this tournament. I don't want her to take any part in it whatsoever."

"Well, there may be circumstances..." Dumbledore started, only to be cut by Harry.

"Under no circumstances should Hermione be dragged into the task. If anybody tries to use her as a bait or a hostage or whatever else, that is reason enough for a blood feud between House Potter and the offending party. I wouldn't advise it."

"I assure you it will be completely safe."

"I repeat: under no circumstances, no matter how safe one may deem it, is Hermione to take part in the tasks. Is that clear enough?"

Dumbledore nodded in defeat. "Yes, Lord Potter. I'll make sure nobody does the mistake of including her in any tournament plans."

"Make it double sure!"

"As you wish, my lord."

Harry felt really glad that he had that talk with the headmaster. Judging by the way it went, he was sure that Hermione would have been his hostage, had he not prevented it in advance. Now, with her completely out of danger and with the castle minimizing any danger, along with Dumbledore's assurance, that didn't really mean much, Harry didn't mind who his hostage would be, as nobody could be as important for him as Hermione.