Andy had arranged for Neville to join the lessons from Cissa, and Draco to join the lessons from Gran. Both parents agreed it was a good idea for the three to learn together. Draco and Neville did not appreciate it at first, but after they were used to the idea, they both acknowledged the different teachers helped significantly. Draco was smart enough to know becoming 'friends' with not one but two of the great houses was a good idea, and Neville was gaining confidence by leaps and bounds since he was no longer one-on-one with gran. Neville actually had to admit he liked Draco now. His acerbic wit and turn of phrase could be really funny.
Hermione was taking lessons from Andromeda along with the three sisters. She was bound and determined to learn everything she could to be the perfect wife to her Lord and the Tonks already considered her a daughter. She had become close sisters with Chastity, and with her innate Hufflepuff loyalty, it was inevitable she would let her protectiveness get the better of her.
One day Andy, already exasperated after a hard morning of lessons, lit into Chastity for one-too-many mistakes. She scolded, "Chastity, I have explained how you greet the family of an Earl many times, you do not greet then the same as the family of a Baron! This is your third significant mistake this lesson. You are obviously not paying attention! Chastity, you can expect 5 bare!"
Hermione thinking this wasn't fair, argued, "I made the same mistake! Why should she be beaten!"
Chastity gasped, the twins froze, and Andy just turned to look at Hermione with a frown. Hermione looked slightly fearful, but still held Andy's gaze. Andy after a pause said, "I do not beat my children. I instruct and discipline them. You are correct. You made the same mistake, and then a much larger one then each of Chastity's…put together. That will be 10 bare for you."
Hermione going white and with tears starting to form in her eyes, curtseyed "Yes Lady Tonks."
Andy said in that deadly calm voice, "We will dispense it now. Chastity, go get my brush. Hermione start getting undressed." The twins with a shake off from their mother, curtseyed…and bolted.
Hermione with tears leaking silently down her face had removed her dress and was working on her stockings when Chastity had returned and handed the brush to her mother. Her mother just took the brush and motioned for her to get on with it. Chastity, knowing her mother would get harsher, if she delayed, quickly removed her own clothes, actually finishing before Hermione.
Chastity when bare stood at attention with her head down, hands behind her back. At a motion from Andy, she came and lay across her mother's lap. Previous paddling, had her sniffling by now, but she found herself more worried about Hermione. 'Ten bare to start! Ouch!' she thought.
Chastity was so distracted, she didn't notice her mother was ready to start, until she was struck hard. She gasped, trying not to cry, but was soon crying by the third strike. Once completing her five, her mother motioned her to stand at attention. Chastity stood there with her head down crying and sniffling.
By this time Hermione was bare, and stood as she had seen Chastity. She snuck a scared look at Andy. Andy seeing this, just motioned Hermione to her. Hermione, with obvious hesitancy, did as she was bid and lay across Andy's lap the way she had seen Chastity lay.
Andy then calmly but firmly instructed, "As this is your first paddling, I will inform you of the rules. Do not try to get away, do not try to guard your bottom, and keep your hands in front of you. You may scream, or beg me to stop. Don't be insulting or make demands, it will extend the punishment."
Andy then brought the brush down on Hermione's bottom with a hard SMACK! Again, and again, at a slow cadence. Hermione made it to the fourth hit before crying out, and was sobbing by the seventh. Andy ignored her cries continuing to spank her forcefully. After she completed the punishment, Andy put the brush down. "Go stand next to your sister." she calmly commanded.
Hermione was sobbing and rubbing her bottom. With a fearful look at Andy, she went and stood next to Chastity with her head down. Chastity had quieted by now and was glancing at Hermione with some concern.
Andy, in a firm voice, asked "Chastity how will you avoid this punishment in the future?"
Chastity, quietly responded contritely, "I will listen to your instructions more carefully and not allow myself to be distracted. I was paying too much attention to Hermione, and missed the cues. You are right, I did know the correct responses."
Andy nodded, and then turned to Hermione. In a firm voice with an ominous undertone, she then asked "And you, miss. How will you avoid this punishment in the future?"
Hermione, despite the fact she was still crying, was looking argumentative and working herself up to a rant. Chastity noticed this, and quietly but forcefully said to her with desperation, "Being rude now will just have her repeat the whole punishment! Trust me!" she exclaimed.
Hermione paused, and glanced in Chastity's eyes to see real concern for her there. She then took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and letting the breath out, forced herself to relax and calm down. She then politely answered, "I also missed the cues, but was less familiar with them than my sister. My true error was insulting your teaching methods by implying you were cruel to your children. I know you love us, but thought you were being unfair to Chastity, and reacted."
Andy, smiled at Chastity, proud of her for daring to interrupt, and warning Hermione. She then turned to look at Hermione, and with some exasperation replied, "Hermione, there is a fire in you. It will serve you well, as you stand with your Lord. I do appreciate each of you attempting to defend each other. However, I would not be doing my job if I did not make you experience the consequences of rash, and poorly planned, decisions. Hermione, Madam Sprout and Professor Snape, already taught you the world is far from fair. What did you expect to accomplish, by challenging me this way?"
Hermione trying to reason out an appropriate explanation, replied "I..."
Andy, waiting a moment for Hermione to realize she had nothing, replied patiently, "Exactly. If you did a similar thing to a professor at school, right or wrong, it would accomplish nothing. They would increase Chastity's punishment, and likely, have you share it. If I was a Hogwarts Professor, your comment would have meant you both, would have received 10 bare."
Hermione nodded, finally understanding, "I see my error, Lady Tonks. I will try to control myself in the future. I want you and Harry, to be proud of me."
Andy just held out her arms for a hug, and her two daughters rushed to her, crying and hugging her back. "Oh, you two, I love you both very much. However, you both are well on your way to earning as many stripes as Cissa or I did...nowhere near Bellatrix however."
Chastity, curious despite herself, asked "Bellatrix was worse than us?"
Andy said wistfully, "Much, I swear she enjoyed the challenge of the brush too much. I miss her."
Harry had finished the assignments with Hermione, and they had both completed the potions and charms work for 2nd year. The two, had also sent letters to the runes and arithmancy instructors asking to either independent study the course, or join it, whatever was allowed. The two had made the argument for independent study, as they wished to work much faster than the current curriculum would allow. Both instructors were intrigued by the challenge, and were allowing it on a trial basis. Worst case, Harry or Hermione would fail and just join the class, their third year.
Harry was getting up each day early, and working out hard in the mornings. He also had Andy or Ted duel him before bed. They weren't as vicious as Lord Black, but they did press him, and beat him down as Harry needed. Harry had promised Lord black he would continue his training, and Lord Black would expect it.
The talks for the betrothal had concluded favorably. Hermione's parents, being educated on the realities of being a British witch, by Gus and Andy, had finally understood the nature of betrothal contracts and how unique and rare was the contract, Harry was offering. Tomorrow Harry was to welcome the Grangers for the bonding ritual and contract signing.
The Grangers, dressed in high wizarding fashion, were popped over accompanied by Dowager Countess Longbottom, as Hermione's magical guardian. Hermione was absolutely stunning in a white ritual robe with her hair falling to her shoulders freely. The Tonks had been using a shampoo which calmed Hermione's frizzy hair, into cascading beautiful waves of brown. Her teeth had also been corrected, much to her parents chagrin at how easy it was.
Harry was in a green ritual robe himself, his Hair shorn short like a warrior, instead of long like a Lord, as mandated by his Lord Black. Lord Black, Lady Malfoy, Draco, Neville, and Harry's parents and three sisters were already present as witnesses and family. The society reporter for the Daily Prophet with a photographer, was present as witness since a noble betrothal was most definitely news worthy. Gus had arranged it. Despite the importance of the event, Tonks was not allowed a break from Auror school, but a pensieve memory was gathered so she could share. After the formal greetings in the ballroom, everyone went down to the basement where the family ritual circle was activated.
In the center of the room, a level 3 ritual circle about three meters across glowed with a faint blue light, pulsating slowly. After everyone were arranged around the circle, Harry looked at Hermione and she nodded back she was ready. He then stepped to the north edge of the circle while Hermione stepped to the south edge. Harry grabbed the collar of his robe, and again, looked at Hermione. Hermione took a breath, closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them looking at Harry. Her eyes showed a determination to succeed. She nodded, decisively.
Harry, seeing Hermione was ready, dropped his robe completely bare underneath. At the same time, the room lights were doused. Now, the only light was provided by the ritual circle, gently pulsing away. Harry held out his left hand and Ted, standing next to him as his father, handed him a silver athame.
Harry, closing his hand around the blade, then stepped into the circle. He closed his eyes, concentrated, and released his magic. The circle audibly THRUMMED and brightening significantly. There was a wave of magic, that washed over everyone in the room as the circle activated. Harry opened his eyes, and they glowed with a bright green fire, as he looked at Hermione.
It wasn't talked about in polite society, but rituals are an accurate way of noting the power levels of the participants, as accurate power levels could not be hidden or fabricated, in the circle. Harry releasing so much magic and with his eyes glowing so brightly before his second maturation indicated to everyone present that he was a burgeoning Magus of significant power…Dumbledore level power.
Holding out both hands to his sides, Harry looking up, intoned "May Beloved Hekate bless our unified purpose." The circle thrummed as he took control.
Harry then looked back to Hermione, and confidently walked over to her. Once in front of her, Harry held out his right hand, and beseeched "I offer you shelter in my magical house; do you accept?"
Hermione then confidently replied, "Yes, my Lord." and dropped her ritual robe, standing before her Lord, bare. Harry thought she was stunning. She then placed her right hand in his, and was gently drawn into his circle. As she was drawn into the circle, his magic washed over her, coating her everywhere. She shuddered as his magic gripped her, indeed penetrated her most intimately. She shuddered through a small climax and blushed.
Harry smiled and tried to hid it by gently pulling her, until they were at the center of the circle. He had cast an impotence charm on himself, as his bodies' reaction to his magic 'possessing' Hermione would have an obvious reaction.
As Hermione reached her place near the center, she released her magic, with a smile at Harry. The pulse of the circle quickened and the circle brightened while her eyes started gently glowing with a brown light. Hermione's power was a burgeoning high-end sorceress.
Harry, maintaining his grip on the athame, sliced his right hand. He made no signs he noticed the cut. He then handed the blade to Hermione and smiled reassuringly.
Hermione took the blade, and with a slight grimace, sliced her right hand. She then held out her bleeding hand to Harry, as blood was starting to well up. Harry clasped her bleeding hand tightly with his bleeding right hand.
Harry and Hermione, then forced their magic down their hands attempting to merge with each other. To accompany this, they started the chant of joining. The two as one, recited "I am yours, and you are mine….I am yours, and you are mine." They repeated it twice, and their hands started glowing with a white blue light. With each recital the glow in the hands became slightly brighter. By the fifth recital the glow started climbing up their arms. Hermione and Harry were lost in each other's eyes. They, with growing confidence, continued the chant, "I am yours, and you are mine." By the tenth recital it had climbed to their shoulders and there was an exclaim of victory from Neville, Draco, and the sisters. Harry and Hermione just continued, by the fifteenth their hearts were glowing in their chests and everybody was cheering. A love match! On the twentieth, legend was made. Instead of fading away as expected, the light which was swirling in their chests exploded in a golden corona and lit up their whole bodies.
Harry, still lost in Hermione's eyes, put his left hand behind her head and pulled her in for a kiss. She had joyful tears in her eyes, but feeling him pull her forward, dropped the athame and grabbed Harry's head with her left hand, too. She was, also pulling him in for a kiss. As they kissed the two golden coronae merged into a rainbow explosion of light and slowly faded away. The cheers had stopped when the corona formed as everyone was flabbergasted, seeing something deemed impossible. The two eventually stopped, and backed away a few inches.
While holding each other close, Harry then closed the ritual, "May the circle remain open but unbroken. So shall it remain at the blessing of our Beloved Hekate." Harry and Hermione then pulled in their magic and the circle went dormant.
Ted called for the lights to return and everyone just looked around. Harry glanced at Lord Black who nodded with a tight smile, before Harry was again, staring in Hermione's eyes.
Draco said with a smirk, "Well Brother, it seems you can't even do something as simple as a bonding ritual without making a mess of things."
Harry not looking away from Hermione's eyes, replied "Well brother, when you claim the sun, the moon and the stars, a simple claim, just doesn't seem appropriate."
There was a bit of nervous laughter, as everyone began to relax. All the guests then went upstairs, as Harry and Hermione backed out of the circle and put on their robes again. Harry grasped Hermione's hand and kissed it where she had sliced it. The hand had been completely healed in the ritual, the spilled blood, gone.
Hermione just looked at Harry, "I am yours and you are mine, always and forever."
Harry looked at her with a possessiveness, which made her core tingle. He then grabbed Hermione and kissed her again. Hermione was all in, on this plan, too.
While this was going on, everyone else was returning to the ball room. Chastity watched then kiss with wonder in her eyes. Andy, gently nudged her, and with a glance at her mother she started moving to the stairs. Andy understood. This was a fairy-tale...Hopefully not one of Grimms'.
With the Grangers as witness, Gus and Ted signed the betrothal as guardians for the happy couple and witnessed by the reporter. Harry and Hermione then came in with their hands clasped to the cheers of everyone. Everyone watched as Harry and Hermione signed with the blood quill, making it iron clad. Once this formality was done, Harry then pulled Hermione into the center of the room.
Once Harry, had Hermione in the center of the room, he went down on one knee, before her, and opened a ring case. Inside were the betrothal rings of Baronet Potter. He showed them to Hermione who nodded with bright teary eyes and her hands clasped together. Harry took her ring out, snapped closed the box and pocketed it. He then grasped her left hand and slipped it on her ring finger, while she said, "While I wear this ring, I will remain steadfast, loyal, and true." Magic swirled around her, and the ring sized itself to her accepting her vow.
Harry then pulled out the ring case and opened it for her. Hermione pulled out his ring and he pocketed the case while holding out his left hand. Hermione placed it on Harry's ring finger while he said, "While I wear this ring, I will remain steadfast, loyal, and true." Magic swirled around him, and his ring sized itself to his finger accepting his vow.
Harry stood up and grasped Hermione's hand while everybody cheered. It was a nice celebration. Hermione was over hugging her new sisters and showing them the ring, Harry was talking with Draco and Neville. Draco looked at Harry with feigned irritation, he groused "Did you really need to claim the one first-gen worthy of becoming the Lady Malfoy? Geez brother, share some of the wealth."
Neville snorted and said, "And when were you going to make your move, considering the Potter Foible had her wrapped up before she even left the train to arrive at Hogwarts? I've seen the histories; the Potter Foible has not failed to get its witch…or wizard in hundreds of years! Why do you think I didn't make a try for her?"
Draco paused, sighed, and nodded acceptance.
Andy and Cissa just looked at the happy couple, then glanced at Lord Black. They shared a look, all thinking the same thing. The couple had just been marked as tools of fate; they only hoped their destiny was survivable. History was riddled with fated couples, but their lives were never simple, or easy, and so very often, tragic.
Because Harry and Hermione were still awaiting correspondence from the professors about their advanced classes, they were unable to get their books on Hogwarts letter day. In fact, it was the screwup on letter day which made Harry aware something was interfering with his mail. He called the head elf Mipsy and asked her to look into it. An hour later, Mipsy returned and said the problem had been solved. There will be no more interference with Harry's mail. Harry asked what had been the problem, but Mipsy looking embarrassed, said it was solved and to not worry about it. Mipsy popped away before he could ask any more questions, and avoided him for the rest of the week.
Chastity had wanted to go with Harry and Hermione for her Hogwarts shopping. So they all had to wait until Harry and Hermione were cleared for their advanced classes and knew what was on their book list. Chastity wasn't in a particular hurry as she already had her wand, and Hermione was coaching her on the first-year spells. Harry and Hermione were to get books for third year Charms, Potions, Runes, and Arithmancy. They were to get second year for their remaining classes. When they had examined the supposed text for DADA, they were furious. These weren't texts they were, at best, journals, and at worst, fiction. Whoever this Gilderoy Lockhart was, he wasn't an instructor. Harry and Hermione decided to get one set of his books, and then an additional 10 texts covering different combat magics, which were recommended by Andy and Lord Black.
Before buying any other supplies, Andy took the three to the trunk shop. She had ordered special apprentice trunks for them. Trunks with rooms, or indeed any space a student could enter were not allowed at Hogwarts. However, these trunks had extensive space, but were purposely spelled to keep students from entering them. They could be opened and accessed normally if flat and were spelled to have 2 different compartments, one much larger than normal.
The first compartment was normal in case muggles opened the trunk. You would have to push magic into the lock to open the large compartment. The magic of the trunk allowed you to reach any item without going into the trunk. This was fairly typical of a magical trunk. However, what made these trunks so special occurred when you stood them on end. Then they opened into a writing desk with space for office supplies and storage, a library with a 1000 book capacity, and a wardrobe as big as a 3-meter-wide closet, though the student could not enter it. They were also blood locked and could not be opened by anyone else. Professors were aware that they had to 'ask' to examine them, but the students were told to cooperate fully, lest the trunks be sent home.
After getting the high-end supplies recommended by Andy for runes and arithmancy, and the advanced potioning equipment and ingredients required for Professor Snape, Harry took Hermione to Olivander's. After entering the store and Olivander telling them their wand components. Harry asked, "My betrothed, protectee Granger needs a wrist holster. Vanishing, non-summoning, intangible, water and weather proof, growth charms, the works."
Olivander just glared at him. He then stated coldly, "That will be expensive and is frowned upon. It is usually, limited to aurors."
Harry just as coldly asked, "Is it illegal?"
Olivander frowned and said after a few seconds, "….no."
Harry then stated without possible dispute, "Then I will take one for her…now." Olivander, realizing this was futile, gave in at that point. Boy was Dumbledore going to get an earful!
Olivander let Hermione pick one out, and showed her how to use and maintain it. Hermione chose a White Chinese Opal Holster. It looked very pretty on her arm. Harry also purchased a simpler one for Chastity and promised a more advanced one if she earned it. Chastity squealed and gave Harry a big hug while Hermione, looked at him hungrily, with a promise of a more personal thank you. Harry paid, and they went back home.
Soon, the three of them were heading to the train. It was time to return to Hogwarts.