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CH7 137.8hrs/days in fast-time

Even over the 48 hrs of fast time, Harry had still not caught up with his fourth year work, but the practice room took a pounding as he practiced all the third and half of the forth year spells, making them almost instinctual. He also spent time making every potion from third year up til that point were perfectly three times before moving the the next, before he had to stop fast time to allow the elves time to restock.

While the elves restocked Harry spent time with Hedwig. Dobby had done a great job of make Hedwig her own Owlery; it even had space for five owls and a bubbling fountain of fresh water. Hedwig could and preferred to hunt for herself, with only a few treats from him, especially crispy bacon. All Harry had to do was open a two panel door for her to enter the house. He'd set the doors to close automatically if fast time was active. In side she also had a perch, food, and water if she was stuck in during fast time, she couldn't fly outside but she got more bacon, Harry wasn't sure which she'd like more.

He really needed to finish fourth year so he he could start in fifth so it was another 48hrs of fast time after the elves restocked.

It took him almost the whole 48hrs but he was finally done with forth year review. He spent a last few days practicing, he figured he really needed a few more Herbology and magical creatures books. He really couldn't study either of them properly, theory was great but practically was a lot harder just from books so theory would have to do. If you couldn't touch them then having lots of magical moving pictures was the next best thing.

So after getting some 30 new magical books he started fast time again this time till Saturday three more days, then he'd plan a dinner to thank the Grangers for his time with them. A nice thick gooey lasagna with a nice big salad sounded great, but he had 72 days or so to change his mind.

Saturday morning the first thing he did was pop to an alley near the large Muggle bookstore and picked up some books to learn Muggle subjects like mathematics. After the Dobby took his new books back Harry took a walk and found a park. For a while he sat and watched the few children play smiling at their happy faces, but he grew sad thinking of his own lonely and abused childhood.

He was never taken to a park, or anywhere if they could help it, like when he went to the zoo just before his eleventh birthday and that was the farthest he'd been from Privet Drive.

The small park in the neighborhood didn't count he went there to get away from his family but Dudley and his gang would always follow and bother him unless they got there first, then they were bothering the local kids without parents to protect them. The only good thing about arriving after Dudley was that it allowed the other children that the gang had caught to flee while Harry became the entertainment, most often ending in the game of Harry hunting. The problem was that if he got away from the gang he was in trouble when he got home, it was a case of damned if you do damned if you don't, either way he got beat.

He decided then that he would not be the punching bag again and vowed that after his dinner that night he'd fast time till he finished his fifth year studies. Then he'd get ahead of his sixth year, no he'd finish his sixth year before getting on the train again for the fall. His fast time watch gave him an advantage but he wouldn't take that for granted, just in case Voldemort countered it somehow.

He didn't know how long it would take Voldemort to get a new body but he was sure it wouldn't take him thirteen years to so so again, and he was sure that couldn't count on Dumbledore doing anymore then he has for the last fourteen years, meaning nothing. Dumbledore seemed intent to only listen to the prophecy and not deal with Malfoy and the other Death Eaters while Voldemort was down, maybe everyone liked living in fear, behind their closed door,the 'I don't hear nothing, I don't see nothing' mentality. Well he couldn't live like that, he wouldn't live like that. He couldn't wait for Dumbledore or Voldemort to do something! He had the physical power, he had the magical power all he needed was the knowledge and he was slowly getting there, and the one lessen he learned this long summer was that he couldn't rush that. He really had nothing to lose, Voldemort and the Death Eaters wanted him dead so if he was going to die he'd die fighting, not hiding. Hiding only leads to death, of far more then just your self. The books he'd gotten months before said the Death Eaters preyed on muggle families, including the children, children like the ones playing and laughing in front of him, no he would not hide, he would fight with every thing he had, every advantage he had or learned of would be put to use against the monsters that hid behind their masks and their master that hid behind them.

When Harry made it home he sent Hedwig with an invitation to the Grangers for seven that night leaving him with six fast time hours to study, practice and make dinner.

0o0o0

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Granger

I'd like to thank you for the wonderful dinner and invite you to my house so I can repay your kindness,

this note is charmed to bring you directly here at seven sharp.

If you accept my invitation just hold on to the note, this method of travel leaves much to be desired but it will have to do .

Don't worry if no one is holding the note it will return to me .

I hope to see you in a few hours.

Thanks again.

H.J.P.

Right at 7:00 clock as Harry was putting the lasagna next to the salad on the dinning-room table when he heard the Grangers Portkey return. However he didn't know if the Grangers came with it or not, until he heard running feet coming towards him. Harry turned just in time to feel the thump of his bushy haired friend hitting his chest and the groan from her that followed. Harry put his arms around her before she fell back.

"Hermione why are you here," Harry looked back to way she had come and seeing only her parents coming from the living room. "Umm, wheres Ron?" he added as he let go of Hermione.

Hermione stepped back and looked up at Harry noticing now how he'd grown, had it only been a month since she'd last seen him. Taking a deep breath she answered with a question of her own. "I'd rather talk about what you've been doing."

Something happened Harry was sure of it but he knew he wasn't going to get anything out of Hermione for a while yet, so he set another setting at the table and offered everyone a seat. "Umm, sure I can wait, but there's not much to say." At least not that he was willing at the moment. So Harry started to tell of his last month while leaving out a few things.

"That cheese Cake was to die for, Harry thank you, but we should be going." Mrs Granger said glancing at her daughter briefly. Hermione for her part turned sadly to Harry, both her parents knew she wanted to stay. In fact Harry looked like he wanted her to stay also but he got up and showed them to the door.

"Um Harry don't we need return port-key?" Hermione asked uncertainly.

Harry turned the knob on the door but turned to her with a smile before opening it. "Why would you need that?" He asked opening the door. Hermione looked out and saw her house right across the street but for either Hermione or her parents could say anything harry led them out and to their house and then turned motioning for them to do the same.

Hermione's parents turned back confused not seeing anything but Hermione was bouncing. "A Fidelius Charm? Oh Harry how?"

"Fleur." He answered simply.

They didn't know who this Fleur was but the name did sound familiar however the parents knew the two had much to talk about, neither knew if something would happen between the two of them, but if something were to happen they both would be happy. Harry was good for their daughter. "So we expect to see both of you for breakfast in the morning. Thank you for the wonderful meal Harry." Mr's Granger said to the shock of both teenagers before pulling her husband into the house and shutting the door leaving her daughter alone with Harry.

That was unexpected but Harry was good with dealing with unexpected things. "Go grab some clothes and your school books and I'll give you the secret on the way over."

"You're the secret Keeper, Dumbledore said the keeper couldn't live within the charm."

Harry took a breath didn't want to get thins right now. "He lied Hermione, plane and simple." Hermione opened her mouth to argue but Harry put a stop to it. "Later Hermione."

Part of Hermione wanted to rise up at the commanding tone, even if it was slight but another part of her reacted differently. This was excitingly new from her friend and that in its self was surprising if only she knew what it meant.

It only took a few minutes for Hermione to grab a change of clothes and her current school books before they were walking back across the street. Hermione was surprised her parents hadn't said anything about her staying at Harry's even if they had suggested it. There was no demands of her, they just hugged her saying good night and headed to get ready for bed. Her dad did look like he wanted to say something but he held it back, so she wasn't sure what it was. They had said more about her staying at the Weasleys even if she'd be staying with Ginny in her room, but then again the Weasleys didn't live across the street either, even if they couldn't really see Harry's house. She briefly explained why they couldn't see it and they said they understood, at least in basic terms but they never asked to be let in on the secret. Could Muggle's be let in on the secret? She'd have to research that.

Hermione was so busy trying to figure out her parents she didn't even realize Harry had stopped at a room, only hearing that it was to be her room. The room was nice, a large bed, closet, dressers and even an in-suite water closet, with large bath and separate shower. Hermione came out of the water closet to find Harry had left shutting the door behind him, leaving her to her privacy.

As she opened the door she felt what she could only fathom was magic wash over her. It tingled like the which she had never felt before. She raced out of her room to find Harry to find out what that was and found him coming from another room. He smiled at her so it wasn't bad but she still wanted to know what it was. "What was that?"

To Hermione's surprise Harry tilted his head before his eyes showed something she had never seen before at least not on Harry, Fred and George though. Hermione groaned, a prank, Harry didn't play pranks! His smile grew before he answered. "If you haven't figured it out by the time we meet your parents I'll tell you, but I'll be disappointed."

Oh that was so mean, he knew it would drive her crazy not to mention she never wanted to disappoint him. Hermione stood straighter and nodded not that she liked it, but she would prove to him that she could figure it out, it's what she did, and she would not disappoint him. She had ten hours, at least that's what she thought, however Harry had so much more that he was willing to tell her.

It was hours later and her head was drooping, everything he told her was fascinating but she was so tired. Harry chuckled bringing her out of this last droop. "I think it's time for bed, we have been at this for several hours already, I'll continue in the morning."

"But Harry I Haven't had a chance to figure out that tingling was, I need to figure it out before I go to sleep."

Harry sat there quietly just watching her with a smirk on his face. She'd wipe that smirk off, he'd given her ten hours and now she about half left, she'd stay up to figure it out she had too."

239.8hrs/days in fast time