A/N [Standard 'I don't own anything' disclaimer.] Fun fact; the Life Debt scene has been a part of the plot since the very first version. Also, this has received very little spell-and-word checking so my apologies for any mistakes. On with the story!

Debts

As the morning drew ever closer for the ancient Highlands castle Poppy Pomfrey was already up and about, making good use of the specialized training she had received during the height of Grindelwald's war. Few people knew that she was actually almost as old as the Headmaster, mostly because all the time she had spent around healing magic had slowed down her visible ageing. People though she was 'just over forty' for well over forty years now.

Leaving her office-apartment she almost immediately noticed a sight she had become all too used to a couple of years back; Harry Potter sleeping in a chair next to Hermione Granger. Poppy permitted herself a slight smile of amusement as she walked over to the sleeping pair, she had given up being upset a week into miss Granger's petrification.

Re-covering the sleeping boy with his invisibility cloak, that like so many times before had slipped off during the night, she caught sight of a book in his lap. There was no title on it, only a bunch of strange squiggles. Turning away she already put the obviously unimportant book out of her mind and returned to her office to gather the morning dose of the potions miss Granger required.

Harry awoke far later than he had planned. Seeing that Hermione was still asleep and Poppy was nowhere to be seen he decided to try and sneak back to Gryffindor tower. He only made it half-way to the doors when Poppy returned with the potions tray.

"Did you know there are wards on this room informing me how many people are in here. Not only that but they also let me know what they are doing?" Harry froze. "That cloak of yours stops me from knowing where you are, but not that you are here, Harry." As she spoke Poppy placed the tray of potions on the beside table and turned back to the room at large, "So why don't you have that elf of yours bring us some breakfast. Assuming nothing went wrong during the night, miss Granger should be clear to leave afterwards." Harry slowly removed his cloak and proceeded to do exactly that.

Two hours later the two Gryffindors were on their way to their tower when Hermione decided to once more breach the topic of Harry's changes. "So what did happen? To you I mean." Taking the silence as confusion she elaborated, "Right after the goblet spit out your name it was like a switch being hit. You suddenly got all secretive and kept disappearing. I kept trying to fight through the potions, to tell you I..." Hermione trailed off, pausing to gather her thoughts. "And then no-one sees you for the whole week before the first task and then you show up all... well, like... this." She fought down the blush that tried to emerge from her original choice of words. "And then those spells you used on that dragon, they were amazing! And then I just saw you use wandless magic.. Harry... What happened?"

Despite Hermione's thoughts on the matter Harry was not confused, or even paying that much attention to her questions in fact. He was far more concerned about a portrait of a purple-robed wizard that was quite obviously following them. Knowing that Hermione was expecting an answer, Harry considered what he could say.

"Given that I used Family magic in the task, I can't really tell you that much about it." Harry finally spoke, "I will tell that it was bloody hard to learn the spell I used against the dragon, and yes, it was a single spell." Harry made sure to turn towards a corridor he knew had a sizeable length of no portraits.

Hermione was too taken by his words to notice the detour at first, "Family magic? I have found some references to it, but no real descriptions..." she frowned.

"Unsurprising." Harry nodded, "I myself only know because Snuffles made sure to explain it to me." Harry noticed the portrait shadowing them perk up. "The short of it is that Family magic is all the spells owed by the old families and thus it's given a number of protections. They also can't be legally classified as anything but Family magic, and as such some of the... darker families have some pretty nasty curses that are not technically Dark." Harry led Hermione into the corridor, still keeping her attention to him. "This is just one of the many things that the 'elite' are expected to know and anyone who doesn't, in their opinion, shouldn't know anyway."

Hermione huffed and was about to begin ranting when Harry noted they were finally at one of the very few areas of Hogwarts that was not in the sight of any portrait. "Hermione, listen to me." he stopped and begun to whisper to her, "There are thing you need to know, things I have to tell you, but I can't do it here." He put a finger to her lips to stop her from talking, "Don't. We will pretend like nothing is wrong, go up to the tower, clean up and then I will show you where I have been training." Harry recognized the gleam that his word caused, "The place is secure and I will tell you everything you want to know." Harry moved back into the walking position, "But right now I need you to not ask me any questions and just trust me." Seeing her nod Harry resumed their walk, slipping into what became a small rant over the lack of information on intricacies of Pureblood society.

Hermione finished dressing as she once more went over the details of the latest oddity concerning Harry Potter. She knew that Harry had avoided answering her questions, but given what he said to her, it seemed it was not because he didn't want to, but because he thought someone was spying on them. The idea confused her, why would anyone spy on Harry, more so, how? She was sure that no-body had followed them, unless they were using some method of invisibility, but then how would Harry be aware of it? And why would he then tell her what he did, when they were in that portrait-less hallway...

The thought froze her as she was grabbing her robes. Did Harry think the portraits were spying on him? Or had he seen something she hadn't? Her curiosity was burning, but right now it was anticipating Harry following up on his promise to tell her. Of course, seeing the place Harry had stayed at, that she knew even the headmaster had been unable to find, was a nice bonus.

She had barely walked down into the near-empty common room when a shout filled the air.

"YOU STUPID GIRL!"

The shout hadn't finished when she was already in motion, her wand finding its way to her hand as she rushed up to the fourth-year boys dorm. She wasn't sure what she was expecting, but she did know that she hadn't expected to see Harry, wearing only a towel, staring at a kneeling Ginny Weasley, who was holding her wand in front of her face, Hermione noted. After several seconds of silence, as Hermione tried to figure out something to say Harry visibly sagged and turned to the window.

"So much for that." his whisper was still quite well-heard. "Damn." he shook his head, "Seal the room." Harry spoke in a much louder voice, quite similar to when he had ordered her to drink that potion, a part Hermione's mind noted. Most of it was too shocked to hear the door behind her slam shut and a webbing of golden strings momentarily cover the walls to think more on it.

"Ginevra Molly Weasley, of the house of Weasley" Harry spoke with a calm, authoritative voice Hermione had never heard from him before, "Are you aware of the full implications of the offer you have made?" He did not turn away from the window.

"Yes." Ginny answered in a surprisingly calm voice with absolutely no hesitation.

Harry sighed, "Are you doing this of your own free will, with no coercion, demands or expectations by anyone beyond your own person?" Hermione was confused by the wording, but also recognized a magical oath taking place.

"Yes." Ginny's answer was as calm and quick as the first.

"Are you aware that the only way I will ever be able to release you will be by ending your life?" Harry had not moved or changed his tone as he spoke.

"Yes." The third identical answer had Harry sigh again.

"Damn." he took a moment to visibly gather himself, "So much for that." without another word Harry turned his right hand towards his bed and his wand flew across the room to him. Turning back to Ginny he placed the tip of his wand on her head and spoke, in a surprisingly calm voice.

"I, Harry James Potter, Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble house of Potter, Heir to the Most Ancient and Noble house of Black, Heir to the Noble house of Evans, Heir to the Founder house of Gryffindor, Heir to the Founder house of Slytherin, Lord Protector of the house of Lupin, Lord Protector of the house of Granger," Hermione barely stifled a gasp at that, "Hereby acknowledge the repayment offered to my person for the Life Debt owed by one Ginevra Molly Weasley of the house of Weasley..." Harry paused to sigh once more, "And find it adequate. With this bonding no more debts exist between my person and the house of Weasley."

As soon as Harry finished speaking the room was illuminated by a glow flowing from him to Ginny, encompassing the girl and sinking into her. As soon as it faded Harry stepped back and almost collapsed onto his bed. "Fucking hell."

Hermione was at a war with herself. Between her near-automatic need to scold Harry for his language, wanting to know why he had shouted, what offer he had meant and what was the magic she had just seen, she was completely incapable of speaking.

After a full minute, during which Ginny had remained kneeling, a small part of her mind noted, Harry finally spoke. "Why, Gin? Why the fuck did you do that?"

"I knew." The answer was quiet, almost shy, but not quite.

"What do you mean?" Harry moved a bit to see the red-head. Hermione wasn't sure if Harry was ignoring her or truly had not noticed her.

"I knew what Ronald was doing." Harry all but jumped up, his eyes wide in surprise, "I knew he was feeding Hermione potions to have her for himself."

"What!?" Hermione finally found her voice. Harry either didn't hear her or kept ignoring her presence as he focused on the younger girl.

"What exactly did you know and how did you know it?" his voice had certainly dropped a few degrees.

"A few days before Hermione was due to arrive at the Burrow I was sneaking out of the house to practise some spells in the garden. I heard Ronald and Molly talking in the kitchen. I do not know how the conversation got there, but when I started listening, Ronald was bemoaning that he had no chance of getting Hermione to notice him, as she was far too interested in the, to quote, 'bloody-boy-who-keeps-getting-everything'." Harry hissed at the words. "Molly suggested he give Hermione a love potion, Ronald disagreed, saying that that he should just go for the heaviest ones Molly had. She had just agreed when I slipped and they heard me."

"So." Harry growled, "He was the one responsible after all."

"Yes." Ginny still spoke in an unnaturally calm voice. "Ronald dragged me into the kitchen and he and Molly tried to convince me to stay quiet."

"How did they do it?" Harry's voice was once more without any inflection.

"Ronald told me of how, with Hermione out of the way I could be Lady Potter, like I had always dreamed. They were... convincing."

"I see." Harry drawled. After some time he spoke up, "Did you ever help him directly? Did you ever give Hermione any of the potion doses yourself?"

"Several times I was asked to distract you and Hermione during the meals at the Great Hall. I have never directly added any potion to Hermione's food."

Harry fell back onto his bed. "At least there's that." He sighed. "Still... Bloody hell, if I hadn't known the proper..." he sat back up, his face noticeably paler. "Ginny, did you know, or even expect that I would know the proper response to you invoking the debt?"

"No."

Harry gaped at the kneeling girl before jumping up and begin to pace as he ranted, "Coming in here, just..." he seemed to completely ignore everything around him, "How would you even..." Hermione was shocked when he looked right at her, sighed and continued to rant, "And to think you even..."

Harry finally stopped, "I never, ever, ever thought I would be saying this, but Riddle was right. You," he whirled to face Ginny, "are a stupid little girl."

"Harry... What?" Hermione tried to find semblance of sense in the situation.

"She came in here to die." Harry snapped at her, "Sorry." he immediately followed in a much softer voice.

"What." And her attempts at order were gone.

"Ginny came in here, surprising me as I came out of the shower, and before I could stop her invoked the Life Debt she owed me." Harry was obviously trying to stay calm. "That's when I called her a stupid girl."

"Why? Why would her..." Hermione was still very confused.

"Do you even know what a life debt is?" seeing Hermione shake her head, Harry sighed and sat down. "Right. It is a form of, presumably artificial, magic that creates a binding between a person who saves someone under some very specific circumstances and the person being rescued. To put it bluntly, a Life Debt means that the rescuer basically has a claim on the rescuee's life. It can be invoked by either party and if refused or not answered properly, the one owing the debt dies."

Hermione had fallen onto one of the beds by the entrance into the room as Harry spoke, her memories of their First year surfacing. "Does that mean... The troll..."

"No." Harry immediately assured her, "As I said, there are specific circumstances needed for a life debt to be formed. The person being saved must be in absolute, imminent threat of death. The one doing the saving must face at least equal threat to their own continued living, while also being in no way obliged to save the person in question, nor having any kind of responsibility for the rescue being needed in the first place." Harry glanced over to where Ginny was still kneeling, "Get off the floor already. Just sit on a bed or something."

"Anyway," he turned back to Hermione, "I am not sure if this is the best time to really explain all of this. Nor is this the best of places. Damn..." he shook his head, "Today is most certainly not going as I had thought it would. Alright, here's the quick version." He locked eyes with Hermione, "The 'offer' Ginny made effectively rendered her into little more than my property. Before you start arguing, understand that if I just said no the Debt would claim her life, and there would be a corpse in this room right now. The questions I asked were a loophole, a way to invalidate the offer if the person making it doesn't know what they are getting into or if someone is forcing them." He looked to Ginny, who was now sitting calmly on Neville's bed, "The fact of the matter is, there was no way for Ginny Weasley to continue existing. There is a reason Life Debts are considered one of the most dangerous pieces of magic."

After several minutes of thinking Hermione finally spoke, "So... What now?" she looked over to the... girl? she had once thought of as friend.

"Well, right now..." Harry glanced down, "You two are going to wait outside while I get some clothes on. I am literally wearing a single towel." Harry grinned as Hermione suddenly became very aware of this fact, blushed Weasley-red and almost ran out of the room, Ginny following her at a much more sedate pace.

Harry sighed as the door closed behind the two females. "Damn."

Hermione was still blushing when Harry left the dorm, wearing a set of clothing Dobby had procured for him. The jacket, trousers and boots were all made from the hide of a Hebridean Black, with his equally dark t-shirt beneath the open jacked sporting an animated picture of a sleeping red dragon, with a subtext of 'Do not taunt Death'. "Shall we?" With a nod she followed Harry down, Ginny falling in on his other side.

Walking down from his dorm Harry was already reciting a certain spell in his mind when he received a most unpleasant surprise. In fact, he could even go to say that his day just got ruined. Well, more that it had been already.

"What is he doing here!" Harry exclaimed as his eyes locked to a certain red-head he could have lived with never seeing again.

"As he is still a student of Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall, who had accompanied Ron into the common room seemed quite unhappy about this fact, "mister Weasley is returning to his dormitory." She paused when she registered Harry's choice of clothing. "Mister Potter..."

Harry interrupted her with a near-growl, "I see..." he looked over to Hermione, who was visibly worried and sighed, "Dobby, move my things back to the apartment." After another glance to the brunette witch he continued, "After you are done, do the same with Hermione's." As the professor opened her mouth to speak Harry once more cut her off. "Professor, please forgive my bluntness, the last twenty-four hours haven't done my temper any favours, but," he looked the aged teacher right in the eyes, "If you ask me to spend a night in the same room as that sack of refuse, you might as well call up the funerary services." Ignoring the paling red-head behind her, Harry continued, "And if you expect to force Hermione to be anywhere near it without me at her side, I direct you to visit Black lake's newest beach." Without paying any more attention to the other people in the room Harry took Hermione's hand and smiled to her, "Come on."

The trio had made it to the door when Ron shouted, "And where do you think you are going?" he rushed up and grabbed Ginny by her shoulder, "You are not..." The red-head did not get to finish as his (former) sister punched him hard enough to actually break his nose.

"Touch me again and I will break the one head you are actually thinking with." She spat at him before turning around and following her now-owner out of the Gryffindor common room.

"Ahh shit..." Ron moaned as he touched his nose, blood freely flowing across his face.

"Five points from Gryffindor for foul language, mister Weasley." Professor McGonagall snapped before turning around and leaving herself. Neither she nor any of the students in the room made any move to assist Ron as he tried to get up, his blood starting to stain his clothes.

After several minutes of silent walking Harry led the girls into a small alcove on one of the less-used hallways, 'Blinky, open the door already.' "Through here." he nodded to the hidden door that opened in front of them. As Harry led the two girls down the secret passage he momentarily thought back to his own surprise on finding out that Slytherin had created an entire network of hidden tunnels, allowing one who knew them to move around the castle without notice. After two short corridors and two flights of stairs (going up), they arrived at the area Harry had nick-named the 'apartment'. "And we're here." he gestured around, "Doesn't look like much, but there's the bedroom, you two will stay there, me and Dobby can refit the empty room," he begun to point out the rooms, "There's the Potions lab, the study, the ritual room slash storeroom and finally the library." he turned to the two girls. "Any questions?"

"What's behind that door?" Hermione looked to the only door Harry hadn't pointed out.

"My training area." Harry glanced to the door leading to the stairwell down to the Chamber, "I'll show it to you later. Now, I believe I promised you some answers?"

Hermione turned back to Harry, eager to start. She barely had the time to recognize that Harry had his wand pointed at her head when a wordless spell left it and her world went black.

*Evil laugh*