This time the casting was just as quick and just as powerful as the first time. However, this time it only went on for about thirty seconds.
And, just as quick as it started, it stopped again.
This time he again stood still while heavily panting from the exertion. But, after about ten seconds, he simply screamed, "Fuck!" before he dropped to the ground and sat on his bum, still staring at the boulder.
A good five seconds after that, Hermione carefully walked forward and sat next to him. However, she made sure a good two feet separated them. The three aurors stayed back and well out of hearing range.
But one did softly but emphatically mutter, "Sweeeeet Merlin."
Neither of the other two, with the missing one having joined them, responded.
Hermione waited another five to ten seconds after she sat down before she quietly asked, "Feel better?"
He just gave an annoyed grunt in response, not even looking at her.
After another few seconds pause and, trying to make light of the situation, she asked, "What did that poor rock ever do to you?"
He gave a snort of annoyance and replied, "It just made a suitable target. Would you have preferred I made the Gryffindor common room that target, instead?"
"Of course not," she more confidently replied. "I thought you would have chosen to vent your anger on the target dummies in the dueling room, instead."
"With the amount of power I was putting into my casting I would have rendered them irreparable within seconds," he replied. "I think I'm going to need them at some time in the future; and did not want to deny myself their use."
She gave a nod he didn't see and said, "Wise."
Then she said, "If you think you're done reducing that rock to stone chips, you're going to need to take a shower and change your clothes. You're all sweaty."
Turning a wry grin to her he asked, "Not one for the scent of 'Eau de Sweaty Teen Boy'?"
"I like your normal scent," she replied. "I like the smell of your mint toothpaste and the light lemon scent of your soap when you're fresh out of the shower. I don't think much of the scent of your shampoo, though."
He gave a tired chuckle and said, "Then you shall have to help me find one that has a smell you like, won't you?"
She smiled back and said, "We can do that when you come to stay at my place."
Noticing the boy-wizard had finally calmed down, the senior of the three aurors still standing back took a deep breath and walked forward. "Lord Potter?"
When both teens turned to look at him, he continued, "Now that you've... vented your ire, perhaps it is time to return to the castle? You seem to have drawn quite the audience." And gestured about.
Turning his attention to where the auror gestured, and seeing the number of people who were watching, he looked back at the auror, gave a sheepish smile and said, "Oops?"
That had all three aurors grinning back. And the first said, "I happen to think it's a good thing. I very much doubt anyone's going to be bothering you from now on. It'll make our job much easier."
After another snort of amusement, Harry wryly replied, "Anything to help."
A moment later he climbed to his feet and held out his hand to help Hermione back to hers. Once both were again standing he said, "I guess I better go back to the Tower, shower and change."
Turning back to frown at the boulder he said, "But, perhaps I should first repair the damage I did to this poor rock."
"No," the auror quickly said. "Leave it. It'll stand as testimony as to why it is a very bad idea to bother you. It is, after all, only a rock."
Harry thought about it for a few moments before he gave a bit of shrug and said, "Why not?"
Then, still holding hands with Hermione after helping her up, something the girl was not going to let him know about as he didn't seem to realise, he led the way back up the grassy slope to the main doors of the school.
As he neared the stairs leading within, those who had come outside to watch him in action or were too late and only saw the results of his actions, quietly stepped out of his way. Not one of them said a word. That was something he was grateful for.
As they headed back up the stairs, one of the aurors quietly said to the other two out of hearing range of the two teens, "Did you see the expressions of those kids who were of dark families? They looked like they were going shit themselves."
That had the other two smile back.
_β_
β==(oIo)==β
Λ
After walking back in to the Gryffindor common room, he stopped and glared about practically challenging everyone to say a word to him. After a long moment he turned and said to Hermione, "Give me about ten minutes to shower and change?"
She gave a nod back and replied, "Alright Harry. I'll wait. I'm just going to get changed, myself."
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