Harry Potter and the Dark Pheonix

Disclaimer: Er…yeah I don't own anything, really I don't I swear to you, nothing…

Sorting and N.E.W.Ts

“Hello Harry,” Cho called to him, as Hermione and Ron entered the compartment.

All Harry could do was smile weakly and wave, however Cho seemed to take this as a satisfactory reply, as she beamed at him and left. Hermione rolled her eyes and sat next to Harry.

“Who would have thought she'd still wanna talk to you Harry?” Ron said, trying to nonchalant, but Harry knew better. Ron was asking for Hermione so she wouldn't look jealous.

“Er…yeah…wonder what she wants?” Harry replied. Hermione smiled but Harry was pretty sure that she had forced it out as she started to read her potions book. Harry smiled and caught Ron's eye, both knowing Hermione was obviously jealous.

For the rest of the trip, Harry was thinking of ways to put Hermione's mind at ease, but to little avail. All he could come up with was the ball, even though Harry hardly wanted to go. When they arrived at Hogsmeade Station, Hermione and Ron went to help the first years, while Harry made sure to save a coach for them so they could talk. Try as he might, he couldn't exactly stop people from climbing into the carriage with him, and after a few unsuccessful tries, he settled on a carriage with Seamus, Lavender and Parvati, reasoning that Ron and Hermione could join them. The ride to Hogwarts was mildly amusing; Seamus entertaining everyone except Hermione and Harry, both looking rather uncomfortable. Harry let out a few weak smiles when he started imitations. All too soon they had pulled up to the Hogwarts great oak doors. Harry looked up and smiled. Even if everything else in the world had changed, Hogwarts would still hold true.

Harry and Hermione sat next to each other for the feast and Harry lent over to whisper in her ear.

“Whatever I've done, I'm sorry. I want to make it up to you, so how about we go shopping for some new dress robes?”

After a moment, Hermione smiled. “It's a date.”

Just before Harry was going to say something reassuring to Hermione, the doors to the Great Hall flung open, and Professor McGonagall entered with the usual trail of first years slowly following her, most looking utterly frightened. Harry noticed that one had a certain swagger, one much like Malfoy had when they were in the first year. Harry watched as he seemed to terrorize a few of the other first years, before the sorting hat broke into song.

The Hogwarts Four

Slytherin and Gryffindor

Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw

They knew that I would be

The only one to sort thee

The purest of blood, and cunning of heart

Went to Slytherin for their start

The young with sharp wit and a fast mind

Knew Ravenclaw was where to find their kind

The ones with loyalty through and through

They called Hufflepuff their home, a place that was true

The Brave and Noble, Just and Right

Knew they were in Gryffindor as it came into sight.

This harmony was short lived

Though I can't tell the tale

Discord came and all it could have gived

Then Slytherin set sail

And woe it was to Hogwarts

The family couldn't live

With one who ran

The others cried in vain

Then they all left this hollow mortal plain

So it time came to now

And part you as I know how

This warning I will give

The same as last year

The threat, it grows nearer

Losses will be felt keener

We must act like one

Even though we are four

We must fight for what is right

Fight for those we care for.

A cheer arose as the Sorting Hat finished its song. As the names were being read out for the sorting however, Harry silently milled over the song, only clapping when Hermione elbowed him. The Sorting Hat knew that some `threat' was growing nearer. Was Voldemort going to attack the school? Could Voldemort even breach the school? Was Harry going to have to fight him? Harry sat perplexed, only realizing that it was the end of the sorting when Dumbledore stood to address the school.

“I realize we all wish to start on a delicious feast, but I must ask for a moment to introduce back into our teaching staff, Professor Remus Lupin, who will be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts, hopefully for a longer stay than last. Well, apart from students noting the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds, I have to say: Tuck in!” And with that, a great feast appeared in front of them.

Harry smiled, knowing that Dobby and the house elves had probably labored all day for this meal, and it would be insulting if Harry didn't eat as much as he could. Having missed the Lunch Witch on the Hogwarts Express, Harry found himself starving. Reaching for some roasted potatoes, he noticed Hermione looking depressed.

“You're not still sad about the House Elves, are you?” Harry asked.

“Of course she isn't,” Ron said, before shoveling some steak and kidney pie into his mouth.

“No, it's not the House Elves, Harry, its what the Sorting Hat said. I'm just…worried about it is all,” Hermione said, and starting eating.

Harry knew exactly what she meant when she said `worried about it'. Hermione was worried about him, worried about Harry fighting Voldemort. Harry decided not to dwell on it and heaped some roast chicken onto his plate, Ron already on his second helping of food. Harry noticed Parvati rolling her eyes about this as she ate very slowly. Harry smiled at this and started on his potatoes.

After the feast, Dumbledore rose to his feet again. “Well, I think now would be a good time to go off to bed, but before we do, I would like to re-inform you of the New Year's Ball, and that a portkey will be set up for students who are in need of Dress robes. This will be set up for the first day of the Christmas Holidays. Now, off to bed,” Dumbledore finished with a clap of his hands.

Hermione and Ron had to help the first years find their way to the common room, so Harry decided to tag along, not wanting to be left out without the password again. The first years seem to be amazed about the moving pictures and the ghosts that inhabited Hogwarts. Harry smiled, remembering how he had felt when he was being led to the common room for the first time. Before long, Harry heard Hermione tell the Fat Lady the password. Harry entered the common room with Neville and Lavender, who, if Harry wasn't mistaken, were flirting very heavily. Harry made his way to a comfortable armchair near the fire and sat until Ron and Hermione joined him.

“Parvati already gone to bed?” Harry asked Ron.

“No, but her and Lavender want to catch up,” Ron answered shrugging. Hermione quickly brought the conversation to the Ball, causing Harry and Ron to exchang glances before Ron made his way silently up to the dormitory.

“So Harry, I think we should both get new Robes, so that they match, I was thinking you should get a dark green, while I get white with a green lace, what do you think?”

“Er…yeah, fine,” Harry replied, blushing.

Hermione rolled her eyes and sat on Harry's lap, before looking him in the eyes and saying, “Well you want to look nice, right?”

“Er…yeah.”

“Well, my blue robes will clash horribly with yours, right?”

“Er…yeah.”

“So we need new ones, right?” Hermione asked, her face inches from Harry's. Harry just nodded and she smiled and kissed him. “I'm going to bed now Harry, goodnight.”

“Er…yeah, me too, night,” Harry said, as he walked up the stairs. Shaking his head, wondering why girls were so weird, he pushed open the door. Neville was sitting up telling Dean and Seamus about his summer when he noticed Harry.

“Heya, Harry,” Neville said. Harry just waved, as he saw his Firebolt lying next to his bed. Harry walked over to it and it rose, inviting him to ride it.

“Oh, go on Harry, one quick lap around the castle. No one will notice,” Ron said from beside him, Harry smiled and opened the window. Mounting his Firebolt, he shot outside into the clear night. The night air felt good on Harry's face and as he flew, he realized just how much he missed Quidditch. He quickly drew himself into a dive, pointing directly at the Hogwarts greenhouses. Swooping down, Harry saw that there were some roses growing, imagining that one, protected by thistles was a snitch Harry drove his broom downward, faster. He kept plummeting still, closer and closer, and he wasn't pulling up, not until he had that rose. He reached his hand out, closed his fingers on the stem and pulled himself out of the dive, mere inches from the ground below. Pulling up on his broom he shot skywards, still clutching the rose. He flew in through the dormitory window and landed, Dean, Seamus and Ron cheering, while Neville had fear in his eyes. Turning around, Harry saw Hermione, red in the face with anger.

“How could you?” Hermione shot at him. A reckless idea came to Harry's mind, holding up the rose he said, “I picked this for you, I wanted you to feel special.” This obviously worked as after a moment, Hermione rushed at Harry knocking him to his bed and kissing him passionately.

“Oh Harry,” she said as she rose, blushing uncontrollably she left his room, holding the rose Harry gave her. Ron shot him a questioning look as she left.

“I just bluffed my way out of it…” Harry said with a cheeky grin across his face. Harry pulled on his pajamas, still smiling about getting away with his flight around Hogwarts, as a thought crossed his mind. `I'm going to have to do stuff like that all the time now…' Harry's smile faded as he thought on this until sleep finally took him.

* * *

Harry woke up after Ron the next morning, and slowly, he got dressed. When he left his dormitory, he saw that a lot of the girls were looking at him, whispering. Harry felt very confused by this until Seamus whispered, “Everyone knows what you did last night.”

Saying this, he gave Harry a look of great respect. He walked down to the Great Hall with Seamus and Neville, chatting about the upcoming year, quickly discovering that Neville also is trying to become an Auror. Somehow, he managed to pass potions under Snape's nose. Seamus, on the other hand, was most likely going to get a desk job at the ministry or work in a bar. He said this with a straight face, but Harry felt sorry for him; he had to listen to him and Neville talk about Aurorship knowing that he couldn't dazzle them with a cool job.

So, Harry suggested maybe studying Dragons, after all, Seamus was pretty good at Care of Magical Creatures. This seemed to perk him up quite a bit as he spent the remainder of the walk to the Great Hall chatting animatedly to Neville about dragons and other dangerous creatures. When they arrived at the Great Hall, Harry saw Ron sitting with Parvati, talking about something, presumably the ball. Hermione was sitting with Dean and Ginny not too far away. So Harry made a beeline for Hermione, who hadn't realized that Harry was there. He walked up and seized her about the waist before kissing her cheek, causing her to flush uncontrollably.

“Harry, don't sneak up on me like that,” Hermione murmured, trying to hide her beet red face.

“Come on Hermy, he's only being sweet,” Ginny said, with a wink to Harry. It seemed clear that Hermione was up most of the night talking about Harry. This confirmed Harry's fear, that now he had set expectations for himself with her.

After breakfast, Professor McGonagall came around to pass out timetables. As Harry and Hermione compared theirs, they found, apart from Divination, they had all the same classes. Ron also came around and to Harry's delight he and Ron shared Charms, Transfiguration, Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Divination.

“Ron, I thought you hated Divination?” Hermione asked, looking at his timetable.

“Er…yeah but…Parvati, well you know she loves it,” Ron said, a flush breaking out over his face, as Harry smiled sympathetically. Poor Ron doing Divination again to be with Parvati, that's what should be deemed a good boyfriend act, not flying out to grab a rose.

Harry looked down at his timetable, first up without fail was double potions. Rolling his eyes, he put on a brave face. At least he would have Hermione and Neville, Harry thought. But two more years with Snape? Urgh, who would find that enjoyable?

He soon found the answer to this as he made his way to the Dungeons, meeting who else, but Draco Malfoy.

“Ah Potty, the mudblood and…Longbottom. You got into NEWT potions? Dumbledore must be senile, letting you in,” Malfoy chortled to his Slytherin cronies.

“Shut it, Malfoy,” Harry shot back.

“Just because you are Dumbledore's favorite, doesn't mean you can talk to me like that, Potter. But I suppose you want to look good in front of your mudblood girlfriend,” Malfoy said, closing in on him, malevolence shining in his cold, gray eyes.

Before Hermione or Harry could do anything, the steel door to Snape's classroom creaked open. The class filed in, Harry noticed there were very few Gryffindors in the class, in fact it only seemed to be Neville, Hermione and himself, a few Ravenclaws, and one Hufflepuff, while the rest were Slytherins. Great, Harry thought, Snape will be vindictive indeed, he only expects Slytherins to do well on their Potions OWL, not the rest of the school.

“Now, I'm surprised to see all these faces in here, especially Longbottom, how he managed and O in potions is beyond me, but still, why dilly dally? We will be starting on a dreamless sleep potion today. It is complicated, one wrong step and you will kill the person, so please, take care,” Snape said, finishing by setting a cold stare on Harry. Their eyes met and Harry saw the same familiar loathing in his eyes.

“The ingredients,” (Snape waved his wand) “Are on the board.” (They appeared there) Harry sighed and copied them down, as he found this way a lot easier to remember them than having to look across a smoke filled room. Harry, with some help from Hermione (she was mainly helping out Neville) managed to make a perfect potion. Something of a first for Harry, he corked a flask and took it to be marked by Snape, who hopefully would be fair in the upcoming two years, and not cruel and utterly loathsome.

During the break, Neville was talking to Ron and Parvati about what Snape expected of his NEWT classes, drawing incomprehensible looks from Ron and looks of sympathy from Parvati. Harry went over to join them.

“Hey mate, if Snape tries anything, well we got your back,” Ron told him and Neville.

“Oh, don't be dense, Ronald,” Hermione shot at him, “Snape wouldn't do anything, not in our NEWT years.” Hermione went over to Parvati and talked to her, while Harry gave Ron a small `thank you' nod as Ron shot him a wink. They smiled and started talking about Divination, their next class, which Hermione made clear was a waste of time. Much to Parvati and Lavender's disgust, Harry didn't want to say anything, but he knew that both Ron and himself shared Hermione's view. But of course they also didn't want to do Arithmancy, so they stayed in Divination, and, if anything else, it helped Harry catch up on some sleep.

Joking with Ron all the way to Room 11 for Divination, Harry realized that he really missed Ron during potions. It was not that Hermione was bad company, but she just couldn't joke around about teachers and their classes. As Harry lined up for class, Hermione came up to him, gave him a peck on the cheek and told him to meet her for lunch. Harry blushed as she walked away, however the cat calls from the class weren't the worst of it. Malfoy had seen this and he was sure to start saying cruel things to the rest of his cronies. Sighing, Harry made his way into Divination. It was similar to how Firenze, the centaur that Dumbledore had hired to replace Trelawney last year, had set it out. But only with a small difference: they now had tables and chairs. Most of the class seemed to feel wrong footed at this, but sat down nevertheless. When the last person had found their seat, Firenze finally addressed them.

“Welcome to the NEWT level Divination class. This class will be taught by myself and your former Divination Teacher, Professor Trelawney. I will teach the astronomy side of this class, where she will teach tea leaves and crystal gazing.” Firenze said this last part with a hint of displeasure in his voice. Harry knew full well, from last year, that Firenze didn't believe in any other type of Divination than the art of star gazing. But apparently, he seemed willing to let Trelawney teach these subjects to the class. `Well that explains the tables…'

The class went by slowly and rather dully. Harry watched as Ron struggled to keep his eyes open, obviously doing it for Parvati, but he could tell that he would probably rather be in potions with Snape than here, trying to pay attention. When the bell finally rang, they filed out of the classroom, Parvati and Lavender chatting amicably about the last class, obviously pleased that Professor Trelawney had returned to her teaching position.

Harry grinned at Ron and they headed down toward Hagrid's for Care of Magical Creatures. They met Hermione on the way, who was being followed by cat calling Slytherins. Harry felt a rush of anger at this, even more so when he noticed who was leading it, non other than Malfoy.

“Harry, don't,” Hermione started but Harry would hear none of it. He started toward Malfoy, intending to hurt him as much as possible, however he felt someone holding him back. Spinning on his heel, he saw Ron.

“Look mate, don't do anything. He's a prefect, okay? You don't want detention in the first week…not again.”

Harry glared at him, but started walking down the hill. When he reached Hermione, he saw that she had tears in her eyes.

“Hermione…” Harry started, but before he could finish, Crabbe and Goyle bumped into him, sending him hard to the ground. Laughing, they continued their way down to Hagrid's hut.

“Harry I'm sorry, but please don't lose your temper, okay? Please,” Hermione said to him as she helped him up, the pleading look in her eyes making Harry think better of hitting Malfoy before the end of class.

Hagrid beamed at the class as they approached. The half-giant stood twelve feet tall with a black tangled mass of hair covering his head and around his face a long (though not as long as Dumbledore's) black tangled beard. He had tiny dark beady eyes that shone with inner warmth. He wore a moleskin overcoat and now seemed to carry himself with an air of dignity. Harry thought it must be because he was a wizard again, and beamed up at Hagrid. He couldn't help thinking about how it must feel to be him, being able to do magic again, being able to help the magical world with spells, and not having to hide anymore.

“All righ' now gather roun' gather roun',” Hagrid called to his class, beaming again as they got closer. “Well now, go' a trea' for yeh. The ministry didn' really wan' me showin' ya, but with…You-Know-Who…well they now thin' that yeh migh' come across one.”

“What do you mean, Hagrid?” Hermione asked tentatively. Harry looked around and saw his classmates' looks of apprehension and smirked when he saw Malfoy, looking paler then ever (that's saying something; he was already gaunt as a ghost).

“Oh, nothin' too dangerous, Hermione,” Hagrid said, though this did nothing to reassure the class, as most of them knew that Hagrid didn't share a normal person's definition of
”dangerous”.

“No, no, not too dangerous, `sides Grawpy is alrigh'…wouldn' hurt a fly, he wouldn',” Hagrid told Hermione, who let out a gasp. Grawp was Hagrid's younger brother, but a pure blood giant…sure Hagrid wasn't covered in bruises and welts anymore, but…Grawp was still a giant nevertheless. Hagrid led them to a distant paddock and the class gasped in unison. Sitting in the far corner was Grawp, all sixteen feet of him. He had his legs and arms bound, but it didn't make them feel any safer.

Hagrid beamed at the class and said, “Well, this is pretty obvious isn' it. This is Grawp and he is a Giant.”

Needless to say, this was an understatement. But when Grawp looked up, Harry saw that his face still had some scars from when he was attacked by the centaurs during their previous year at Hogwarts.

“HERMY…HARRY…HAGGER BRINGS BACK FRIENDS, GRAWP HAPPY.” And with that statement, Grawp began clapping his enormous hands.

“What's this, Potter and his mudblood adopted a giant?" Malfoy sneered. Hagrid, thankfully seemed to take offense to this and quickly gave Malfoy a detention for being a stupid git, or at least that's what Harry thought. Smiling, Harry focused on what Hagrid told them, took down notes, and when the class was over, walked back to the castle, hand in hand with Hermione, still with tears in her eyes.

Lunch was a tense affair. Harry kept on looking over to the Slytherin table to see Malfoy smirking at him, or joking with his friends while pointing at Hermione. Harry felt his temper rising higher than he thought possible. And he knew why: it was the thought of not being able to do anything. Before, he would have hit Malfoy and he would have been fine for the rest of the day, but Hermione stopped him and leaving his emotions to continue to build.

“Hey, mate, cool your jets, or at least save it for Quidditch,” Ron said when he arrived in the Hall, sitting opposite Harry. Harry merely grunted and tried to glance towards Malfoy again, but Ron was too quick for him.

“Look Harry, don't, okay! If you hit him, then you're sent off to detention, and Hermione and me, well we can't do a thing to stop it. Just beat him at Quidditch, okay?”

Harry felt his temper rise even more, but then Hermione said something, in a weak and strained voice. “Look Harry, Malfoy is being a complete prat, and it's not right, but you are not getting a detention tonight, okay. And besides, I thought you might want to spend your time with me, not holed up in the trophy room cleaning?”

Harry flushed and looked over at Hermione, the sunlight made her face look sweet and inviting, and her eyes, while red and puffy, still looked at him lovingly, making Harry feel elated.

Steadying himself, Harry sighed, “It's just not fair, Herm. You shouldn't have to put up with Malfoy's crap.” Harry hung his head and sighed again, “I just wish I could do more than beat him at Quidditch, you know?”

“Well, there is one thing,” Hermione said, gesturing him closer. Breathing in barely a whisper in Harry's ear, she said, “Well, you and only you could ever make me feel like a woman.”

Harry shot up, flushing at this and looked at her. Her face was red, but she just smiled coyly at him and started on her lunch. Harry's appetite seemed to fail him and he just sat there, staring down at his food. Ron just smiled, wondering what had just happened while Harry risked a glance toward Hermione, who had now composed herself, or had until Harry looked at her. Her face shone redder than Ron's hair. She smiled and quickly went back to attempting to compose herself.

“Geez mate, you'd think she said to shag her in front of him or something?” Ron said as they made their way toward Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry blushed slightly before hitting Ron.

“Come on, you know Hermione would never think anything like that,” Harry said. Whether he was telling Ron off or convincing himself, he didn't know. Glancing back, he saw Hermione chatting with Parvati and Lavender, trying to worm out of her what happened over lunch. Harry grinned at her as they turned the corner to wait for their class.

Looking around, Harry saw too many familiar faces, pretty much all of the DA was assembled in front of him, and to his surprise and disgust he saw Malfoy leading his cronies to where they would line up for next class. Normally, Malfoy would say something scathingly, but at the moment, his demeanor seemed different. For some reason, he no longer carried around his aloofness and arrogance; like he was no longer a prince holding court. Others seemed to notice this as well and fervent whispers broke out around him. Grinning, Harry thought of Malfoy's father. But then he realized, maybe Malfoy was doing this so he could protect himself from his father, who was a well-known Death Eater. Feeling a slight pang of guilt for Malfoy, Harry went to say something, but just before the words left his mouth, Malfoy seemed to regain himself.

“Hope Lupin doesn't bite anyone. You know werewolves, they just can't control themselves.” Harry bit back any retort as the doorway opened.

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