Chapter 10
Harry certainly received a few odd looks as he happily walked back to the Gryffindor Tower with a large branch slung over his shoulder, but no one asked him anything until he was in the common room.
"Er, Harry, why do you have a tree branch slung over your shoulder?" Ron asked him from his place on the couch next to Katrina, where they must have been having a very enjoyable conversation, as Katrina was smiling profoundly. Harry motioned him over and they walked up to their dorm together, along with all the other sixth year Gryffindor boys.
"Okay guys," Harry grunted as he laid the branch on floor and pulled out his quidditch book. "What I'm about to say doesn't leave this room." He eyed everyone, all of whom gulped and nodded. "Okay, last year, before she was kicked out, that frog-**** woman destroyed my firebolt."
Ron gasped and cursed Umbridge several times, joined by Dean and Seamus. Neville looked at him in awe. "Harry, are you saying that you're gonna-" "Yes Neville," Harry answered before the question could be finished. "This is a branch I just blew off the whomping willow, and I'm gonna turn it into the best seeker's broom in the world."
The guys were all shocked by this, and Harry grinned at them. "I've got a book here that will help, and I should finish within a week or two. No one can know about this until our first practice, and then the whole school will know after our first match. Hermione is the only other person that will know about this, aside from Dumbledore and McGonogall. Don't let anyone else in this room unless I say it's alright. There are only perhaps a dozen people in this world that I trust completely, and you guys are four of them."
They all smiled and nodded at Harry, grinning. "Is there anything that we can do to help?" Ron asked. Harry immediately shook his head. "No Ron, this is something that I have to do on my own. I'll let you all know when I'm finished though, and maybe even let you all ride it." Their eyes lit up in excitement. "Oh yeah, two last things," Harry looked at Ron and Neville. "Ron, you're the new quidditch captain this year and Neville, you're the second Gryffindor prefect."
The two stared at him, lost for words. "T-thanks Harry," They said in unison. Harry just grinned at them. "You earned it. Now I've gotta go and find Hermione, then McGonogall and Dumbledore, so I'll see you guys later."
He bade them goodbye and went straight to the library, finding Hermione hunched over a large book. "Hey there Mione," He said, kissing her softly on the cheek, causing her to blush and other students to whisper excitedly. "I have to tell you something," He leaned in close and relayed the story to her, Hermione was fuming by the end of it.
"That hag! I can't believe she would do that! But of course I'll stay quiet Harry, I won't even tell Ginny." Harry nodded at her appreciatively and kissed her again before leaving for McGonogall's office.
He arrived their a few moments later, having been slowed by Peeves, the school poltergeist, who had been hurling water balloons at him in the fifth floor corridor. Finally he reached the Transfiguration room (albeit a little wetter than he had been before he left) and knocked once before walking in.
Professor McGonogall, a strict old woman who could command a class with a simple glare, saw him and smiled sweetly. "Mr. Potter, to what do I owe this honor?" Harry smiled and responded, "Well I'm sure by now that you've heard that Umbridge destroyed my Firebolt last term." McGonogall's smile flipped upside down, the woman had nearly killed her the year before in a botched attempt to fire Hagrid. She simply nodded.
Harry continued. "Well I blew a branch off of the whomping willow and I'm going to create my own broom from it, and I promise that it will be a special one." McGonogall smiled. "And I presume that you have come here to ask if broom-making is allowed by a Hogwarts student?" Harry took a deep breath and nodded. "It is perfectly fine, Mr. Potter. I do hope that you make something special, I really do adore that trophy." She smiled as she looked at the Quidditch Cup that was perched on the corner of her desk. "Thank you Professor, I won't let you down." With this Harry nodded and left, only one stop left.
"Tongue Toffees." Harry said, a hint of excitement in his voice as the gargoyle shifted and started to move upward. Harry jumped on and soon found himself once again in the Headmaster's office.
"Harry, what may I do for you now?" Dumbledore asked politely, although Harry was sure that he already knew what he was going to say. "I would like permission to build my own broomstick sir."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded at him. "Of course, and Harry," He said as Harry had started to leave. "I have two more things to tell you. First," He pulled the sword of Godric Gryffindor from its place by the sorting hat and gave it to Harry. "I believe you will be needing that for your weapons class." Harry smiled and nodded as he accepted the sword.
"And also," Dumbledore continued. "I wish for the DA to live on this year, but only for those whom accompanied you to the Department of Mysteries last June. They will all be targets now, and I will be enlisting quite a few friends to help you. You will study more spells, train as animagi, and learn to apparate, among other things."
Harry nodded eagerly as he took it all in. He couldn't wait to tell the others. "If there is nothing else Harry, then I ask that you please return to your dormitory and get some well deserved rest. You have a long day tomorrow." Harry nodded and said a polite thank you before leaving for the common room.
Harry crashed into his bed without disturbing anyone about the DA that would be continuing, as he was much to tired for that. Slowly, he drifted into one of the best nights of rest he had had in a long time.
The next morning over breakfast Harry told Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville about the DA, and Ginny agreed to tell Luna the first chance that she got.
Halfway through breakfast McGonogall came by with course schedules, which Harry looked over curiously. "What do you have Harry?" Katrina asked him after she looked at Ron's schedule over his shoulder.
"Er, I've got N.E.W.T. Transfiguration, Advanced weapons training, and N.E.W.T. Arithmancy today," Ron gave him a strange look. "Harry, since when do you take Arithmancy?" Harry smirked at him. "Since I stayed at Hermione's this summer." Ron went a little green and didn't say anything else.
"Then I've got N.E.W.T. Creatures and Charms tomorrow, then Charms and DADA on Wednesday, hey, wait a minute." Harry said suddenly. "Who's the new DADA teacher? I didn't notice anyone new at the sorting last night, did you?" They all shook their heads.
A horrible thought struck Harry. "It can't be…" "Snape?" Hermione offered with a grimace. "I surely hope not, now that I've dropped potions I was hoping I wouldn't have to see him much this year." Ron scrunched his eyebrows together thoughtfully. "Nah, I don't think it's Snape, I can feel it. I'm pretty sure it's someone we already know, I'm just not sure who."
Harry and Hermione stared at Ron, mouths agape. Ron grinned at them. "Hey, you're looking at the only guy in the school that got an 'O' in Divination. Lav and Parvati were peeved when I told them." Harry stared at him unbelieving. "But you're terrible at Divination! How did you get an 'O'?" Ron shrugged. "Apparently I have 'the sight'." They all laughed at Ron's Trelawney imitation, and the conversation quickly turned to quidditch, eliciting a groan from Hermione.
"Now come on Mione, if I go to the library with you later, will you talk quidditch with us now?" He gave her an irresistible grin and she smiled back. "Okay then, so when are we gonna have tryouts captain?" Harry asked Ron with a wink. Ever since Ron had met Katrina he had been much more mature towards Harry and Hermione and their relationship. "Well I dunno," Ron said, lowering his voice. "When do you reckon you'll finish that broom?"
"A few days," Harry whispered back, making sure they weren't overheard. "I've already put a featherweight charm and an anti-theft curse on it. As of right now, if anyone touches the broom other than you, me, Mione, Dean, Seamus, Neville, McGonogall, or Dumbledore then they'll get a nasty little shock that'll knock them out for a few hours. Oh yeah, and I've got the body finished, and also a crash repellant charm and a wind resistance charm, so I can't crash into another player and the wind won't affect me. Oh yeah, and I also put an unbreakable charm on it as well, so it should be pretty much impossible to destroy now."
All of the guys looked extremely excited, even Hermione was hanging on Harry's every word. "So how fast will it be?" Neville asked, getting nods from everyone else that had wanted to know the same thing. Harry grinned. "Wouldn't you like to know." They all groaned and Harry laughed before continuing. "There's a speed charm on the broom right now, increasing its propulsion and power as we speak. I'm leaving it on until it wears off on its own, that's the same way they make the firebolt."
Everyone gasped. "Will it be that quick then?" Hermione asked with utmost interest. Harry grinned and shook his head. "Faster, it'll outstrip the WindScyther by a good twenty to fifty kilometers an hour. I used a few ideas of my own to bolster the speed and power. It'll also turn on a dime, I put a major agility hex on it. At two hundred it can make a ninety degree turn in under half a second. Man I can't wait to try it out!"
The other guys nodded their heads in agreement. "What will you call it?" Dean asked in awe. This time Harry shook his head for real. "That, my friends, is something you'll find out after our first practice."
A few minutes later the group split for classes, Neville, Harry, and Hermione headed for Transfiguration while the rest went the way of Advanced Physical Training. Then they would all meet up for Advanced Weapons Training, finally going their separate ways afterwards with only Harry and Hermione heading to Arithmancy.
"Saint Potter! Got a mudblood girlfriend now do you? When my father gets out of Azkaban he'll make sure you both meet your end." Harry rolled his eyes and turned to face Draco Malfoy, flanked by his bodyguards Crabbe and Goyle.
Harry surprised the entire crowd watching (all hoping for a duel to break out) when he said, "For once I agree with you Malfoy. With an inept Minister of Magic like Fudge the dementors will surely hand Azkaban to Voldemort." The students gasped at the dark lord's name, and Harry stepped closer to Malfoy, a sneer crossing his face. "But hopefully I will meet up with your father again Malfoy. If he even as much as breaths on Hermione I swear to Merlin I'll kill him, rather than stun him like I did last year."
Draco's eyes widened in shock. "That's right Malfoy, I stunned your dear old daddy. Then I knocked your dear Aunt Bellatrix off her feet. After that I watched Dumbledore make a fool out of your dad's mate Voldemort." Harry leaned in close and said menacingly, so that the whole hall could here. "Or should I say your mate as well."
Draco visibly flinched, but regained his cool demeanor and spat, "Are you implying what I think you are Potter?" Harry nodded. "Your damned right I am." The pair looked at each other with utmost loathing before Harry finally spun on his heel and led Hermione to McGonogall's class, leaving a hallway of students staring at Malfoy as he stalked away, wondering if it was possible that he really was a death eater.
After a rather uneventful class of turning seaweed into frogs, Harry and Hermione met up with the others outside of the Weapons room. Harry surveyed everyone's weapons with an amused expression. Ron had a swallow, which was a sort of double-blade sword, Neville had two foot long blades, Dean and Seamus each had battle axes, while all of the other people in the class had different variations of swords and daggers and such.
"Alright class, everyone please settle down and take a seat." The professor asked, and Harry gave him a once over. The guy was ripped. He had muscles bulging out all over his body, and had a few battle trophies on his arms and face from past skirmishes. The man eyed Harry, as he was the only one without a weapon - or so it appeared to the class.
"Mr. Potter," The man said amusedly. "Would you like to tell the class why you are without a weapon?" Harry grinned and stood up, reaching his right hand behind his left shoulder and pulling the Gryffindor Sword from its invisible sheath and wowing the class with its glory.
The professor looked shocked. "Very good Mr. Potter, I see you have already mastered the stealth weapon curse, something we were to learn today. Tell me, have you ever used a sword, Mr. Potter?"
Harry shrugged. "Er, yeah. I killed a basilisk with this one in my second year." Those in the class that had not been in the DA the previous year gasped. The professor nodded knowingly. "Yes, Albus told me to expect quite a lot from you. Tell me Mr. Potter, do you know to whom that sword belonged?"
Harry nodded, reddening a little, knowing that gasps were about to come. "Godric Gryffindor." Harry guessed correctly, the class made another collective gasp.
The professor smiled and nodded, then motioned for Harry to sit down. "Alright class, my name is Professor Sora Summers. You may address me as whatever you wish, it does not matter to me. Now pair up, and we will learn the basic stealth weapon curse, as Mr. Potter has so excellently demonstrated. Oh by the way, twenty points to Gryffindor for your cleverness Harry." Harry smiled and the Gryffindors whooped while Malfoy and the Slytherins scowled at him, the other houses not caring either way.
After a very interesting lesson in which only Neville and Hermione mastered the curse (each earning Gryffindor a further fifteen points) and a rather uneventful lunch, Harry and Hermione said their good-byes and made their way to Professor Vector's classroom. Vector smiled at them as they came in.
"Ah yes, Mr. Potter. Dumbledore told me of the special circumstances, I hope that you will find this class to be of help." Harry smiled at her. "I'm sure I will."
Vector turned back to the rest of the class and spoke to everyone for the rest of the period about looking for signals and signs that may represent what the riddle is about.
As they walked from class later to the library, Hermione quickly bored Harry with her talks of wizard politics and how unfair they were.
"So Hermione, what do you wanna do for our first date in the library?" Harry teased her as they walked past Madam Pince, the librarian.
"I dunno, I thought maybe we could try and figure out more about that riddle or brainstorm some more about our physics theory, since we now know that some of it isn't true."
Harry nodded and for the next hour they made absolutely zero progress in trying to figure out some more about how physics related to magic. Hermione threw her books down in frustration, earning her a death glare from Madam Pince.
"Hermione, count to ten." Harry joked as he saw that Hermione was starting to lose it. He laughed. "Come on Hermione, you can't expect us to find the answer as quick as lightning do you?"
Hermione suddenly gasped and pulled a wrinkled old parchment out of her pocket. Harry stared at her.
"Of course!" She exclaimed, flattening the parchment out and tracing her finger over what Harry now recognized as the riddle they were going to work on. "Harry, a lightning bolt! Like your scar!"
Harry looked at the trail Hermione's fingers made.
0 0 G H 1 2
7 S 5 1 0 1
3 D D 2 0 9
1 G G S 3 3
1 V T M R 8
9 G H S 9 1
8 F B 1 A 0
0 P 1 R B 6
1 3 R M M 2
0 S V 1 2 1
D 1 V H P 1
M M 9 G H 9
T M R 9 P 9
S V B M 8 5
Harry gasped. "Look!" He said, cutting the numbers into three sections. "First, my birthday, July 31, 1980." Hermione nodded as he traced his finger further along the lightning bolt.
"Then," His voice cracked. "1, 0, 3, 1, 1, 9, 8, 1. 10-31-1981. October Thirty-First, Nineteen Eighty-One. The night my parents died, and I defeated Voldemort for the first time." Hermione grabbed his hand in support, and he smiled at her.
He pointed at the last eight numbers. "And 0, 6, 2, 1, 1, 9, 9, 5. 06-21-1995. June Twenty-First, Nineteen Ninety-Five." He looked at Hermione, and he saw comprehension blossom in her eyes. Harry sighed in anger. "The night that Voldemort got his body back."
Chapter 11
The next day was quite the eventful one for Harry.
"Well yeah, but you know, when a guy, well…" Lavender and Parvati giggled, they were talking about certain 'mature' topics at breakfast, so Harry turned a deaf ear to the gossip-queens and struck up a conversation with Dean.
"Oi there Dean, so when are we gonna be having those football tryouts?" Harry asked him curiously, smiling at Hermione as she sat next to him and started to strike up a conversation with Lavender and Parvati, each wearing identical evil grins.
Harry was brought away from that when Dean answered. "I thought we could have our first one this weekend, I'll post up a note on the common room board. I wonder if anyone will be any good?"
Harry grinned at him. "Well, we all know you will be. I mean, who else at Hogwarts is a professional footballer?" Dean blushed slightly. His slight blush turned into a huge one when a few Hufflepuff muggle-borns came up to him eagerly with parchment and quills.
"Um, hi, Mr. Thomas! My names Suzy, and this is my friend…uh…Marcy. Um, I just wanted to uh, well um, tell you that I think you're a brilliant footballer and I was wondering if maybe, I could well, have your autograph?" Harry started laughing hysterically and patted a crimson-faced Dean on the back. "Welcome to my world mate."
Dean sent him a death glare as he grudgingly gave an autograph to a plethora of excited muggle-born girls. Harry smirked at him and returned to Hermione, who was fuming at a giggling Parvati and Lavender.
"Well if you're so sure then why don't you ask him?" Hermione rolled her eyes at the two and turned to Harry. "Harry," She said annoyingly. "Lavender and Parvati told me that after dinner tonight, I should ask you for a Chile dog as desert." She rolled her eyes at the two girls who were in fits of laughter, and Harry tried to cut Hermione off before she made a fool of herself, but he was to slow.
"So then Harry, will you give me a Chili Dog?" Ten words that would go down in history as being the most embarrassing thing that Hermione Granger would ever say in her life.
Parvati and Lavender fell off their chairs in laughter, Ron joining them a few seconds later. Dean and Seamus were howling and giving Hermione cat-calls, Ginny looked at her friend with a sickened expression of pity on her face, while the rest of the great hall, having heard what Hermione had said on a count of her saying it so loud, were in tears with laughter, at least the ones in the fifth year and up.
Hermione gave a red-faced Harry a look of confusion. "I don't get it! What's so funny about wanting a Chili Dog?" Harry's blush deepened as the Great Hall exploded in laughter again, even many of the teachers trying to stifle laughs that the smartest witch in Hogwarts could be co clueless when it came to 'other' aspects of teenage life.
Harry took a deep breath and whispered exactly what kind of 'Chili Dog' Lavender and Parvati were talking about, and she went a shade of green that somewhat resembled the polyjuice potion they had taken in second year. Quickly Hermione's embarrassment and sickness turned to anger, and she glared at the other two Gryffindor Sixth years.
The glare clearly told them not to mess with her innocence again, and the two visibly gulped before Hermione got up and stormed out of the Great Hall, Harry in hot pursuit.
"Hermione. Hermione! HERMIONE!" He yelled as he finally caught up to her, pulling her close to him, astonished that she was crying into his chest. "Hermione…" He said softly, trying to console her. She sniffed.
"Look," He said, cupping her chin with his palm and forcing her to look into his eyes, using his free hand to wipe away her tears. "Lavender and Parvati were just joking Hermione. They were playing on your innocence. They didn't mean to upset you like that okay?" She nodded sadly, her chestnut-brown eyes bring into his own emerald ones. "And I would never, ever, want to do that okay? But there is one thing we haven't done yet that I'm anxious to try out."
Before she could protest Harry's lips were on hers, and as she kissed him back, Harry went into uncharted territory and slowly stroked her bottom lip, begging for entrance, and she complied. After a few minutes of this new experience (and taste) they broke apart, breathless.
"Wow," Harry stammered, unable to find a word that could describe their kiss. "Yeah…" Hermione replied, before she put both of her hands behind Harry's head and pulling him to her again.
They both lost track of time, only one things on their minds of the couple for the next fifteen minutes in the charms corridor. Finally, Harry looked at his watch (a new one that worked in the magical boundaries of Hogwarts) and gasped.
"Hermione!" He said urgently. "We're late for Creatures!" She gasped and took his hand, together bolting down the halls of Hogwarts and out the front gates to Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid.
He gave them a knowing smile as they both ran up to the rest of the class, and that's when Harry suddenly noticed in horror that Hermione's hair was a complete mess from where his hands had been rummaging through it, and he was sure that his was the same.
Most of the class was either giggling or smirking at the two, while Ron looked about ready to retch all over the mysterious basket that lay in the front of class.
"Okay now that we're all 'ere, we can git started on what will be our sole project fer the whole yer' an' if we're lucky maybe next 'ear as well." He pulled the blanket covering the basket away and the whole class gasped.
There, sitting in the middle of Hogwarts grounds, in something that closely resembled a picnic basket, were ten fully fledged dragon eggs.
Hagrid grinned broadly at the horrified class. "Well now, you all 'll be splittin' inter' groups of two an' pickin' a dragon egg to raise." Harry instinctively grabbed Hermione's robes, and she nodded in approval. Neville paired with Justin Finch-Fletchy (a Hufflepuff sixth year) Dean and Seamus paired together, as did Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson (a Slytherin girl that was nearly as bad as Malfoy himself), Ron and Katrina, and lastly Ernie Macmillan and Susan Bones (two very nice Hufflepuff friends of Harry's who had both been in the DA the year before).
Shakily, Hermione rose a hand. "Yes 'ermione?" Hermione took a deep breath and asked what all of the other students were wondering. "Hagrid, how are we possibly going to keep six dragons on Hogwarts grounds? There's no where near enough room! It only takes about six months for a dragon to reach its full growth and power, and we don't have any trained wizards here that can handle wild dragons!"
"Hey now, I think I may fit that qualification," Came a voice from behind Harry, and he spun around, even though he already knew to whom the voice belonged.
The flaming red haired man grinned at them all. "I'm Charlie Weasley. I've worked with dragons for the past few years, and I'll be helping you all tame them." He gave Hermione a lopsided grin. "And I hardly think that the dragons will be wild Miss Granger," "Mrs. Potter!" Dean coughed, causing the whole class to explode with laughter (aside form Draco and Pansy) while Hagrid and Charlie smiled at the beat-faced couple.
"As I was saying, the dragons will not be wild, as you lot will be raising them. Dragons are actually
rather tame creatures when given a proper upbringing." Hagrid shuffled uncomfortably for a second, no doubt
remembering the Norbert fiasco in first year.
Hermione raised her hand again. "Yes Mrs. Potter?" The class exploded in laughter, and Harry scowled at Charlie.
Hermione, seemingly unfazed by the remark, asked, "But where will they stay? Where will they sleep? There's not enough room on Hogwarts for them, and you can't chain them down, that would be cruel!"
Charlie smiled at her softly. "The dragons will be given a pill at birth that will stop them from flying anywhere off of Hogwarts grounds, and anywhere within one hundred meters of the school. In case you didn't know, the Hogwarts grounds cover ten square miles - they are just not all in use."
Hermione nodded in understanding, and Hagrid beamed at the red-headed man before bringing the eggs forward to Harry and Hermione. "Okay 'arry, you git the firs' pick!" Harry nodded and picked up an emerald green egg, close to the same color as his eyes. He smiled at Hermione, she quickly returned it before hurrying through her textbook to find the name of the dragon.
Harry smiled at her, she looked so cute when she was working hard on something. He surveyed the rest of the class and saw that Draco had drawn a mustard-yellow egg, Ron had chosen one that was redder than even his own hair (that had no doubt been why he had chosen it), Ernie and Susan were beaming at their sky-blue egg, while Neville was eagerly checking over his and Justin's rainbow egg.
The students were told to take the eggs into their dormitories and care for them like they would a baby for the next few weeks, and that once the egg started to crack it should be brought out to Hagrid's hut immediately, and it would take a few hours to finally open (they also had a charm put on the eggs so that they know when they started to open in case they were away from the egg at the time).
Hermione growled in frustration as she marched up the stairs to Gryffindor tower before their next class, which would be charms with Professor Flitwick, a very small wizard that for some reason reminded Harry of a midget main character he had seen in the muggle movie 'Willow'.
"Nothing!" She howled angrily. "There is absolutely nothing in any of our books that tells us what certain dragon's eggs look like! Does that seem like an injustice to anyone else!" Ron shrugged and said absolutely the wrong thing at the wrong time. "Not as unjust as spew!"
Harry groaned and put his face in his hands as Ron and Hermione got into one of their bickering matches. "It's not spew! It's the Society for Promotion of Elfish Welfare! Why can't you understand that some things like this are important to me!"
Once again, Ron said the wrong thing. "What? Is that why you chose Harry? Because he understands spew!?"
THWACK!
Hermione's hand came across Ron's cheek before he knew what hit him. He held his face in astonishment, staring at a fuming Hermione and a scared Harry.
"How dare you say that! I chose," She made little air quotes with her fingers. "Harry because I love him! Yes, he understands me! He listens to my problems, he may not like S.P.E.W. but he doesn't make fun of me for it!" Harry swore that he could see steam coming out of her ears, Ron looked about ready to wet his robes.
"Sometimes I wonder why I ever even put up with you Ronald Bilius Weasley!" With that she stormed off, leaving everyone staring at a now fuming and grumbling Ron. Harry tried to put a comforting arm on his shoulder, but he pushed it away angrily.
"Don't even start Harry! If it weren't for you I wouldn't be having these problems with Hermione anyway!"
Now it was Harry's turn to be angry. He didn't need to say anything as every pane of glass in the corridor shattered brilliantly, uttering everyone speechless. They hadn't seen Harry truly lose his temper before, and now they were afraid they would see his power full blast.
But, surprising everybody, Harry simply clenched his fists together a few times and stared lock-jawed at Ron. "Come talk to me when you grow up Ron."
With that he turned and stalked away, unintentionally shattering the ceiling lights in the process as he tried to control his anger. He didn't know how he made it back to the common room, but when he did he found Hermione sobbing in a chair while Ginny tried to console her. When Ginny saw Harry coming, she nodded and left so that Harry could talk to her.
He walked up and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Mione," He said weakly, and she sniffed a little, wiping away tears with her hands. "Mione, I'm really sorry about what Ron said, he just doesn't understand you like I do. He can be a real prat, but that's just who he is. After you left I put him in his place, so he shouldn't be messing with us anymore until he grows up a little," He paused, grinning slightly. "Actually, until he grows up a lot." Hermione smiled back weakly at him.
"Harry, you didn't, I mean, you didn't lose your temper did you?" Harry shifted his feet uncomfortably a little and shook his head. "I didn't hurt anyone, but I couldn't stop from exploding every pane of glass in the corridor, it was just accidental magic."
Hermione's eyes grew large at the mention of his power, but she let it pass. "Okay," She sniffed again before rising to her feet and taking Harry's hand. "Let's go to class then." He shook his head and smiled before exiting the portrait hole and going down to the charm corridor.
Charms went fairly well, nothing but review on summoning and banishing charms. Ron avoided them for most of the class, only coming over once to hand them a pillow grudgingly. Harry didn't know how long this behavior would last, but he hoped that wouldn't be long.
The next day went reasonably well, and Ron turned out to be right in his prediction of the DADA class professor. When Harry and Hermione walked in together (Ron was still absolutely refusing to speak with either of them) they gasped in surprise.
"Professor Moody!" They exclaimed together, smiling at their one time professor (actually it hadn't been him but rather Barty Crouch, an assumed dead death eater, in disguise) happily. He returned their smiles with a grunt and a look that clearly said, 'Stay after class, I have something important to tell you'.
When the students were done filing in (Ron was so angry at the couple that he actually sat closer to Malfoy than Harry and Hermione) he addressed the class. "I am Professor Moody, as some of you may recognize form your fourth year. I guarantee you that I am not, in fact, Barty Crouch under polyjuice potion." A few students smiled at this, Harry and Hermione being the most prominate, both letting out soft laughs.
"Okay, now that that's settled, on to your lesson plans. Because of that disgrace of a professor you had last term," All the students smiled, even Ron and Malfoy. "You will be doing almost nothing but practical magic in here, meaning little writing and a lot of using spells."
The class whooped and cheered in a gleeful response. Mad-Eye gave them a wicked smile. "You will learn many new spells in this class, and master many old. I would like a few volunteers with first-hand experience in dueling to show us a few spells. So," He clapped his hands together, surveying the room before giving Harry a slight smile. Harry groaned.
"Ah, Mr. Potter, and Mr. Weasley, could the two of you please come to the front of class?" They grudgingly obliged and trudged to the front. "Now, show me what you've got. DUEL!"
Chapter 12
Ron wasted absolutely no time. "Furnunculus!" "Protego!" Harry countered, sending the spell directly back at Ron, who was barely able to dodge it.
Harry allowed Ron to get up and dust himself off before raising his wand again. Harry noticed Ron giving Hermione a quick glance, and he groaned. Ron was going to try and prove that he was better for Hermione than he was.
Hermione looked terrified at what may happen, she was constantly clutching the desk in front of her. Malfoy had a look on his face that would suggest that Christmas had come early. Most of the rest of the class just had equal expressions of interest.
"Expelliarmus!" Ron bellowed, attempting to disarm Harry as he surveyed the room. Harry did a very acrobatic no-hand cartwheel and shot an identical disarming curse at Ron as he was halfway through, knocking his friends wand from his grasp.
Then Ron did something that surprised everyone in the room. Rather than retrieve his wand (which Harry would have allowed him to do) he let out a loud war cry and charged straight at Harry, he was going to try and beat him the muggle way.
Harry did the only thing he could think of and pointed his wand at the wall directly behind Ron. "Accio!"
Now the wall was much to strong to be pulled to Harry by a simple summoning spell, so, as Harry expected, the opposite occurred. Harry was pulled forward to the far wall by his wand, and he landed a swift kick on Ron's knees as he passed him by, causing the red head to fall flat on his face.
Harry broke the connection before he slammed into the wall and whirled around to face Ron, wand at the ready.
"That's enough! Accio!" Moody said, and Ron's wand flew to him, and he handed it back to Ron, telling him to go back to his seat. Mad-Eye smiled at Harry. "Well done, Mr. Potter. Brilliantly done, if I do say so myself." He turned to the class. "As Mr. Potter just demonstrated, some spells may be manipulated for other purposes other than their intent. For example, if Harry had used the banishment charm instead, he would have been thrown backwards - very useful when you have been forced to the ground by a death eater. Well done Mr. Potter, you show true potential in dueling, take twenty points to Gryffindor."
The Gryffindor's cheered (excluding Ron, who was still scowling) and Harry blushed a little before returning to his seat. He got a congratulatory peck on the cheek from Hermione, and Moody immediately spoke up. "No signs of affection in class, Miss Granger. Five points from Gryffindor."
Hermione blushed while Draco snorted in laughter, and Moody started to lecture.
Harry zoned out at this point. What had possessed him to do that? He didn't even think about it, it just happened! Harry had no idea that there was ways to use spells other than what they were meant for, although he had done just that. Harry realized that it must have been an instinct. Did that mean he had an inborn instinct for dueling? He shook his head in confusion and returned his gaze to Moody, who was lecturing on how he and a few other aurors had caught some rogue death eaters a few years after Voldemort's downfall.
Harry hung back with Hermione after the class was over. "Mr. Weasley, would you kindly join us?" Mad-Eye said as Ron was leaving the classroom. It wasn't really a question, and Ron came back in begrudgingly, staying as far away from Harry and Hermione as he could.
The ex-auror closed the door and put a locking and silencing charm on it. Then he turned both eyes (he had one magical eye that could see through solid walls and clothing) on the trio.
"The first meeting will be tonight in the Forbidden Forest. Make sure you notify the others. You will be training with myself, Dumbledore, Remus Lupin, Severus Snape," They all groaned, and Harry could have sworn Mad-Eye's lips curled up slightly in a smile. "Minerva McGonogall, and Tonks.
"You will be training in all categories, you will all become very able duelers, animagus," Even Ron couldn't help but grin in delight. "You will also be tactically trained as well as physically, you will also learn a large amount of new spells of both an offensive and defensive nature." His eyes narrowed, (if that was a possibility with one magical eye, not to mention his face was so scarred already that it was nearly impossible to tell when he made a facial expression) and he looked at each of them in turn.
"Make no mistake lads, this is no auror training you're going through," Ron showed a distinct sign of relief, and Moody gave him a wicked smile. "It is much more intense. You will now be training for two hours every night from eleven o'clock to one in the morning," Ron groaned, Moody ignored him. "And on the weekends you will be training five to six hours a day, always at night. It is best to train when you are tired, that way even caught off guard, you will be ready for a death eater attack."
They all gulped visibly, and Mad-Eye continued. "But there is good news. All the staff is aware of this training, and as such, you will be excused from much of your homework duties." Harry and Ron whooped in delight, Hermione groaned a faint, "Oh no," Before Mad-Eye went on.
"But you will still be responsible for your tests and quizzes, and you must act as if you do your homework as well. You will turn in a charmed parchment everyday, which will appear like homework to the other students, unless of course you do decide to do the homework anyways." Hermione's face brightened, Ron rolled his eyes.
"In the common room you will pretend to do your homework when in fact you will be studying spells and curses for the Defense Association. So you will still be doing homework, only it will be for your survival, rather than your grades." The trio shifted uncomfortably again, and Moody added one last thing before dismissing them.
He eyed Harry and Ron. "You two," He said pointedly. "Will work out your differences by the meeting tonight. For every time the two of you show any dislike for the other, one hour will be added to the training session for everyone. Now you are dismissed. Eleven o'clock, tonight, behind Hagrid's hut. You will reach your destination after about fifty paces northwest, use the compass spell. Here is another invisibility cloak," He tossed them a silvery-white cloak, but the inside was blood-red so that it was distinguishable from Harry's.
"You three can take Harry's, and Misses Lovegood and Weasley, and Mr. Longbottom may use the other."
Hermione asked the question that was on everyone's minds. "Er, Luna's in Ravenclaw, how will we get the cloak to her?" Moody smiled again and shook his head. "Not anymore. It was decided that Miss Lovegood be transferred to Gryffindor for the rest of her stay at Hogwarts. Her things have been moved already, and she will sleep there for the first time tonight."
He nodded to them all. "Good day then, I will see the three of you tonight."
Taking the hint, the trio headed back to Gryffindor Tower, not a word spoken between them. When finally approaching the fat lady, they gave the password, 'bludger' and walked into the crowded common room. Immediately, Harry turned to Ron.
"Let's go to our room, we can talk in private there." Ron nodded and Harry turned to Hermione. "You stay here, we'll fill you in when we come back down." Hermione nodded and gave them each a hug before immersing herself in Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six.
Harry was relieved to find the room empty and he quickly put a silencing and locking charm on the door, then turned to Ron. He took a deep breath and started.
"Ron, are you in love with Hermione?" Ron gave him an annoyed look. "Of course I am, why else would we be having this conversation?"
Harry ignored the rude tone of voice and continued, unfazed. "Why? What are your reasons? How do you know?"
Ron gave Harry a strange and confused look and said, "I dunno, I just am! I mean, she's really pretty, and we've been best friends for like five years, and well, I just kinda realized one day that I was in love with her."
Harry suppressed a smile. Ron was most definitely not in love with Hermione. Now Harry just had to prove it to him. "Ron, tell me, why did I go out with Cho?"
That was definitely not what Ron had expected. "Er, because you thought she was pretty, and uh, well she was always nice to you and stuff, and - oh."
Harry grinned at him. "Exactly. I had a crush on Cho. I was never in love with her. I liked her for the same reasons that you like Hermione. And me and Cho didn't work out to well, did we?"
Ron shook his head, but wasn't going to lose that easily. "Then what are your reasons for loving Hermione?" He asked, although he knew this was an argument that he was going to lose.
Harry sighed. "Where do I start? I love everything about her. Sure, she's pretty, and yeah, we've been friends for a real long time, but she's so much more than that. I love the way her eyebrows scrunch together when she's thinking hard. Or the way she always chews on her quill. I always find myself defending her, whether I realize it or not. When we met Grawp last year, I held onto her tight, afraid I would never feel her touch again. I didn't realize it then, of course, but I do now in retrospect. In the Department of Mysteries, when we were cornered by the death eaters, without even thinking I pulled her close to me by grasping her robes, wanting her to be safe, even though there were others that were nearby and in need of protection. When she was hit by that curse - I, I almost lost it. I don't even want to think about what could of happened if she died. Then this summer, it was like a constant stomachache without her around. Then I looked back at all of the people in the past. Rita Skeeter knew it, that's why she pushed her story so much. Krum knew it, he even asked me about it. Cho knew it, I was defending Hermione without even realizing I was hurting her feelings. Then when I saw her in the courtroom at my trial, it was like, BOOM! I knew it. I was in love with her, and there was no turning back. That's how I know that I love her Ron."
Ron looked at Harry, mouth slightly agape, but he nodded his head in realization. "I get it now, I really do." He sighed. "I don't feel like that towards her like you do, I've just got a silly crush on her. Now that I know that, I guess I can move on."
Ron grinned, and Harry returned it. His best friend was back. "So," Harry said, grinning mischievously. "Do you know anyone who might like me?"
Harry grinned. "You know, that Luna Lovegood seems fairly smitten with you."
Ron scrunched his face up in disgust. "Yeah, I noticed. But she's so weird! I don't think I could ever date someone like that!"
Harry glared at him. "Don't judge a book by its cover Ron. Look at Hermione. Top of almost every class, spends all of her free time in the library, not all that into quidditch, but we both know how great she is. You should give Luna a chance."
Ron's expression softened and he nodded. "Yeah, you're right. I really am a prat. Maybe I will give her
a chance. What's the worst that could happen, we only end up as friends? I can deal with that."
Harry smiled at his friend with a new respect and wrapped an arm around him, and they headed towards the door. "Ready to tell Hermione the good news?"
Ron smiled. "You bet. But don't go snogging in front of me, that would really gross me out, you know." Harry smirked at him and didn't answer, making Ron groan.
They found Hermione nervously twirling her chestnut locks on the common room couch, Harry smirked at Ron and he immediately got the message. Ron put on an angry face while Harry plopped down next to Hermione with his face in his hands.
Hermione started sobbing immediately. "What happened Harry?" She cried, throwing her arms around him and holding him tightly. She didn't realize that his shoulders were shaking in laughter and not in tears. He did his best to sound sad.
"It's Ron. He-he just doesn't understand. He thinks I'm stealing you away from him. He said he doesn't want anything to do with either of us anymore." Just as he said this, Ron walked by, slapping Harry across the head (Hermione most definitely noticed) and sat in a chair across the room, staring daggers at the two.
Hermione immediately shot up to her feet and marched over to Ron. The entire common room would have been scared of the impending fight if they hadn't seen Harry shaking with laughter on the couch.
Ron gave Hermione her best glare as she walked up. "What do you want scarlet woman?" He said as rudely as possible, making Hermione flush red and Harry fall off the couch in hysterics.
"What's my problem? WHAT'S MY PROBLEM? YOU! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST REALIZE THAT I DON'T LIKE YOU IN THAT WAY!" Ron smirked at her. "That's not what you said last night in the astronomy tower."
He winked at Harry as she whirled around, just missing Harry's obviously amused expression. Now he wore one of anger. "What's this all about 'Mione?"
"THAT'S WHAT I'D LIKE TO KNOW! RON, ARE YOU TRYING TO BREAK ME AND HARRY UP!?"
Ron put on his best smirk face and replied, "Well, no, actually, I'm sorry Hermione, but Harry and I have to tell you something, right Harry?" At Ron's wink Harry's confusion went away and he grinned and walked over to Ron, draping an arm over his shoulder.
"Yeah, I guess it's time to tell her about us, love." Harry said, batting his eyes dramatically at Ron.
Hermione narrowed her eyes at them, not noticing the entire common room on verge of exploding in laughter. "Wait a minute…"
At these words Harry and Ron couldn't hold it in anymore and broke into hysterical laughter along with the rest of the common room. Hermione was overwhelmed with emotions of anger, relief, amusement, and embarrassment, but finally amusement broke through and she started laughing along with everyone else.
"You prats!" She squealed at them, giggling and hurling a pillow at Ron. And the infamous Gryffindor Tower Pillow Fight began.
Harry and Ron jumped up and each grabbed pillows from the couch and took off after Hermione. "Ron! Harry! NO!" She screeched as the two started to pelt her with the pillows, showing no mercy. "Ahhh! Ginny, help!"
Ginny immediately jumped in and smacked her brother in the face with a pillow, knocking him on his feet. He grabbed her by the ankles and pulled her down, tickling her viciously.
"Oh, Ron! STOP!" She screamed through a fit of giggles. Elsewhere the pillow fight had reached dramatic stature. Feathers were flying all over the room as all the Gryffindor's started to pelt one another with pillows.
The Creevey's were hurriedly taking snapshots of all the fighting, especially when Seamus got pancaked by Parvati and Lavender as they pelted him time and time again. Dean was going at it hard with Neville, who's jolly but chubby face was starting to trickle with sweat. Mark Evans was trading blows with one of his fellow first years, Harry was on top of Hermione, seemingly knocking her senseless with a pillow, when in reality there was just a simple charm on the pillow to make it look that way while Harry and Hermione snogged on the common room floor.
At some point, no one knew how, food got brought into the mix, and suddenly people were being hit by pillows drenched in honey and barbeque sauce. Feathers were starting to stick to people's faces and clothing, but no one cared as they were all having so much fun.
No one noticed when a certain tight-lipped professor entered the room with a blonde haired former Ravenclaw wearing an amused and dreamy expression on her face, her recent Quibbler magazine forgotten in hand.
"Hem, hem," McGonogall said loudly. Seamus turned to her frowning and said, "Do you need a cough drop Professor?" And then hurled a pillow at the Transfiguration Professors face, stunning her in the process while the rest of the room looked on amused and shocked at Seamus' behavior, only a brave few daring to laugh.
After regaining her composure she said, "This is Luna Lovegood, formerly of Ravenclaw, she has now been transferred to Gryffindor. I hope you all give her the praise and respect that she deserves."
She turned on her heel and looked like she was going to leave, but once at the portrait hole she said, "Oh, and one hundred points from Gryffindor for making such a mess. And three weeks of detention for Mr. Finnigan." With that she left, and Seamus just shrugged and hurled his pillow at the nearest good-looking girl.
The fight raged on for hours until finally it was eleven o'clock, and six Gryffindor's snuck out of the tower unnoticed by everyone under their invisibility cloaks.