A/N: Okay, here's the next update. Thanx to all my faithful readers, I really like reading your reviews, it's one of my favorite parts of writing the story! We finally get to some football in this installment, it's pretty funny actually. R/R!
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Chapter 19
The greasy haired potions master whirled around so quickly that his robes knocked a flask from the shelves, shattering it and its contents all over the dungeon floor.
"What did you say Potter!?"
"You heard me Snivellus," Snape flinched angrily at the name he had been endowed with by the marauders back in his own school day. Harry didn't care. He was verbally attacking a teacher, but he wasn't going to take Snape's crap anymore, and he was going to let him know it right here and now.
"Look Professor," Harry began, reverting once again to a tone of respect for talking to a teacher. "I don't like you, in fact, I loathe you, and I realize you probably even hate me worse, but I'm not going to let you be so unfair to Gryffindor's anymore." Harry's eyes flashed dangerously. "Especially my friends."
He paused, but Snape didn't say anything. He just stood at the doorway, mouth agape, apparently no student had ever spoken back at him like this before.
"You are the most unfair Professor in the entire castle. McGonogall is the head of Gryffindor house, but she rarely takes points from Slytherin unless someone really deserves it. Flitwick and Sprout are the same way, they only take points when someone is truly deserving of it."
He narrowed his eyes at the potions master. "You, on the other hand, take points away from Gryffindor for breathing wrong. Or if we try to help someone - even a Slytherin - with their potion, you take away points for showing off. Then when we don't help and that person screws up, you take away points because we obviously thought that we would look better if they screwed up."
Harry rolled his eyes and let out a low laugh. "Please Professor, honestly, you're pathetic. And now we have you right where we want you."
Snape's eyes flashed dangerously while Hermione and Neville's became clouded in confusion.
Harry glared at the most loathed man in Hogwarts. "All I have to do now is throw a few well selected ingredients into a cauldron and stir, then we'll have ourselves a pensieve. Then Dumbledore can see just how nice you are, why with calling me an orphan and mocking Neville for having parents who for now cannot remember him."
If Snape noticed that Harry had said, 'for now' in regard to the Longbottom's, his face didn't express it.
Instead he spoke in a low, threatening tone. "Are you threatening me Potter?"
Harry actually did laugh this time, throwing his arms up in exasperation. "Has it really taken you that long to figure out? I've been 'threatening' you for the past five minutes!"
Snape knew that Harry would be true to his word on showing a pensieve to Dumbledore, so he spun once again and stormed from the room. But not before saying, "You truly are James Potter's son. Every bit as cocky and arrogant as he was. And we all know where that led him."
Harry snorted at his words and turned back to Hermione and Neville. Neville was beaming at him, proud that someone had finally stood up to Snape; while Hermione was trying to give him an icy glare to show that she didn't approve of his attacking a professor, but the amusement on her face gave her away.
"That was brilliant Harry!"
"I can't believe you said that Harry!"
Neville and Hermione said simultaneously. Harry grinned at turned to Neville.
"Thanks Neville."
Then he shifted his gaze to Hermione. Taking a few steps towards her. He gave her the puppy-dog face. "Come on Hermione," He pouted, sticking out his lower lip. "You know that I only gave him what he deserved. He's needed someone to pull him off his pedestal for years now." He puckered his lips and leaned in towards her, making smacking noises. "Come on Scarlet, am I forgiven?"
Hermione's glare began to falter, but she shook her head defiantly as Harry leaned in towards her. "Hey now, I said no kisses for a week, didn't I?"
Harry grinned as he tackled her to the floor, laughing aloud at her surprised squeal of laughter. "Harry!"
He continued to make puckering noises all around her face and ears, but never actually touched his lips to her skin. No, he was going to make her kiss him.
Neville looked over the golden couple of Hogwarts, smiling. Anyone with two eyes and ears could tell that the pair would be together forever.
On the ground in front of Neville, Hermione was getting restless. She wasn't stupid. She knew what Harry was doing, she wasn't the cleverest witch Hogwarts had ever seen for nothing.
On the other side of the couple, Harry could tell that Hermione was breaking down, it was in her eyes. They were both oblivious to Neville standing directly behind them, and Harry knew it was only a matter of time before Hermione grabbed the back of his head down and snogged him senseless.
After a few puffs of air into her ears and eyes, and a finger tracing her cheeks, Hermione couldn't hold it in anymore.
Harry groaned in satisfaction and triumph when Hermione pulled him down and smashed his lips to hers, her tongue immediately seeking entrance into his mouth, and he quickly granted her access.
After a few moments of their snogging, Neville cleared his throat to let them know he was still there.
Harry broke the kiss and turned to Neville, smirking. "Hey Neville, you might wanna leave now, cuz I'm gonna do some things to Hermione that you probably don't wanna see."
Without waiting for an answer, and ignoring Hermione's surprised gasp, he once again crushed his lips against hers, and they stayed that way for a long time after Neville had exited the dungeons.
A few hours later, Harry and Hermione came back to the Gryffindor tower, hair sticking out all over the place, robes wrinkled and displaced, and both looking like they had gone ten rounds with Dudley Dursley (only without the bruises).
Lavender and Parvati giggled and pointed at them as they walked in, while many other Gryffindor's smirked at them with knowing smiles. The both turned to Neville, who shrugged.
"They tortured it out of me. I said I left just as Harry was discarding Hermione's robes…"
"He did not!"
"I did not!"
They yelled simultaneously, blushing furiously.
"For your information Neville," Harry said. "All we did was snog for a while, nothing more."
The common room broke out into a fit of laughter. Hermione, ignoring them, once again addressed Neville. "And the potions about ready. We put a never-ending charm on the potion spoon, so it will stir continuously until morning, then it should be ready."
Neville nodded eagerly and then left the common room, presumably going to visit Ginny. Harry spotted Ron sitting on a couch by the fire, and he and Hermione walked up and sat on the chair opposite him, Hermione sitting in Harry's lap with her legs draping over the side of the chair.
"So how's Ginny doing?" Hermione asked seriously, hoping for the best. "She's better. Pomfrey says that she'll pull through just fine, it'll just take a few days before she's back to full health. But I have some great news that I just heard from my dad,"
Harry and Hermione looked at him expectantly and eagerly.
Ron continued with his trademark grin. "After the breakout last night, the Wizengamot officially sacked Fudge, and dad was elected as temporary minister!"
Harry and Hermione both smiled widely at their red-headed best friend. The Weasley's deserved more than any other family in the entire world, in Harry's opinion.
"And," Ron continued, regaining Harry and Hermione's attention. "He hasn't made this public yet, but his first formal act will be post-humously award Sirius with a full pardon and start the hunt for Wormtail and strip him of his Order of Merlin."
Harry was excited, but frowned in thought. "But Ron, how will he prove this to anyone? No one will believe him, will they?"
Ron gave Harry a serious gaze. "Well that all depends on you Harry." Harry gave him another confused look. "Dad wants to make a pensieve of your memories to show the public. Not only that night in the Shrieking Shack, but also the Tri-Wizard Tournament and Department of Mysteries. Believe it or not, there are still people who don't believe that You-Know-Who has really come back."
Harry thought on it for a minute. 'It would clear Sirius' name, confirm the return of Voldemort, and point out many death eaters that may have not been caught yet. And the price is nothing but an invasion into my privacy. Well, that's an easy choice then!'
"I'll do it."
Ron grinned happily. "I knew you would say yes Harry, I told dad you would. He's sending an official to get your memories tomorrow and then he'll present them publicly with a specialized pensieve-amplifier to an entire crowd. He's not saying what the press conference is about, only that it will clear up a few mysteries of the past."
Harry nodded while Hermione grasped his hand and kissed him on the cheek in support. Harry smiled at her and returned the kiss.
Hermione sighed happily. "You know, we need to get Piggy a girlfriend."
Her and Harry started giggling while Ron blushed furiously.
"Hmm, who do you think Harry? I think that new Katrina girl is pretty nice, don't you?"
Frowning, Harry shook his head. "No actually, there's just something about her, I dunno, just something that's - off." Harry finished, not really knowing what he was talking about.
Ron nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I know what you mean Harry. I know there's something that she's not telling us, but that we'll find it out soon. I think it has something to do with her father. I can't be sure, but I think she may know where her father is or who he is, or at least more than she's telling us anyways."
He shrugged, blushing slightly. "Besides, thereissomeoneelseihavegotmyeyeon."
Harry and Hermione grinned at each other knowingly. "What was that you said Ron?" Harry asked with a smirk, knowing full well what his red-headed best friend had said.
Ron blushed even deeper. "I said that I already have my eye on someone."
Hogwart's golden couple smiled broadly at their mutual best friend. "So, who is the lucky girl? Or are you gonna make us guess?" Hermione asked, beaming with delight. Now she knew why Lavender and Parvati liked talking about boys so much. It was fun!
Ron looked like a chameleon, his red face and hair nearly completely blended in with the scarlet background of the Gryffindor common room.
"Lua…logoo…" Ron stammered, unable to speak coherently in light of his obvious embarrassment.
Hermione, who in Harry's opinion was enjoying this a little to much, grinned at Ron, craning her head towards him. "What was that? I don't think I picked up on that last one. Come on, who is ickle Ronniekins desperately pining away for now?"
Harry couldn't help but laugh at Hermione's antics. She was so funny sometimes. That was just one of the plethora of reasons that he loved her.
"Luna Lovegood." Ron mumbled quickly again, still blushing brightly.
Harry grinned, he knew that was the answer the entire time, but it was fun watching Hermione goad it out of him.
"Well, Piggy, there is always the DA meetings, you could ask her afterwards you know." He grinned maliciously as he saw the dreamy eyed, blonde haired fifth year stride into her new common room.
"Or you could ask her right now. Oi! Luna! Over here, Ron's got something to tell you!" With those words he took Hermione's hand and together they fled the room and ran up to Harry's room, giggling maniacally.
When they reached the sixth-years dorm they found it empty and crashed onto Harry's bed together. Harry slipped one arm around Hermione's waist and laid the other on top of her curly brown locks, which now rested on his chest.
Harry yawned loudly. "Hmm, I'm tired Mione. Sleep with me?"
Hermione shot her head up and looked at Harry with a mixture of shock and confusion. Harry, realizing what she thought he had meant, laughed softly.
"Not like that, scarlet woman," Harry said with a grin, and Hermione's face changed to a look of mock anger.
"I am not a scarlet woman." She spoke with conviction, reminding Harry of a stern McGonogall. Then her expression softened and she sweetly placed her lips to his. "I happen to only have my eyes on one man."
"Who? Krum?" Harry asked with a smirk, receiving a pillow in the face for the remark.
"No silly! That's gross! You're the only one for me, for now and forever."
"I dunno," Harry said skeptically. "I think I'm gonna need some convincing."
Hermione grinned and kissed him softly and lovingly. "Does that help?"
Harry nodded, pulling Hermione once again down onto his chest. "That'll do. Now let's sleep, ever since this training started I've been like the walking dead. So tired."
Hermione's only answer before falling asleep on Harry's chest was, "Mmm, me too. I wuv you."
Harry snickered a little at Hermione's less-than-perfect speech. He kissed the top of her forehead.
"I love you too."
Chapter 20
Harry awoke a few hours later, still with Hermione laying on his chest. He smiled into the chestnut curls before pushing the young woman off of his chest and raising out of the bed to stretch.
It was then that he realized the tryouts for the football team were the next day, Sunday. Harry had lost track of time with waking up early and brewing the potion and then napping with Hermione. By looking out the stained glass window of the Gryffindor boy's sixth year dormitory, he saw that the sun was setting and figured that it must be somewhere around eight o'clock in the evening.
Hermione began to stir on the bed and Harry sat down next to her, stroking her hair lovingly.
"Come on Mione, time to get up. We've got training in an hour."
"No training. Sleep now. Train later." Hermione mumbled as Harry began to shake her awake.
"Well, okay, but you know, tonight is when we start to learn some new hexes and such because the two of us mastered animagus training so quickly. Moody told me earlier that he'll be training the two of us today because we're so advanced."
Hermione grinned into her pillow. "Liar. We've only transformed once apiece. And, don't forget, you almost killed me the last time you transformed, so I wouldn't say that you've mastered it quite yet."
Harry smiled and laid down on the bed directly on top of Hermione, pressing up against her and kissing her neck. "Mmm, true, but we are the most advanced, and Moody said that if we can both hold our transformations for five minutes tonight, that he'll start us in on hexes."
Hermione stared at Harry, seemingly trying to find the truth in his eyes. Finally, she succumbed and said, "Okay, but I'll never be able to get up with you laying on my stomach. I swear, you way a ton. Do you lose weight when you transform into a basilisk?"
"Oh you'll pay for that one Granger!" Harry exclaimed, moving his fingers down to her hips and tickling her unmercifully.
"Oh! <laugh> Harry! <laugh> Stop!"
"Nope, not until you say boys rule and girls drool!"
Hermione managed to sigh in exasperation through her desperate giggles. "Honestly Harry! This isn't Homeward <laugh> Bound! I'm not <laugh> going to <laugh> say that!"
"Well okay then!" Harry said, and he increased his torture, tickling her ten times as hard.
"Oh! Fine! Boys <laugh> rule and girls <laugh> drool!"
Harry laughed and rolled off of her. "Spoken like a true scarlet woman!"
Suddenly Hermione rolled herself over and strattled him, pinning his chest to the bed with her hips. "HAH! I've got you now Potter!"
"I don't think so!" Harry retorted, and pinched Hermione's bottom.
"Oh!" She yelped, jumping up involuntarily. This gave Harry all the time he needed to squirt out from underneath her. He scrambled off the bed and smirked at her.
"Do you still got me now?"
Hermione scowled at him and rubbed her backside. "Ow. That really hurt Harry!" She said, almost convincingly.
Harry gave her a Fred and George like grin. "Want me to kiss it and make it better?"
Hermione blushed crimson and Harry laughed, strutting his chest out and walking out of the room in pride. "Harry 1, Hermione 0!"
Hermione scowled at him but got up and followed him down the stairs and into the boiling common room. "Merlin! It's Early September! Do we really need the fireplace blazing like that?"
Harry just shrugged and plopped down on the couch, pulling a copy of Quidditch Weekly off the stand next to it. He flipped it open and thumbed through a few pages while Hermione snuggled up next to him.
"Hey! Hermione, look at this!"
He pointed to an article on page 9.
Oliver Wood Named To The Full Team
Puddlemore United announced today that they were moving reserve keeper Oliver Wood - two years out of Hogwarts, where he played quidditch with the-boy-who-lived as team captain - to full team duties, and his first full team match will be against the Chudley Cannons on September the 14. Bradley Whitford, manager for Puddlemore, had this to say about the young keeper.
"Oliver has really impressed in practice as well as in the reserve team games, and also in scrimmage with the full team. This is a move we have long debated since our now reserve keeper, Fabio Bartetho (a one time French international hero in the world cup), started to show a lack of form in our early matches. We are confident that Oliver will step up and play to his full potential."
The Scottish heartthrob was unavailable for comment, but as this reporter has seen first hand, Wood is anything but just a pretty boy goaltender. He was instrumental to the Gryffindor team that won the house cup in 1993.
We can expect great things from Wood, just one of the few young stars to have come from Hogwarts in the last few years. Other now-professional Hogwarts alumni that played either with or against Wood are: Marcus Flint (Chaser, Applebee Arrows), Angelina Johnson (Chaser, Whinbourne Wasps), Alicia Spinnet (Chaser, Puddlemore United), and many others. Wood is the first of these alumni to make the full team.
For further information on past Hogwarts alumni, see page 12.
"Wow, isn't that brilliant!" Harry exclaimed. Hermione nodded, trying to pretend that she was interested.
"Yeah, good for Oliver. He really deserves it."
Harry knew that Hermione didn't particularly care for quidditch talk, so he hastily changed the subject.
"So do you wanna maybe head down to the meeting now? Get a head start on our transformations?"
She sighed and shrugged. "Sure, I'll just get my cloak." She stifled a yawn with one of her petite hands and headed for the girls dormitories. "I'll meet you back here in five minutes."
Harry nodded and jogged back up to his room to retrieve his own cloak.
Five minutes later Harry met up with Hermione in the common room, and, taking her hand, walked with her out to the forbidden forest where they always had their training.
"So how long until Ginny can start training again, do you think?" Harry asked conversationally, attempting to kill some time, for he knew the walk to the meeting place would take a solid fifteen minutes.
"Hmm, I expect that she'll be up and about by Monday, though I doubt if she trains until Wednesday." She looked up in thought. "I wonder when the funeral for Bill will be held. We'll have to leave for that, won't we?"
Harry nodded sadly. "Yeah, I suppose it should happen before too long. The sooner they get closure, the better. My guess is that the Weasley's will at least wait until Ginny has recovered…so…probably next weekend sometime. Hopefully it won't interfere with the quidditch game Ron and I are going to…but if it does, well some things are just more important."
Hermione smiled at Harry's maturity and laid her head on his shoulder as they walked in silence the rest of the way to their meeting spot.
Unsurprisingly, the clearing where they trained was unoccupied when they arrived there. "Hmm, so, do you wanna go first or me?" Harry asked, tossing his cloak over a low branch on a sycamore tree.
Hermione shrugged. "I'll go first, I suppose."
Harry nodded and Hermione took a few steps away from him before starting to change. She attained the form much quicker this time, and was able to fly for the first time up onto Harry's shoulder. He smiled and stroked Hermione's feathers while she rubbed her head into his cheek lovingly.
After a few moments, Hermione fluttered off of Harry's shoulder and on to the ground, where she changed back into a very wobbly-legged Hermione.
"Woah, I got ya," Harry said as Hermione tripped forward and fell into his arms.
She smiled up at him. "Thanks."
"Anytime."
He gave her a passionate kiss, lasting until only the need for oxygen forced them apart. Harry grinned at her looking deep into her chocolate eyes, loving the fact that he could see a perfect reflection of himself in them.
"Erm, Hermione, do you have protection?"
Harry swore he heard something rattle in the bushes nearby, but ignored it at the look on Hermione's face. He rolled his eyes at her.
"Honestly Hermione, guys are supposed to be the perverted ones. I meant for your eyes. So you know, when I transform, you'll be able to look at me without being petrified or dying?"
Hermione blushed and nodded. Harry once again thought that he heard something from the bushes, but ignored it. He had a pretty good idea who it was anyways.
"Erm, yeah. That spell I used, in third year, the quidditch match, you know, the one where you…"
"…fell off my broom. Yeah, I remember. Will that charm work against a basilisk's stare though?" Harry asked, hoping that this was not just a hypothesis but an actual fact.
Hermione nodded confidently. "Yes, the charm provides a magical barrier for the eyes, blocking all things that may obstruct vision. It also blocks any spells that may come through, as was demonstrated in 1847 when Phinneli Cornchav-"
"Ooookay, Mrs. Dictionary. I get the point." Hermione scowled at him. "Just do the charm and I'll transform, then we can practice hexes when Moody gets here."
Hermione nodded, and pointing to her eyes, said, "Impervious!" Then nodded to Harry to show that she was ready.
Harry took a deep breath and focused on the snake. He felt an immediate change as the air around him suddenly got cooler, but pleasurable to his skin. He was suddenly able to taste the air with his tongue, and his fangs began to grow. His eyes went black as they transformed and while they did so he shot up in the air, becoming a fully-fledged basilisk.
Finally he could see again, although there was a yellow tinge to it and it was not very well focused, he could still make out the form of a grinning and waving Hermione in front of him.
He hissed and said, "I love you." in Parseltongue. Hermione smiled. Although she was far from fluent in understanding the language, she was intelligent enough to gather what he had said.
Harry slid up close to her, flicking his tongue through the air. Finally he came to a rest a few feet from Hermione, and he shot his tongue out, licking her outstretched palm.
Hermione giggled a little and walked the rest of the way to Harry and laid her head on his coiled up body, her skin smooth against his rough scales.
To the casual onlooker it would have been a most incredible and horrifying sight. There is a beautiful young woman leaning back on a gigantic fifty foot long serpent, and they appeared to be getting along brilliantly. If Colin or Dennis Creevey had been there, they would have snapped a photo the instant they stopped screaming at the sight of the type of monster that had nearly killed Colin in his first year.
After a few relaxing moments Harry transformed back to his usual self and kissed Hermione on the nose, though he felt a bit tipsy while doing so.
He then turned to the bushes. "Oi! Tonks! You can come out now!"
There was a gasp and some stumbling until Nymphadora Tonks tripped and fell face first into the clearing some thirty feet away from them.
She got up and dusted herself off sheepishly. "Wotcher Harry."
She gave the an evil grin. "For a minute there I thought I was going to see some things suitable for PlayWizard Magazine!"
Hermione blushed deeply, but Harry kept his cool and simply shrugged. "So when is Moody getting here? We were hoping to start on some hexes today."
Tonks shrugged uncaringly and responded, "Any minute now, in case you didn't realize Harry, you were in that basilisk form for a solid thirty minutes! The rest of the group - minus Ginny, of course - should be here shortly."
Harry nodded and sat Indian style on the forest ground, Hermione in his lap, while they waited for the others. Harry couldn't help but gaze at the sky, remembering the words that Firenze had said…
"I foresee a great gain for you, Harry Potter, in the near future, but I also predict a great loss. One may not come without the other. It is inevitable, the stars have foretold it, and it is your destiny. Good luck, Harry Potter."
What had he meant? A great gain, but a great loss as well? What could he possibly gain? Knowledge? Power? And lose? Friends? Hermione? Or had the loss referred to Bill?
'No, that can't be it. I liked Bill, but it wasn't a great loss to me. No, it would have to be someone close, like one of the people in our training group, or Lupin, or Dumbledore. But will the loss outweigh the gain? Or vice versa? Will anything even happen?'
"Divination is a load of rubbish, you know that Harry!" Came Hermione's voice from somewhere inside his head. A year ago he would have agreed with her, but now…
Harry sighed, shaking his head. No, he didn't want to think about the prophecy right now. He had other important matters to attend to, as Mad-Eye had just arrived with the others.
"Well then," Mad-Eye said in his gruffly old voice. Harry privately wondered whether his voice box was scarred like the rest of his body was. "Let's get started. You two," He looked pointedly at Harry and Hermione. "Are coming with me, we'll be learning some spells with Kingsley tonight. You other three will continue your transformations with Tonks and Minerva, when she gets here."
Moody nodded his head towards the far side of the clearing and the couplet followed him to where Kinsley Shaklebolt, a long, dark haired man of fairly decent build was sitting on a rock, wand at the ready.
He spoke nearly as gruffly as Alostar. "I assume the two of you already know the basic stunner spell, stupefy. Do you not?"
They both nodded knowingly.
"Good. Then tonight you'll be learning the more advanced stunners, good to put an enemy out cold for hours or even days at a time." Harry and Hermione exchanged a nervous glance. "Don't worry though, enervate will work just as effectively, no matter which stunner is used."
He stood up and pulled out his wand, aiming into the seemingly empty forest. "Now, for the first one. You just thrust out your wand, snap your wrist up slightly, aim and yell, Rictify!"
A brilliant jet of red light, about the circumference of a baseball, shot from the end of his wand and into the trees.
"Now, your turn."
They nodded and both pulled out their wands, going through the wand motions together, and at the same time, bellowed, "Rictify!"
Identical jets of red light shot out of their wands, though noticeably paler and thinner than Kingsley's had been. The seasoned auror looked at them in awe, then to Mad-Eye, who simply shrugged. "I told ye they had talent."
Shacklebolt nodded slowly. "Yes, but it took me nearly an hour to get the result they got on their first try! And not to be arrogant, but I'm no slouch!"
Hermione beamed with delight, while Harry shifted a little uncomfortably. 'Great, there's another thing I'm not normal at.'
After about ten minutes, both Harry and Hermione could both perform the spell as well as Kingsley. "Okay then, moving on," Shacklebolt said, clearly impressed. "I believe you have personal experience with this one Harry." He waved his wand in a tight clockwise circle, then jousted it forward, crying, Kriptify!"
A much larger beam of light shot from his wand, this time the circumference was likely to a basketball. "Very powerful. Unblockable by protego, though a more advanced shield spell may deflect it. Why don't you two try that one now?"
Kingsley had to sit down for a moment after Harry and Hermione had both mastered the spell only thirty-five minutes after learning it. "Incredible…" He muttered, looking aghast at Harry and Hermione. "Have you two ever considered the career of aurors? You would be the most brilliant team."
Harry shrugged. "I considered it, but I decided against it this summer. I've been fighting like an auror my entire life, and I hate having to do battle and the like, so I don't think I'm gonna do it. And Hermione here," He nudged her in the ribs with an elbow. "Is too smart to be an auror. She'll probably end up in a courtroom somewhere. Ain't that right Scarlet?"
Hermione shrugged. "I suppose. I just really want to make a stand on the rights of magical creatures. They are treated like slaves! Goblins, house-elves, half-breeds, they're all treated so unjustly! It's not fair to them and I'm determined to make everything better for them." She stuck her nose up in the air with dignity, and Kingsley sighed in defeat.
"Very well, very well. But if you two ever change your minds, be sure to floo me - you could be the best auror team that the ministry has ever seen."
After another hour of using the two stunner spells, Kingsley called them to a stop. "Okay, that's enough for tonight lads. I think I'm gonna have to rewrite my schedule for the two of you, I may be teaching you the sword spell before long."
Hermione frowned while Harry looked intrigued. "The sword spell?"
Kingsley smiled at them. "One of the world's most powerful spells." He drew his wand out and spun it in a difficult maneuver. "Blazar acuzar!"
Harry gasped as a beam of blue light erupted from the wand and stayed there, in the shape of a sword, glowing brilliantly. "This baby," Kingsley said, slicing the air a few times with his newly created sword. "Took me a year of intensive training to learn. It's pure light, and it cuts through anything. Only came into being back in 1978, a wizard by the name of Gavin Darklighter came up with it after watching some muggle movie. War of Space, or something like that."
Harry and Hermione shared a grin. Now that he thought about it, the sword did resemble a light saber rather closely.
"Only the best of wizards dare duel with this spell. If one is not powerful enough, the sword will dissolve after a few minutes, and the wand will be rendered helpless for nearly an hour afterwards, making them an easy target."
He sliced at a tree branch, and it cut off without resistance. The power was incredible.
Harry couldn't wait to show Malfoy that one the next time he threatened Hermione.
Chapter 21
Harry awoke the following morning with butterflies of excitement floating in his stomach. 'I've never really played football before, I wonder if I'll like it as much as quidditch?'
He groaned while stretching his arms and legs out as far as they could go before detaching themselves from his body. He swung his legs over the side of his four poster and looked out the window.
The sun was just rising, producing a faint reddish tint to the grounds of Hogwarts. Harry grinned, knowing that Colin and Dennis were probably out there snapping away at the sunrise.
Yawning, he trudged his way into the bathroom and fumbled around a bit before finding his glasses, then, putting them on, stared at his reflection in the mirror.
He had grown a little over the summer, and his shoulders were now more refined, though far from muscular, than they had been the year before. His hair was just as untidy as ever, and Harry ran one hand through it before picking up his toothbrush and attacking his teeth furiously.
When he was done washing up, he rummaged through his trunk, carelessly tossing random clothing all over the room, until he found a decent pair of shorts and a light t-shirt that he could play in.
Harry then walked down to the common room, and was unsurprised to see most all of the muggle borns already down there and stretching, getting ready for tryouts.
He smiled and walked up to Hermione, who was lacing up her shoes. His smile turned to a frown when he saw the soles of her shoes. "Hermione, why are there little plastic things sticking out the bottom of your shoes?"
Everyone in the immediate vicinity chuckled lightly at Harry, Hermione giggled and rolled her eyes. "These are my football boots Harry. The plastic things are called 'cleats', they help gain more traction on the ground for when I may cuts and such."
"Cuts?" Harry asked, confused. "I thought this sport wasn't violent. Why would you want to cut somebody? And how do your shoes help with that?"
A few of the surrounding footballers looked at Harry in disbelief, Hermione didn't even grace him with an answer. "Honestly Harry, come on, let's get to the pitch, I expect Dean will be starting the training soon."
A few minutes later Harry was standing with about thirty other hopefuls on the quidditch pitch, while Dean eyed them all over. Dean clapped his hands together and began to speak.
"Okay, so here's the rub. This obviously won't be able to be like any normal football league, as we only have four teams. Also, this will be coed, and the rules state that there must be, at the least, a three to two boy to girl ratio on the team, and at least four ladies must be on the pitch at all times. There can be more of course.
"Well, as most of you probably know - at least I would hope so - there are eleven players on the pitch at a time, I'll decide our exact formations after we have a set team and have practiced for a good amount of time.
"The team will consist of twenty-four players, that way we can play full-game scrimmages in practice. Although there will be twenty-four players, we will only dress seventeen for a game, most likely the substitutes will be one reserve goalkeeper, two defensemen and midfielders, and one striker.
"Those that don't make the dress team will have to sit in the stands with everyone else, unless they are an assistant coach or something. Obviously, I will not be able to coach because I will be spending the majority of my time on the pitch, so someone else will have to fill in that role.
"Okay, now, for the tryouts. I've spoken with those whom will be heading up their respective positions. So, all those that will be trying out for midfield and forward, please come over here with Hermione and myself. Those going out for defense will be with Jack and Kirke. Goalies will try out with Ron."
Harry cast a surprised look at his fire-headed best friend. Ron had never played football before, so why? - oh, yeah. Dean knew as well as anyone that Ron was a special kind of Seer, meaning he didn't make predictions, but he knew some things that would happen before they did. Perfect trait for a goalkeeper in any sport.
The groups split up, and Harry immediately felt out of place. He knew nothing about football, so he decided to go with Hermione's group, as at least there he would know the people he was with.
There were twenty students vying for either a striker or midfield position, and Harry suddenly felt that this wasn't such the grand idea after all.
Oi Harry! Here ya go!" Came Dean's voice from behind him. Harry spun around just in time to see a football (kicked by Dean) fly straight into his nose, snapping the bridge of his glasses and sending him sprawling into the grass.
The surrounding students exploded in laughter, and Harry tried to laugh along with them, but the pain in his now-sliced-open nose was making that difficult.
Hermione giggled and fixed his glasses with a wave of her wand, and wiped the blood off his face with a towel, kissing the wound. "There, all better now." She said, placing the glasses once again over his eyes. He smiled and turned back to Dean.
"Okay, to be a midfielder or forward, you have to be in the best physical condition of all the positions. Ideally, you should be able to play the full ninety minutes without needing a rest."
Dean frowned a little before continuing. "Unfortunately, ninety minutes is a little much for most people our age, so the games will be forty minute halves instead. Well, first things first, we're going for a forty minute run around the campus. Let's get to it!"
A lot of the hopefuls groaned, but complied nonetheless. Harry grinned. At least running for forty minutes was something that he knew he could do.
About an hour later (Dean had tricked them into running a full hour) all but two of the players were back to the pitch. "Okay, I guess we are in fairly decent shape then. Let's split up and do some ball work then, shall we? Just practice some juggling, settling, and one touch passes for about the next twenty minutes. Find a partner and get to it!"
Harry immediately sought out Hermione and pulled her with him to be partners. They got a ball from Dean and began to practice.
Harry was in awe of how great a player Hermione was. She would easily flick the ball from foot to foot, thigh to thigh, for minutes at a time without allowing the ball to touch the ground. (She called this 'juggling')
It didn't take Harry long to realize he wasn't really cut out for football. Hermione had started tossing him the ball, telling him to lightly trap it with his thigh and then pass it back, but it just never seemed to work out that way. Harry kept on bouncing the ball high into the air, and his passes rarely found Hermione's feet.
Hermione was biting her lip to hold back her laughter at Harry's horrible attempt to play football. She finally fell to the ground in a fit of laughter when Harry attempted to flip a ball up to his thigh after Hermione had given him a soft pass, and only succeeded in smashing the ball hard into his private area.
"Umph! Shut it Hermione!" Harry said, falling to his knees and clutching his wounded pride. Hermione laughed and lightly chipped the ball up into Harry's forehead, forcing him to lose his balance and fall on to his back.
Hermione crawled over to him and patted him on the chest, grinning. "I'll go tell Dean that you'd rather just help coach than play, Harry. Okay?"
Harry nodded and responded in a high-pitched squeak. "Sure!"
Hermione giggled and took off to find Dean.
Harry lay on his back in the grass, just soaking in the morning sun, until Dean came over, grinning at him.
"So, girlfriend to good for you there Potter? Too ashamed to play now so you wanna help coach instead?"
Harry glared at him. "You may school me on a football pitch Dean, but I can still hex you back to diapers!"
Dean gulped slowly, his grin fading slightly. He sighed and offered a hand to Harry, which he took. Dean quickly pulled Harry to his feet. Dusting himself off, Harry let out a long breath and asked, "So whaddya want me to do Dean?"
Dean's smile grew large again. "Since you obviously know nothing about the wonderful sport that is football, you will be the physical training and punishment coach. You get to go around and make sure no one's goofing off, and then you set up the physical aspects of the practices; you know, like sprints and push-ups and stuff."
A broad grin broke across Harry's face. "Oh yes, I definitely except. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find Hermione."
Dean laughed and gave him a knowing grin before Harry sprinted off in Hermione's direction. He found her juggling the ball by herself near one of the goal boxes. He smiled at her and watched as she played with the ball, just waiting for an opportunity.
Hermione finally got bored of juggling, and she kicked the ball to Harry, who didn't move, and allowed the ball to hit him in the stomach.
"Granger!" Harry said in an angry coach voice. "As your punishment coach I order you to drop and give me twenty press-ups for deliberately kicking the ball at a coach!"
Hermione dropped her jaw in disbelief. "You can't be…"
"…serious! I tell you I am! Another twenty for your cheek Granger! Now get down and start before I add on more!"
Hermione scowled and dropped to her belly, doing slow press-ups, still scowling at Harry, who was laughing like a hyena. When she was finally done, she rose to her feet and glared at Harry.
"Don't give me that look! I'm your coach and you'll treat me with respect!" It took all the control Harry could muster to not fall to the ground in a fit of laughter. He and Hermione both knew that he practically owned her now while on the pitch.
For the next hour Harry enjoyed walking around the field criticizing everyone and punishing those who made mistakes. Everyone laughed when Harry made Dean do fifty sit-ups for hitting a shot high, but they shut up when he turned on them and said they should not laugh at the misfortunes of their teammates, and assigned all of them a lap around the pitch.
Harry used this time to talk with Dean. "So whaddya think Dean? Who are you liking for the team now?"
He looked thoughtful for a moment before answering. "Well, Hermione's a given. She's incredible. I like Kirke and Sloper in the back as well, and Ron could play for England in goal. That whole Seer thing is an awesome advantage." He rubbed his chin. "Lavender will make a decent midfielder, so will Parvati. I don't think they will be starters though, unless we need them to keep the percentage up.
"Most of the first through third years are hopeless, with the exception of that Mark Evans. He's got talent for an eleven year-old, but I'm concerned that he'll get hacked at too much and be seriously hurt. Carlos Bocanegra will be a great left-back, and I think I'm gonna be putting Eddie Pope on the right. Sloper will sweep and Kirke will stop. So our defense is set. I'm liking DeMarcus Beasley for the outside left, and then probably John O'Brian on the left. I'll probably put Lav in the middle with me. And up top we will have Hermione and Freddy Adu - he is unbelievable. Reminds me of a young Pele."
Harry shook his head in agreement. "Yeah, that sounds good, except we'll need two more ladies on the pitch."
Dean sighed. "Yeah, I know. I sucks."
Harry looked thoughtful. "Well, you could put Shannon Box in for O'Brian on the right, and that big girl, Chastain, can be put on the right back. Then we can just circle them in and out as the match goes on."
Dean nodded. "Yeah, that's what I was leaning towards as well. Okay, here they come!"
The team had just finished their lap around the quidditch pitch (it was roughly one mile) and they looked expectantly at Harry and Dean. Dean cleared his throat.
"Okay then, that's it for today, we've seen all that we need. A full list will go up on either Monday or Tuesday on the message board. Look for it, and good luck!"
Harry walked back to the castle with Hermione, and they were nearly to the gates when Neville came flying to them out the front entrance.
"The potion's ready! Dumbledore said we could portkey to St. Mungo's tonight!"
*****
A/N: Now that's not a bad cliffhanger is it? No, I've done much worse. I know the whole potion thing went by to fast, sorry, I just couldn't help it. Like always, I hope you liked the new installment! R/R!
Preview:
An unscheduled trip to Hogsmeade, a reunion with the Longbottom's (will the potion work?), a duel, and a few other surprises.