Okay thankyou for everyone who reviewed and o answer most of you yes Kyp Durron is from Star Wars. However the names in this chapter (Arya, Saphiri, Aragon and Arwen) were just used cause I like them not because they are actually those characters.
Okay people please please leave your reviews cause I love them so much. *hugs reviews*
Chapter 8 - The First Lesson
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Harry looked up at the old clock in their private common room and gently shook Hermione's leg. At the current moment they were both laying on the sofa engrossed in reading with the fire casting a soft light over them.
"What?" she snapped, annoyed at being disturbed from her current book, `Elementals for the enchanted'.
"Sorry, Mione," Harry whispered, smiling at how eager his best friend was to study, "But I don't think it would be a good idea to be late for our first lesson."
"You mean it's two already?" Hermione asked in surprise, "We've only been reading for ten minutes."
Harry smiled and nodded along. Actually, she had been the only one reading. He had been busy studying her small frame and asking himself when had she changed from a girl to a beautiful young woman and why did he feel so complete while she was laying in his arms.
"I know," he muttered, "But we really should get going if we want to make it on time."
Signing in defeat, Hermione marked her place, then sat up and placed her book on the small table next to the sofa the pair had been laying on.
"Lets go then" she stated, standing up and moving to the door.
Smiling, Harry followed her down to the Great Hall.
When Harry finally arrived in the hall, his jaw dropped. Instead of the usual four House tables there was a large mat covering the floor.
"Ah, Harry. Miss Granger. Glad you could make it. I decided that seeing as
you already have a lot to take in, we would start on the physical side of
your training today."
Dumbledore smiled at the surprised look on their faces and guessed what they
must be thinking.
"Alas, I will be unable to teach you this particular subject, but I believe that your teacher will be along at any minute."
Just as Dumbledore finished his sentence, the doors opened to reveal a tall woman clad in loose fitting pants and a tunic. She walked through the door and smiled. She had straight midnight blue hair and vibrant purple eyes. A ancient type of wand strapped to her belt betrayed the obvious fact that she was indeed a witch but the orb-topped staff she held lightly in one hand suggested there to be more to her then she would easily let on.
"Albus," She smiled in smiled in greeting. As her voice filling the room, it sounded airy, almost second worldly, "So sorry I'm late. I had a few problems with Saphira."
Harry was staring, he knew he was but he couldn't help it, she must be close to the headmaster to so casually address him with no show of reverence. The… woman… was dressed in an earthy green shirt and brown pant a sash of green was wrapped around her waist and a small dagger pouch and her wand were situated.
"That's quite all right, Arya, I hope both of you are well," Dumbledore answered politely.
The woman, Arya, nodded, "Fine. Considering the journey. My father sends his wishes, as do Aragon and Arwen."
Dumbledore smiled, obviously happy with her response, "I will have to contact them again, it has been to long since I have seen them. I was just telling Harry and Hermione about today's lesson before you arrived." He finished, turning the subject once again back to hand.
Arya turned to Harry and smiled, "I know who you are of course. I could feel your presence a mile away, something we will have to work on. Radiating power like that is dangerous. And indeed you are powerful, much like your kin, though such power has not been encountered for many generations. Strange is it not that after so many years one like yourself would emerge. The first since the beginning of my memory."
She smiled after a moment and Harry was unsure whether or not to be complemented by her remarks. Leaving him to ponder this she turned to Hermione.
"You must be Hermione, I felt your power though it was not quite as distinguishable. I take it you have only recently learnt of your power?" When Hermione didn't answer, she continued. "I thought so. You will be an interesting student. I sense great things from you... in time."
Harry glanced at Hermione, wondering what she thought of this woman and her speech. To his surprise, she was once again speechless, barely able to find her words.
"You're… you're… an Ancient." she finally managed, "I thought that people like you were legends."
"And where do you think the legends come from? I am as real as you. But my people have gone to great lengths to stay hidden. If it were common knowledge that we existed, then outsiders would taint our ways. They would go to great lengths to find our secrets. Albus is one of only a half a dozen people to be allowed entrance to our world since time began. We have created legends upon legends until people have come to believe that there is no way we can exist. We are a myth neither as certain as evil nor good. Yet we are there nonetheless."
As Arya spoke she shook out her hair and Harry caught a glimpse of something that he never thought possible.
"YOU'RE AN ELF!" he exclaimed, cutting her off as her hair once again covered her pointed ears."
As he said this, all three of the others turned to him.
"In a way," Arya spoke, "The word elf was invented long ago, long before humans inhabited this world and translated it means, `veil of the truth'. We found it appropriate in order to achieve our means. You see, my people's wish to remain secret was so strong that they were willing to go to any lengths, even starting a legend by allowing people to glimpse them for a second. Over the generations, the `elves' have come to be perceived as they are. Which suits us just fine."
"Oh." Harry muttered, heat rising on his face.
Dumbledore seemed to sense Harry's embarrassment as he chose that moment to interrupt, "Arya has kindly agreed to teach you both physical defense and your selective weapon. She will also be helping in your magic training as her knowledge of both your magical abilities is timeless."
With that, he walked to one side of the mat and conjured a comfortable armchair. There he sat for close to four hours and waited for them to finish.
After the first hour of training, both of the teenagers were dripping with sweat. They were nearly collapsing from exhaustion during the next hour. Through all of this Arya continued to push them until she knew they could take no more.
"Enough." She commanded as they finished their current exercise, "I want both of you to practice every day for at least half an hour and I want two laps around the lake every morning, your endurance needs raising if you ever wish to master your bodies.
Harry nodded and forced his body to stand as every one of his muscles screamed in pain. Arya seemed to sense this and a smile graced her face.
"It will get easier, trust me." she whispered as she placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder then just as quickly removed it.
"I suggest both of you retire to your rooms and enjoy a hot shower. I will have Dobby bring you your dinner soon. You may go." Dumbledore said from behind them. Harry nodded again and quietly took Hermione's hand, pulling her from the hall and leading her to their rooms.
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Harry was sitting on his bed, his hair still moist and his legs folded beneath his body as he flipped through the photo album Hagrid had given him in his first year.
Smiling Harry gazed at his favourite photo. It was of Sirius and his parents on their wedding day. They had their arms strung around Lily and were laughing. Every now and again, Sirius would glance at someone out of frame and try to pull them into the picture. Occasionally James and Lilly would glance encouragingly at the person and try to help Sirius.
Harry grinned, wondering who it was who didn't like photos.
"Hey Harry. You hungry?" A small voice asked from behind him.
"Yeah." Harry answered, grinning as he closed the book and placed it aside. "Course." he added, turning to face Hermione who was holding the door open with her hip as she was holding a tray pilled with food.
"Dobby bought dinner." Hermione answered the unspoken question as she walked in and knocked the door shut
with her hip.
Harry felt his jaw drop as he realized what she was wearing, a tight black pair or jeans and a red halter top that left her belly exposed and hugged her curves.
"Ah…" Harry knew he must have sounded stupid but he couldn't help it. He had never seen Hermione dressed like this before and it shocked him to no end.
"What?" the Hermione look-a-like asked as she placed the tray on Harry's desk, enabling him a very nice view of her rear as she bent over, casually she flicked her hair as she glanced behind her, smiling.
Dimly Harry realized that she had done something with her normally bushy hair, it was now sitting in ringlets down her back.
"Harry you okay?" she asked with concern, walking back to him.
"Mione… is that you?" Harry asked, trying to hide his excitement.
"Yeah. Who else would I be?" she asked, standing in front of him.
"You look nice." Harry murmured, trying to cover his shock.
Hermione smiled and twirled for him.
"Thanks, Harry. My mum went on a shopping spree. She was going on about how I needed new clothes and stuff. Personally I think he went a bot overboard."
Now it was Hermione's turn to blush, "Most of the clothes she bought are like this, apart from the winter
ones, and most of them are still just as tight. I thought I'd better try some of them before school goes back, just
in case I want to buy some something different."
Harry smiled, she really did look cute when she blushed, "Okay so that explains the clothes but what have you done to your hair?"
"New Muggle shampoo… Pity it only stays like this after you wash it. The minute you sleep on it, it turns back to frizz."
Harry laughed, knowing full well how much she hated her hair.
"Well, you look great." he smiled, no longer embarrassed.
Hermione smiled back. "Is that coming from the friend Harry or the male Harry?" she joked, not intending to be taken seriously.
"Both." Harry answered straight away, unaware of Hermione's shock about his
answer to what she had thought was a joke. Instead he stood up and wrapped his arms around her, ignoring the tingle he
felt when his hands came to rest on the small of her back, "Have I ever said thank you?" Harry asked suddenly
consumed with emotion.
"No. Why?" Hermione asked, as the air around them started to warm with her excitement. `Why was her skin tingling at his touch?'. This was Harry Potter, her best friend.
"I was just thinking and I realized that I never said thank you before. So thank you, Hermione."
Just as she was about to protest he bought a finger to her lips silencing
her protests.
"And don't go on some big protest because I can thank whoever I want and that's you. People always give me praise but if it wasn't for you. I would have died a long time ago."
Harry paused, removing his finger from her now silenced lips as he organized his thoughts. "In our first year you helped me reach the Philosopher's Stone, second year, you showed me the way to the Chamber of Secrets and prepared me for the battle."
Smiling, Harry took her hands and pulled her back onto the bed. "In third year, you helped me save Sirius. I couldn't have done that without you. Last year, you helped me with everything. If it wasn't for you then I wouldn't have made it past the first task."
Hermione began to protest but after catching the look in his eyes, decided it best not to.
"It's more than that, Mione. You have always stuck by me, no matter what was said about you because of it. You believed me even when Ron didn't. Every fight I've ever had with him, you've been by my side. When I want nothing more than to give up, it's you that keeps me going, the thought of what you would say that stops me. Your friendship means everything to me. Mione, you are truly my best friend. I love you."
Hermione smiled back at him, "I love you too, Harry. Friends forever."
Harry smiled as he collected the tray of food and placed it on the bed, all the while asking himself if he could live with being just friends.
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