Unofficial Portkey Archive

Chapter 39 NEWTS
********************Hogwarts Library***************************

May 14, 2006
3:00 pm

Hermione was somewhere behind a towering stack of tomes. NEWTs were only a week away, and she was determined to get every possible one, even those of classes she wasn't actually taking. Except Divination, of course, though Ron did have a side bet that she would show up for the test anyway so she could tie the record. Currently, in the last hundred or so years in which the Ministry had imposed the OWL/NEWT tests on Hogwarts Students perhaps only fifty or so people had ever gotten all the NEWTs as very few actually sat all the exams. Of those, the few that were germane to their lives were: Lily Potter, Tom Riddle and Percy Weasley, and if she had anything to do with it Hermione Granger. Even Dumbledore hadn't all those many years ago, as he never took the Divination NEWT. At least some of the company you keep is nice, Mione. Harry thought with a grimace as he looked over at her. Hermione was starting to show the strain, her eyes were bloodshot and red; her hair was a mess from her incessant habit of twirling it on her fingers as she studied, and her lower lip bore a red mark from her teeth. All habits that Harry normally found irresistible, but for now he was a touch worried. "Mione"

"HMMM?" Hermione murmured as she turned a page of Moste Potente Potions. Without looking up at him she started writing notes as her eyes blurred over the pages. "Damn it" she snarled as her quill snapped in her hands from the force of her note taking. Unconsciously Hermione waved her hand towards her bag, and a replacement quill floated out. Harry glanced around to see if anyone had seen her, they really weren't supposed to use their greater abilities casually, though Dumbledore did all the time. But there was no one to witness the feat.

Most of the student body was outside on this pleasant weekend day except those that had OWLs or NEWTs starting a week from tomorrow, and even that threat could not imbue enough courage into any but Harry to intrude on Hermione's back study corner, at least not now. Ron to his credit, at least in Harry's eyes, had studied with them for almost six hours already today, but he had finally given up and gone outside to take a break. Harry looked up and gazed longingly at the clear sky outside, he shook his head and turned back to his notes on the Transfiguration of inanimate objects. Absently, Harry reached his hand across the table to capture Hermione's for a moment. She squeezed it before she let go and started taking notes again. Harry sighed, but just as he started rereading once more about the theoretical difference between transfiguring ores and refined metals, he looked up at a sudden tapping at the window.

Hovering outside the window, Ron sat on his broomstick, waving. He motioned for Harry to join him, but Harry shook his head and motioned towards the books. Ron shook his head, and with an expression that Harry knew meant he was laughing, mouthed the word, "whipped." Harry flipped him off and turned away from the window.

"You can go Harry" Hermione said softly, not looking up from her books. Her piles of books teetered as she grabbed a second potions tome from the midst of a stack to her left, propped the new book on the pile and opened it to a chapter on emotion control potions. Her eyes flicked up to his, her lower lip once more between her teeth.

"Not until you do." Harry replied. He looked back down at his notes, absently muttering the transfiguration incantation for changing objects to water under his breath as he read over that part of the class work. Hermione smiled at him, and came around to his side of the table. She sat down and called her book to her. Moste Potente Potions floated over and around the stack and landed in front of her as she curled up next to him.

An hour later Hermione was still propped up by Harry, but the pages of her restricted potions text had stopped turning, as she was sound asleep. Harry grimaced as his arm grew numb from her weight, but he wouldn't have moved if Voldemort himself came in the door, ok probably for that, yeah, but not much else.

Without looking, Harry could feel her dreaming, but the thoughts did not reach the level he could listen to, without more concentration than he had free to use, as he had moved onto "work." Harry had pulled out the copy of Offensive Combat Magic that he had received from Hermione at the Burrow Christmas before last, he was rereading the chapter on energy projection spells, and was muttering the incantation under his breath for lightning-dragon fire, "laflamare draconus projectus," careful not to touch a wand or summon any magic while he did so. Harry turned the page; then jumped as Hermione suddenly started shaking. He flung an arm around her and pulled her in tight. "Hermione..." Harry whispered urgently, shaking her gently. "Damnit, Mione...LEGILMENS"

*************************Hermione's Dreams*************************

Hermione walked into a comfortable suburban home, sliding the back door closed from habit before she turned to the rest of the room. With a gasp, she realized she was home, the same house she had lived in until her Hogwarts letter arrived. She looked around, shaking as she took in the overturned and smashed furniture, the broken telly, and the collapsed door to her father's study. She ran into the study to find him sitting there, the blank look of death in his eyes as he looked at her. Tears suddenly poured from her dream eyes as her mother came in and sat on her father's lap in the oversized desk chair he had kept behind the desk. It was an action she had witnessed countless times over her childhood, but in this place there was no love in their eyes, only the empty, sightless stare of those struck by the Avada Kedavra curse.

A soft, high voice came from behind her, "You should have saved them little mudblood." A dark shadow crossed in front of her and she stood looking up at the hooded, scarlet eyes of the man ultimately responsible for the Granger's deaths. "However, you just weren't good enough, were you?" Hermione mutely shook her head, as Voldemort laughed and waved his wand over her father's desk. A small, framed picture of Harry appeared, but this was no happy reminiscence. This photo showed a lifeless Harry sprawled on the ground, blood pooled under his head as a pair of faceless Death Eaters prodded him with their boots and laughed. "You know you won't be good enough to save him mudblood, I was going to kill you, perhaps to make him suffer, but I think it would be much more enjoyable to watch you suffer after I kill him."

"We'll beat you bastard." Hermione spat, but the fire that should have been in her words was only an ember of her normal tone.

"I doubt it, girl..." Riddle walked around her slowly, Hermione's trembling eyes and the lifeless ones of her parents following him as he strutted around her, "do you seriously think that you can possibly match one such as myself, I have studied the Dark Arts for longer than the both of you have been alive, I have powers unmatched since the founders of this castle walked these grounds, and what are you, a little girl whose parents couldn't even raise a wand against me, who fell to a simple flame wand curse at the Ministry to leave your poor Harry all alone..."

Hermione opened her lips to frame a tremulous answer, but before she could utter a single syllable, a presence, one almost more familiar than her own reflection entered her thoughts, "She would be one who took that same fucker's head, Tom...who killed six of your little bastards when they came after us in my dreams...who drove off a score of Dementors from your ambush when she was supposedly much less trained than your Death Eaters..." Harry walked to Hermione, and wrapped his arms around her, his eyes were hooded as they glared at Voldemort, we will kill you Tom and any of your followers who don't surrender, now..." his eyes erupted in blue flame, "BEGONE."

The dream image of Voldemort wavered and faded away, a moment later, the eyes of her parents gained life once more, "Goodbye honey" Jane Granger muttered as they vanished with a warm feeling infusing her thoughts.

Hermione pulled free of Harry's arms enough to spin to look at him, with a small sad smile, Harry ran his hand though her hair, "Wake up Mione." With a gasp of air, Hermione's eyes snapped open in the real world.

***************************Hogwarts Library***********************

Hermione looked up at Harry, her eyes dark with unshed tears. She was half sitting in Harry's lap as she shook slightly in his arms. She knew that he had seen her dreams. "Harry, what if it's not a dream, I'm not good enough, I'll never be good enough..."

Harry looked at her and actually laughed, seeing the hurt look in her eyes, he quickly bent down and kissed her on the top of her head as he pulled her tight into his chest, "Hermione, love, it was just a dream...You are good enough, you're a much better wizard...I mean witch, I mean...bloody hell, you know what I mean." A tiny smile flitted across her lips, "Hermione you are the smartest, most powerful, most beautiful witch to grace this school since it was founded...otherwise why would I put up with you? I mean I am the Boy-Who-Lived after all." Harry said this last with his nose up in the arm as if smelling something foul. Hermione grinned cheekily up at him and swatted him on that same nose.

"And most conceited, egotistical...Thanks Harry."

Harry nodded as he held her, they sat for a minute, looking out over the grounds Harry saw the sun shining down over the mountains, casting portions of the of the grounds into shadow. He grinned as a sudden thought crossed his mind, but he carefully buried and shielded it. "Stay here a second, Hermione...I'm terribly sorry, but I have to go to the loo." Hermione pulled back and laughed at him as she let him go. Harry waved as he quickly walked from the library. He did duck into the bathroom for a second, but that was not really the reason for this excursion, but merely a side benefit. Harry stepped into a small alcove, out of sight of the hall, "Dobby" Harry muttered and with a small pop, Dobby appeared at Harry's knee.

"Harry Potter Sir, Dobby is pleased to see you, what can Dobby do for you?" The house elf smiled hugely, almost quivering in his joy.

"It's just Harry, Dobby, we are friends..."Harry sighed, getting Dobby to drop the honorifics was probably a lost cause but he would never stop trying, Harry knelt down next to the house elf and whispered into one of his bat-like ears. Dobby listened intently, nodding his head vigorously at Harry's words.

"Dobby would be honored sir, to do this," he shrugged, "it will take Dobby a few minutes though, because of where it is at." Dobby turned to disapparate away, but spun back at a noise from Harry, "yes Harry Potter, Sir?"

"Dobby, don't tell Dumbledore, ok, I promise we will be fine." Dobby frowned at Harry but nodded in the end and vanished with a small POP. Harry looked slightly guilty for a moment, but knew that Dumbledore wouldn't punish the elf for not telling. He ran back to the library, pulling up just in time to save himself a chewing from Madame Pince. Walking sedately, at least on the outside, he wound his way though the stacks to the back corner where Hermione held court. Harry paused as he came around the corner, a smile on his face. Hold court indeed he thought as he watched the shafts of afternoon sunlight catch highlights in her hair. Harry smiled as she looked up from her books at him; obviously Hermione had started studying again as soon as he had left.

Harry sauntered over, looked down at the mess of books, papers, quill and other studying accouterments, "Mione, do you have your wands on you or in your bag?"

Hermione looked at him a little quizzically, "No Harry I have my gear on me, of course..." A chestnut eyebrow crooked at him.

"Good, just wanted to make sure...Envesco" with a small pop, the books, papers and everything else on the table vanished. Hermione looked...shocked.

"Damn it Harry...I"

"Nope, enough studying Hermione...come on." Harry held out his hand, but Hermione glared at him, crossing her arms with a slight huff. Biting back a grin, Harry slowly assumed a soft pleading expression, "Hermioneeeee" Harry whined softly.

Merlin, does he HAVE to do that thing with the eyes...A small smile lit her eyes as she took his hand. "Ok, Harry what are you up to?"

Harry didn't answer directly, "Come on." Tugging on her hand, he lead her out of the Library, past those students still studying and those who should be. Harry lead her out the Library doors, down a corridor or two, down several flights of stairs and out onto the lawn. Despite periodic entreaties, Harry did not answer where they were going until, with a shock, Hermione realized where they were, "IMPEDIMENTIA" Harry snapped and the Whomping Willow froze, just as it cocked a branch to attack them. "Come on" Harry bent over, touched a certain knot on the tree and a hidden passage opened.

"Harry...we could have done this at the castle." Hermione muttered with a tolerant air as she came out of the passage into the lower level of the Shrieking Shack. She stood, hands on hips, chuckling at his sudden, thoughtful expression.

"No...though if you want to, I'm definitely not opposed." Harry replied, as he took in the jeans and short t-shirt she had on under her robes.

"Maybe later."

"As my lady commands." Harry took her hand once again and led her into a room she had never been into in all the times she been in the shack. Incongruously, the room was a perfect replica of a muggle garage, even down to the tool rack on the wall and the garage door at one end of the room. A large, something, was under a canvas tarp in the center of the room. On the walls, were several old posters, most of which seemed to date from about twenty years ago. A muggle calendar of a girl in a bikini, holding a power tool of some sort seemed to confirm this fact.

"Umm, Harry, why does the Shrieking Shack have a garage?" Hermione asked with a suddenly bemused expression on her face.

Harry smiled and put his hands behind his back and started rocking back and forth on his heels like he was teaching a class, "Well Miss Granger, for a couple of reasons, first...why not?" After a moment of consideration, she shrugged at that question, but Harry wasn't finished, he walked over to the tarp and flung it aside. In the middle of the room, a motorcycle sat. The motor, a thirty-year-old American Harley Davison, looked almost brand new, its black paint dully gleaming in the room. A pair of helmets sat on the seat, while a box or something was strapped behind the seat. "And second, Sirius had to have somewhere to park his motorcycle." Harry picked up one of the helmets and tossed it to Hermione. "Coming?"

"Just where are we going?"

"Out." Harry waved a wand at the garage door and it rumbled open. He swung his legs over the bike and with a key he produced from his pocket, the cycle roared to life. Rolling her eyes, Hermione jumped on the bike behind him, jammed the helmet Harry had given her on her head, and wrapped her arms around him from behind. Harry goosed the throttle and the bike shot off, and from the speed it took off, Hermione could tell that the bike was more than a little enhanced. Harry shot out of the town, throwing gravel as he headed down the shale roads.

Just when did you learn how to ride a motorcycle Harry? Hermione asked as they leaned around a corner and shot down the twisting roads in the mountains surrounding Hogwarts and Hogsmeade. Exactly how fast they were going was up for debate, as the needle was stuck all the way to the right. The sun shown down oddly in the valleys and winding roads as they passed deer and other wildlife. As Hogwarts and Hogsmeade were the only two settlements nearby, there was no Muggle traffic to interfere with their escape.

Lupin showed me Harry replied as he snapped the bike right, then left to avoid something, possibly a wild knarl, in the road. Besides, it's just like riding a broom anyway.

I personally try to be a bit higher than two, three feet off the ground myself, Love, I'm not a seeker, remember? Hermione shot back, through Harry could hear the laughter in her thoughts as they conversed, which was a lot easier than speaking aloud as they didn't have to say anything over the roar of the wind.

Glimpsing a shine of silver water, Harry hit the brakes, sliding the tail of the bike around. Hermione squealed as the bike slid sideways before coming to a stop. What, Harry?

I thought you'd like a picnic. Harry replied as he wheeled the bike towards the clearing he had spotted. Harry parked the bike at the edge of the clearing, and taking a basket from the box on the back of the bike, Harry led her to the edge of the lake. They had come around the side of the lake, in the distance, Harry could see the castle looming over the tranquil waters, while far away one could see the rooftops of a couple of buildings in Hogsmeade, they had probably come twenty, maybe thirty miles by the twisting mountain roads, but the castle was probably only three or so by a straight line.

Hermione took off the helmet she had been wearing and shook out her hair. She smiled as she saw the tiny eagle on the side of the helmet, with the flick of a drawn wand, a large tartan blanket appeared on the grass. She dropped onto it and quickly rolled out of the way as Harry dropped in almost the same spot, "HEY" she snapped as she moved, only to quiet abruptly as Harry rolled on top of her and captured her lips with his. After a long minute, "Ummm, what was I saying?"

"I dunno." Harry replied, grinning. He sat up and started laying out the dinner Dobby had packed. It was almost six in the evening and Hermione's stomach was starting to growl, especially as she had skipped lunch.

She picked up a sandwich from the stack and scooted over next to Harry, "We could get into trouble for this Harry." Hermione commented evenly, as if she were talking about the weather. "Remember we weren't supposed to leave the grounds anymore."

"Yeah..." Harry replied with a touch of bitterness. "We would hate to dull the weapon before we use it, wouldn't we." Harry didn't need to look over to see her flinch at that statement. "Sorry, I'm an prat, I did this to get your mind off studying."

Hermione's face suddenly went blank, "oh crap, I need to get back to..." She stopped suddenly and giggled a bit at the look on Harry's face. "Sorry Harry, I didn't think about it." Hermione moved around until she could see the castle clearly, "Thanks Harry, I was over the edge wasn't I?"

"Not anymore than usual." Harry ducked her playful swipe at his head as he lay down on the blanket next to her. "Maybe a bit, Mione." He glanced back at the motorcycle, "I'm glad you decided to come."

"Not like you gave me much choice, is there?" Hermione said as she watched a pair of thestrals swoop low over the lake, chasing some prey birds. She looked back on the bike, "If you told me seven years ago, I would enjoy that insane ride here, I would have called you a daft git."

"Don't tell me we've made the bookworm an adrenaline junkie," Harry teased. He took a bite of a chocolate chip cookie that Dobby had included. The cookies were even charmed to be as warm as they had been a couple of minutes out of the oven.

"Yeah, you've corrupted me. So I am your girlfriend, why haven't we done that before?"

Harry looked a bit panicked at that question for some reason, he plowed ahead anyway, "Actually I had this plan of picking you up at your parents place on it, but that never happened. I thought your dad would have liked it." Harry shrugged, apologizing without words. Hermione nodded at him, accepting all he hadn't said. She sat with him for another hour, not many actual words passing though their lips, mostly because they were busy, but also because of all the people they knew, they could sit in each other's presence for quite a bit of time without saying a word.

The sun set, down behind the mountains, and like a giant axe had fallen on the light, night fell. Hermione looked back at the now dark road, nodding to herself, "so we get to do that run again?"

"Actually no...I figured we'd fly back."

******************************Great Hall, Hogwarts************************
May 21, 2006
6:30 pm

"There they are" Hermione muttered as she directed Harry's attention with a mental jab. Harry's eyes flicked over to the doors to the hall and nodded. Griselda Marchbanks was leading several wizards and witches into the hall, most of whom they recognized as the same ones that had given them their OWL examinations, but a few new faces were tagging along as well.

Ron looked up and groaned a bit, "Oi bloody hell, that's Snodbucket" he frowned and took a bite of mashed potatoes.

"Who?" Hermione whispered as she turned to her fire-haired adoptive brother. Ron started to speak, "and swallow first...please."

Ron rolled his eyes, but swallowed his food anyway, pointedly, before he replied, "Dara, or Darla or something Snodbucket. Percy introduced us one time at the Ministry; he thought she was the cat's meow. I think she was a friend of Umbridge's." Hermione turned and glared at the witch in Marchbanks' company and nodded.

"Well then, I guess we'll find out, won't we." Harry said softly, having difficulty getting worked up over schoolwork at the moment.

****************************Little Hangleton*************************

"Potter and the other will be occupied this week Master, why don't we strike now?" Lucius Malfoy asked as he and his Dark Lord walked down the halls of Riddle Manor. A pair of Death Eaters passed them, bowing low as Riddle passed, some poor girl in their clutches. Riddle smiled at them, "Enjoy your leisure Xavier." The dark pair continued on, "No Lucius, the time is not yet right. We do not yet have the distraction prepared for that fool Bones and her forces. When we strike, they will be the only ones able to blunt our efforts, and if they are tied up...Dumbledore and his savior will die, as will any others who dare challenge me."

"Sire, may I have Potter's mudblood?"

"No Lucius, she is mine. However there will be ample for all." Voldemort turned as he entered his sitting room, "Is there any word from your son?"

"Yes, my Lord, he confirmed that Potter and the rest continue to hide behind the walls of that castle."

"Very well then, Potter will not live to see another birthday."

************************Gryffindor Tower*************************

May 31, 2006
5:00pm

"Thank Merlin" Ron shouted as he entered the portrait hole, followed by Harry, Hermione, Pavarti and Neville. All of them had just finished their Potions NEWTs and except for Hermione who had her Arithmancy NEWT tomorrow, the only one they had left was DADA on Friday. Ron jumped over the back of the couch, landing next to Luna and knocking Ginny off the couch. "HEY!" Ginny screeched, flinging a large cushion at his head.

"Sorry Ginny" Ron muttered as he kissed Luna's cheek. Luna giggled and looked over at him.

"Where there any questions about albino squeegle eggs and their potion use?" Luna asked sweetly as Hermione rolled her eyes and walked away.

"I dunno," Ron replied, "were there Herms?" He grinned.

"I don't know, why Bilius, didn't you read the test again?" Hermione shot back, grinning as well. "I have to go study for my Arithmancy NEWT, unlike the rest of you miscreants, I don't know why that course is not required study for Auror candidates, honestly." Hermione started off towards the stairs, "Harry are you going to study for DADA, or?"

Harry was looking into the fire, as normal it was burning despite it being the end of May. "Huh...oh, after dinner, I think I am going to go work out for a bit first." Harry replied with a preoccupied air. He started towards the stairs to the Head's Rooms, passing Hermione with only a pained smile in her direction.

Hermione glanced at Ron, who shrugged. Turning she followed Harry up the stairs into the Head's common room. "Harry, can I join you?"

Harry swiveled, looked for a moment, "yeah, sure, but don't you need to study Arithmancy?"

"You were the one who showed me the importance of study breaks." Hermione stretched out a hand, and the Ravenclaw sword flew from Harry's room, swerved around Harry's head and a surprised Crookshanks on the top of a chair on the way and landed in her outstretched palm, with a muffled thwack. "Lets go, shall we?" Hermione asked and vanished without a sound.

"Bloody hell, woman." Harry muttered and with a whispered incantation, his sword was in his hand and he followed. Crookshanks merrow'ed at their passage and jumped down from the chair to go deposit fur on their robes in exchange for not petting him as he deserved.

*************************Room of Requirement, Hogwarts*******************

Harry snapped into existence in the room, and immediately ducked a swipe from Hermione's sword. Diving forward, he drew his sword as he tumbled and blocked a follow-up strike behind his back. Harry snapped to his feet, grinning. "So that's how it is huh?"

"Yeah I guess so..." Hermione replied with a glint in her eyes. She circled to her left, as Harry did likewise to his right. Without a pause for breath, she sprung forward, swinging hard. Harry blocked that strike to his side, and snapped a cut at her leg in return. Hermione flipped over it and rolled under Harry's follow on swing.

"You know you are making me horny baby?" Harry asked in his best Austin Powers voice. His hand shot to his left side and snapped his wand forward, "IMPEDIMENTIA"

"PROTEGO" Hermione snarled and the spell whined off into the ceiling, "I knew that I should have never let you watch that movie this summer." She shook her head mournfully, and flicked her wand in a complicated pattern, instantly stones detached themselves from the walls and shot themselves at Harry. He rolled under two, dove over another pair and spun, "DELETRIUS" a half dozen chucks of stone crumbled into dust in the air as Harry resumed his slow circling.

"So you're not?" Harry inquired, laughingly.

Hermione gave him a mischievous look, "I never said that."

"Well they do call it the Room of Requirement." Harry stated simply as he sat down, laying the sword next to him on the mats. Hermione dropped next to him and sighed.

"I do really have to study Harry, but I..." Hermione shrugged and Harry nodded, they sat on the floor for a moment before, "Harry, what's wrong?"

"You thought that if you lured me here and tried to kill me, I'd open up?"

"Basically." She agreed, "What's wrong Harry?" Hermione repeated.

"Do you think it was like this for my parents?" Harry questioned softly, "they were almost ready for the end of school, knowing that Voldemort was out there waiting for them?"

"I don't know Harry." Hermione said softly, "but I do know one thing, I'll be there."

"I wish you didn't have to be." Harry shook his head as he played with the hilt of the sword next to his leg, "but there is no one that I'd rather have with me."

"Not even Ron?"

"Not even him."

***********************Great Hall, Hogwarts*******************

June 2, 2006.
9:00 am

The last and final NEWT had come to pass, all the rest, Transfiguration, Charms, Potions, et all, were done, for better or for worse. Hermione had even seemed pleased when she had come back to the Head's common room after her Arithmancy NEWT yesterday afternoon, at least it seemed so, from the rather long bought of 'distracting activities' that had ensued. With that thought Harry's eyes flicked up a couple of rows and over one. Shut up Harry, or it'll be about the last. Hermione growled, but he could tell she was grinning anyway. If I fail this, you are never getting off the couch when we get to Grimmauld.

What? I was studying when you came home yesterday, minding my own business when this madwoman jumped me, in my own common room. Harry nodded to Flitwick as the diminutive professor passed, leaving a copy of the exam in his wake. Ready for this one Mione? Harry asked seriously.

Yeah, I'm fine Harry; I'm not terribly worried about this one. The practical however...Hermione shut up as Flitwick pronounced, "BEGIN, You have two hours." Harry flipped over the paper, and several seats away, Hermione could feel the grin on his face, and as she read the first four of the ten assigned essays, she knew why.

1) Describe the proper technique for capturing and controlling a werewolf, and failing that the proper means to incapacitate, and as a final resort the proper means to kill the creature.
2) Describe the effects of a corporal patronus on Dementors, give the proper incantation and wand movement, and compare and contrast the effects of a corporal patronus and an unsuccessful one.
3) Describe the effects and history of the three main unforgivable curses and discuss the rational of their legal classification, with mention of appropriate exceptions.
4) Compare and contrast the various illusions pertaining to camouflage, invisibility and other means of concealing one's presence. Include both spells and potions, and describe counters for each.

Harry's quill started scratching on his parchment, as he started in on the first question. Race you? He thought over to Hermione as she started. He could see her quill flying, as he looked around Pavarti's head. He could see Neville out of the corner of his other eye as well as several other DA and Order members and he was briefly proud, as he noticed not a one looking puzzled.

What do I win? She bit her lips idly as she described the effects of common incapacitation spells on werewolves in human and animal forms. She tucked her hair back behind an ear once more, as the she continued writing with the other hand.

Dobby at your beck and call? A half grin lit his face as he started in on the question about patroni.

Hermione rolled her eyes, he already is remember? You're paying him still...aren't you? The first question done, she moved on.

Of course...how about winner cooks for the first week at Grimmauld? No help from Dobby or Winky.

Done. I hope you like cooking a lot; remember Ron will be there too. Harry could hear her laughing silently at that. The rest of the test passed silently, at least to one's ears. None of the questions seemed to give either of them any problems, which considering that they had lived most of them really wasn't surprising. Finally after another hour, and still with a half hour to spare, Harry laid down his quill and glanced up only to see Hermione's quill fall to the table at almost exactly the same instant. Done. Hermione crowed in her thoughts.

Me too, tie then?

Yeah, so Ron cooks right? She replied, and Harry suddenly had to fake a cough as he choked down a guffaw. Ron's mother might be the equal of the Hogwarts elves when it came to the kitchen, but Ron, alas, had not inherited the talent. Even water was not safe from his culinary skills, or lack thereof. At once, in two minds DOBBY THEN. Harry turned in his seat to see Ron, looking at them quizzically from several rows back.

****************************Great Hall*******************************

11:25am

Harry sat next to Hermione and across from Ron at lunch after the written portion, amusedly listening to Hermione rehash her answers for the DADA NEWT. He idly rubbed his forehead, as if in waiting to for it to erupt in pain. His actions were not unnoticed by Hermione or Ron both of whom leaned in, worried looks on their faces. "Harry, what's wrong mate?" Ron asked, his eyes drifting up to Harry's daily reminder of his fate every time he looked in the mirror.

"Nothing." He replied curtly and turned to eat, absently picking up a sandwich and taking a bite.

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron, who just shrugged and gestured towards Harry. He got up and moved down the table to where Luna and Ginny were talking quietly about something or someone, probably Ron. If Ron had gained no other knowledge over the last seven years, it was that if Harry was reticent about something, he probably wasn't the member of the trio to get it out of him. Ok Harry, spill. Still the same thought? She leaned forward and turned, her brown eyes staring into his green ones.

Harry gave her one last defiant look, then gave it up as a lost cause, I'm just...I don't know, its been too peaceful since the end of March. Why did Tom go to the trouble of attacking all those parents and graduates, and then do nothing else? He dropped his head to his joined hands and sighed, I almost wish we had gone after Tom that night even though it was a trap...at least it would be over one way or another. One of his hands fell from his face to hers under the table. Hermione immediately intertwined her fingers with his, as she lowered her head to his shoulder with a soft sound.

Me too.

What happened to that calm, logical Hermione we all love? Harry teased. He squeezed her captured hand as he leaned against her.

She got tired Love. And logic only gets us so far.

All those parents still can't go home. Fred and George still haven't rebuilt their main shop...A small moan snuck from the back of his throat as he absently ran his free hand ran though his hair, mussing it further. I just don't want anyone else to get hurt, and I know, God damn it Mione, I know that I'm not going to get my wish. Hermione didn't respond with anything but a squeeze of his hand. Her eyes flared as she saw Pansy get up and walk past their table, with a little wave. Pansy laughed as she walked on past at Hermione's expression. Just a little while longer Hermione. Harry muttered silently as he noticed the Slytherin princess strut past. Hermione nodded as she took him at his word.

His lunch completed, Dumbledore ambled past the pair, deep in conversation with Griselda Marchbanks. To almost any other students their conversation would be inaudible, but with a mental flick of his ears, Harry and through him, Hermione could hear their slightly heated discussion:

"I tell you Dumbledore, I do not like this; I have never seen such bias against a particular pair of students." Marchbanks muttered heatedly, her ancient voice cracking with the stress. I tried to fight it Dumbledore, but I was overridden, some one still has their fingers in too many caldrons."

"I know Griselda, I also tried to make their NEWTs more favorable, I was able to force a compromise only in that I, not the examiners pick the pairs." Dumbledore smiled falsely as a man that Harry recognized from somewhere waved at the head examiner and with a sudden flash of insight he remembered where he had seen him. He had been the Auror with Kingsley that night that Dumbledore had taken the blame for the DA, to keep Harry from being expelled.

That's the Auror Fudge had with him when he tried to arrest Dumbledore. Harry quickly explained without uttering a sound.

Fat lot of good that did them, Hermione replied, as Harry could literally hear the wheels spinning in her head. So I guess they are pulling out the stops. But before she could complete her thought, a girl about their age sat down directly across from them in Ron's vacated seat. The girl wore Gryffindor robes, was black haired, and green eyed, characteristics slightly unusual in that of all the Gryffindors either of them knew of, the only one with that combination of features was Harry. The girl smiled at them, and took a bite of an apple she pulled from a basket at the center of the table.

"Wotcher, don't you recognize me?" Tonks asked in a low, laughing voice. Hermione let out a small, unlady-like snort in lieu of a laugh, as she suddenly did recognize her. "Here I am almost totally out of disguise, all I did was lighten up my eyes a bit. These are even my actual robes."

"What's up Tonks?" Harry whispered a tad urgently.

"Came to warn you, Dumbledore sent me, but I guess you recognized Dawlish, Harry?"

"Yeah."

"Certain folks at the Ministry are still out to get you, Harry, and I guess you too Hermione." Tonks shrugged and took a bite of her apple. "Dumbledore stepped on a few toes when he had two students who hadn't even taken their DADA NEWTs teaching the class, bloody damn bureaucrats." Tonks whispered harshly. "And that's just the ones who aren't annoyed at you showing up the Auror corps. Not any of us who actually work in the field mind you," She waved her hands in a small gesture, as she glanced over at Dawlish covertly, "at least not most of us anyway."

"What's that have to do with Dawlish?" Hermione shot back.

"Those folks, several of whom are holdovers from Umbridge's reign at the Ministry, convinced certain elements that Aurors should be in the practical this year, and they concocted some, "bell-curve" muggle nonsense that the testing conditions should reflect the partners' grades. For your sins, you two have been given the honor of going against eight wizards, four of which are Aurors. They tried to get more Aurors, but Kingsley told them to sod off, and Bones backed him, bless her."

"And the rest?" Harry asked with sudden concern for the rest of his friends.

Tonks shook her head, causing her long black hair to fly around. "Not as bad as what they are sending against you two, but not great, actually it almost looks as if by chance or design, the junior Order members are in for a bit of a tussle, I think Ron and Pavarti are the worst after you two, though I think they're only up against four or so. Dumbledore also told me to remind you that you are to be quite careful in using your skills. And you can only take a wand, nothing else, no spares, no other weapons, tools, nothing. So hand them over, I suggest you stick them in Hermione's bag." Hermione groaned but got up with Harry and Tonks trailing and led them out of the Great Hall; they stepped into the cloakroom just off the front doors.

"Don't loose the damn bag, Tonks." Harry said, with more than a touch of irritation as he tossed James' wand into Hermione's, for once almost empty school bag, today since they only had the DADA practical left, and no more Hogwarts homework, ever, she just had her copy of Hogwarts a History that Harry had given her at Christmas, and a few spare quills, parchments and a bit of girly stuff. The pair of them pulled various gear and gadgets from their pockets for a couple of minutes before Hermione picked the bag up and handed it to the metamorph. The bag clanked and rattled ominously as Tonks took it with a raised eyebrow.

"Bloody hell you two, what do you have in here?"

Harry grinned, "what Nymphadora, we were just listening to you and Moody, constant vigilance remember...Let's see, my and Hermione's spare wands, Sirius' bali-song, some floo powder, my invisibility cloak, the Marauder's map, pocket sneakascope...."

"A bit of emergency healing potion, some veritaserum, a kerambit, communication mirrors, matches, flash powder, I think a vial of polyjuice..." Hermione added as she grinned slightly sheepishly.

"Merlin...I've created monsters." Tonks laughed and gave them each a hug, "Good luck, Dawlish is an ok Auror, but he's one of the ones who sided with Fudge if you get my drift."

***************************Great Hall, Hogwarts***************************

4:15 pm

Harry and Hermione sat on a stone bench outside of the Great Hall, waiting for their test to begin. Harry was propped up in a corner, with Hermione leaning back against him. For the first time in seven years, Hermione wasn't going over spells in her head right before a test or cramming notes. She just sat with Harry, her eyes closed, not quite asleep but rather relaxed. It was all over after all, while technically this test could actually determine the final class ranking, Hermione, the girl who for years had strove endlessly to be the best, who at the moment putting aside NEWT results, was the valedictorian for the this year's graduating class, couldn't bring herself to fret over it. She and Harry would either beat the Aurors and Wizards waiting for them, or they wouldn't. There was really only one fight either of them was concerned about, and compared to that one; this was a little pillow fight in the first-years rooms.

Ron and Pavarti had finally gone in for their trial about twenty minutes before, at first the groups had gone in several at a time, but by the time they got to Neville, Ron, Pavarti and the rest of the Order members the proceedings had mysteriously slowed down, with only one group going in at a time, and leaving by another door. It was obvious that the testers were adding more difficulty to each run through.

Harry kissed the top of her head as he absently twirled his wand. For the first time in months, he only had one wand on him, no extra potions, no back ups of any kind, except the girl in his lap, and it didn't bother him an iota. Like Hermione, he knew that really this test only mattered as to see if they would get Auror slots in the academy.

Finally after another ten minutes of almost absolute silence, the huge Oak doors to the Great Hall creaked open and Dumbledore slipped out, accompanied once more by Professor Marchbanks. He walked up to them as Hermione opened her eyes, "Its time." Was all Dumbledore said before disappearing down the hall.

Walking into the Great Hall, Harry and Hermione instantly saw that the cavernous room had been transformed. As the doors boomed shut behind them, they noticed various obstacles and barriers scattered about the room, no others were visible in the room except the two of them and Marchbanks. She nodded to them and in a raspy, aged voice, "When I leave, a gong will sound, your goal, is simply to survive. Your current scores have been taken into account to provide adequate testing. A second gong will sound when all of your opposition has been dealt with or if you are both disabled, also note if one of you is disabled for more than a minute, then the overall score for the both of you will automatically drop a letter grade." Hermione's eyes did flare at that, as that condition was more than unfair, but she bit her tongue and nodded. "Very well then." Marchbanks vanished out of sight.

Behind an invisible wall, several spectators stood anxiously, Dumbledore had had to fight to gain the right to observe these trials and he stood watching, waiting. Next to him, Alastor Moody and Kingsley Shaklebolt also stood, both with an odd sort of nervous energy. Mad-Eye looked over at the towering wizard, "So Kinsgley, did Amelia agree?"

Shacklebolt nodded without taking his eyes off the arena, "She did Alastor, though she has already stated her general opposition to the way these proceedings are taking place, she agrees with me. She said that if you vouched for them, and they pass this, she'll pay them out of her own pocket if need be. With a small smile Kingsley pulled a pair of golden shields out of his pocket and flashed them at Moody. A huge grin bloomed on his scarred face as he looked over.

GONG

With the sudden clime all sound vanished in the observation room, in the Great Hall Harry and Hermione snapped their wands outward, eyes and ears straining for any hint of their adversaries. A tiny scrape off to his right, MIONE Harry snapped as he dove to the side, "STUPEFY" A red bolt howled out of his wand, knocking a wizard backwards, an invisibility cloak flying free as the man tumbled backwards.

"ACCIO WAND, ACCIO CLOAK" Hermione cried and the items shot forward over to her. She looked over at Harry for an instant, and with a quick twirl of the captured cloak, she vanished. Casting a silencing charm on her steps, she padded invisibly, silently to the opposite side of the room, she couldn't see Harry from here on the other side of at least five obstacles, but she could have pointed him out to the inch nonetheless.

Harry dove and rolled to the nearest obstacle, a large chunk of stone that looked as if someone had ripped it from the castle wall somewhere. He crouched, his back to it as he glanced behind him. A fleeting glimpse of an outline greeted him, "STUPEFY, Mutiato Aqua " Harry's stunner shot was deflected with a quick shield charm, but that was just the distraction, the floor underneath the Auror turned to water, and Harry picked him off like a duck on a pond, with a quick second stunner. "ACCIO CLOAK, ACCIO WAND" Harry snapped and suddenly both he and Hermione were invisible, and the first two were wandless and out of the fight. Harry immediately silenced his steps as well and ghosted over to the side, just in time to see a door appear and three more wizards enter the room, Mione can you cast something to detect any magic users in this room besides us?

That would be bad right now. Harry retorted as another invisible door opened and three more wizards piled into the room and quickly spread out, Dawlish among this second group.

Dawlish looked over at the others, "Smith, Sony, Diamond take the right, Busch, Gonzales and I will take the other side, cast charms to get their cloaks.

Thanks for letting us know dufus, Harry replied silently as he and Hermione cast sticking charms on their purloined cloaks so they couldn't be taken. And just in time, as an instant later, the spell from Gonzales, a dark skinned, white haired Auror impacted his cloak and failed to dislodge it.

Dawlish looked around and muttered in a rather loud whisper, "I thought Potter thought he was a hero," The other two laughed as he raised his voice, "Come on Potter, lets go, I have things to do." Dawlish shook his head and laughed with the other two, "Boy-Who-Lived, my arse."

Prick, Hermione replied for both of them, Well Harry?

Always.

Under the captured cloak Harry grinned, and raised his wand, Get ready Hermione, "NOX AREUM" Instantly the room became black, the light that would normally come in from the high windows absent as well, as they had been covered for the test.

"That won't work Potter," Dawlish laughed as he pointed his wand at his temple as did the rest of the Aurors, "OCCULUS NOCTURNOUS" Instantly the room, for them, took on a green cast as the room suddenly became bright as day as the night vision spell took effect. Dawlish fired off a pair of useless stunners, both of which missed both of them by about a mile. The Aurors slowly started to work their way through the room, each group still walking together.

Ready Hermione? Harry shot across the room, she nodded, invisibly but Harry knew she had anyway.

In the observation room, Dumbledore smiled as he waited. As he waited, Darlene Snodbucket, the person who had fought him the most on Harry and Hermione's appointments, and the probable author of this "test" ambled over to gloat.

"So Dumbledore," she asked in a high, nasally voice as in the room beyond, one of the Aurors let out at curse as he kicked one of the massive stone blocks littering the floor of the Great Hall. She pushed a pair of horn-rimmed glasses up her nose, and tittered a small laugh, "looks like your prize students are only good at hiding; at this rate we'll have to call it off so the rest of your students can eat dinner."

Dumbledore looked down at his robes as he absently picked a orange cat hair off his black robe with shining silver stars. Carefully hiding his grin, "Oh, I doubt that will be necessary, Darlene."

As if Harry was politely waiting for his elders to stop speaking, close your eyes, Harry squeezed his shut, "LUMOS SOLARE." Just as Hermione had done almost seven years ago, a sudden sun erupted in the darkness, pained cries of shock rang out in the hall. As the flare of light overloaded their amplified senses, the Aurors screamed they had been blinded. "NOX" the sun died, GO MIONE Harry snapped and they danced.

"STUPEFY" Dawlish and Sony dropped at opposite ends of the room, the remaining Aurors returned spells at the places Harry and Hermione had been at instants before, but they were blind.

The duo, however were just fine, their amplified night vision had survived the flare just fine, "STUPEFY" Harry snarled and dove to his left. Gonzales had been blindly running, he tumbled arse over teakettle as the spell took him in the side, to finally end up sliding, unconscious, into the base of an obstacle. Harry landed, rolled, and with a snap of red light, Busch fell onto his back.

Hermione had not been idle either; "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS" Instantly Diamond became rigid, as Hermione spun to her right, still invisible, still in pitch-blackness against blinded opponents. Smith did rather well as his return stunner shot through where she had been. He took a step, "IMPEDIMENTIA." Hermione's spell sent him tumbling from his feet as he fell backwards a good fifteen feet, he stood shakily only to drop an instant later as two separate stunners impacted at the same time, spinning him like a bottle in a game.

GONG

"Seems I was correct after all," Dumbledore said with a bright smile as he vanished the invisible wall with a wave. Darlene looked apoplectic as she stared at the fallen Aurors. He nodded at Harry and Hermione as Marchbanks escorted them out of the room. Kinsgley and Moody fell in with him as he started for the main doors, both of them, desperately trying not to laugh, "So my friends?" Dumbledore asked, turning to look at each of his companions in turn.

"Looks like Arthur just got his agents." Kingsley replied with a slight headshake as they stepped over the unconscious Dawlish.

Mad-Eye's eye spun around the room, as he took a draught from his hip flask, "I agree, I'll sign the paper work, Kingsley. I think that would be an O+"

A/N : There ya go, a long chapter. Which btw ya'll almost didn't get because for some reason, my laptop doesn't like the entire story, word pegs out the processor and it shuts the machine down...anyway, next chapter, a surprise, and Harry's plans are revealed.

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