Author's Note: I don't have much to say this time except to thank all of the reviewers out there. It means a lot to me. Also, I'd like to thank my new beta, Charmaine. It can really funny to talk about the stuff from my fic at work, especially when people ask us, "Which Harry Potter book is that in?" *laughs* Enjoy!
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
TRAINING
After Harry returned from Dumbledore's office, Ron and Hermione pelted him with questions. Calmly, Harry told them that he was going to continue Occlumency, yet he did not tell them about either his ability with wandless magic or his pending training with Moody and Lupin. For his own reasons, he did not want them to know.
It wasn't as though he didn't trust them. He trusted Ron and Hermione with his life. They would never tell anyone about what Dumbledore called "true sorcery" or his private Auror training. Yet, he felt that he shouldn't tell them. In fact, he believed that the fewer people who knew about it, especially that hidden talent of his, the safer everyone would be.
"I'm glad that Dumbledore wants you to master Occlumency," Hermione had said after Harry had finished. "I think it will be your most valuable defense against Voldemort."
Dumbledore arranged it so that Harry would have Occlumency lessons with him every Tuesday evening. Harry's lessons with Moody and Lupin would take place bimonthly on Fridays.
On Monday, Harry, Ron, and Hermione headed down to Professor McGonagall's classroom for their first prefects' meeting of the year. Harry was just as nervous this time as he was on the train. The majority of those prefects couldn't possibly respect him. They probably figured that Malfoy was right when he had said that Dumbledore had selected Harry to be Head Boy just because he was the headmaster's star pupil. So Harry faced a dilemma: how could he be a good Head Boy if the prefects didn't respect him?
When they entered the classroom, they found that the majority of the prefects were already there. When Luna spotted them, she jumped up to greet them.
"Hi Luna," Hermione said kindly. "How have you been?"
"Fine. I am enjoying my schedule."
"I'm enjoying the lack of Potions in mine," Ron said with a grin.
Harry groaned. "You keep bringing that up and every time you do I want to hex you."
Ron laughed.
"Oh, I see that Ronald and Harry are friends again. That's good," Luna said.
"Er-yeah, things are good between us," Ron said.
"I'm glad," she said. "The two of you not being friends put the balance of the planet off."
"It did what?" Ron said, staring at her with his face scrunched in disbelief.
"It put the balance of the planet off," she repeated.
"Are you taking Divination?" he asked her.
"Certainly not. One cannot determine their future through tea leaves," she replied.
Ron sighed in relief. "Well, that's good news."
"I do think that you can learn things from the stars, though," she added. "If I could take the class with Firenze, I would."
Ron's shoulders slumped.
Hermione was checking her watch. "We should start the meeting now. I bet all of us have a lot of homework, so I'd like to make this a quick meeting."
"Right," Ron said, excusing himself to go sit with the rest of the Gryffindor prefects. Luna sat down with the Ravenclaws.
Harry and Hermione, meanwhile, walked up to the front of the classroom. "Can I have your attention please?" Hermione called out. "This meeting is called to order." Everyone quieted down and waited for Hermione to speak again. "Okay, so we've been back here for two weeks. What kind of problems have you encountered?"
"I had to give a couple of Slytherin second years detention," Ernie Macmillan said loudly. "They were attempting to deface a toilet."
"They were not," said a sixth-year Slytherin.
"Really? Then what were they doing?" Ernie asked.
"According to them, they were trying to retrieve something that had been flushed down the toilet," the sixth year said.
"And it took four of them to try to accomplish that?" Ernie said with a hint of scorn.
"You've falsely accused them. I believe they shouldn't be punished," the sixth year said and then smirked. "And I've spoken to Professor Snape to recommend that their detention be dropped."
"What did Professor Snape say?" Hermione asked, cutting in.
"He's deliberating," the Slytherin said.
"Four kids in a stall sounds pretty dodgy to me," Ernie said.
"Anything else?" Hermione asked. There was silence. "Good. Now, as Dumbledore alluded to during the welcoming feast, there's an optional event that can take place in March, if we determine that it can be done."
"What's this option, anyway?" Graham Pritchard asked.
Hermione glanced at Harry, but he shook his head. He had read about the option in his letter from Dumbledore, but he didn't feel too strongly towards it. In his opinion, it didn't beat the Boys versus Girls Quidditch match.
"The idea is an obstacle course, which would have to be created, in which four team members-one person from each House-work to complete the course first. This is obviously not a school-wide event. Much like the Triwizard Tournament from a few years ago, only sixth and seventh years can participate," Hermione told them.
"Well, that's bullocks," one of the fifth-year prefects grumbled.
"I know it doesn't seem fair," Hermione said, "but it's to ensure everyone's safety."
"Why are the teams intermixed?" Pansy Parkinson asked. "That sounds stupid. Have each House compete against each other."
Hermione rubbed her temples out of irritation. Harry quickly took over.
"Unity," he said simply. "Once again we're striving for unity between the Houses."
One of the other Gryffindor prefects that Harry recognized from the meeting on the train raised her hand. "Yes, Druantia?" Hermione said.
"I don't see how an activity such as this is any different than the Quidditch match. It's just as exclusive," Druantia said, turned so that everyone could hear her. "I don't think Hogwarts should have any of these extra activities unless the entire school body gets to participate, such as they do in the Yule Ball and the Dueling Contest."
"I agree," Ernie said loudly.
There was a general murmur of agreement spreading throughout the group. Harry, with a sudden urge to prove himself, raised his hand to silence everyone; a move that appeared to catch Hermione by surprise.
"I say we put the matter up to a vote," he said. "Everyone who would like to obstacle course contest, raise your hand."
Seven hands went up, Ron's included.
"Everyone who dislikes the idea, raise your hand."
Apparently Druantia's comment swayed a lot of people. Over fifteen raised their hands.
"I guess we're going to inform Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall that we struck down the idea of that particular activity," Hermione said. "Now, before we conclude tonight's meeting, is there anything anyone else would like to add?" When no one said anything, Hermione nodded. "Very well, then-meeting adjourned."
There was a scraping of seats as people got up to leave. Ron and Luna joined Harry and Hermione at the front of the classroom.
"I really wanted that one to pass," Ron grumbled. "That would have been wicked to be in."
"The others didn't want it," Hermione said. "By the way, nice job, Harry, for putting that up for a vote so quickly."
Harry felt his cheeks redden. "I just thought it seemed like the appropriate thing to do."
"I'm not sorry we won't be having the competition," Luna said wistfully. "The challenges that the professors would have come up with would have been interesting to try to work through, but I agree about excluding the younger students."
"The reason why for the age restriction is safety. We couldn't have second years trying to battle some large creature that Hagrid procured for the event," Hermione said.
"Like a mountain troll?" Harry suggested with a wink.
"Or a yeti," Luna said with a nod.
Hermione stared at her. "Luna, yetis live in snowy mountainous regions. One wouldn't have been brought here to Hogwarts."
"It could be done," Luna stated firmly.
Before Hermione could retort, Harry said quickly, "It's getting kind of late. We've got homework to do, anyway."
"Yeah," Ron said, just as quickly. "We'll see you around, Luna."
"Oh. Good night."
The three of them left. As they were heading up to the seventh floor, Hermione was shaking her head. "Yetis at Hogwarts, how ludicrous."
"Loony has weird ideas like that," Ron said. "It's best to just ignore them."
Hermione gazed at Ron in surprise. "When did you grow up?"
"Hey!"
"Sorry," she said, cringing. "That came out wrong."
"You bet it did," Ron growled.
"What I meant to say was when did you start ignoring some of Luna's more odd qualities? She always annoyed you before."
Ron shrugged. "I dunno. I guess I'm used to it by now."
"Oh. Well, I guess that's a good thing," Hermione said indifferently.
"Hey, don't get on Luna's case for some of her wacky ideas," Ron said warningly. "You'd be a hypocrite if you did."
"I'm sorry?"
"She's not the only one who's had some pretty crazy and unrealistic ideas, and that's all I'm saying," Ron said.
"I beg your pardon," Hermione said, her ire obviously rising, "but what exactly did you mean by that? Since when do I have crazy and unrealistic ideas?"
"Gee, ever hear of that house-elf liberation thing called spew?" Ron said with a roll of his eyes.
Hermione looked highly affronted. "S.P.E.W. is not a crazy and unrealistic idea!"
"Yeah, it is and I've been telling you that all along," Ron said. "Nobody's ever going to pay attention to those petitions you sent in this past June. Nobody! Am I right, Harry?"
Harry brought his hands up in defense. "Don't drag me into this." When it came to choosing between your best mate and your girlfriend, you were in a Catch-22 situation.
"Harry supports my efforts with S.P.E.W.," Hermione stated angrily. "Just because you enjoy the degradation of a group of beings doesn't mean he does!"
"Who said I enjoyed it?" Ron countered. "I keep telling you, Hermione, they like their work!"
"Then how come all of them here in the kitchens signed my petition?" she asked vehemently.
"Because Dumbledore told them to, didn't he?"
She shook her head fiercely. "He told them that they could-that it was their choice whether or not to sign it."
"Well forgive me for my astronomical error," Ron said scathingly, "but you're still running a fool's errand."
Feeling a headache starting to form, Harry quickened his steps to get away from his bickering friends. When they noticed how far he had gotten out ahead of them, they stopped and called out after him.
"Harry! Oy, Harry!"
"Harry, stop! We're sorry."
"Can we do all of us a favor?" Harry asked when Ron and Hermione caught up to him.
"Sure, what?" Ron asked.
"Can we not talk about S.P.E.W., homework, professors, or anything else that might cause you two to bicker?"
Ron glanced away from him guiltily. "Yeah, I guess so."
"We can," Hermione told him, placing her hand on his arm.
"Good," he said, "because I'm tired."
"Yes, let's go get that homework finished and go off to bed," Hermione said, linking her arm with Harry's and then, for appearance's sake, grabbing Ron and linking arms with him too. Without another word, the three of them continued to the common room, Harry and Ron dreading the Transfiguration essay they still had to finish.
*****
Classes went well on Tuesday, with the exception of Harry accidentally giving himself a beard in Transfiguration when everyone was supposed to change their eye color. How he managed to do that, he didn't know. Ron, meanwhile, was walking around with one blue eye and one violet one. McGonagall assured him that the color would fade back to blue, but for the time being, Ron stared at the floor so that others wouldn't see him with his purple iris.
A trip to Madam Hooch's office let Harry know that the Gryffindor Quidditch tryouts would be held that Saturday, much to Harry's surprise. He chastised himself greatly for putting off the visit to her office, but he was also grateful that he had done so before Saturday.
Later that evening, Harry was running to Dumbledore's office for his training, fearing that he would be late. He had eaten a late dinner and he had been trying to do his Herbology homework when Hermione prodded him about his Occlumency training. That had led to Harry dashing out of the common room.
What didn't help was that Harry met Peeves along the way, who had dumped soap all over the floor. He slid through the green liquid, nearly losing his balance twice, before successfully making it through the soap. Then Peeves decided to dump a bucket of cold water all over him.
"ARGH! PEEVES!" he yelled, pushing his bangs away from his eyes.
"I'm helping wee little students take a bath!" Peeves said happily. "But you missed the soap!"
"Shut up, Peeves, and get out of my way," Harry growled, taking out his wand and performing a drying spell. "I'm going to be late."
"Late to what, Head Grouch?" Peeves asked as he took up another bottle of soap and squeezed it out before Harry's feet.
"My appointment with Dumbledore," Harry said, sidestepping the soap.
"Oh, his Headship won't mind if you're late," Peeves said. "Play in the suds!"
"Why don't you go bother the Bloody Baron," Harry suggested and walked away, but not before Peeves could dump another bucket of cold water all over him. Cursing loudly, Harry performed another drying spell on himself as he started running for Dumbledore's office again.
When he knocked on the door, Harry found himself being admitted by Dumbledore, instead of the usual "Enter." Inside, Dumbledore had already cleared a space for them to work.
"Good evening, Harry," Dumbledore said.
"Good evening, sir."
"I'd like to start immediately if that's okay with you," he said.
"Yeah, that's fine," Harry said, taking his place at one end of the room while Dumbledore went to the other.
"Prepare yourself now, Harry. Are you ready?"
"I think so," Harry said.
"Wand at the ready."
"Yes, sir," Harry said, taking out his wand.
Dumbledore was quick. "Legilimens!"
Images from Quidditch matches swam in Harry's mind. They were quickly replaced by him hoisting the Quidditch Cup the year previous before he handed it over to Katie Bell…Hermione was running toward him…
"Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled, determined to keep images of her floating up inside his mind.
He heard Dumbledore's wand clatter on the floor as the images ceased. Dumbledore bent down to pick it up. "Good. Very good. Not as fast as I would like you to be, but good nonetheless."
"How can I become faster?" Harry asked.
"You must be focused. You must be drained of all emotion. You must act the moment you feel someone invading your mind," Dumbledore replied. "It is not easy, but it can be done."
Harry nodded. "I'll give it a try."
"Very well. Legilimens!"
Harry and Ron ignoring each other during their fourth year after Harry had been selected as a Triwizard Champion…Aunt Petunia looking at him disapprovingly…
Harry jerked his wand. Suddenly, he caught of glimpse of Dumbledore's memories as things suddenly reversed. He saw himself, his eyes red, as he stood speaking to Dumbledore in the torn up Atrium of the Ministry of Magic. But it was only a glimpse. Dumbledore cut off the contact.
"Very good! Very good indeed! You reversed the effect. Quite interesting," Dumbledore said, musing.
"I don't know how I did it," Harry said. "I mean, I've done it before, when Snape trained me."
"Professor Snape, Harry," Dumbledore admonished lightly. "It takes a lot to reverse the invasion. To do so as naturally as you did shows not only power, but the exceptional strength of your mind. That is not surprising, of course-look how well you can resist the Imperius Curse." He seemed to be speaking more to himself than to Harry.
"Professor?"
"Let's keep working," Dumbledore said. "You will master Occlumency, Harry. You have the abilities."
"Thank you, sir," Harry murmured.
"Let's try again. Ready? Legilimens!" Dumbledore cried and Harry felt his mind swimming again.
*****
Hermione's birthday arrived. She was absolutely delighted when she opened up Harry's gift (the latest edition of Hogwarts: A History). However, Harry's real surprise for her came around dinner time. Before Hermione had left for her last class, Harry had slipped a note inside her textbook, telling her to meet him in the Room of Requirement at 6:00.
When the door opened at 6:00 exactly, Harry had just put the finishing touches on his surprise. He stood up and greeted Hermione with a smile. "Happy birthday."
She gazed around in awe. Harry had the room designed like a French café-a cozy little table for two with candles and roses surrounding them. The entrée-made by Dobby at Harry's request-sat on a charming little cart, along with a chocolate cake.
"Harry," she breathed.
He stepped forward and took her hand in his. "Your table awaits, milady."
She laughed and followed him to the table, where he pulled out a chair for her and then pushed her in once she sat down. He sat down opposite of her, grinning.
"I can't believe you did this," she said, taking in the surroundings. "Why?"
"It's your birthday," he said simply, pouring a drink for the both of them. "Besides, this is the first chance we've had to be alone since we've come back to Hogwarts."
"So we're considering this a date?"
"Absolutely." He raised his glass. "To finding some time to be alone together."
She smiled. "Cheers." She took a sip. "I don't deserve this."
He set his glass down. "Why would you say that?"
"I-I just don't," she said quietly.
He reached over and covered her hand with his. "Yes you do. You're a blessing, Hermione, and you've done more for me than you know."
Tears began to form in her eyes. "Harry-"
"Shh…" he said, moving his hand up to cup her cheek. "We should eat. Can't have this wonderful food getting cold, can we?"
She laughed. "No."
After dinner was over, Harry had the room take away the table. Then, with a flick of his wand, music started to play. "May I have this dance?" he asked.
"But you hate to dance," Hermione said, her tone amused.
"Well, I am dreadful at it, but I'm fine with it as long as I have the right dance partner." He took her in his arms and swayed to the music. "Maybe you could teach me sometime."
"Maybe I could," she agreed.
He smiled and kissed her deeply, the first true kiss they had shared since departing from the Burrow. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer until they had stopped swaying to the music, too lost in each other to pay it any attention.
*****
That Saturday, Harry and Ron, brooms in hand, headed out to the middle of the pitch for tryouts that day. Along the way, Ron noticed Harry's broom.
"You're still using the Firebolt," he commented.
"Yeah."
"I thought you'd use the Phoenix."
"I'm still working out the kinks with that Cushioning Charm," Harry told him. "Until then, I'm riding on the Firebolt."
"Okay," Ron said, shrugging.
The rest of the team joined Harry and Ron some ten minutes later while the stands began to fill up. Harry couldn't help but notice that Hermione was among them. She had told him earlier that morning that she would be out to see how things went.
"Good turn out," Alex McGuire, one of the finds for Beater from the previous year, said.
"Yeah," Harry agreed, surveying the crowd.
"How are we going to do this?" Ginny asked, leaning against her broomstick. "Have people run with us and against Ron?"
"Pretty much," Harry said. "Actually, I want so see their stealing skills too, so I'm going to have them work with Hunter, but try to take the Quaffle from you."
"What are we going to do?" Andrew Kirke asked.
"Try to hit them with Bludgers," Harry said. "I've got to see if they can dodge them."
"Okay."
"Are we clear on what we're doing?" Harry asked.
"I think so," Ginny said.
"Good. Let's get started. Go take to the air," Harry said and waved them off. He turned back and headed towards the stands. A sudden thought occurred to him and he walked up to where Hermione was sitting with Ally, Dylan, and the new girl Hermione was mentoring.
"Harry!" Hermione said. "I'm glad you came up here. I need to talk to you about something, but first, meet Tara Ryder."
Harry reached out and shook Tara's hand. "Nice to meet you. Come to enjoy the fun that is our fellow Gryffindors trying to make the team?"
"I-er-er-" the first year stammered.
"I need to talk to you," Hermione reminded him.
"Right. If you'd excuse us," Harry said, stepping away from the three. "I need to ask you to do a favor for me anyway."
"Well, what's your favor?" Hermione asked.
"I was hoping that you would take all of the prospects' names to help me keep things sorted out," he said.
"Sure." She took out her wand and, with a wave, conjured up a clipboard, parchment, and quill.
"Thanks, Hermione," he said gratefully. "Now, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"
"Well," Hermione said hesitantly, "it's about Tara."
Harry glanced back and the young girl who was sitting nervously next to Ally. "What about her?"
"She wants to play. I was wondering…would you mind letting her try out?" Hermione asked.
He stared at her. "Has she ever played before?"
"Well, she's a Muggle-born, so no," Hermione said meekly. "But she wants to learn."
He sighed. "I can't, Hermione, and you know it. She's a first year-there's a rule against that. Hunter and I were exceptions because, well, there wasn't anyone better. But if she's never even played-"
"You never played before you became Seeker," she pointed out.
"Yeah, but…I had some natural born abilities," Harry said lamely. "Does she?"
"Who knows? Madam Hooch does say that she flies pretty well for a first year, though."
Harry scratched the back of his neck uncomfortably. "That doesn't mean much, though. I'm sorry, Hermione, I really am."
She sighed. "I know. You're right, after all. She's just so enthusiastic about it that I thought I should at least try to help her. There's always next year, I suppose. She could try out for Keeper, or Seeker."
The sudden idea of not being the Gryffindor Seeker the following year brought about an inexplicable sadness in Harry, but he quickly pushed that aside. "I need to get these tryouts started. I better go."
"Right. I'll make sure I get everyone's names for you," she said.
"Thanks." He walked away from her and down to where everyone would focus their attention on him. Taking out his wand, he pointed it at his throat and muttered, "Sonorus," before continuing on. "Er-could I have everyone's attention?" he asked in a booming voice. The crowd became quiet. "I'd like to start the tryouts. We're looking for a Chaser today, so if you don't have any interest in playing Chaser, please don't try out. That said, I want everyone who wishes to try out to please step forward. When your turn comes, I ask that you give Hermione over there your name and then grab a broom. What we'd like you to do is simple enough: on my whistle, fly up and join us. Ginny up there-that's the redhead-has the Quaffle. I want you to steal the Quaffle from Ginny and pass it off to Hunter. He's the one without the bat. Hunter will pass the Quaffle back to you and then you have to try to score a goal against Ron. Clear enough? All the while, Andrew and Alex are going to be hitting Bludgers at you, so watch out for those, okay? Everyone understand?"
There was some murmuring in the crowd as Harry took out his wand, pointed it at his throat, and whispered, "Quietus," to himself. He glanced at Hermione and then jerked his head, indicating that he was ready for the first person.
As Harry mounted his Firebolt and took to the air, a girl joined him. "What's your name and year?" he called.
"Demetria Meadows, fourth!" she called back. "I sure hope I'm what you're looking for."
"Good luck," Harry yelled. He put the whistle between his teeth and blew.
About the only good thing Harry could say about her was that she at least knew how to fly, which, as Harry discovered later on, was a bloody miracle. About a third of the people who tried out had obviously forgotten all of the lessons they had learned their first year.
One fifth year, a boy by the name of Colton Alby was rather good, causing Harry to make a mental note.
After a scrawny second year made a try, a girl flew up next to Harry.
"Name?" he asked in a bored voice.
"Natalie McDonald," she replied that displayed both excitement yet nervousness.
"Year?" Harry asked.
"Fourth."
"Okay. Take a deep breath," he advised, noting her anxious state. "On my mark. Ready?"
Natalie set herself low on the broomstick. Harry blew his whistle.
Harry watched vaguely, expecting her to be like the rest. But when she did a looping pass under Ginny to steal the Quaffle, he was fully alert. She threw it to Hunter, who took it down the pitch some ways before launching it back at her with his impeccable precision. When she caught it, she threw it toward the right goal hoop. Ron looked like he was about it get it, but it slipped past his fingers. The crowd cheered below them.
Harry nodded to himself in approval. A bit of practice and the girl would do well.
No one else matched Natalie the rest of the afternoon. At the end, it was obvious who the pick was. One consult with his team confirmed it. Before they packed things up, Harry announced that Natalie McDonald was the new Gryffindor Chaser.
*****
Harry's next training lesson would be over wandless magic training. That way, as Dumbledore had told him, he can get a good dose of both of the skills that Dumbledore wanted to teach him. Every other Tuesday would work on his wandless magic so that he could become proficient at it.
The lesson was even more exhausting than the rigorous Occlumency training Dumbledore was putting him through. For two hours, Dumbledore had Harry trying to levitate things around the room with his mind. It was incredibly difficult.
"Your mind wants to be tricked into thinking that you're using a wand," Dumbledore had told him. "We must rid it of that notion."
All it did was leave Harry with a headache as he tried to concentrate on levitating an inkbottle. When he left, he only felt was frustrated.
When Friday came along, Harry left Ron and Hermione behind after dinner, as he was supposed to for his training sessions with Moody and Lupin. They had decided to hold them in random classrooms. Today they were meeting in an empty one on the fifth floor.
Moody and Lupin were waiting when he walked in.
"Good, you're here," Moody said gruffly and pointed his wand at the door. "Colloportus!"
Harry heard the lock click. "What do we start with?" he asked, eager to begin.
"A test," Moody said. "Get over to that side of the room and get your wand out. You're about to have yourself a little duel."
"Against whom?" Harry asked, doing as he was instructed.
"Me," Lupin said, stepping to the other side of the room and saluted him.
"Oh." Harry repeated the gesture and then both he and Lupin bowed to each other.
There was only a slight pause before Lupin struck. "Stupefy!"
Harry quickly ducked as the spell hit the wall over his head. "Impedimenta!"
"Protego!"
"Tarantallegra!"
"Locomotor Mortis!"
Harry felt his legs snap together while Lupin's legs did a sort of dance. But Lupin quickly waved his wand with the countercurse. Harry did the same.
Lupin nailed him with the Jelly-Legs Jinx, while Harry shot back with the Blasting Curse before he hit the floor.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Lupin yelled, but Harry rolled out of the way.
"Conjunctiva!" Harry roared, aiming directly at Lupin's eyes. His professor let out a cry and covered his eyes with his hands. Harry took his opportunity. "Expelliarmus!" Lupin's wand flew into the air and out of its owners reach, although Lupin didn't notice.
Moody waved his wand at the both of them. "Good job, Potter," he said, while Lupin rubbed his watering eyes. "That's a good curse to use against Death Eaters."
"Yes," Lupin agreed. "It's got quite the nasty stinging effect."
"Sorry," Harry murmured, getting up.
"Don't be," Moody growled. "If Lupin was a Death Eater, you'd be dead. Rule Number One: Don't apologize for doing what you had to do. Got it?"
Harry nodded.
"Well, you proved that you can duel," Moody said, "but being an Auror is a lot more than just dueling. It's about being smart and thinking one step ahead of your enemy. It's about knowing how to protect yourself and others. Sometimes it's about gathering information. Aurors do the jobs that the Magical Law Enforcement department can't handle. We're the elite." He sized Harry up. "Think that you can handle it?"
Harry looked him dead in the eye. "Yes."
"Good. We're going to get you more comfortable dueling by use of nonverbal spells. Lupin was being kind to you for voicing all of his. A lot of people won't be so nice, got it?"
"Yes, sir."
"We're going to teach you how to do other types of combat too," Moody went on. "Hand-to-hand, weapons, you name it. Dueling won't do much when you go up against creatures like vampires or werewolves during the full moon. Am I right, Lupin?"
Lupin nodded and deliberately looked away from Harry. "You are."
"We're going to get you to build up your physical strength. You're a skinny kid and that Quidditch of yours has helped you some, but you need to build a little more muscle. Starting tomorrow morning, I want you up and running the grounds at dawn."
"Dawn?" Harry said, aghast.
"Dawn," Moody repeated. "The morning air will do you some good."
Harry frowned. "Yes, sir."
"I'm eventually going to have you adding pull-ups, sit-ups, and push-ups into the mix, but right now, let's start with running. All of this will help you with your Quidditch too."
"I'm sure it will," Harry said, although he absolutely hated the idea of having to get up at dawn.
"Okay, Potter, you can go. Just be ready for some hard work next time," Moody said.
"I will, don't worry," Harry said and left.
Hand-to-hand combat? Weapons? Those were the lessons that Harry couldn't wait for. There was a little bounce in his step as he traveled back to the common room. Finally, Harry felt that, if he learned everything that Dumbledore, Moody, and Lupin had to teach him, he might stand a chance in his battle against Voldemort. He might make it.
That was the moment that Harry finally began to believe in himself.