Chapter Two

Hogwarts Student Army - The HSA

Year 2080

The next day, Leo awoke and blearily began to get ready for the day. He was just about to leave the Sixth Year boys dormitories when he realized that Gregory Weasley, one of Leo's many cousins, relatives, ugh, who could keep track of them all?! Still hadn't gotten up for the day.

"Oi, Greg, you're going to get in some serious shite with the Headmaster if you don't get up now, mate," Leo said, gently nudging the larger boy, "We've got field dueling practice again now."

"Ugh, fuck off Potter," Greg moaned, rolling over, and casting a lazy silent, wandless spell to close the curtains around his bed haphazardly.

"Suit yourself, mate, don't say I didn't warn you," Leo said. When Gregory still didn't get up, Leo merely shrugged, intending to go wait outside the Sixth Year girls dormitories for Ariel. The girl had a nasty habit of always sleeping in and Leo had made it a habit to ensure she was up for the day. Leo took one last cursory glance around the room. The only one still there was the asleep Gregory. Leo then left the dorm.

"'Lo Marienne," Leo greeted a tiny blonde girl with brown eyes as she exited the girls dorms, "Is Ariel up yet?" he asked politely.

"Ah, hello Leo. And yeah, she's up. I suspect she'll be just a 'mo," Marienne yawned as she tucked her wand into her pockets, "See you at the fields, Leo." Marienne said as way of goodbye before vanishing alongside the other girls who had been waiting for her a little whiles away.

"Ah, hey Lee-Lee!" Ariel chimed in at that moment, closing the dormitory door behind her. Leo scrunched his nose up in distaste at the nickname. Ariel laughed and pushed his hair out of his eyes. Leos frown deepened as the hair simply popped back into place.

"We're going to be late," Leo said as way of greeting. Ariel rolled her eyes at him before beaming and grabbing his arm and leading him away in haste. The two speedwalked through the many corridors of the castle, not wanting to be punished for skipping out on early morning Field Dueling. Suddenly, Ariel came to a sudden halt and Leo, not really paying attention, bumped into her. He groaned, "Ariel?" he asked.

"Shh!" she demanded suddenly as she tiptoed towards a classroom, her brown hair hitting him in the face as she turned abruptly.

"Wha- ?" Leo began before he saw what she had seen. The Eighth Years were being taught in the classroom. Leo immediately ducked up next to Ariel for a better look.

All of the Eighth Years training was always kept secret and it was always a topic of great discussion for the rest of the school. Leo and Ariel watched in awe as the Eighth Years dueled each other ruthlessly. They danced around each other spells, like warrior ballerinas.

The magic could be felt even from their position. It was positively powerful.

"Amazing," Ariel whispered, transfixed.

"Yeah," Leo agreed before he suddenly frowned, "Hey, what's that on their arms?" he asked Ariel. Ariel suddenly noticed the weird watch like devices wrapped around each left forearm as well.

"I… I don't know," Ariel confessed, looking very confused, "It just looks like some strange kind of watch?"

"Hey! You two! What do you think you're doing?" a sharp voice demanded. Ariel and Leo turned around to be suddenly faced with the angry redheaded Eighth Year from the previous day. Leo and Ariel looked at the Eighth Year and then looked at each other.

"Run!" Ariel shouted as she took off like a bolt, Leo attempting to keep up with her.

"Hey! Not so fast!" the Eighth Year growled out and without even the whisper of a spell or the movement of a wand, Leo suddenly felt as though someone had grabbed him around the middle and pulled him back, depositing him right in front of the redheaded girl. In another second, Ariel was deposited next to him.

"Um," Leo began, really at a loss of anything to say, "My name is Leo. It's a pleasure to meet you -?" he tried, grimacing, attempting to know her name. The girl merely scowled at him and stalked off, leaving Ariel and him magically bound to the floor.

"Finite Incantatem!" Ariel tried. Their magical binds did not budge. Leo sighed and Ariel groaned as they awaited the punishment that was sure to come. About an hour later, after getting reprimanded for their actions by a professor and receiving detention for the next week, Leo and Ariel were finally free to go.

"We're going to be in so much crap with Professor Dunker for missing Field Dueling when we see him again next week." Leo groaned.

"I wonder what those Eighth Years are hiding," Ariel muttered to herself, not paying attention to Leo's whining. She suddenly turned to Leo, "There's so much they aren't telling us! The tattoos! The watches! How they go from being perfectly normal witches and wizards into these powerful weapons!" she exclaimed.

"Well," Leo said calmly, "we'll find out. Eventually."

Ariel visibly deflated, "Eventually." She agreed. Leo put an arm around her shoulders and they headed down to their next class, having missed morning Field Dueling, - Charms.

A/N: Please review and let me know what you think!