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Harry Potter and all characters and trademarks are copyright to JK Rowling and are not owned by me. No infringement is intended or any money made from this publication. This story may not be reposted without my permission.

Draco Malfoy walked through the darkened corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As a Prefect, he was required to help patrol the corridors during the evenings for any students out after curfew. Normally, Draco would have enjoyed exercising his authority over the other Students. Now, it just gave him too much time to think. Too much time to think about his Father. All his life, Draco had been taught to believe that being a Pure-blood wizard meant being superior. However, having seen his Father and Lord Voldemort, arguably the most powerful Pure-blood wizard of his age, defeated by a gaggle of half-bloods, Draco's belief had been shattered. Now, his Father was in Azkaban, which was just where he should be, as far as Draco was concerned. He would be happy never to see him again. However, Draco now felt very lonely, without even Crabbe and Goyle. In a sense, though, he also felt free, despite his pain, and the confusion was tearing him apart. He'd forever been only his father's son; maybe he was now learning what it meant to be Draco. If only there was someone that he could talk to. Draco was suddenly snapped out his reverie by the sound of footsteps echoing off the stone walls and reached instinctively for his wand. Around the corner came a brown-haired girl wearing the green colours of Slytherin House and Draco bit back a curse, lowering his wand.

"What are you doing?" He hissed,

"I could have shot you!"

"As if!"

She retorted.

"Anyway, it should be obvious what I'm doing. I'm going for a walk. Not that it's any of your business. "

Malfoy indicated the badge pinned to his lapel.

"Prefect. And, as a Slytherin, it's a disgrace that you got caught so easily. I ought to report you to Professor Slughorn. "

"Well, if you want to report me, then you'll need to see what I'm up to."

With that, she strode off, leaving Malfoy grinding his teeth. Still, he couldn't just let her wander around as she pleased; no Slytherin would fully trust another. Muttering under his breath, Draco followed her, saying;

"If I'm going to report you, you might as well tell me your name."

She looked at him for a second and then burst out laughing.

"Just for that, I'll tell you. My name's Eliza Blackthorn. And you're Draco..."

She stopped suddenly as Draco threw out his hand.

"Quiet!" Malfoy whispered.

He grabbed Eliza by the arm and pulled her into the shadow of a nearby alcove. Ahead, he thought he could see a figure dressed in a black robe sitting cross-legged on the floor, chanting under his breath. Suddenly, bright light flared around him and shot towards them, striking Eliza and surrounding her with a golden glow. The figure stood and turned and Malfoy drew his wand; he was wearing a black bandana and his eyes were two burning golden points.

He spoke, his voice coarse and cruel;

"So perish all half-bloods."

Malfoy shoved Eliza back, firing a stunning spell. Impossibly, the figure stepped aside and kept coming, drawing his wand and a knife from inside his robes.

"Come on!"

Draco yelled, dragging Eliza down the corridor, as a stunning spell struck the wall behind them. They kept running until they reached a staircase and Draco's frantically working mind saw an opportunity.

"I've got a plan." He whispered.

"Just get ready to stun him."

Draco pushed into the cover behind the balustrade and moved to press himself against the wall, watching the door they'd come through. He just hoped it was dark enough...The masked figure stepped through and Malfoy cast Wingardium Leviosa on the suit of armour near the bottom of the stairs, causing it to topple over with a deafening crash. Malfoy pressed himself as close to the wall as he could, as the intruder spun towards the source of the noise. In the same instant, Eliza rose from her crouch to fire a stunning spell that caught him in the back, pitching him forward onto the flagstones. Quickly, Draco raced down the stairs, conjuring ropes to bind the intruder's hands and feet.

"What is going...Merciful Merlin, what happened here?"

Malfoy turned to see Professor McGonagall, finding himself relieved to see a Teacher, even if it had to be her. Quickly, he related what had happened, watching as her expression became more and more concerned.

"You two need to talk to the Headmaster, immediately."

Elsewhere in the castle, Hermione and Ron were also patrolling the corridors, talking in hushed whispers.

"...not saying that, Hermione. But, he was asking for it."

Hermione smiled, coolly and patiently.

"He may well have been, but you're a Prefect. You can't just go around jinxing students who talk back to you."

Hermione paused;

"Even if he did deserve it. We took House Points off him, that's enough."

Ron didn't look convinced, muttering under his breath. Suddenly he stopped, nudging Hermione in the ribs.

"Who's that?"

He whispered.

Hermione followed his gaze to where a student was standing further down the corridor, gazing around with cold intensity. He wore a Prefect's badge and the blue-trimmed robes of a Ravenclaw.

"That's Neill Reddard, remember? He was one of the new Prefects this year. Don't you remember meeting him on the train?"

"No. "

Said Ron, unconcerned, making Hermione roll her eyes.

As they watched, he turned and strode down the corridor, towards a couple of second years, who looked up at him anxiously.

Hermione heard him say;

"You two, come with me!"

Both students exchanged frightened glances and Hermione strode forward, Ron right behind her, hand close to his wand. She addressed him with a steely tone of challenge in her voice.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Neill turned slowly towards her, smiling in a way that didn't seem to carry over to his eyes.

"What?"

He asked, coldly, although Hermione was not intimidated.

"I want to know what these students have done, and where you're taking them."

She replied, levelly.

"I really don't see that it's any business of yours."

"I'm Head Girl and I'm making it my business. I didn't see any rules being broken."

"Not school rules, no."

He replied, with a satisfied smirk.

"You two can go. And no more dawdling in the halls. "Hermione said, to the frightened students, who gratefully turned and walked away hurriedly.

Hermione rounded on Neill again.

"If I catch you intimidating students again, I'll report you to your Head of House.

"If I were you, Head Girl, I'd stay out of my way, if you know what's good for you."

Ron had heard enough. Striding forward, he stood almost toe-to-toe with Reddard, staring him in the eye.

"Yeah, well, you mess with her; you've got to deal with me, as well."

He snarled, angrily.

Reddard merely smiled;

"Well, now, won't that be fun?"

He said, turning on his heel and striding away.

"He's a bundle of laughs, isn't he?"

Ron said, scowling at his retreating back.

"I think,' Hermione said slowly, 'we'll need to keep an eye on him."

Draco sat in the Headmasters Office, watching Eliza from the corner of his eye. She had been silent while McGonagall had summoned Professor Li to take care of the prisoner and during the walk to the Headmasters study.

"I wanted to thank you."

She said, quietly, turning to fix him with a stare.

"I...feel irritated, though. I should have been able to look after myself."

She laughed, sardonically;

"Being a damsel in distress isn't really worthy of a Slytherin."

"I know how you feel. Still, I've seen what comes of trying to be a loner. Anyway, after that shot you made, no-one would think of you as a damsel in distress."

Malfoy paused, suddenly remembering something.

"'So perish all half-bloods'. What did he mean by that?"

Something like panic flashed in Eliza's eyes.

"Alright, I'm a half-blood. Happy? My Mother was a Muggle."

She seemed to sag in her chair.

"I know how some Slytherins feel about half-bloods, so I kept quiet."

With a sinking feeling, Malfoy had a suspicion who she was talking about.

"I...used to think that way." He said, slowly.

"Now, I'm not so sure. I've seen that Purebloods aren't infallible."

He didn't know why he was telling her, only that now he had started talking about what had been burning around his head for weeks, it was impossible to stop.

"My Family's pureblood. They thought that Voldemort would help Purebloods regain their former glory."

Eliza's eyes widened at hearing Voldemort's name, but she didn't interrupt.

"And where did that get him? Thrown in Azkaban! Pure-blood. Half-blood. It doesn't make any difference. My Father wasn't strong enough to save himself. I won't make the same mistake; I'll become stronger and smarter, so that no one will ever have power over me!"

Malfoy was about to continue, when the door opened and Professor Fallstone entered, sitting behind his desk, fixing them both with a scrutinising stare.

"Professor McGonagall has informed me what has occurred. Now, I wished to speak to you both; as you've had time to think, is there anything that you wish to add? Anything that might be relevant, however slight?"

Draco exchanged a glance with Eliza, before replying;

"How did someone manage to get inside Hogwarts, and what was that spell he cast? Aren't there supposed to be defences around the castle?"

Malfoy asked, feeling his ebbing adrenaline turning to anger.

Professor Fallstone, however, did not seem perturbed.

"Very weighty questions, Mr Malfoy. With equally important answers. I regret, however, that I cannot answer your first question and can only offer speculation about the second. While it would not be impossible to penetrate the defences around this castle, it would require a skilled practitioner. One thing we do know is that the intruder was only concerned with gaining entrance, not remaining undetected. When he breached the seals and wards, he in essence shattered them, immediately triggering the alarm spells, which is how Professor McGonagall found you so quickly. In answer to your second question, I believe his spell was simply to track the nearest Muggle-born. After that, his intentions were chillingly obvious."

Professor Fallstone stood up and walked towards the door;

"I will be making an announcement in the morning. I suggest that you both attempt to get some sleep, if you are able."

When they had gone, Professor Fallstone turned to find Professor McGonagall standing behind him.

"Was that wise, Headmaster? Telling them so much?"

"Professor McGonagall, we are Teachers.

We have a duty to educate our students, not protect them from hard truths. You know this, Minerva; I need not remind you of Professor Umbridge and her methods. No, they must learn to protect themselves. And that is where our Mr Potter will come in to his own.

Minerva offered him a tight-lipped look of disapproval;

"Potter is a gifted student but, hasn't he been through enough? Surely he needs some time to rest?" After all he's been through..."

"Minerva, Mr Potter needs to be engaged. Too much time to think will do him no good. This project will give him something else to focus on. When the time comes, we will need him to be ready. "

Harry sat down in the Great Hall with Ron, as well as Hermione and Ginny, who were still exuding a frosty sense of distance. He'd filled them in on what Professor Fallstone had asked him to do, although they couldn't understand why. Hermione's theory that it would help the students pass their exams was the most logical, although Harry had a feeling that there was more to it than that. This feeling was reinforced by the Prefects being told that each House was to be in the Great Hall by 8:00.

At just after 8:00, Professor Fallstone moved to stand by the lectern, the Hall falling silent immediately.

"Good morning. I have a very serious announcement. Last night, an intruder entered the castle and attacked two students. No-one was hurt and the intruder was eventually subdued. However, this was no random attack. While the Ministry has not confirmed this, I am certain that the Purity Sect is responsible."

At his words, nervous whispers ran round the Hall; it was clear that the Purity Sect was known to some people there.

Harry, however, hadn't heard of them.

"For those of you who are unaware, the Purity Sect is a political organisation who strongly believes in the superiority of Pure-blood. While you may debate their philosophies among yourselves, it is suspected that they have criminal connections. While I hope this was an isolated incident, it will not be taken lightly. At my request, the Minister for Magic has agreed to assign a small squad of Aurors for the defence of the school. They will be headed by Tyrold Kincaid, who will become a familiar face to all of you."

He gestured to a tall man with short cut brown hair and a serious expression in drab, black clothes standing beside the staff table.

"Mr Kincaid and his staff are here for your protection. If you see or hear anything suspicious, bring it to their attention immediately. Otherwise, I will ask you not to distract or hinder them."

He paused for a moment, his gaze sweeping the hall.

"While I fully expect these measures to be successful, it is prudent to prepare for the worst. Many of you will have heard of the unofficial student organisation named Dumbledore's Army. From today, I will be reviving the spirit of this organisation, with the establishment of the Defensive Studies Club. This will be an extra-curricular organisation, for the purpose of improving your defensive magic. This club will be run by Senior Student Harry Potter, under the supervision of Professor Li. Any students interested in signing up should speak to their Head of House. "

He cast a steady gaze around the hall, before continuing.

"I know this news is disturbing; The Ministry says that they will do all within their power to protect you. That is a laudable goal. However, I prefer to give you the knowledge and skills to defend yourselves, should the worst occur. And now, to your lessons. "

The Students began filling out, frenzied chatter erupting as soon as they reached the corridor.

"...worried, now...supposed to be impossible to get in...Dumbledore's Army...Potter again."

With Hermione off to Ancient Runes, Harry took the opportunity to confront Ginny.

"How long are you going to keep giving Hermione the cold shoulder?"

He asked, softly.

"When she stops being such a know-it-all!"

Ginny shot back, her tone acid.

"She's not a 'know-it-all'." Harry replied.

"She's brilliant and your best friend. Can't you...?"

"Not while she's got to be right about everything."

Ginny snapped, turning to stalk down the corridor, frightening a couple of first years as stormed past. Harry decided to hold his tongue, hoping that he would have more luck with Hermione. However, when he tried to talk to her over lunch, she refused to listen.

"If Ginny's jealous, then that's her problem."

She said, before heading off to the Library in a huff.

Harry spent the rest of the day racking his brains to think of a way to get Hermione and Ginny to make up, although his efforts were slightly derailed when he received a note from Professor Li, informing him that the first Defensive Studies meeting would be held the coming Saturday and requesting that he meet her in her office at 8:00 tomorrow to discuss his initial plans.

Ginny walked across the grounds towards the Quidditch Pitch, pulling her scarf tighter across her mouth. Harry had said he wanted to meet her here to discuss possible new players, 'away from prying eyes'.

Emerging from the archway under the Stadium, she looked up at the three goalposts, with a flutter of excitement.

She was eager for the start of the Quidditch Season. She looked around the Stadium for Harry and saw him sitting in the stands. As she got closer, however, she saw that he wasn't alone. Sitting next to him, and pointedly ignoring her, was Hermione.

"What is she doing here?"

Ginny demanded, hotly.

Hermione's eyes flashed and Harry spoke quickly, before she could snap back.

"Hermione's here because I asked her to be. There's something I wanted to talk to you both about. You both know that Professor Fallstone is asking me to run his Defensive Studies Club. And I want you both to help me, as Instructors. You two were among the best students in the DA and you've both fought beside me. Hermione, you're the smartest student in our year; you know more magical theory and application than anyone and how to use it under pressure. And Ginny, you've got a quick mind and a quicker wand arm, as well as an edge of cunning that I'll need you to pass on. But, I've no use for either of you, if this bickering continues."

Harry's expression softened and he continued.

"You both know what you need to do. Good night. "

Harry got up and walked away, leaving the two young women sitting in uncomfortable silence.

Eventually, Ginny sighed and turned to Hermione.

"I've been really stupid, haven't I? I'm sorry, Hermione. I never meant to hurt you. It's just, I felt jealous. And that's crazy; you're the closest thing I've got to a sister. And, with six brothers to deal with, that means a lot to me."

Hermione gave Ginny's hand a squeeze;

"That's alright, Gin. If I'm honest, I've always been a little intimidated by you. With how confident you always are."

She smiled and stood up.

"Anyway, there's nothing more to be said. Come on, I've got a box of Honeydukes chocolate that Mum sent me, and I can't eat them all myself. Oh, wait a moment. "

Hermione pointed her wand into the Stadium and said, in a drawn out whisper;

"Haaa-rrry"

There was a startled cry and Harry reappeared, looking guilty.

"Alright, alright. Still, I had to know if everything was okay. What was that, anyway?"

Hermione smiled, with mock cruelty.

"Resonatius. It sends your voice through any solid surface. I needed a chance to test it properly."

Harry laughed;

"Come on. Let's get Ron, Neville and Luna and do some planning. I need to have something to show to Professor Li by tomorrow.

Harry entered Professor Li's office, several rolls of Parchment under his arm.

After Snape's brief ownership, Harry was glad to feel safe in this office again, even if Professor Li was somewhat stern. Harry moved towards the desk and stopped, having to do a double-take.

Despite being dressed in her usual style of robes, Professor Li had unwound her hair, which fell in a black cascade around her neck and shoulders.

"Don't stand there looking startled, Potter; sit down."

Harry did so, and Professor Li smiled at him, warmly.

"Dragon's scales, Potter, you'd think I was going to roast you alive, judging by the look on your face. I'm only stern in the classroom, Potter. I want this to be an informal meeting. Now, let's hear what you've got in mind."

"It's pretty simple, really. I've picked five other students, to help me oversee things."

"These would be Mr Weasley and Mr Longbottom, as well as Ms Granger, Ms Weasley and Ms Lovegood, yes?"

Seeing Harry's startled expression, she continued.

"I'm aware of your 'inner circle', Potter. They are all excellent students and I have no problem with their involvement, provided that you hold them to the same standards that you expect of yourself. Now, how to you plan to organise the individual lessons?"

"For the first lesson, everyone will do the same exercises. We'll cover some basic spells, like Expelliarmus, and see how they get on. Those who need more practice can keep going, while the ones who show more promise can move onto more challenging magic. That'll be the basic class, which will run for an hour and a half. After that will be an advanced class. Initially, that'll be for my instructors only. Eventually, I'll expand it to include the more competent students."

Professor Li smiled;

"Excellent, Potter. I have no problems with your approach. Now, I wish to impress something on you. I hope that you will make it clear to all your members that this is not an extension of the Duelling Club. They are not to use what you teach them for settling school ground arguments. Do I make myself clear?"

Harry nodded;

"Yes, Professor."

"Excellent. We'll meet again after you're first meeting. Good Evening, Mr Potter."

On Saturday, Harry stood in the Great Hall, watching the Students enter in ones and twos. Suddenly, Harry felt a jolt of shock, as he caught sight of a flash of blonde hair.

Malfoy!

Harry marched forward, drawing his wand automatically, putting himself directly in Malfoy's path. He was vaguely aware of Ron and Ginny and Neville moving up behind him. Hermione stayed leaning against the wall, although Harry noticed that she had her hand near her wrist, ready to draw her own wand.

Malfoy stopped before him, a brown-haired girl at his side, both of them staring coolly at him.

"What do you want, Malfoy?"

Harry asked, as levelly as he could, aware of the students around him.

"Isn't it obvious, Potter? I'm here to join this 'club' of yours. Let's get started."

End of Chapter 3

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