A/N: Decided to add another OC, and a slightly different idea to this story. Hope you enjoy, and thanks for reading. If you notice any character mistakes, or mistakes at all, please let me know!
"Try again." Hermione said as she stepped back to stand under the large tree near Hagrid's cabin. "This time, keep your wrist stiff, Bren."
"Good luck in getting her to listen." Sirius said as he sat next to Hagrid watching the lesson. "I've been telling her that for days."
"Will you both just be quiet, please!" Brenda said, trying as hard as she could to follow their instructions.
She lifted her wand and concentrated, she tried to keep her wrist stiff as Hermione had told her to, but she found it extraordinarily difficult to break eighteen years of habit, good or bad.
"Brenda." Hermione groaned as she saw the older girl's wrist slack for a moment.
"What?" she asked in exasperation, bringing her wand down, and along with it, a tree branch from the tree next to Hagrid's house.
"That was a bit too close." Hagrid said as he walked over to pick up the branch. "A few feet more and I woulda been homeless."
"I'm sorry." Brenda said impatiently. "This is useless." she added.
"You just need more practice." Hermione said.
"I've been practicing for a week straight, and no improvements at all." she retorted.
"One, Snape still has both eyebrows." Sirius laughed.
"Keep it up, Black." Brenda warned, raising her wand.
"Just joking, you're taking this far too seriously." he replied as he got up and looked up at the damaged tree. "Clean break." he commented.
"Oh, so it's not all jagged, goody for me." she said as she tucked her wand into her jeans pocket. "I'm well on my way to becoming the master of all witches."
"I sense sarcasm." Sirius whispered to Hermione.
"I've never liked any of you." Brenda said. "Not since the first moment I saw you."
"You know you don't mean that." Sirius said, pinching her cheek in as an annoying way as possible.
"Especially you." she growled.
Hermione, Hagrid and Sirius laughed at her, agitating her even more. Their laughter was cut off by a loud sound coming from the school.
"What was that?" Hermione asked, looking over at the building and seeing smoke rise up from one of the towers.
"Hagrid, take the girls and keep them with you." Sirius said as he drew his own wand and headed of to the school.
"Sirius!" both girls called.
"Stay here!" he called back over his shoulder. "Keep them here." he ordered Hagrid again.
Hagrid dragged both girls behind him into his cabin and barred the door behind him. Hermione and Brenda went to the windows and peered out, trying to figure out what was happening.
"We can't just let him run off into trouble by himself." Hermione protested.
"He told me to keep you two here, and that's exactly what I'm gonna do." Hagrid said as he bent to peer out the window over Brenda's head.
"Harry and Ron are in there." Hermione said, moving from window to window to try to find the best vantage point.
"Sirius'll make sure they're okay." he said as he stood back up. "Just sit tight, he'll be back, with Harry and Ron in tow."
"I hope you're right." Hermione mumbled as a loud rumble shook the cabin.
Sirius ran as fast as he could into the school, looking around as students and teachers ran back and forth, trying to figure out what was happening. He looked around for Harry, but he didn't see him in the main hall. Remembering he'd left both Harry and Ron in the library with Neville, he headed that way. He had to know he was alright.
"This is absolutely ridiculous!" he heard Dumbledore say as he ran down a hall.
"Ludicrous." Snape said.
"What is going on?" he said as he walked to the two men, who were standing and talking to a young man, perhaps in his late twenties by his guess. "We need to get the students..."
"There is no threat." Dumbledore cut him off. "Apparently its an announcement of some sort."
"Of some sort?" the man said with a laugh. "Professor, your school has been chosen, this is a privilege."
"A privilege to have the school set upon and attacked?" Snape scoffed.
"Really, an institution such as this should be better prepared." the man said. "But, this is an honor for your school, nonetheless."
"Who is this?" Sirius asked. "What is he talking about?"
"Magical war-games." the man said with a smile. "Hogwarts has been chosen to participate."
"War games?" Sirius said in surprise.
"Yes, all fifth, sixth and seventh year students will be participating." the man nodded.
"And who are you?" Sirius asked.
"Reginald Thintwhistle." the man held his hand out. "Mr. Fudge sent me."
"You're not really going to let them take part in this, are you?" Sirius said, ignoring the man's outstretched hand.
"You haven't any choice." the man said, his tone icy. "Once chosen, you cannot refuse."
"I still feel you could have found a different way to inform us." Dumbledore said. "I do not take kindly to having my students and staff scared half to death."
"I apologize." Reginald said. "We will be making repairs though. And any students who may have been harmed, I can assure you, they were only minor wounds."
"How generous of you." Snape said dryly.
"Nothing your nurse cannot easily fix." Reginald added, fixing Snape with a sharp look.
"Sirius!" Harry's voice called from behind the group.
Sirius and the others turned to find Harry, Ron and Neville running towards them, dust covering their hair and clothes, and trying to catch their breath.
"What's going on?" Harry asked. "It's not..."
"No, it's not that." Sirius cut him off. "Come, I'll explain it to you all." he added, turning the boys away from the assembled group. "I've left the girls at Hagrid's. We need to let them know this was nothing."
"We need to talk." Dumbledore informed Reginald. "In my office, please."
"Who is that?" Ron asked as he looked over his shoulder.
"I'll explain when we get down to Hagrid's." Sirius repeated. "I'm sure Dumbledore will fill us all in more thoroughly later."
"Scared the heck out of me." Neville said. "Thought you-know-who was here."
"Not even something I want to imagine." Harry said as they passed a group of students who were being calmed by another teacher. "Can't seem to help it sometimes though." he added under his breath.
