Thanks for reviewing, lovelies!

Taylor Chase: You are a beautiful angel, a true gift from above. Thank you so much, dear! Millions of hugs your way!

Kira Lightwood, thanks for proofreading.

Selected excerpts from, The Private and Utterly Secret Journal of Pansy Rose Parkinson:

September 8

Today Draco was absent from Charms today. Then he missed all classes following. I was so worried about him, I didn't see him anywhere! Had he been injured? Called home? The possibilities were endless! Then, this evening when I was in the common room I saw him. I asked him where he had been but he sent me off and said he wanted to go to bed. I was humiliated.

September 9

After lunch, Draco missed all classes. I saw him holding a piece of paper during lunch but when I tried to get a closer look he snatched it back and told me to mind my own business. I wonder what he is up to. And, I wonder why he has not gotten reprimanded for it! Missing so many classes with no penalty? Something is up.

September 16

For the past week, Draco is missing after lunch. I tried asking other Slytherins if they knew where he was. Millicent said that Draco goes off to do things all the time and that I shouldn't question the model Slytherin. Crabbe and Goyle are as dumb as rocks. They knew nothing of his whereabouts. I'm very, very concerned.

September 23

Two weeks. It has been two weeks. Draco has not attended afternoon classes. I was about to approach him today when I saw him enter the common room but he looked so angry. I did not wish to disturb him in his enraged state so I didn't. Tomorrow I will investigate. I'm going to follow him. And, no, I will not get caught. If I want to be his wife one day I need to understand him and his secretive ways. This will help.

Draco Malfoy's pride was injured. The last training session went horridly and he really did not want to go today. But, he remembered Dumbledore saying that today they were going to do real action activities and that was way too tempting. He was going to have to suck it up and deal with it. Pride should not be an issue when you have sarcasm and wit as a shield, right?

The map he had received this morning led to another new place. The place marked was near the kitchens. Draco had never been near the kitchens. Why head there when food was always provided? Plus, house elves lurked there and he held no desire to see them. But, since his pride was already broken and stepped on, there was no point in not going.

Draco skipped lunch today. He did not want to see the gryffindor trio and he did not want to see that pestering Pansy either. She never left him alone these days! She asked where he went after lunch and he fabricated excuses left and right. Why did she even care so much? Thankfully, Draco knew she was too daft to ever try to find out what was happening. She was no better than a house elf, always eager to please. She would ask and try to help but she would never act.

Putting all thoughts of the idiotic Slytherin behind him, Draco picked up the textbook he had stolen from the restricted section. He skipped ahead to the page he had previously dog-eared and continued reading.

The Fire Shield Charm: Scutum Ignis

The Fire Shield Charm was once a very widely used spell in times of combat. After the fall of the Dark Lord in 1981 it rapidly fell out of fashion and it ceased being taught to young magical students. Many wizards often found this charm difficult to cast due to the fact that it requires a great burst of emotion and focus, much like a Patronus Charm (see page 34). While all this is true, The Fire Shield Charm is still a very useful spell in combat and all top witches and wizards are able to cast it.

Warning! When practicing this charm, please be aware of your surroundings as an uneducated witch or wizard could cause items to catch fire.

To cast this charm, think of something that brings you great emotion. This emotion can be positive or negative, the nature of it does not affect the spell. When you have your thought, aim your wand where you wish and clearly pronounce the incantation, scutum ignis. As you practice more and more you will find yourself able to control the shield and prevent items from catching fire.

Draco put the book down and turned to the wall. Yesterday, when he cast this charm over and over, he did not succeed. This was because he had sealed off all anger and cast the charm emotionlessly. He was trying to prove Dumbledore wrong. That you can cast this charm without emotion, but he was the wrong one.

"SCUPTUM IGNIS!" He screamed, throwing all his frustration, his anger, his fear, all into the spell. Fire burst from the tip of his wand and it towered over him. A strong shield, much taller than Potter's or Weaselette's or even Granger's stood in front of him. Draco grinned proudly. He had done it!

Looking at the clock, his happiness melted away. Lunch had ended nearly ten minutes ago! Usually the heirs met outside the Great Hall. Obviously this was not an agreement they made but after two weeks, it had become their silent routine. Draco groaned and started running towards the Great Hall.

When he finally reached there, he saw, with surprise, that the three other heirs were still there, waiting for him. And, they did not look angry.

"You waited for me?" he asked, incredulously.

"Of course!" Wea—Ginny said.

"We're a team now, we have to stick together." Potter said, though it looked like the words scalded his mouth.

"We wouldn't leave you, Draco." Granger said, and when she raised her eyes, her look was so genuinely kind that he had to look away.

Draco pondered saying something sarcastic and rude, something that would remind them that he was a Slytherin and their enemy. But at the last minute he changed his mind, "That was uh…very n-nice of you all." he said awkwardly, fixating on the wall.

The walk to the kitchens was deathly silent and uncomfortable. Draco was grateful they had waited at first, but now he wished they had just gone ahead. He wasn't used to kindness. He didn't want kindness.

When they finally reached the marked entrance, they pulled out their maps and stood together. There was a groaning noise and a gravelly voice said, "Hello."

In the last two weeks, Draco's dignity had gone from one hundred percent to twenty five. So, he supposed it must have dropped to zero when he let out a shrill scream and jumped back, even though the three Gryffindors did the same.

"Who said that?" he demanded angrily, stepping forward.

"I did."

They all whirled around to see the gargoyle, lounging happily on the wall, looking at them.

"What? Just because I'm made of stone means I'm not allowed to talk?"

Draco was speechless so it was a relief when Granger stepped forward and said, "Of course not…Mister Gargoyle. We just wanted to know how to enter the training room. Has Professor Dumbledore told you to expect us?"

The gargoyle sniffed as though it was his pride that had been injured, "Possibly."

"Please! We really need to be in there!" she begged.

"Oh fine. He said something about a combined fire shield charm."

"Combined…oh! He wants us all to cast it and then we should be able to get in!" Granger announced.

Almost immediately Draco could feel three pairs of eyes on him. He grit his teeth and said, "I can do it."

Granger nodded and raised her wand, the others following in unison.

"Scutum ignis!" All the heirs said. Draco's eyes widened in sheer amazement as all four jets of fire joined together to form an immense shield that made him feel about an inch tall.

"It's beautiful." Ginny whispered, awe in her eyes.

They all stood staring for a few more seconds until the shield melted away and in its place stood a door. Draco stepped forward and twisted the knob.

Pansy was lost. She had looked all over lunch for Draco but he was not there. Now he was not going to come to lunch either? Pansy knew she was late for Transfiguration but she couldn't care less. She decided to search the entire castle. It would take ages, but she had to run into him at some point.

She ran out of the Great Hall and saw Potter and his gang waiting outside the doors. Why were they still here? Lunch had ended five minutes ago and those goody two-shoes would never ever be late, especially not that Hermione Granger. Forget them she thought, they aren't important. Then, she continued running.

When Hermione opened her eyes, she took in her surroundings. They had landed in a maze. The walls were at least thirty feet tall and made of curly vines. The ground was made of dirt paths and she was curious as to where they led. Hermione turned to discuss where to go with her team when she realized they were alone. Where had Ginny, Harry, and Draco gone? She was frightened for a moment but then realized it must be part of Dumbledore's "action activity".

Hermione had landed at an intersection where she could turn left or right. After thinking for a moment she decided to turn right. As she was walking she began to feel cold. The temperature of the air went down and the green leafy walls of the maze began to turn yellow and brown. She cast a quick warming charm and kept walking.

The light in the maze began to dim and dim until Hermione could barely see a foot in front of her.

"Lumos." She whispered.

When she could see again, she let out a scream. There was a swarm of dementors in front of her. Of course! The chill, the dim lights.

"Expecto patronum!" A weak trail of silver poured out of her wand and onto the closest dementor. Nothing happened, it didn't even flinch. Hermione's knees felt weak and she knew she was running out of time.

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" She cried desperately. A silver otter flew out of her wand and hit the dementor, pushing it back and off of her. Her victory was short lived though, because there were still plenty of dementors waiting. She cast the patronus over and over until they were all gone.

When she had gotten passed the dementors, she was breathing hard and was terrified of what might come at her next. She walked for about five minutes in serenity. In fact, the silence was eerie. She was never sure when something would pop out at her.

There was a crackling noise and something came straight for her head. She ducked and when she looked up, she saw that it was a giggling cornish pixie. It flew passed the wall and didn't come back. She was so distracted looking for it, she didn't even notice until she ran straight into a wall of warmness. Hermione looked up slowly and bit back a squeal.

The monster that haunted her first year dreams, the monster that brought her together with Harry and Ron stood in front of her. A thirteen foot tall troll stood in front of her, and he looked angry. She ducked and rolled through his legs and kept running, casting stunning charms behind her. Without warning, the troll grabbed her and picked her up. Her wand flew from her hand and she was now eye level with him.

Hermione summoned all her strength and kicked the troll in him in the eye. He let out an agonized cry and she fell to the ground. Pain shot up her entire right side and she struggled to stand up. She groped around for her wand and kept her eyes on the disoriented troll who was now fumbling towards her. When she found it, a brilliant idea struck her. She cast a fire shield charm between herself and the troll and it worked.

The troll was trapped and Hermione took this opportunity to run. She ran recklessly, taking random turns, not thinking where she would end up until she saw familiar purple robes.

"Professor Dumbledore?"

"Well done, Miss Granger. I'm very proud of you. Are you alright? That was quite a fall."

"I'm fine, sir. Where are the others?"

"They will be here soon. You all started in different corners of the maze."

Hermione nodded. What a day it had been!

Walking all over the castle was not fun. Pansy was tired. She was walking towards the kitchens when she heard a joyful laugh. She ducked into another hall and peeked out. She had to stifle a gasp when she saw Draco, Potter, Hermione, and the Weasley girl all walking together like best friends.

Okay so I have a list of excuses for the lateness of this but I highly doubt you want to hear them. Let's just say, it's been a hectic two weeks!

Once again, thank you all so much!