"I don't remember that happening before." Neville whispered.
"It didn't." Harry quietly agreed, "But I didn't go home until summer my first year."
"What are you four doing hiding over here?" they heard a voice behind them that made them all jump and turn around with wands drawn.
"What is Remus' animagus nickname?" Harry asked.
"It's Moony but he's not an animagus." Sirius looked at him puzzled.
The four sighed and put their wands away. Harry looked back and the woman was still standing there. He motioned to Sirius to look and watched as the man got a shocked look on his face then looked back the way he came and saw the real Molly Weasley coming towards them.
"Wait here." he said, "Remus keep an eye on these four."
"What's going on?" he asked as Molly Weasley caught up to them.
Harry explained what had happened on the platform and Molly peeked around the corner but didn't see anyone.
"How did you know it wasn't me?" Molly asked.
"We were worried because she said Remus and Sirius were waiting at the Burrow for us. Professor Dumbledore said they were going to pick him up here." Ron explained, "So I said something rude about Luna and she just patted my head and said don't be rude."
"Hermione then grabbed our hands and said, come meet my parents and we all ran." Harry added, "The woman tried to grab me but I ducked and here we are."
"Well done." Molly said then turned to Ron, "You're just lucky it wasn't me."
"I would never say anything bad about Luna." Ron said, "She's one of my five best friends."
"Who's the fifth?" Remus asked only counting three here and then Luna.
"Ginny." Ron stated, "We've always been close."
"They have." Molly agreed, "It's very nice to consider her one of your best friends."
"Being away from her this year has really made me miss her." Ron said, "She at home?"
"No she's at Luna's. " Sirius interrupted her train of thought when he returned with Percy and the twins.
"Couldn't catch her." he huffed, "She disapparated."
"We need to talk to Albus." Molly stated, "Why don't you all come to the Burrow. I'm sure he'll want all four points of view. We need to find Augusta."
"I saw her on the platform and she'll meet us there." Sirius said, "I was sure Albus would want them together too."
"What about my parents?" Hermione asked.
"Do you see them?" Remus asked.
"There." she pointed and the group approached them.
A short conversation later and the Grangers were headed back home without Hermione and with a slightly altered version of the story.
When asked to explain the changes she said, "If they knew about Voldemort they'd never let me come back. I'll be much better off if I can learn to protect myself. They really won't understand."
"Harry has made us get used to the name." Ron informed the three shocked adults, "Fear of the name increases the fear of the thing or something like that. He says Voldemort so we've learned to tolerate it and even say it once in a while."
At the Burrow they were waiting for Dumbledore to show up. Harry and his friends were getting Remus and Sirius to recount tales of their own time at Hogwarts. When Sirius mentioned talking to each other while in separate detentions Harry jumped on it.
"How did you talk to him?" he asked.
"We had two way mirrors. I could say his name and his would warm up." Sirius answered, "Then he would pick it up and we could talk."
"Did you have one too Remus?" he asked.
"No they could only get two to work." he replied, "Since they were in detentions more than I was I didn't need it."
"What charm did you use?" Hermione asked.
After a few more minutes the Headmaster arrived, "What happened?"
After the story was told again Harry asked the question, "So who would want to kidnap me?"
"The easier question would probably be who doesn't mate." Ron put a hand on his shoulder.
Ginny and Luna arrived and had to hear the story again. They group of eight kids went outside to spend some time in the orchard while the adults discussed what had happened. As soon as they were out of sight Ginny grabbed Harry in a tight hug.
"I'm alright." Harry stroked her head, "We always practice constant vigilance."
Ginny almost giggled when he said it but it came out sounding more like a sob, "Quit scaring me like that."
"He didn't do anything." George said as he pulled them further into the orchard.
"He never does." Ron stated, "Trouble just seems to find him. The snake went ok though."
Harry glared at him as Ginny pulled away and asked, "What snake?"
"Ummm." Harry stalled.
"You went after it didn't you?" she looked at him with wet eyes.
"I didn't want you to have to go through it again." he said simply.
"I wouldn't have written in it." she stomped away.
"I did it on the off chance that someone else gets the book this time." Harry followed her and pulled lightly on her arm to get her to turn around, "I know you wouldn't have. If someone else gets it they will and then any one of us could be killed by it. It was just a preventative measure. Besides we used a cockerel this time so we weren't in any danger of getting bit again."
"How did he do it last time?" Fred mumbled his question to Ron who told them the whole story, "Blimey."
By this time Harry and Ginny were hugging again. She pulled away and asked, "So what are your plans for the rest of the year?"
"Communication mirrors." Harry said as they all sat in a big circle.
"Harry did you ward us?" Hermione asked.
"Yes."
"When did you do that?" George asked.
"As we walked down the hill." he replied.
"I didn't even see your wand." Fred added.
"I don't need one for certain things." Harry said, "Basic wards, light and a few other things. I'm going to work on building it up over the next couple of years. Last time the only thing I had tried was light so everything else is newly learned this year."
"How do you learn to do wandless magic?" Luna asked.
"I started by looking for my wand when I dropped it." Harry said, "I just called out lumos and hoped for the best."
"Should we try it?" she asked.
"When you get to school next year I think it would be a good idea." Harry said, "How are the occlumency exercises going?"
Each of the seven others described their progress. They had just started on the Guardian uniform choice and why when the wards tripped.
"Someone's coming." Harry got everyone's attention, "So do you think we'll win the cup?"
"With you as the seeker Harry it's in the bag." Fred gave him a high five.
"Of course it is." Sirius added as he joined the group, "Sorry to break this up but it's time to go."
"Can they come over tomorrow and see the place?" Harry asked.
"No sorry. Dumbledore says no visitors until summer." Sirius apologized.
"That means you guys have to come here." George told him, "Do you have your broom?"
"I never leave home without it." Harry laughed.
"Hermione you have to come too." Sirius said, "Remus is going to take you home."
The twins jumped up and started quizzing Sirius on pranks. Harry had let it slip early in the year that the map was made by Sirius, Remus and his dad. With Sirius' attention on the twins, Harry and Hermione were able to give hugs and small kisses to Ginny and Ron respectively.
Harry gasped as he opened his eyes after apparating. Sirius had taken him side along to get to their home. It was a decent sized home out in the country. Large trees surrounded the property which included a quidditch pitch in the back. Remus had shown him the note with the address before he left the Weasleys. Harry was grinning like mad when he turned to Sirius.
"This is perfect."
"I know." Sirius grinned back, "Just wait till you see the inside."
The duo made their way up to the house and in the front door. Looking around Harry found himself in a small entryway with a closet on one side and a comfy looking living room on the other. Sirius walked into the living room pulling Harry along with him.
"This is the living room. We have a kitchen and dining room through that door." Sirius indicated a door at one end of the room. Upstairs are the bedrooms, we each have our own bathroom. "
"Kitchen sounds like a good place to start." Harry said as his stomach growled.
"Let me show you your bedroom first so you can put you stuff away." Sirius grinned.
The week flew by and the group found themselves back at Hogwarts and in the library. Hermione found the spell they used on the mirrors but she kept looking. She wanted to connect all six mirrors together. In addition Ron, Neville and Harry began to research their own things. Harry concentrated on becoming an animagus, Neville looked into plants that could alter the polyjuice potion and Ron said he was working on a surprise and wouldn't tell any of them what it was.
"I've found a potion that will help us." Harry whispered to his friends, "I'm going to need some supplies though. I don't think they will get here before summer."
"So home work over the summer is read up on the transformation?" Neville asked.
"Yes. I've ordered six copies of the book I think will help us the most." Harry said, "I can't believe this year is going so fast."
"At least we're ahead of the game." Ron stated.
"What are you all doing inside on such a nice day?" Professor McGonagall approached their table.
"Studying." Hermione replied, "We have to be ready for the end of term exams."
"Your bodies also require sunlight for health." she smiled, "Take your books with you."
"I was done anyway." Harry said, "Let's go."
"I'll be right behind you." Ron said as he furiously took notes.
"He's channeling Hermione." Neville whispered, she heard and smacked his arm lightly.
"Wonder what he's working on." Harry commented as they walked out the doors.
"He won't tell me." Hermione frowned, "He even spelled his book so I couldn't read the title or any of the words."
"I wouldn't need to if you weren't so nosy." Ron caught up to them.
"I want to know." Hermione whined at him.
"I know." he replied with a grin, "You will know just as soon as I'm finished."
At dinner that evening Dumbledore made an announcement, "Attention. I wanted to inform you all that I have found a replacement DADA professor. Thank you for your attention during my stint at teaching again I hope you all do well on your exams. The new professor will be teaching for the remainder of this year and all of next."
"Oh please no." Harry mumbled.
"Please welcome Gilderoy Lockhart." light applause broke out in the hall as he entered from the room behind the professors table.
"Maybe we should form the DA early." Neville groaned after a few halfhearted claps.
"Unbelievable." Hermione dropped her head in her hands, "He's such a moron."
"How can you say that?" Lavender scooted over to Hermione, "He's simply dreamy."
"Have you read his books?" Neville asked.
"No, but my mum say's they are fabulous." she smiled, "This will be a real treat to be taught by him."
"He's a ninny." Dean argued, "Look he can't he even hold his wand right."
"I bet he uses more hair products than you do." Seamus added.
Ron busted out laughing at Seamus and Dean's rebuttals. The same arguments were being held all up and down the table, in fact all the student tables were arguing. The professors table was unusually quiet. Harry notice that most of the professors were trying hard not to frown at the excited man sitting next to Snape. He had to suppress his grin though because Snape was the one professor not even trying to hold in a scowl.
"Harry what do you think." someone pulled him out of his thoughts.
"What?"
"What do you think of the new professor?" Parvati asked.
"He's a fraud." Harry shrugged, "I picked up one of his books in the library earlier this year and the spells he says he uses are utter nonsense. Then just to see if it was a onetime deal I tried to read another one. The problem is he said he was in Transylvania fighting a vampire at the same time he says he was in Ireland fighting a banshee. Can't be two places at once. He's full of hippogriff dung."
The girls looked disappointed but he boys looked jubilant. Lavender tried to argue, "But if he's a fraud why hire him?"
"The position is jinxed." Fred leaned over to inform them, "Everyone who has taken it in the last ten or so years has ended up dead or gone at the end of the year. They're finding it very difficult to find a good defense professor."
"Obviously." Seamus muttered, "I think me mum could do a better job than this idiot."
"I wonder if we can get him to quit by the end of the year." Hermione suggested thoughtfully.
"Hermione!" several people exclaimed.
"Don't get him kicked out too early." Harry said, "I'd hate to end up with a ministry employee who is just taking up space."
"Just by the end of the year." she shook her head, "I don't think he can do much for the rest of this year. I just don't want next year to be a total wash. I could see him having us buy all his books for his classes."
"But they're so expensive." Parvati gasped, "My mum had to save hard to buy the set. How would we ever afford two more?"
"Try five sets." Ron sighed, "Percy, Fred, George, me and my sister Ginny will start next year."
"So Hermione how are we going to chase him out?" Parvati leaned towards her dorm mate.
"Let me think on it a while." she responded thoughtfully. After a moment she grinned evilly, "Fred, George we might need to have a talk."
"This is going to be so much fun." Lavender exclaimed.
"Just be sure you keep it quiet." Harry said, "We don't want to be the ones blamed for it."
"We'll talk about it tonight in the common room." Hermione shushed them.
Later that night they started in on her, "What are we going to do?"
"At first nothing." she said, "We have to give him time to get comfortable in our eagerness to have him as a teacher. But during the last month of school we'll begin to slowly drive him crazy."
"Figuratively." Neville added, "We don't want him to end up in St. Mungo's." he almost said again.
Harry's first defense class with him was a total disaster as far as he was concerned. Lockhart had drug him up to the front of the class to do a demonstration. He told Harry he was going to use a spell on him and he needed to deflect it. Shield spells were around Christmas so he easily performed it. Lockhart had the gall to award him twenty points for a spell all of them had been able to do. In classes over the next month Lockhart didn't teach anything. He filled them with ideas for dueling clubs and parties that he was planning for the next year. He also talked extensively about himself, his favorite color, his ideas for world peace, his favorite food and his awards. By the beginning of the last month of school many people were trying to find ways to get rid of the man. Fifth and Seventh years skipped his class completely so they could go to the library and work on defense. Sixth and Fourth years were terrified they would be stuck with him for their OWL and NEWT years.
"Time to begin operation Clear Defense." Hermione stated as she entered the common room behind her friends, "Who is going to help?"
"Me!" nearly everyone shouted.
"My sister is in Ravenclaw they are all trying to come up with ideas to get rid of him too." Parvati added.
"Tell them it's being taken care of." Hermione said, "Just don't say by whom."
"What are we going to do?" Fred asked as he rubbed his hands together.
"First we need someone to sneak into his quarters and fill his shampoo with this." she pulled out a vial.
"We've got it." Fred said.
"We found his quarters a few weeks ago." George added.
"Just in case we needed to get in." they finished together.
"Shampoo only." Hermione instructed, "We'll be hitting the other things later. Next sixth years we need you to start asking about the NEWT exam. Hard, extensive questions. Fourth years same about OWLs. Everyone else start in on the end of term exams."
Harry and his friends slipped into the room of requirement. Instead of the regular meeting room they normally requested they just asked for a place to hide something. Mountains of junk were stacked all around them and Neville's mouth dropped open.
"This way." Harry called as he began to walk.
Hermione grabbed Neville's arm and pulled him with them. Harry followed the path he had in his mind and walked right to the blistered cabinet. He searched through the pile of junk and pulled out the diadem.
"I'm glad I have my mind organized. This was so much easier." he grinned at his friends.
"Yes and we won't have to run from fiend fire this time." Ron added.
"Definitely a plus." Neville commented.
Harry pulled the dagger out of his pocket and then out of its scabbard. He quickly stabbed the diadem through the middle gem and listened to the scream of its death. Hermione opened a bag and Harry dropped the ruined piece into it.
"One down." Ron crowed and grabbed Hermione up in a hug and kissed her soundly.
Harry and Neville laughed at their antics and the group headed out of the room, "Now maybe we can have a good defense professor."
"Why do you say that?" Hermione asked.
"There was a curse on that diadem besides his other spell." Harry grinned, "I believe it was a jinx."
"Why would he do that?" Hermione asked, "Didn't he want to be the professor."
"He did but he didn't expect Dumbledore to give it to him." Harry answered, "I think he would have removed the jinx had he gotten the job."
"Won't he figure it out if the next defense professor is able to stay?" Neville asked.
"I hadn't thought of that." Harry sighed, "Hopefully he'll just think the jinx wore off or better yet he won't find out."
