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"You look just like your father…"

Chapter 10

Harry dodged a red bolt which missed his shoulder by mere inches.

"Quicker, Harry! I know you can do better than that!" Lupin shouted and shot another bolt at Harry while dodging Harry's counter.

Harry continued dodging and firing and whirling until he was barely able to stand. He had been training with Lupin for almost two hours in the Room of Requirement. The Room had transformed into a obstacle course of sorts. There were traps and all kinds of ladders. Even boulders. Harry had been running all over the place dodging Lupin's various attacks. At first it had been fairly easy, but now Harry was feeling drained.

"Accio pillow!" Lupin shouted suddenly.

What the… Thought Harry bedazzled and a large yellow pillow caught him off guard hitting him straight in the face.

"Umph!"

"Do you yield?" Lupin asked snickering.

"Yeah, fine. I yield." Harry's voice came tiredly from under the pillow.

Lupin helped Harry stand up and offered him some chilled pumpkin juice. Harry's face was red and his breath was heaving unlike Lupin who was just a little out of breath.

"You did fine Harry, but we need to work on your speed. You're reflexes are excellent but without your broom, you're not as fast as you could be."

"What if I just carry my broom with me always?" Harry asked gulping more pumpkin juice.

"Heh, you know that's not the answer, Harry." Lupin responded smiling.

"Yeah, I know. What about those dodging spells you were talking about?"

"I'll teach them to you later. You're too exhausted to continue today. Here, have some more pumpkin juice and then off to the shower. I need to go see the Headmaster. We'll continue this next Saturday."

"Yeah, okay. Thanks, Lupin."

The werewolf only smiled in return and left the Room of Requirement just as it turned into a huge bathroom.

The next morning Harry woke up all groggy and aching when Ron came bursting through the dorm door shouting happily.

"Quidditch trials, Harry! Wake up! Wake up!"

"Wha… Huh?" Harry said trying to find his glasses not remembering he didn't need them anymore.

"Don't tell me you forgot already? Katie told us about the trials on Friday remember? Come on! We'll be late." Ron said grabbing his broom.

"Okay, okay. Just give me a sec." Harry said and groaned as he tried to get up too fast.

He changed to his Quidditch outfit and followed Ron getting his Firebolt on the way. Dumbledore had returned it to him when Harry had decided to continue playing Quidditch. They ran to the Quidditch field where most of the applicants were already gathered.

"I thought you weren't going to show up." Katie Bell greeted them. She was the only remaining member of the original Gryffindor team that Harry had joined his first year.

"Not that you really need to try out, Harry." She added smiling.

"Hey, what about me?" Ron asked offended.

"We'll see, won't we?" She said calmly.

"I think it's only fair we all try out again." Harry said. I might not even be able to play that much with the lesson with Lupin taking so much of my time.

"Whatever you want, Harry. Okay, people. Let's begin!" Katie yelled.

Ron held Harry's shoulder as the newly re-elected Seeker limped from the Quidditch field. Harry had almost lost the trials to Vincet Mochrie, a fifth year Gryffindor. His muscles were still very tired from the lesson with Lupin. Thank god, for my Firebolt.

The new chasers were Katie Bell (Captain), Damelza Robins and to Ron's shock Ginny Weasley. Richie Coote and Jimmy Peakes were the new Beaters, but sadly they weren't nearly as good as the Weasley twins had been. Ron was re-elected as the Keeper much to his joy.

"I knew they'd choose me. I mean really, it was pointless for me to even try out." The red head said pompously.

"Of course, Ron." Hermione said tiredly.

"Do you think we'll win the cup this year?" Ron asked Harry as they passed Hagrid's hut.

"I think we have a shot. At least with Katie being so adamant about having at least two training sessions a week." How am I ever going to manage all this extra work…

"Great playing, Harry!" Adel said smiling as she passed them, waking Harry from his reverie.

"What's she doing here?" Ron asked puzzled.

"I invited her to watch the trials with me." Hermione said while rummaging through her bag. "Where did I put that essay…"

"Oh…" Harry just said watching after Adel.

Monday morning

Harry was feeling a bit nervous when he and Hermione approached the dungeons for their first Potion lessons. He still couldn't quite comprehend that he had gotten an O in Potions and was expecting Snape to throw him out of the class. Of course that didn't happen and the look on Malfoy's face when he saw that Harry was in the Newt class was priceless.

"Quiet!" Snape bellowed even though the class was already almost silent. "Welcome to the Potions Newt class. I don't know how you dimwits managed to get an O from the OWL's but I expect you to know what you're doing now. Today we won't be making a potion per se, but an anti-aging lotion."

"Anti-aging lotion? What is this? A beauty salon?" snickered Thomas Bogget to his friend.

"15 points from Ravenclaw, mister Bogget!" Snape shouted instantly. "This is no ordinary lotion."

Snape demonstrated this by pouring a small dribble of the lotion on to a wooden chair. It changed instantly into a small tree sprout.

"Shall we see what you would look like as an infant, mister Bogget?" the Potions master sneered.

"N-no, sir." Thomas gulped.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Get your ingredients and get to work!" Snape said and whirled around.

All in all, Harry was feeling quite proud of himself. He hadn't lost any points from Gryffindor and when he bottled the lotion he had brewed (with an occasional hint or two from Hermione), he was fairly sure it was the right color and density. Snape hadn't even glared at him… much. The first time Snape actually addressed Harry was at the end of the lesson.

"Mr. Potter! A word?"

Harry asked Hermione to wait for him outside the class and walked to Snape's desk.

"Yes, Sir?" Harry asked wondering what he had done this time. He couldn't have noticed that extra frog skin I slipped in Malfoy's lotion, could he?

"The Headmaster has 'asked' me to continue teaching Occlumency to you. So you will come to my office this Saturday at six o'clock."

"Yes, Sir."

"Good. You're dismissed." Snape said without looking at Harry.

Thank you to our faithful fans! We know this is only a small bit, but hopefully there will be more quite soon. Great summer to everyone!