Author's Note: A guest reviewer brought up the fact that, since they are guests, I have no way of sending them my friend code. Thus, to make things easier, my friend code is: 4768-8563-2707

Please, if you were a guest that sent me a friend code, do so again in your review so i make sure I add you. Remember, friending me opens of a Friend Safari where you can get the evolved form of Merlin's first Pokemon, Remus' first Pokemon, and the Pokemon Hermione will be capturing soon.

"Mr. Weasley, I understand that you have had problems with your rat... but whatever did it do to justify having that vile concoction poured down its throat?"

Ron looked down at the brown sludge that filled his beaker, then back up at the scowling features of Professor Snape. He could feel the other students staring at him and he couldn't help but go beet read. Rather than answer the Potions Master Ron merely slouched in his chair, ducking his head so that his shaggy bangs hid his face, hoping that if he didn't say anything, the professor might forget he was there and go pester someone else.

It didn't work.

"I would take away points from you, Mr. Weasley, but I believe that you are the first person to ever create a poison more lethal than Arbok venom."

"Really?" Ron said excitedly.

"Dunderhead," Snape snapped, causing the boy to cringe once more. The only thing that kept the class from laughing was the fear of drawing the professor's attention off of Ron and onto them. "20 points from Gryffindor for creating something that is clearly an affront to nature. Now then, Mr. Potter..." Snape said with a sigh, shifting over a foot so he could stare directly down at Harry's potion. "Please look at Miss Davis' potion... describe it to me."

"Uh..." Harry said, twisting his head so he could look back at the Slytherin girl and her potion. "It is a blue."

"I know it is blue, Mr. Potter!" Snape snapped. "What else?"

"It is a clear blue?"

"It is a liquid," Snape said dryly, picking up Harry's test tube and dumping the contents onto the desk. Instead of a gush of fluid, however, Harry and Snape were treated to the solid thwunk! of Harry's hardened potion striking the desk. "I suppose if you were trying to create a suppository this might qualify as acceptable." Snape looked around at the class. "Someone please educate Mr. Potter in what he did wrong. Mr. Malfoy."

Draco smirked, enjoying the fact that he got to rub it in Harry's face that he had screwed up. "Clearly Potter did not mix his potion properly."

"No."

Every jaw in the classroom dropped at that. Snape NEVER corrected his snakes and told them they were wrong. That would be like Prof. Sprout arranging a Fight Club amongst the Hufflepuffs. Draco didn't seem to know what to do, his face twitching as if he had sat on a sparking Voltorb.

Snape picked up Harry's Bunsen burner and showed it to the class. "There has been a build-up upon the neck of this. That caused the flame to burn cooler than it should and thus resulted in this failure. 10 points from Gryffindor for failing to check equipment. I also want 500 words on what other dangers could arise from not cleaning your equipment properly before working on a potion." Snape wheeled around, stalking towards his desk while waving his hand at this dismissively. "Get out of my sight, all you; you sicken me with your incompetence."

Even the Slytherins hurried out the door, sensing that today was not a day to seek out the attention of their Head of House. Harry and his friends made their way down the halls, ignoring a few jeers directed at them by Draco and his flunkies; they were half-hearted attempted to goad them at best. Moods were quite high as this was the last class of the day and the entire weekend lay before them, ripe for adventure and fun and relaxation.

For Harry and his friends, the weekend offered the chance to forget all about the issues and stress that had plagued them during their first week back at Hogwarts. McGonagall and Flitwick had finally settled on Harry and Neville battling Cho Chang and Edgecombe on September 30. That gave all four of them plenty of time to work out strategy... or, as the professors secretly hoped, come to an agreement to put an end to the senseless feud. Of course, that was a pipe dream, as Neville would never agree to backing down and Harry was ready to stand by his friend 100% after seeing the tears in Luna's eyes when her new roommates had presented her with new clothing to replace her stolen ones.

Ron's stomach growled. "I hope they have a big meal planned for tonight... I could out-eat a Munchlax!"

Hermione crinkled her nose in disgust. "How can you possibly still be hungry after making that brown gloop! I could smell it all the way across the room!"

Ron shrugged. "I find that it is better to remove bad sensations with good ones! The sooner I eat something delicious the sooner and I can get rid of the memory of that smell."

"That... oddly makes sense," Harry stated.

"... no, it doesn't!" Hermione whined. "Neville, tell them it doesn't make any sense!"

Instead of answering, Neville turned his attention to Flora, who was wiggling a bit in his arms and letting out barking calls. "I know, I know, we'll get your medicine in a moment."

"BULBA!" Flora snapped.

"Harry, could you-"

"Got it," Harry said, sliding behind Neville and opening up the boy's backpack and pulling out a baby bottle full of medicine He passed it to Neville, who could barely get a grip on it before Flora lunged for it and began to suckle to her heart's delight. "She's still getting evolution pains?"

"Yeah and they don't seem to ending soon." Neville sighed. "At least they aren't getting worse."

"Well, that might be a good thing," Ron offered. "Didn't Mr. Lupin say that the longer it takes a Pokémon to evolve, the stronger they are?"

"I don't care if Flora is weaker than a Feebas, I just want her better," Neville said sadly.

The foursome trotted over to the Gryffindor Tower's main doorway, discussing their weekend plans and their thoughts of evolution and Pokémon strength. Hermione was just reaching over to key in the password when several strong hands grabbed them and steered them away.

"Sorry, ickle secondies," Fred said with a grin as he guided Harry away from the Tower, "we have other plans."

"Don't worry, we already packed some appropriate clothing," George said as he pushed Ron forward. "And a nice supper to eat on the way."

Hermione looked up at Katie Bell, who had decided to be her guide (mostly because she knew if one of the twins touched her they might end up with a lawsuit). "Don't worry, you are completely safe."

"Abandon all hope, ye who enter here!" Fred said with a spooky laugh as he strong armed Harry towards a dark classroom.

"Mostly safe," Oliver Wood admitted to Neville, more gently guiding the young man inside (mostly because he didn't like the way Flora was glaring at him). "Your bags are over there. We have jackets, boots, and hats. Get changed and we'll pass out the gear."

"Guys, what's going on?" Harry asked as he kicked off his shoes and pulled on his hiking boots. "Is this some sort of hazing thing?"

"Nah," Angelina said, "we haven't done hazing since that incident with the cream pie."

Fred and George had the decency to look ashamed at that. "We didn't mean for it to blow up!"

"Please tell me it was the pie that blew up and not a student," Hermione said, tugging on the heavier jacket Katie passed to her before carefully folding her windbreaker and placing it neatly on a desk. She was itching to ask what was going on but sensed that doing so would only result in more jokes. She'd discovered early on in her Hogwarts career that sometimes it was smarter to just let the upper years have their fun… otherwise they'd just keep toying with you.

Oliver clapped his hands, motioning for everyone to gather round. The second years looked at each other nervously but finally joined the Gauntlet team in circling around Wood. "Now then, it has come to our attention that you, Harry Potter, will be battling Cho Chang in an honor duel at the end of the month. Three days later, we will be taking on the Ravenclaw Gauntlet Team, which has Miss Chang as their seeker. It has been decided by us, your team mates-"

"Oliver, you're putting us all to sleep," Katie said, playfully pushing the Gauntlet Captain to the side and taking his spot in front of the group. "Ok, so here's the deal: we want you to win, Harry. More than that, we want you to crush her. It will either throw Chang completely off or have her become so aggressive that she'll make stupid mistakes and net us the win in our first match. We've all talked it out," Katie motioned towards the entire Gauntlet team, "and we decided the best way to net a victory is to get you a Pokémon Chang isn't expecting."

"That's right, " Alicia said. "The Claws love to study up on their opponents... they make up little lists and try and figure out what moves you might use. They have a ton of practice battles were they lay out strategies in hopes of having a complex counterattack ready. Nothing will surprise them more than a Pokémon they didn't know you had leaping out. Claws hate the unexpected."

Harry frowned. "How do you plan on getting me this Pokémon?"

George puffed up with pride. "My dear brother and I happen to know a secret route that can get us to the Forbidden Island unprotected."

"But... but that's not allowed!" Neville said fearfully. "Its forbidden... it's even in its name!"

Fred waved the boy's concerns off. "No risk, no reward. The Forbidden Island has a ton of rare and powerful Pokémon on it... we're all going to go and capture a new Pokémon!"

George nodded. "Ollie already let McGonagall know that we are going to be doing some late-night training, so she will be none the wiser."

"And I convinced Chloe to look the other way and not report that we weren't in by curfew. She'll keep our prat brother occupied while we get down to business."

Harry swallowed nervously. On one hand he was very worried about going to the Forbidden Island; not just because of the danger it posed but because of the risk of incurring his Head of House's wrath should they get caught. He knew that there were a lot of rules one could bend at Hogwarts, but the Forbidden Island was one that students didn't even attempt. On the other hand, the promise of a new Pokémon, and an uncommon one at that, had Harry practically vibrating with glee. Every student wanted to have a Pokémon that was unique and different and this was a chance to catch something he, or any of his fellow classmates, had never seen before.

"Ok, so I get why Harry is here... but why is Neville here?" Ron asked.

"Neville is Harry's partner in the Honor Battle... he needs a new Pokémon too. Plus, that makes him an honorary member of the Gauntlet Team."

"You do mean honorary as in I don't ever have to compete, right?" Neville said, memories of Marcus Flint chasing after Harry with that Graveller still burned in his memory.

"Ok... so why are me and 'Mione here?" Ron asked.

Fred smirked. "You think we are stupid enough NOT to take you two? Wherever Harry goes you two are sure to be at his side. We leave you behind and most likely we'd find you magically pulled to the island or something. Why fight fate?"

"Ok," Ron said, accepting this. "Then why is Ginny here?"

The entire Gauntlet team whipped around, staring in shock at the opened doorway of the classroom. The girl in question merely gave them a cheery wave.

"Because Luna didn't want to go by herself," Ginny said with a smirk, Luna looking about the room with wide eyes. Oliver opened his mouth but the youngest Weasley wagged her finger. "Uh uh. You even think of telling us to go back to the dorms and we'll go crying to Prof. McGonagall." Ginny bit her lip, fat tears forming in her eyes. "I… I tried to stop them, Professor, but they were so mean!" She instantly smiled, tears gone.

"If they are like the Power Rangers, then we are Tommy," Luna said to herself. "I'll go summon the Dragonzord." Ginny caught her friend's arm, preventing her from running off to go find a mech to pilot.

Katie, ignoring Luna's strange comment, merely turned to Oliver and shrugged. "They did manage to get the drop on us... and they were a part of this whole thing already."

Oliver rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Fine, you two can come. But stay out of trouble and NEVER leave our sight. We do this right and this will go off without a-"

"NO!" everyone hollered.

"-hitch," Oliver finished.

Hermione held her head in her hands. Ron made a silent prayer. Neville debated about doing a runner. George and Fred smacked Oliver upside the head.

"Well," Harry said blandly, "that just jinxed us."

~MC~MC~MC~

"Thank you girl," Fred said happily, reaching over and stroking the giant Tentacruel's head. No one quite sure what had caused the aquatic Pokémon to grow so big but Ginger, as she was known to many at Hogwarts, never posed a threat to anyone. Despite her species' reputation as violent Ginger was as playful as a Jigglypuff, happily wagging her tentacles whenever someone approached the lake and leaping out of the water to catch treats when they were thrown to her.

She would also, if given the right treat, happily tug boats silently across the water to whatever island one might want to visit.

"We'll be right back, pretty girl. You stay in the area and we will call you," George said, tickling the giant Pokémon between its eyes and earning a peel of laughter (or, at the very least, Harry assumed it was laughter) from the titanic beast. Ginger gave a final wave before sinking below the water's surface, leaving hardly a bubble to prove she had ever been there. Oliver and Angelina tugged the two boats onto the beach, making sure they were tucked away so that no one would spot them. It was unlikely anyone would come to the island while they were on it, but it didn't hurt to be prepared for the worst case scenario.

"Alright, we have about two hours before we'll need to get back," Oliver said, rubbing his hands together. Fall had just arrived and the air around the students was crisp and cool with the scent of drying leaves and ripening fruit swirling about them. It was that wonderful time when the night was neither too warm nor too cold and a nice jacket was all you needed to keep the chill from your bones. The sky above them was clear and full of stars and a wonderful half moon that shone down upon the students. "Our main goal is to get Harry and Neville each a new Pokémon but if you see something after that you want to grab, feel free and go after it."

"Can't help but be tempted by the forbidden fruit, can you Ollie?" George said with a grin, releasing Minun. The electric Pokémon leaping into his trainer's backpack, scrounging for a bit before pulling out a set of binoculars. Letting out a trill of joy, Minun leapt down and dashed towards the end of the beach and joined Plusle; the two of them scampered up into the trees and began to scan the area for any rare or interesting Pokémon.

"I'd be foolish not to," Oliver stated. "But my main goal, once again, is Harry and Neville." He looked down at the boys and smiled. "Don't be greedy but don't be skittish either. We don't have a ton of time to wander about and I don't want to have you two come back empty handed."

"And don't just go for the biggest and strongest thing you can find," Alicia reminded them. "Sometimes the strongest Pokémon is a young one you raise for a long time."

"Besides," Katie added, "it would be horrible to pick out a Pokémon that doesn't respect you as a trainer and refuses to follow you."

George rolled his eyes. "You all are ruining the fun of this! We are on the Forbidden Bloody Island… this should be an adventure!"

"Reeeeeeevvvv!"

All the students froze, their heads slowly turning towards the tree George and Fred's Pokémon were perched in. Plusle and Minun looked at each other, then the giant oak they were sitting in. Said tree shifted, its branches swaying and sending the two tumbling back into Fred and George's arms. The twins gulped as the tree violently shook, opening its eyes and glaring at the two of them as its bark ripped away in spots to reveal a dark ectoplasma running underneath it. More bark ripped away as the 'tree' freed its roots, a mouth forming as it let out a roar.

"Trevenant!" Katie called out, backing away from the forest's edge. Several more trees began to shake themselves free of the dirt they'd settled in and began to scurry towards them on slithering roots. She called out Rapidash, the fire pony snorting before sending a Flamethrower attack at the trees. The grass ghosts let out bellows but backed off, glaring at the students one more time before retreating into the forest once more.

Hermione, who had hid behind Oliver when the Trevenants had begun their attack, nervously looked up at the Gauntlet captain. "I am liking this plan less and less!"

"We have to be careful," Oliver snapped, glaring at George and Fred. "No sudden movements and no impulsive actions!" He sent out his Talonflame, the fire bird soaring overhead. "The Forbidden Island has a very dense ecosystem. There are ghost, psychic, dark, and electric types running around here, and that is just what we know of! Pokémon Trackers like to send Hogwarts rare species they find in hopes that their populations can increase on this island. There is a reason Prof. Dumbledore says this place is forbidden: students aren't suppose to be here! The Pokémon here are willing to attack if needed and will do so violently. This isn't like strolling down Route 1 or anything... the Pokémon here live in isolation for most of their lives and have no issue with attacking trainers… violently if needed. Stay alert."

Katie leaped onto Rapidash and, after a moment of consideration, lifted up Luna and placed her in front of her. Oliver gave her a look but the young woman shrugged; Luna was the newest Gryffindor and word had spread quickly about the abuse the Claws had heaped on her. Katie wasn't about to let the little girl feel abandoned and had decided to start right now forging a bond with her.

Besides, from the way Luna was acting, Katie had a bad feeling Luna would see a Vespiqueen and go wandering after it.

The former Ravenclaw wasn't frightened by the flaming mane of the Pokémon; instead she merely stroked the equine's neck, smiling as the fire Pokémon dimmed its mane so that Luna wouldn't get burned. Katie nodded and motioned for the group to begin moving. Harry and his friends took one last longing look at the lake, wondering if it was too late to head back to the dorms, before steeling themselves and plunging into the dark forest. "Oliver is right. You six," she gestured at the young Gryffindors, "will always stick with one of us older students."

"Except for Fred and George," Alicia said. "If you end up with them make peace with Merlin."

"We'd be insulted..." George said, stroking his trembling Minun's back, "but you have a point."

And with that final comment, the group entered the dark, foreboding shadows of the Forbidden Island.

The hunt was on.

~MC~MC~MC~

Author's Note: So… this chapter.

Originally, this chapter featured not only this, but much, much more. Then I realized I'd written a 22 page beast… before I'd even begun to edit/add to it. I debated either keeping it a monster long chapter (at least 7000 words) but finally decided to split it in two. This allowed me to make the second half have its own focus without wearing you guys out… because with all the capturing, Pokémon, and sudden surprises, you guys would have been dazed. More on that later.

I have said before that I wanted to build up this world and bring in focus on other characters, letting them interact with the main cast and not have them merely be standees that Harry talks to once and a while. The first was Neville in Book 1, and Book 2 has seen Ginny, Luna and Remus all get some more action. This chapter lets me get the Gauntlet team involved and build on their characters. I like having some of them take a shine to members of the group, like having Katie step in to be a big sister figure now to Luna. Expect to see more of this as we move into Book 3 and 4 (especially four, when the greatest of the greats of the Pokémon world, such as Kurt, Jack Kenway, Alder, Cynthia and Lance all come to Avalon).

If you can't tell… I love writing Snape. He is just so much fun to write. I want him to come off as a bastard… but a bastard that has a point. My Snape isn't cruel to be cruel… he is cruel because he is right and that makes you hate him even more. Yet you respect him. It makes for some nice dueling emotions.

Next chapter will see Harry, Hermione, Neville, Ron, Ginny and Luna, along with the Gauntlet team get their new Pokémon… then it is time for Harry and Neville's battle.

Of course, one never knows when a certain chamber might open at the worst possible time…