Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the property of JK Rowling and no profit is being made from this story.

Chapter Eleven – Professor Bailey

The morning after running and exercise was not fun for Harry. His joints were stiff and his muscles were aching, but he continued nonetheless. When he sat down to breakfast his appetite was only rivalled by Ron's.

After saying goodbye to Ginny and Colin and being joined by Susan, Hannah and Justin – the Hufflepuffs – they made their way to the transfiguration classroom.

Professor McGonagall started the lesson by lecturing them, continued the lesson by lecturing them and ended it by lecturing them. She said that a lot of the work done that year would be theory, all though there would be a lot of practical as well.

By the time the bell rang to signal the short break between classes, even Harry and Hermione were welcoming the end of the lesson.

When they reached the Defence room, Ron, Seamus, Dean and Justin were looking extremely eager to get inside. They entered the class just as the bell rang for class to begin. Harry took a seat, alone by the front of the room, there were no spaces next to his friends.

"Welcome, to Sixth Year Defence Against the Dark Arts!" purred Professor Bailey, walking into the room. Harry was on high alert; previous instructors for him in this subject were often fond of testing him.

"Now, I understand that you have been somewhat disturbed in your learning of this subject over the years so today, we will have a little quiz for a bit of the lesson then, something better the second bit!"

She then began to go around the class asking questions, the most notable were Hermione, Seamus and Violet.

"Miss Granger, name me three offensive spells?" she asked.

"Stupefy, Diffindo and Reducto." She answered immediately.

"Good, Mr Finnegan,yes?" Seamus went bright red and nodded.

"What is the substance Werewolves cannot come into contact with?"

"S...silver" he said staring at her with awe.

"Excellent, Miss Potter, is it?"



"Don't you know who I am? I am the best at Defence in the school as well as my singing talents!" said Violet looking Professor Bailey up and down.

"Miss Potter it must be, and please, don't be rude. Name me one of the unforgivable curses?"

"Erm...the bat bogey hex?" said Violet completely stumped.

"No Miss Potter. I would have accepted the cruciatus curse, the imperius curse or the killing curse. Clearly even the best have off days...never mind though, we can work on it" she smiled.

When she came to Harry she grinned at him.

"Now! The second Potter, I understand that my subject is an area of expertise for you, being a Captain in the army." She winked at him.

"Here is one that is cheating a little bit, but I'm sure you will know the answer; What is one of the most powerful forms of magic that can destroy even the most substantial objects to mere ashes?"

"Fiendfyre. It will take the form of animals usually associated with fire such as snakes, chimeras and dragons. Not only can it destroy large objects but it can obliterate dark magic. If a human is hit by it, it is rumoured that it can destroy the very soul." He answered.

"Very good, and tell me, have you ever used it?"

"Once or twice...I have found it is a far more efficient defence against dementors than a patronus, as it destroys the souls they feed off."

"Excellent Mr Potter, I will have to keep my eye on you, make sure you don't take my job!" she said placing her hand on Harry's shoulder.

After the 'quiz' the class were ordered to stand. Professor Bailey stood up and waved them to the side of the room, stacked.

"Now for the practical portion of the lesson!" Bailey, wandered over to a cupboard in the room and brought out a clothes rail with what looked like people hanging from them. Harry smiled; he knew what they were.

"These are battle-golems! They are dummies that will fight back against you. There is no need to adjust the levelling." She held up a what looked like a fingerprint pad, "Put your finger on this, it will recognize your level and activate how many golems you can fight and adjust the level! Who wants to go first?"

Dean put his hand up, and walked over to the pad, placing his finger on it.

"Two golems at half power, good Mr Thomas.!" Smiled Bailey

Dean managed to take out the first golem, however he was too busy concentrating on that one to notice the other.

Ron was against the same as Dean, Seamus was against one golem on full power, Hermione two on three quarter power. They were all knocked out.

"Miss Potter, your up!" Violet strutted forward.

"I am not sure there are enough of them here, Professor." She said.

"Well let's wait and see" smirked Bailey.

Violet was up against one, on the lowest power level. It won in under ten seconds. When she was revived she complained of a malfunction in the golem.

When it was Harry's turn he placed his finger on the pad.

"...what?" said Bailey looking at the screen.

"No...it is right, we used these in the army"

"Very well then Harry, thirty golems at full power!" The class gasped.

Harry stepped into the combat area ready to take on the golems. The first spells flew at him.

"Uh, Professor could you turn down or off my bands?"

"I haven't got my control yet Harry!" she gasped.

"Ok then, no magic it is!" he relented.

Harry took a combat position, dodging the spells sent at him. He ran at the first group of golems and kicked some, punched some in points that represented where a pressure point would be on a human, knocking the golems out.

This continued, albeit he was hit by a number of harmful spells, including a few diffindos.

Finally it was Harry against one golem, he decided to use a wandless stunner. He brought his arm down, sending it out, but immediately he felt something was wrong...like the power he had once wielded just wasn't there.

Thankfully the golem had been taken out, but Harry suddenly felt empty. He walked back into the classroom area looking at the ground, feeling depressed. He took his seat at the front of the classroom, silent.



"Well done Harry!" Bailey smiled at him, "If you want to give me some private tutoring you are more than welcome to!" she winked again.

Harry half-heartedly smiled back, and nodded. Things at that moment seemed to hit home for Harry. His best friend was dead, by his own hand. The person he had respected his whole life, who had been like a father, was dead. The place in the world, the army, where he belonged had been taken away from him. His family hated him, and his magic – his own magic – was being taken away. Things couldn't get any worse. It took all his will not to do something drastic and run away...Wilson wouldn't have wanted that though.

When the class ended Harry got up and quickly left, alone. He made his way outside, he didn't care about lunch. He couldn't give a damn about anything much right now. He walked around the lake, eventually stopping by a tree, and sitting down.

He sighed, Why am I letting people rule MY life? They made me into their weapon; and now that they have their weapon I'm too much for them! I should show them...I could show them! Show them that I'm not just a weapon, that they can't control me! I'm a person too!

He shook his head in disbelief; listen to me! I sound just like...just like, Neville...he would know what to do now...but he's not here...I killed him...Maybe I am dangerous...

His thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of a pretty redhead, who came and sat down next to him.

"Sickle for your thoughts?" she asked softly.

He sighed and smiled at her, "I'm just fed up..."

"Of what?"

"Other people controlling my life." He laughed bitterly.

"Thats understandable" said Ginny.

"Really?"

"Yeah, I mean it can't have been easy for you people deciding the decisions in your life for you. It's unfair to be honest, they are being totally hypocritical! What brought this on?"

"It was Defence, and I attempted to use magic...it made everything hit home in my life...nothing seems to be going right!"

"Really? I am quite insulted by that Harry..." Ginny laughed.

"Well...I am glad to have you guys around and all...but I want to be protecting you! I want to be out there fighting! It's how I was raised!"

"I understand Harry," she said taking his hand, "I remember something someone very wise told Ron once, rise above it!"

She was right. Harry looked at his watch and remembered the advice his Granddad had given him so long ago, go on anyway. And he was going to do that.

"Thanks Gin" he said, getting up with her hand still in his, they walked back to the Great Hall.

--

Harry continued to live as a student, deep down though he was getting frustrated. It was a week before Haloween when something big happened. Harry was going down to the hall for breakfast after his usual morning run.

In the Hall things seemed to be in chaos. Harry strode up to the head table, all the way to Dumbledore.

"Sir, what is happening?" he asked

"Harry, bad news from the war I'm afraid...Diagon Alley and Godric's Hollow were taken this afternoon...two simultaneous attacks, I am told."

"Damn...what about the refugees? Where are they going to?"

"Hogsmeade- it is the only safe Wizarding location left I am afraid..."

An owl flew into the Hall, straight for Harry and Dumbledore. It gave Harry a letter;

Captain Potter,

I am writing after we have lost Diagon Alley and Godrics Hollow. I need to warn you of a new death eater...he is unlike any of the others. He is as powerful as Voldemort himself! They weren't wearing the traditional death eater mask, or the mask of the elites, this mask seemed burned into his face, solid gold.

I fear that after losing these two locations they will target Hogsmeade and Hogwarts. Please sir, I served under you in previous missions, and now that Captain Longbottom, General Wilson and Major Greer are dead we need you to lead us in the army! Please, come back to us Captain.

Yours,

Sergeant Peter Ward.

"Dumbledore!" came a voice from the door.



Oh no...thought Harry as he recognized the voice.

Rufus Scrimgeour stood at the entrance to the Great Hall.

"Rufus! Not here, please!" The Great Hall went silent as the Minister came in.

"Students are to go to their common rooms; all today's classes are cancelled!" The exodus began, Hermione and Ron waiting to speak to Harry, who was staying.

"Harry, you heard Dumbledore – Common room!" Hermione insisted.

"No, I'm staying here...apparently the commander of the army is dead, if that is true – then I am the next highest rank, which means I am the new commander of the army."

There was a stunned silence, where Harry ushered them out the Great Hall.

"Now Dumbledore, we need a meeting – I have people waiting outside."

In walked about fifty influential people in the Wizarding world, all now refugees.

Things were heating up in the war.

Sorry about the delay in updates – I was out making the most of the last few days of my holidays...