A/N

Thank you to all of my reviewers and followers etcetera...love you all!! Please Keep letting me know what you think of my story!!! Hope you all enjoy the newest instalment of my second Harry Potter story!!!

Chapter Twelve

It was a full week later when after dinner Luna and Neville had decided to break off from the rest of the group and go for a walk. After the last time they were a little on edge but knew they could not avoid it forever and they loved their walks together, as much as the Soul bonds loved spending time with each other they also loved spending time apart also.

At first they all didn't want to offend anyone but after realising they could talk to each other about anything the whole dynamic of the group changed. They knew each other inside and out and never held anything against one another, all of them had been loners growing up.

Harry obviously growing up with The Dursleys he never had any friends or at least he wasn't allowed any friends, preferring to spend his days with Huck Finn or Frodo and Samwise he never felt like he needed any friends...until he had them. Growing up surrounded by boys it was difficult for Ginny to relate to girls her own age, Luna lived not far from Ginny but both girls were very far cut off from what people would call normal that sometimes during play dates they sat in silence with Ginny sketching and Luna waffling about Nargles.

Neville had grown up in the shadow of his father and having not shown any magic early on in his life he always worried he would not be accepted to Hogwarts, his grandmother kept him wrapped up in cotton wool and until recently he too did not know how to interact well with others.

Draco and Daphne grew up in the same circles but could not have been more different, Daphne only had her younger sister to keep her company growing up and they did not get on very well, Draco had no one but his mother, father and house elves.

They both knew other children at social parties but not actually friends, until Hermione met Harry she had no friends either and always adapted to that by using her books as an escape much like Harry did.

Now however they all found it extraordinary at how well they all meshed together, it was a wonderful to find someone whom you could be completely and totally honest with and all of them had seven of them to chose from, they knew their souls bond was not exactly a choice that they had but they doubted if the did have a choice they would chance it.

Hand in hand Luna and Neville roamed the corridors of Hogwarts and it was quiet almost too quiet and although they did not have a specific destination in mind they just kept walking remembering their path as they went.

The castle had many twists in turns and although they knew the layout of the castle pretty well they had unknowingly found themselves in a part of the castle they didn't recognise and that excited them both. Hallways and staircases moulded together and they knew specifically where they were but had never been to it before.

"Hey can I ask you something?" Luna looked at Neville expectantly and almost as if she was insulted that he even had to ask her permission. "Since this whole thing started our lives have changed so dramatically..." She nodded at him and held on a little bit tighter to his hand in her own before continuing on with their walk.

"I just I really don't want to question a good thing and it's an incredible thing my bond to you but after learning what happened with Emma...magic complicates everything." Luna was one of seven people who could follow Neville's train of thought but right now he was full of contradictions.

"Nev...I know you think you are explaining but for once I don't understand what you are trying to say." He stopped dead and held onto her other hand a little bit firmer.

"Emma's magic broke through the binding the Ministry put onto her...we have our magic but it could bring about the next apocalypse if it implodes from us because we kiss too much or have sex or whatever...it's just so complicated." She nodded her head to him and knew that he was having a crisis and just to be there for him.

"Look at our world...look how divided it is...it just makes me think sometimes...I love you!" She smiled at him and immediately threw her arms around his and kissed him on the cheek as they continued to walk.

They had wandered aimlessly onto the Seventh floor and almost seemed lost, they didn't mind but as they tried to get back to their common room they ended up walking passed a tapestry of Barnabus the Barmy and it appeared he was trying to teach trolls how to dance ballet.

Both he and Luna walked past it three times thinking they wanted to find their way back. What they didn't realise though was that in doing so they uncovered a secret room that very few had come across in the past thousand years so much so that it almost was like a myth among past students.

A large wood and cast iron door appeared to them and without even thinking about it they walked in and were in awe of what they found. Knowing they had now found the perfect place for their winter workouts it looked amazing with large high ceilings and drapes hung from them.

They stood outside the room and reached out telepathically for the others to meet them on the seventh floor they only had to wait for ten minutes and they all rounded the corner with confused expressions on their face.

"Alright what's going on? Why exactly did you call us up here?" Dracos must have been meditating...he always got really irritated when he was interrupted midway

"Ok first of all don't be bitchy Draco...We found something, something that is going to be extremely useful in the winter..." They all watched as Luna paced in front of the tapestry three times with Neville and his all knowing expression the rest were in awe when a large door appeared.

As Luna and Neville swung a door opened each they were struck down with admiration for their fellow soul bonded friends. Nevilles grin was something similar to the Cheshire Cat from Alice and Wonderland, Luna was just like Alice staring in wonder at the room.

"You guys found the room of requirement..." Harry, Daphne, Luna and Draco were in shock, Ron, Neville and Ginny were confused.

"What is the room of requirement?" Ginny asked as they all walked into the room, there were a few couches set up in front of a fireplace and a book shelf full of books.

Lined up all along the back wall were dummy's that they could use for practice in their sparring, treadmills and weight benches and all sorts of weapon on the wall. They had everything they ever needed here, even changing rooms and showers etcetera.

The whole room was equipped with everything they could ever need. The winters in the Scottish Highlands were particularly brutal. Last year they felt like they were chipping icicles off their nose the majority of the time.

"It's known as the come and go room, it's always meant to be equipped for the seekers need...it's almost like an urban legend though..." Ron glanced at Hermione and stood turning around and looking at the room.

"So let's say you really needed the toilet?" They all laughed at their friend and his hilarity of the situation, only Ron could make them all feel the way he did.

"Yes Ron...that is sort of the way it works..." All of them know how lucky they were in that moment now this was the best way they could avoid the icy cold morning and stay in this perfectly heated and air conditioned room. As they all branched off Harry, Hermione and Draco went over to the large book shelves and found books on Potions, Defensive Magic, Animagus books and so on.

Daphne, Luna and Ginny went to inspect the gym equipment and Neville and Ron went to see the weapons. This room on had thought of every aspect of their training and even provided Yoga Mats, they spent an hour exploring and testing some things out as they went.

This library was so much better equipped than the school library and they also knew it would be perfect for a homework room also. Everyone would get so much use out of it...they were not sure how to broach the subject with their new training friends but decided to call a meeting in the room after dinner tomorrow night.

They continued to explore the room more before they had to make their way down to the Potion masters classroom again for their lessons.

The found Severus Snape in the same position as last week but he didn't seem to be as preoccupied and he lifted his head to wave before turning his attention back to the Potion.

"Give me a few minutes you lot...I am so close...on second though I could use your help..." He kept stirring and had different ingredients he needed prepared so for half and hour the ingredients were prepared and they were ready to go into the Potion.

"Sir...why do you use stasis dried beetle eyes?" Hermione ever the student needing to know everything. Severus didn't mind her asking questions seeing as it was hers and her friends brain child anyway.

"Fresh beetle eyes are very hard to come by at this time of year...when the weather turns the beetles are not nearly as active so in turn most apothecaries only carry the stasis dried eyes..." She nodded her head and he continued to brew for another few minutes.

"Now as long as this batch doesn't explode or congeal we should have something for Mr Lupin to try...according to the notes you gave me he has to drink it the day of the full moon." They all nodded and got very excited at the fact that they could have this done for Remus so soon.

"How long does it take to set?" Severus pinched the bridge of his nose at Daphnes question and he knew they wouldn't like the answer.

"Another 48 days...so by Christmas holidays we should have something for him..." They all nodded and then proceeded with their lessons. Harry, Luna and Hermione had the strongest shield out of them all, and Ron and Draco were next the others had managed to create their landscape in order to confuse whomever tried to read their minds.

"Everyone has come on wonderfully...Miss Lovegood, your Sheild is good and your Landscape is thoroughly confusing...I think you had natural shields you were born with so me just need to work on those. Miss Greengrass you need to focus on your separation of thoughts better but once you do that you are as good as done." She nodded at her Professor in that moment.

"Mr Longbottom you need to work on your shield but your hidden landscape is progressing wonderfully...the rest of you are doing really well." Everyone nodded and thanked him before they all trudged back to the common room.

After they had finished their homework Hermione and the girls wanted to have a yoga session so the girls got their mats and laid them out in the Common room and the boys proceeded to read or play chess.

Harry and Ron were having a match and they all had a game each with Ron beating all of them. Draco was close but Rons skills at Wizards chess were unparalleled and no one could beat him.

The girls had an hour session before they all got changed and headed to bed. Everyday they enjoyed their time at Hogwarts more and more and thankfully there had been no more attacks.

The following day they had called on Fred, George, Susan, Hannah, Cedric, Percy and the majority of the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Quidditch teams whom had joined slowly but surely after they had seen the others, they had called them all up to the room of requirement and they all had a similar reaction to the room.

"This is amazing...it's almost like Hogwarts is helping us..." Susan said and Cedric laughed at them all as he whistled at the efficiency of the room.

"Of course of all people Harry you would find this..." Harry shook his head at Cedric and aimed his finger to Neville at which the twins threw themselves on the ground and bowed in front of Neville and praised him continuously until he got a little irritated and grabbed them up from the floor.

"So what's the plan then?" Oliver was all gung ho for the training as soon as the twins mentioned that they were training with the little second years and their Beater skills were improving.

"Well sewing as the harsher weather is coming in we will probably move into here starting soon and it will have everything we need all in this room, Muggle and magical equipment will be available and we will help show you how to work it." Harry stood with all of his friends and team neared in front of him and he never imagined he would have so many people around him who he respected.

"Cool I am in...and thanks again Harry for letting us all get involved it's going to help so much in terms of beating Slytherin this year." Harry nodded at Cedric and Oliver and even though the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor were rivals it still warmed his heart to see them come together. That was enough for him.

Time passed slowly and the students had progressed so far ahead into their studies the teachers were all starting to worry they were getting bored. Harry and his friends were not like ordinary students as they all knew and once their third year progressed they would probably have a lot more to do in their classes.

Minerva had made her way down the corridor to these particular quarters quite frequently the past few weeks and had initially worried about irritating the man but she knew he was worried also.

Lifting her hand she knocked gently only to have the door swing open and reveal Aurora smiling at her.

"Minerva...come in..." She walked into the room to reveal Severus in a pair of what looked like black yoga pants and a white t-shirt. It was the most casual she had ever seen the young man and also the first time she had seen him in anything other than black.

"Minerva...did we have an appointment?" She shook her head and took in Aurora in her red silk shorts and tank top and flushed a little at what she thought she was interrupting.

"No and I am sorry for landing upon you like this but I would like to talk to you about something if that is alright." He nodded his head at the seat and offered her a cup of tea to which she appreciated and he even added a splash of firewhiskey to it which is how she liked it. She noticed how Aurora went to leave to give them their privacy but Minerva would quite like an outsiders perspective.

"Honestly Aurora I would like you to stay please..." The younger woman nodded her head a sat down on the sofa next to Severus and she realised this was as comfortable as she was going to see Severus.

"So what can we do for you Minerva?" The Transfiguration teacher knew that Severus cared about the eight children and she knew he had taken a vast interest in not only their education but also their well being.

"I feel like the children are getting bored...transfiguration proves to be quite easy for them all and I have spoken to the other Professors and they are finding their work flawless also..." Severus nodded his head in agreement with the older woman.

"I have also noticed in Potions especially Draco, Daphne and Hermione are excelling wonderfully and I feel like there is not much we can teach these kids that they do not already know..." Aurora also had to nod her head in agreement with the others. The educators got out a bottle of fire whiskey and tried to come up with a solution between the three of them.

"I mean they are all pretty extraordinary and advanced for their age so maybe we offer them alternative studies, alchemy, art, branches of magic that the school board had gotten rid of over the years?" Minerva agreed with the younger woman and could not help but watch the two people in front of her.

Considering her animagus form was a cat she had unparalleled observational skills and Aurora was currently snuggled up beside him with her hand on his knee and he had his arm resting on the sofa and his hand running through her long hair.

It filled Minerva with pride that Severus was comfortable enough to show this side of himself to her, Aurora had changed him and I her opinion it was for the better. He had a softer side that much was evident but now he wasn't as staunch in showing it off a little and Minerva knew it had a lot to do with Aurora and a little bit to do with Harry Potter and his soul bonded friends.

"What are you looking so contemplative about Minerva? You have been staring at us for about five minutes..." He looked expectantly at her as he drained the last of his glass and the older woman mirrored his actions and stood up.

"I have monopolised too much of your time already Severus...I will make myself scarce and go back to my quarters...thank you for taking the time to chat to me about this...we shall come up with a solution. I think a meeting with the heads of houses and maybe the Headmaster to brainstorm?" He only nodded suspiciously at her as she nodded at him and Aurora gave her a small hug and she was put the door leaving a very confused couple behind.

"What do you think that was all about? She couldn't wait to get out of here?" Aurora was more worried she had offended the older woman in some way and Severus just laughed and shook his head.

"I am here in my pyjamas, and you are in yours I think it just hit Minerva that I am human...come on let's go to bed?" She quirked he eyebrow at him and stood up and drained her glass.

"Mmm...sounds like a fantastic idea..." She our down her glass and slowly made her way towards his bedroom pulling off her tank top as she went making Severus groan a little and his jaw drop. "Come in then..." Not needing to be told twice he locked his quarters and followed her into the room in awe of how much his life had changed and how lucky he was.