Harry Potter and the Ties of Blood

Chapter Fourteen: Classes Begin

The rest of Harry's classes on the first day were easy. He had a free lesson before lunch, which he used to make a good start on the essay Snape had set them; researching famous Potions Masters wasn't as interesting as researching famous Aurors, but it was interesting enough for him to get absorbed by the assignment.

When he reached the Great Hall for lunch, he found it buzzing with the news that Sebastian Snape had already been sent to the hospital wing sporting a broken arm, a bloodied nose and a number of nasty hexes; Professor Snape was not at the staff table – word had it that he was with his son. Ron was telling Hermione, gleefully, all of the rumors he had heard about what spells had been cast on the poor boy. Hermione was looking a little sick.

Harry felt the stirrings of anger as he considered what had apparently been done to the boy; he remembered what it felt like to be bullied, knew first hand from Snape what it was like to be tormented because of who your father was. He pitied the young Ravenclaw, just being his father's son was likely going to make his years at Hogwarts extremely difficult.

The one thing Harry didn't hear over the course of the meal was who had taken part in the attack. Evidently no one was prepared to say anything where someone might overhear and report it to Snape. Harry made a silent promise to himself that if he ever heard anything about who attacked the boy, he would immediately report it to Professor Snape – whoever considered it alright to curse an eleven year old for the sins of his father deserved to face Snape's wrath.

The afternoon classed passed without anything of particular note. As Charles had mentioned, Silent Casting seemed to be a major part of the NEWT curriculum. Harry got the feeling that everyone was going to get tired of being reminded of the fact that students who could perform all of their practical examinations silently got substantially better grades than those who used vocal incantations. They wouldn't actually get to practice Silent Casting in any of the classes until later in the week.

Between the final class for the day and dinner, Harry called a brief meeting of the people who were currently on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Even Ron actually showed up, albeit looking sour at the fact that he had talk to Harry – or perhaps just because he had wanted to be captain and Harry had gotten the position instead.

Harry looked over the team. Sloper and Kirk, the Beaters, had shown up again, along with Ron as Keeper and Katie Bell as the only Chaser. With him as the Seeker, it meant that they only had to find two Chasers. "Hi guys, I know you probably have homework or other things you need to do before dinner tonight, but I just wanted to talk to you quickly," he said, once they were all seated off to one side of the common room.

"That's ok, as long as this is quick," Katie smiled at him, "I've got to go and speak with McGonagall before dinner is all."

Harry nodded. "I just wanted to ask you all to think about a good time for us to hold tryouts. It won't be this week, but next week or the week after would have to be the latest. We need to start training as quickly as we can. Also, I'm going to try and form a full reserve team, so everyone will need to try out for their own position, to make sure that we get all of the best players on the actual team. Is that ok with all of you?"

"Fine with me," Katie confirmed.

"Us to," Jack spoke for both Beaters. "We're hoping that we'll end up on the reserve team, we both have a lot of work to get through this year and anyway, we weren't all that good. You should be able to find better replacements for the actual team."

In the face of otherwise unanimous approval, Ron nodded sullenly, but as soon as the other members of the team were gone, he was glaring at Harry. "Is this your way of trying to get me off the team then?" he demanded.

"Of course not," Harry said firmly, "I hope you stay on the team. But if we want to win the Quidditch Cup, it's important to have the best on the team. Even I'll be trying out, and if we find someone who is a better Seeker than me, then I'll be on the reserve team."

Ron didn't seem to have anything to say that, and simply stormed away. Harry shook his head slightly at his 'best' friend's antics, and headed down to the Great Hall to eat before his meeting with Snape. The Potions Master was in the Great Hall for this meal and looking sourer than Harry had ever seen him before, his beady black eyes searching every student, looking for signs of involvement in the attack on his son.

"He wants to have every student's wand tested for the curses that were used on his son," Neville whispered to Harry when he saw where the other boy was looking. "But Dumbledore said no, because Snape has always been opposed to that suggestion when other students were cursed and it Slytherin involvement was suspected. He told Snape that if he wants that privilege for his son, he'll have to agree that everyone in the school has the same right."

"Why are you whispering?" Harry whispered back.

"Snape's really angry. He might give me detention for talking too loudly," Neville replied, voice still hushed.

"Oh," Harry started speaking normally again. "He really does look very angry, and I've got detention with him tonight!" he tried to sound dismayed, and thought he did a reasonable job of pulling it off.

"Unlucky," Neville said sympathetically. Harry nodded absently, his thoughts straying in the same direction as Snape's must have – who had been behind the attack on Sebastian?

Not long after, Snape rose from his seat at the staff table and swept from the Hall, sending a meaningful look in Harry's direction. "See you later," Harry said to Neville, standing up and following Snape from Hall. The volume of conversation increased significantly as soon as Snape left the room, Harry noted distantly as he followed the Professor down into the dungeons.

As soon as the office door closed, Snape was standing in front of Harry, wand resting on the teenager's nose and eyes filled with a dangerously cold anger. "If I ever find out that you were involved in the attack on my son, Potter, you will pay," he hissed.

Harry made no attempt to feign emotion, and gazed back at Snape with suddenly cold, dead eyes. Snape took a half-step back, alarmed by the look that Harry leveled on him. "I promise you Professor Snape, that I had nothing to do with the attack on your son, nor would I ever condone such actions. I know what it is like to be punished for my father's sins, and I would not put another person through that."

For a long moment Harry and Snape looked at each other, and Harry forced some warmth, some life, back into his eyes. Finally Snape nodded, uncomfortable, and turned his back on Harry to walk behind his desk. Harry relaxed imperceptibly and waiting for his teacher to make the next move.

"Your performance today in Potions was adequate, Potter," Snape informed him sourly. "I expect you to perform at least to that level in both official and unofficial lessons. I suppose you made no attempt to practice Occlumency over the summer?"

"I did some reading on the subject, and tried to work through some of it on my own; I'm not entirely sure how successful I was. I found another way to protect my mind while I slept, and if Voldemort has attempted to enter my mind while I was awake, I haven't noticed," Harry responded.

"Do not use the Dark Lords name in my presence again," Snape ordered, drawing his wand again. "Legilimenes," he incanted without warning, and Harry felt Snape enter his mind. The Potions Master slammed up against the natural shield, and Harry could feel him questing against it, trying in vain to get inside. Finally, Snape broke the spell and frowned at Harry.

"What book did you read to make a shield like that?" he demanded.

Harry hesitated; he hadn't thought much of the natural vampire Occlumency shield that Charles had told him about until now. If he was reading the situation correctly, it wasn't the sort of shield a normal witch or wizard would create, but he didn't have a lie made up. He shrugged uncomfortably, "There were a few books, I just tried to figure out what worked for me and this is what I ended up with. Will it work?"

Snape continued to look at him suspiciously for a long moment, and Harry met his eyes unwaveringly. "I would like to read the books you speak of," Snape said finally. "Your shield should be adequate to keep the Dark Lord from your mind at a distance; I am less certain that it will work if you are stupid enough to confront him in person again – which I am sure you will be."

"I will see what I can do about getting you those books sir. They belonged to a friend I was staying with over the holidays, I am not sure if he will part with all of them, but I will try. It is important that I am able to defend my mind from anyone who would seek to access it."

It was easy to see that Snape wanted to push Harry more, to try and find out how the shield worked, but Harry wasn't going to let that happen. "If my shields are adequate at present, perhaps we could work on Potions?" he suggested coolly. "You have made it very clear that I still need to prove my ability in that field."

The rest of the evening passed surprisingly well; Snape gave him a potion from the previous year to work on, and settled in to make as many caustic remarks as he could; Harry either ignored the gibes, or responded as politely as possible – he was interested to note that Snape seemed to find politeness even more infuriating than answering back. It was definitely something to remember if he wanted to annoy the man when he got his emotions back.

He finished the potion easily; it was surprising how much difference it made not getting riled up by Snape's vitriol, or perhaps it was just the practice that he had gotten over the summer. Snape gave the sample of potion that Harry provided him with a look of disgust – which Harry took to mean he had done well – and dismissed Harry for the night.

"You will return on Thursday to make another potion and I will conduct a more thorough test of your shield then," Snape informed him. "You will also write a report on the effects of the Draught of Peace-" he was interrupted by Harry reaching into his bag and pulling out a stack of paper.

"I took the liberty of going over all the essays you set us last year, sir," Harry said quietly, depositing the pile on Snape's desk. "I redid all of them to the best of my ability." Snape gave the essays of look of pure loathing, but nodded in dismissal.

Barely five minutes after he had managed to get rid of the infuriating boy, Snape stalked into Dumbledore's office. "Severus," the Headmaster greeted him jovially, unwrapping one of his vile Muggle sweets and offering a bowl of them to Snape, who waved them away.

"I just had my first … lesson … with the Potter brat," Snape announced, drawing himself up a chair and sitting slowly.

"Really Severus, is it so much to ask that you treat him with respect?"

"I will respect him when he gives me a reason to," Snape snarled, refusing to admit, even to himself, that Potter had been nothing but respectful tonight. "In any case, I started with Occlumency as you suggested I should; over the summer Potter's mind has developed some very interesting natural shields."

"Impossible," Dumbledore said flatly.

"So I would have thought. Potter tried to pass them off, said that he had been reading up on Occlumency over the summer and that his shields were the result of working through some of the exercises mentioned … but the mind does not naturally create defenses such as the ones he has. He is obviously aware of their existence, and I am certain that he knows how they came out, and is choosing to lie about it."

"Did you find anything in his mind to suggest why he would want to lie about it? I assume something connected with his location over the summer."

Snape shook his head angrily, "You don't understand. I couldn't get into his mind, Albus. There was just a … wall. Completely impenetrable, it surrounds his mind completely, I couldn't even read his surface thoughts, it's as though there is nothing there!"

"Impossible," Dumbledore said again, but it was almost a whisper this time, lacking any real conviction.

"I know what I felt, Albus! As I said, it is no natural shield. Any shield would allow at least surface thoughts to drift through; you can't maintain a barrier around all of your thoughts, just the most important ones!" Snape felt almost guilty for not telling Dumbledore that he had seen such a shield before, but some things more important than his loyalty to Dumbledore.

"Interesting. Perhaps he was keeping his shields up on purpose because he does not trust you," Dumbledore mused, "It's possible that I might have more success at getting through the barrier."

"If you want to discover his location over the summer that desperately, then go ahead. I'll be happy to wash my hands of the matter. I have asked Potter to bring the books he said he studied to me, but I doubt he will; he spun some story about them belonging to a friend who may not allow them to be sent here."

"I want you to keep trying to get through, see if you can break through the shield," Dumbledore ordered, "I will see if I can get his permission to try and get through as well. We need to know where he was over summer if we are to make sure that he is safe there. I know that he intends to return there."

Snape only shrugged. It didn't bother him if Potter was safe or not. Of course, any chance to get into the brat's mind and find the most painful memories he could would be welcomed with open arms.

"How is Sebastian doing?" Dumbledore changed the subject suddenly, and Snape gave a faint smile at the thought of his son; the smile turned into a scowl when he recalled what had happened to his son that day.

"As well as can be expected," Snape sighed, "He doesn't know who attacked him, and he's very upset by the whole ordeal, but Pomfrey fixed him up fairly quickly and he'll be back in classes tomorrow. I was very much hoping he would be in Slytherin; my snakes would be able to take care of him if he were in their house, as it is I get the impression that they felt he should have been in their house and feel betrayed by the fact that he ended up in Ravenclaw. I sense that they are unlikely to try and help him now, although I don't think any of them would be so stupid as to actually harm him."

"It is a shame you have made yourself so hated by the students," Dumbledore mused, and Snape glared at him.

"Whose idea was that? You are the one who suggested that I favour the children of Death Eaters, particularly those who were in Slytherin. It was just one more way of maintaining my mask, making me seem like I was on their side."

"And perhaps I was wrong to do so," Dumbledore admitted. Years as a spy stopped Snape from showing just how surprising that statement had been; Dumbledore almost never admitted to his mistakes, the Potter brat must have shaken him badly.

"If that was all, I've things yet to do tonight and still need to sleep before classes tomorrow."

"Of course my dear boy, there will be plenty of time for us to talk tomorrow if I think of anything else to do about young Harry," Dumbledore nodded his dismissal and Snape made good his opportunity to escape. He had so much on his mind already, and it was only the first day back. Oh how he hated teaching sometimes.

Harry was the first Gryffindor to arrive in the Great Hall the next morning, although a few students from other houses were up and about. He noticed that Zabini was one of the few Slytherin's to be up this early; the black boy was sitting at the far end of his table and ignoring his housemates entirely.

Today looked to have a promising start – Harry had Political Studies first and was looking forward to seeing what the lesson was going to be about. While he made a start on his breakfast, Harry also took out parchment, ink and a quill to draft a quick letter to the Minister, to let 'Rufus' know that he would be able to get away from Hogwarts to visit the Ministry on occasion, so long as it didn't interfere with his school work.

Eventually he was joined by other sixth year students, Neville coming over to sit with him again. Ron and Hermione were amongst the last ones down; Harry overheard them talking about their morning classes and was vaguely relieved that Ron was taking Care of Magical Creatures and therefore would not be in the Political Studies course. Hermione was taking Arithmancy instead.

Neville, on the other hand, was taking Political Studies, "Really?" Harry asked, thinking that it didn't really fit with his knowledge of Neville.

"Well, it's got to be better than getting eaten by something in Care of Magical Creatures," Neville joked, and Harry barely remembered in time to smile in agreement. "Seriously though, my gran insisted. Political Studies has always been part of the sixth year curriculum, it's supposed to help the Heirs of Ancient and/or Noble Houses prepare for coming into their Inheritances. In the past hundred or so years the class has been gaining popularity outside of Pureblood circles, but since I'm the Heir of the Noble House of Longbottom I have to take it."

Harry frowned slightly; there was that 'Inheritances' again, he really had to look those up soon. It had been easy to overlook after hearing it in Sirius's Will, but now that it had been brought up several times he really needed to find out what they were. "I guess you're taking the course because you're the Heir of the Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter?" Neville continued innocently.

Harry supposed that if his emotions had been functioning as they should, this statement might have caused him to choke on his pumpkin juice. As it was, he finished swallowing calmly and considered the statement. It wasn't really anything that had occurred to him before; he had always known his father was Pureblood, but he had never given any thought to what that might mean.

Over the summer he had become much more aware of how prestigious his family had been in the past, but it still hadn't sunk in, despite all of Charles' comments about trying to build up the family name again, that he was the last – mostly – living member of the House. Charles had certainly never really pushed the issue, and Harry hadn't been interested enough to keep looking into it.

One thing was for sure: he had to find out more about what being an Heir to an Ancient and Most Noble House meant.

"You still here Harry?" Neville interrupted his thoughts.

Harry turned to him and plastered a smile on his face, "Yeah sorry. I'm taking the course because I'm the Potter Heir," he agreed, once he had remembered what Neville had been talking about. Neville nodded, satisfied, and returned to his breakfast, leaving Harry to his thoughts.

He was somewhat surprised that Charles hadn't said anything about it, but then, before his run-in with the Carcer de Malus, Harry hadn't exactly been happy to talk about his fame or the potential for political power. Charles had undoubtedly chosen to leave that discussion for another time. After his run-in with the Carcer, Harry simply hadn't been interested in anything as human as the Potter family standing.

When he had brought up Inheritances though, Charles had been reticent to go into detail on them, Harry recalled. That could have been the perfect opportunity to talk about the Potter Family and what it meant for Harry to be the Heir … it would have even tied in well with his goals of becoming a stronger political figure.

With a slight shake of his head, Harry dismissed the thought. He would write to Charles tonight and see what his Sire had to say on the subject, there was no use in chasing questions around in circles all day. "We should get up to the classroom," Harry said to Neville, suddenly realizing the time.

Neville nodded and the two of them stood up, heading out of the Great Hall. Outside the Political Studies classroom was a surprisingly large group of people; all of the sixth year Slytherins, a smattering of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws; he and Neville were the only Gryffindors present. "Is that because fewer Heirs are in our house?" Harry asked Neville quietly.

"No, just not in our year," Neville answered, "The Weasley Heir was Bill, he would have taken this class, as would Charlie. Percy was a bit of a pompous arse, so I expect he took it as well just in case. Ron doesn't strike me as the kind to be interested and the other boys in our year are Muggleborn or half-blood. None of the Pureblood girls seemed interested, and Hermione chose Arithmancy instead."

Harry nodded slightly. He would have to remember that Neville actually knew a lot about all the Pureblood stuff; the sorts of things that Ron never seemed interested in talking about. His thoughts were interrupted when the classroom door swung open. Harry and Neville took seats in the middle of the room, and Harry was slightly surprised when Blaise Zabini took the seat on his other side.

From the looks of things, the teacher wasn't in the room yet. Harry looked carefully around the room, vaguely aware that the rest of the class was also searching for the teacher. Harry was more interested in the decorations of the classroom: most of their other rooms he had been in had very little in the way of decoration, but not this place.

There were lots of pictures of different politicians, miniature versions of at least a dozen Pureblood family tapestries – Harry noticed the Potter one was right behind the teacher's desk – and all of the portraits in this room seemed to be unusually full of people, not just the normal occupants.

Finally an almost invisible door beside the blackboard opened and a slender young man entered. Harry looked him over with interest: he was tall – a little taller than Harry – with long black hair that fell loosely down his back, his features were handsome in an almost girlish way and he moved with all the elegant grace of a Pureblood.

"Welcome to Political Studies," he said; his voice was soft, pleasant, and he enunciated all of his words very clearly. "I am Professor Lenoir. I spend the majority of my time in France, and have access to a very specialized form of transportation to bring me to Hogwarts for these lessons, so you will not see me around the school.

"This class has traditionally been based around the core Pureblood families and their history, as well as teaching you a little about Inheritances and how they work, what is expected of young Purebloods when they come of age and enter the social scene, social expectations and power structures, and occasionally covering how one would go about taking control of an Ancient or Most Noble House.

"In more recent years, our political scene has become less the province of those with so called Pure Blood, and we have an increasing number of half bloods and Muggleborn's taking positions in the Ministry and rising fast and far. This has led to Dumbledore gaining the support of the Board of Governors in changing the nature of the course so that non-Pureblood students will also stand to gain from being involved.

"The course we will be following therefore will include a more compacted version of the one I already outlined, as well as a fairly extensive section on the Ministry of Magic, how it works and what the departments are for, as well as an in-depth look at our foreign policy and diplomatic relations with other countries; we will also do a brief overview of the changing view society has on Blood. As I imagine it will be the most controversial section of the course, and therefore most interesting to me, we will begin with a discussion on blood purity.

"I will begin by explaining how blood purity started. In ancient times, wizards considered themselves to be above their non-magical counterparts. They felt that magic made them better than those they termed 'Muggles', and held that a child born of a union between a wizard a Muggle would be an abomination, incapable of magic, yet by blood part of our society.

"For thousands of years this belief continued, but, of course, there were always those who fell in love with Muggles, who married and had children, who felt that their new families were worth leaving the magical world forever. The number of those people grew over time, as it does, and some of them were found out by the magical society, and executed along with their families.

"Not long after the first of these executions, a child was born of a magical couple who had no ability to perform magic himself – the first Squib, as they would come to be known. This child was held up to the Wizarding World as an example of what would come from interbreeding with non-magical folk.

"A great deal more time passed, and even though we had apparently stamped out the inter-breeding with Muggles, Squibs were still born from time to time, and some of the lower members of society – the less rich, or least magically powerful – who had difficulty in getting approval for marriages began to marry Muggles, usually exceptionally rich or exceptionally beautiful ones. This started a growing trend, although the members of older Pureblood families retain the desire to marry and reproduce only with members of similar social standing.

"You may have noticed I did not give a time frame for when the first Muggleborn appeared; this is because no one is entirely sure when it happened, as in those days we had very little awareness or concern for Muggles, and no way of tracing magic as we do now. There was no apparent need for that."

Professor Lenoir glanced at his watch and sighed. "I am afraid the 'discussion' part of this lesson will have to wait, as we are out of time. I would like you to read the first chapter of the text Pure Mania, and also write a brief essay outlining your personal view on the subject. You are dismissed."

The bell rang while they were packing up their things, and Professor Lenoir vanished through the door beside the blackboard. "That was interesting," Harry remarked. "I didn't actually know how the whole blood purity stuff started."

"I think I'm going to like his teaching style," Zabini agreed, "Of course, it's a little too early to tell, but it looks like he won't be alienating the Purebloods, and still keep the Halfblood's and Muggleborn's happy with the content matter."

"He does seem like he's going to be an interesting teacher," Neville agreed cautiously, seeming surprised to be having a polite exchange with a Slytherin.

"Indeed. See you in Potions, Potter. My 'master' is calling," he sauntered off in the direction of Draco Malfoy, who was glaring at him from just outside the classroom door.

"What was that about?" Neville asked.

"Snape has us all in inter-house pairs in Potions. He told us that he expects us to leave House rivalries outside his classroom and figures a way to promote that will be to have us working together. Zabini is my partner for this term at least," Harry explained.

"Snape is promoting House unity?" Neville repeated dubiously.

"I think it's only for the advanced Potions course, because he can't be bothered with us attempting to sabotage each other's potions and the like," Harry admitted, "But it's interesting that it comes from him; none of the other teachers seem particularly concerned."

The rest of the week passed quickly. Transfiguration and Charms were concentrating mainly on silent casting; McGonagall and Flitwick were teaching them the basic principles and having them practice on very basic first year spells for the first couple of weeks, but had promised that they would be working on new spells as well very soon.

Harry was awarded with points from both professors when he demonstrated aptitude with silent casting, and very quietly turned his attention to helping his classmates to master it as well. Hermione and Ron were the only two students who didn't allow him to help them: Ron because he was still angry and Hermione because she was determined to do it on her own, or at least with only the teacher's help.

All in all, Harry decided as he left the library on Friday afternoon after finishing the last of his homework for the week, it had been a pretty good first week back at school. He had Dumbledore slightly on the wrong foot and trying to earn his trust, Snape and Malfoy confused by his sudden lack of response to their taunts, his two new teachers for the year seemed both interesting and talented and no one had figured out that he was half-vampire, although he was sure that he wasn't hiding his emotional state as well as he could be.

Dear Charles,

It has been difficult not to write you with every tiny detail of each of my days since I got back to Hogwarts; I wish that you were here with me, to share a meal and a game of chess and to talk about things honestly. As per my first letter, things are mostly under control here, although a number of interesting things have happened.

Dumbledore is still suspicious of me; after my Occlumency lesson with Snape – he could not get through my shields, but I think he knows that I didn't actually make them myself – Dumbledore called me to his office and asked me for permission to try and get through my shields. He said he wanted to test them against a stronger mind than Snape's. I agreed, but he was unable to breach them.

It is my belief that he had intended on letting Snape break into my mind and forcibly extract all of my memories of the summer so that he would know where I was and be able to find me should I try to return. When Snape failed he decided to try himself, and now he really is at a loss on how to get the information out of me. Serves him right, really, he should have listened to start with. He is very lucky that I am in the state I am, or I think I would be rather angry with him.

While I am – loosely – on the subject of Snape, he actually has a son! It caused quite a stir at the sorting ceremony, his name is Sebastian and he was sorted into Ravenclaw. He is not having an easy time of it this year; he has wound up in the hospital wing twice after being attacked by older students. Snape is on a warpath, and I think that will be enough to convince most older students that hurting his son is not worth what will happen should they get caught.

More interesting, as far as I am concerned, is the fact that the son is not like the other students, or the father for that matter. There is something about him that reminds me of home, something in his scent that brings you to mind, although I am certain that he is not a vampire; he isn't that like you. I am hoping that you will have some insight, as trying to figure him out is becoming quite frustrating.

Oh, and I have Dumbledore's permission to research the Carcer – and other things, though I did not mention those to him – in the Restricted Section of the library. He has given me a pass so that I can go there at any time and look at any books I wish. If Hermione was talking to me should be ecstatic.

On that note, Ron and Hermione are still not talking to me, although it is much more Ron and Hermione. She told me the other day that she doesn't want to antagonize Ron by talking to me openly, but she is trying to get it through to him that he still wants to be friends with me, and to just get over it and start talking to me again. I have simply been spending more time with Neville and Luna.

Classes are going well. Defence is actually being taught by someone I know. Her name is Fleur Delacour, I competed with her in the TriWizard Tournament two years ago, and she is part Veela. She is engaged to Bill Weasley, Ron's oldest brother. Just before our first class, she told me that she needed to find out if I was worthy of being told … something, but we were interrupted by the rest of the class, and I have not managed to find her since.

Political Studies is being taught by a Professor Lenoir. He is currently teaching us about where the whole Pureblood mania came from, and getting us to express our own opinions on the subject. I have mostly kept quiet, although I did mention that the smartest witch in our year is a Muggleborn. Malfoy is talking a lot about his family and tries to make a lot of derogatory remarks; Professor Lenoir encourages us all to speak on the subject and doesn't tell us off for having opinions, although he does give Malfoy detention for using the term 'Mudblood'. I am looking forward the rest of the class; we will be covering a lot of interesting topics.

Many of the former members of DA have come to me and asked me to continue with the club. I am thinking that I will take it up again in another two or three weeks; give everyone a chance to settle in to school again and all of that.

I will be holding tryouts for the Quidditch team next Thursday afternoon; I am aiming to get a full reserve team, in case of accidents. It will also make training much easier, as we will be able to have actual games against another team and improve both sets of players at the same time … provided I can find enough people!

The Minister has asked me to go meet with him again on Saturday morning, Dumbledore wasn't happy about it, but he has agreed to let me go. He really wants to get back in my good books, and when he realized that he couldn't talk me out of it he agreed fairly quickly. I will send you another letter on Saturday evening to let you know how that went.

How goes your own research? I think I have done fairly well at convincing people that the changes in me this year are the fairly normal result of growing up, but I am not sure how long I will be able to keep up the façade.

All my love,

Harry.

Last Edited 19 June 2008

I'm so sorry that this has taken so long to come out! I had a hell of a time trying to convince Rhiannon to come back, but she was very stubborn and ended up convincing me to bring Professor Lenoir in for the moment. I will try to bring her in again later, as she was quite a character. I've also been quite busy with work this week, and might be quite busy next week as well, which significantly cuts in to writing time. I'll try and remember to take the story home this weekend and see if I can get chapter 15 done.

This story just needs another 73 reviews to overtake Shines A Light, which is quite exciting. Four hundred and fifteen reviews for the first 13 chapters of this story is doing pretty damn well, I think! I am looking forward to seeing your responses to this chapter, and to encourage this, here's a new question:

What is your opinion on the Harry/Ginny ship?

I know, kind of lame. I'm running out of awesome questions to ask though, hopefully I'll be able to think of some and plan ahead with them so that I don't get put on the spot at the end of the chapter.

As always, thanks for reading.

WolfMoon