Chapter 14
Sixth Year
Disclaimer: Everything in the Harry Potter universe belongs to J.K. Rowling, I got nothing out of this except for enjoyment.
The rest of the holidays passed, Harry and Hermione were looking forward to their sixth year in Hogwarts.
On the first day of September, Sirius Apparated Harry and Hermione to Kings Cross Station.
As Harry and Hermione went through the barrier of Platform nine and three quarters, they went on the train.
At eleven o'clock, the train started moving.
Harry and Hermione asked Ginny and Neville to look after their stuff, then they went into the Prefect compartment.
As the prefect meeting ended, Harry and Hermione were asked to patrol the corridors first.
They went back to sit with Ginny and Neville as soon as another two prefects informed them that it was their turn to patrol the corridors.
"How's your summer?" asked Harry.
"Good," Ginny said.
"Are you still in contact with Michael Corner during the summer?" asked Harry as he sat down with Hermione.
"Yes," Ginny answered.
The rest of the trip went smoothly.
After the train stopped, Harry and Hermione followed the rest of the students out of the train, then they went into the carriages to get to Hogwarts.
As they arrived in the castle, they sat down at the Gryffindor table.
A moment later, Professor McGonagall arrived with the first years.
"When I call your name, you will come and sit down on the stool and put on the hat," she instructed the first years.
Harry and Hermione listened as she called out the names of the first years.
After everyone was sorted into their houses, Professor McGonagall took the Sorting Hat away.
Albus Dumbledore got to his feet.
"Welcome to another year at Hogwarts," he said. "Before we start, I have a few words to say to you. Tuck in."
The empty plates filled with dishes as usual.
Harry and Hermione helped themselves to food.
"Professor Webb is still here," Harry said after he swallowed his potato.
"It seemed that he would still be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts," Hermione said a moment later.
"Which means that the jinx must have been removed," Harry said.
After the feast, Albus Dumbledore began to give out a few more instructions.
"The forbidden forest remains out of bounds to all students," he said. "The older students should know this by now."
"Quidditch tryouts will happen on the second week of the term, we are in need of more players, anyone interested should see Madam Hooch," he went on.
Then he paused.
"As you may have already known, Voldemort is still at large, and I want to tell you that no students should leave school without the consent of a staff member," he said. "I urge you to abide by any security restrictions your teachers may impose upon you. Should you notice anything suspicious or strange outside this castle, report it to a staff member as soon as possible."
"And now, your bed awaits, so I'll bid you guys goodnight," he said.
Harry and Hermione led the first years to the Gryffindor common room.
Just before Harry was about to part, he heard a voice calling him.
He turned and saw Katie.
"I have been made the Gryffindor Quidditch captain," Katie said.
"Now we need more players on our team," Harry said.
"Right, and I will need to find some people for the tryout," Katie said.
O-O
On the following day, Harry got up and dressed, then he went down to the common room.
A moment later, Hermione arrived.
Together, they went down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
After breakfast, Harry and Hermione were immediately cleared to continue doing their subjects.
Harry went back to the Gryffindor common room, as he didn't have any classes until the next period.
He had dropped Care of Magical Creatures and Divination, in spite of the fact that he was able to continue with those subjects, so he wouldn't be having any of those classes.
One hour later, Hermione arrived back into the common room.
"I got so much homework for Runes," she said.
"We got Defense Against the Dark Arts now, let's go," Harry said.
Together, they set off for their Defence Against the Dark Arts lesson.
As soon as they entered the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom, they saw Professor Webb sitting at his desk. They took out their books and placed them on their desks.
A moment later, a few more students arrived inside.
Professor Webb got to his feet, and he began his lecture.
"You won't be needing your books yet," he said.
As soon as everyone put their books away, Professor Webb continued.
"We will be learning Non-Verbal spells this year, as well as doing revisions on a few spells that were already covered."
"Before we begin, I want to ask you a question, what is the advantage of a Non-Verbal spell?" he asked.
Hermione's hand shot up in the air, then Harry's hand shot up a little while later.
"Your opponent has no warning about what spell you are about to perform, which gives you a split second advantage," Hermione said.
"Correct," Professor Webb said. "Ten points to Gryffindor. Yes, those who progress using magic without saying incantations aloud will surprise their foes. Not all wizards can do this, of course, is a question of concentration and mind power that some of you may lack."
"I want you to divide into pairs to practise," he said. "One will attempt to jinx the other without speaking, and the other one will repel it in equal silence."
The students got to their feet. Harry immediately paired up with Hermione.
Harry was jinxed by Hermione several times, yet Harry did not manage to block any of them.
At the end of the class, Hermione received thirty more points, whereas some of the other students who managed to do it properly received ten points.
"It was harder than I thought," Harry said after the class ended.
After lunch, Harry and Hermione went to the potions class.
Ten minutes later, more students entered the class.
Harry and Hermione took out their copies of Advanced Potion Making and placed it on their desks.
Professor Slughorn stood up.
"Let's begin the class," he said. "I've prepared a few potions for you to look at."
"Who can tell me what this potion is?" he asked, indicating the cauldron near the Slytherin table.
Harry's hand shot up, he recognised it, it was Veritaserum, the potion that Snape mentioned when he was in his fourth year.
"It is Veritaserum, it makes the drinker tell the truth," he answered.
"Correct, ten points to Gryffindor," Slughorn said. "How about this one?"
Hermione's hand shot up before Harry this time.
"Yes, Miss Granger," he said.
"This is Polyjuice Potion, a potion that transforms someone to someone else, depends on who's hair being used," Hermione answered.
"Correct, another ten points to Gryffindor," Slughorn said. "This one?"
Harry's hand shot up in the air again.
"This is a potion called Amortentia, a love potion that makes the drinker become infatuated or obsessed to the person who gave it to them," he answered.
"Correct, another ten points to Gryffindor," Slughorn said.
"And now, it is time for us to start work," he went on. "We are making the Draught of Living Death."
Harry gathered everything he needed to make the potion, and then he opened his book to the chapter entitled 'The Draught of Living Death' and began to brew.
As soon as he finished, he compared it with Hermione's.
He let out a sigh of relief as he found that his potion was identical to hers.
As the time was up, Slughorn checked everyone's potion, walking around and giving them words of encouragement.
As he went to Harry and Hermione, he looked at their potions.
"Excellent potion, Mr Potter," he said, then he moved over to see Hermione's.
"Excellent, Miss Granger."
After dinner, Harry and Hermione went back into the common room, trying to do the homework that the professors had set them.
Harry went to bed at nine o'clock, whereas Hermione went to bed at nine forty-five.
O-O
Albus Dumbledore sat in his office, he had just stabbed a ring with the Sword of Gryffindor, and he wondered where the other Horcruxes were.
He knew that there were only two of them left, the Cup and the Snake, but he still needs to find them.
He decided to find the Cup first, since killing the Snake would be a bit risky for Voldemort to discover the fact that his Horcruxes were destroyed.
Could Voldemort be hiding the Cup in Gringotts? If yes, which vault did he hide it in?
He knew that Voldemort doesn't have a vault in Gringotts, which means it would be likely for him to hid the Cup in the vault of one of his Death Eaters.
