A/N: I wished I owned Harry Potter. Alas, I do not. Ms. Rowling, I'd be happy to take it off your hands

Chapter 57: Prodigy and the Second Genius

April, 1995

"Trust me," Harry told Fred as they exited the Floo into the Ministry Lobby. "I really don't want to be here right now. Fleur and I had plans this afternoon."

"Then why are you?" George asked.

"I was in Dumbledore's office yesterday when he asked Fudge for the reward for you guys. Fudge agreed under the provision I would come. That I didn't mind, until he started talking about the photo-op. I was all for tweaking their noses, but then Grandma Minnie pointed out that it would just reflect badly on Akira, or Professor Hayashi. So we'll see what happens."

"Photo op?" George asked, and saw Harry's countenance darken, shutting him up instantly. At a mention of the potential for press, Harry had gone from a 2 to a 3 on the Harry anger scale very quickly. He looked at his twin, who had noticed it as well, and they both nodded. He had not imagined it.

The Harry anger scale had started as a joke between the two, but after seeing Harry almost summarily execute Malfoy after he went after Hermione and Fleur earlier in the year, they began to take it more seriously. A level one meant he was annoyed, but still basically normal. Level one could be something as simple as a tough charms class, or yet another fight between Ron and Hermione, though with the shifting dynamics of the year, it was more likely something else as Ron and Hermione had barely interacted since Harry's name came out of the goblet. In fact, Ron had been replaced by a variety of people in relationship to Harry, and George realized he had barely talked to Ron this year.

Level two meant Harry would take a little teasing, but not to push too far. If Harry didn't tease back, that was a danger sign. That could be from a harsh argument with a friend, or more commonly from potions class. Granted, Snape had been a little less persistence in regard to Harry cruelty this year, but Harry still seemed to be at level two whenever he left potions, to the point where he barley attended anymore even though Hermione would harp on it constantly at meals.

Level three meant keep your head down. Level three was mainly if you went after Harry's friends in a mean or nasty way. Harry didn't mind if people teased him, especially this year. He was fairly even-keeled, and often gave as good as he got. But if you went after his friends, either with cruel insults or even physical attacks, the gloves were off. Apparently, interactions with the press and ministry could fall in this category.

Until this year, there had not been a level four. But they had seen it twice. Once, when Ron mouthed off to Harry after his name came out of the goblet of fire. It had been swallowed by sadness, but in the moment before Ron spoke, Harry's face was totally expressionless, even though his eyes were on fire. Whatever happened in the room with the champions had Harry beyond furious/ That expressionless face had also appeared when Malfoy had dared come after his best friend and girlfriend with slurs. Level four meant pain was coming, and nothing could stop it. Level three was keep your head down, but Level four was run and don't look back.

"So we'll hope for no photo op. Let us know if there is anything we can do to help," Fred said. Harry flashed his twin a grateful smile, and George gave an unnoticed nod. Sure, they were here to undergo some auror training, see what it was all about. But keeping Harry cool would be critical. It was understandable he was upset if he was pulled away from a day with his girlfriend, even more so if it was a PR stunt.

"Welcome, Hogwarts and Durmstrang student!" Minister Fudge's voice boomed out, and Fred and George gave him their focus for exactly one second. The moment the words "It is our great honor," their attention span was elsewhere. They were looking around the atrium, but the statue of the wizard with all the different creatures subservient to it caught the attention more than anything else.

"Pretty ostentatious," George heard in his ear. He turned to see Head Girl Ella Lane standing next to him. He just nodded a little. "So I heard you and your brother teamed up?"

"Indeed we did," George confirmed. "Don't know we are sold on the whole auror thing."

"Hey, I have no interest in being an auror," Ella told him. George looked at her curiously. "I'm just competitive, and I liked the format of the game."

"Same," George admitted, looking at Ella Lane for the first time.

"I can't imagine you or your brother being aurors. Too much structure None of the Weasley Clan, in fact," Ella said with a chuckle. "Granted, I was a first year when your oldest brother was head boy, so I don't know him."

"Bill was head boy more because he was a brilliant wizard than his belief in rules," George explained. "I guess Percy liked rules enough."

"Please?" Ella scoffed. "To be an auror, you need to follow the rules, sure. But it's a hard program, and you need to be a good fighter. Percy is many things, but a competent fighter is not one of them. What is he now, assistant for Barty Crouch? Sounds perfect for him."

"Ah, we are being called," Fred said to his brother, and George gave Ella a small smile, disengaging to focus on the older man who had taken Fudge's place.

"Hello, I am Rufus Scrimgeour, the head of the DMLE," The older man said. He reminded George of Moody, who had come along on their trip with Akira, and to his surprise, Snape. No Dumbledore or McGonagall, and instead the potions professor who had no real reason to be there along with their co-defense teachers. But Scrimgeour had the same intensity Moody had.

"Today, you will be undergoing a variety of drills, before a quick lunch. Then, anyone who likes may run the gauntlet. It is the graduation test for aurors. They must complete it in under 20 minutes. If not, they can retest in three months, but a second failure means failure out of the auror academy. The fastest time ever actually belongs to Professor Moody, at 16 minutes and 11 seconds."

"We will begin on floor 2. If you could all get on the elevators?" Sunday morning meant they could all get on two elevators. George did notice that along with Minister Fudge, Rufus Scrimgeour, and the three professors there were four red cloaked aurors watching the group cautiously. Maybe now was not the time to try and prank the minister. They could save that for the way out.

"First, speed and accuracy drills," Senior Auror Kingsley Shacklebolt told them. Auror headquarters had been all desks, but through a side door lead them to a giant training area. Once inside, they had been split into three groups. George and Fred were paired with Ella, with Kingsley as their trainer and Moody as their professor. Kingsley Shacklebolt, who had told the group to call him Shack as soon as the Minister wandered away, would be leading them,

"The way this drill works is that we have 5 targets." Kingsley waved his wand and 5 targets rose from the ground. They were varied lengths and all around them. Each was a witch or wizard, with a target circle spreading out from their chest. "It will be one at a time. The targets will swing up one at a time, in a random order. Your job is to find and hit the target as fast as possible. The center of the target is located in the center of the chest. Fire a stunner and try to be as close as possible. If you are feeling extra-ambitious, each target has a wand. Hit their wand with an expelliarmus to get bonus points."

Neville, Victor, and Angelina were over at the defense station. With them was Professor Hayashi, Rufus Scrimgeour, and Senior Auror John Dawlish. Proudfoot was explaining the basics of the drill. There were a variety of training dummies, who shot different spells. A red spell was a stunner, which could be shielded or avoided. A white spell was expelliarmus, which needed to be avoided. The purple spell was not actually a bonebreaker but just simulated one, which needed to be blocked by a sturdy shield. The drill ran for one minute each, and they would be scored by how many they could correctly react to in a row.

Finally, Harry, Dean, and Jessie Mitten, a 5th year Slytherin, were at the final drill. Harry looked on dryly as Minister Fudge stood right nearby, rubbing his hands anxiously. He was less than pleased when he learned Snape would be the third professor accompanying them. Before leaving, he had raised the point with his brother, saying that there was "literally no reason," Snape should accompany them. Akira had agreed, but said Dumbledore overruled him when he asked to take Filius. Of course Snape would be the faculty watching him, and they were with Auror Thomas Proudfoot, the only non-senior auror, which meant Proudfoot had less than 5 years experience.

"We will be conducting…" Proudfoot did his best to sneer at the three. Harry felt Jessie quiver a little under the auror's harsh look. Next to him Dean seemed entirely unconcerned, "mock duels."

"We will have Auror Proudfoot go easy on you, of course," Fudge said with a smile.

"Oh, on the contrary," Dean said, stepping forward first. "I'd advise him to be serious. Wouldn't do for two fourth years and a fifth year to show up the ministry. No excuses when we wipe him off the floor."

"We?" Jessie asked. "Even me?"

"Sure," Harry added. "Look, I'm pretty sure that you had every opportunity to join your classmates last week. You didn't. So for the day, you, me, and Dean are a team. And we are going to show these aurors we mean business."

"That sounds good," Jessie started to say, but then Snape stepped between them, his eyes glaring at Potter.

"Focus on the drills, Potter. Socialize on your own time," Snape spat. Harry just looked at his yearmate and rolled his eyes, and Dean wiggled his eyebrows in response.

"All right then. God forbid I actually become friendly with someone in your house, Professor Snape," Harry mocked. "Last time I did and they learned that things like friendship and compassion existed, they used a life debt to switch out of your house." Harry laughter made Snape turn an interesting shade of purple. Seeing Snape grow angrier started an idea growing in the back of Harry's mind.

"Let's get started," Auror Proudfoot said stiffly.

"Yes," Dean agreed, stepping onto the training floor. He and Proudfoot went back to back and each took five long paces, turning and bowing. "Ready whenever you are, Auror Proudfoot. And remember, don't hold back." Dean flashed a cheeky grin at the auror.

The dark-skinned teen's attitude was clearly too much for the auror. His wand flashed out and three non-verbal spells shot out at Dean. Harry was mildly amused as Dean deflected the first two into the floor and a quick body sway avoided the third.

"Proudfoot!" Fudge called but the auror was too deep into the fight now, throwing a bevy of silent spells at Dean. A few stunners, two movement impairment spells, and what looked suspiciously like a blasting curse. Dean dodged a few spells, but was forced to shield the blasting curse, which rippled across his shield. The final spell in the chain, a leg-locker Dean contemptuously flicked back at his opponent, who knocked it away.

"My turn," Dean said. His first two spells were non-verbal, easily swatted away by Proudfoot. "Stupefy!" This third spell splashed across Proudfoot's shield, but Harry saw that Proudfoot was no longer behind the shield, already casting a disarming spell as Dean saw his spell impact. Dean was able to avoid the disarming spell with a desperate twist, but the following binding spell wrapped him up neatly.

"Well done, both!" Fudge said, and Proudfoot flicked his wand, releasing Dean, who rose and gave Proudfoot a half bow. Harry was impressed. Dean was clearly holding something back, as he could have deflected most of the spells in the first exchange back, but shielding and attacking at the same time was a fairly advanced technique. Auror Proudfoot was a little winded.

The duel with Jessie exemplified why the girl has lasted so long in the game of tag. It took Proudfoot almost a minute to truly pin the girl down. Her agility was impressive, but once her movement was restricted, it only took three spells for Proudfoot to break her shield. Obviously, the narrow confines of the dueling platform did not play to her strength. Nevertheless, Proudfoot was breathing heavily.

"Harry!" Fudge looked thrilled to have the boy-who-lived next. Harry looked balefully at Proudfoot, who was glaring at the minister. Clearly, he did not fancy fighting Harry without a few minutes to catch his breath. Harry wasn't surprised. He had been in the papers an awful lot from what his friends told him.

"Auror Proudfoot looks a little winded, even if his victories were quite impressive," Harry started. The plan that had popped up in his mind was more than viable now. It also gave him an excellent target on which to vent his anger. "But since Professor Snape accompanied us due to his vast spell knowledge and expertise, I'm sure he'd be willing to go a round with me?" Harry's eyes sparkled as he turned his full charm on Fudge.

"Excellent idea Harry, excellent!" Fudge seemed extremely excited at the idea. "Professor Snape, if I could prevail upon you." Proudfoot gratefully stepped down from the platform, replaced by Snape, who sneered at Harry.

"Tell you what Severus," Harry said as he touched his holster, his wand flying into his hand. "I won't even punch you in the face. As much as I'd like to rearrange that disgusting growth you call a nose." Jessie couldn't stop a small grunt of amusement and Snape's eyes went flat. There was no warning, count or bow. Snape flicked his own wand into his hand out of a concealed holster on his arm, and spells spilled out.

Harry had purposely antagonized Snape, so while he was a little surprised to see the wand in Snape's hand so quickly, he was more than prepared. Snape had only thrown four spells in the first chain, and none were too harmful, so Harry contemptuously flicked all four away. Harry looked Snape dead in the eyes and wiggled his eyes. Snape seemed to grow in size and this time the chain of spells was much longer, and much darker.

Harry easily avoided the lighter curses, the two disarming and stunning spell. The bonebreaker and exploding curse he took on a shield. Harry did a simple step back for the last in the chain, as it was curved around his shield. He heard a hiss and saw Dean had been forced to step in front of Jessie to block the last spell. He had been fine to play with Snape a little while longer, but he saw a tiny smirk on the potions professor's face, and he saw red.

Harry's first spell chain had nothing funny about it. Three exploding curses, followed by a bone-breaker and a blasting curse impacted Snape's shield. The last spell shattered the shield, but did not have enough power to do real damage. Harry waved his shield in a triangle, a small three-dimensional triangle forming in front of him. The triangular prism rushed towards Snape, who blocked it with another shield.

Harry had to stop himself from laughing as he jerked his wand harshly to the left the moment Snape shielded his unfamiliar spell. Obviously the conditions were a little restrictive and Snape had been thrown off by his opening salvo, but he knew Snape didn't know the spell he had fired, and shielding an unknown spell was the height of stupidity. His master would have him running sprints for an hour if Harry had ever tried that.

Snape prepared to shield from Harry's harsh wand movement, but saw no spell. He raised his own to counter attack, but then felt an impact on his right ribs, sending him flying. As he flew Harry hit him with a powerful stunner and Severus Snape crashed to the floor at least 10 feet from the platform, totally unconscious. Harry looked critically at Snape before stepping down.

"You ok guys?" Harry asked, looking at his fellow students. Fudge and Proudfoot were checking on Snape. "That curved spell look like it almost hit you."

"It would have hit me if not for Dean," Jessie said. She grabbed Dean's hand. "Thank you so much."

"It was a just a pimple jinx so I could redirect it even at the angle, but if it had been anything more…" Dean trailed off. "I saw a bone breaker and explosion curse in that second chain."

"Yeah," Harry said. "When I saw him throwing those, I stepped up my game."

"You two were silent casting," Jessie pointed out. "Dean cast most of his spells silently too."

"Yeah," Harry noted. "Dean, you should work with Akira a little. Your spell redirection and shielding is spot on, but you are over-elaborating some of your movements. Akira's a pro at minimal movements. I can never guess what spells he is throwing."

"Good note," Dean said. "Jessie, Harry doesn't need to verbal cast. Especially in a serious fight, verbal casting is a big drawback for two reasons. One, your opponent doesn't know what the spell is."

"Two, speed of casting," Jessie interrupted. "I'm not an idiot, just surprised you two can do it so easily. Harry, what was that last spell? I'm sure it hit Snape's shield."

"I know!" Harry laughed a little. "Blocking an unknown spell with a shield. The man is an idiot through and through." Harry looked over and saw Proudfoot reaching into a bag for a potion. "Couldn't wake him up with a Rennervate, huh? I guess I was pretty angry when I fired that stunner, so I really didn't modulate the power." He looked at Jessie, who had her hands on her hips expectantly. "Jessie, don't take this wrong way, but I'm not sharing that spell. I have a few spells I keep to myself. Let's just say that was my non-lethal shieldbreaker, and that even if Snape had dodged, I'm pretty confident that it would have won the the fight. I will say I wasn't expecting the result to be so spectacular."

"I have no idea how it works," Dean admitted a little later when Jessie had wandered over to check on her head of house, who was still woozy after the potion, "but Snape blocked your spell and somehow he was hit by a wind charm from his right side, even though you didn't fire one." Harry nodded, impressed that Dean had deduced it so quickly. "Won't even share with me?"

"You know I won't," Harry said with a grin. "Hey while the idiot squad are focused on reviving Snape, want to go a round?"

"Not on the platform," Dean said with a snort. "I wouldn't stand a chance. Besides, if we are going to spar, I'm going to use my special move."

"Oh?" Harry jogged a few steps back. "Trust me, he'll be woozy for a few minutes still." Dean looked conflicted, but then shrugged. He had never tried this move in a real combat scenario, and Harry was certainty stronger than him. Hell, he was faster, more accurate, and his spells packed an unknown punch to them. Might as well try it out here. Dean took a small leather pouch from his robes and tossed it into the air. He waved his wand and four mirrors floated out of the pouch. Another wave of his wand locked them in place in the air, and a final wave enlarged them so that they were the size of Harry's torso.

"Ready?" Dean called. Harry nodded. Dean's first spell sent the mirrors into slow orbits. Harry watched for a few seconds, but turned his attention back to Dean to see him fire two verbal stunners, which Harry dodged. Dean upped the speed with a silent leg-locker and a tickling spell. Harry flicked both spells away, and fired back with a stunning spell. Dean deflected his spell and as Harry prepared to fire his first chain, his sensory magic screamed out, and Harry rolled forward, a stunning spell firing right past his ear.

Harry surged to his feet, firing two disarming curses. Dean deflected both of them, and this time Harry was ready, casting a full body shield and watching two disarming curses, his disarming curses, smack into his shield. Dean looked surprised, but fired two stinging hexes at him. Harry batted the first one away and dodged the second, turning to watch the spell leaving his back expoded to Dean. Harry smiled as he saw the hex bounce off a mirror behind him and rebound. Harry simply dropped to the ground and Dean was almost surprised, shielding just in time.

Dean looked up from his shield, but Harry was simply gone. A glint of light from the left caught his eye, and Dean desperately shielded from a stunner. Then he felt a wand poking his opposite cheek, and he turned to see Harry standing there, a smile on his face. Dean held up his hands in mock surrender.

"Dean, what the hell was that? Did you charm those mirrors beforehand?"

"Yeah. I talked to Flitwick about how to use my skills with angles and redirection. He suggested a few things, and I came up with this."

"Damn, my brother said you were a prodigy," Harry said with a bit of wonder his in voice. "I could never even begin to try and replicate something like this. I'm crazy impressed."

"Yeah, but it wasn't enough to beat you," Dean complained.

"Can I be honest?" Dean nodded. "You can't right now. The difference in ability is too great." Dean looked angry at Harry's statement. "You are angry?" Harry guessed at the look on Dean's face. "Turn that anger into drive and determination, and improve your skills. But if I'm being honest, the skill set is there. You have something nearly impossible to replicate. Hone that skill, and in six months you could be the toughest student in Hogwarts."

"Tougher than you?" Dean asked. Harry just patted Dean on the shoulder, and the dark-skinned wizard was sent back to the end of his conversation with Neville last night. Maybe he was dead on with his prediction. But he hoped he wasn't, because for the first time in a while, Dean was sure there was someone in Hogwarts he could not see himself ever defeating. Dean knew he was special, with his ability to turn any spell into a number and deflect it any which way. But against someone like Harry Potter, he as well be a first year learning red sparks.

A hurried conversation between Akira and Moody after Snape awoke left Minister Fudge proclaiming that the students would rotate but the teachers and aurors would stay at the same station so that the students could "get different types of instruction." Harry didn't even bother hiding a smile as their group walked over to Kingsley and Akira.

Neville smiled at Victor as Angelina stepped up to the platform. Akira and Harry still sent him flying all over the place in the morning, which didn't surprise Neville. The tag game had given him a much-needed confidence boost. But he had performed just as well as Angelina, one of the strongest Gryffindors, and had matched Durmstrang champion Victor Krum dodge for dodge. He was no slouch, and as Angelina was disarmed and Neville stepped up, he was determined to give a good accounting of himself.

"I don't like this," George told his twin as yet another white spell crackled against his shield and a red light went off. "It's too forced."

"All of this is fairly forced," Ella noted. "It's simplicity. Everyone can do these drills. I assume there is more complex stuff," she told George as Fred stepped between the training dummies, "but they can't really throw us in the deep end."

"I guess," George agreed, "but does this stuff really help aurors?"

"You know we can hear you," Senior Auror Dawlish pointed out.

"I know," George said. "Feel like answering the question?"

"Sure," Dawlish said. "Your girlfriend is right." George scoffed at that, and Ella frowned a little. "Oh, missed one?"

"My brother's girlfriend is over there," George indicated Angelina at the next station, "but I am regretfully stag. This delightful young lady is the Head Girl, wouldn't be caught dead with me."

"Exactly," Ella confirmed.

"Regardless, we can't throw you into the deep end. Yes, the accuracy and defense drills are a little rudimentary, but they are valuable. Knowing 500 spells might be useful if you are Dumbledore, or are dueling a dark lord, but for aurors, you really only need 10 spells, tops. Besides, occasionally we will have to deal with a dangerous threat, but it's not like we are at war. Much better to be able to shield quickly then be able to fire a bevy of spells. Keep yourself safe and hit your target, and you'll win almost every fight."

The rest of the rotations were fairly rudimentary, and soon enough the group broke for lunch. The three aurors ate with the students, answering any questions they had. George and Fred started with attempts at hilarity, but quickly subdued themselves when they realized Angelina and Neville were a little interested in being potential Aurors, and had real questions.

Harry was pulled away from lunch a little early. He looked frustrated until Fudge explained he would be the first to try out the gauntlet. Harry seemed to be psyching himself up, but Dean put a hand on Harry's shoulder and whispered a few words. Harry took a few breaths, and everyone around him exhaled as well, the pressure pouring off Harry easing as the bespectacled wizard left to finish his training.

30 minutes later lunch was done and they were standing at the entrance to the gauntlet. It was a dark arch, and you couldn't see anything past the entrance. It was a little eerie, and Neville peered into the darkness, seeing nothing. They were now rejoined by their teachers, but there was no Harry.

"Did Fudge really take Harry to have a press conference?" Neville whispered to Akira as Scrimgeour started to explain the gauntlet in full.

"Yeah, he did," Akira replied. "I spoke to him a little bit. He promised not to openly antagonize Fudge."

"You know that means he is going to find little ways to undermine him," Neville pointed out.

"I know," Akira said with a small smile. "Fudge is a politician. I can't stand politicians. Besides, I'm not planning on setting up a permanent residence in England.

"Thanks for the ringing endorsement of the country I will have to live in the rest of my life," Neville said, and Akira patted him on the back.

To his surprise, no one lasted more than 10 minutes before sending up red sparks. As the second twin was dragged out, Neville gulped audibly. The twin looked like they had been beaten down repeatedly. He was not alone as Victor and Angelina looked like they had been ground up as well. Dean looked pretty harried as well. A few deep breaths helped Neville center himself. Finally he saw red sparks go up from Jessie and Neville stepped to the entrance.

"Ready?" Scrimgeour asked? Neville nodded, and then burst into the darkness. His wand leapt to his hand and he ducked under two spells. He kept racing forward, and realized just in time to cast a lumos spell. He stopped himself short of a wall and looked around. He seemed to be in some sort of maze, and had almost run headfirst into a wall.

Two more spells shot out from the darkness and as Neville went to deflect one he realized the flaw in his plan. Reactions gained from months on intensive physical training saved him as he managed to avoid both spells. Neville thought for a moment, and then cast a few spells. A gentle ball of light appeared above his head and began to follow him as Neville backtracked to a right turn, and then headed down the path. Now that his wand was free, he was able to deflect the next few barrages of spells.

The path widened and the darkness lifted as Neville entered a bright white chamber. He extinguished his ball and looked around. His eyes widened as he saw what was in front of him. Giant axes swinging from left to right were along his path forward. Neville took a deep breath and slowly his concentration heightened. He dove into his mind, looking for his center.

Harry had helped Neville develop his mind defenses and mental freedom. Harry had described his mental defenses and center as a lake. When he needed to calm himself or defend his mind, he descended to the lake, and anything disturbing him was water dripping into the lake. It disturbed the surface, but eventually the lake returned to calm. The metaphor made sense to Neville, but Harry has encouraged Neville to find something different, something that made sense to him.

To his surprise, a month ago, Neville had found something resonating in his soul. It was sound as opposed to a visual. It sounded similar to the Beatles song Susan had played earlier in the year, but not exactly. Harry had managed to procure a magic resistant record player, and they had gone through Sgt. Pepper Lonely Heart Band, Rubber Soul, and Help without finding anything. Finally the beginning of Abbey Road has started and Neville had felt his mind audibly settle.

Come Together began playing quietly in Neville head and his eyes lit on the swinging axes. He began walking forward. Now that his mind was calm, it was easy to see the axes were in a pattern. A somewhat odd one, but it was all too easy for Neville to proceed. He didn't even have to break stride as he calmly strode between the blades all too eager to slice him to pieces.

He cleared the obstacle, and saw a long path. The path itself was covered in light, but darkness surrounded it on either side. His mind was still calm, but this seemed to require more finesse. Neville suspected Akira might be mildly upset if he really started revealing secrets, but something in Neville made him reconsider. A year ago, Neville would never have claimed he wanted to be an auror.

But he was not the Neville of third year, who quaked at the voice of Snape and could barely face his boggart. He was not the pudgy kid who had to make a note with all the passwords, letting his house down and leading to the potential death of Harry Potter (even if Sirius ended up not intending to kill Harry). He had a drive that did not exist before. So he began to wave his wand in front of him in a figure eight, muttering slowly.

Harry and Akira could use sensory magic instinctively and wandlessly. Akira had developed the skill from extensive training and Harry from his prodigious natural talent. Neville had come to terms with his limitations from starting training so late in his life a long time ago. He would do the best he could. That was all he could do, and now was his chance to prove his worth. To prove that his performance in tag wasn't a fluke.

Bolts of magic began to shoot out randomly from the darkness. Neville ducked, weaved and rolled. Every time he came back upright, the wand movement continued as did the muttering. It was inconvenient to have to use his wand to expand his senses, and not a technique he could use in a real fight. But for defense, especially against attacks where he could not see the caster, it was invaluable.

Akira assured him that sensory magic training was necessary to progress as a magical martial artists, rather than a wizard who knew martial arts, so Neville underwent the training. To be fair, it wasn't a hard sell. Harry had allowed him to see a training session with Remus, and the two seemed to dodge attack after attack from blind spots. And as Neville dodged the last few spells and reached a new part of the gauntlet he had to admit he was right.

The darkness was all gone, and Neville was faced by a rather short pool. He grinned at that. Harry was a miserable swimmer, and showed no interest in learning. Akira had called Harry out on that, claiming that he needed to learn to handle water if he wanted to be with Fleur. Two later, Harry had used shoes he had carved runes into to walk on water. Akira didn't challenge him about it anymore, but without his shoes, Neville guessed that Harry had probably run through the first part of the gauntlet at record speed, but given up here. It wasn't like Harry had something to prove.

Neville jumped on and shivered at the cold. He was halfway across when he felt a gentle tug. He kept swimming and then he was sharply tugged down. He couldn't resist and he struggled as he dragged into the water. His eyes settled on the devils snaring yanking at him. Neville realized the predicament in moments. He needed to relax to be released, but the moment he swam back to the surface. Neville's last thought was that it also wasn't all too easy to cast a sunlight spell under water before he past out.

Neville felt himself awake and slowly opened his eyes. He saw Professor Moody grinning at him and offer him a hand up. Neville shook his head and flipped to his feet. He looked around and saw the other students talking. He must have pulled out of the Gauntlet by the aurors. It made sense they would be keeping an eye on people who went it. It was all pretty dangerous stuff.

"Well done Longbottom," Professor Moody informed him gruffly. "Only Mitten and Krum made it to the water, and Krum was the only one to pass it. He failed at the next obstacle. You were fastest to the water as well at 6 minutes."

"Yeah, I was stumped on how to deal with it," Neville admitted.

"Bubble head charm," Moody told him. "You'll learn it in 6th year." Neville shook his head ruefully. "It's why Mitten failed as well. To be fair, we didn't expect either of you to get that far. Kids these days," Moody shook his head. "I guess the private tutelage with Hayashi is doing you well."

"Harry has been a good teacher as well," Neville told the one-eyed ex-auror. "Sometimes he has a better way of explaining things then Akira."

"He actually gave up before even jumping in the water," Moody relayed to Neville, who just laughed. "For someone who jumped into a lake, it baffled us."

"Harry hates water and swimming," Neville explained. "Harry says he can't swim, he just drowns in a forward direction." Moody just hmphs at that. "Hey, everyone has something he struggle at. How was his time before that?"

"Insane," Moody said. "He did the whole course at a sprint, and a damn fast sprint at that. Didn't pause once to think of how to deal with obstacles. In fact, his time through to the water was record breaking. The next fastest was actually from a while ago."

"Really? Don't tell me it was his dad."

"No," Moody said with a chuckle, "though someone in the academy the same time. That was one hell of an academy class. Usually the aurors are lucky to get 2 graduates a year. Lots of people wash out, and they usually run a group of 50. But there were some strong classes at the beginning of the war. James Potter, Sirius Black, the McKinnon girl. Not to mention Amelia Bones a few years later. She was almost the best of the group."

"Almost?" Neville asked. Moody seemed to be building to something.

"Yeah. Two others were better than her. Shack is up there too, but I'd argue the best through the academy, at least in the last 20 years was Frank Longbottom. He would be the best, might have been the best fighter. But there was only one better than him. You'll know her too. Alice Fortescue, who became Alice Longbottom right after graduating. I didn't feel the need to correct that idiot Fudge, but Alice Longbottom has the best time at 16 minutes and 7 seconds. She mustn't feel the need to hold the record. If I remember, you father proposed at the after party of her breaking the record."

"Really?" Neville had tears in his eyes. He had never heard anyone talk about his parents like that. He had known they had been aurors, but it killed his grandmother to talk about his parents, so he knew virtually nothing about them beyond the basics.

"Yeah. She turned him down flat. Told him to ask the next day when he was sober. Sure as hell he did and she accepted. Damn fine aurors, both of them. They were an unbeatable pair. Dueled old Voldemort himself three times." Moody patted Neville on the back. "You did them proud today."

"Thanks," Neville said, his eyes shining. "It means a lot to hear that." Moody nodded and them hobbled off to talk to Akira. The door banged open and Fudge stalked in, his face red with embarrassment, and what Neville could figure from his body language, a touch of anger.

"Rufus!" Fudge yelled. "They are leaving now!"

"Yes minister," Scrimgeour said, though he looked disgruntled. He looked animated in his discussion with Krum before he had been called. Harry walked in behind him, not even bothering to hide his grin. Neville walked over to Harry with a questioning look on his face.

"What did you do?"

"Oh, I may have insinuated that Fudge firing Bones was a blatant politic move and that now that I am a Lord and can take my Wizengamot seat over the summer as I am an adult, I would try to get him removed so Sirius Black could see justice."

"Would you really do that?" Neville asked.

"Of course not," Harry said with a scoff. "The moment I assume my seat I'd need to assign a proxy, and there is no one the Wizengamot would accept who I'd trust right now. Besides, I got a letter from Sirius a few days ago. He and Amelia just bought a house in France. Both of them want nothing to do with England. I think Susan is going to spend the summer with them."

"I assume you'll be in France for part of the summer too." Harry raised an eyebrow at that. "I'm sure Fleur would like you to spend some time with her family."

"Probably," Harry said, realizing for the first time that Fleur would be quite peeved, rightfully so, if he determined summer plans without discussing it with her. His plans of two plus months of intensive missions with the Mibu Wolves went up in flames in his mind. "Let's get going. I've had enough of this place for a lifetime."

"No interest in following your dad into auror life?" Neville asked, genuinely curious. It wasn't like Harry had to work, but he doubted Harry wanted to do nothing his entire life.

"Too many rules," Harry said with a laugh. "To be honest, they don't deal with a high enough class of criminal, even if I wanted to work in law enforcement. Besides, I'm currently signed up for a slightly different organization."

Later that night, Harry sat in the common room, his wand moving slowly as three magical balls weaved in circles around him. He had them changing color and shape as he concentrated. It was an exercise Li Min had taught him in January, creating a physical construct of pure magic and manipulating it. It took supreme concentration but as Harry focused on stabilizing his newfound magic, he found the exercise critical and extremely useful.

"Hey Harry!" Astoria Greengrass said as she bounded over. As always, Natalie was right behind her. Apparently the second year has taken Harry's request that she help Astoria get acclimated as gospel, and the two were almost never seen without the other. "What are you doing?"

"Oh just a little exercise," Harry said, suspending the balls in midair and turning to the young girl. "Not here to ask me about a marriage contract, are you?" Every time the girl saw him she asked him, though it seemed more like a personal joke rather than anything.

"I figure I might as well get it out of the way," Astoria said with a laugh.

"How are you two doing?" Harry asked.

"Well," Natalie responded. "Astoria is really good at charms."

"We were wondering if you could play with the balls," Astoria asked. "Natalie said she would teach me soccer

"Well, you could," Harry started to explain, and then Astoria grabbed one of them.

"Thanks Harry!" Harry stared poleaxed as Astoria and Natalie ran off. He was still motionless 10 minutes later when Hermione sat down next to him. What had just happened? What Astoria had just done was an impossibility.

"Harry!" Hermione grabbed his shoulder. Harry almost jumped and turned to her. "I have been calling your name for almost a minute."

"Yeah…" Harry rose suddenly. "Expecto Patronum!" The stag burst from his wand. "Go tell Minnie I need to see Flitwick and her in her office, now!" The stag raced off.

"Harry, did you just have your Patronus deliver a message?" Hermione's eyes went wide at the possibility of learning a new spell.

"Hermione, I swear we can catch up tomorrow, but tonight I really have to go."

"Harry, it's almost curfew!"

"Hermione! Let it go for a second!" Harry saw Hermione's crestfallen face and took a breath. "Look, I'm sorry for being short with you, but this is vitally important. I'll see you for Breakfast tomorrow, ok?"

"Just promise me you will go to potions."

"Yeah, yeah," Harry waved his hand dismissively. "I gotta go." It took massive self control to not run to his grandmother's office. He didn't even knock as he entered, drawing his wand. He saw the half goblin look at him curiously, his eyes going wide as Harry pointed his wand at him.

"Harry, what are you doing?" His grandmother cried.

"Professor Flitwick, I want a magical oath that you did nothing to Astoria Greengrass." Harry's wand was aimed right between Flitwick eyes.

"What is going on?" Minnie demanded.

"Swear it right now or I promise I blow a hole through your head," Harry snapped.

"Of course." Filius drew his wand, and Harry's grip tightened. "I swear on my magic I did nothing to Astoria Greengrass, other than teach her the engorgement charm a few days ago." Harry took a deep breath as Flitwick's magic glowed around him.

"Sorry about that," Harry said, conjuring a chair and stowing his wand. "I had to be sure."

"Can you tell me what's going on now," his grandmother demanded.

"No problem." Harry turned to Flitwick. "How long have you known Astoria is a genius?" Minnie looked at him curiously. "Grandma Minnie, I'm sure of it. Upper echelon, at least."

"I've honestly no clue what you are taking about," Filius confessed. Harry studied the charms master closely and was surprised to see the half-goblin did indeed look totally baffled. "I mean, I suspected as much, but that is no reason to burst into the office and demand me to swear an oath at wandpoint. Harry snapped his wand into his hand and the balls appeared again.

"Do you know what these are?"

"I'm familiar with the exercise," Filius explained. "Physical manifestations of your magic."

"Go ahead and grab one," Harry asked.

"You know I can't physically touch your magic," Flitwick said with a curious look.

"No." Harry holstered his wand and the balls of magic disappeared. "No one can, not even my master. So please explain to me how Astoria just did."

"She what?" Minnie gasped. "That's impossible."

"Which is why I wanted to make sure Flitwick didn't place some odd charm I've never heard of on her," Harry explained.

"She truly grabbed a ball of your magic?" Harry nodded. "Yes, then no apology necessary." Flitwick shook his head. "But genius shouldn't allow her to do that. You are a genius, are you not?" Harry nodded. "You wouldn't even begin to attempt that."

"Correct," Harry said. "Normally I would guess prodigy, a once in a millennium prodigy. But after she did, I scanned her mind."

"Passive legilimency?" Minnie asked, and Harry nodded. "I thought you didn't want to learn it?"

"It was that or learn how to torture people," Harry explained. "My master was insistent."

"Sounds like the Lord of Lightning all right," Flitwick murmured.

"Regardless, I saw that since moving to Gryffindor, her work in wand-based classes has shown marked improvement. Her move into Gryffindor changed her state of mind, probably the beginning of unlocking her talent. Apparently her natural talent just manifested in a big one. She naturally developed specialty magic, one I have never heard of. She can manipulate the magic of others.

"By Merlin," Minnie breathed, and the charms professor looked equally shocked. "How sure are you?"

"Not entirely," Harry admitted. "But I don't want to run tests. She won't run into any physical magic for the rest of year, and I don't want her continuing to grow the talent. If it grows, and I'm right, Astoria would be hunted by people. Really powerful people."

"But it will still grow, just slowly," Minnie told him. Harry nodded. "What can we do?"

"Well, I could try and get someone to come and seal the magic, but that would weaken her across the board, and I don't want to do that," Harry said, cutting off the protests he was sure would come from the teachers. "Tell the Greengrasses I will have to come talk to them soon, maybe Tuesday or Wednesday. Best case scenario? I know someone who knows someone who could teach Astoria over the summer. Honestly, might be longer than the summer. But she needed to learn how to control her power and how to hide it."

"Even then…"

"Yeah, people will know. But the woman I'm thinking of will give Astoria formal protection as her master. Nobody would dare touch her after that."

"Who has that kind of power?" Flitwick asked.

"The most powerful woman in the world," Harry said. "The wife of John Eagle, Rebecca Eagle."

"Astoria is that powerful?" Minnie asked

"With the right tutelage?" Harry answered. "She could beat the current version of me in a year."