*5*

The group sat eating dinner together in the Great Hall. Harry was starving as he grabbed a second helping of turkey. Raising his fork, he felt a nudge on his arm. It was Dean who first noticed Seamus strutting into the hall with a pleased look. He looked like he had charcoal smudged on his face. His smile brightened as he sat across from Harry.

"It's done." Harry lifted the Daily Prophet, trying to hide his smile.

"What's done?" Hermione asked, suddenly seeming very worried. Seamus laughed.

"Just make sure you're near the East Tower at the end of dinner." He said as he took a large bite out of a turkey leg.

As Seamus advised, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Dean made their way up to the East Tower with Seamus, whose large grin hadn't disappeared. The group circled up trying not to look suspicious, but their eyes kept darting back to the muggle's dormitory. After a few minutes, screaming could be heard from behind the door. Everyone walking past the tower stopped in their tracks and stared at the Muggle Common Room's door. A few muggles looked ready to run themselves. You couldn't blame them, as they were suspicious of a school with self-moving staircases and talking paintings.

"Run! Run!" A boy was screaming as the portrait door swung open and five boys came charging, pushing each other out of the way before slamming the portrait shut.

"Fire!" One shouted.

"That wasn't fire! What the heck was that!?" Piers Polkiss screamed still hunched over on the ground, covering his head. Over their screams, you could barely hear as Sir Cadogan clunked away in his suit of armor yelling "Charge!"

"What did you do?" Hermione whispered as the boys continued to yell 'fire' from across the room in hysterics.

"A fire spell, you place cut outs of animals in charcoal around the room before you light them saying 'Eldur'. Makes a brilliant display of animals on fire coming for you." Seamus folded his arms, impressed with himself.

"Here comes McGonagall." McGonagall came rushing up the stairs followed by Mr. Cobblestein. The group watched as Professor McGonagall pulled her wand out and proceeded to walk into the common room. A few moments later, a furious looking McGonagall came walking out. Her eyes darted over the boys and even though she was shorter than them, she appeared to tower over them.

"Where was the fire exactly?" she asked harshly to the muggle boys. Harry and his friends slowly started to back away.

"Best part, as soon as the coal burns all traces of fire disappear." Seamus whispered.

"Brilliant." Harry whispered as he could hear McGonagall and Mr. Cobblestein shouting at the muggle boys about the serious issue of screaming 'fire' without a fire.

After dinner Ginny decided to go straight to the library. She sat alone at one of the study tables in the middle of the room. She could be seen clearly from all directions, but she didn't care. After a few minutes, Ginny heard someone clear their throat. When Ginny looked up, she saw a tall, muscular boy she had not met standing in front of her. Unknown to her, it was the boy from the Boy's locker room Harry had told her about.

"You, me, this Saturday." He stated arrogantly as he sat across from her lifting his feet onto the table. Was this supposed to impress her, she thought as she dipped her quill back into her ink.

"Typically, boys ask for a date, not demand one. And no thank you." Ginny lifted her book back to her face to hide her eye roll. Ginny heard the squeak of his shoes as they slid off the table.

"Why don't you go on a date with me this Saturday?" The boy asked this time, but his voice was sharp, as if he wasn't used to being refused so bluntly. Ginny lowered her book enough to see the muggle boy.

"No thank you." She said sternly before flipping a page in her book and tried to continue reading.

"Excuse me, but I don't think you heard me right. Why don't you go on a date with me this weekend." He repeated forcefully.

"I heard you. I said no thank you." Ginny looked up over her book again, her eyes narrowing.

"Why because I'm a muddle?"

"It's muggle and no, that's not why. I don't want to, and I already have plans with someone else." Ginny glared at the obnoxious muggle, lowering her book completely. She held her wand in her robe pocket, hoping he'd give her a reason to hex him.

"Plans with who?" His hands tightened on the chair, he wasn't used to being refused.

"My boyfriend."

"Then dump him and come with me this Saturday." He ordered. Ginny stood up pushing her chair back. She quickly pushed her things into her bag.

"Why don't you go by yourself." Ginny swung her bag over her shoulder and strutted out of the library, but the boy followed her out this time. He caught up with her, grabbed her arm, yanking her to a stop outside the library.

"Look. You should consider yourself lucky I even bothered to ask you." Ginny pulled out her wand and pointed it at his face.

"What are you doing?" Harry came down the hall towards the two, his fists tight by his side.

"This doesn't concern you Scarhead." The boy sneered at Harry. He still hadn't released Ginny.

"Really cuz it looks like it does. Let go of my girlfriend." Harry stood less than a foot away from him. He quickly noticed they were now eye level instead of him towering over Harry like he did in grade school. He could shove him in the locker room, but Harry wasn't going to let him harm Ginny, even if he knew she could defend herself. The boy looked in disbelief from Harry to Ginny. He let go of Ginny's arm and folded his arms across his chest.

"I highly doubt you could get a date with a hot chick Scarhead." He said rolling his eyes at Harry.

"Excuse me." Ginny went to ram her fist into his stomach, but Harry grabbed hold of her wrist.

"Let's go." He whispered to Ginny as he pulled her away.

"But I wanted to hex him." Ginny whined as she shoved her wand into her pocket.

"Maybe another time." Harry kissed Ginny on the head as they walked down the hall.

"The same old Scarhead. Too afraid to stand up and fight." He called as Harry and Ginny walked down the hallway.

"You really need to brush up on your recent wizard history Matty." Harry called over his shoulder before he and Ginny turned the corner. Ginny giggled.

"Matty?"

"Yea, he'd have killed me if I said that as a kid."

"Feel good?" Ginny smiled as they walked up a staircase.

"Yea. Yea it did." Harry froze, before pulling Ginny by the arm.

"OW!" Ginny said, but allowed herself to be dragged a few feet down a different corridor.

"Sorry, but I saw Dudley." Harry released her arm, before taking her bag off her shoulder. "I just didn't want to see him." Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry's.

"You won't be able to avoid him forever you know." Harry nodded, not meeting her eyes.

"I know, I just was hoping to avoid him as long as possible." Harry glanced at Ginny, who suddenly looked quite mischievous.

"I know a way to avoid him." With that Ginny pulled Harry into an empty classroom and closed the door.

A few minutes later, as Harry and Ginny entered the Gryffindor common room, they could hear a stern voice telling students to enter the crowded room from the dorm rooms. McGonagall stood by the fireplace in her emerald robes and black pointed hat looking furious.

"Tonight, a terrible trick has been played on some muggle boys." She called out. A few students still coming down from the dorm rooms, slowed down, hoping to go unseen.

"This behavior will not be tolerated at Hogwarts, especially by my own house." She firmly looked around the room over her spectacles. Many students squirmed uncomfortably.

"If these tricks continue to occur there will be harsh consequences for those involved. You all have been trusted, by me, the Ministry, and the muggle and wizarding worlds to make this experiment work. The muggles do not trust us! Most parents were paid to send their children here. They do not trust us. Do you want another witch hunt!" She shouted. Not one person moved or made eye contact with their headmistress as she looked around.

"I will not lie to you. That is what we are up against now. If the muggles decide witches and wizards are dangerous, we will have another war. This time not against ourselves, but against muggles who think we are all like Death Eaters, like Voldemort. If this experiment does not work, or the muggle world finds any reason to distrust us further, there will be another witch hunt."

Author's Note: Harry is finally starting to stand up for himself now that he has accepted the muggle invasion of Hogwarts! Please everyone review! Tell me what you think.