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a/n: urgh!!! ff.net froze my account so it took me 3 hours to finally reopen it. so, here's part VI. i have some questions @ the end of this part. Read and Review!! Thanks!!! J

Harry Potter and the Mysterious New Magic Part: VI

Chapter 26: Hagrid's Gift

"Harry..."

Harry groaned.

"Harry, wake up..."

Harry sighed and opened his eyes to meet Cho's tired ones.

"Harry, we have to go back to the castle. It's nearly breakfast time."

*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Harry, where were you?" Ron asked as Harry settled into the seat next to him.

Harry told Ron and Hermione about his nightmare, his scar and him ending up in the Forbidden Forest. He neglected to mention Cho was with him; he didn't think she would be very comfortable about it.

"I really think you need to tell Professor Dumbledore about this, Harry." Hermione said.

"I agree." Ron added.

"Maybe later."

Just then, Hedwig flew in and dropped a letter into Harry's plate. It was from Hagrid, asking him if he, Ron and Hermione wanted to have some tea in the afternoon.

Harry wrote a reply on the back and sent it to Hagrid.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hello Harry! Ron! Hermione!" Hagrid boomed.

"Hello Hagrid." The Trio voiced.

"So, how are you? I haven't seen you much at all this year." Hagrid stated as they entered his hut.

"Sorry. We've been very busy with work and all."

"It's alright."

Hagrid poured them their tea and handed them each a rock cake.

"So, Hagrid, what have you been up to?" Harry asked as he tried to hide a rock cake in the pocket of his robes.

"Oh, nothing much, I just got a bundle of Dutch Tizacs yesterday."

"I've read about those before," Hermione asserted, "they're like large fairies that gives off ice. Perfect for winter, Hagrid."

"Thank you, Hermione."

Just then, there was a knock at the door.

"Excuse me." Hagrid opened the door, and there stood a very tired looking Madeline.

"Ah, yes, one moment, please," Hagrid turned to Harry, Ron and Hermione, "Could you please turn around for a moment?" he asked

They obliged.

There were some footsteps behind them, a few movements of furniture and some whispering.

"Your Mother gave this to me before she left here in her 7th year. She told me to give it to you after you enrolled into Hogwarts." Hagrid whispered.

Madeline wasn't very good at being grateful since the event, but she tried her best not to cringe while hugging Hagrid.

While Madeline was walking out, Harry glanced at what Hagrid gave her. It looked very much like a miniature wooden chest. Something inside it was special, and Harry was determined to find out what it was.

Chapter 27: Trust

After Harry, Ron and Hermione left Hagrid's hut; they headed back toward their Common Room to finish their homework. When everyone left, Ron spoke:

"Did you see what she got from Hagrid?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, it was some sort of small chest. I wonder what was in it."

"Hagrid said it was from her Mother. Do you think there's any connection between it and the fact she's a Sealer?" Ron asked.

"Dunno. Maybe." Harry looked at Hermione. "What's wrong, Hermione? You haven't said a thing since we got back."

Hermione just shrugged. Then, she faked a yawn, said goodnight to Harry and kissed Ron.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

After everyone had fallen asleep, Hermione crept out of the Gryffindor Common Room and tip-toed toward the Gargoyle. As soon as she entered Madeline's chamber, Sirius approached her.

"What are you doing here?" he whispered hoarsely.

"None of your business. I would like to speak with Madeline about something. Where is she?" Hermione asked.

"She's out practicing with Moony." He eyed her questionably, "What do you want to speak to her about? It's kind of late."

When Hermione was about to answer, Madeline and Professor Lupin entered.

"What are you doing here, Hermione?" Lupin asked.

"I just wanted to talk to Madeline for a moment, ALONE." She replied.

Professor Lupin and Sirius left the room.

Hermione whispered to Madeline, "Today, when Hagrid gave you that wooden chest, Harry and Ron heard him. They're trying to figure everything out by themselves. This is complete torture for me and for them. Why can't you just tell them everything?"

Madeline shook her head and ran up to her room.

Chapter 28: The Snowball Soiree

The next morning Hermione tried her best to act normal. All night long, after her talk with Madeline, she kept on having nightmares. She was about to start eating her toast when

Professor McGonagall cleared her throat to make an announcement.

"The Snowball Soiree is coming up soon and all students are invited. Everyone is required to wear Dress Robes. The band, The Hippogriffs(a/n: what'd you expect? The Queer Brothers??) will be playing there. That is all."

Everyone in the Great Hall started to talk at the same time. Nearly everybody asked one another to the dance. Ron asked Hermione and of course, she accepted and Harry ran over to the Ravenclaw table to ask Cho. She said yes.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

(a/n: I'm gonna skip all the way to the dance, because I have nothing planned for the time being. Also, it's not on Christmas day.)

~*~Day of the Dance~*~

Harry was getting ready for the soiree in his green dress robes. He tried his best to straighten out the mess of black hair on his head, but it was useless. He turned to see Ron wearing navy blue dress robes. He assumed that Fred and George had bought him it with the tournament money.

"So, ready Harry?" Ron asked.

"As much as I'll ever be."

They walked out of their dormitories and down the stairs. Ron gasped at Hermione. She was wearing a silver sparkling dress robe. Her hair was up and little curls were spurting out to the sides of her face. It wasn't as sleek as last year, but certainly less poofy.

As Hermione took Ron's arm, she chuckled at his expression. She believed he looked like a goldfish.

The three of them reached the Great Hall; Harry gaped at Cho. She was wearing a dark, plum colored dress robe with her hair draped over her shoulders.

When the soiree started, everybody danced happily. Fred, Angelina, George and Alicia were the only ones dancing hypocritically in the center of the Great Hall.

The Hippogriffs were pretty good, though not as good as the Weird Sisters; everybody enjoyed themselves.

After about 6 songs, Harry and Ron went to get drinks while Cho and Hermione sat down.

"Are you having a good time?" Hermione asked Cho.

"Yes, very much. You?"

"Yep," Hermione looked around the room, "Have you seen Madeline anywhere today?"

"No, I went to visit her chambers this morning, but *Snuffles* told me she had gone flying." Cho answered.

"Oh."

Their conversation ended because Harry and Ron had come back with the drinks.

Chapter 29: Harry

"I had a great time tonight, Harry," Cho said as they reached the Ravenclaw entrance.

"So did I, Cho." He replied.

Harry kissed Cho goodnight and walked toward his own Common Room.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

Cho entered the Ravenclaw Common Room. She did have a wonderful time at the dance that night. It sort of reminded her of last year, when Cedric asked her to the Yule Ball. He had walked her to the Ravenclaw Common Room, and he had kissed her, but his kisses didn't affect her as much as Harry's did.

She flopped down into an armchair. Her little sister, Grace, came up to her and sat in the one opposite her.

"So," Cho asked, "did you have a good time with Andrew tonight?" Cho was referring to the little fourth year that Grace had a crush on for the past three years.

Grace sighed sadly, "No. He wouldn't dance or do anything, but stare at Ginny Weasley from Gryffindor."

Cho chuckled. She couldn't think of anything to say to comfort her little sister. So she walked over to her, sat down, and let her sister cry on her shoulder.

"I wish I was as lucky as you to have a guy like Harry," Grace said.

"I know. I am lucky aren't I?" Cho replied.

"Yeah," she hesitantly paused, "do you love him?"

Cho halted. She hadn't really thought about her feelings for Harry. She mentally compared the way her mother felt for her father to herself and Harry. She realized that it was slightly smaller but nonetheless the same.

"Yes," Cho replied, "I believe I do."

Outside, hanging upside down, was Madeline sketching yet another drawing.

*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Hey Hermione."

Hermione turned to see Ginny in an armchair, alone.

"Hey Ginny." She replied as she sat down next to her.

"So, did you have a good time at the dance?" Ginny asked sadly.

"Yes," Hermione drifted off, thinking about how Ron had swept her off her feet earlier that night. But she also noticed Ginny's saddened expression. "What's wrong?" Hermione asked.

"Nothing." Ginny stated. "It's just that I still like Harry, and now that he's with Cho...I just don't want to see him hurt."

Hermione sighed. "Ginny, you have got to learn how to let go. Harry isn't yours, he's Cho's.

Besides, I've seen how Cho acts around him, I've seen the look in her eyes when he's near, and trust me; he's in good hands."

Ginny nodded and looked down. "I know...but that's what hurts me."

Chapter 30: Experimentation

"Yes Master, both girls have grown closer to our targets."

"Good. See that they are properly taken care of."

"Yes Sir."

"Wormtail! Malfoy! Come here this instant!"

"Yes Master!" came the duo as they bowed down low.

"I have a special assignment for the both of you."

"What Master?" they asked.

He handed them each a small bag of hair. Only 4 strands of hair were in each. Wormtail recieved the bag with long black hair and Malfoy recieved the bag with short, thick black hair.

"Use them wisely."

"Why can't we just kidnap the girl like we did the first time?" asked Wormtail.

"It will be much easier to break their spirits and destroy them. Besides, I don't really want to lose another useful derellor."

"What about the other?" Malfoy asked.

"She will be harder to lure. We wil continue planning on her capture after we get the other."

"Yes Master."

*~*~*~*~*~*~

That night, two figures were silently brewing up a potion in a darkened room, just outside of Hogsmeade.

"Is it ready?" asked the first.

"Just about."

Then the partners took a small amount of potion, put in the hair their Master had given them, and drank it.

Where Peter Pettigrew and Lucius Malfoy once stood now were occupied with Cho Chang and Harry Potter.

"Alright, we've got an hour to practice before we change back. Let's begin."