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Chapter 14

Having entered the room and seen no professor, the group split up and wandered around, some examining the various pieces of equipment, other pondering on the reasons for the canvas floor. Harry noticed that two frameworks had been added, as well as a similar piece of equipment that Harry was not quite sure about.

Before the class had time to muse further, they were interrupted by Fletcher, walking out of a door labeled boys, next to it, was another labeled girls. Those with muggle upbringings guessed these to be changing rooms, though some of the pure bloods didn't quite make the connection.

To the surprise of the class, and to Harry amusement, Fletcher was clad only in loose navy trousers, and his feet were bare. When he saw the group waiting for him, he gave a short grin.

'Good afternoon. I assume you are the fourth form?'

Since no one gave any reply, he continued.

'I'm Fletcher. Now, usually we will meet in the Entrance hall, but for today I have a few administrative issued to get through. First, you all need a change of attire. Through there you'll find a pile of clothed with you're name on it. Put them on, but don't bother with the shoes. I want you out here in two minutes. Go.'

As the rest of the class scrambled to do as they were told, Harry stayed where he was. When the class had disappeared, Fletcher came over to him.

'Hello again, Harry. Ready to act as my demonstrator?'

Harry ducked his head.

'Sir.'

'Good. Well, you might as well get ready. Same as the others, shirt and shoes.'

Harry went over to the side of the room, and pulled of his shoes, setting them down, and laying his belt on top. He hesitated slightly when it came to his shirt, before deciding that an order was an order, and that the air would do his back good, and so added his shirt to the pile.

Walking back over to Fletcher, Harry saw the older man giving him an odd look. Thankfully, he asked no questions of why or how, but simply queried,

'Will you be okay doing this with you're, er, injuries?'

Harry just nodded. Soon he was joined by the rest of the boys, coming hesitantly out dressed as Harry was. The girls were even more hesitant. They were clothed like the boys, the only addition being a short crop-top. As the padding of bare feet subsided, Fletcher spoke once more.

'Right. We're not going to do any wand work today, I just need to judge you're physical capabilities. In a minute, you'll get into four groups of three. One group will be using the frames, while the others do some basic exercises. One is push-ups, one sit-ups, and the other squat-thrusts. Does anyone not know how to do any of these?'

As a few hands went up timidly, Fletcher turned to Harry.

'Would you mind?'

Harry got quickly into position for the first, ignoring the gasps as his classmates got an unrestricted view of his back. He did a quick five press- ups while Fletcher explained the movement, then five sit-ups, and then five squats. Getting to his feet once more, Harry got a short nod from Fletcher.

As they moved over to the frame, Fletcher gave Harry a questioning glance once more. This time, he gave his explanation as Harry got into position.

'This is what is called a framework. It is activated by a spell will teach you later, which makes the bars move a various speeds, and in different directions. The idea is to avoid getting hit, if you fail, you'll find that you end up with a nice bruise to remind you of the lesson. Enerti Multis'

Despite the fact that he was given no warning, Harry was ready as the bars began to move. As the speed picked up, Harry was soon spinning and twisting to avoid a hit.

After just a few minutes Fletcher muttered the counter spell, and turned to face a gobsmacked group of teenagers. Seeing his friend's reaction, Harry grinned, despite the fact that several of the wounds on his back were bleeding sluggishly.

'Now, I do not expect you to be that good, as I know for a fact that Harry has had a significant amount of practice. Also, that was the fastest speed, and you will be starting at the slowest.'

Seeing the teenagers still shocked and slightly apprehensive looks, Fletcher grinned, and folded his arms.

'Well, in that case we will begin. You will alternate every five minutes, with thirty seconds break between sets. Come on then, get moving. As he chivvied hesitant Gryffindors along to the various areas of the room, Fletcher pulled Harry aside.

'Don't join a group, I've got something else for you to try.'

Harry nodded his understanding, and stayed where he was, watching as the first three, Ron, Hermione and Neville, stepped over to their frames. Seeing Neville's nerves, Harry walked over to him.

'Hey, Neville, you ok?'

'Yeah, yeah. I mean, how bad can it be?'

Harry grinned, looking over his shoulder to see if Fletcher was returning.

'No that bad. Just concentrate on you're feet, and try to keep you're centre of gravity as low as possible. The first time it seems impossible, but it gets easier, trust me.'

Neville nodded his thanks, and Harry wandered over to where Ron was as Fletcher told them to get ready. Giving his friend an encouraging smile, Harry stepped back.

'Enerti Minimus Totalis'

As the frames creaked into action and behind him the others started on their set exercises, Harry looked over at Fletcher, seeing the grim smile on his face. To Harry's surprise, Neville was coping as well as Ron and Hermione, and was talking the advice Harry had given him. After a few minutes Fletcher led Harry over to the far wall. Two and a half meters above the floor, a bar was set into the wall, so it hung above the floor well above head height. Fletcher jerked his chin at it.

'You're master has requested I do some work on you're strength. You're target for today is fifty. Take you're time, but don't drop.'

Glancing at the grinning man, Harry walked forwards until he stood directly under the bar. Jumping lightly upwards and grabbing hold of the bar, Harry took a few moments to adjust his grip, before giving Fletcher a nod, and heaving himself upwards, while keeping his lower body straight.

While Harry began, Fletcher walked among the now sweating students. Giving out a few cutting remarks and less praise, Fletcher began to sort the class into three groups; those who wanted it, those who would accept it, and those who would fight it. Fletcher was pleased to find none of the last group in the class of Gryffindors, though he knew the other houses would be more of a challenge.

When a short break was called after two sets, Fletcher wandered over to where Harry was working, and made his way through the sitting crowd that had gathered. He found Harry getting on well, though the blood mixing with the sweat streaming down the boy's back worried him slightly.

At fifty Harry dropped to the ground lightly, his shoulders burning and his hands sore. As Ron whistled his appreciation from the piece of floor where he had collapsed, Fletcher congratulated Harry, before ordering him over to another set of apparatus. This time it was a rope ladder set on the floor, each rung a different height off the floor, and each having to be jumped over. As Harry began, Fletcher turned to the rest of the students.

'Okay, that's enough. Get back into it, we stop next after four sets.'

Two hours later, Harry was well and truly aching. He had been introduced to several new drills, and started using some new equipment. When there was half an hour to go before Snape was due to arrive, Fletcher had ordered Harry over to the frame, and stopped Ron, who was currently working on it. Fletcher then called a halt to the rest of the class.

Again, Harry was told to simply stay in the middle for as long as he could. The only difference was, this time Fletcher tied his ankles together before he went in, effectively cutting off his balance completely.

As Harry hopped unsteadily to the centre, his mind was buzzing. Chief among his thoughts was the fact that there was absolutely no way he was going to escape a bruising with his feet tied. Looking over at a grinning Fletcher, he realized the man knew this also. Great.

Three minutes after he began, Harry hit the deck. Those among the class who were watching winced. Ouch. He was soon on his feet again, but after another few minutes he was down again. And so it continued. Finally, on his last attempt, Harry managed 11 minutes before he was hit. His feet tied as they were, he went sprawling on his side.

Though he didn't hear Fletcher stop the spell, he soon realized it was safe to get up. When Fletcher finally released his feet and Harry was able to stand up, he was greeted by an odd twinkling in the eyes of his master. Remembering his manners, Harry bowed.

'My lord. I apologize; I did not see you arrive.'

'No, you were quite obviously busy. But, if you are recovered, we will begin.'

Though Harry was very obviously not recovered, he nodded. After receiving a nod from Fletcher, he followed Snape over to the other side of the Hall, where a fencing square was marked out on the floor. After weeks of learning to defend, this was the day when Harry was finally going to be taught how to attack.

First off, Snape showed Harry the best parts of the body to aim for. In tradition fencing this would be limited to the torso, but what Harry was learning was not aimed at the safety of your opponent. It was aimed at killing them.

Harry was soon doing lunges in slow motion, at several different heights. Soon it was a block then a lunge, the different blocks and lunges in various combinations.

Though Harry was unaware of it, several of his classmates suffered because their eyes were on him and not the exercises they were supposed to be doing.

Finally came the bit Harry was looking forward to, a mock fight. For the first time, Snape set no boundaries. As Harry got into his start position, he tried to calm his nerves. Though Snape had not said it, Harry knew this was an important step, and a test of his abilities. He did not want to fail.

Harry let Snape make the first move. Quickly blocking, Harry retaliated with a dummy lunge to the right, followed by a lighting fast slice aimed at the left. Snape didn't even bother to block the first, but caught the second neatly on his blade, before lunging straight for Harry throat. Harry sidestepped and spun, being careful to keep his balance. Snape foil made the slightest contact with Harry ear, but he ignored it, Lunging back in, aiming for a low stroke at the knees. And was blocked.

As they fought back and forth across the carpet, Harry began to tire. Snape on the other hand, was looking as fresh as he did first thing every morning. Realizing this and seeing an opening in Snape's defense, Harry made a last desperate lunge, only to realize that it was a trick, and that Snape had drawn him in. His master foil stopped a bare millimeter from Harry throat. Harry froze, then backed up slowly as Snape advanced. Still not letting his foil drop, Snape spoke.

'Never, attack in desperation. A god swordsman will read you like a book, just as I did.'

Not taking his eyes of the tip of Snape's foil, Harry replied.

'I'll remember that, my lord.'

'Apart from that, you did well. In a few months you should be just about passable. Now, I'm sure you wish to talk to you're friends. I expect you down in the classroom, changed, in half an hour.'

Finally the blade was lowered. Harry bowed.

'Yes, my lord.'

Snape gave a short nod and left, pausing only to pick up his robes from where he had put them. Placing his own blade back in the racks, Harry walked over to where his friends were waiting, ready to face the barrage of questions that were sure to come.

Okay, how was that? Thank you all some much for the reviews I have been getting, 14 for one chapter in one day! Because of that, here's the next chapter. Fifteen and Sixteen are also written, and I'll be working on 17 today, using some idea's people gave me in their reviews.

Shadowseeker - Thanks. Good idea with Malfoy, and I promise that chapter 17 will have him in it. I'll also try to have Harry obeying Snape in front of the entire school, but I can't promise anything.

Cricket - I haven't really though about Voldemort yet, but I'll give it some though over the next few weeks. As for updates, for the rest of this week it'll be at least every other day, if not every day. However, on Sunday I'm going back to boarding school and I probably won't be home for a few weeks, and even then I'll only be able to update if I remember to take my disk home, which is very unlikely, so sorry. Thanks for the review!

CassandrAIarwen - Is that right? Good point about the book, in fact I should know because I'm actually studying it at the moment at school. I doubt I'll get back to change it, and since you're the only one who noticed it I think you'll just have to forgive me for that one. Sorry, and thanks for the review.

Moonlight - Gray id not in league with Voldemort, at least not yet. As for your other question, this chapter should have pretty much answered it. Thanks for the review!

Pheonix Flight - You're welcome, but I actually got more than ten reviews anyway, so here's the next chapter, hope you liked it!