Chapter Six: Let Your Training In The Martial Arts Begin.
For the next couple of days, Harry, Ron and Ginny spent most of the mornings and part of the afternoons practicing Quidditch, trying to get Ginny comfortable with the moves she'd need as a Chaser on the Quidditch team next year. Although Harry wanted Ginny on the team, as a Chaser if possible, he wanted her to try out like anyone else. There would be no favouritism on his team.
However, Harry rarely saw either Ron or Hermione outside of meals or Quidditch practice, they were too busy studying privately in Ron or Hermione's bedroom up at the keep. When they choose to disappear, Harry and Ginny went off and did something fun by themselves. On the Wednesday after their arrival, they were just about to return to the Eyrie after flying Ravlin and Aeneus - two of the flying horses - out to the mountains behind the keep for a picnic, when Sandra and Civis appeared in front of them.
"What's up Civis?" asked Harry.
"Sirius, Remus and Tonks just got back from a meeting at Grimmauld Place. It's bad." replied Civis.
"Okay. You want me to come back with you then?" Civis nodded and offered Harry a hand. "Sandra'll take Ravlin back for you."
"Ginny, I've got to go. I'll see you later."
Ginny nodded and mounted her chestnut winged mare, Aeneus. "'Bye Harry."
They disappeared with a crack a few seconds later.
----
When they reappeared in the kitchen of the keep, Sirius and Remus were already there. Harry raised his elbows when he saw the glass in Sirius' hand, he wasn't sure but he thought it contained Ogden's Old Firewhiskey. Remus and Tonks were both drinking tea from small cups. Also surprisingly all of the 'Guardians' - as Harry had begun to call the junior members of the Order who rotated guard duty at Gryphon's Eyrie: Jason Draper, Ray Harker, Sandra Troy, Jarred Laken, Corinne Anderson and Antonia Menotti - were all present, which had never happened before as far as Harry could remember. The looks on the faces of most of those present were grim, even Tonks and Antonia were clearly unhappy and that was something Harry hadn't seen before either. "What's wrong?"
"It's begun." Sirius told him. When Harry didn't look terribly enlightened, he elaborated. "Voldemort has started his major attacks. Death Eaters attacked three prominent wizarding families last night: The MacMillians, the Patils, and the Zabinis."
"Was anyone hurt?" Harry asked. "Are Ernie, Parvati and Padma okay?"
Sirius nodded. "The Order has been guarding both their families since the beginning of the holidays. One of ours, Richard Todd, was slightly injured by falling stonework, but he'll be fine. According to his partner, Barbara Caine, the Patil twins fought well. In fact, according to the reports I've seen the three DA members managed to capture five Death Eaters between them. Five more were caught and four killed by the Ministry and the Order."
He sighed. "Unfortunately the Zabinis weren't so lucky. Because we weren't expecting them to be attacked - they're almost exclusively Slytherins, generally not anti-Muggle though, never have been - nobody was watching them. Mr Zabini and his bodyguards managed to hold them off though, until the Ministry could send Aurors. Three Hit-Wizards were killed and Mrs Zabini, Auror Sergeant David Thomas, and two more Hit-Wizards are in critical condition St Mungo's. They managed to capture one Death Eater, a recent Ravenclaw graduate, Arnold Falcon."
"Why the Zabinis?"
"We're not sure. Although it could be that Zacharias Zabini is the Junior Under-Secretary. They may be trying to scare him into siding with them." Remus replied, then shook his head. "It won't work though, the Zabinis have never been linked to the Dark Arts, they're one of the few Slytherin families who haven't been."
"How many Death Eaters were involved?" Harry asked, he wanted to know how far Voldemort's recruitment had got.
"Twenty-six." Tonks replied. "Between the Order, the Ministry and your friends we accounted for fifteen."
"Anyway Harry, we were thinking that it is about time that you started training for battle." Sirius said, leaning over the table and looking his godson straight in the eye. "We all know that you're going to have to face him, and sooner rather than later, and I for one would like you to survive."
Harry nodded. "Me too. But what sort of training. duelling?"
Sirius shook his head. "Not yet Harry," he paused for a moment. "Voldemort is a powerful sorcerer with powers that we can't possibly comprehend. So I believe - and so do Albus and Remus - that the key to defeating Voldemort will be to use something he's not expecting. Now we haven't had much luck with finding spells that fit the Prophecy, but we are still looking. So we've decided that for now you'll learn Muggle combat techniques: martial arts, sword-fighting and other things. We think that will take him by surprise and maybe give you the edge you need. You want to give it a go?"
Harry's response was immediate and emphatic. "When can I start?"
To his surprise, neither Sirius nor Professor Lupin that answered, Draper answered instead. "Tomorrow morning in the auditorium on the first floor. Five am. Don't be late."
----
Harry left the kitchen and headed up to his bedroom, Civis following a few steps behind. When he reached his suite, his three friends were waiting outside. Harry opened the door, ushered them inside and then followed himself. Civis joined them, closed the door and then climbed into a wooden stool near the door.
"Well, what's going on?" asked Hermione, as she sat down on Harry's sofa with Ron. Ginny sat down in the single armchair, while Harry turned his leather desk chair to face his friends and sat down.
"There were more attacks last night." Harry told her. "Ernie and the Patils were both targeted, and so were the Zabini family."
"Are they okay?" asked Hermione.
Harry nodded, "Only minor injuries, although Mrs Zabini, several Ministry people, and Richard Todd, one of ours, were injured, all but Todd critically. A few Death Eaters were caught though."
"Good, at least something's being done." said Ron. "According to Dad, the Ministry's still in a mess."
Harry agreed with that sentiment. "That's pretty much what Sirius and the others have been hinting too."
"Did they say anything else?" asked Ginny. "Yeah, Jason and some of the other Guardians are going to teach me Muggle fighting."
"Really, why?" Ginny asked.
"Well." Here Harry paused. "What I haven't told you guys is that we do actually know what the Prophecy said."
"Go on," said Hermione, slightly irritated.
"I don't know if I'm remembering it exactly," admitted Harry. "But it goes something like this... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."
"So what you're saying is. that if the prophecy's right, you really are the only one who can defeat Voldemort." said Ginny.
Harry nodded.
"Are you sure about this, Harry?" asked Hermione. "Divination isn't exactly the most precise branch of magic after all."
Harry nodded, "Normally I'd agree with you Hermione. But this is a special case. Trelawney actually went into a meditative trance when she made this one, Dumbledore saw her do it. The only other she did that was during my end of year exam in third year. And you know that came true."
After a pause, Hermione nodded, conceding the point.
"If you're sure, that's good enough for me, Harry." Ginny told him. "What she say that first time Harry? Can you remember?"
Harry was about to admit he didn't, but then he realised that he did actually remember it. "Actually I do," he admitted, slightly puzzled. "She said something like. It will happen tonight. The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever before. Tonight. before midnight. the servant. will set out. to rejoin. his master."
"And it was later that night, that Scabbers was exposed as Wormtail and escaped." Ginny concluded.
"Yep." Harry confirmed. "And he was one of two Death Eaters, the other being Barty Crouch Jr - who also qualified as a 'chained servant', although he didn't rejoin Voldemort until a few weeks later - who was responsible for Voldemort's resurrection."
"Y'know Harry... I really wish you hadn't stopped Sirius and Lupin from killing Wormtail."
Harry grinned ruefully, "I said the same thing to Professor Dumbledore shortly after the incident."
"What did he say?"
"He said that the future can never be predicted. That in saving his life, I created a bond. a debt, between us. And that one day I might be thankful that I'd saved his life."
"Stark raving bonkers!" exclaimed Ron.
"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Well he is!"
Scenting the beginning of another fight between his two best friends, Harry got up and catching Ginny's eye he indicated the door to the balcony. Ginny smiled and nodded, rising from her chair to join him.
Ginny grinned, leaning on the stone rail, the glass door behind them blocking out most of the sound. "I wonder how much longer they're going to keep denying how they feel about each other?"
"I really don't know Gin," Harry said. "It's been obvious to everyone except them since the Yule Ball. But, they still seem clueless."
"Oh, Hermione knows she has feelings for Ron alright." Ginny told him. "That's why she was a bit flustered when he gave her that bottle of perfume last Christmas."
"That wasn't your idea by any chance?" asked Harry.
Ginny looked at him, all wide-eyed and innocent. "Who, me? How can you even suggest such a thing, Harry?"
"Because you're a Weasley, and almost as devious as the twins when you put your mind to it."
"Well, there is that." Ginny admitted.
Realising this was probably a good moment, Harry decided to ask her a question that had been bothering him for some time. "Ginny, could I ask you something?"
"Anything Harry."
"On the train. when you said to Ron that you had chosen Dean, were you serious?"
Ginny nodded, and Harry's heart dropped. "Yeah, I chose him to wind up Ron with. It worked. A little too well actually. He gave funny looks for a week, any time I asked to borrow Pigwidgeon. Of course, when he realised that the only people I was owling were you, Neville and Luna, he calmed down. Oh, and I owled Hermione once in the week she was with her parents. Why, did you actually think I wanted to date him?"
Harry nodded. "Oh Harry. Dean's been dating Su Li from Ravenclaw since last Easter. Lavender complained about it for weeks." Ginny told him, a hint of laughter in her voice. "Besides, I don't think I'm ready for another romantic relationship yet Harry. I haven't told anyone this Harry - not even Mum, Hermione or Luna - but losing Michael, especially to Cho, it really hurt even if I did dump him. I don't want to go through that again."
"Don't worry Ginny, you'll find someone eventually." Harry told her, crossing the balcony to stand behind her. "Someone who really deserves you."
"I really hope so Harry," said Ginny, a little sadly, leaning back against him. "I really do."
----
Despite an early night, and a quiet one thanks to the meditation and focusing techniques Draper taught him a week before, Harry was not exactly eager to get up when Civis woke him at four-thirty the next morning.
"I don't why I have to start so early, the sun's not even up yet." moaned Harry as he scrambled into a black tracksuit and emerald muscle T-shirt.
"Unfortunately, Draper's leave has expired. He has to be at the Ministry for 9 am." explained Civis. "Sandra and a Miss Wilkes will be responsible for your afternoon training sessions but you must get in a couple of hours work with him before he leaves. Sirius' orders."
"Okay, I guess I can live with that." said Harry, and followed Civis down the stairs.
----
By the time he joined the others for breakfast at nine o'clock, Harry wasn't so sure.
"How did it go?" asked Ron.
"Do you want the answer my mind knows, or the one my body's telling me?" asked Harry with a groan, reaching for the jug of orange juice and pouring himself a large glass.
"Either or both." replied Ron.
"Draper's a machine. He couldn't have had more than three hours sleep last night, but he had more energy than Oliver Wood on a sugar high. He put me through an hour of stretches, push-ups, sit-ups and other exercises. And that was just the warm-up. After a five-minute water break, he showed me a simple block and punch combo and had me practise that for forty-five by punching a big stuffed leather bag again and again. Then he had me practising forward-kicks for another half hour. I had to get Civis to take me up to my room and have an ice-bath, before I could get my muscles moving. I still ache all over."
"Have some food and you'll feel better," Ginny told him. "And if that doesn't work I've got some Nondolere Draught upstairs. Sandra's been teaching me how to make it. It's a basic pain-killing potion for muscle injuries."
"That sounds good," said Harry, smiling at the kitchen house-elf as she brought over a large bowl of porridge for him. "I'll have my usual breakfast Velky."
"Yes Master Harry. It will only be a few moments."
"Anybody got any thoughts about what to do today?" asked Harry, looking around at his three friends, Sirius and Lupin. Tonks, whose holiday had also finished, had already used the fireplace at the gatehouse to Floo to the Ministry.
"You've got another session from two 'til four o'clock this afternoon." Sirius told Harry. "Other than that it's up to you. Remus and I have some intel to analyse for Dumbledore."
"I'm up for a little Quidditch," suggested Ginny. "But if you don't feel up to it."
"You go on ahead Gin. Ron told me last night he wants to go over the Starfish and Stick manoeuvre today." Ron nodded in agreement. "You don't need my help for that. I'll just sit with Hermione and get some sun."
All four of them were happy with this arrangement and so an hour later, Harry and Hermione were lazing in the long grass near the Quidditch pitch watching the two Weasleys go at it.
"What are her chances, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking at him over a pair of Muggle sunglasses and a copy of Advanced Alchemical Theory. "Will she make the grade?"
Harry shrugged and opened a new book called Noble Tactics for Wacky Warlocks he'd picked up in Quality Quidditch Supplies on his last visit to Diagon Alley. "Pretty good 'Mione. But it does depend on who else tries out. I want Ginny as a Chaser but not if it'll hurt our chances."
"You and Ginny seem to be getting on very well." observed Hermione. "Should I be jealous?"
She said it in a joking tone, but Harry decided to respond. "No Hermione, you shouldn't. We've gone through a lot together and as I've told both Civis and Ginny recently, you're like family to me, almost a sister."
"Thanks Harry, I feel the same about you." Hermione told him. "And what about Ginny?"
"She's my friend, and a good friend too. I don't know why it took me so long realise it but... I don't know. We'll just have to see how it goes."
Hermione smiled slightly to herself and turned her full attention to her book, leaving Harry to sit silent on the grass watching their friends play.
Harry had intended to watch Ron and Ginny play and read a bit off his book, but after awhile the heat of the day and his lack of sleep overtook him and he drifted off.
----
Harry's afternoon was almost as strenuous as his morning, he spent four hours practising stick-fighting - Japanese Bojitsu and Pilipino Escrima- with a friend of Draper's called Rosa Wilkes.
The rest of the week followed the same pattern as the first day and by the end of the week Harry began to notice differences in himself: His body felt stronger and more flexible and he was more confident about dealing with anyone who he needed to.
When he entered the training room in the afternoon the next day, instead of the white-haired, leather-jacketed young witch he was expecting, Sandra Troy was waiting and she was carrying two wooden longsword-style practice blades.
"You're going to teach me how to fight with swords?" Harry asked.
Sandra nodded, and tossed one to him. "You've used a sword before?" Harry nodded.
"Show me what you got." she said, and raised her own blade to a guard position. "Begin!"
A/N: The title of this chapter is paraphrased from one of the trailers of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Please review by e-mailing behomuk@yahoo.co.uk.
For the next couple of days, Harry, Ron and Ginny spent most of the mornings and part of the afternoons practicing Quidditch, trying to get Ginny comfortable with the moves she'd need as a Chaser on the Quidditch team next year. Although Harry wanted Ginny on the team, as a Chaser if possible, he wanted her to try out like anyone else. There would be no favouritism on his team.
However, Harry rarely saw either Ron or Hermione outside of meals or Quidditch practice, they were too busy studying privately in Ron or Hermione's bedroom up at the keep. When they choose to disappear, Harry and Ginny went off and did something fun by themselves. On the Wednesday after their arrival, they were just about to return to the Eyrie after flying Ravlin and Aeneus - two of the flying horses - out to the mountains behind the keep for a picnic, when Sandra and Civis appeared in front of them.
"What's up Civis?" asked Harry.
"Sirius, Remus and Tonks just got back from a meeting at Grimmauld Place. It's bad." replied Civis.
"Okay. You want me to come back with you then?" Civis nodded and offered Harry a hand. "Sandra'll take Ravlin back for you."
"Ginny, I've got to go. I'll see you later."
Ginny nodded and mounted her chestnut winged mare, Aeneus. "'Bye Harry."
They disappeared with a crack a few seconds later.
----
When they reappeared in the kitchen of the keep, Sirius and Remus were already there. Harry raised his elbows when he saw the glass in Sirius' hand, he wasn't sure but he thought it contained Ogden's Old Firewhiskey. Remus and Tonks were both drinking tea from small cups. Also surprisingly all of the 'Guardians' - as Harry had begun to call the junior members of the Order who rotated guard duty at Gryphon's Eyrie: Jason Draper, Ray Harker, Sandra Troy, Jarred Laken, Corinne Anderson and Antonia Menotti - were all present, which had never happened before as far as Harry could remember. The looks on the faces of most of those present were grim, even Tonks and Antonia were clearly unhappy and that was something Harry hadn't seen before either. "What's wrong?"
"It's begun." Sirius told him. When Harry didn't look terribly enlightened, he elaborated. "Voldemort has started his major attacks. Death Eaters attacked three prominent wizarding families last night: The MacMillians, the Patils, and the Zabinis."
"Was anyone hurt?" Harry asked. "Are Ernie, Parvati and Padma okay?"
Sirius nodded. "The Order has been guarding both their families since the beginning of the holidays. One of ours, Richard Todd, was slightly injured by falling stonework, but he'll be fine. According to his partner, Barbara Caine, the Patil twins fought well. In fact, according to the reports I've seen the three DA members managed to capture five Death Eaters between them. Five more were caught and four killed by the Ministry and the Order."
He sighed. "Unfortunately the Zabinis weren't so lucky. Because we weren't expecting them to be attacked - they're almost exclusively Slytherins, generally not anti-Muggle though, never have been - nobody was watching them. Mr Zabini and his bodyguards managed to hold them off though, until the Ministry could send Aurors. Three Hit-Wizards were killed and Mrs Zabini, Auror Sergeant David Thomas, and two more Hit-Wizards are in critical condition St Mungo's. They managed to capture one Death Eater, a recent Ravenclaw graduate, Arnold Falcon."
"Why the Zabinis?"
"We're not sure. Although it could be that Zacharias Zabini is the Junior Under-Secretary. They may be trying to scare him into siding with them." Remus replied, then shook his head. "It won't work though, the Zabinis have never been linked to the Dark Arts, they're one of the few Slytherin families who haven't been."
"How many Death Eaters were involved?" Harry asked, he wanted to know how far Voldemort's recruitment had got.
"Twenty-six." Tonks replied. "Between the Order, the Ministry and your friends we accounted for fifteen."
"Anyway Harry, we were thinking that it is about time that you started training for battle." Sirius said, leaning over the table and looking his godson straight in the eye. "We all know that you're going to have to face him, and sooner rather than later, and I for one would like you to survive."
Harry nodded. "Me too. But what sort of training. duelling?"
Sirius shook his head. "Not yet Harry," he paused for a moment. "Voldemort is a powerful sorcerer with powers that we can't possibly comprehend. So I believe - and so do Albus and Remus - that the key to defeating Voldemort will be to use something he's not expecting. Now we haven't had much luck with finding spells that fit the Prophecy, but we are still looking. So we've decided that for now you'll learn Muggle combat techniques: martial arts, sword-fighting and other things. We think that will take him by surprise and maybe give you the edge you need. You want to give it a go?"
Harry's response was immediate and emphatic. "When can I start?"
To his surprise, neither Sirius nor Professor Lupin that answered, Draper answered instead. "Tomorrow morning in the auditorium on the first floor. Five am. Don't be late."
----
Harry left the kitchen and headed up to his bedroom, Civis following a few steps behind. When he reached his suite, his three friends were waiting outside. Harry opened the door, ushered them inside and then followed himself. Civis joined them, closed the door and then climbed into a wooden stool near the door.
"Well, what's going on?" asked Hermione, as she sat down on Harry's sofa with Ron. Ginny sat down in the single armchair, while Harry turned his leather desk chair to face his friends and sat down.
"There were more attacks last night." Harry told her. "Ernie and the Patils were both targeted, and so were the Zabini family."
"Are they okay?" asked Hermione.
Harry nodded, "Only minor injuries, although Mrs Zabini, several Ministry people, and Richard Todd, one of ours, were injured, all but Todd critically. A few Death Eaters were caught though."
"Good, at least something's being done." said Ron. "According to Dad, the Ministry's still in a mess."
Harry agreed with that sentiment. "That's pretty much what Sirius and the others have been hinting too."
"Did they say anything else?" asked Ginny. "Yeah, Jason and some of the other Guardians are going to teach me Muggle fighting."
"Really, why?" Ginny asked.
"Well." Here Harry paused. "What I haven't told you guys is that we do actually know what the Prophecy said."
"Go on," said Hermione, slightly irritated.
"I don't know if I'm remembering it exactly," admitted Harry. "But it goes something like this... The one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches... born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies... and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not... and either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... the one with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies..."
"So what you're saying is. that if the prophecy's right, you really are the only one who can defeat Voldemort." said Ginny.
Harry nodded.
"Are you sure about this, Harry?" asked Hermione. "Divination isn't exactly the most precise branch of magic after all."
Harry nodded, "Normally I'd agree with you Hermione. But this is a special case. Trelawney actually went into a meditative trance when she made this one, Dumbledore saw her do it. The only other she did that was during my end of year exam in third year. And you know that came true."
After a pause, Hermione nodded, conceding the point.
"If you're sure, that's good enough for me, Harry." Ginny told him. "What she say that first time Harry? Can you remember?"
Harry was about to admit he didn't, but then he realised that he did actually remember it. "Actually I do," he admitted, slightly puzzled. "She said something like. It will happen tonight. The Dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followers. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever before. Tonight. before midnight. the servant. will set out. to rejoin. his master."
"And it was later that night, that Scabbers was exposed as Wormtail and escaped." Ginny concluded.
"Yep." Harry confirmed. "And he was one of two Death Eaters, the other being Barty Crouch Jr - who also qualified as a 'chained servant', although he didn't rejoin Voldemort until a few weeks later - who was responsible for Voldemort's resurrection."
"Y'know Harry... I really wish you hadn't stopped Sirius and Lupin from killing Wormtail."
Harry grinned ruefully, "I said the same thing to Professor Dumbledore shortly after the incident."
"What did he say?"
"He said that the future can never be predicted. That in saving his life, I created a bond. a debt, between us. And that one day I might be thankful that I'd saved his life."
"Stark raving bonkers!" exclaimed Ron.
"Ron!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Well he is!"
Scenting the beginning of another fight between his two best friends, Harry got up and catching Ginny's eye he indicated the door to the balcony. Ginny smiled and nodded, rising from her chair to join him.
Ginny grinned, leaning on the stone rail, the glass door behind them blocking out most of the sound. "I wonder how much longer they're going to keep denying how they feel about each other?"
"I really don't know Gin," Harry said. "It's been obvious to everyone except them since the Yule Ball. But, they still seem clueless."
"Oh, Hermione knows she has feelings for Ron alright." Ginny told him. "That's why she was a bit flustered when he gave her that bottle of perfume last Christmas."
"That wasn't your idea by any chance?" asked Harry.
Ginny looked at him, all wide-eyed and innocent. "Who, me? How can you even suggest such a thing, Harry?"
"Because you're a Weasley, and almost as devious as the twins when you put your mind to it."
"Well, there is that." Ginny admitted.
Realising this was probably a good moment, Harry decided to ask her a question that had been bothering him for some time. "Ginny, could I ask you something?"
"Anything Harry."
"On the train. when you said to Ron that you had chosen Dean, were you serious?"
Ginny nodded, and Harry's heart dropped. "Yeah, I chose him to wind up Ron with. It worked. A little too well actually. He gave funny looks for a week, any time I asked to borrow Pigwidgeon. Of course, when he realised that the only people I was owling were you, Neville and Luna, he calmed down. Oh, and I owled Hermione once in the week she was with her parents. Why, did you actually think I wanted to date him?"
Harry nodded. "Oh Harry. Dean's been dating Su Li from Ravenclaw since last Easter. Lavender complained about it for weeks." Ginny told him, a hint of laughter in her voice. "Besides, I don't think I'm ready for another romantic relationship yet Harry. I haven't told anyone this Harry - not even Mum, Hermione or Luna - but losing Michael, especially to Cho, it really hurt even if I did dump him. I don't want to go through that again."
"Don't worry Ginny, you'll find someone eventually." Harry told her, crossing the balcony to stand behind her. "Someone who really deserves you."
"I really hope so Harry," said Ginny, a little sadly, leaning back against him. "I really do."
----
Despite an early night, and a quiet one thanks to the meditation and focusing techniques Draper taught him a week before, Harry was not exactly eager to get up when Civis woke him at four-thirty the next morning.
"I don't why I have to start so early, the sun's not even up yet." moaned Harry as he scrambled into a black tracksuit and emerald muscle T-shirt.
"Unfortunately, Draper's leave has expired. He has to be at the Ministry for 9 am." explained Civis. "Sandra and a Miss Wilkes will be responsible for your afternoon training sessions but you must get in a couple of hours work with him before he leaves. Sirius' orders."
"Okay, I guess I can live with that." said Harry, and followed Civis down the stairs.
----
By the time he joined the others for breakfast at nine o'clock, Harry wasn't so sure.
"How did it go?" asked Ron.
"Do you want the answer my mind knows, or the one my body's telling me?" asked Harry with a groan, reaching for the jug of orange juice and pouring himself a large glass.
"Either or both." replied Ron.
"Draper's a machine. He couldn't have had more than three hours sleep last night, but he had more energy than Oliver Wood on a sugar high. He put me through an hour of stretches, push-ups, sit-ups and other exercises. And that was just the warm-up. After a five-minute water break, he showed me a simple block and punch combo and had me practise that for forty-five by punching a big stuffed leather bag again and again. Then he had me practising forward-kicks for another half hour. I had to get Civis to take me up to my room and have an ice-bath, before I could get my muscles moving. I still ache all over."
"Have some food and you'll feel better," Ginny told him. "And if that doesn't work I've got some Nondolere Draught upstairs. Sandra's been teaching me how to make it. It's a basic pain-killing potion for muscle injuries."
"That sounds good," said Harry, smiling at the kitchen house-elf as she brought over a large bowl of porridge for him. "I'll have my usual breakfast Velky."
"Yes Master Harry. It will only be a few moments."
"Anybody got any thoughts about what to do today?" asked Harry, looking around at his three friends, Sirius and Lupin. Tonks, whose holiday had also finished, had already used the fireplace at the gatehouse to Floo to the Ministry.
"You've got another session from two 'til four o'clock this afternoon." Sirius told Harry. "Other than that it's up to you. Remus and I have some intel to analyse for Dumbledore."
"I'm up for a little Quidditch," suggested Ginny. "But if you don't feel up to it."
"You go on ahead Gin. Ron told me last night he wants to go over the Starfish and Stick manoeuvre today." Ron nodded in agreement. "You don't need my help for that. I'll just sit with Hermione and get some sun."
All four of them were happy with this arrangement and so an hour later, Harry and Hermione were lazing in the long grass near the Quidditch pitch watching the two Weasleys go at it.
"What are her chances, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking at him over a pair of Muggle sunglasses and a copy of Advanced Alchemical Theory. "Will she make the grade?"
Harry shrugged and opened a new book called Noble Tactics for Wacky Warlocks he'd picked up in Quality Quidditch Supplies on his last visit to Diagon Alley. "Pretty good 'Mione. But it does depend on who else tries out. I want Ginny as a Chaser but not if it'll hurt our chances."
"You and Ginny seem to be getting on very well." observed Hermione. "Should I be jealous?"
She said it in a joking tone, but Harry decided to respond. "No Hermione, you shouldn't. We've gone through a lot together and as I've told both Civis and Ginny recently, you're like family to me, almost a sister."
"Thanks Harry, I feel the same about you." Hermione told him. "And what about Ginny?"
"She's my friend, and a good friend too. I don't know why it took me so long realise it but... I don't know. We'll just have to see how it goes."
Hermione smiled slightly to herself and turned her full attention to her book, leaving Harry to sit silent on the grass watching their friends play.
Harry had intended to watch Ron and Ginny play and read a bit off his book, but after awhile the heat of the day and his lack of sleep overtook him and he drifted off.
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Harry's afternoon was almost as strenuous as his morning, he spent four hours practising stick-fighting - Japanese Bojitsu and Pilipino Escrima- with a friend of Draper's called Rosa Wilkes.
The rest of the week followed the same pattern as the first day and by the end of the week Harry began to notice differences in himself: His body felt stronger and more flexible and he was more confident about dealing with anyone who he needed to.
When he entered the training room in the afternoon the next day, instead of the white-haired, leather-jacketed young witch he was expecting, Sandra Troy was waiting and she was carrying two wooden longsword-style practice blades.
"You're going to teach me how to fight with swords?" Harry asked.
Sandra nodded, and tossed one to him. "You've used a sword before?" Harry nodded.
"Show me what you got." she said, and raised her own blade to a guard position. "Begin!"
A/N: The title of this chapter is paraphrased from one of the trailers of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone. Please review by e-mailing behomuk@yahoo.co.uk.