This is the shortest chapter in the story, hope you like it anyway!

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Chapter 12 Defence Against the Dark Arts

"That's wonderful, let's have a little celebration" Mrs Weasley exclaimed.

"Why don't you help Ron to set the table, Harry" Mrs Weasley said firmly and glanced over at Ron. Harry didn't want anything to with Ron, but Mrs Weasley had told him so firmly that he didn't dare to object. He walked over to the cupboard where Ron was already counting plates.

Ron looked down on his hands and sighted "Look Harry, mum, Hermione and Ginny kind of beat some sense in me to day" Harry looked over at the women in question and saw that they all looked at them expectantly but turned away as soon as they realised that Harry glanced back at them.

"I was just angry because of Ginny…" Ron said and Harry realised that he was about to apologize. Harry found that he didn't want to hear it. They were too good friends deep down that an official apology would never mean anything, in fact Harry realised it would almost be an insult to their friendship if they needed to apologize to each other.

"I don't blame you I haven't been very nice to Ginny" Harry interrupted.

"Yeah, well anyway" Ron said "I was stupid and I'm…"

"Forget it" Harry interrupted again.

Ron seemed a little relived by this "But I really have too"

"No you don't. Well maybe to Fleur" Harry replied.

"No you don't get it, I really, really have too" Ron said with a small smile.

"Why?" Harry asked. Something about Ron's smile made Harry think that Ron had something funny to say.

"Well it's beside the point really, but if you have to know" Ron said with an apologetic smile "Hermione and Ginny have stolen my broom and won't tell where it is unless I do"

Harry started to laugh it was somehow so typical Ron after a few moments Ron started to laugh too and every thing was just as usual between them.

"We'll just have to figure out were they have hidden it then" Harry said with a smile.

"Yeah" Ron agreed "Bet it's somewhere clever if Hermione hid it"

"Maybe a small dose of Lying Liquorice would do the trick" Harry said and grinned evilly "After all she can't very well blame me can she"

"You got some then?" Ron asked "You got our last one"

"Yeah, in my trunk" Harry replied "Let's hurry and put some in Hermione's glass"

"Good, tell mum you are going to change into muggle clothes" Ron said grinning in the same way the twins usually grinned.

"Right" Harry replied and a minute later, he was back in muggle clothes and with his box of Lying Liquorice in his pocket. Harry put half a pastille in Hermione's glass. He crushed it first so that it would mix with what ever she drank. When they had set the table, Mrs Weasley started filling the table with pots and pans full of the most delicious food. Hermione and Ginny hanged a banner over the table that Mrs Weasley had conjured and charmed so that it said 'Congratulations Remus and welcome to the Order Fleur'. Dumbledore and Fleur were discussing something in a corner of the room, Harry couldn't hear what but he guessed that it was about the Order. The doorbell rang distantly and Mrs Weasley told Ginny to keep an eye on the stove and make sure that nothing burned while she opened the door. A few moments later, the kitchen door opened and almost every order member Harry had ever seen entered. In fact, the only one missing seemed to be Bill, Hagrid, Kingsly, Snape and McGonagall. They all sat down at the long table and begun eating.

Ron and Harry eyed Hermione carefully, as she took a gulp of Butterbeer from her glass, but then almost at once she put her glass down and looked at it curiously. She looked up at Harry and Ron with a surprised expression and then she seemed to realize that they had poisoned her and looked a little angry.

"Taste all right" Asked Ron innocently.

Hermione's angry expression vanished to be replaced by a slightly confused "Yes, of course" Hermione lied and after a moment her angry expression came back.

"Good" Harry said "would you mind if we asked you a question then?"

"No not at all" Hermione lied "why would I?"

"Where haven't you hidden my broom from me?" Ron asked happily.

"In your room" Hermione said as if the idea was ludicrous.

"You aren't too mad at us for the moment are you?" Harry asked carefully.

"Only slightly, it would have been much worse if I actually had been poisoned for more then 5 seconds" Hermione said. Harry and Ron exchanged confused looks.

"I don't know what you expected really, I only drank one gulp" Hermione explained.

"Will you please take another gulp then?" Ron joked lamely.

"You are lucky you two just made up" Hermione said dangerously.

"…And then Harry tells Fudge innocently that he thought that Fudge knew the Malfoy's" Harry heard Fleur tell Tonks and Mr Weasley who started to laugh.

"Lucius brother" Said Mundungus who was sitting nearby and seemed to come alive suddenly "Zabulus Malfoy was down Knockturn Alley the other day"

"I didn't know there were two of them" Ginny exclaimed.

"Yes, I'm afraid there are" Said Mr Weasley gravely "They don't really get along. Lucius doesn't approve of Zabulus's way of life"

"He's a blood traitor?" Ron asked incredulously.

"No" Answered Mundungus "he robs muggles"

"Why doesn't Lucius like that?" asked Ron curiously.

"He thinks it spots the family name to be a common thief" Mr Weasley replied.

"Can't you arrest him?" Hermione asked.

Mr Weasley sighed "He's as slippery as his brother, but he will make a mistake one day"

"Did you really tell Fudge that" Hermione asked Harry after a few moments.

"You did didn't you" Ron asked and burst out laughing. Hermione couldn't help smiling even though it was quite clear she didn't approve.

"But that's not the best of it" Harry explained quickly "McGonagall cleared her throat to get attention right in front of Umbridge"

"What?" Ron and Hermione asked with wide eyes.

"Yeah" Harry said and then imitated Umbridge's "Hem, Hem"

"Are you serious?" Ron asked grinning widely.

"You are talking about Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked in disbelief.

"Yes" Harry confirmed and Ron burst out laughing so badly that members of the order turned to look at him. Hermione too looked as if she wanted to laugh but would not allow herself, and without thinking, she took another gulp of her Butterbeer, which caused Harry to start laughing as badly as Ron. Hermione looked sternly at them for a moment before she too had to laugh.

"What's so funny?" Tonks asked over the table she was sitting next to Dumbledore who also looked eager for an explanation.

"Well it's really not that funny unless you know Umbridge" Harry explained and with help of Ron he told the rest of the story.

"Lying Liquorice?" Dumbledore asked with a glint of mischief in his eyes "Is it a Zonko product?"

"A Zonko product" George said disbelievingly from down the table.

"The greatest invention since wands a Zonko product" Fred said in the same tune. Dumbledore chuckled gently and winked at Harry, Ron and Hermione. Harry knew at once that he had bated the twins.

"Can it perhaps be a Weasley's Wizard Wheezes then" Dumbledore asked politely.

"Of course it is" Said George and banished a box of Lying Liquorice to Dumbledore.

"My dear brother Aberforth happens to love Liquorice" Dumbledore told the twins who grinned widely "How much is this?"

"354 galleons and 14 knuts" Fred replied seriously.

"But we can't charge you for the noble cause of poisoning your own brother" George continued.

The dinner continued happily, no one had any energy or emotions to spare to be unhappy. Harry knew that the Order members worked very hard to manage their ordinary jobs and at the same time do missions for the Order. When they were all done eating and just sat back in their chairs chatting happily Dumbledore stood up.

"As you all know we have by to night a new member in the Order of the Phoenix" Dumbledore said and gestured for Fleur to stand up "Miss Fleur Delacour" Every one clapped their hands.

"I am pleased to inform the Hogwarts students here that she will be teaching Defence against the dark art at Hogwarts this year together with Nymphadora Tonks" Dumbledore announced happily. There was another round of applauds. Harry was stunned he had not expected this, Fleur and Tonks were going with him to Hogwarts. He caught Fleur's eye and they beamed at each other.

"Now I'm afraid I will have to ask the underage wizards to leave" Dumbledore said apologetically. Harry knew that they were going to discus order business and that there were no point arguing. He, Ron, Hermione and Ginny walked reluctantly up to their room. Harry found that he still had to blush every time he saw Ginny, so he avoided looking at her. They all entered Harry's and Ron's bedroom and Ron started to look for his broom.

"You did put it in here?" Ron asked Hermione and Ginny as he looked under Harry's bed.

"Ask no questions and be told no lies dear brother" Ginny replied teasingly.

"Thank god you are my only sister" Ron said exasperated now looking behind the desk.

"Well, if you really want to know it wasn't Ginny that hid your broom" Hermione said teasingly.

"Thank god you are my only girlfriend" Ron replied and looked strait at Hermione.

"Yeah" Hermione said daringly.

"That's it I'm going to bed!" Ginny said and left the room.

"Me too" said Hermione and kissed Ron on his mouth briefly and left.

Harry changed in to his pyjamas and went to bed.

"Found it" Ron exclaimed suddenly he too had changed in to his pyjamas and was about to go to bed.

"What?" Harry asked and sat up.

"My Broom" Ron said and held up his Cleansweep Eleven "Hermione put it in my bed"

"So what do you think of our Defence against the dark arts teachers" Harry asked.

"Tonks is great, and I bet no boy will ever forget to do his homework if Fleur is correcting it" Ron replied as he got into bed.

"Yeah" Harry agreed, he was sleepily looking up at the ceiling "Night Ron"

"Night" Ron replied and yawned.

The following days past by fast, Fleur and Tonks spent all their free times trying determining what books to assign the different years luckily Remus and Hermione helped them with this. A few days later at breakfast, their annual Hogwarts letter arrived. It was the same as ever, telling them to take the Hogwarts Express from platform 9¾ at eleven September the 1st. He glanced at his book list. It was not the same as usual.

The classes you are entitled to take are.

Care of Magical Creatures Befriending beasts

Charms Standard Book of spells NEWT edition

Defence Against the Dark Arts Fighting back the Dark Arts

Potions Nasty Potions on Life and Death

Transfiguration Conjuring, Vanishing and Transfiguring

As your career advisor, I recommend you take all of these.
The signup for these classes will be held in the great hall September the second.

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Harry looked up from hiss letter, Ron was still reading his and so was Ginny she had a huge smile on her face.

"Prefect!" Hermione shrieked from behind Ginny, she had finished reading her letter first and was now reading Ginny's over her back.

"Ginny" Mrs Weasley exclaimed and covered her mouth with her hands as if she didn't dare to hope.

Ginny pulled out a red and golden prefect's badge from the envelope and Mrs Weasley stood up.

"Oh, I'm so proud Ginny fifth prefect in the family" Mr Weasley said as she ran over to hug and kiss her "What will it be then? An owl or a cat? You always loved cats"

"Can I have a new broom?" Ginny asked uncertainly "Like the one Ron got"

"Oh, yes of course you can" Mrs Weasley said "I will be going to Diagon Alley as soon as Remus gets here"

"Thanks mum" Ginny exclaimed with a wide smile.

"So what classes will you be taking Hermione?" Ron asked.

"I really don't know I can't bear to miss any of them and I can't take everyone of them unless I ask McGonagall for a time turner" Hermione said sadly.

Harry had told Fleur all about Hermione's time turner and Sirius. In fact he had told her almost everything about himself.

Harry reached across and grabbed Hermione's booklist

The classes you are entitled to take are.

Ancient Runes Complete Dictionary of Decrypted Runes
Arithmancy Patterns of Magic
Astronomy The universal guide to the Universe
Care of Magical Creatures Befriending beast
Charms Standard Book of spells NEWT edition
Defence Against the Dark Arts Fighting back the Dark Arts
Herbology Magical Plants of earth
History of Magic The great book of History
Potions Nasty Potions on Life and Death
Transfiguration Conjuring, Vanishing and Transfiguring

The signup for these classes will be held in the great hall September the second.

"You didn't get an advice" Harry stated.

"No, but it wouldn't do any good any way" Hermione said sadly.

"Well you are going to take the same subjects as us right?" Ron asked as he read Hermione's booklist.

"Yes"

"That leaves Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Astronomy, Herbology and History of Magic" Ron said as he read the paper.

"But I can't live without any of those" Hermione said and took the book list form Ron as if to find a subject that she didn't like.

"You like Arithmancy more then the others and you always seemed to enjoy Herbology" Ron told her.

"What about History of Magic and Astronomy and Ancient Runes" Hermione shrieked.

"But those aren't really useful are they" Ron stated.

"Not useful!" Hermione shrieked even louder.

"Calm down" Ginny said softly "You can always study them after Hogwarts"

"Yeah" Tonks agreed "It's only school"

"Only school? It's my future" Hermione said angrily.

"The school is your future? You finish it in two years!" Fleur said her temper flaring. Fleur's temper often flared over stupid things and she apologized almost as much as Tonks did.

"That's not what I meant" Hermione snapped furiously.

"That's exactly what you meant" Fleur snapped back. Harry thought that Fleur had a point Hermione could always study after school if she felt that she had missed something. Hermione didn't respond she sat quietly on her seat her face red with anger. No body dared say anything.

"Fine" Hermione finally said "I won't take Astronomy or Ancient Runes"

Fleur and Tonks planned the Defence against the dark arts lessons the following days with some help from Harry and much too soon for Fleur's and Tonks's liking it was the 1 September. As usual, it was chaos. Hermione had finally acquired too many books to fit in her trunk fortunately Ginny agreed to take some of them in her trunk. Mad eye Moody would like last year take care of the luggage while Mr and Mrs Weasley, Remus, Tonks and Fleur would act as Harry's guard.

Harry couldn't help feeling a little sad as they walked towards kings cross. Sirius had been so happy one year ago running around in his dog form. It was unbelievable that it had only gone one year so much had happened, he didn't even love Fleur then and he felt like he had loved her for all his life. Fleur grabbed his hand she always seemed to sense his emotions. It would have been scary if it had been anyone but Fleur Harry thought and squeezed her hand tightly. They walked in silence to the station. He noticed that everyone especially Mr Weasley, Remus and Tonks were scanning the peoples they passed frantically. They arrived Kings cross without any trouble and walked through the barrier between platforms nine and ten when no muggle was watching.

"Now take care" Mrs Weasley told them and then added warningly "And no adventures"

Harry felt guilty he endangered her children. Mrs Weasley started hugging them all fiercely as if she might not see them again.

"Promise me Harry" Mrs Weasley said sternly as she hugged him "Don't leave Hogwarts"

"I won't" Harry said comfortingly.

"Promise me" Mrs Weasley said as she pulled away from him.

"I promise" Harry promised though he wasn't quite honest, things often tended to happen that he had no control over.

"Good" Mrs Weasley said and hugged Hermione and then starting on Ginny again.

"You keep your eyes open Potter" Growled Moody "and don't leave Hogwarts"

"I won't" Harry replied and turned to Remus who was standing beside him.

"Take care now Harry" Remus said and hugged him shortly.

"I will" Harry replied at the same time the train whistle sounded.

"Hurry up all" Mrs Weasley said and started another round of hugs "Don't let anything happen to you"

Harry shook Mr Weasley's hand and boarded the train. Tonks and Fleur had already found a compartment in the back of the last wagon. They filled the compartment up completely. They were after all six people plus Crookshanks and Pigwidgeon. As the train slowly pulled away from the platform, they waved a final goodbye to Mr and Mrs Weasley, Remus and Moody.

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Who would have guessed Tonks and Fleur teaching defence against the dark art?

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