Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters, nor do I own Harry Potter. (J.K Rowling owns them, lucky woman.) I only own my original characters and my own original plot.

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Chapter 24: N.E.W.T.s

Draco sat there in the library, staring at the same page of his Herbology book for the last two hours. Like Jesabelle, he was finding it harder to concentrate on studying, when his thoughts kept drifting back to her. He had been feeling loneliness, regret, and guilt, all at once. So much, that he thought he was fit to explode at any time.

He finally gave up after realizing that he had not registered a thing in his textbook. He gathered his things and got up, exiting the library. He took a few paces out of the door when he walked into Harry, who had gone to check on Jesabelle.

"Sorry Harry, excuse me." Draco said, walking past him.

Harry stood there, surprised that he was still calling him by his first name. He caught that all too familiar glint in Draco's eye, but what else was that? Was that guilt? Yes, he concluded, it was. He knew a guilty look when he saw one, he himself have worn some guilty looks in the past.

After finding out from Madame Pince that Jesabelle had retired to her room, Harry made his way back up towards the Gryffindor Tower, where the others had moved to study, since Ron kept getting distracted by the giant squid, which was lazing around, it's head visible above the water.

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"So you're telling me that you think we're going to have to perform some sort of live test in front Sprout?" Luna asked, her face growing slightly paler than it already was. "And those Ministry officials?!"

"That's what I heard." Neville said. "It shouldn't be difficult."

"Well, that's because you are good at that class! It should be a piece of cake for you!" Luna said.

"I can't believe this!" Ron said again.

"Oh stop it!" Ginny suddenly said, as Harry entered the Gryffindor Common Room, which was empty, save for his friends. "You've been going at it for a while now."

"Hello Harry. Did you find Jesabelle?" Hermione said, diverting the arguing teens to their friend.

"No, she headed back to her dorm a while ago. I also ran into Malfoy on my way in." Harry said.

"You didn't start a brawl with him, did you?" Hermione asked. "It's against the rules."

"No Hermione," Harry said, slightly irritated. "I didn't."

"But it's not like I don't want you to." Hermione said defensively, sensing Harry's irritation. "We just don't need anymore trouble with him, especially since you know; Jesabelle hasn't exactly gotten over it."

"But the odd thing was," Harry said, sitting down in one of the armchairs, "when I ran into him, he apologized, and called me by my first name."

"No, 'Watch where you're going Potter!' or 'Get out of my way Gryffindor filth!' or 'Where's you're little weasel girlfriend?' No insults of any sort?" Ron asked.

"None whatsoever, unless I'm deaf and didn't hear him." Harry said.

"That is odd." Hermione said.

"But it gets even stranger." Harry said. "It was like some weird feeling that I got from him. I could sense guilt."

"Guilt?" Luna asked, leaning in slightly, as if wondering if she heard him right.

"Yes, guilt. A lot of guilt. I could tell from the expression in his eyes." Harry said.

"Guilt? But why would he be guilty? He said all those things to Jesabelle, and with no emotion!" Ron asked.

"Harry has a point, I mean, Draco has been acting a little bit more odd than normal." Ginny said.

"You're still calling him by his first name?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Ron, I am, because I don't buy this whole break up thing between him and Jesabelle. I think he's scared." Ginny said in argument to her brother's question. "Haven't you seen him lately? He may not look it physically but you could just tell from looking at him that something is wrong. His eyes are always the things that give him away, though. You could see behind the mask. He's guilty, he feels terrible. There are dark bags under his eyes that he never bothered to cover. He could be laying there all night thinking about the whole thing, and wondering what Jesabelle was doing in her room, wondering how she was taking it."

Ron stared at his sister in amazement.

"But even if you are right, Gin, then why did he really break up with her?" Neville asked, ignoring Ron's glare of suspicion.

"Like I said, I think he's scared." Ginny said in reply. "Everyone knows that all Slytherins, the Malfoys especially, are Death Eaters. That means that since it is a family tradition, Draco would become a Death Eater soon. I mean, common sense! His initiation could be coming up soon! He could very well being carrying the mark right now!"

"Of course." Luna said, while Hermione nodded, understanding Ginny's theory. "He's probably being forced to join Voldemort's league! To protect Jesabelle, he had to push her away."

"And he broke up with her the way he did because he didn't want to raise any suspicions." Hermione said.

"Because he must have been afraid to tell her the truth, because he thought that she might leave him." Neville said, concluding their string of understanding.

"That means," Ron said.

"That Draco must really care deeply for Jesabelle." Harry finished.

"Exactly." Ginny said.

"Have we all gone mad?!" Ron suddenly said.

"No Ron," Hermione said. "we just really understand how Draco feels right now, that's all."

"So, now that we have solved this puzzle," Neville said, rubbing his hands together. "let's get back to our Herbology N.E.W.T., which is tomorrow, mind you."

"Oh sod off Neville!" Luna said.

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N.E.W.T. Schedule- Jesabelle Potter

Tuesday- Herbology
Astrology
History of Magic

Wednesday- Care of Magical Creatures
Charms
Transfiguration

Thursday- Potions
Divination

Friday- Defense Against the Dark Arts

Jesabelle glanced back at her schedule as she made her way through the throng of people of the corridor. So, it was Herbology first, she thought. Just great, my worst subject on the first day, at least I'll be able to get it out of the way, thankfully.

Jesabelle walked into the greenhouse just as the bell rang to begin instruction. Professor Sprout was standing at the front of the room. Long, rectangular tables lay before her, one behind the other, five pieces of parchment lined across each table.

Neville was already sitting at the third table from the front of the room, waiting for everyone else as they slowly filed into the room.

"All right dears, quickly, the bell to single to single the beginning of you testing will ring in a few minutes, and I need to give you your instructions." Sprout said.

Jesabelle smiled at Neville and sat down on his left, while Luna came over as well and sat down on his right.

When everyone was seated at their places, Sprout began her instruction.

"When the bell rings to signal the beginning of the testing, you may all flip over your parchment, and begin working. When you are finished, you are to present me with your test, and I will hand you over to the Ministry officials here, who will test you further." Sprout said, gesturing to the two officials at her left. They were both women, with stern looks on their faces.

"Oh this is going to be so much fun." Luna said sarcastically, as the bell rang.

"All right, you may begin!" Sprout said. "You will all have an hour and twenty minutes to complete the written test. Good luck!"

And they began, serious looks upon their faces. Harry and the others had studied so hard over the long weekend they had, and were ready for this test.

It turns out that the test they were going to take with the Ministry officials involved repotting Mandrakes, other plants, and taming Medusa Veneseus plants.

The bell rang, signaling the end of class. Harry, Jesabelle, and Ginny walked together as Neville, Luna, Hermione, and Ron followed behind.

"That wasn't so bad, was it, Luna?" Neville asked teasingly, making Luna smack him behind the head.

"No, Neville, it wasn't." Luna said, irritated.

"I think I missed that one question about what potions certain parts of plants can be used in." Jesabelle said.

"Oh well, I'm sure you did good on majority of them, Jesabelle." Ginny said reassuringly.

"At least it's over." Harry offered.

"True." Jesabelle said.

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The rest of their N.E.W.T.s passed without event, unless you count Dean and Seamus accidentally stunning their Jarvey during the Care of Magical Creatures N.E.W.T.

"All right, quiet down, all of you!" An irritated Snape said to the class.

Everyone instinctively quieted down, looking up at the Professor.

"For you potions N.E.W.T., you shall all be preparing Vampire repellant, and Wolfsbane." Snape said, a familiar glint gracing his eyes, darting towards Jesabelle, who returned his look with the utmost disgust at his choice of potion.

"Of all things, Vampire repellant." Jesabelle growled under her breath, so low that no one could hear her.

"Vampire repellant and Wolfsbane." Hermione repeated. "How are they going to test it?"

They all looked at Jesabelle and she sighed, running a hand through her hair. "That bloody git, he must have done that on purpose." She said, more irritated at Snape than usual.

"Your instructions will be placed on this blackboard. Since we have never created this type of potion, this will serve as a challenge to you all." Snape said silkily, grinning. He flicked his wand, and words appeared on the chalkboard, as the bell rang.

"Begin!" Snape said, as the Ministry officials walked through the rows of tables.

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An hour and a half later, they all emerged, smelling faintly of smoke.

"Ms. Potter, please remain behind, I would like to speak with you." Snape said, stepping out of the classroom. Jesabelle nodded and walked into the dungeon.

Before entering, Snape turned towards Harry and the others. "Head to your next N.E.W.T. All of you!" He said, walking into the dungeon and slamming the door behind him.

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Jesabelle wasn't at their next N.E.W.T., which was Divination. Harry and the others skipped dinner and headed to the library to study. Still, they had not heard anything from Jesabelle. They were beginning to get worried when Jesabelle walked into the library, and sitting with Harry and the others as their secluded spot.

"Jesabelle." Harry said. "You missed your Divination N.E.W.T."

"I know." Jesabelle said, sitting down in an armchair, wincing slightly. "I'm going to make up for it tomorrow."

"What happened?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I was asked to test out those repellants." Jesabelle said softly.

"Oh." Ginny said.

"So, how was it?" Neville asked.

"Well," Jesabelle sighed, removing her robe and rolling up the sleeves of her school blouse, revealing inch long, slightly deep gashes, which were pinkish.

"Ron, yours needed a bit more powder." Jesabelle said.

"Oh, bloody hell, I knew I should have added more! He's going to fail me for sure!" Ron said.

"Hermione, yours was too strong, I think my hair is starting to fall out." Jesabelle said, looking at Hermione, running her fingers through her hair again, and pulling out a few strands.

"The rest were all right, but I did have few boils on my face from Lavender's potion, which took quite a while to heal, mind you." Jesabelle said. "But don't worry, Snape already gave me a potion to use to start helping me heal. There are just a few more cuts along my arms and back, but I should be fine in a day or two."

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"For you Defense Against the Dark Arts N.E.W.T. we shall test your defense skills, by allowing you to duel with a Ministry official!" Tonks said excitedly.

It was Friday; the last day of the N.E.W.T.s. Jesabelle had already finished with her Divination testing and was sitting with the rest in Great Hall, which was once again transformed into a huge classroom.

They were all sitting in rows of chairs, Tonks at the front.

"We will call five of you, and you five, along with one Ministry official." Tonks said, gesturing to six Ministry officials, four men, and two women. Harry eyed them curiously; they all looked like they had a long day. The bell rang.

"All right. Lavender Brown, Paravati Patil, Padma Patil, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood. You go with Auror Baker." Tonks said, gesturing to one of the men, who was tall, with brownish-reddish hair, and blue eyes. "Harry Potter, Jesabelle Potter, Pansy Parkinson, Draco Malfoy, and Dean Thomas, you shall go with me, and then the next five will be called by Auror Conner." Tonks continued, looking at a young woman with shoulder-length brown hair with blonde highlights, obviously a new person to the squad.

All the assigned people got up from their seats and headed towards the Auror they were supposed to be tested by.

Harry and Jesabelle sighed as they followed Tonks into a room to the right.

"Just great." Harry mumbled, "Malfoy and Parkinson."

Tonks held the door open for them and they entered an empty classroom, with only one rectangular table with six chairs positioned behind them. Behind the chairs, stood a closet. Tonks closed the door and placed a locking charm on it, ensuring that no one will interrupt.

"Good." She said. "Everyone, why don't you take a seat in those chairs and I will explain any other instructions that I have to give you."

They all reluctantly took a seat at the table, Dean Thomas being a shield, sitting in between Malfoy and Harry. Jesabelle gave him a sympathetic look and returned her attention towards Tonks, who was behind them, removing a large box and placing it on the table.

"For you N.E.W.T.s, like I explained, you will duel me, but, as an addition, and a little surprise, we will allow you to duel each other!" Tonks said, clapping her hands together. Harry looked at Jesabelle and she gave him a small smile of reassurance.

Noticing the silence in the room, Tonks turned her attention back to the box, and removed the cover, pulling out armor-like body pads, and handing each student a set, which consisted of pads to cover the chest and back, pads for their legs, and a helmet, which were all white with black lining.

"As a safety precaution, you must all wear this protective gear." Tonks said. "Wouldn't want any of you getting seriously injured."

I can think of a few people I would like to seriously injure, Harry thought as he eyed Draco from the corner of his eye.

"Now, I will pair you with the people you will duel for the second part of this test." Tonks said, removing a piece of parchment from the pocket of her robe. "Let's see, Dean, you and I shall duel, Harry, you shall duel Draco, and Jesabelle will duel Ms. Parkinson."

Harry and Jesabelle eyed their duel partners with the utmost disgust. Draco and Pansy reflected those looks back to them.

"Now, for the first part of this test you will duel me, and the second, your partners. I will be watching out for speed and precision as you dodge or repel the spells thrown at you, and judge the type of spells you shall use on each other." Tonks said. "Jesabelle Potter, you are first."

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An hour later, the students, now clad in their protective gear, watched excitedly as Tonks finished dueling Malfoy.

"Wonderful job Mr. Malfoy, I must say, I am impressed!" Tonks said as Draco seated himself back at the table. "Maybe the occupation of Auror would suit you best."

No, Draco thought sadly, that's not possible Tonks, you see, the only occupation I will be taking anywhere in the future will be as your enemy, a Death Eater.

Jesabelle turned her head and caught a glint of sadness in his eyes. Did she imagine it? Then his grey eyes returned to its cold state.

"Now Dean, you and I shall duel again, beginning the second part of this test. Then Harry and Draco, then Jesabelle and Pansy." Tonks said, flipping her jet black hair over her shoulder, she had been keeping that look lately.

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"Right. Harry and Draco, you're up next." Tonks said as Dean seated himself back at the table. Tonks walked over and sat on the empty chair to Jesabelle's right, removing a piece of parchment that had their names, and pulling out a quill and bottle of ink from her robe pocket. How she managed to keep them in her robe without breaking, Jesabelle didn't know.

"Go on, you both know what to do." Tonks said, muttering a spell Jesabelle did not understand. "It's so they don't injure us in the process." Tonks whispered to her, and Jesabelle smiled.

Harry and Draco stood in front of each other, stretching their arms to their right and took five steps back, bringing their wands in front of their faces, and pointing them towards each other, arms straight.

"One." Tonks said, "Two."

Harry mentally ran through all the spells he knew, he had to beat Malfoy, for Jesabelle. But what he didn't know was that Malfoy was doing, and thinking, the same thing.

"Three!" Tonks said.

"Furnunculus!" Draco yelled.

"Incantatem Protego!" Harry yelled at the same time. The force of the spells colliding forced them backward. Malfoy hitting the wall, and Harry hitting the invisible shield Tonks placed around them. They both got up and Harry yelled, "Expelliarmus!" forcing Draco back into the wall.

Draco got up and ran towards him yelling, "Stupefy!"

Harry was thrown backwards and he hit the wall on the left.

Meanwhile, outside the room in the Great Hall, Hermione and Ron listened in terror to the thumps coming from the room Harry and Jesabelle were in.

"You think they're all right?" Hermione asked.

"Of course, Hermione, I mean, it can't be that bad." Ron said, reassuringly squeezing her hand.

"Tarantellegra!" Harry yelled, making Draco's feet dance.

"Argh! Engorgio!" Draco yelled, making Harry's left legs swell.

"Densaugeo!" Harry yelled, making Draco's front teeth grow larger.

"All right! Enough!" Tonks yelled, moving in between them. "Very well done, both of you." Tonks said, giving them each a vial of potion as they sat down. "Drink that, it will reverse the spells that you have been attacked with."

Harry and Draco downed their potions, and Harry's leg stopped swelling, and Draco's teeth shrunk back to normal size.

"Good, now Jesabelle and Pansy, you're up." Tonks said as Jesabelle and Parkinson rose from their seats and moved to the middle of the room.

Jesabelle and Parkinson imitated Harry and Draco's earlier movements as Tonks began the countdown again.

"One. Two. Three!" Tonks yelled.

"Pertificus Totalus!" Pansy yelled.

Jesabelle ducked and rolled to her left as the spell missed her.

"Wonderful maneuver Jesabelle!" Tonks said.

"Stupefy!" Jesabelle yelled.

"Incantatem Protego." Pansy yelled, reflecting the spell back to Jesabelle, making her fly into the wall.

"Furnunculus!" Jesabelle yelled, pointing the wand at the right angle, hitting Pansy's face.

"Argh, my face!" Pansy screamed, touching her boils. "Incendio!"

Jesabelle's padding caught fire and she quickly struggled with it for while until she put it out with water from the tip of her wand. "Difindo!" she yelled.

Pansy's chest padding split in two and fell off, along with the padding on her back. Pansy shot her a look of venom and yelled, "Deletrius!"

Jesabelle got up, just as her own chest and back padding disintegrated. Dusting the burnt ashes off her uniform, she turned to Pansy.

"All right girls, that's enough!" Tonks yelled, but none of them would listen.

"Expelliarmus!" Pansy yelled, throwing Jesabelle off guard and through the door, into the Great Hall, gasps rising from the rest of the students that were seated there, as Jesabelle landed on her back five feet away from the door, her head pounding. "What's wrong Jesabelle? Angry because you lost your little boyfriend?" Pansy yelled, looking at Draco.

"That's enough Parkinson!" Draco yelled.

"Oh gods!" Ginny yelled, running towards Jesabelle, who was struggling to pull herself to her feet.

"Ms. Parkinson that will do!" Tonks yelled, running out of the classroom.

"Expelliarmus!" Jesabelle yelled, forcing Pansy into Tonks, Harry, and Draco, who were all heading out of the classroom at the same time.

"Jesabelle that's enough!" Hermione said.

The rest of the seventh years closed around the front of the great Hall, where the duel was still taking place.

"Five galleons to say that Pansy will win." A Hufflepuff said to Blaise Zabini, a Slytherin.

"No, I'm putting my money on Jesabelle, she's a very good dueler, quite the challenge." Zabini replied.

"You've dueled her before?" the Hufflepuff asked, awe struck.

"Yeah, I sure did. She's got a lot of fire." Zabini said.

Ron, who was standing in front of them, heard every word. Dueled her before? Zabini? How is that possible? Ron set the thought aside as he heard Pansy yell "Petrificus Totalus!"

Jesabelle dodged the spell again, but lost her wand in the process. Three male Ministry officials grabbed her by the arms as she struggled free.

Hermione, Ron, Luna, Harry, Neville, and even Draco watched, shocked at the sudden show of enmity between to two girls.

Tonks and another male Ministry official grabbed Pansy's arms as she struggled as well. Tonks and the official did not have much trouble with her.

"Don't let her go!" one of the officials said.

"She's wriggling around too much. Someone stun her!" the other man said.

The three male officials were having trouble with Jesabelle, who was struggling with all her might to break free from their grasp, so she could get at Parkinson.

"Don't stun her!" a voice suddenly said.

The crowd turned towards the voice, being met by Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape at tow.

"Ms. Parkinson, I would like to speak with you in my office." Snape said.

Parkinson shook herself free from Tonks and the official, her head up high, strutting past Jesabelle, grinning at her with satisfaction. Jesabelle tried to lunge at her, but the other officials held her back.

"I would also like to have a word with you, Jesabelle." Dumbledore said. "Minerva, would you kindly restore order here?" Dumbledore asked, turning to McGonagall.

"Of course Albus." McGonagall said, rushing towards Tonks, as Jesabelle broke free from the officials and following Dumbledore.

Harry and the others looked at each other and hesitated, until finally deciding to follow them.

"All right, a draw, give me my galleons back." Zabini said to the Hufflepuff.

The Hufflepuff laughed and handed Zabini back his five galleons.

Draco stood there, in the middle of the scene, while everyone else scrambled back into order around him, wondering why Jesabelle fought back when Parkinson set up the bait, himself.

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Wow! This is my longest chapter! Anyways, I hope you all like it! I mean, like yeah, it was my longest chapter! Please read and review! I love you all!

Coming Up......

Chapter 25: What happens after the incident at the Great Hall, why Parkinson picked a fight with Jesabelle, and Jesabelle sneaks out again for another meeting with Dumbledore in the late hours of the night.

Stay Tuned!