"Harry Potter and the Brethren of Ares"
By: Merusa
Author's Note: I was irresistibly inspired to get my butt in gear and write this when I saw the first picture of Dan and Emma (playing Harry and Hermione, naturally) released from the PoA movie, and the story along with it. It inspired a scene somewhere in this story or it's sequels- I'm not positive on it's placement yet. Who knows, it may be in this chapter! Ron/Hermione fan I am, it puzzled me a bit, and now I can't find it! However, I remained calm, as I accept the fact that H/H is possible! And, I just wrote D/G! Wow, I'm going through a weird teenage stage...
That A/N must have made a LOT of sense...
Oh, read the chapter already!
Chapter 6: Walk Like an Egyptian
Harry had been looking forward to Friday all week, and with good reason. Friday was a wonderful thing to him- it contained the end of the school week, the possibilities of Quidditch practise being planned, and, most of all, Bill's- Professor Weasley's Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
But first, Harry had to endure sitting through breakfast, praying that another article wasn't going to be in the Daily Prophet or Witch Weekly.
Hermione abruptly stopped dead in her tracks, literally shaking Harry out of his thoughts.
"Oof-"
"Oiy, Mione, what's the deal?"
Ron had run into Harry, who had run into Hermione, who had fallen on the ground.
Hermione gave Ron her best Glare of Impending Doom. "Don't call me Mione, RONNIEKINS!"
Ron looked hurt.
Harry rolled his eyes. "Hermione, why did you stop?"
She scowled at the two of them, then pointed a little ways across the Great Hall. "Look!"
They looked. Ron shook his head.
"What? Lavender and Parvati- is that Parvati?"
Harry nodded. "Padma got glasses, remember?" He grinned.
Ron mouthed 'obsessed' at Hermione, who shook her head.
"Well, Parvati and Lavender appear to be having a row across the Great Hall. Wow, Hermione, now I know why you stopped..."
Hermione huffed. "Open your eyes, you two! What's floating above the two of them?"
Harry and Ron looked up.
Harry paled. "It's the golden apple," he hissed.
Ron was white. "That's the second time we've seen it, and no one else is saying anything!"
Hermione put a hand to her forehead. "You know, Ron, I think you figured something out without me telling you correctly for once!"
Harry looked at Hermione oddly. She seemed to have less patience than usual lately.
Ron scowled at her. "Oh yeah? And what's that?"
Hermione huffed. "We're the only ones who can see the apple! The three of us! Remember, Ginny couldn't see it?"
Ron nodded vigorously. "So, this is bound to be some random mystery that the three of us have to solve, narrowly escaping with our lives in the process."
"Or," said Harry eagerly, "we won't have to do anything because maybe Ginny just is blind as a bat and everyone can see the apple because Dumbledore has a really weird decoration sense and it floating above arguing Lavender and Parvati is just an odd coincidence?"
Ron and Hermione stared at him. Harry sighed.
"Oh, hell, you're right. I just wanted a normal year for once!"
Ron grinned at him.
"You know, Harry, that was a run on sentence."
"Hermione, go complain to whoever writes this stuff."
"We're not characters in a book, Harry! You decide what you say!"
"Hermione, on behalf of Harry and myself, I'd just like to say: did we ever tell you that you have a tendency to state the obvious?"
***
The trio waited anxiously outside of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, awaiting Bill's arrival. Ron's ears were red, and he was kicking at the floor, muttering to himself. Harry caught a few swear words, and he was sure that Hermione did too. But, for once, the brown haired Prefect wasn't snapping at the red head. Ron was visibly uncomfortable at the moment, and Harry knew why.
Ron was not completely alright with his big brother teaching him. Frankly, Harry thought, Ron probably thinks Bill's going to spill all of his secrets...
Harry's stomach gave an odd flop.
He'd never have to worry about brothers giving him a hard time...
"Harry, we're going in."
Harry snapped out of it, and looked at Hermione, who appeared to be worried. He smiled at her reassuringly, and they stepped inside the classroom.
Harry hurried to get a seat in the front row. Ron and Hermione darted into seats on either side of him. Harry was surprised to see that Ron now looked excited. Perhaps he had been wrong.
Silence suddenly rang out in the classroom as Bill strolled in briskly. "Hello, everyone!" he smiled jovially. Harry noted that he currently wasn't wearing his earring, but his hair was still pulled back into a ponytail. Seeing him in regular robes was a bit odd.
Bill leaned back on the front of his desk, and clasped his hands together. "Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts class. I'm Professor Weasley, though I'm sure you will all refer to me as "Weasley" whenever I'm not here. Now, I'm quite aware of what Umbridge taught you last year- if you can call what she did teaching."
Harry exchanged glances with Ron and Hermione.
"This year, as sixth years, a lot of the focus will be on dueling. However, it will not only be magical strategies- you will be versed in muggle fighting techniques as well. You never know when your wand might break, or when you might lose it."
Harry looked down at his desk. A painful memory was pushing at the back of his mind, and he was quite sure that more than one pair of eyes was trained on him.
Bill cleared his throat.
"Well, I've decided to start off our lessons by doing a demonstration of a duel. Would anyone like to volunteer to duel me?" A grin spread across his face.
Harry immediately looked up, and saw that Bill was, indeed, looking pointedly in his direction. Harry glanced around noticed that his fellow Gryffindors were all looking at him. He grinned, and his hand shot up, breaking Hermione's speed record.
Bill nodded. "Alright, Potter. Come up here, and get into a dueling position."
Harry stood up and walked a few paces, turning and facing the older young man.
"One."
Harry got ready.
"Two."
Bill grinned at him.
"Three- Densaugeo!"
Harry ducked, and fired off a spell of his own. "Lumos Solem!"
A blinding light shot out of Harry's wand. Bill covered his face, and lifted his own wand. Harry quickly fired off another curse- "Tarantallegra!"
"Nox! Finite Incantatem!"
Harry grinned as Bill nodded at him. "Very good...however- Petrificus Totalus!"
Hermione and Ron laughed as Harry rolled on the ground. Bill fired curse after curse, Harry dodging- he had to think.
He got it.
"Serpensortia!"
A large Boa Constrictor slid out of Harry's wand. There was a few screams, but no one truly panicked. Bill, however, looked up in confusion.
"Distract him!" Harry hissed. "Don't bite!"
The snake looked at Harry, and nodded, before slithering forward and pushing up, doing a sort of dance in front of Bill. The majority of the class was laughing at the snake, as it was bobbing its head, mocking Bill's Egyptian ways.
Harry, however, was running to the side, searching for a clear shot at the stunned Bill. By racing around the teacher's desk, he got a clear view.
"Expelliarmus!"
Bill's wand shot out of his hand, and soared in an arc. Harry caught it deftly.
Light applause could be heard from his students as Harry thanked and got rid of the snake. He gave Bill his wand back, and walked back to his seat, grinning.
Bill looked rather pleased.
"Very good, Harry." He turned to address the rest of the class.
"Harry has just made a very good point. In dueling, the best thing you can do is to play to your strengths. Harry's a Parselmouth, and I'd forgotten that. So, this also proves that you should play to your opponent's weaknesses. Now, I'm sure you all are now thinking that you have an incompetent teacher, but you don't...."
Harry grinned. This was going to be a good year.
***
Author's Note: I'm sorry that this was so short! I had to split this chapter into two chapters because I was having major writers block with this one! I have la crosse camp from August 2-5, so don't expect the next chapter until the 6th or 7th....sorry again for the shortness!
Review Responses:
Leaps: Thank you for the review...we H/G fans are NOT crackheads!!! *looks hurt*
Little Elflet: Thank you, thank you, thank you....I really loved having Harry tell Cho off. She deserved it.
Nicole Schaaf: I won't update until the 6th or 7th after this chapter. Sorry about the length, or lack thereof!
Kathleen: I like that you liked it ^^.
~Ravenclaw@Heart~: Wow...you've given me the best compliment a fanfiction writer can receive. I believe that my writing style pales in comparison to JKR's. You've given me such confidence! However, I assure you- this isn't the real sixth book, that should be MUCH better than this.
Bon: Biased? I love H/G! But writing H/Pad is a lot of fun at the moment.
Hermione "DB" Granger: Wow, you're the only person who "yayed!" (to make up a word) the scene between Harry and Ginny. I don't know what I would do without your quirky reviews....yes, I ship BW/FD! You really don't like her, huh?
Thank you for the reviews!
Comments on the Shipping: No comment. If you notice, the summary for this story isn't marked with a ship. It isn't important in this part of the Darkness of Light Sequence! Well, I guess that was a comment...
Adieu! Parting is such sweet sorrow....
~Merusa