(A/N: I've decided to put Author Notes before the chapter…then they make more sense…I think…Whatever ^_^
HappySnakes Rule: Don't be afraid to review! I see you've put me on your author alert list. I'm honored. I'd love to hear what exactly you like and dislike about this.
Naja607: I'm trying to stick to Harry's point of view during this. There are certain instances where it has to be from Elizabeth's, but who really cares about her, right now? Anywayz…I like the fact that Harry has no clue what Elizabeth was saying until she got real mad at Ginny. Thanks for saying it was great. ^_^ My friend went to Ireland. I talk to him almost every day and I got depressed cuz I couldn't. *shrugs shoulders* Wish he woulda taken me with him, but his parents would have given him weird looks. O.o. But he's back and I'm happy! And he got me two rocks! One's a piece of shale, and the other's just a pebble. But they're cool none-the-less!! ^_^
Rocky235: Of course I was innocent… O:- ) What can I do if they get me mad, you know? Stomp the anger out of existence? I don't think so! Thanks for the praise. ^_^
Well…maybe we should get started on the story, eh? Nah, I don't think so…Just kidding! ^_^)
Harry's first class in Auror training was on October the seventeenth, a week before the first quidditch match. He was to give up History of Magic, for that was Professor McGonagall's only free period, with Ron, and Elizabeth was going to go for special training on magical creatures with Hagrid, for one solid week each semester.
Harry woke up on the seventeenth feeling like he was made of lead. It wasn't that he wasn't looking forward to Auror training, but from he'd heard, it'd be real hard work.
"Ready to be an Auror, Harry?" Ron asked on the way out.
"No," he responded honestly. They went to the Common Room to wait for Elizabeth.
"Good morning," Elizabeth said in a chipper voice as she walked to the Common Room.
"Someone's happy, today," Ron remarked.
"Of course, I'm happy." She had a definite bounce in her step as she followed Harry and Ron to the Great Hall. A month into the school year, and Elizabeth still didn't really know her way around.
"Just because of a special class with Hagrid?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"Not completely. Today, I turn sixteen," she said dramatically.
"Happy birthday, then," they said in unison.
"Sorry we didn't get you any gifts, but, you know, we had no idea…"
"Don't worry about it. You guys haven't known me for more than a couple months. I don't expect presents," Elizabeth interrupted.
While they were eating breakfast, they saw why she didn't expect presents from them. About three owls came into the Great Hall, each carrying either a lot of cards or a healthy load of gifts. Elizabeth blushed as she grabbed all her things and rushed them to her dormitory before class started.
After actually being ignored in potions class, Harry thought this just might turn out to be a good day.
Harry and Ron wished Elizabeth good luck with the dangerous creatures she was sure to encounter near Hagrid, and then they made their way to McGonagall's classroom. When they got there, Harry never saw a classroom furnished like this. As they walked in, he noticed the weird walls separating five foot sections of the large room. They were nothing but brick, but the way they were situated made the room look like many rooms.
Harry and Ron joined the small group of kids waiting for class to start.
"Good morning," Professor McGonagall greeted. "And welcome to the beginning of Auror training. Now that you are all here, today will be just a review of the spells you know for dueling. At the end of each of the long rooms there are moving targets. At first, they will shoot nothing but the disarming charm at you, but when you get into the very advanced stages of this exercise, they might even throw the killing curse at you. That will not happen here. That might happen at the end of your three years training after Hogwarts.
"Please be aware that if any peril befalls you, it is only a simulation, and it will not do permanent damage to you. If you are rendered immobile, I will come to your aid."
Harry looked around the small group of people. There were Ron and he, Neville, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Terry Boot, and 'Draco Malfoy? What on earth is he doing here?' thought Harry.
"If you'll follow my instructions, I shall tell you which room will belong to you throughout the course," McGonagall explained.
The rooms were in alphabetical order. Terry Boot's room was first, then Justin, Neville, Malfoy, Harry, and last, Ron.
Harry walked between the two walls, took out his wand, and waited for instructions. At the end of the room was a blue dummy with a red bull's-eye on its chest. It was moving from one side of the room to the other.
"Now, try to disarm, only," McGonagall commanded, using the Sonorous curse.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted.
To his delight, the charm hit the target right in the middle of the bull's-eye before the dummy could curse him with the same spell.
"According to the dummies, only three of you hit the target with the disarming spell," McGonagall stated. "If the other three of you wish to become Aurors, I suggest you try a little harder on disarming."
"The three of you who did manage to hit the target can try to stun it. You know who you are. Once you have the target stunned, it will retaliate after a couple moments. You may choose to physically dodge it, or block it with a shield charm. If it doesn't hit you with the disarming spell, it will resort to stunning. I will know if it hits you and I will come to help you, not to worry," she finished.
The dummies started up again and Harry cursed, "Stupefy!" He smiled as the dummy stopped in the process of getting ready to disarm him.
It began to move and shot the disarming spell at him three times before it gave up and tried to stun him.
Harry disarmed the dummy and was becoming quite pleased with himself. After the fifty minute period, he knew that this was going to be his favorite class.
"How was it?" Elizabeth asked once Harry and Ron met up with her.
"It was brilliant," Harry replied.
"It was a joke," was Ron's response.
"How so?" Elizabeth inquired.
"The dummy they stuck me with was no dummy," Ron answered. "I swear, it anticipated my every move and it blocked it. It disarmed me about three times before I finally hit it when something distracted it. It took me the rest of the class period to even get the stunning spell out of my mouth before it stopped me in my tracks…"
"While Ron's experience wasn't the greatest, I thought it was marvelous," Harry interrupted gently. He had to do something to stop Ron from rambling.
"How was class with Hagrid?" Ron questioned.
"I thought it was the most awesome thing I'd ever lived through. He showed me how to take care of thestrals. They're these really cool looking horses that can fly. They took to me naturally, too! I didn't even have to lure them with meat or anything!"
"Then he showed me how to care for sick unicorns. He's got one and it won't let him near it unless it's unconscious so he wants me to help him nurse it back to health," she explained. She had a huge grin on her face. Her last comment was "Hagrid said I had a natural gift with animals."
"You've seen someone die?" Harry asked her. One part of her speech caught his attention, and that was the part about the thestrals.
"Eh? Um…not that I can remember. Why?" she responded.
"Because those who can see thestrals have seen death," Ron answered in a dismal tone.
Elizabeth was looking confused. "Oh…Uh…I don't think I've seen death…" she muttered.
"Then I guess Hagrid was right. You've got some extraordinary gift with animals," commented Harry.
At the end of the week, Harry concluded that it was the best week he'd ever had at Hogwarts. Auror training was so gratifying, and it seemed Elizabeth was having so much fun with the things she was learning. Ron had been having more trouble with the dueling than Harry. McGonagall told him that if he didn't shape up, he'd be shifted to another career.
"Don't worry about it, Ron," said seventh year, Katie Bell. "People shift careers all the time."
"Right," Ron said, trying to be cheerful.