After they ate lunch Crystal, Ron, Harry, and Hermione headed toward the Transfiguration classroom. Once they reached the classroom Professor McGonagall ushered them in. "Hurry, hurry," she pleaded. "I have a lot to cover during this class."

After everyone was seated Professor McGonagall continued, "Since this is your last year at Hogwarts I would like to announce that the Elite will be chosen this year. The Elite are the top students. We will pick one Elite member from each class. If you want to be a member of the Elite you will have to tryout. Tryouts will be after Christmas break.

"Over Christmas break there will be a dance call the Mask Dance. You will wear you dress robes and you must have a mask over your face. The masks are a symbol that you should like someone for what is on the inside, not how they look.

"If you want to try out the forms are on my desk. Take one as you leave. You will find a list of all the rules and regulations you need to know attached to the form. I urge everyone to tryout but if you chose not to you will still get to watch the tryouts and attend the dance. I will give you more info as it becomes available.

"Now lets begin the lesson."

Professor McGonagall's lesson of ancient uses of Transfiguration was extremely long and extremely boring.

When the bell finally rang Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Crystal grabbed and Elite form and made their way toward the magnificent Gryffindor common room.

"What are you three going to try out for?" Crystal asked as she collapsed onto one of the red cushioned chairs, surrounding the fireplace.

"Well it says here you can try out for as many subjects as you want," Hermione began. "There is a panel of five judges, Albus Dumbldore and three ministry officials. There will be one guest judge for each competition. This person will be however teaches that subject. Their score counts as fifty percent of your total score."

"So technically we can will in any subject except for Potions," Harry finished.

"Like we'd want to try out for Potions anyway," Ron muttered.

"Since the tryouts aren't until after Christmas break we have plenty of time to practice," Crystal pointed out.

"Yeah," Harry replied. "We might have to go back to the Room of Requirement."

"What's the Room of Requirement?" Crystal asked.

"It's a place that only a person can enter when they really need to," Hermione explained. "We used it in our fifth year to hold our secret DA meetings."

"What does DA stand for?"

"Dumbledore's Army," Harry answered. "Our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher wouldn't let us practice magic during our her class. We started the DA so we could actually practice before our O.W.L.S."

"I hated O.W.L.S." Crystal went on. "That year was horrible."

"Yes it was," everyone agreed.

"Going back to the tryouts, I think that I'll tryout for Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, and Herbology." Hermione declared.

"Me too," everyone stated.

"Tomorrow we have a hard day," Hermione said as she looked down at her schedule. " Double Defense Against the Dark Arts, double Charms, double Care of Magical Creatures, and double Herbology."

"Crystal," Harry began, "Quidditch tryouts are next Friday at 7:00. Don't be late."

"Oh don't worry, I won't," Crystal replied.

After Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Crystal ate breakfast early the next morning and began their way to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.

"Welcome," said a tall woman with a dark complexion and extremely black hair. Once they entered the sunlit classroom she continued, "I will be your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. My name is Professor Love. I'm going to go ahead and warn you that today might be boring. I want to know what you already know and what you want to learn. I have a list here of what you have learned but I want to see what you have remembered. We'll go around the room. I want you to say your name, what you know, and what you want to learn. Let's start over here." She pointed at Hermione.

"My name is Hermione Granger, we've studied about werewolves, and I want to learn all about counter curses.

As everyone said their names and what the wanted to learn Professor Love took notes on a long roll of parchment.

After their lesson Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Crystal made their way toward the charms classroom.

"You made it here Potter?" Malfoy spat as Harry entered the room. "Oh Crystal good to see you to. I forgot to ask you last time me met if you're still speaking in tongues? Are you still slithering through, waiting for the right time to strike?"
"Eat slugs Malfoy," Crystal replied. For a brief second her eyes blazed with green fire but no one noticed.

"I wouldn't be saying that Lockhart. The last time someone said that to me, it was them who ate slugs." Now Draco was looking at Ron.

"Settle down class, take your seats," Professor Flitwick demanded. "This term we will be studying element charms. These charms are really useful. Once you learn the basic charm, it's boundaries are unlimited. There are four different charms; one for fire, one for water, one for the sky, and one for the earth. These charms allow the holder of the wand to shoot the element are an opponent. Today you're just going to take notes so please take out your quills and parchment."

After a long lesson on element charms and how they began, Crystal made her way to the great hall for lunch.

"Element charms are going to be so cool," Crystal exclaimed as she sit down.

"I think Defense Against the Dark Arts class will be cool too," Harry said as he sit down by Crystal.

"I wonder how Hagrid is doing? He never stayed long at Grim. . . ." Ron's voice trailed off. Crystal didn't know anything about #12 Grimland Place and the secrets it held.

"Yeah I seen Hagrid when I was going across the lake. I couldn't remember his name then but it's clear now," Crystal said.

"How do you know Hagrid?" Hermione asked.

"It's a long story and I don't have time to explain it now. It's almost time for Care of Magical Creatures." Crystal replied as she grabbed her books and ran out of the great hall. Harry looked down at his new watch. They still had 30 minutes.

Later in the Gryffindor common room Harry stared at the notice board. One small piece of parchment stood out above the rest. He quickly read it.

"We have a visit to Hogsmeade the Saturday after Quidditch tryouts," Harry exclaimed as he turned away from the board.

"What's Hogsmeade?" Crystal asked.

"It's a place where students, third year and above, occasionally get to go. There's shops and even a real nice place to get butterbeer."

"Um. . . . Butterbeer," Crystal hummed. "So once I make the Quidditch team we can celebrate the next day."

"Are you that sure you're going to make the team?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Like I said I'm a number one beater," Crystal replied.