Harry sat down in Defence against the Dark arts with Hermione and Ron towards the back of the classroom.
"Do you think that Grout is nice?" Ron asked.
"I don't really mind, as long as we get to do something this year." Hermione said putting her books on the table. "If it's going to be another year of theory notes then-"
"Please be quiet" said Grout coming into the classroom. Something about his drawl made Harry think of Snape. "Now I'm aware of your record of teachers and I have to admit that despite my dislike for most of them the only useless teacher among them was Umbridge."
"Yeah!" said someone. Grout looked at them.
"What's your name?" Grout asked them.
"Dean Thomas, sir."
"Detention in my office tonight, I will not have people talking while I am talking." Grout said. Ron looked at Harry and Hermione slightly shocked. "Now, I am very strict and I will expect you to do everything I say. Any spells and counter jinxes that you don't master in class I will expect you to master for homework. It may not be fair but in my experience it has worked. Now today we will start work on the best ways to survive an attack from a giant." Lavender Brown's hand shot into the air. Grout looked at her as if asking her name.
"Lavender Brown, but there aren't any giants in Britain sir." She said.
"I am not supposed to disclose this information to you but it is feared that Voldemort may have the alliance of the Giants. Now I understand that there are no giants in Britain" Harry, Hermione and Ron looked at each other. They knew very well that there was a giant living in the forbidden forest going by the name of Grawp. "But it is part of what you are required to know. Now does anyone know what you should do, ideally if you encounter a giant?" Hermione put her hand up, "Yes miss -"
"Hermione Granger." Hermione said. "You should never use Magic in the presence of a Giant because Giants hate having magic used against them. If you use magic then they could-"
"That will be enough Miss. Granger, please leave something for the rest of the class to tell us. Five points to Gryffindor," Grout said. "Now, as Miss. Granger has told us you should never use Magic against a giant, does anyone know when it is acceptable." Hermione and Ron put their hands up but Ron was a bit more hesitant. "Mr. Weasley"
"When you're trying to help them, like if they're attacked and you want to help them." Ron said.
"Correct." Grout said. After this the lesson went quite badly. Seamus got hit by a spell from Pavarti, who missed the target she was supposed to be hitting. Hannah Abbott said the wrong spell and sent Susan Bones to the hospital wing. Neville had ten points taken off Gryffindor for setting his textbook on fire and of course, Hermione mastered the spell almost immediately. The sixth years all trudged out of the class room looking dishevelled and feeling quite depressed.
"Well at least the class was better then Umbridge's lesson." Hermione said.
"You have got to start up the DA again mate." Ron said. "Because I don't get this guy, first he says we shouldn't use magic in front of Giants, then he tells us what spells to use in front of Giants and then he sets us a three foot essay on why we shouldn't use magic against Giants"
"Life's not fair is it Ron?" Hermione said sarcastically
"Yeah, you have to start the DA again, it will give us a chance to master these spells." Neville said joining them.
"I don't understand why he's teaching us how to protect ourselves from Giants, they all live up north." Pavarti complained as the Gryffindors all headed towards the great hall for lunch.
"Well, not really." Harry said. Hermione gave him a sharp look but everyone looked at him curiously.
"What does that mean?" Lavender asked combing her tangled hair with her fingers and wincing when she got to a knot.
"I'll tell you in the next DA meeting." Harry said.
"So you're starting it up again?" Neville asked excitedly. "My Gran was really proud of me when I got an O in my OWLs. She said that I wasn't a disappointment and I could still be someone." He said happily.
"That's really good." Hermione said.
"Everyone in the DA got Os in their OWLs." Pavarti told them. "Well the ones in our year anyway" They all sat around each other. The boys all began eating immediately while Lavender and Pavarti began talking while Hermione got out a book.
"Did you hear about Malfoy?" Lavender said quietly to Pavarti.
"Oh, what is it?" Pavarti squealed.
"Apparently he's been kicked off the Slytherin Quidditch team," Lavender said.
"But he's the captain isn't he?" Pavarti asked cautiously.
"He was but his team chucked him out when Crabbe accidentally let out that he's got the dark mark." This caught Ron, Harry and Hermione's attention. Harry and Ron continued eating and Hermione pretended she was still reading but Harry could see her eyes were fixated on one spot.
"Apparently he got it done over the summer. I'm surprised they haven't kicked Crabbe and Goyle off"
"They've probably got the dark mark as well, haven't they? They do everything that Malfoy wants them to do."
"Well, at least Gryffindor will deffinately win this year."
"No, apparently Cho Chang has started selecting her new team already. She's got some quite good players." Ginny said sitting next to Lavender. Lavender looked slightly offended but then forced Pavarti to move up. Dean looked up and grinned at her.
"Hi Ginny." Dean said. Ginny gave him a sweet smile
"How can they chuck Malfoy off a team and have a new Ravenclaw team in less then a day?" Ron asked trying to ignore Dean and Ginny.
"Well, Cho's Ravenclaw so she's going to be good at organising everything and everyone knows Malfoy was going to be a deatheater. Aparently, they had an early morning quidditch practice before classes" Ginny told them. "I saw it from my window, Malfoy was storming back to the castle with Crabbe and Goyle." Harry couldn't help smiling at this. He put his knife and fork down and had a drink of Pumpkin juice.
"Oh, Ginny, Katie and I have decided that you can be any position you want as long as it's not seeker." Harry said to Ginny.
"That's a bit rude." Hermione said.
"Well, if she's seeker what am I going to be?" Harry asked Hermione innocently. Hermione thought this through in her head.
"True, Ginny, don't be seeker." Hermione said. Ginny grinned.
"Don't worry, I want to be Chaser." Ginny said.
"Cool." Dean said. He looked at Ginny and nodded to the door. Ginny giggled.
"I have to go," Ginny said. She got up quickly and Dean soon followed suit. Harry heard Ron muttering under his breath.
"You're going to have to give him the big brother speech." Harry said sarcastically.
"She's too young for a boyfriend." Ron said, "She shouldn't have one." Lavender giggled and looked at Pavarti.
"Well I remember you in the fourth year taking Padma." Lavender said. Ron's face went a deep shade of red and he looked at his food. Hermione put her book down and finally started eating.
"Hi Harry." Said a sweet voice behind him. Harry turned to see Jenny. He grinned.
"Hey." He said.
"Do you mind if I sit here?" Jenny asked, "I just saw Ginny and Dean under the stairs and I don't really have any friends" Ron got up saying that he had some work to do. Hermione watched him worriedly.
"You don't think he's going to hex Dean do you?" Hermione asked. Harry shrugged. He moved into the seat that Ron had just vacated and Jenny sat down between him and Hermione. Hermione was about to protest but when she saw the looks that Pavarti and Lavender were giving her she closed her mouth and went back to eating.
"How's your day been?" Harry asked
"Well, Charms was ok. It was a little bit annoying and I had transfiguration after that. I really messed up." Jenny pouted slightly.
"Well if I managed to get through it you can." Harry said, "Look at who your mum is." Jenny blushed slightly.
"I suppose." Jenny said. Lavender and Pavarti suddenly got up and left the table. Neville soon left to try and hunt down another text book for defence against the dark arts and Seamus tried to start up a conversation with Hermione but soon lost the thread of the conversation and started staring over at the Hufflepuff table.
"Are you going to have those lessons with mum then?" Jenny asked Harry after Seamus had left.
"Yeah, my first lesson is tomorrow night." Harry said.
"What lessons?" Hermione asked over Jenny.
"Occlumency. April is going to give me lessons now." Harry said.
"Hopefully she'll be kinder then Snape." Hermione said voicing Harry's thoughts.
"Oh, mum's really good. She taught me Occlumency." Jenny said.
"But you would say that wouldn't you?" Hermione snapped, "She's your mum." Harry frowned at Hermione's coldness. "I'll see you in Charms." Hermione said to Harry getting up.
"Ok." Harry said. Hermione left the hall, grabbing Ron's arm as he returned to the table.
"Is she ok?" Jenny asked uncertainly, "I keep getting the feeling that I keep pissing her off."
"She's just not used to another girl coming into out little group. It's always been us and in our second year Ginny sort of joined us." Harry said, "Don't worry about it." Jenny nodded and smiled. Harry couldn't help but think that Jenny enjoyed his company and he really enjoyed having her around and she was very easy to talk to. Harry recognised a small tingling feeling from when he had fancied Cho Chang but unlike Cho Chang, Harry could talk to Jenny about anything really.
"Ok," Jenny said, she picked up a piece of fruit and started munching on it. "How were your lessons?" Harry sighed and started telling Jenny about his day so far.