A/N: Thank you so very much to all of those who review. Your support is what helps me write this story.
Also- On the side- at the web site listed in my profile you will find my Yahoo group dedicated to this story currently. You'll receive the chapter itself into your inbox when I update. You'll also be able to participate in polls about the story and start your own discussions. :)
Harry and Ginny held hands as they watched the winged-horse that they had rode on fade away from their view as it traveled away from them into the Forbidden Forest. Ginny had landed the horse just outside the perimeter of the forest. "Will it fly off back to wherever you found it?" Harry asked as they turned and walked towards the darkened castle.
"I don't know. It found me in the first place so I reckon that it can go to wherever it came from in the first place," Ginny mused out loud to Harry in response to his question as they drew nearer to the castle.
Just then they came across Ron who was heading the other way. Towards the Forbidden Forest. "Harry, Ginny? Is that you?" came his un-certain voice.
"It's us," Harry announced clearly so that Ron wouldn't mistake them for someone else.
They heard a distinct sigh of relief as they met up with Ron. "Merlin, Harry! Where did you go? What happened? I just saw a falling star or something and came out to investigate." He turned and fell in step with them as they strolled towards the school.
Harry quickly gave a brief, but fairly detailed account of all the events. He left out most of the part with Seilftrist. He didn't want to explain about the Laws of magic until he fully understood them himself. Besides, it wasn't as if they would directly apply to Ron or Hermione any time soon. "So here we are now. How did things go after the attack?"
"You know, general public panic. No one really hurt or even seriously hindered except you. Dumbledore was a bit worried about you and Ginny. Mum and Dad are flying off the handle. The school term was set back a day. All that jolly-stuff." Ron replied.
"We'll have to send them a letter," Ginny said as they entered the front doors and made their way to the main staircase and up to Gryffindor Tower. "Did all of our luggage arrive in decent shape?"
Ron nodded affirmatively as he waved at one of the prefects on guard-duty. "Excepting the skipped day of classes everything is the same. Come time for Christmas holiday the Hogwarts Express will probably be an armored train and have a load of Aurors to go with it."
Harry rolled his eyes. "Do they really think their defenses will do any good at all?"
*
The next morning Harry entered the Great Hall and was greeted by a great many students. Almost everyone there, excepting of course the Slytherins, made a point of saying hello and welcoming him to Hogwarts for his seventh year. A great deal of them also mentioned the Highly Advanced Defense class. Harry did his best to say hello to everyone and made his way to the Gryffindor table where Ginny was waiting for him. "What's with everyone today? No one has ever bothered to notice me arrive here."
Ginny looked at Harry with an amused look. "They aren't admitting it, and probably never will, but when word got around that the 'Boy Who Lived' could possibly be dead, everyone sort of panicked. They are extremely glad to see you this morning. Have you seen Ron or Hermione?"
Harry snickered, "Hermione has pre-lesson jitters. Apparently she and Ron are slated up for their class to teach. Ron mumbled something rather early about studying in the library."
"Aren't they supposed to be doing the classes separately with any assistance coming from the top students?"
Harry shrugged, "Apparently they'll both do the first session of each class together, and then they'll get around to divvying up who gets what class." He helped himself to some eggs and bacon and began to wolf it down quickly. "I was thinking that we could go and see what the first day is like for them. The classes are technically mine after all."
"That would actually be a very good idea," Ginny commented as she pulled some parchment from her bag and began to draft a letter to her parents. "The students will then connect you to the class and see that you are behind it. Not only that, it's bound to be quite amusing to watch."
"Now that you mention that, I should probably make a point of showing up to all of the classes on the first day and then periodically from then on." Harry thought out-loud as he gulped some pumpkin juice. "Our schedule allows for that kind of arrangement anyway, I reckon."
Ginny signed the letter to her parents with a flourish and set it aside so that she could send it by Owl Post when the chance arose. "Yes, I'm quite excited about how this year is going to progress! Even Dumbledore was stunned at how well we did on our NEWTs and suggested even more topics to study this year. Today we start with Magical Law, mainly focusing on how it is enforced concerning the Dark Arts and how it applies to Aurors. We'll also study the other basics as well, although it won't be particularly exciting on that side of the spectrum. Cauldron bottoms and all of that. Percy would absolutely be thrilled you know."
Harry grinned, "Cauldron bottoms indeed. The rest of it does sound interesting." He quickly glanced at his watch. "If we don't hurry we'll be late for Mione's and Ronikin's first class."
Harry and Ginny quickly gathered their belongings and made their way up to the HADADA classroom. The same classroom that they had used for Dumbledore's Army. They arrived in the room just as the last arrivals were settling down on the floor before the front.
Ron waved and Hermione shot them a quick, but nervous smile as Harry and Ginny conjured up a pair of armchairs. "This ought to be interesting," Harry whispered to Ginny who nodded.
Ron was surprisingly the first to step up and take charge. "Um, yeah, welcome to level one of the Highly Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts class. I'll just take roll here quickly and we'll be set to begin." Ron quickly went through the roll call and then turned the time over to Hermione.
Hermione stepped forward and began to introduce herself to the class doing her best to make herself sound professional and not as nervous as she was. "I'll start off by explaining the course requirements," Hermione announced.
Someone rose their hand before and asked a question before Hermione could continue. Harry noted the boy as a second or third year from Ravenclaw. He wasn't sure of a name though. "Just who's in charge of this class? You two or Potter? 'Cause if it's you two I'm not so sure that this is worth my time."
Ginny leaned over to Harry and whispered, "Ouch!" Harry nodded in agreement.
"Professor Potter is the one responsible for this and every other HADADA class." Hermione calmly explained. "Mr. Weasley and I will be assisting him in teaching as teacher assistants."
The Ravenclaw nodded importantly, "Just so long as he's the one directing the curriculum."
"Well!" Ginny commented quietly to Harry. "That ought to keep them humble."
Harry shook his head and continued to watch Ron and Hermione teach their first class. He was pleased to see that they did a very excellent job. Whatever student that came from an HADADA class would not have too much to worry about when it came to defending themselves and others.
*
Harry and Ginny casually sat back in the chairs that sat before Professor Dumbledore's desk the evening of the term's first Friday. They were waiting for Dumbledore, Ron, and Hermione to return from the emergency Order meeting that had been called to discuss the attack on the Hogwart's Express and also what Harry had found out. Harry was sitting tensely and Ginny was reading a book. Although the Order would not be informed as to the source of information for the time being.
The office door opened to admit Ron, Hermione, and Professor Dumbledore. Ron was the first to speak. "Guess what Harry? We are now your official bodyguards to make sure that you don't get into trouble." Grumbling, he conjured up a chair for himself and Hermione.
Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling, as he took a seat behind the desk. "I'm sorry that it went that way Harry. The only way to convince them that you didn't need bodyguards was to reveal your identity."
"I'll live," Harry commented dryly as he sat up in his chair. "Was Snape able to come up with anything of importance through his connections?"
"Nothing very useful," Hermione answered. "He has vague hints of something that Voldemort is about to do and that Voldemort is secretly working on something else."
Ginny casually sat up and set the book down being careful to mark her place. "What sort of actions is Voldemort taking when he is 'secretly' working on this other thing?"
"Snape wasn't too specific on that part of things," Ron said. "He said that he believed that it was somehow connected to ancient magic though." He looked from Ginny to Harry, and then to Dumbledore to see what they thought.
"It's always ancient magic isn't it?" Harry mumbled to himself as he thought carefully about how Voldemort could accomplish his goal with ancient magic. A new form or twist on ancient magic if it had just been barely discovered by Voldemort or rather, Tesmethlin.
Dumbledore leaned forward, the look on his face was grave, "Do you know what he is doing or how we can stop it Harry?" An uncomfortable silence followed as Harry racked his brain for answers.
Finally, Harry answered. "I don't know how to stop him because I don't know what the exact process is. However, what Voldemort is trying to do would require certain elements and conditions no matter what the technicalities."
Hermione nodded, "Of course! It will take time to figure out the details of his plans but it will certainly help to know the basics."
"First," Harry began to explain, "this process would have to occur at a place where the realms either overlap strongly or where the barriers between each individual realm have a. . . . thinness. Either place would also have to have an affinity to magic, more specifically, ancient magic."
"Which is more likely? A place where they overlap or a 'thinness'?" Ron inquired eagerly. Harry could tell that he was beginning to get involved with the strategy of the fight.
Harry paused to think for another moment. "Personally I would opt for a thinness if I stood in Voldemort's and or Tesmethlin's position. Realms may overlap and their magic may affect each other due to that but. . . the barrier would still be there."
"I don't understand," Hermione said as a faint tinge of pink appeared in her cheeks. "How can they be separate yet overlap and affect each other?"
Ginny cleared her throat and began to explain, "Harry explained it as simply as he could. It takes a lot of knowledge, understanding, experience, and power to even comprehend the exact rules for that type of thing. Not even I totally understand. So, just take it as Harry said and perhaps, one day you will understand."
"I see," Hermione said. Clearly she didn't understand why she couldn't learn about something that another could. "A thinness then. Does that mean the barrier can be broken?"
Ginny shrugged and looked to Harry just as everyone else did. "Not even Tesmethlin would dare to break the barrier," Harry whispered. "It will be a portal or some other sort of thing."
"How would a place where the realms overlap be possible if this creep wouldn't dare break the barrier?" Ron asked.
"It's hard to explain," Harry sighed. "Just accept what I've told you and be happy okay?"
"We can do that," Dumbledore interjected. "What else would he need to do?"
"As I said," Harry repeated, "the location would have to be magical or close to it. There is a lot of places in the world where the barriers are thin but very few that also have a magical affinity."
"Where would such a place that meets both requirements be found?" Dumbledore inquired.
Harry shrugged, "Ruins most likely. Old castles, pre-historic monuments, anything that is fairly old and connected to magic. It would be even better if strong magic or other magic was used often near the location. The more magic in the air, the easier it is to form a portal or transfer spell."
"The Order will have to see if they can connect Voldemort to such a place then," Dumbledore surmised. "Professor Snape will be informed as to what to watch for in his observations."