Chapter 27. The Woes of Ron

Ron had stumbled into the dormitory just past midnight; bleary eyed and mumbling about madder root, powdered asphodel and something about dragon urine.  He promptly threw himself on his bed, slid the curtains shut and Harry heard snores filtering out barely a few minutes later. 

Harry gave a sad smile toward his best friend's draped-off bed and closed his journal and laid down his quill.    At least he didn't give up and walk out of detention, Harry thought.  Carefully capping his inkwell and casting a spell to seal his journal, he sat up and laid aside his things on his bedside table, along with his glasses and closed his hangings.  He cast an Imperturbable Charm as well as enlarged his Proximity Charm to include just the area just outside his bed and snuggled down under the covers.  He had barely begun to lament being alone with no one to hold when a chorus of whispered lullabies whisked him into peaceful slumber.

The next day, Harry was walking out to quidditch pitch, Firebolt in hand and looking forward to spending his morning break whipping through the air, making sure he still knew how to fly and just spending some quality time with his broom.  Ron had been dragging in Charms that morning, still exhausted from his marathon detention with Snape and he'd been of half a mind to skive off Divination and go back to bed.   But when Harry told him about plans to go flying, Ron had brightened up and promised to meet him out on the pitch after his class. 

As Harry kicked off from the ground and took flight, he felt his stress, responsibilities, and expectations fade beneath him with every inch upward he climbed.  This was freedom—climbing, soaring, banking in the wind and diving in a free fall just to climb even higher again.   It was like spirit without form, flying was to Harry.  Thoughts were obsolete and Harry was free to feel the bliss of the unbearable lightness of being. 

A movement, down upon the ground, caught his seeker-trained eyes and he tried to make out the shape.  It was a person walking awkwardly and carrying a broom.  It was too early to be Ron already and Harry dove to get a better view. 

Rising up on a Firebolt of his own, was none other than Viktor Krum.  He paused and hovered in the air as Harry met up with him in the air. 

"You are a natural vith a broom," Krum said, nodding at Harry. 

Harry grinned broadly and said, "Thanks, it's been almost a year since I've flown."  They flew higher into the air and Harry asked, "So how do you like teaching?"

Krum was much more graceful in the air than he was on two feet and answered, "Is not bad.  I am very happy to be where I can help."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked as he banked and rolled.  They were flying easy loops around the pitch and weaving in and out as they conversed.

"I mean, I know that war is near and I vant to be where I can help.  You know I haff been vritting to Her-my-nee and she has told of the building war." 

Harry had stopped and was hovering now, just staring open-mouthed at Viktor.  "But…but what about playing for Vratsa?  You just helped them to their third straight European Cup!!  Not that I'm sure you don't know, but why—why, leave that to come here-- because there's likely to be war?"  Harry was beginning to think Viktor must be crazy to give that up.  If Harry had the choice between volunteering to head to a war that wasn't his own versus a brilliant career playing quidditch, he'd be polishing his broom as often as he was practicing curses. 

"Vecause, it is the right thing to do," Viktor said, looking as serious as anyone Harry had ever seen hovering on a broom about a hundred feet off the ground.  "I vas here when it started—vemember—I vas cursed?"  Harry nodded.  He remembered that Crouch had controlled Viktor in the Third Task; casting the Imperius Curse on him in order to make Viktor, in turn, cast the Cruciatus Curse on Cedric. 

They began to fly a little forward and Viktor said, "It vas divvicult to try to forget that and go back to vorrying about a Golden Snitch.  There are move important things, yes?"

"Yeah," Harry said; he understood.  But solemnity without gravity was a waste of a fine Firebolt and Harry smiled as he looked back at Viktor and said, "I've never raced anyone on another Firebolt…" 

Viktor grinned back and shouted, "See if you can keep up!" as he leaned forward and sped away and upward with Harry grinning madly behind him.

Almost an hour later, the distant sound of voices on the ground brought both Harry and Viktor out of their gravity defying dance of aerial acrobatics.  Below, Madam Hooch was leading the first years across the field, presumably for their first flying lesson. 

Harry and Viktor exchanged a look and mutely agreed to fly off the pitch in the opposite direction, neither keen on landing in front of a bunch of ogling first years. 

They landed over by the lake and feeling invigorated, Harry remarked, "Brilliant, that was—I definitely needed that flight."  Grinning at Viktor, who was also looking windblown and refreshed, Harry said, "We should do that again sometime."

Viktor nodded and then shouldering his broom as they began a long walk upon the lakeside path up to the side of the castle, said, "You know, Severus has asked that I help vith his House team this year."

"What?" Harry said, turning to him.  "The Slytherins? Yeah, well, they'll need it to have a chance at winning.  Are you going to then?"

Viktor shook his head and said, "No, I said I vas not interested.  It vas not why I came here."  They walked a bit and Viktor then stated, "I do not like that man."

"Snape?" Harry asked.  When Viktor nodded with his jaw clenched, Harry snorted and said, "Join the club."

As they passed a long row of tall bushes, Viktor turned, paused and motioned for Harry to follow him behind the hedge.  After looking around to make sure no one was near and in a low urgent voice, Viktor said, "You should know, he is good friends with Karkaroff and you know what he vas, right?"

Harry nodded, surprised to hear this coming from Viktor.  Of course he knew that both had been Death Eaters, but Karkaroff had purportedly been too cowardly to return to Voldemort and fled when the Mark burned upon the Dark Lord's rebirth.  Snape, of course, was supposedly trustworthy as a spy for the Order as vouched for by Albus Dumbledore. 

Viktor nodded once at Harry's confirmation that he understood.  Then Viktor surprised him yet again with a second abrupt broach of topic as he asked, "Do you know who is vith Herm-my-nee now?"  Harry was dully blindsided by this question.  His startled look of confusion must have been apparent as Viktor explained; "I had been hoping to move here vould make her happy…to be closer.  She had said before, it vas too far avay to be together.  Now, I am here and when I talked vith her, she tells me she is vith another, yet it is secret.  I vas thinking that perhaps, you vould know who it is and tell me, if it serious, yes?"

Harry felt awful and conflicted all at once.  He felt a drop in his stomach at knowing that he was the one who was with Hermione.  He felt a small jump in his heart that Hermione had already told Viktor that she already had someone (him!) to see.  And lastly, Harry felt very sorry for Viktor, he looked genuinely heartbroken as he spoke of Hermione and it was apparent that he truly cared for her.  Recalling the time during the Triwizard Tournament when Viktor had confronted Harry about there being something between Hermione and him, as stated by the Daily Prophet, Harry felt he'd had enough of avoiding the truth and that he owed no less to Viktor.

"Yeah, yeah I know…" Viktor's eyes widened at this and he leaned forward as Harry stumbled on, "Er, you recall that time…well, you see…" Harry took a deep breath and was just summoning up the courage to say it as Viktor guessed the truth.

"It is you, then."  It was a statement, not a question Krum said as he squared his shoulders to stand up straight and tall.

"Yeah," Harry swallowed and then rushed out, "yeah it is.  It only started recently.  When you asked back during the Tournament, there was nothing…it only happened this summer…"

Krum's eyes were narrowed as he looked down his crooked nose at Harry.  "She has always talked about you a lot."  His shoulders seemed to go back to their rounded appearance and he seemed to slump in defeat as he added, "She has always seemed to care a lot about you."

Harry gave a sad half smile as he breathed out, "Yeah, I know."

"You care for her, too, yes?" Krum asked looking askance at Harry questioningly.

Harry had not doubt that Krum felt that if he couldn't be with Hermione, he was at least going to watch over her.  "Yeah, I do.  I always have since we became friends," Harry said as he spoke his thoughts as they occurred, "only now…it's…it's just…more." 

They were looking at each other; Harry was feeling incredibly relieved to have told Viktor the truth and was pleasantly surprised at how well he seemed to take the news.  It gave Harry hope that maybe, he, Hermione and Ginny just weren't giving Ron enough credit for being able to deal with Harry and Hermione together.  Then again, Viktor had seemed to expect it all along.

"Harry!" a voice called out from the path they had walked down.  "Harry?  Are you out here?"  It was Ron; Harry recognized his voice and realized he must be looking for him after finding no one on the pitch but Madam Hooch's first years.

"Vell, you are vanted, I think," Viktor said.  He leaned in close to Harry and pointed a finger at him and said quietly, "Just one thing, promise you will make sure she does not get hurt."

"Of course," said Harry reflexively.  "Of course I'll protect her…She's the last person in the world I want to see hurt, of course..." Satisfied, Viktor turned, stepped back onto the path and headed back to the castle.

Harry stepped out to see Ron stopped in the path, glaring with narrowed eyes at Viktor's retreating back.  "Hey, Ron."

Ron turned to blink at Harry.  "Were you talking with him?"

"Er, yeah.  Yeah I was."  As Harry watched Ron squint his eyes and crane his neck to make out the back of Viktor's head so he could continue scowling at it, he thought that maybe he should just tell Ron now.  Best mate to best mate.  He couldn't take it worse than Viktor, who moved to a new country to be nearer to Hermione, just had, could he?

"Yeah, what did Vicky want, I wonder, eh?" Ron said.  Ron turned and looked at Harry shrewdly and then asked, "Was he asking about Hermy-own?"

In a gathered fit of courage, Harry said, "Yeah he was.  And I told him…And I should tell you too now…I told him that Hermione and I are together…a couple, you know?"  He held his breath waiting for Ron's response.

Ron turned and squinted off towards the castle again and then asked, "So, he bought it?  Just like that?  He thinks you two are a couple?" Ron turned back to Harry with his head cocked to the side.

"Yes, a couple.  We've…since…since this summer."

Ron seemed incredibly calm, like when he was playing chess and contemplating his next move.  Unfortunately though, Harry thought, Ron's moves were usually calculated to end with a vicious defeat of Harry's pieces.  First, Ron's mouth twitched at the corner.  Then he glanced at the castle and then back to Harry.  Finally, he squinted at Harry and grinned.  "Brilliant," he said. 

Harry felt like he'd been dumped off into a bizarre world that had someone who certainly seemed to look like Ron, but, he was definitely not acting like Ron.   At all.

Ron clapped Harry on the shoulder and said it again, "Brilliant.  Abso-bloody-lutely brilliant, mate!"  Ron shook his head and couldn't stop grinning.  His stomach gave a growl and he said, "Let's go to lunch, get there early." 

The whole walk to the castle, Ron kept shaking his head and muttering to himself, "Brilliant, just brilliant," over and over again like some newly adopted Ron-mantra.  Meanwhile, Harry was following numbly behind, believing it to very likely that Ron was currently under some sort of Voldemort-plotted mind control intended to make Harry think he was indeed going crazy.

They reached the Great hall and entered to see Hermione already seated at one lone end of the table, reading a large book propped open in front of her.  Ron pulled Harry close and explained everything as he said, "Brilliant, mate, really—I wish I'd have thought of it sooner…but, mind you, I think you ought to keep it from Miss Priss over there," he jerked his head at Hermione.  "If she finds out you lied to Viktor to keep him away form her, she'll go spare."

Numbly and with much restraint to prevent himself from pounding his head against the table, Harry sat through lunch, barely touching his food.  Occasionally, Ron would mutter, "Brilliant," while Harry thought over and over, I can't believe I finally suck it up and tell the great dolt and…oh hell!

Just before the end of lunch, Ron said, "Is the DA going to meet soon, Harry?  A bunch of people asked me in Divination."

"Sure, sure, I suppose we could meet tonight.  Has everyone found some new members?"  Harry said, bringing himself out of his brooding.

Ron shrugged and said, "Dunno—oh!  Hey, I'll go ask Luna if she's found anyone yet."  With that, he was off, grabbing one last roll from the table and heading over towards the Ravenclaws.

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked immediately as Ron left.

Harry flicked his eyes towards Ron's retreating form and said, "I told him."  At Hermione's dropping jaw and bulging eyes, he added, "Sort of, anyway.  He didn't believe me."

Hermione blinked, shook her head and swallowed and then asked, as if what Harry were saying was truly quite ridiculous, "Wait, you mean you told Ron.  About you and me.  You and me together—as a couple."  Harry nodded along that so far, the story was correct.  "And he didn't believe you?"  Harry nodded again.  Hermione just stared back at him.

Harry explained more in a hushed tone, "You see, I was flying at the pitch on my break and Viktor came out," Hermione seemed to pale at this but Harry quickly added, "Oh, don't worry, we talked too—Viktor and I and I told him about us.  He took it really well, I was surprised really, but anyway, then Ron came out and Viktor left and well, what with how well it went with Viktor, I thought I might as well just clear the air with Ron, too.  But, you see, he saw Viktor leave after he came out and he just thought I meant I made it up to keep Viktor away from you…I think."  Harry frowned and thought about it again; really, it made his head hurt to recall how close he'd been to having Ron know the truth.  "I suppose it doesn't help that he thought I'm with Ginny, really.  Errgh, why did we ever get ourselves into this, remind me?" He finished as he dropped his head onto his folded arms in front on him.

Hermione never got a word out before Ron came back, grinning smugly still and slid in beside Harry, saying, "Well, Luna says that they had to draw wands in Ravenclaw last night to decide who could become new members.  So, they're all set to meet.  Who are you two asking to join?"

Hermione was looking shrewdly at Ron and Harry was struck realizing that he should find two new members to bring as well. 

"Oh, let me guess," Ron said, smirking slightly at Hermione, "you want to invite the House-elves.  They might be willing, I reckon, they could learn to fend of your attempts to smother them with clothes."

Hermione's eyes grew beady and she stood up abruptly, knocking over her plate and sending silverware clattering to the floor. "Ronald Weasley, you may like to remain disillusioned and unenlightened but that doesn't mean the rest of the world does!" she said before yanking her bag off the floor, scooping up her book and whirling away and out of the Great Hall.

Ron just muttered as she left, "What does Charms have to do with anything?  Mental, that one…"

Snape began straight away in Defense Against the Dark Arts by calling off names and barking out an order for everyone to rearrange into these new 'skill-based' groups. 

Utterly baffled, completely bewildered, and increasingly annoyed is exactly how Harry felt as his classmates reassembled into their groups.   He had assumed, as they had discussed on their way to class, that he, Hermione and Ron as well as several other DA members would all be likely to be grouped together at the same skill level.  However, the groups were nothing of the sort.

Harry's group had two Slytherin girls who had always blended into the background; one of which, was the girl Harry had helped the previous class and who was also in his Potions group.  Harry well recalled they also were two of the lesser (if not least) skilled members of his class.  Also, and Harry was eternally grateful that he had someone he knew and who wasn't completely inept, Susan Bones was in his group. 

Susan smiled at Harry as she joined the group and said, "I think Snape may have just pulled our names out of a hat to make up these groups."

Harry just scowled as he looked around.  There was Malfoy—along with Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson, that scrawny Nott boy and Millicent Bulstrode.  A collection of Death Eater spawn if I ever saw one, Harry thought.

Then he saw Hermione with a group of all girls, including Lavender and Pavarti, who was looking around with an equally disgruntled look.  Ron seemed to be with a group of all boys that included Ernie Macmillan, Zacharias Smith, and Anthony Goldstein as well as others. 

"Now," said Snape, causing everyone to turn and expect an explanation, "these are your groups.  They will not change.  In next week's class, I will pair up one group against another and you will duel, as groups, against each other."  He sneered and let that sink in.  "You have the rest of this class period to practice together.  Ah, yes, and one more thing," Snape looked at Hermione for a moment before he added; "you earn your grade based upon the overall skill of your group.  You will need to work together.  Begin."

 By the end of the class period, Harry and Susan had only just helped Tracy Davis and Daphne Greengrass to properly master the Disarming Charm. 

As the bell rang, Snape called out, "Two feet of parchment on the proper use and casting of defensive shields for next class!"

"We should all get together sometime before next class, don't you think? To practice?" Susan suggested before they began to replace the desks back into the center of the room and pack up.

Daphne looked like she didn't quite trust Susan and Harry saw that Tracey wasn't looking too eager, either. 

"Do you want to?" he asked the two girls.  "We can get together tonight after dinner?"  Susan gave him an odd look and he said, "What?"

She mumbled to him out of the side of her mouth, "I thought I we have a DA meeting tonight."  Harry had just activated the charmed galleon before DADA class to alert the members to meet that night.

Harry nodded at her with a smile as if he found her amusing and said, "Yeah, I know, where better to practice?"

"What are you two talking about?" Daphne asked.  Harry had noticed that she was immediately distrustful of anyone and everything and constantly questioned why on every suggestion he and Susan tried to give her.

"A group," Harry said.  "We meet and practice practical defense spells.  We're meeting tonight and I'd like to invite you both to come.  Will you?"

Daphne's eyes narrowed and she looked Harry up and down; it made him feel rather naked just standing there.  She asked slowly, "And why would we want to do that, Gryffindor?"

She'd been calling Harry this all class, but although he was sure she intended it as an insult, he didn't mind it at all.  "Well, because you're both desperately behind and I don't see how else you're going to catch up before next week if we don't practice some more."

Daphne was about to take offense at this when Tracey spoke up quietly, "Why haven't I heard of this club?"

"Exactly, Trace—tell us why, Gryffindor?" Daphne said looking smugly between Harry and her friend.

Harry had to fight from rolling his eyes and just leaving them be as he said, "Because it's a secret. Now, do you want to learn how to do more than just disarm someone?"

"I've got a few good hexes I know of," she challenged. 

Harry looked skeptical.  "And are those going to be enough when we're matched off against that group of your Housemates over there?" he asked as he jerked his head at Malfoy's group that was currently trying to remove a Crusting Boil Hex off of Crabbe's (or was it Goyle's?) face. 

Daphne looked begrudgingly defeated and Tracey immediately said, "We're in."  Daphne looked at her as if she was crazy but Tracey nudged her and said, "What?  Like you wouldn't want to surprise Parkinson with a new trick?"  She added in an undertone that Harry could just make out, "Or what about being able to hex the you-know-whats off of you-know-who if you need to?" 

Daphne seemed to reconsider and as other students were packing up now and leaving, Susan hurriedly said, "So you'll come then, yes?  You'll like it—everyone does."

"Where and when?" Tracey asked.

Harry saw Malfoy craning his neck and watching them conversing and he quietly said, "Er, I'll meet you outside the library at seven o'clock tonight." 

Daphne looked like Harry was mad and said, "And that won't look odd?  Us meeting you and then going off to a secret meeting in the library?"

"Were not meeting in the library—I'll have to take you there—just, listen, I won't be visible, I'll find you.  Just be there and I'll find you."  Harry saw that Malfoy was looking far too interested in their group and he wanted to hurry this up. 

"Alright," Tracey said, seeming just as eager to break up and leave the class.  Daphne still looked like she thought Harry was a bit mad but left with Tracey.

"Well tonight should be interesting," Susan said as she and Harry gathered their things. 

Just then, Malfoy had sauntered over and said, "Why, Potty got himself a date tonight?  Even a Hufflepuff like you could do better than him."  Malfoy shot a condescending sneer at Susan.

Shouldering her bag and looking down her nose coolly at Malfoy, Susan just said, "Why, Draco, are you jealous…of me?" as she turned and left the room.

Malfoy glared killing curses at the back of her head and then, seething, turned back to Harry.  "You…will…pay—"

"Save it, Malfoy.  I haven't time for the likes of you," Harry said still holding his wand loosely by his side and noticing Malfoy was clutching his wand with white knuckles.  He saw Crabbe and Goyle lumbering up behind Malfoy, with Nott trailing behind and Pansy Parkinson watching smugly from afar.

"Hey, Draco, weren't you asking for someone to try out your new spell on?" Pansy said gleefully.

"Hey, Malfoy," Harry heard Ron shout from across the room, "how'd you like that Bat Bogey Hex last year?  Want another?"

Harry turned and saw Ron stalking towards him with Seamus at his side. "Yeah, sod off, Malfoy or do you need Harry to tell you he'd rather snog the squid than you again?"

Anthony Goldstein and Ernie Macmillan, who had also been in Ron and Seamus's group, were also striding over to stand behind Harry. 

Malfoy's eyes were so narrow they were barely visible and Harry thought Malfoy's wand might crack from how tight he seemed to be gripping it.  "Like I would—ever—stoop so low as someone—" Malfoy shivered and then got a malicious look as Hermione also sauntered over to stand beside Harry.  His steel grey eyes gleamed viciously as he taunted, "If I ever wanted to get a one off, why, that's what a Mudblood is for—right before they—"

"POTTER!" Snape bellowed, causing them all to jump at the rapid approach of an irate Snape.  "What is the meaning of this, Potter?" Snape asked in a deadly calm whisper.  "Trying to start another little fight outside of class?"

"Actually, we're in class, Professor," Harry said snidely.

"Silence!" Snape roared and then glared at everyone still in the classroom.  "What are you all still doing here?  Get out!  Unless you've nothing to do and want to spend the rest of the day with me in detention…" they all hastily moved away.  "Except, you, Potter…I'll have a word with you…" Snape said as Harry felt an anger surge inside. 

Greasy bastard knows exactly who started this… As they were left alone, Harry let his face of apathetic nonchalance slid into unchecked loathing.  "You wanted a word, sir?" Harry said, not keeping his distaste for the bastard from his voice.

"Watch your cheek, Potter, or I may be forced to exact punishment from you…" Snape said coolly as he drew his wand and levelled it at Harry.

A shriek broke the tense silence in the Defense classroom and Harry and Snape both turned towards the open door.  Another shriek and they were both out in the hallway where Pansy Parkinson was on her knees and clutching Malfoy so tightly she was almost dragging him to the ground. 

"Ron!" Hermione admonished as she still held her wand in front of her, defensively pointed at the other Slytherins still in the hall.

"F-five points from Gryffindor, Ron—I'm sorry—it, it's the rules!" Neville said warily, also holding his wand out but trained upon Ron.

"What is—" Snape yelled and then stopped as Pansy, with tears in her eyes, wide with horror, turned around to reveal a great ugly grey horn sprouting from her tongue.  Snape looked disgusted at the sight (Harry felt sick) and waved her aside and said, "Mr. Malfoy, take Miss Parkinson to the hospital wing—the rest of you—" he gestured at the other three Slytherins, "clear off!  And you…" he turned now to Ron, who had been smugly watching Pansy whimper, "detention!!  I'm sure Mr. Filch will be pleased to have your assistance tomorrow night—I'm sure you had nothing better planned for a Friday evening!"  With that, Snape strode off in a flurry of billowing black robes, leaving Ron gaping behind, Neville looking sheepish and Hermione looking furious.  Harry was just content to have gotten out of 'having a word' with Snape. 

In the library that afternoon, Ron wasn't talking to anyone.  Apparently, as Neville had told Harry, Pansy had made a comment about Ron having lost his prefect badge because he couldn't afford the silver polish to keep it properly cleaned. 

Hermione was huffing still about the Defense groups, "At least I have Lavender and Parvati—I mean at least they were in the DA, but the rest!  Ugh—I can't believe it!  He stuck me with the entire set of girls in the Cosmetic Charms Club!!  Mandy Brocklehurst cares more about not breaking a nail than she does about nailing a jinx!  And did you see Malfoy's group?  All Slytherins…it's the only group with only members from a single House!"

Harry looked dubious and griped, "Did you notice how my group had only four people?  Every other group has at least six, if not seven!  And we're supposed to be matched up group to group…"

"And did you see the other group?  The one with only muggleborns?" Hermione asked, shaking her head.  "Those groups have nothing to do with skill!  I mean look—we each have at least one hopeless—" Hermione stopped, a look of understanding washing over her features.  "Ooh!"

Harry looked to her expectantly for the explanation.  "Yeah, if you've figured out the method to that git's madness, let me in."

"Harry, don't you see?" she said earnestly.  "We—all of us who were in the DA and who are of a relatively high skill level—we've all been split apart and spread out!  As have all those who are relatively inept!  We're supposed to help bring the others up to par!"

Ron looked up at this and said, "But isn't that what Snape is for?  He is, after all, the teacher?  And what about the group of junior Death Eaters, huh?  Are they helping to bring up anyone 'to par'?  No—"

"No, Ron," Hermione cut in excitedly, "they're meant to be an example!"  Harry hadn't seen Hermione get this excited since, well…anyway, not about something class related, in a while.  "Look, we've got, as you called them, the junior Death Eaters together and then we've got the rest of the Slytherins spread out amongst the other groups. There's my group with all the girls who…hmm, well, the ones who would normally not take a class like Defense serious at all—every one of them loves Divination, for example.  But, see, Snape made it so we all earn our scores as a group—so with me, albeit, a bit on the keen side when it comes to grades," Harry and Ron exchanged smirks at this, "Oh, shut up, you two!  See—I'm inclined to motivate them to do well or, well, or else I guess I could threaten them with a nice rash across their face—that'd do the trick.  Don't you see?"

Harry frowned.  It still seemed overly…complex.  "So, then tell me why I get a group of only four people?"

Hermione grinned at Harry and rolled her eyes, "Honestly, Harry—think about it!  Because you're you!  Actually, it's brilliant of Snape!" Harry immediately thought that was definitely not warranted to be said. "See, he makes a show of giving you the most disadvantaged group—looks good to anyone who's watching him but really, he's giving you the best opportunity to train your skills realistically.  How often would a group of Death Eaters wait until you have an equal group to face off against each other?  No—they want a position of advantage. 

"And you know what else?  I bet Malfoy and his group will want to show off all they know—it's like a mini Death Eater fight just for practice!  I'm sure they have plenty of curses and spells that we've never happened upon—and I'm sure they won't be able to wait to use them!"

Harry was beginning to see how this might be interesting.  "But what about the group of all muggleborns?" he asked.

Hermione thought on it and worried her lip.  "I'm not sure on that…maybe he thinks they'll be at a disadvantage because they won't have anyone with a Wizarding background?  Maybe it'll be clear later." 

At dinner, Harry asked Ron, "So, who are you bringing tonight to the meeting?"

"Kirke and Sloper," Ron said with his mouth full of Shepard's pie.

"Nice, Ron," Ginny said disgustedly.   She turned back to Harry and said, "I'm bringing two girls from my year, Harry."  She lowered her voice and then told him, "Colin's been practically selling tickets and then interviewing them as if it's a contest for who he takes—I had half a mind to take points from him for being mental, but, ah, well, that's Colin."

Harry just smiled at this and knew he'd have to endure it eventually. He checked his watch and saw it was half an hour until they had to meet.  He bid everyone later until the DA meeting, saying he had to get the room ready and left.  He headed back to Gryffindor Tower, retrieved his invisibility cloak and the Marauders Map and then went to the Room of Requirement. 

He arrived in the room; it looked as it typically did for their lessons.  Hermione, he saw, had also arrived early and smiled as soon as he saw her.

"Hey, I was just setting up the loyalty spells," she said smiling and letting Harry give her a quick kiss on the cheek that turned into a slightly longer snog.  "Harry," she said as she pulled away, "I have to get this done before anyone arrives."

Reluctantly, he let her go.  "Is that the one you place on the door—that tests their intent when they enter?"

She nodded as she pulled out a scroll of her notes.  "Yes, and I think the room may even help me to erect the spell, but I need to concentrate."

Harry, seeing that the room was ready, left Hermione to it and, slipping on his cloak with the map tucked into his pocket, he headed down to the library. 

He leaned against the wall outside the library, invisible beneath his cloak as he waited for the two Slytherin girls.  He was also wondering whom Hermione had asked to join the group; he would wager it was also Slytherins if he knew how her mind worked. 

He heard two people come out of the library and turned to see Luna Lovegood and Neville Longbottom walk out talking earnestly.  Thinking they were alone, they stopped outside the door; just a few feet from Harry.  Neville began to talk as he blushed a brilliant red, "So if I take two of your Ravenclaws to the meeting tonight, then, well, do you think I could also take you out?"

Luna just looked as serious as ever as she nodded and said; "Most people think I am already out there."

"No, no," Neville stammered and Harry began to feel increasingly uncomfortable for having to witness this awkward moment.  "I mean, out, on a—a date.  Like, well, I don't know when the next Hogsmeade weekend will be, but maybe we could go?  Or maybe we could go watch one of the quidditch games together…or, I—well, if you don't want to—but I mean—"

"You fancy me, Neville Longbottom," Luna said, stating it as a fact, not a question.

Neville blushed even more and stammered, "Well…well--er, I guess--I mean…no, maybe…well—"

Oblivious to his inability to formulate a sentence, Luna leaned forward and placed a kiss right upon Neville's stuttering lips.  It shut him up completely.  In fact, he fainted. 

With a slight cock of her head, Luna looked down at him, muttered, "How sweet," and pointed her wand at him and said, "Ennervate!" 

Neville woke up and shook his head and said, "Whoa—what, what happened?"

Luna just helped him up and said, "Nothing, dear.  Let's go to our meeting!" as she laced her arm through his and skipped off, dragging Neville along.

Harry had to shake his head, feeling like he must have just observed the most bizarre courting ritual known to wizardkind. 

"Finally!  They left!" said a voice.

"Where do you think he is?" said another. 

Harry turned to see his two new members come out cautiously from behind a statue.  He waited until they wandered a bit in front of him and then spoke, "I'm here."

"Ah!" Tracey shrieked at the sound of a disembodied voice.  Daphne had promptly pulled her wand and slapped a hand over Tracey's mouth. 

"Who's there?" she said.

Invisible Harry rolled his eyes and said, "Me—Harry, now head up to the seventh floor.  I'll follow you and give you directions."  He pulled the map out and quietly activated it, checking to make sure they wouldn't be followed or seen.

"How do I know it's you, Gryffindor?" Daphne asked, suspicious.

Exasperated and trying to hurry as they were all supposed to meet now at seven, Harry said, "Because who else told you to meet out here and said that they'd be invisible?  Now, let's go—we're going to be late.  Seventh floor—walk." 

Harry followed them as they slowly walked up several flights of staircases.  They each kept stopping and looking back, trying to see him.  Once, Daphne stopped so abruptly, he ran right into her.  Finally, they reached the seventh floor and he said, "Now, down the hall and then to the left.  Stop in front of the picture of Barnabas the Barmy."  There was no door visible for entrance so Harry instructed them: "Now, face the opposite wall, pace before it three times and think that you need entrance to the room so you may learn defense."

"What are you playing at, Gryffindor?" Daphne said as if she was sure the voice speaking to her was mad.

"Just do it—it's how you get in," Harry urged them.  It was already ten past seven.

Tracey did it first and they both gasped as the door appeared into view. 

"Go on," Harry said, urging them in and following behind. 

The room was packed full and people were talking loudly.  No one noticed the two new people who had just entered, except for Hermione who had been standing by the doorway.  Harry stepped up to her and before she could say anything to the two girls, he put his hands on her waist and whispered, "It's me," as she yelped.

Realizing immediately what was holding her hips, Hermione swatted at the invisible Harry, making him meep in protest.  Daphne and Tracey looked at her like she was a bit off. 

"Hide me," Harry whispered as he slipped behind her and then whipped off his cloak quickly and stuffed it away into his bag.  "All right," he said and Hermione turned around and smacked his now visible arm again for good measure.

"Don't do that!" she said crossly and then turned and smiled at the two girls.  "I take it Harry brought you?" she asked them and they nodded warily.  "Excellent.  Just sign up here," she said as she thrust a parchment on a clipboard at them with a self-inking quill.  "Now, let me inform you, that your signature on this list constitutes a magically binding contract whereas you promise to maintain the secrecy of this group and swear no ill intents towards Harry nor the club as a whole."

Daphne and Tracey looked at each other warily.  "Oh, it's just so no one tries to come in here to get Harry into trouble or to spy upon him.  Go on," Hermione said.

As they signed, Tracey asked, "Are, er, are we the only ones from our House?"

"No," Hermione said shaking her head, "Blaise is over there," and she pointed to Blaise Zabini hiding off in the corner, arms crossed and trying to stare back at everyone else giving him furtive looks.

"I take it you brought him?"  Hermione nodded.  "Whom else did you bring?"

Hermione just looked disappointedly towards the door and said, "He didn't show—oh well, he said he might not be able to make it."

"Why's it so crowded in here?" Harry asked as Hermione put away her parchment.

Ron answered though, "Harry!! There you are—it's too crowded in here—what are we going to do?"

"Should we go somewhere else?" someone asked as several other people complained about it being too cramped to do any spells.

"Didn't anyone try to enlarge the room?" Harry asked. They shrugged and Harry just looked up at the ceiling and shouted, "We need more space, please!"  Obligingly, the room expanded and kept expanding until Harry looked around and said, "That's enough!"  He looked around pointedly at Ron and Hermione, silently mocking them for not simply asking for more room.

"Listen up!" Harry called as he strode to the center of the room and everyone quieted down.  "All right—here's the plan:  I reckon we can have all of our new members up to speed in three weeks time if we meet twice a week, two hours at a time."  Some people groaned and Harry recognized them as original members who likely wanted to meet more often. 

"If you want to meet more often on your own, you know where to go, or, if you have others in your House who want to learn, set up your own lessons in your Common Rooms or such.  But—seeing as how we should have at least one person to teach every two here right now, we should be able to move quickly."

"What do we get to do once we've all caught up?" asked Geoffrey Hooper, the whiny boy who lost out on the Keeper spot to Ron last year.

"Last year, we left off as everyone was learning the Patronus Charm.  Not many were too successful—we only had a short time to work on it.  We'll pick up there and spend some time on that.  I'm even working on a way to give you practice in the presence of a Dementor."  There were a few outcries at this and Harry explained, "It will only be a Boggart in the form of a Dementor but it will mimic the effects very closely.  You'll find it's vastly more difficult to actually conjure your Patronus in its presence." 

Seeing several faces he didn't recognize, Harry next said, "Er, let's go around quickly and introduce who it is we all brought.  Susan, do you want to start?" he motioned for Susan Bones at one edge of the crowd to begin.

"Eloise Midgeon—a seventh year and Megan Jones—a sixth year, both Hufflepuffs."

They continued around the room as everyone introduced whom they had brought.  Harry was not feeling too confident that he could remember everyone's name and had to strain to see some of the people through the crowd. 

When it finally got around to Hermione and she introduced Blaise Zabini as her lone recruit, both Lavender and Parvati snickered loudly and looked at Hermione knowingly.  Harry wondered what it was he didn't know, that they obviously did.  He saw Ron shoot Hermione a dark look and then it was Harry's turn.

He motioned for them to step forward and he said, "This is Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis—sixth years and both from Slytherin House."  He let his words ring for a moment, waiting to see if anyone challenged the last three new members; the only members representing Slytherin.  Harry heard Zacharias Smith mutter to someone that the girls were in Harry's group from Defense class.  He realized most people probably thought that was why he'd brought them here; to make sure he got a good grade in Defense. 

Either way, he shrugged it off and clapped his hands as he walked over to the side of the room where there was a blackboard.  He pulled out a parchment roll that he had prepared and pointing his wand at the board while holding a finger to the parchment, he transcribed the lesson plan onto the board. 

"I've written up a list of the spells we've to cover.  They're in the order in which we should work on them.  Now, let's get two lines here with all our new members paired up and the old members coaching them.  Coaches—begin with a demonstration of each new spell." 

He set up Tracey and Daphne working beside Susan's new recruits and as they got started in on warming up with the Disarming Charm and he moved them on to the Impediment Jinx.  He then asked Susan to watch over them and moved about the room to observe everyone's progress.

It was apparent from Dennis Creevey's fellow third years that Harry was going to have go over basic spell casting techniques in their Defense class the following day.  He stopped to help guide them into the proper stance, facing their bodies sideways to present the narrowest target and explained the importance of precise aim.  He warned them, before he moved on, that they would be expected to help demonstrate in their next class.

When he got to Neville and Luna, who were working their groups side by side, he saw that Luna had found four Ravenclaw first years and Neville was busy trying to explain how to properly point their wands. 

When he looked questioningly at Luna, she said, "They're my first years.  What do you think, Harry?  Aren't they cute?"  She sounded more like she was talking about a brood of puffskeins than actual children. 

"Er, that's nice Luna," Harry said.  "But have they even had their first practical lesson in anything yet?"

Luna blinked and explained in a singsong voice, "Har-ry, that's just it—they just want to learn magic!" 

Harry sighed and Neville looked back at him.  "It's okay, Harry--we'll help them along."

Harry saw them failing to cast anything as they tried to shout, "Expelliarmus!" 

"Neville," Harry said, "I don't know," he raised his hands to stop the first years and waved the two on the other side over for a moment.

"Do we have to leave?" one asked looking extremely small, young and nervous. 

Harry shook his head, "No, but I'm not sure how well you'll be able to do this spell.  It's the Disarming Charm and if you haven't properly gained an appreciation for just how potent a wand is as a weapon, then I'm not sure you'll be properly be able to disarm each other yet.  Look, let's start you with something a little more basic and that you'll feel motivated to learn."  

He led them over to a corner and asked the room for a few boxes with lids and locks.  To Luna and Neville, he said, "Start them with 'Alohamora' and 'Colloportus'.  They're simple spells and even a first year can see the value in learning those two spells." 

The last hour flew by quickly as he moved Tracey and Daphne on to Stunning and Harry soon called a halt to the activity.  "Excellent work, everyone!  We'll plan on meeting on Tuesdays and Thursdays at this same time here, unless you hear different from whoever brought you.  I'll let everyone know only if there's a change in plans." 

Friday morning had Harry, Dean and Neville being the only ones waking up.  Neither Seamus nor Ron had signed up for Healing and they both grumbled as their other dorm mates made noise getting up and getting dressed. 

"I've been reading," Hermione said as she paged through a text at the Gryffindor table, "Centaurs have reputedly vast skills in the Healing Arts.  But there appears to be not documented evidence or testimonials to this.  I wonder why that is…"

Together, Hermione, Harry, Dean, Neville, Lavender Parvati and Katie Bell all crossed the Entry Hall to classroom eleven.  Since this was the first year Hogwarts had offered Healing, seventh years and sixth years that elected for the course were all grouped together. 

When they arrived into the earthy-floored, forest-like room, it was a very small group that appeared to have elected for the course.  Included, however, as the only other seventh years besides Katie, were Marietta Edgecombe and Cho Chang.  Both of who sent icy looks towards Harry and his friends as they entered. 

Harry paid Cho and Marietta little attention and walked past them into the classroom where Firenze stood calmly. 

"Harry Potter," he said holding out his hand in welcome and swishing his long golden palomino tail.

"Hello, Firenze," Harry said as he shook his hand. 

Firenze surveyed Harry unblinkingly through astonishingly blue eyes that betrayed no expression as he said, "And with you, come the unrested souls."  He then nodded towards the others and turned in a circle to end up at the front of the class.  The students all sat upon the spongy, moss-covered earth floor and gazed up as Firenze began the class.

"You are here to learn of the Art of Healing.  As an Art, the Gift of Healing is truly unlearned, if at all, it is simply gifted.  It is doubtful any of you here would possess the Gift of Healing."

"Excuse me?" Marietta raised her hand and waved it, causing Firenze to study her briefly before answering.

"Yes?" he said with little interest.

"What is the point, um, er, Mr. Centaur—" Dean snickered at her, "er—what's the point of this class if it's something we can't learn?"

Firenze stared at her unblinkingly, making her shift uncomfortably.  Harry noted she had some faint pink scars across her face that vaguely seemed to spell out something.

"You—human—may learn about something even though you do not possess the skill or ability to perform the act." He swished his tail again and walked about in a small circle before he went on. 

"The Healer you know in your world is but a learned man whose academic studies allow the application of Healing magic to be used.  This differs from a true Healer in that one with the Gift does not learn, because they already know.  I, as one who knows, may teach you, who may learn."

Harry thought this was rather vague logic to have to follow first class in the morning and looked over as Hermione tentatively raised her hand and said, "Firenze, I have a question."  She went on as Firenze looked at her.  "Has the knowledge of Healing spells, methods, potions, herbs and such all come from Centaurs or other true Healers?"

Firenze nodded once, swished his tail and said, "No."  He circled again before explaining, "Learned Healers may learn through experience and trial.  True Healers—just know.  I have agreed to share with you what I know."

With a wave of his hand, the earthy floor was transformed into a field of Earth Gallwort and he began to cite the healing ability of the various parts of the herb.  From there, the field changed to Arnica and then to Comfrey and lastly Solidago. 

They spent three hours lying in the changing fields, making sketches of the herbs and taking notes as Firenze lectured.   Laying on his stomach and frowning at his poor sketch of a Comfrey leaf, Harry looked over at Dean's sketch and was amazed to see the lifelike rendition there.  Dean looked up and smiled before looking back down at this work.  As he blew softly at the parchment, his sketched flower swayed gently as if in a breeze.  Harry's sketch looked more like a mangled bowtruckle.

As the class ended, and they left for lunch, Hermione could barely contain her excitement, "Do you realize what a vast wealth of knowledge Firenze is?"

"Er, no?" Harry said.  The class to him had seemed like a cross between Herbology and a Potions lecture where they talked about the properties and uses of the herbs. 

"Harry!" Hermione as her eyes widened in disbelief.  "He's just telling us all that it would otherwise take years of research to know!  In all the books I've read, I've never—"

"Met one you didn't like?" Ron said mockingly as he joined them as they sat in the Great Hall for lunch.   Harry just grinned and Hermione couldn't help a small smile before sticking out her tongue at Ron.  "Oi!  Don't blame me for telling the truth!"

After lunch the trio headed outside and down to Hagrid's for Care of Magical Creatures class.  They arrived early and were unpleasantly shocked when Hagrid opened the door of his cabin and Fang leapt out and attempted to tackle them all to the ground.

"Arrrgh—pffhmt!" Ron could be heard as he hit the dirt.

Harry had shoved Hermione out of the way as soon as he'd seen the bounding black ball of fur and he ended up pushing her to the ground and landing on top of her.  "Er, hi," he said grinning down at her. 

"Eww!!  Fang—stop licking me!" Ron shouted disgustedly. 

Hagrid could be heard chuckling as Harry stood up and lent Hermione a hand up.  "Guess he wants ter help yeh finish off yer lunch, there Ron.  Mus' o' left some nosh on yer gob."

"He always likes to keep some extra on his chin," Harry said as he laughed at Fang avidly licking Ron's face and preventing him from getting up.  "You never know when you'll want a snack, eh, Ron?" Hermione had her face pulled into a grimace as she watched the unsanitary display.

"Oi, shut it, Harry!  Argh!" Ron said as he finally rolled away and got out from under Fang.  "Blearch!" he said, wiping his face with the sleeve of his robe.

"So," Hagrid said, as he led them out past his pumpkin patch that was sporting bright yellow blossoms.  "Yeh all the only Gryffindors tha' signed up for class.  It'll be a small group o' yeh."

"What are we studying first, Hagrid?" Hermione asked as she shot a wary look askance at Harry.

"Oh—here comes the res' o' them now," Hagrid said as he pointed to the small group approaching. 

Harry could easily make out Crabbe and Goyle.  He looked for Malfoy to be between them but did not see the ferret-face.  He hadn't had any classes thus far with neither Crabbe nor Goyle and figured it was because they simply had not made the OWL marks for those classes.  Of course, it was unfortunately obvious, that Malfoy had.  Either way, Care of Magical Creatures was a class more of guts and brawn than brains and he figured it must have been an easy choice for Crabbe and Goyle to take the class for a NEWT. 

Also walking to class were Millicent Bulstrode, a Ravenclaw boy and Zacharias Smith who looked extremely put out at the apparent composition of the class as he trailed along behind the rest.

"Come along now, all of yeh," Hagrid said as he went into the paddock and went up to a large box in the center.  "Now, the firs' half o' the year, we'll be studyin' some more intrestin' creatures—some o' the more advanced ones I got.  Then, after yer holidays, yeh'll be setting to work on a creature o' yer own choosin'.

"Now," he said as he lifted the front off the box, "today, these here are Streelers."

They spent the afternoon waiting for the brilliant kaleidoscopic color changes of the four Streelers as the giant snails slimmed their way around the paddock.  As they passed, they left behind a venomous trail that caused all the weeds and grasses to shrivel and burn, leaving behind a smoking trail of grey, glinting ash. 

"That was a very good lesson, Hagrid," Hermione said, pleased as the class ended and Harry and Ron helped round the Streelers back up and into their box.

Hagrid beamed and invited them in for tea.

"So, yeh'll have all done passed yer OWLs—how's it feel?" Hagrid asked as he set a kettle to boil and pulled out four mugs. 

"Brilliant now that they're over," Ron said with a look of relief as if he'd just finished his exams only hours ago.

Hermione admonished, "Yes, but now NEWTs will be even more rigorous and we've a right bit of work before us for the next two years."

"Oh, Hermione," Ron said, waving her worry away, "we only just started school.  Give it a rest.  Blimey, we haven't even had a party to celebrate the end of OWLs!"

"Yes they did, Ron," Harry said as he recalled Dean and Seamus planning to go in on Firewhiskey at the end of last term.  "We just missed it."  Yeah, because I was busying dragging everyone off to a trap, Harry thought for not the first or last time since it had happened.

There was a short silence where they all felt uncomfortable and then Hagrid said, "So, 'Arry, I've got yer birthday present here.  Yeh want ter open it?"

"Sure," Harry said, happy for the change of subject, yet also with a slight bit of dread. Hagrid's ideas of what made a great present were sometimes suspect. 

Hermione poured tea from the still-whistling kettle as Hagrid dug into several different pockets in his coat.  He frowned as he dug through more pockets and more pockets.  "Ah," he said as he chuckled embarrassedly, "yeh wouldn't happen ter want ter summon it, would yeh?"

Harry smiled nonplussed and pulled out his wand and said, "Accio present."  A tiny little silver-green ball flew out of one of Hagrid's pockets and Harry reached out and caught it. "What is it?" he asked as he could feel the tiny ball seem to pulse and shrink in his grip.

"Moke-bag—got yer real present inside.  The bag is made of Mokeskin and yeh'll have ter train it ter like yeh.  Shrinks up when strangers 'pproach.  Go on and stroke it a bit—get it ter relax so you can get what's inside," Hagrid said, looking right pleased with himself.

Hermione seemed to be just as anxious about just what was in it as Harry and asked in a falsely bright voice, "Er, so Hagrid, is it an animal?"

"Oh no, 'Ermione.  Yeh jus' wait and see.  Go on, Harry." 

Ron gave Harry a look that implied, "Better you than me," and Harry opened the palm of his hand and, with a finger, poked the little silver-green ball.  He'd read about Mokeskin as being prized for use a bag for valuables because it was impossible to find by anyone other than the owner.  He'd just never thought how the owner had to try to get on such good terms with the Mokeskin, is all.

"Try ter talk ter it, 'Arry," Hagrid suggested, watching closely.

Harry felt very stupid now as he said things like, "Hello there," and "I won't hurt you," while Ron and Hermione tried not to laugh.

Finally the ball contracted, and seeming to let out a sigh, expanded to reveal itself as a bag. Harry poked the bag open and carefully turned it over to dump out a flat shinny black stone. 

Hermione gasped, "A bezoar!"  She moved closer and kneeled on the floor before Harry and looked at it with amazement.

Harry almost laughed and Ron did laugh. "So that's a bezoar!" Ron said, amused.

 "Yup," Hagrid said as he beamed at Harry.  "It was the payment I got for tradin' Beaky to a good home."  Hagrid sniffed and said, "Figured you migh' find a use—though I'll hope not a need."

Harry smiled and said, "Thanks, it's—wow, you sure?  It's worth a lot…"

"Course I'm sure.  Besides, it's fine gift for the new Lead—"

"Hagrid," Hermione cut in quickly, "how's Grawp?"

This sufficiently derailed any talk of Harry's induction into the Order and new role as Lead Light in front of Ron.  Hagrid thanked Harry and Hermione for visiting Grawp while he'd been gone.  Apparently, to Hermione's horror, Grawp had mentioned 'Hermy' several times since then.  Hagrid told them he'd have to try to have them down for tea one afternoon when Grawp was around, although, with students back and Hagrid not being allowed into the forest much, it would be difficult to arrange.  Harry and Hermione were neither too disappointed to hear this. 

Harry noted the time on his watch and exclaimed, "Oh, I almost forgot, I've got class in nearly a minute!"  He stood up and at Ron and Hermione's confused looks, said, "Third years Defense class.  Sorry, Hagrid—and thanks for the present—really.  I've got to run!"  Hagrid waved him off and he left them behind, sprinting towards the castle.

Harry arrived nearly a minute after the bell had rung, panting, into class.  Gasping for breath and walking to his desk, Harry realized it was much better to be late to a class he was teaching than one that he was attending; there was no one to take off points for being tardy! 

"Okay," he said after catching his breath, "did you all read the assigned chapters?"  The class nodded affirmative and Harry said, "Excellent.  We'll go over that next week instead.  Now today, as we will do every other Friday from hence forth, we will have practical self-defense lessons.  Put your books away; all you will need is your wand."

The students could not have shown more excitement if Honeydukes had just put out a bin of free sweets and they rushed to clear off their desks.

"Everyone stand up and to the back of the classroom," Harry instructed and then, with a wave of his wand to each side, he sent half the desks flying to one side of the room and the other half, to the opposite side.  "Now, let's have you form two lines that face each other.  There you go."  Harry walked down between the two lines and made sure everyone was evenly spaced to avoid as much bodily damage as possible. 

"Now, we will begin with basic techniques for defensive spellwork.  There are four main factors that impact your spellcasting: power, focus, speed and aim.  For the most part, power, you'll gain with confidence, practice and focus.   The focus, speed and aim, you can begin to learn now.  We're going to start with the Disarming Charm.  Dennis?  Would you step up and help me demonstrate?"

Dennis Creevey nearly tripped over himself in excitement as he stepped forward from his line and faced Harry in the center of the room.  Harry pointed his wand at Dennis and continued his lecture, "I'm about to disarm Dennis.  His wand—or any other weapon or something I see him as possessing as a weapon—will be dislodged from his possession and shall recoil towards the caster.  Watch closely…" He flicked and pointed he wand in one swift movement and cried, "Expelliarmus!" as Dennis's wand flew out of his grip to be caught by Harry. 

The students murmured excitement and Dennis was grinning maniacally as Harry tossed him back his wand. "Now, you will practice this spell on the person across from you.  Remember two things: focus your mind on disarming your opponent and focus your aim on your opponent.   This won't work if you do not understand the concept completely or if your aim misses your target. Both sides will cast at the same time and this will encourage you to increase your speed of casting.  After all, only one of you may be successful."  Harry looked around for a whistle to blow to signal them to start and stop and, realizing that he wasn't in the Room of Requirement, frowned, and then just conjured a whistle silently.  "On my whistle, you will cast your spells.  Ready?"

On the whistle, several cries of "Expelliarmus!" could be heard and a few wands did fly into the air here and there.  But there was also a "doh!" as one boy seemed to be punched in the gut, a scream as one person was hit directly by two different stray spells, in addition to the first and knocked backwards, and the sound of one belated "Expelliarmus!"

"Ok," Harry said, reminding himself that the DA didn't start off much better last year.  "Not too bad.  Who's got their opponent's wand?" he asked and only three people (Dennis and his two Gryffindor recruits) held up wands.  "The rest of you, you were either too slow," he pointed at the three people who'd lost their wands, "or too unfocused," he pointed at the one who'd felt a blow rather than been disarmed, "or had bad aim.  Most of you had bad aim.  It's different, being in here and not aiming at a button on the top of your desk or a cauldron right in front of your face, so let's focus on aim.  Let's try it again."

Harry was pleased with the class's progress as the bell rang and he was even more pleased as he heard Orla Quirke remark to a friend as she left class, "Finally, a class that will be useful.  I've always wondered just how helpful it will be to turn a beetle into a button."

At dinner in the Great Hall, Ron piped up sarcastically after polishing off a third helping of treacle tart, "Well, I get to spend the rest of the night with Filch!"  Harry had forgotten about Ron's detention for putting a Horntongue Hex on Pansy Parkinson yesterday.  "So, I guess I should be off for the next—oh, five or six hours if Snape had anything to say about it.  I'll wake you up early, mate, to get ready for tryouts tomorrow if I don't see you before then?" 

Harry nodded, still chewing his food, as Ron begrudgingly got up, shot a scathing glare at Snape at the head table and sighed dramatically again.

"Well, if you wouldn't have hexed another student in the hallway…" Hermione said loftily.  Ron just rolled his eyes at her and waved to Harry.

Actually, as Harry thought about it, it really was perfect timing as Friday evenings were also the time the Order was set to have its first meeting at Hogwarts this evening.  Having Ron off at detention would save Harry and Hermione from having to make up an excuse as to where they were going.  It even occurred to Harry that Snape had timed the detention on purpose.  But then, Harry decided, nah, that Snape would never do anything for anyone else's mutual benefit, most especially his.

As if reading his mind, Hermione leaned over and whispered, "We have a meeting tonight.  Do you know where it is being held?" 

Harry could only shake his head, but just then, McGonagall came up to them and said, "Potter, Miss Granger, if you are done here, would you follow me please?"

Harry finished off the last of pumpkin juice and then followed McGonagall past the head table and off to the side into the chamber in which he had meet with Dumbledore the night of the Welcome Feast.  There were now several stately looking wing-backed chairs scattered about the room and a handsome fire blazed at one end of the room.  Presently, Snape had Dumbledore cornered across the room and was speaking animatedly.  Harry strained to hear but couldn't make out a word as Mr. Weasley greeted them.

"Harry!  Hermione!! Good to see you both.  How are your classes this year?" he asked as he clapped them both on the shoulders and grinned at them.  He glanced quickly at the door and said, "Now, I must tell you both, Molly has been all a tither thinking Ron and Ginny would demand to be part of the Order and would badger you both for details if they were to find out about you two in here."

"Don't worry Mr. Weasley." Hermione said, she shot an imperious look at Harry as she said, "We won't be telling them a thing."

Harry frowned at this and straightened his glasses before he said, "Now, I'm not so sure we can't tell them a thing, Hermione."  At Mr. Weasley's faltering smile, Harry said, "Oh we won't tell them about us already being in the Order, per se, but we will certainly have to do something to explain some of the things we know and to keep them preoccupied and with a feeling that they are doing something."

He went on despite Hermione's deep frown and show of crossing her arms, "You see, that was the most frustrating thing for me—well, all of us here, last year; that we didn't feel like we were doing anything.  Actually, that's why we started the DA group and I think I've come up with an idea to explain why Hermione and I will disappear on Friday evenings and to keep them and others feeling like they are making a tangible effort in the fight against Voldemort."  At Mr. Weasley's flinching at the name, Harry frowned.

Hermione, in a tightly controlled voice, asked, "And just what, Harry Potter, do you have in mind?"

"Yeah, Harry Potter, what? Huh?  More secrets?" Tonks had jumped in behind Hermione and was grinning unrepentantly at Harry's surprise.

"Well," he said as noticed Kingsley and Moody had also arrived, "It's not that elaborate, it's just they already know that Professor Dumbledore has given us his blessing to have the DA meet this year.  I'd like to tell them running the DA group is the mission that the Order has asked of us as students."

"How does that explain where we are on every Friday night?" Hermione said, trying to see a flaw.

Harry grinned and said, "Training.  Ron and Ginny have both seen my schedule and know that I have private training sessions with Dumbledore throughout the week but they also know that Hermione and I have had all kinds of training from others during the summer.  We'll just say that we're getting training form some of the Order crowd so we can keep up on new things to teach in the DA class.  Believe me, if Ron thinks it's work that we're doing, he won't mind not being included.  And really, we are here with Order members, so it's not that far from the truth."

Mr. Weasley nodded and seemed to think it might work.  "Yes, well, Molly should be okay with that.  Though, mind you, I may not tell her unless I have to."

Hermione just seemed to bite her lip and gave the barest of smiles to Harry as if to imply his idea wasn't total dragon dung. 

"So, isn't Mrs. Weasley coming tonight?" Harry asked Mr. Weasley as Tonks dragged Hermione into a corner and began gossiping with a few shrieks and sobs of laughter.

"Oh, no.  It's much too far for her to apparate comfortably.  She doesn't apparate too often and finds it tiring.  Even I don't enjoy it too much over a long distance, but I was able to take the main Ministry Floo into Hogsmead and then walk up."

"I believe," Dumbledore called out to the room and waved to close the door just as Lupin ducked in the room, "that we might now be well to begin."

Everyone moved to settle in a chair and Harry, after giving Remus a quick wave, took one beside Hermione who had already sat down and had out parchment and her quill for notes. 

"Now," Dumbledore said as he remained standing, "I believe we have a few new items for business this evening.   First, is a bit of news that everyone who works at the Ministry has encountered; Cornelius seems to have put forth a memorandum this week encouraging any and all departments to begin researching a way to reveal whether a person is or has been under the Imperius Curse." 

Harry saw Mr. Weasley, Kingsley and Tonks all nod at this. He also saw Snape blink twice and then turn, as if feeling Harry's stare, and scowl. Harry obliged by returning a scowl of his own.  

Dumbledore went on, "Obviously, this would indeed be a very beneficial tool for our fight.  It would make most difficult for any servants of the Lord Voldemort to claim innocence on behalf of the curse.  However, I have also become aware of some other disturbing news that may impact this.

"Severus, in his contacts, has discerned that a ceremonial ritual of Marking new servants is planned soon by Lord Voldemort.  His lack of current servants and thwarted efforts to locate them," Dumbledore seemed to twinkle at this, "has left him but little choice than to seek new servants."

There were some murmurs at this and Hermione had even stopped writing for a moment, looking up with concern at this.

"Now, as to who these new servants will be or whether they have already been determined is not known to us.  It is my solemn desire to prevent any and all students of Hogwarts from receiving the Mark while they remain here."  Dumbledore caught Harry's gaze at these words before moving on.  "There are two things of which it would be advantageous for us to have knowledge:  who these new servants will be and when the ritual is to be performed. 

"Severus tells us that, much as the Order's traditional covenants, ceremonial rituals are held upon the traditional sabbats.  This helps us in that it narrows down the possible dates, however, it may also constrain our own desires to increase our number.

"So, anyone who hears any possible whispers of when or who may be involved with this, drop a parchment in the cauldron straight away.  This also leads me to caution those at the Ministry to be wary of anyone working on this new effort to counter the use of the Imperius Curse.  As much as it might benefit us to have this information, it might also benefit Lord Voldemort more.  Any questions?"

Kingsley raised a finger and spoke, "Are we to proceed then with our own recruiting?  If so, when can we expect this?"

"Ah, excellent question, Kingsley.  Halloween was and is my intended date for inviting new members to pledge and join the Order of the Phoenix.  Although, I may also tell you all now, that if need be, we can perform this rite at any date.  It is only the alternative inductions, such as Misters Fred and George Weasley and Harry here endured, that can only be held on these magical holiday sabbats.  I apologize for misleading any of you in the past but I can tell you now, I had anticipated the time was nigh for the choosing of my successor and that, did indeed need to be done on a sabbat.  But, again, to answer your question, yes I still wish it to remain on Halloween as I see no reason to rush."

Kingsley and Tonks then proceeded to profile some of the Aurors with whom they worked who they thought might be excellent candidates for becoming members.  Harry, though, was pondering what a new legion of servants might mean for Voldemort.  The current stability and calm of the Wizarding world had seemed so fragile since Voldemort had returned.  The feeling that a storm like none ever before seen was brewing inevitably just couldn't stop nagging at Harry. 

Dumbledore then moved them on to a few topics of old business and asked Bill, whom Harry had not even noticed sitting in a corner, "William, have you heard any word from Ragnok yet as to our working together?"

Bill sat up from his slouching position and answered, "Er no, Professor, however, I can tell you some other bit of news.  The Minister has plans to meet with a contingent of Gringotts Board of Governing Goblins next week.  He's to meet personally and as far as I can tell, without the aid of anyone from the Goblin Liaison Office.  I've asked around a bit but have not found out what it's all about.  Thought you ought to know."

Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully as he stroked his long beard.  "Hmm, yes, thank you very much William.  Is there any other news to cover tonight?"

"How are your new Defense instructors working out?" Tonks called out playfully as she kicked the back of Harry's chair on purpose.

Harry saw Snape scowl at her from his corner chair and then Dumbledore answered in a cheery voice, "I've not had any complaints."

"What about that bloke you got teaching Potions now, isn't he from Durmstrang?" Moody asked gruffly, looking more to Harry and Hermione for the answer.

"Oh yeah," said Tonks leaning forward excitedly, "Viktor Krum, eh?  I heard—can't believe it—none of us can really.  I mean why he'd ever give up such a career to become a teacher—oww!"

Remus had apparently stomped on her foot at this as McGonagall and Snape were both giving her distasteful looks, although, Dumbledore seemed quite amused as he spoke, "Yes, Mister Krum's contacting me was quite fortuitous in that he was a suitable candidate to take the position left vacant as Severus moved to teach Defense and he was also most interested in doing what he could to aid our efforts against Voldemort.  Perhaps, most of you are not aware, but Viktor, after witnessing the events of the Triwizard Tournament's Third Task and learning of the role his former headmaster had played in the first reign of Voldemort, he became a very outspoken opponent of Dark Magic in his home country of Bulgaria and was a very active part of the international push to recognize the return of Lord Voldemort."

Harry then saw Tonk's head peer around his chair and she asked, "You see him fly up close yet, huh?"

Harry just grinned and said, "Yeah, we flew together yesterday morning.  He's got a Firebolt, too."

The meeting adjourned and Tonks continued to pester Harry about flying with Krum as others left.  Finally, Remus dragged her away and bid Harry and Hermione later and left. 

Hermione seemed quiet on the walk back to Gryffindor Tower and Harry didn't really want to go directly back to their bustling Common Room just yet.  As it was Friday, curfew was later and he wanted to take advantage of this.

"Is there anything wrong?" he asked her.

She looked up as if she had forgot he was there and then said distractedly, "Oh, no.  I'm fine."

Harry had to smile at this and say, "Now that's my line, and I only use it when it's a lie.  So tell me, what's wrong?"  She just looked away and continued to walk.  "Are you mad at me?" he asked wondering if she were upset about telling Mr. Weasley about his plan to make Ron and Ginny feel a valuable to the efforts of the Order.

"No," she said, almost dejectedly. 

Without further ado, Harry turned them around and headed for the nearest door outside and said, "Come on, let's go for a walk.  It's beautiful night." He led her out a side door of the castle and she gave little protest.  He led her down a moonlit path towards the lake and spoke again, "You sure you're not mad at me?"

She shook her head, 'Oh no, Harry.  I'm not mad," as she stopped at gazed up at him.  She turned then and ducked around him and sat beside a large boulder, facing the lake.  Harry sat down on the ground beside her and she said, "You went flying with Viktor?"

"Oh, yeah," he said, not sure why this would upset her. 

"And you talked with him about me?  He told you why he came here and all and he knows about us?" she asked looking for confirmation. 

"Yeah, I told you that, though.  Was that wrong?  I'm sorry, I just didn't—"

"No," she said as she silenced him with a finger to his lips as she smiled up at him.  "Oh, Harry, you just amaze me sometimes.  I can't believe you're not the least bit jealous about it."

"Oh," Harry said as he moved her hand from his lips and held it.  "Well, I guess… I mean, well, I shouldn't be, right?  I mean, you so, er, well, want to be with me, right?"  He looked down and then at her sideways, watching the moonlight glint off her wild hair.

"Oh, of course, I want to be with you!" she said as she squeezed his hand between both of hers.  He couldn't help a grin and then moved in to capture her mouth.  He barely got started kissing her when she pulled away and looked down, dejected again.  "I'm a lousy girlfriend."

"What?  Why?" Harry asked, completely nonplussed.  What was all this talk?  Couldn't she tell he just wanted to snog her senseless and then some?

She pulled her hand away and picked at some grass as she grumbled, "Well, I give lousy birthday gifts."

"What on earth are you talking about, Hermione?" Harry asked as he leaned over and tried to look at her face.

She pulled her knees up and hugged them as she muttered, "The Weasleys and the others got you those brilliant boots and then Hagrid gives you a bezoar—a bezoar!  And I get you a lousy book.  Typical me.  A book."

Harry couldn't help a smirk.  "You got me a journal," he corrected her with amusement as he reached to tug a strand of her hair. 

"Still a book," she muttered.

"I use it every night," Harry said softly as he rested a hand on her knee.  She looked up doubtfully as he said this.  "I do!  You know I do.  It—well, it's good for me."  This was probably true, he realized.  The journal held things that Harry would never really tell anyone but he was learning it felt cathartic somehow to write those things down.  "I never would have bought it myself."

"Oh, see!" Hermione said, looking even more stricken.

"No! I mean, well, I wouldn't but you know me well enough to know what I need when I don't.  Oh, just come here," he pulled her to him and just held her. 

After a good long while, she looked up and smiled at him, "You still amaze me, Harry Potter."  He grinned and kissed her.  This time, she kissed him back.  Harry began to wonder as he kissed her, if the moonlight would look just as beautiful glinting off her bare skin as it did her hair when a sudden movement caught his eye.

They turned, startled, to see Mrs. Norris sitting upon the boulder beside them, watching with her lamp-like eyes. 

"We should get out of here," Hermione said with conviction and stood up. 

Harry groaned but stood up as well.  Wherever Mrs. Norris was, Filch was sure to not be far behind.  They hurried up the castle checking the time to make sure they were still before curfew.  Without incident, they made it back to Gryffindor Tower and Harry was soon pulled aside by Katie Bell to discuss the next day's tryouts.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          

Saturday dawned a cool and dreary morning as Harry stumbled out of bed early and saw that even Ron was not yet awake.  Seeing it was still quite early, Harry went to shower and get dressed for quidditch.  He then took the Gryffindor playbook and settled in the Common room before the fire.

"I bleed Gryffindor red," he muttered to reveal the book's contents.  The book was filled with notes and plays designed and used by the past captains of the Gryffindor Quidditch team for the past three hundred years.  As he flipped through the book, Harry thought he might add some protective preservation charms to the book to help with some of the older pages.  He found that several plays had specific notes about typical Slytherin team defenses that seemed to have been in use for years.  He guessed it made sense that the other Houses might have anthologies of plays, too.

"Aren't you up early," a voice said from behind.  Harry felt Hermione pass through his Perimeter Charm and he tilted his head back against the chair to look up at her. 

"Tryouts today.  Why are you—" He stuttered to a stop as he noticed she had on only her dressing gown, damp hair and a towel slung over her shoulder.  If he didn't know any better, he'd think she had just had a shower.

"Shower," she said.  He was completely, fully awake now.  "Just getting back from the Prefect's bath."

Thoughts of the white marble Prefect's bath, with a swimming pool-sized tub and bubbles of every sort danced in his head.  And at the center of this fantasy, was none other than—

"Harry, are you all right?  You look a little, er, like Luna Lovegood there for a moment.  Everything okay?" Hermione startled Harry back to the reality of the Common Room. 

"Er, sure, yeah, fine.  So, er, where exactly is the Prefect's bath for the girls?" he asked just he help fill in the details of his fantasy.

Hermione grinned slyly, "Nice try, Potter."  Seeing that they were still alone, she leaned over and kissed him. 

Harry pulled her closer and then pulled her around the chair and on to his lap.  He held her and kissed her again, hungrily now, and then groaned as he said, "It's been days, Hermione."  He tried a little persuasive rhetoric by tracing his tongue across the spot beneath her ear on her neck. And running a hand up along her thigh.   

"Mmm, yeah…I mean no, Harry," Hermione said as she pulled away and blinked her eyes rapidly around the room.  "We can't do this here," she said hurriedly but still did not get off of his lap.

"How about the Prefect's bath then?" Harry said with more hope than he could barely contain. 

"What?" Hermione looked at him and then got up, tightening her dressing gown around her. "No, Harry, no way!  You know who comes into the Prefect's bath?  Prefects.  No way—just, we, we'll think of something."  She bit her lower lip and seemed just as desperate to get alone time as he was.   "Later," she said before giving him one last peck on the lips and then left up the girl's staircase, leaving Harry to bemoan the fact that he now had to spend the next three hours sitting on a broom. 

The grass on the pitch was still wet from an overnight rain and Harry waited impatiently for the last of the candidates to straggle down from the castle.  "Hurry up, you lot!" he called to them and they trotted along faster.

"All right," he said as the came with hearing distance, "We're going to fill out a reserve team as well this year.  Now, I'll take the candidates for Beaters and Seeker and Chasers and Keepers go with Katie."

He and Katie had planned the tryouts the previous night as she was a veteran Chaser and had gone through tryouts before, unlike Harry, and he figured they could get through most of the candidates faster if they split it up.

Harry could see Ron as he walked off with Katie, looking nervous despite Harry telling him his trying out again was just a formality.  

Only six people followed Harry.  "Which of you here, signed up for Seeker?" he asked and only one person raised their hand; a young boy, Euan, if Harry remembered the sign up sheet correctly.  "Euan, right?"  The boy nodded and Harry pulled out the snitch from his pocket and tossed it up in the air, making it dart off and away.  "Go get it," is all he said to the wide-eyed second year who seemed stunned at the blunt command.  Eventually, he quit gaping and realized Harry was serious and mounted his broom and flew off in search of the Snitch. 

Harry looked at the remaining five players.  Kirke and Sloper, the team's Beaters from last year were there and so were two girls from Ginny's year and one fourth year boy.  "Okay, now, we'll rotate through and let you each have a chance to work with each other.  Kirke and Towler, you start.  Sloper, you release the Bludgers. Then the rest, you'll rotate in and out every five minutes.  Your goal is to try to hit me with a Bludger."  Harry jumped onto his Firebolt and flew up and off.  He looked over and saw Euan Abercrombie circling around for the Snitch and searching desperately.  Harry instinctively began searching for the glint of gold, too but then was reminded of his job as a black ball whizzed past him, signalling that Sloper had released the Bludgers. 

After about an hour of dodging Bludgers and spotting the Snitch several times, Harry dove and captured the Snitch and then landed, calling down the last pair of Beaters.  It was apparent to him that they were all fair Beaters.  Kirke and Sloper had both improved since last year; Kirke most definitely.  He instructed them to take a break. 

He then took flight again towards the still circling second year.  "Hey!" he called.  "I want you to race me from the stands to the goal posts! Come on!" he waved for the boy to follow him over towards the stands.  There were a few Gryffindors seated and watching the tryouts who waved as they neared.  Euan looked up in awe at Harry as he arrived and Harry said, "You'll start.  I want you to aim to go through the highest goal hoop over there.  I'll try to overcome you after you start as I have the faster broom.  Just fly your fastest."  Euan's Nimbus 2000, a fine broom as Harry well remembered, was no match though for the Firebolt.  Harry outstripped him more than halfway to the goal.  But as Harry turned around after passing through the goal, he saw Euan still racing at full speed towards the hoop and straining to finish the race. 

Euan pulled up, looking like he knew he had just lost and should leave the pitch.  Harry said, "Excellent."  He grinned at the younger boy's confusion and said, "You never gave up.  That's what counts.  You'll be the reserve Seeker."  The boy grinned and almost fell off his broom before doing a loop of celebration.  "Go over and rest," Harry said, pointing to the others on the ground.  

Harry then flew over towards Katie and her group to watch.  As Harry approached, Katie flew over to him and said, "Well, I think we got the Chasers squared away—Ginny is great.  She's been practicing the plays all summer and it shows.  And Angelina's sister, Abigail, a third year, is sure to be as good as Angelina—maybe even better."

"And Keeper?" Harry asked, not sure if he wanted to know. 

Katie grimaced slightly, "Well, Stimpson is really making Ron work for the spot.  He started out all right but then when they switched off, she had a real run-- blocking everything and some excellent saves and then after they switched again, Ron started to go all…Ron again."

"But isn't she a seventh year?" Harry asked eyeing the older girl who was still playing Keeper. 

"Yeah," Katie said shaking her head.  "I'm not real sure why she chose to try out only now.  I think she just never got on with Alicia and Angelina.  Anyway, mind you, she is good, but she would only be here for a year."

"Is there anyone else good?" Harry asked, really meaning to inquire if Ron was at least the next best choice.

Katie shook her head.  "Nah, there's a third year kid, but she's so short her reach just isn't enough to get to the Quaffle.  She's built more like a Seeker."

"Are you saying I'm short?" Harry said indignantly.

Katie just laughed, "Well, yeah, you were.  But I guess since you're still fast you can still be Seeker."

Harry just shook his head and they watched the next round of Chasers go against Ron.  Ron looked down nervously as he flew to the goals and saw Katie and Harry watching and despite Harry's friendly wave, Ron looked like he was about to wretch. 

After watching for twenty minutes, Harry felt like he wanted to wretch.  Ron had seemed even worse than he had played against Slytherin last year.  Katie leaned in and said, "You know, I think you should play with me and Ginny as Chaser against Stimpson." Harry nodded and vowed to make sure that he gave his all against whoever this girl was.

But as he, Ginny and Katie played and scored again and again, he felt immensely better.  She was missing easy saves and getting perpetually more flustered.  Harry saw that Ron was looking on with renewed interest.  After Stimpson's fifth consecutive miss, Katie called out, "Ron!  You go again!"

Harry had to tell himself that Ron would curse him if he thought Harry had gone easy on him.  Harry focused on just allowing Katie and Ginny work together and worked to set them up for shots.  Ron, after watching Stimpson falter and play horrendously for a while now had a new vigour and was quickly regaining the form that had helped Gryffindor win the Quidditch Cup last year. 

After Ron made his third consecutive save, Harry called a stop and motioned to Katie to fly over.  "I say Ron looks good to me now.  How about you?"  Katie shrugged and nodded.  "All right!  To the ground!" he called out to everyone.  They all flew over to the other players trying out and Harry spoke, "I think we've seen enough.  I'll draw up the list of all who made the team and post it in the Common Room.  Go on in and good job." 

Katie stayed out with Harry and helped him put away the balls and drag the trunk back into Madame Hooch's office.  Unexpectedly, Katie said, "I have to confess, I knew Stimpson would screw up if you played—she's fancied you since our fifth year."

Harry was silently shocked at this and stammered out, "Oh, well, good then…that we find that out now, before she spends a whole game staring at me instead of catching the Quaffle."  Where the heck did these girls get off thinking he was someone to fancy?  He didn't even know the girl's first name much less could she know anything about him other than he had a scar on his head.   ]

Katie was watching him and laughed when he looked up and blushed.  "I knew you wanted Ron on the team and I figured he'd would regain his confidence if he saw her mess up."

"Well," Harry said, trying to steer the topic back to quidditch, "so you think Ron is a good choice then?  I mean I know he wants it and he can do it.  Plus I don't want to replace--"

Katie held up her hands to stop him and said, "You don't need to justify yourself to me, Harry.  I think you'll make the right choice."  Harry noted she didn't say "best choice".  "So who'd you pick for Beaters?" Katie asked as they walked back to the castle. 

"Kirke is loads better this year, he's on the team and Zoe Sorensen is quick as a pixie with that bat.  I think Sloper is still good enough for the reserve team.  As to the other reserve Beater, I say it's a toss up between 'em.  I'm leaning towards Archie MacDonald--he's good friends with Sloper"

"Yeah, that sounds good," Katie said and smiled at Harry in a way that made him just slightly warm.  "Say, Harry…" she said and then turned away, not finishing her sentence. 

"What?" Harry asked.

"Oh, nothing," she said as she shook her head, letting her hair out of its ponytail.  Harry somehow doubted it was nothing and was about to push her on it when McGonagall met them at the entrance to the castle.

"So?" she said impatiently.  Katie just smiled and waved at Harry as she left him alone with McGonagall.  Harry followed Professor McGonagall back to her office, telling her about how the tryouts went.  He excitedly told her about their Chasers who seemed to be an excellent set of quick players.  He also told her about Kirke's improvement and Zoe as Beaters.

"And the Keeper?" she asked.

"Well, Ron's definitely the man for the job," Harry said with conviction. 

McGonagall arched an eyebrow and said, "I was watching from my office, you know."

~          *            ~            *            ~            *            ~            *            ~

Yeah, I know, cliffie.  :-P 

But the next part is sooo much fun and really, it deserves to not be stuck at the end of this monstrous chapter.  (I keep surpassing the size of each previous chapter--this is a sickness!!) 

Anyway, next chapter: who makes the team, a party in Gryffindor Tower, when good gossip goes bad and the pros and cons of the room of Requirement--and more!

Ah yes, and you know, a few people have said a thing or two about where's the plot or where's the "mystery" of the fic…well, you know, I find that kind of flattering.  Why?  Because I have been thinking that my clues were too obvious, but, obviously, they are not.  They are planted (quite a few even in this chapter) and what good would a Dark Lord be if you knew everything he was planning and doing?  I'm trying to stay true to JKR style in keeping the mystery until the end, where, "BAM!" at the end, it all hits you.  I am also plotting out the seventh year fic at this same time and there are also clues and hints and leadings to the end of the whole great thing.  It's there; I'm working like hell to put it all together and then working even harder to write more fluff around it so you don't notice the clues until it's too late. Ooops!  Guess I shouldn't have said that….