Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything in relation to J.K. Rowling's books!

A/N: Okay I have a question -which is not very uncommon- I've "researched" on the Internet and found that there are many rumors that the fourth Harry Potter film is being shot as we speak... is this true? It came to mind when I saw that it was supposed to be shot sometime in April 2005 and released in theaters in November 2005 -or that's what Warner Bros. "supposedly" had said-. Just a question that's been racking my brain lately, because I'm really looking forward to it! I saw the third film and I have to say, I've liked them all, but this one tops it! Then again, I could tell it directed with Alfonso Cuaron -I think that's how you spell his last name-. sigh But, I'll wait till it's official, I guess...

Chapter 12: Professor Genevieve Thristral

Harry was eager to end Muggle Studies with Ron to meet his new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Ron was the most bewildered Harry thought out of everyone when their teacher explained radios and such. He and Ron filed out of their Muggle Studies class with the Hufflepuffs and hurried down the corridor to meet Hermione, who was leaving Advanced Arithmancy.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts next?" Hermione glared at them with amusement as they panted from their sprint, "You didn't have to come get me, I know where it is." she added.

"C'mon, Hermione." Ron blurted.

"Anxious?" she mused.

"Stop it, will you?" Harry walked ahead and Hermione finished thrusting notes into her bag and followed, leaving Ron in her wake. They reached the classroom with minutes to spare and Neville hurried up to them.

"Hi, Harry." he seemed to have been making a mad dash down the hall as his bag was thrown lazily on his shoulder, "dropped my books on the staircase..." he said as if he had read Harry's expression for a question. He felt a tug on his robes and turned to see Ron and Hermione entering the classroom. He followed and his eyes had to focus from the dim lighting in the room.

Dark colored curtains covered the windows that went the length of the wall and the room was generally plain except the circular table that stood in the middle of the room that had a instrument on it that resembled a rolled up ruler. Seeing as the chairs and tables were pushed aside, they gathered round the circular table and waited in puzzlement. The door to her office opened and she emerged holding her wand.

"Good morning, class," she smiled and the class chimed hesitantly in unison back at her, "Now," -she pointed her wand at the candled staffs that stood in random sections of the room and they lit in flame,- "before we start on any kind of Dark Arts, I need to see exactly how talented you lot are." she placed her wand on the table in the middle of the room and picked up the "ruler." "Longbottom, please could you step forward?" Neville wove from between Harry and Hermione and stood in front of her. She jabbed her wand at the ruler in her hand and it wiggled violently before it sprang to life and she waved her wand like a baton toward Neville. Like a snake, it circled Neville, who stood nervously still, then it swerved over back to her. She unrolled it and read the ruler, flicking glances back at Neville, who still stood quite.

"Good, Longbottom," Neville looked back up at her avidly, "You've got great potential, but it seems that you're a bit on the clumsy side." the class gave scattered sniggers, including Malfoy and his cronies. "Tut, tut, we will not criticize!" she barked at Malfoy and he stopped abruptly.

"Mr. Potter," she then motioned for Neville to rejoin the crowd and Harry to come forth.

"Good, potential, a bit on the mad side..." Malfoy said under his breath as he passed so Harry could only hear. Harry gave him a stern furtive glance and continued to the front.

"Stand there," she pointed at where Neville had stood and, like before, instructed the ruler like a snake charmer. It was a wonderful sensation that surged through his body as if he were numb all over. It was not too long before the ruler became stationary in her hand again. She tapped her chin with her wand as she read the unrolled ruler in her free hand. "Interesting, Mr. Potter," she mused, "You've gone far, and are very skilled in all sorts of magic. You'll go far, maybe even farther than your father-"

"How did-" Harry began.

"Miss Brown," she motioned for Harry to join the group again as Lavender walked up next. Did she know my dad? He joined Ron and Hermione and they both looked at him oddly.

"What did she mean about your dad?" Ron questioned.

"I dunno..." he answered in a daze.

By the end of class, Hermione and Ron were a little shaken from their "test." Hermione was concluded very skilled in Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts and "mind magic." Harry questioned her about the mind magic, but she clearly was taken aback by it as well. Ron was told he needed improvement in his Dark Arts, but was generally good.

"Not too overwhelming on the first day now was it?" Hermione asked as they set out to the Great Hall for lunch.

"We still have Potions and Transfiguration." Ron groaned.

"I'm sure Transfiguration will be fascinating. I think we learn human Transfiguration this term!"

"Hermione, so you think that falls into Animagus Transformations?" Harry asked hopefully.

"No, I don't think so... You have to be seventeen, I think. Your dad was a Animagus, wasn't he? Do you suppose that we learn Animagus Transformations next term?" she turned to him grinning.

"Dunno, hope so." he mused at the thought of him transforming into an animal of his choice. He hadn't thought about it much, but he'd imagined he'd want to be a black dog in honor of Sirius.

By the end of the day's classes, Harry had homework in almost all his classes except Defense Against the Dark Arts. He, Ron and Hermione decided to start their homework with a start before Quidditch season started. Hermione curled into her usual place in the armchair nearest the fire and Harry and Ron sat at one of the tables. Harry pulled out a piece of parchment that looked to be a promising Potions essay on what the ingredients of a healing potion would be. Ron gave an exaggerated yawn.

"I'm off to bed."

"Ron, you haven't even started your homework." Hermione scolded.

"So, I can do it tomorrow, besides I'm tired."

"Why do it tomorrow, when you can do it tonight?" she pointed out.

"Because..."

"This is why you got the least O.W.L.s out of us all."

"G'night," he announced as if he hadn't heard Hermione's last comment. Ron gathered up his things and walked up the stone steps to the boys' dormitories.

"Honestly!" Hermione grumbled, "Well, I'm not helping him when it's the night before it's due."

He and Hermione worked on their homework for an hour and a half before Harry's eyes stung from tiredness. He closed his Arithmancy book with a low thunk and folded his parchment in his bag as Hermione looked up at him.

"Done?" she asked.

"Almost, I've just got Muggle Studies, but that should be easy." Hermione nodded at him. He stared at her and she stared back dazedly. She must have noticed her staring for she blushed and resumed her reading. Harry felt his face warm and he hurriedly stuffed everything into his book bag and bid her goodnight.

He entered the boys' dormitories to find Ron still awake.

"Hey," Harry got his attention and he got up from his four poster.

"Did she bite your head off, too?" he asked reproachfully.

"No, she was only looking for the best for you. She meant nothing of it."

"What is it with you and her?" he blurted and Neville gave a agitated snore.

"What are you getting at?"

"You two've been teaming up on me ever since we met up at the Burrow." Ron looked at him .

"No I haven't!"

"Yes you have! I haven't won a fight since you two have gotten together. I've even lost a fight with her about Quidditch because you pitched in at lunch!"

"Well, she was right." Harry tried not to get frustrated or angry, but it was creeping up inside him like poison.

"Harry, she said that I was foolish in playing and practicing Quidditch during the Quidditch season when I should be doing homework! You play Quidditch too!"

"So what?" Harry's voice rose higher than expected. Ron lowered his voice as Neville and Seamus turned in their sleep.

"I guess it's to be expected..." Ron sighed and flopped on his bed.

"What's expected?"

"You fancy Hermione..." Harry felt his face warm again and he felt that he was not least bit embarrassed by what Ron had said. Ron then looked up, seeing as Harry didn't respond to his remark, "Do you?" Harry didn't answer, but looked at Ron unflinchingly.

"Do you?" their was a long silence in which Ron turned around and opened and rummaged through his trunk for his pajamas.

"Yeah, why? So, you can have that too?" Ron spat darkly.

"What?"

"You have money, you're famous, and now you want Hermione, too. Is there anything else you want?" Harry didn't respond to him being told he wanted Hermione, for one, something in the back of his mind said it was true, and second, his anger festered like a fungus.

"Yeah, you know what I want?" Harry stared at Ron's back angrily, "Parents! That's what I want; parents, but I'll never have it, because you know why? I'm famous for not having any! So, yes, I'm famous and I have money, but because I do, I have no parents." Harry said through clenched teeth. Ron looked at him solemnly and buttoned the last fastening on his shirt before sitting back on his bed.

"Sorry," he murmured.

"No, I'm sorry that for the first time that I truly wanted something, I can't have it." Harry snapped. He then put on his pajamas and swung his curtains on his four poster shut. "Goodnight!" he snapped as his curtains creaked before they fell lopsidedly off it's hooks. He left them to hang crookedly on their hooks as he heard Ron mumble a "goodnight" and settle under his sheets too.

Gryffindor620: Don't worry! This it truly a HarryxHermione ship! It all works out that way, it's just got to go through a rocky start before that... I don't really fancy much HermionexRon ships either. Especially DracoxHermione... not the shippers, just ships!

xox glitter xox: Thanks for your review, I think this is the first time I've recieved a review from you, and I'm really looking forward to more from you!

HHromancefreak: I really like your reviews, and I'm waiting to hear from you again! keep r/r!

O.K. I got a anonymous review that said that the class that I wrote, Astrology, was not existent. I meant Astronomy class... sorry for that confusion! anyway, thanks for all you reviews!