Harry Potter and the Unlikely Alliances

Chapter 29: Plotting Revenge

Snape stood up from the teachers table and walked over to Draco and Gabrielle. "Miss Delacour in the future you need to control your emotional responses to eliminate the potential for this spectacle you created." He told her in his usual sneering tone. Gabrielle nodded her head at him. She was already embarrassed about what happened, she hated it when her Veela emotions got the best of her.

"It's my fault sir, I was giving her a hard time about our bethrothment and she blushed. I'm sure you are aware of what happens when a Veela blushes sir." Draco told his head of house surprising most of the table. He never admitted anything was his fault.

"You shall join me for detention tonight then Mr. Malfoy both for encouraging Miss Delacour and for the unnecessary display of physical contact." Snape said growling. "I expect you directly after dinner."

"Yes sir," Draco said keeping his head up and staring at Snape as the professor walked out of the great hall. He may have detention but he would not cower away from Snape to preserve his reputation.

"I thought you weren't affected by her Veela charms Malfoy," Pansy spat at him. "I guess we know you are more affected than the rest of us and that's why you'd leave me for this little slut."

Gabrielle wasn't going to just sit by and let Pansy claim she was using her charms to get Draco. "I know green is a Slytherin color Pug, but jealousy is such a Gryffindor trait. You could only ever dream that he would kiss you like that. Besides, Draco was only doing me a favor by breaking the charms I inadvertently gave off. Just because he doesn't want an ugly cow like you doesn't mean he's under my charms. He's just moved on to better things." Gabrielle said smugly.

"Yes, like little red headed Gryffindor's." Pansy said enjoying watching Draco squirm and Gabrielle glare and clutch her wand. "Didn't you know they were an item? Draco will do anything to get the best of Potter, even if it means shagging his poor little whore."

"What makes you more upset, that he could be friends with a Gryffindor or the fact that there are now two women that have a better shot at him than you ever will?" Gabrielle asked trying to keep her voice level and not pounce on Pansy.

"Shut it Parkenson," Blaise told her. "We're all on Malfoy's side so just shut that gaping hole you call a mouth. Besides, who cares if he shags all the purebloods in the school? I say more power to him for getting into the pants of Potter's little play thing."

Pansy just glared at everyone at the table and ran off to the Sltyherin common room to cry. Draco and Blaise gave each other high fives and went back to eating. Gabrielle just smiled and finished her meal.

"Those damn Slytherins are going to get what's coming to them one of these days," Ron grumbled. "I will not let them continue to insult Ginny like that."

"Why, at least they aren't focused on Harry or calling Hermione a mudblood." Ginny told her brother. "I can take care of myself Ron and they know it. You don't see any of them with the guts to say something to my face because they know I can hex the crap out of them."

"You'll get those Slytherin girls back at the tournament." Harry told her with a small kiss on the cheek.

"Neville you better hurt those damn snakes before you beat them. It's not fun to just take their wands, I want them bleeding and in pain." Ron said through clenched teeth.

"Don't worry Ron, I intend to. I'm Ginny's friend too and I won't let them get away with what they said. I'll take it out on Malfoy if I have to." Neville told them all.

"Why don't we just get some of Fred and George's products and use them in a war against the Slytherin gits." Ginny suggested to them.

"How are we going to get what we need?" Harry asked. "We're all out of our stock from Christmas already and besides they weren't strong enough for the torture I'm envisioning."

"They are opening a shop in Hogsmead. It won't be open yet this weekend but I'm sure they will let us in if we tell them our plans." Ginny said and they spent the rest of lunch, dinner and that night in the common room plotting revenge on the whole of Slytherin house. Even Hermione joined in with some original ideas.

"That's my girl; I knew we had rubbed off on you!" Ron said hugging her when she suggested charming all their toilet seats to bite at them like the biting tea cups from Zonko's.

"I figure I better join in now." She told them all. "If I get head girl next year I'll feel too much responsibility to join in. Besides, this should make the year more interesting."

Gabrielle finished all her OWLs in two days, a record according to the examiner. She was fairly certain she had passed all of them. She had just made stuff up on the divination practical exam. Dumbledore had called her to his office to discuss the results along with Professor Snape since he was her head of house.

"I just want to congratulate you on your performance on the OWLs," Dumbledore told her. "You have received very high marks. In fact you received the second highest marks in everything except Herbologry where you were third highest and muggle studies where you had the highest. For a 14 year old this is a remarkable accomplishment!"

"Thank you sir," She said as he handed her the results. She had received 12 OWLs! She couldn't wait to tell Fleur who had only received 10.

Ancient Runes: O

Arithmacy: O

Astronomy: E

Care of Magical Creatures: O

Charms: O

Defense Against the Dark Arts: O

Divination: E

Herbologry: E

History of Magic: O

Muggle Studies: O

Potions: O

Transfiguration: O

"Have you decided which of these classes you want to continue with?" Snape asked her seriously. "You cannot take 12 classes so you must get rid of at least 2 of the elective courses."

"Yes sir, I do not wish to take Divination or Muggle Studies." Gabrielle told them. "I know enough about muggles not to make any mistakes and I think Divination is a questionable course of study. I prefer proven sciences to guess works as well as I possess no inner eye."

Snape smirked at her; he felt the exact same way as she did about Divination. "Very well Miss Delacour, I will draw up your schedule and you can pick it up this evening."

"Welcome to 6th year!" Dumbledore said happily

Friday's DADA class was horrible. They were practicing dueling for the tournament. They had class with the Slytherins and the tension between the houses could be cut with a knife it was so tangible. Tonks was pulling a name of a Gryffindor from one hat to go against a Slytherin's name from another hat.

"Good thing you can't be in the tournament Potter. It should save you the embarrassment of loosing to me again." Draco drawled as he got up to duel Hermione. "At least I get to show your dirty little friend what a real wizard is capable of."

Hermione ended up loosing in the end but not before giving Draco a bloody nose and sending him flying across the room. "Very nice Hermione, Mr. Malfoy, five points for each of your for such a dedicated duel." Hermione grinned as she watched Malfoy wipe the blood from his face. She did not have any injuries even though he got her wand first. Ron had to duel Gabrielle, it was her first day in class. He beat her using Ginny's bat bogey hex before claiming her wand. The curse was not nearly as powerful as Ginny's but served its purpose.

The last pair to duel was Harry and Pansy. "Pay back time Parkenson," Harry told her. "Next time you'll learn to hold your tongue about my girlfriend."

"You wish Potter." She gloated. "I saw you loose to Malfoy that day. I know your talent is all luck, smoke and mirrors. I won't have to break a sweat to beat you."

"Professor Tonks, is there a prize for winning the duel the quickest?" Harry asked her with a sly smile.

"Yes Harry there is a gift certificate to Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. The current record is 1 min 15 seconds by Neville against Mr. Crabbe." She told him catching the glint in his eye. "Now bow and prepare."

Harry paced and faced her with a smirk on his face that Malfoy himself would be proud of. As soon as Tonks said go he sent a silencing charm at her and then bellowed the disarming curse and the duel was over basically before it ever ended. Pansy was left stunned across the room where she had landed after his powerful curse, never having time to even open her mouth to cast a spell. All the Gryffindor's broke into applause and even the Slytherins had to try not to smirk as Pansy stood up rubbing her back side.

"I thought you said you were going to beat him Pansy," Draco smirked. "You do know that you have to take his wand to beat him not just stare at him."

"Professor Tonks, I demand a rematch. Potter started before you said ready." She lied trying to save face.

"You know that is a lie Miss Parkenson, but I will allow the rematch if Harry wishes. Perhaps he can beat his own best time." Tonks said as Harry stood ready to duel her again. They faced each other and Harry couldn't help the even larger smirk on his face. As soon as Tonks said ready Harry yelled out the disarming curse, of course Pansy had cheated and yelled it out on the count of 2 instead of waiting for 3. Harry had no problems holding on to his wand even without the protego charm. Pansy just wasn't strong enough to force the wand from his hand. Her wand flew to him within seconds of starting the duel and she was flat on her face on the floor.

"Well done Harry!" Tonks said handing him the gift certificate. "10 points from Slytherin for Miss Parkenson's need to cheat and you will be joining Mr. Filtch for detention tomorrow."

"Nice job Parkinson," Draco spat. "Not only did Golden Boy beat you faster but you lost us points! You are so pathetic!" The other Slytherins sniggered at her and the Gryffindors tried not to laugh too loud.

Now we even have money to use at Fred and George's." Ron said excitedly. "We're using the school's money to get even with them!" They all laughed and started planning their trip to Hogsmead tomorrow. Ginny had owled the twins and they were very excited about the plan to torture the Slytherins. They were supposed to meet them outside their new store at 10 am to get started.

The next morning the entire elite DA group minus Draco was gathered together inside the twins' new shop. It was a lot larger than their store in Diagon Alley. They helped the twins and their friend Lee Jordan stock the shelves with the different products. "We have a workroom above the shop to help develop new items and our mail order business has tripled. It seems word of our product has been spread to Beauxbatons and Drumstrang. We've been shipping lots of product to France and Bulgaria."

"That's great!" Harry said shaking their hands. "Hermione has a good idea as an alternative to Zonko's biting teacups. She thinks you should charm biting toilet seats."

George burst out laughing, holding onto Fred for support. "Our little Hermione came up with that?" Fred asked.

"We have finally rubbed off on Miss Prefect!" George howled. "Can you imagine the looks on those Slytherin's faces when their toilet seat takes a bite at them?" They all rolled around in laughter at the idea.

"We came up with a new product with the Slytherins in mind," Fred said showing them up to their "Testing Lab" to point out the new product. "We call it 'See-through Soap' and if you wash clothes in it, it will cause the clothes to have areas become invisible randomly and then reappear and then another area to become invisible. It won't wear off until they are washed again in normal soap and won't start showing their invisible nature until on a body for more than 30 minutes."

"That is pure genius," Neville said holding the bottle of soap lovingly.

"We won't put it on the market; it's a specialty item only that we are granting a select few." George said.

"At least until the joke is out of the bag, and then we can sell it in mass." Fred added.

"What else you got?" Justin asked grinning and enjoying being in on the joke.

"This is a powder you sprinkle on the person's towel. When they wipe their face it places full makeup on guys and a moustache on girls. Guaranteed to last until they wash their face again." Fred said proudly.

"That's perfect," Hermione added, "When they wash their face again and dry it with their towel the whole procedure starts again until they are smart enough to realize it's their towel that's causing it!"

"My new personal favorite is our incredible 'Shrinking Underwear' we have it in boxes, briefs and thongs. It also comes in multiple prints and colors if you are interested." George told them smiling. "When the person puts them on they shrink in incremental amounts. Eventually they will be so tight the person will take them off and they will immediately return to normal size in hopes the person thinks they were imagining it and wears them again."

"Lee even designed out newest line for Hogwarts. 'Tap Dancing Trainers' they will cause the wearer to have the compulsive urge to dance." Fred told them. "The best part is they are just insoles in the shoe that will automatically size themselves and blend in with their current insoles."

"Bloody brilliant," Ron laughed. "I can't wait to see the Slytherins dancing around like the complete morons they are!"

They left the store with enough insoles for every Slytherin and a few extras in addition to quite a few pair of shrinking underwear, jars of Funny Face Powder, Tonks line of shampoo (a different color with each application), itching powder for their bed sheets, three swamps, a box of fireworks, fake howlers for everyone (Pansy would get a real one so her entire house will know why they are being pranked), and loads of their new candies. Ferret Fudge in honor of Malfoy (in development since 4th year) that turns you into a pure white ferret for and hour, Pug Face Pecan Fancies that turns you into a dog (a Pug) for 30 min that they worked on after seeing Pansy, and Toad Toffee that turns you into a toad that looks exactly like Trevor for 10 min.

"These are going to be the best pranks ever!" Hannah laughed. "I can't wait to get started!" They spent the rest of the day plotting out how and who would sneak into the Slytherin common room. They decided to do it during a prefect meeting. Only two prefects from each house have to attend the weekly meeting since they all have to attend the monthly meeting. Hermione and Ginny would attend the meeting to avoid suspicion along with Justin and Hannah. That left Harry, Ron, Neville, Luna and the Creevy brothers to plant all the stuff. Hermione, Ginny and Luna would take care of the girls' rooms during dinner. No one was ever suspicious when Hermione missed a meal and it was easy to explain that she was helping Ginny and Luna with a project.

They decided that they would start the project during next week, performing one prank per day. Hermione and Ginny snuck into the common room under their invisibility cloaks the next day at lunch. They added some of Tonks trick shampoo to each of the girls shampoo bottles, funny face powder on their face towels as well as the itching powder to the sheets (it was time released not to effect them until two days from now). They inserted the dancing insoles into each of their shoes making sure to place the time activation for Friday morning during breakfast.

The boys snuck in during the prefects meeting and made sure to get everything set just like the girls. Harry had placed shrinking underwear in Crabbe and Goyle's drawers and had a lace thong pair placed on Pansy's bed with a note. "I'll always be able to get in your panties." Signed "Draco." He knew that Pansy would snatch up the chance to wear underwear Draco had touched.

They were sneaking into the laundry tonight to add the "See-through Soap" to the Slytherin loads and were still plotting on how to feed the candies to them. They used their invisibility cloaks again to sneak to the laundry and added the soap to the Slytherin loads with no problem. Hermione had told them to only do it to the load of cloaks but Ron and Neville couldn't help but add it to their uniform loads as well. Harry was playing the diversion with the shrunken sock her was complaining about. He had shrunk the sock himself so he could show the elves how sad he was that one of his socks from Dobby had shrunk in the laundry.

Harry almost felt bad for the elves; although he told them it would be fine if they could just fix his sock since it meant so much to him. He told them they were his lucky Quidditch socks as he had worn them for several games since they were quidditch patterned.

The next morning was priceless. The Slytherin girls wearing moustaches and some of the boys wearing makeup! They all had different color hair when they came down. The great thing about the shampoo is that the effects are not noticeable for an hour after washing and won't wear off until you wash your hair again. The effects were worsened if you tried to charm your hair back to normal as well as for the funny face powder. If you tried to charm off the moustache you ended up with a full beard just like Dumbledore's but in your own natural color and if you tried to charm off the make up you ended up with full blown clown face paint. When the hair was charmed it would spike up in all directions or grown into pig tails or some other not so flattering hair do.

Malfoy seemed one of the only ones with his natural platinum hair color and could be heard yelling at his housemates. "That's what you get for leaving your grooming products out where anyone can access them. I lock mine in my trunk so you don't see me with purple hair!"

Tonks was shaking in silent laughter at watching he shampoo idea in use. She winked at Harry as she buried her face in Remus' cloak to muffle her laughter. All the professor's seemed amused, and this was just stage one! Snape attempted to rid Pansy of her moustache and she sprouted her beard that matched her olive green hair! McGonagal could be heard snorting into her coffee mug and Drumbeldore was chuckling and had laughter in his eyes. He stood up and told the Slytherins to remain calm. "I am sure these are only joke shop products and will wear off after time. I will do my best to research how to remove them and will inform Professor Snape when I do. Now I must remind the rest of you that pranks against other students are not allowed and if I have any evidence of who performed these pranks or the reasons behind them, I will have to punish the individual or individuals responsible." Then he sat down and continued to chuckle.

Professor Snape was not in a good mood that morning in Potions. He seemed to be taking the fact that his own students looked like circus performers to be a personal insult. When Pansy blew up a cauldron because she stuck her long beard in it, which was the last straw. "Miss Parkenson, you will join me tonight for detention to clean up this mess you have just made." He told her glaring.

"But Professor it was the beard, I cannot work with it!" She told him.

He rounded on her and gave her his iciest sneer. "5 points from Slytherin for your inability to hold your tongue. If I hear one more word from any of you about these side effects of the prank affecting your work there will be quite a few of you in detention tonight." The other houses only smiled and made sure not to utter a noise the rest of class. The Slytherins lost another 15 house points throughout the class, it was a beautiful sight to watch. The rest of the day progressed in much the same nature. Gabrielle and Draco were the only ones not affected by the shampoo. They had both been inflicted by the Funny Face powder but had realized it was on their towels and therefore were some of the only unaffected ones.

"I don't understand how you and she can be the only ones not affected!" Goyle said glumly at lunch.

"Neither one of us leaves any personal belongings lying around to be tampered with. We were both affected by the make up or mustache but somehow were able to wash it off our faces without incident. Perhaps our soap is more powerful than the one you used." Draco commented offhandedly. He wasn't going to reveal the way to get their faces clean, the stupid gits would have to figure that out for themselves along with the rest of the house.

DADA was viscous again as the Slytherins all suspected that Gryffindors were responsible for their new looks. Ron and Ginny were the number one targets of their rage as it was their brother's products that caused their humiliation. They were all glad when the day was over without either Weasley being hexed, although there were quite a few Slytherins in detention for trying and two were in the hospital wing due to Ginny's bat boggey hex.

"That was a nice trick there Potter." Draco drawled as he walked into elite DA followed by Fleur who Harry had told him to invite along.

"I don't know what you are talking about Draco. I don't see why when anything that happens to the Slytherins I am an automatic suspect. You know that ¾ the school would love to claim responsibility for those acts." Harry said sweetly.

"Would have been nice if you could warn us." Gabrielle said shrugging.

"If you were warned then your housemates would think you were in on it and never speak with you again." Ginny told them both.

"Is there any way you can give us a small warning so as to not embarrass ourselves any more than needed?" Draco asked. He knew they were responsible and actually found it quite impressive.

"I would suggest not wearing any undergarments that have recently been laundered tomorrow." Neville said smiling.

"And to do a through cleaning charm on your bed sheets," Luna piped up.

"Although if you do that you will have to pretend to itch as well or they will suspect." Hermione told them.

Draco and Gabrielle looked in awe at everyone in the room. "So you're telling me that every one of you is involved with this?" He was shocked as everyone smiled and nodded their heads.

"Just out of curiosity, why are you doing this?" Gabrielle asked smiling.

"You'll find out Wednesday morning." Harry told them, "Until then it remains a mystery." They all laughed and started practicing spells they wanted to use in the dueling tournament. They were all determined to win and practiced against Harry to better themselves.

Chapter 30: Pranks-R-Us

Colin had made sure to keep his camera handy to snap pictures of the pranked Slytherins. He had gotten quite a few of Pansy and some of the other most annoying gits and was contemplating putting together a calendar with the photos for next year.

The see-through soap had to have been one of the best things the twins had invented. Throughout the day different parts of the Slytherins clothes turned invisible and then would turn back to normal. Later on a different part of the clothes would turn invisible. Hermione and Ron had a good long fight at lunch time about him adding the soap to more than just their robes.

The other houses were quite amused by the disappearing clothing. The professors were not quite as amused but still tried not to laugh at the Slytherins as they screamed and tried to cover themselves. Harry got a note at lunch time:

Potter,

That was a nice prank, although I'm seeing way too much of some of my housemates. Can't wait to see what else you all have planned.

DM

The next morning they were all laughing as the Slytherins all were itching furiously. Draco and Gabrielle pretended to be in pain like their housemates as they silently thanked the gods that they were not in the line of fire. The owls arrived with the fake howlers that morning and the entire hall tensed and became quiet to see how the all of Slytherin had earned howlers at once. The Slytherins started sighing with relief as they realized they were fake howlers and only another part to the pranks that were being bestowed upon them.

Pansy opened her howler as well, expecting it to be a prank like the rest. It sprang to life and the voice was magnified above the rest. "Pansy Parkinson, next time you think of insulting members of the other houses remember that we know where you sleep and where you bathe. Hope your housemates enjoyed the little gifts that were left for them. Maybe next time you'll think before you open that gaping hole in your ugly pug face. Remember that you brought all this upon yourself and your housemates only have you to thank." Then the letter tore itself up and she looked up to see the entire hall staring at her. The members from the other houses were smirking and laughing but her housemates looked like they were ready to kill her.

Gabrielle snorted in laughter. She just couldn't hold it back any longer as she watched the ugly girls face. Draco too was trying not to seem amused. "This is your fault Parkenson. I'm sure Professor Snape will be happy to learn that the reason his house is experiencing these rather embarrassing pranks and loosing house points due to them is because of your childish need to ridicule the other houses."

"This is all Potter's doing. All I did was tell the truth about you and the red headed little slut." Pansy said trying not to break into tears at the looks she was getting.

"I'd watch my mouth Parkenson," Gabrielle chimed up. "If they heard that comment this ridiculous string of pranks might continue and then we might have to take care of you ourselves. The Gryffindor way may be public and humiliating but the Slytherin way is secretive, nasty and undetectable." Draco watched in wonder as she laid into Pansy. She looked so beautiful when she was threatening people.

"If Draco hadn't been shagging the little Weasley in the first place none of this would have happened!" She shrieked afraid her house would turn on her and trying to push the blame off on someone else.

"Why would I settle for the littlest Weasley when I have such a beautiful woman on my arm already?" Draco asked winking at Gabrielle who took the hint and entangled her arm in his giving Pansy a look of contempt. "Miss Weasley and I have been amicable to each other while brewing special potions for Professor Snape. She is the daughter of the minister of magic and a pureblood witch and that is the reason I tolerate her. I have yet to come up with an appropriate reason to tolerate you." He said leading Gabrielle out of the great hall.

"That went well," Hermione commented on the spectacle at the Slytherin table. "At least we are done with all of this."

"Not quite 'Mione," Harry said as he laughed. "We have a little surprise for their Quidditch team this afternoon!"

"And don't forget the portable swamp for their common room after the game!" Ron sniggered. "We can't just let them off that easy; we have to give them everything we've got."

The rest of the day went smoothly. The Slytherins were being almost civil to the rest of the houses in hope the pranks would end. Draco had convinced the house to blame Pansy for everything that has happened and she was no longer one of the elite of the house, regardless of her ties to the outside and the dark lord. Gabrielle took her place as the highest 'ranking' Slytherin girl since she was betrothed to Malfoy. The Slytherin politics system was brutal but you were well respected if you were on top and could order everyone else around.

Harry and Ron knew that the professors would check everyone's wands to see who cast the invisibility charms on the Slytherin brooms so they called in Fred and George for backup. The twins snuck in using the Honeydukes secret passage and used invisibility cloaks to get to the broom shed. They cast the charms and it looked like all the Slytherin brooms had been stolen. They made sure to cast a faulty charm on Malfoy's broom so that with all the anti-hex spells on the broom it would wear off quickly. The twins went back to Hogsmead smiling at how they were still causing mayhem at the school.

Harry and Ron and Ginny were hanging out in the Gryffindor changing room to be as close to the broom shed as possible when the Slytherin team found out about their brooms. There was a collective yell and shouts to go get Professor Snape and Dumbledore. Hearing all the racket the three Gryffindors ran over to the Slytherin team to see what the problem was.

"Oy, what's with all the yelling?" Ron asked everyone gathered around. The Slytherin team looked murderous, even Malfoy looked ready to strike.

"Someone stole all our brooms!" A third year chaser said trying to look angry instead of ready to cry. "How are we supposed to play without our brooms!"

Professors Snape and Dumbledore arrived just then and Snape looked at the three Gryffindors with loathing. "You think its funny stealing their brooms?" He bellowed in his nastiest voice.

"We didn't steal anything Professor; we just heard all the noise and came over to make sure no one was hurt." Ginny said to him looking him straight in the eyes so he would believe her.

"What are we supposed to do about the game professor?" Draco asked still sending a glare at Potter. He knew this was part of their prank and didn't like the fact that they were messing with Quidditch. Nobody should mess with Quidditch it was too important.

"There is nothing to worry about Mr. Malfoy," Dumbledore said smiling. "Your brooms are all right here where they should be, they just have an invisibility charm placed on them so you can't see them. Very clever."

"Are you sure Headmaster?" Severus Snape asked as he looked in the shed. As if on queue Malfoy's broom shimmered for a second before going invisible again. Draco raced over to his broom and picked it up.

"This is my broom." Malfoy said with relief in his voice. "The spell must be weakened with all the anti-hex charms I had placed on it." He looked over and saw the minuscule wink that Ginny gave him and realized they placed a weaker charm on his broom. The broom shimmered again and the team saw it and smiled knowing at least their brooms were safe. "How can we break the charms Professor?" Draco asked the headmaster.

"Invisibility charms wear off over time. Without the caster of the spell to reverse it the spell must run its course. I suggest each of you summon your broom to yourself and then use some extra polish to make parts of the handle visible to you for the game." Dumbledore told them.

"I suggest we check Potter and the Weasleys wands for the charms Professor since they were so quick on the scene." Snape said glaring at the Gryffindors.

"We didn't have anything to do with placing these charms sir." Harry told him and held out his wand. "You can check my wand for proof if you must."

Snape checked their wands and sneered when they all came up empty and went off with the Headmaster to check the wands of the other team to make sure it wasn't sabotage. The Slytherin team all summoned their brooms to them and ran off to the locker room to try and make their brooms somewhat visible.

Draco was the only one left standing by them. "How did you do it without your wand Potter?" He asked casually but very curious.

"I don't know what you're on about Malfoy," He said in case anyone was listening. "You're just lucky that whoever did this used such a weak spell on your broom."

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if your broom is fully visible by game time." Ginny told him. "It sure is lucky that you have so many protective charms on it." Draco finally realized that they planned for his broom to loose the spell before the game and was happy that they would at least do that for him.

"Good luck with the game Malfoy," Harry said. "It should be fun watching your team flying around in thin air." They all left for the stands to watch the game. They saved a seat for Hermione and Neville who were breaking into the Slytherin common room and setting up the swamps. They arrived just as the snitch was being released.

"How did it go?" Ron asked, "Did you run into any problems?"

"No problems what so ever." Hermione asked. "I take it they are all riding invisible brooms then?" She asked watching the Slytherin team as they seemed to be suspended in thin air.

"Malfoy seems to be the only one whose broom had lost its invisibility charm." Neville commented and then added for the benefit of those sitting around him. "It's a shame though; I would enjoy watching him fall off."

"Neville!" Hermione scolded, "That is a horrible thing to say."

Slytherin ended up winning the game. Most of the brooms had lost their charms by the end of the game. Draco caught the snitch in a spectacular rush through the center goal post effectively terrifying the opposing keeper. Hermione giggled as they all went off to their common room to celebrate their victory. "I hope they enjoy their party."

They all laughed as they imagined the looks on their faces when their common room was a swamp. They had been all sitting around the fire in the common room for an hour when McGonagall came in. "Mr. or Miss Weasley could you come with me for a moment. It seems someone has set up another one of your brothers swamps in the Slytherin common room and we were hoping you knew how to take it down."

"Sorry Professor but Fred and George don't share any secrets with anyone who isn't a partner in their shop." Ginny told her giggling that the teachers couldn't take it down.

"Could you come with me to the headmaster's office and call them by floo and see if they would be willing to come and remove it." She asked them.

"I wouldn't tell them it's in the Slytherin common room though, they might refuse to help. They always wanted to pull a prank in there but could never figure out how to get in." Ron told her as Ginny followed her to Dumbledore's office.

"Professor," Ginny said once they were alone. "I know that you and professor Flitwick could get that swamp removed in less than five minutes, why pretend that you can't?"

McGonagall chuckled that she was clever enough to see through the ruse. "Professor Snape has been ranting the entire afternoon that we are allowing our students to get away with torturing his students and driving us insane. He can't figure out the swamp, he is a brilliant man, but he hasn't used charms in a long time. We thought it would really irk him to have to watch your brothers remove it easily. You know how much he hated them in school. We figured we would take advantage of your little prank."

"Sounds good," Ginny said. "You don't think that I had anything to do with this prank do you Professor?" Ginny asked innocently.

"Miss Weasley, I think a lot of people had something to do with all these pranks. It seems to me that members from each house have banded together to pull off these pranks. Since the obvious people would be yourself and Harry and his friends, we only assume that you have recruited others to do you dirty work." She told her watching as Ginny smiled and laughed again.

"Well, whoever is responsible, they have pulled off the most successful campaign of pranks on the Slytherins ever. Even the Marauders and my twin brothers couldn't have orchestrated such a plot." Ginny told her as they approached the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office.

"Yes, they will definitely be mentioned in Hogwarts a History," McGonagall said laughing alone with her student. "You should have seen Professor Snape's face when he saw the state of the common room. As long as I've know him I've never seen him that expressive with his face, it was priceless. You must thank whoever was responsible for me." She laughed again as they entered the office to call the twins.

The twins knew that the professors could easily remove the swamp and were amused that they were making Snape try it on his own. They were escorted down to the dungeons by McGonagall and the Headmaster. Ginny tagged along so she could see their handiwork and the looks on the Slytherins' faces. Snape looked livid and rounded on the twins the moment they were in the room. "Fix it before I fix you," He growled at them. Seeing Snape's face was the icing on the cake and the perfect end for the prank war they had raged. It was obvious that they had won the pride of the Slytherins. They were all pouting and a few of the younger girls were crying.

"Looks like someone did a great job with our swamps," Fred said smiling.

"Just get rid of it Weasley," Draco drawled from the other side of the room.

"Patience Malfoy," George added. "We wouldn't want to make a mistake and have this be a permanent fixture here in your common room." That received a gasp from all the girls who were told to all go up to their rooms to stay out of the way.

"I would have though a powerful wizard like you would have been able to handle a little thing like a swamp with no problems," Fred said to Snape with a grin.

"Whoever did this should be proud. They achieved something both we and the Marauders were unable to do." George added.

"And what is that exactly?" Dumbledore asked as his eyes twinkled madly.

"They broke the Slytherins." Fred said mater of factly.

"Excuse me?" Snape said bristling at the implications.

"I have heard that the Slytherins have stopped being rude and nasty to he other houses due to the fact that they didn't want the pranks to continue. Now that they realize the pranksters can get to their brooms and their common room, not to mention into their dorm rooms, it's obvious that they no longer are the power of terror in the castle." George said as Fred and Ginny giggled.

"Will you just remove the swamp," Snape said recognizing defeat. "And stop selling products to terrorize my students!"

"We don't SELL anything to terrorize your students with," Fred said stressing the word sell, "But we'll get this swamps out of here in a jiffy." The twins both said a nonsense word each and snapped their fingers and the swamps closed themselves up into their original boxes.

"Here you go professor," George said handing one box to Dumbledore and the other to Snape. "It was lovely being here but we have some products to get back to testing." With that the twins left the school laughing the entire way out at the look on Snape's face.

Ginny related the entire story back to everyone in the common room. "We won!" Ron said doing a victory dance with the Creevy brothers.

"The Slytherins will think twice before sabotaging our potions or tormenting us in the hallways now." Neville said smiling.

"And Pansy got what was coming to her!" Ginny added.

"That was a smart thing about having the twins cast the invisibility charm Harry," Hermione told him. "They checked every wand in the castle and came up empty. They even checked the Slytherins wands to make sure it wasn't an inside job!"

"Snape is going to be in a bad mood for the rest of the week. He doesn't like being shown up." Harry told them all. "We all need to be on best behavior in class and have our homework done on time."

"His face was great!" Ginny giggled.

The next morning at breakfast another fake howler was delivered to Draco. He opened it to find a note from the pranksters:

Dear Slytherin Prince,

This is to inform you that we have ceased hostile pranks against your house. We continue to expect fair treatment of the other houses on the part of your housemates or we will resume our prank war against your house. Remember that we know where you sleep, eat, wash, do homework, store your brooms and all other things and can get to them easily.

Regards,

EDA

Draco took the letter up to the staff table and handed it to Snape who looked it over with a sneer and gave it to Dumbledore. The headmaster stood and announced the end of the pranks against the Slytherins and reminded everyone that the dueling tournament would start with the inner house tournaments that weekend.

Chapter 31: Inner House Dueling

"Aren't you excited about the tournament Neville?" Ginny asked him on Friday as they were reviewing all their hexes, jinxs and spells they might need for the duels.

"I'm nervous. You know that Harry and Hermione both made big bets that I would win. What if I freeze up and end up loosing them that money?" He asked her miserably.

"Don't worry about it Nev. Harry and Hermione believe in you, that won't change if something happens and you loose. Don't worry about the money either; Harry has more than he could ever spend." Ginny told him as they polished their wands. "I'm just glad I won't have to duel you until the finals!"

The common room was a mad house with students reciting spells and looking up better jinx and hexes. Harry was being bombarded by questions for help with their spells. He finally had to tell them that he wanted everyone to win so it wouldn't be fair if he only helped a select few. He went up to his room to practice wand less magic away from prying eyes.

Professor McGonagall entered the common room the next morning with Remus and Tonks who were helping her with the Gryffindor tournament. "All right everyone. I expect fair play from all of you. The first person to gain control of the other person's wand is the winner and will move on to the next round." She told them as Remus posted a list of the first pairings.

Lavender and Pavarti were upset about having to duel each other. "We've been friends since first year, how can I hex her?" Lavender asked scandalized.

"It's easy," Hermione smirked. "You just point your wand at her and say the magic words." She hated how the two girls always made everything so difficult. Harry tried not to laugh at the look of surprise on the two girls faces when Hermione made a sarcastic comment. She was not well known for her dry humor and most thought of her as a know-it-all book worm and never looked past the surface.

Pavarti ended up winning against Lavender but it didn't matter as Hermione beat both of them without any real hassle and was named the Gryffindor 6th year Girl Champion. She smiled and went over to sit with Harry on the sofa to watch the rest of the girls' tournaments. The boys would start after lunch. Ginny ended up victorious and was the 5th year Girl Champion.

"Way to go Gin, I knew you could do it," Harry told her enveloping her in his arms and kissing her forehead since there were Professors around. "You'll have no trouble becoming the 5th year Girls Champion for the school."

"Thanks Harry," She said as they made their way down to lunch. "I'm more worried about becoming the Hogwarts Girl Champion. Hermione is going to be tough to beat and I know she's going to take the 6th year tournament. Then theirs the Ravenclaw Head Girl to take on as well."

"I predict there will be a DA winner hands down." Lavender said as she walked behind them. "Professor Trelawney even hinted that she had seen it in the orb." She ran off with Pavarti to discuss the brilliance of their favorite professor before anyone could make any rude comment on their thoughts of divination.

"What do you see for the outcome of the tournament?" Ron asked Ginny. He would believe Ginny's gut feeling over any full blown Trelawney prophesy any day.

"I just know that it will be Hermione, the Head Girl and myself that will have to fight for the Girl Champion and that the best duel will be between the Prince and the Frog." She giggled and ran off ahead of them before they could ask what she meant.

"Why does she do that?" Ron asked sighing. "She never gives me enough info to figure out what she is talking about."

"Oh Ron, she told you exactly who it was just use your brain." Hermione said shaking her head. When she realized he was still clueless she told him. "It's going to be between Draco and Neville."

"Well duh, I already knew theirs was going to be an awesome fight!" Ron laughed. "Why didn't she just tell me in the first place?"

"Only one 6th year boy makes it into the next tournament Ron. She's your sister and didn't want you upset that you were going to loose." Harry told him with a shrug.

"I just want to beat Dean and Seamus to show that I'm not a total looser when it comes to dueling!" Ron said sadly.

"I'm sure you won't have a problem," Hermione said giving him a big hug before they sat down to eat. The other houses were all wrapped up in their tournaments as well.

Professor Dumbledore stood up to announce the Girl Champions for each year from each house and had them stand and be recognized. Ginny jumped to her feat and sent nasty glares at the Slytherin table who all looked frightened at going up against her. Hermione shyly stood, she didn't like having so many people looking at her but she too sent a glare at the Slytherins who were realizing their hopes for winning the tournament were slim even with Potter out of the running.

Pansy had been named the Slytherin 6th year winner and Hermione planned on spending the entire next day in the library or the room of requirement finding the perfect hexes and jinxes just for their least favorite Slytherin. She was so absorbed in thoughts of how to torture Pansy that the boys had to nudge her and remind her to eat before the boys' tournament started.

Harry tried to hide his disappointment at not being able to participate in the tournament. He knew it was for the best that Voldemort thought him weak and he would much rather not participate than have to pretend to loose to Malfoy again. He liked the thought that everyone thought Malfoy had beaten him, but yet he was still undefeated!

Neville was in rare form for the tournament. Some of the younger years were commenting on how changed he looked when he was pointing his wand at an opponent. He easily took out Dean, Seamus and Ron. Dean and Seamus had stood dazed and confused by this change in Neville. When he was dueling he exuded confidence and everyone could see the power he possessed and was surprised by it. He was going to be a dangerous opponent for the death eaters in the war.

"He looks so handsome when he's dueling," a 4th year had commented. Hermione and Ginny had to stifle their giggles as they imagined Neville trying to ask a girl out!

Ron beat both Dean and Seamus and was congratulated by Harry and Ginny before Hermione hugged him. "I knew you would well!" Hermione smiled at him. Ron blushed at the compliment and the public affection. Although they had been a couple since the summer most of the school was oblivious to their relationship since Hermione was so opposed to showing their affection in public. The most they ever did was hold hands at dinner or occasionally in the halls while on prefect duty and the halls were deserted. She very rarely hugged him; it was saved for special occasions.

"That should shut Dean and Seamus up for a few days. Maybe they'll pay more attention during DA now!" Ginny commented. The two boys had been doing more flirting than practicing during DA secessions lately. "Come on, Colin is about to duel." She said turning her attention back to the tournament.

That night at dinner the boy's winners were announced. No one was surprised when the Slytherin 6th year champion was announced to be Malfoy, but there was an almost astounded silence when the Gryffindor winner was announced as Neville Longbottom. Draco saw that as an opportunity to prove his "Slytherin Spirit" and yelled across the great hall, "What happened did Longbottom stuttering and fumbling curses scare you in to surrendering Weasley? Or are you all helpless without Potter and the know-it-all giving out directions?"

Ron knew he was just putting on a show but it still irritated him so he spouted back, "At least we had some real competition for our champion ferret. Our first years could out duel those two lumps you call your sidekicks." Everyone in the hall was waiting for the next comment to be tossed and wondering if there would be another fight, this time with Ron instead of Harry.

Professor Dumbledore stood again and cleared his throat, effectively ending the mock fight between the two boys. "The next round will take place tomorrow after breakfast. We will be setting up dueling stages here in the great hall. All champions will meet here at the staff table after breakfast. The tournament will begin at 9:30 am. We will try and finish the girls' tournament in the morning and will plan on starting the boys' tournament after lunch."

The members of the Elite DA, or the EDA as they were now calling themselves, all seemed to have the same idea and had all shown up in the Room of Requirement to look up more hexes or practice spells for the tournament the next day. The Creevy brothers both had won their years as well as Luna, Justin and Hannah. In fact the only EDA members that were no longer in the tournament were Ron and Harry who were both helping Hermione look up painful jinx for Pansy. Even Draco abandoned his own practice to look up ways to hurt Pansy.

"What about this one?" Draco asked holding the book so the other three could see. "It's supposed to reverse any glamour or concealment charms."

"What good would that do?" Harry asked confused. Pansy was ugly as it was.

"She uses multiple glamours every day and I know she's had magical enhancements to parts of her body. This spell reverses those too." He told them.

"That sounds promising," Hermione said with an evil smirk worthy of the blonde sitting next to her. "The best way to get at her is by embarrassing her. I plan on drawing the duel out for a while just to throw as many painful and embarrassing hexes at her as I can. It should be not problem shielding myself from any of her pathetic attempts at cursing me back."

"Are you sure?" Ron asked concerned. "She did manage to beat Gabrielle."

"No she didn't," Draco butt in. "Gabrielle didn't fight. There was an argument last night in the common room about what year she should fight for. She got fed up and told them they she wasn't going to participate. She told me later that she didn't want to have to duel Pansy because she didn't want to get expelled. She's not sure she could keep herself from accidentally tossing her head first into the dungeon wall."

They all laughed at that idea. "You wouldn't be able to tell the difference in her face even if she did." Hermione added giggling.

"Oh!" Harry said excited as he jumped from the couch he was sitting on. "I found it!" He grinned evilly at Malfoy for a second before turning back to his book. "I've been looking for this spell for years!" He placed the book down on the table and almost bounced over to Draco. "Care for a friendly duel Malfoy?"

The two stood with wands ready waiting Hermione's signal. Draco was slightly concerned with the twinkle in Harry's eyes. It looked way too much like Dumbledore's when he was up to something entirely unpleasant. Hermione gave the signal and before Draco could do anything Harry yelled "Facetus Anima" and with a pop Draco was turned into a pure white ferret just like in fourth year. Everyone in the room doubled over in laughter. Even if they were friends with him now it was still funny to see him looking spooked around the room at them all.

Once they had all calmed down enough Ginny mumbled "Finite Incantatem" and Draco was back in his own body with a death glare trained on them all. Before he could open his mouth Harry said, "I'm sorry Draco; it's just that ever since the fake Moody turned you into that ferret we've been trying to figure out how he did it. I just couldn't help myself."

"Yeah, don't be mad." Ron said still chuckling. "The first time that happened was the best moment of my career of hating you."

"Is that so Weasley?" Draco said with a dangerous glint in his eye that the rest saw and baked away from the enraged Slytherin.

"Yeah, when things would start to look bad I would just pull up the memory of the 'Amazing Bouncing Ferret' and I would laugh and feel lighter hearted." Ron told him not realizing that his explanation was pissing Malfoy off even more.

"I have two words for you then Weasel," Draco said smirking his hmost evil smirk, "Facetus Anima." With a pop there was a brown weasel sitting on the floor with a mop of red hair. Ginny burst out laughing at her brother and had to hold on to Harry to keep from falling to the floor she was laughing so hard. Hermione was wiping tears out of her eyes as she shook with silent laughter, trying her hardest not to laugh at her boyfriend the red headed weasel. Draco smirked and leaned down to look at Ron. "It's a good look for you Weasley," he told him with a small chuckle before walking out of the room to go back to the Slytherin common room.

Everyone was still chuckling at Ron when he got upset and went over and bit Harry on the leg to get his attention so he would turn him back. "Oi, watch it Ron or we might have to take you to Hagrid, I'm sure he knows how to care for you in your new body!" They started laughing again but Hermione muttered the counter charm and turned him back to normal.

"That†That†That git turned me into a weasel!" He sputtered as everyone tried not to laugh again. "What is so funny?"

"Well he always calls you weasel and you always call him ferret, so it is only fitting," Ginny said not sure if they should tell him that he still had red hair as a weasel.

Colin had managed to take a picture of both Draco and Ron while they were changed and printed them and sent them to the other at breakfast. Ron was admiring the albino qualities of ferret boy when a low chuckle interrupted his musing. The whole hall turned to the staff table to see Professor Snape chuckling. Everyone stopped eating to witness the never seen before sight. Snape was looking at what appeared to be a photograph. Ron paled thinking 'no he couldn't have gotten a photo of me as a weasel, Colin wouldn't do that to me.'

Snape rose and walked to the Slytherin table and handed the photo back to Draco. "Thank you Mr. Malfoy and 10 points to Slytherin for such amusing breakfast entertainment." He then headed back down to the dungeon before the start of the tournament.

"May I ask Mr. Malfoy what has so amused out dear Potions Master?" Dumbledore asked from the head table. "Is it something you would care to share with the rest of us?"

"Of course Professor Dumbledore sir," Draco said waving his wand and making identical photos appear in front of everyone in the great hall. Ron wanted to crawl under the table and die. The photo was one of him turning into the weasel, red hair and all, and then back into him. The moving wizard photo showed his utter humiliation over and over again. The Great Hall broke out into gales of laughter and the students all tried their best to get a look at Ron.

"That was the most humiliating experience of my life!" Ron sighed as he walked with Harry back to the dorm. The girls were in the great hall getting instructions for the tournament.

"Think on the positive side," Harry said to his friend. "You did something none of your family has ever been able to do." When Ron gave him a look he continued. "You made Snape laugh! Snape the most feared professor who hates jokes and has never cracked a smile in front of students†you made him laugh! You accomplished more than Fred and George was ever capable of!"

At that Ron finally stopped looking like he wanted to jump of the astronomy tower. "That was always one of their goals and they never did it." Ron said absently thinking over the facts. "I guess it could have been worse. I just turned into a weasel and back into me. When Moody got Malfoy he bounced him around the hall that is way more embarrassing!" The two friends laughed and climbed through the portrait hole.

Chapter 32: Dueling Tourney

"Did you have to hand out the photo to everyone?" Ginny asked Draco annoyed as they waited for the teachers to finish setting up the great hall. "Even though it was funny, he is my brother."

"Sorry Red, but I couldn't help myself. Even Snape laughed, that's got to count for something." Draco told her with his most charming smile. "He may be your brother but we've hated each other forever."

Ginny was about to remind him that they didn't hate each other anymore when she was interrupted by Pansy's annoying voice. "You should stop wasting your breath on trash like her Draco. I can't believe you would apologize to a muggle-lover like her. Her whole family is a bunch of animals, now we just have the proof."

Before either one of them could say anything back to Pansy the Head Girl had walked over. "Detention tonight with Mr. Filtch for such disrespect to another student, not to mention a prefect and another detention tomorrow night with Mr. Filtch for such blasphemy against the minister of magic and his family. You should be lucky that I can't take house points and that none of the teachers were around to hear you. Now scamper off before I loose my temper in our duel and make you go bald permanently!" She then nodded at Ginny and Draco and went back to helping with the set-up of the great hall.

"Wow!" Ginny finally said and smiled at Draco before they went back to their own friends. Ginny was still not used to people defending her family and showing so much respect. She hadn't gotten used to the fact that her father was the minister of magic, she still thought of them as the loveable poor family, not the powerful family they had become.

There was a large dueling stage set up in the middle of the hall and bleachers had been placed on either side so that everyone could see clearly. The participants were told that they could not leave the dueling platform. If they were knocked off the platform the duel would be halted until the student was back on. Charms were erected around the platform to absorb any spells that missed their target so the audience would not be hit with rouge spells. There would be 6 duels for each year since it was a round-robin tournament. The girl with the most wins would be the champion.

Ginny's first duel was against Hufflepuff. She smiled and bowed at the other girl. Professor Dumbledore gave the signal and Ginny just smiled at the girl letting her at least try to get off one shot. The girl tried to send a tripping hex at her; Ginny blocked it expertly and sent the same spell at the other girl immediately followed by the disarming spell. She had gotten very skilled at quick castings. She was able to cast the next spell even before the first had reached its target. Hermione had read in a book that that was a rare gift and also showed how well matched Gin was to her wand. The girl's wand flew effortlessly into her hand and Ginny caught it with a smile.

Luna was next and she was paired against the 5th year Slytherin champion. She easily disarmed the other girl. In the end it came down to the duel between Ginny and Luna as they had expected. They smiled and shook hands. This was going to be fun. They shot hexes back and forth for about 5 minutes. The entire hall was silent since this was the first duel of the day that had been interesting at all. The others were quick and it had been easy to tell who would win. The odds were 2 to 1 in Ginny's favor due to her dating Harry Potter but Luna could never be ruled out entirely.

Ginny finally was able to hit Luna with her famous bat boggey hex and gained control of her wand. Even though Ginny won the duel, Luna had won respect in the eyes of her classmates, since she had always been thought of as strange so they stayed away from her. They all knew she had become friends with the Potter gang as they were sometimes referred to (Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny and Neville) and they realized now that maybe she was worthy of their house.

The 6th year duels were next. Hermione was going over her notes for the duel against Pansy. She didn't really care about the other duels as long as she won but she was determined to bring Pansy down a peg or two before she took her wand. Hermione had to duel the Ravenclaw champion first and wasted no time in disarming her, the girl didn't eve n have time to start a spell of her won before Hermione had her wand. Her next duel was against Hannah Abbot of Hufflepuff. They were both in EDA so it was shaping up to be a good duel.

Hannah was actually favored in the betting pools since most people had never seen Hermione duel and thought she just hid behind her friendship with Harry and Ron. They smiled at each other and waited for Dumbledore's signal. Harry and the rest of EDA were telling everyone to shut up and get ready for a good fight. The hall went silent at Harry's command and watched the two girls duel. Hermione made sure she put up a powerful protective shield first before sending off any hexes at Hannah. The two spent 5 minutes tossing hexes at the other's shield to try and break it down. Hermione's was stronger as she started to get a few spells though Hannah's shield. She finally was able to hit her with a weak stunner spell was able to summon her wand. She went over and revived her before handing her back her wand and the two girls hugged each other and went back to the side to wait for their next duels.

The crowd was still speechless from watching the two girls fight. They had known that both girls had been made prefects but they thought it was due to their good grades. No one had expected the know-it-all Gryffindor bookworm to be such an accomplished duelist. Gabrielle turned to Draco and said, "Now I'm glad that I didn't decide to participate, both of them would wipe the floor with me! Do you think they could show me how to fight like that?"

"I'll ask Potter later, he's in charge of their little training group. Just don't say anything to anyone about it. If word got out among the Slytherins there could be a lot of trouble." Draco told her.

"So if you know about it I'm assuming you're a part of it then?" She whispered in his ear. Their entire conversation looked like they were just whispering sweet nothings in each other's ear.

"Of course, you don't think I'd let him have all the fun?" he smiled at her and they got ready to watch the duel between Hannah and the Ravenclaw champion. Hannah won in less than 30 seconds and it was time for Hermione to fight Pansy.

The Slytherins were all anxious to see Pansy 'wipe the floor' with the Gryffindor muggle born and the other 3 houses were waiting to see Pansy get what was coming to her. "You might as well just give up now mudblood, you're not going to be able to beat me!" Pansy sung out to Hermione.

She just turned to stare down the pug-faced Slytherin. "I don't plan on beating you Pansy," Hermione started with a fake smile. "I plan on utterly humiliating you and then taking that smirk off your face. You might have thought those pranks were bad, but haven't even imagined what I'm capable of doing to your reputation."

"I feel a little wager is in order!" Hannah said getting between the two girls so Pansy couldn't start the duel before they were supposed to.

"What a good idea!" Pansy said in her shrill voice. "What do you say mudblood, how about 20 galleons to the winner and the looser has to announce tonight at dinner that the winner is the prettiest girl in the school and they admire and respect them."

"And if I win you also have to say that you think muggle-borns are the equals of purebloods," Hermione added before the two shook hands in the binding wizards bet.

The two rivals climbed upon the stage to begin their duel. Hermione smirked to herself, "Time for operation humiliation!" Dumbledore gave the signal and Hermione put up her shield again and started firing hexes at Pansy. Her first hex was the one Draco had found to reverse any glamours and concealment charms. When it hit Pansy didn't feel anything and figured that whatever it was hadn't worked, but it had. Pansy now had very ugly dirty blonde hair that was stringy and limp as well as a gigantic nose that took up way to much of her now acne covered face. In fact without her glamours she made Eloise Midgen look positively gorgeous. The other thing all the guys noticed was how her once large breasts were now almost non-existent and her butt was much larger.

Hermione chuckled to herself and then hit her with a jinx she came up with on her own. She called it her Michael Jackson hex since it made the person dance like the American singer. Pansy couldn't stop herself from doing the moonwalk and grabbing her crotch and spinning around. Everyone was laughing, especially the muggle-borns who knew who she was dancing like. Professor Sprout turned to McGonagall and whispered, "I have a feeling that Miss Granger is going for more than a win in this one. She could have taken Miss Parkenson's wand a long time ago."

"Yes, I believe that our normally reserved Miss Granger is taking a little payback for all those years of ridicule," McGonagall said with a smirk. She was entirely enjoying the show her favorite student was putting on. "It's a good thing that Albus didn't put any rules in effect to prevent this, it should prove to be quite entertaining!" The two teachers chuckled to themselves as they watched the duel.

Hermione had made Pansy bark like a dog, hanged her hair color to red and gold stripped, made purple hair grow out of her ears and her to grow a beard that looked just like Dumbledore's. The entire crowd was laughing, even the Slytherins. Finally Harry yelled out, "Just finish her off Hermione!" They were starting to get bored even if it was funny watching Pansy get upset and throw every hex and jinx she knew at Hermione without any effect.

Hermione decided that she was ready for her final hex. She had the Head Girl to thank for this one and sent the hex at Pansy that would make all her hair fall off her head. It was a semi-permanent hex that wouldn't allow hair to grow back for at least a month! Pansy shrieked as she watched all her hair fall to the platform. Hermione then yelled out the disarming curse and Pansy's wand flew to her hand and she was named the 6th year champion and the entire school knew not to mess with her ever again.

Pansy ran off to Madame Pomfrey to get all her hexes reversed. She shrieked and started crying when she realized that all her glamours, concealments and enhancements had been taken off. The medi-witch couldn't do anything about that and actually scolded her for using them in the first place. Turns out that Pansy's mother had taught her the glamours at an early age and put them on her ugly daughter herself since she was a child. Purebloods don't want children that ugly. Pansy actually started to cry when she was told her hair couldn't grow back with a spell or potion she would just have to wait until the hex wore off.

Hermione was congratulated by most of the students in the stands as they waited for the 7th year tournament to start. When Pansy walked by on her way to the Slytherin section of the stands Hermione called out, "Don't forget about our wager Pansy! I expect payment in full by the end of the day and I look forward to your speech at dinner!"

"You're not getting anything from me mudblood. You didn't think I was actually serious about that bet did you?" She asked trying to sound like she wasn't scared out of her mind.

"Too bad Pansy, we shook on it so it's a wizards bet and you can't back out of it. You wouldn't want everyone to know that your word was worth nothing would you." Hermione asked sweetly as those around her laughed.

Pansy ran over to Professor Snape her head of house to complain about the bet she had made with Hermione. "You will honor the terms of the bet. I will not have any dishonor befall Slytherin," Her roared at her. "You shouldn't have been stupid enough to make a wager like that. Granger has the highest grades this school has ever seen; you didn't honestly think she earned all those without being able to do all the spells did you? She is second only to Potter in DADA and is top in charms you stupid girl. You barely passed DADA and are abysmal in charms you should have expected what happened!" Snape was irate that she had embarrassed his house so much and was not trying to dishonor it as well. "If you do not follow through with the terms of the wager I will be forced to give you detention and strip you of your prefect status."

"Did Snape just kind of compliment you?" Ginny asked her friend.

"I'm not sure, but it definitely wasn't one of his typical insults." Hermione said going over what Snape had said in her head again. She had been waiting years for some sort of acknowledgement of her knowledge and skills from him and had given up hope of ever getting it.

"He told her she shouldn't have expected to win against you! That has to be an almost compliment coming from the overgrown bat!" Ginny giggled and the two went to sit down. The 7th year tournament was won by the Head Girl. The winners were asked to stay after to get the rules for the next leg of the tournament. Hermione went up to the head girl and thanked her for the idea of making Pansy bald. The two laughed at that.

At lunch Pansy came over and gave Hermione her 20 galleons and ran off when the Gryffindor started laughing at her. She had owled her parents right after the tournament to let them know what the mudblood had done to her and asked for help in how to reapply the glamours. Whatever spell Hermione had used didn't allow the glamours and concealments to be reapplied and her magical enhancements had all been reversed as well. She had been the laughing stock of the Slytherin common room when they got back from the tournament.

Draco had laughed and told her he was happy he wouldn't be forced to marry such an unworthy person. "I deserve the best and you most definitely are not the best." Her had commented with Gabrielle hanging off his arm and smirking at her house rival. Gabrielle knew she wouldn't have to worry about Pansy anymore; she had officially taken her place as the 'head girl' of Slytherin since she was both the prettiest and was betrothed to Draco.

The boys' tournament was scheduled for after lunch and they were all discussing who was gong to beat who. The Gryffindors were all smirking at how the other 3 houses were giving them 20 to 1 odds on the Neville/Draco duel and 10 to 1 on Neville's other fights. The members of the DA were going to make a lot of money off this tournament!

Dumbledore stood up at lunch and told them he had a special surprise for them. They had two exhibition duels for them to watch. Professors Lupin and Snape were going to duel as well as Professors Tonks and McGonagall. The students all cheered and settled into the stands to watch the fights. Tonks and McGonagall were first. Tonks was an auror and therefore she was favored 3 to1 over the strict transfiguration professor. It was a good duel. McGonagall used her transfiguration skills to try and distract Tonks enough to make contact with a spell. Tonks shot a powerful stunning spell at her that McGonagall had to dodge by turning into her anamagi form. Tonks was able to hit the cat form of McGonagall with an impedimenta jinx to slow her down and by the time she was able to return to her human form Tonks hit her with the disarming spell. The entire student body cheered for their two professors. They were all very impressed with the way they had fought but were anxious to see Snape and Lupin duel.

Harry went up and gave his adoptive father a hug before the duel. "You'll do great! Just don't hold back because you know he won't! He'll use this to try and say you don't deserve your job!" Harry told Remus.

"Severus is a very good opponent. I'll try my best against him, but he knows his stuff." Remus told his son. He knew that he would be lucky to win against Snape but he was excited to try. He didn't get to duel in a safe setting like this very often. They usually had to fight for real so this was a welcome relief.

Remus and Snape bowed and readied themselves for Dumbledore's command. The duel lasted almost a half hour. The two were matched quite well. Snape's spells were quick but Remus could block very well. It was easy to tell who the aggressive fighter versus the defense instructor was. Snape was having trouble breaking through Lupin's defenses and Remus was almost too busy defending himself to cast any strong spells at Snape. Remus finally connected with a tripping jinx against Snape but Snape was able to get off a stunning spell before falling over. The stunned grazed Remus' arm and knocked his defenses down enough for Snape to cast the disarming spell while he was still sprawled on the platform. Remus was almost able to hang onto his wand but Severus was too powerful and the wand finally flew into his outstretched hand.

The students jumped to their feet applauding their teachers. They had never seen a better duel. It didn't matter to them that Snape had won; they were impressed with both of their professors. The two bowed to each other again and Snape handed back Lupin's wand. "Congratulations Severus that was fun." Remus said as they shook hands.

"You fight well," Snape said before going back to his place at the high table. Remus chuckled; a compliment from Snape was a rare occurrence. He realized that he may finally have earned some respect from the bitter Slytherin.

Tonks went up and gave Remus a big hug and they went up to the high table to watch the boys' tournament. The professors were all anxious for the re-match between Neville and Draco. They had fought well over the holidays at headquarters and the teachers knew they were well matched. Sprout and McGonagall even had a wager with Snape over which of the boys would win. "Whoever wins between them will easily be the boys' school champion. The 7th years just don't have the skills to beat either one of them," Tonks commented.

"The real fight will be for the girls' champion. I look forward to the duel between Miss Weasley and Miss Granger," Sprout added.

Both Dennis and Colin Creevy ended up the Champions of their years. The Gryffindor's were putting on a good showing in the tournament thanks to all their training in DA. Finally it was time for the 6th year duels. Draco was first against the Ravenclaw champion Terry Boot who was a prefect as well. The duel was fairly short. Terry was able to block Draco's first two hexes but wasn't able to withstand Draco's stunner and Malfoy easily won even though Terry was a DA member. Neville was up against Justin Finch-Fletchly, they were both in EDA. The student body was sure that Neville was a push over and therefore were not really paying attention to the duel between him and Justin at first.

The duel between the two of them started well. They would throw a hex and the other would block it and that went back and forth for about 5 times until Neville could see he had everyone's attention and he turned his game on. He threw a body bind hex followed by a stunner followed by the disarming hex off in rapid succession. Justin barely was able to block the body bind and didn't have any chance to block the stunner and was quickly disarmed. The students were all shocked at how fast Neville won. The Gryffindor's were the only ones who were cheering; they had all made quite a bit of cash off that last duel.

Draco took out Justin fairly fast as well. He went out with the big guns from the start and disarmed him in about a minute. Neville took out Terry Boot with his first two spells. He shot the body bind at him immediately and while Terry was blocking that Neville sent the disarming spell at him and won the duel. There was a hush across the students as Neville and Draco walked up onto the stage.

Draco and Neville started off throwing big hexes at each other. The students just watched in awe as they blocked curses that could take down fully qualified wizards. The duel lasted for almost an hour. The students were on the edges of their seats waiting to see who would finally connect with a blow enough to disarm the other. The duel was intense with neither boy backing down and giving it everything they had. They were starting to tire out but neither was willing to give up. For Neville this was his opportunity to show the school that he was better than what they all thought and for Draco he had to win to keep his reputation within the school. In the end it came down to the bat boggey hex that Neville threw at Malfoy. Ginny had taught it to him just last night in the room of requirement. It distracted Draco enough for Neville to connect with the disarming spell and win his wand. The crowds went wild! Draco Malfoy had lost to none other than Neville Longbottom in an intense duel.

Dumbledore stood up and quieted the crowd. "That was the best duel this school has seen in many years. I award 25 point to both Gryffindor and Slytherin for such a well fought duel. Congratulations to both Mr. Malfoy and Mr. Longbottom." The hall applauded for them again and Harry and Hermione ran up to Neville.

"I knew you could do it Nev!" Harry said patting his friend on the back.

"I never doubted you Neville!" Hermione said hugging him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. Neville smiled and blushed at the faith his friends had in him and was glad he could pull out the victory for them.

"Well I didn't want you to loose all that money you won from Pansy!" He joked and they all settled down to watch the 7th year tournament.

Draco went back to the Slytherins with his head down. He knew that Neville would be hard to beat he had just hoped for his sake that he would have won. Gabrielle ran up to him and jumped into his arms. "You did great Draco, that was an amazing duel," she told him as she kissed his cheek. Crabbe and Goyle took up their positions on either side of him and glared at anyone who looked at Malfoy. The Slytherin house was subdued. They had just watched their leader go down to a Gryffindor and not just any one, the one that most thought of as a glorified squib.

The hall became silent as Professor Snape walked over to Neville. Most of the school knew how scared Neville was of Snape. "Congratulations Mr. Longbottom that was an admirable performance." Snape told him before continuing over to his Slytherins.

Ron patted Neville on the back. "You got Snape to compliment you! He even almost complimented 'Moine today. Hell must be about ready to freeze over." Ron joked to the rest of the group.

Professor Dumbledore called all the champions over to him. "We will be inviting all your parents to attend the final tournament next weekend. You may owl them as well. Those of you with Muggle parents will have to choose a professor to floo to their residence and accompany them here. We will have you houses connected to the floo network for the weekend and they are welcome to stay for the entire weekend." Hermione was excited that her parents were finally going to be able to see Hogwarts after all these years. Her father has wanted to visit since she went home for Christmas in first year and told him all about the moving portraits and the enchanted ceiling in the great hall.

"Next weekend will be fun!" Ginny said as they made their way up to Gryffindor tower. "Dumbledore said we could invite the whole family so hopefully everyone will come, even Bill and Charlie. And with Neville's and Hermione's parents it'll be a big party!"

"I'll talk with Remus and see if they can all be put up by each other and maybe we can convert an unused classroom into a lounge for all of us to hang out in." Harry said.

"Come on Ginny we need to get to the library and start getting ready for next weekend!" Hermione said dragging both Ginny and Neville off with her in her rush. Everyone else laughed and headed into the portrait hole.

Chapter 33: Hogwarts Dueling Champion

The next week went by too fast for those participating in the tournament. They were practicing at all available times and trying to get their homework done at the dame time. Even Hermione was feeling the pressure she had turned in two homework assignments with only the required length nothing extra!

Draco was in a foul mood on Thursday morning when he sat down at the table. Gabrielle hurried over to him, "What's the matter Draco?" He didn't respond but just shoved a parchment bearing the Malfoy crest at her to read.

Draco,

We were highly disappointed to hear of your abysmal performance in the dueling tournament. With Potter out of the competition you should have easily won. There is no excuse for being beaten by that pathetic Longbottom boy. You father will hear of this! This news has also reached your father's acquaintances and they are highly displeased. Be prepared to explain yourself. This better not have anything to do with that Weasley girl or there will be nothing I can do to save you. Remember where your loyalties lie. I would suggest working harder; your failure will not be accepted next time.

Mother

Gabrielle was shocked at the letter and didn't know what to say to Draco. Instead of saying anything she turned to him and wrapped her arms around him and gave off some of her charms to soothe him. He in turn buried his face in her hair and tried to forget the predicament he was now in.

The Gryffindor members of EDA were watching Draco closely as well and could tell that something was wrong. Hermione approached Gabrielle before class and asked her what was wrong. When Gabrielle finished telling her what the letter said Hermione was floored and worried for their Slytherin friend. "He should go to Professor Snape and show him the letter. At least the faculty will know what's going on and can be on extra alert." Hermione suggested. "Tell him we are all there for him if he needs anything."

Hermione filled in all the others with what was going on with Draco. Harry got upset and went off on a rant about Death Eaters and Voldemort and Ginny started crying and mumbling how it was her fault for befriending him and if he gets hurt she'll be the one to blame. Ron just kept looking from his best mate to his sister and couldn't decide what to think.

Draco showed the letter to Snape later that day and was taken to Dumbledore's office to speak with the headmaster. "I'm afraid they are starting to suspect my disloyalty." Draco told him. "First it was befriending Ginny and now loosing to Longbottom. They think I've gone soft and if I don't prove myself again soon they will most likely kill me."

"We'll place extra protection around you. Tell Crabbe and Goyle know there have been threats against you from the Gryffindors and they will keep close to you as well." Snape said worried about his favorite student.

"My mother is going to inform my father. I'm afraid of what he will do. Even though he is in Azkaban he is still powerful." Draco commented. "He will be even more unreasonable after all that time with the Dementors even though they don't guard the Death Eaters as closely as the rest since many of the Dementors are on the dark side."

"Just be careful Mr. Malfoy. When we get closer to the end of the year we will decide the best way to keep you safe so you don't have to take the mark this summer." Dumbledore told him.

The next night (Friday) all the parents of the champions were scheduled to arrive. Professor McGonagall came up to Hermione after breakfast. "Miss Granger, since there are so many Gryffindor champions I will not be able to pick up your parents. Another professor will have to be sent to pick them up." She told her.

"That's ok professor," Hermione said. "Who else is available?"

"I believe that Professor Dumbledore wants an order member to pick up your parents and the only one available is Professor Snape. If you hurry you can most likely catch him in his office before classes start." McGonagall said a Hermione took off for the dungeons. She didn't care who was sent to get her parents as long as she got to see them!

She knocked on Snape's office door and entered when ordered. "What can I do for you Miss Granger?" He asked with his usual sneer.

"Professor McGonagall is unable to pick my parents up this evening. Could you please take her place and retrieve them sir?" Hermione asked him with a small smile.

"And how did I end up bestowed with this honor?" He drawled sarcastically.

"Professor McGonagall said that the other order members were busy and that you were available. I am guessing that is because your champions parents are wizards and do not need an escort sir." She said trying to be nice and not piss him off as she usually does.

"Fine Miss Granger I will pick up your parents. You can meet us in the great hall directly after classes. The fireplace there has been hooked to the floo network and is the one the parents will be using for arrival." He told her as he turned back to grading papers.

"Thank you sir," She said as she hurried out of his office before he could change his mind.

Hermione, Harry, Ginny, Ron, Neville, Gabrielle and Draco were all in the great hall awaiting the arrival of the Weasleys, Grangers and Longbottoms. The Longbottoms arrived first and it was nice to see Neville so happy. They went off for Neville to show them around the castle before dinner. The Weasley's started arriving after that. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arrived first and gave everyone a hug, except Draco who only shook hands with Mr. Weasley in case anyone was watching. Bill and Fleur arrived next and Fleur swung Gabrielle up into her arms immediately. Harry remembered that Gabrielle was what Fleur would miss most during the tri-wizard tournament.

"Fleur this is Draco Malfoy, Draco this is my sister Fleur," Gabrielle said making introductions even though they had met at headquarters over the holidays. They had to go through the charade for the other students' sake.

Draco bowed and kissed Fleur's hand. "It is a pleasure to meet Gabrielle's sister and guardian." He said in typical Malfoy style.

"I have wanted to meet the boy my sister is betrothed to," Fleur said and it was easy to tell she was not pleased about the situation. "This is my boyfriend Bill Weasley." She said turning to Bill who also shook Draco's hand. Fleur went off with Gabrielle and Draco to visit the Slytherin common room and Bill stayed with the rest of his family that had all arrived, except for Percy who was still a git.

"We are so proud of you Ginny!" Mrs. Weasley said smiling at her only daughter.

"I know you'll win the whole thing!" George said to her.

"Don't forget about Hermione," She told them, "I'll be lucky if I get past her!"

"Don't say that! We have 10 galleons riding on this with Lee Jordan who thinks that our lovely Hermione will win." Fred told her as they all laughed.

The fireplace turned green again and Hermione's mum and dad stepped out followed by Professor Snape. "Hermione!" Her mum said and rushed to her daughter. Her father shook Snape's hand and thanked him for retrieving them.

"Yes, thank you sir," Hermione added before Snape hurried off to his dungeons.

"He is a very nice man Hermione. I don't remember you saying much about him. He said he's your potions professor and you always write how that is one of your favorite subjects but have never mentioned the teacher!" Her mother rattled on.

"Well, you always told me that if I didn't have anything nice to say then not to say anything at all." Hermione told her mother and everyone gathered laughed.

Hermione took her parents on a tour of the school while the Weasley's went to the Gryffindor common room. "What do you want to see first?" She asked her mum.

"I want to meet one of those house elves you keep talking about," Mrs. Granger said smiling at her daughter as they headed toward the kitchens. Mr. Granger kept getting sidetracked looking at the moving portraits and the suits of armor. Dobby came running up to Hermione with a smile wearing one of the hats she had knit last year. Her parents didn't know what exactly to think of Dobby but he was so eager to please that they couldn't help but like him by the time they moved on with the tour. She took them outside to visit Hagrid and the greenhouses before it got dark out. Her mum was very impressed with the magical plants and both her parents seemed fearful to walk to close to the forbidden forest when they were by Hagrid's after all the stories Hermione had told them. Her mum tried to pretend she wasn't terrified of Hagrid but she didn't hide it too well. That could have been because of the bone breaking hug that he gave her after finding out that they were Hermione's parents.

"She helps me all the time with me lessons and back during Beakey's trial. Such a good girl you got here." He told them which made her mum like the half-giant a little better.

"Hagrid had been one of my best friends since I got here and he is also the gamekeeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor." Hermione said making Hagrid blush at the praise. They headed back up to the castle after that.

"I want to see the dungeons where this Professor Snape of yours teaches," Her father told her and they made their way down toward the dungeons. Neither of her parents noticed her take out her wand in case there was trouble with the Slytherins. She need not have worried though as they met Professor Snape almost as soon as they descended into the lower levels.

"Miss Granger," He said giving her a questioning look at what she was doing alone with her parents in Slytherin territory.

"I was just giving my parents a tour of the castle sir and they wanted to see where you teach." Hermione said with a big smile at the shocked look on Snape's face.

"Hermione has always told us how much she enjoys making potions and since you seemed like such a nice teacher we wanted to see where your classroom was." Hermione's father added.

Snape not knowing what to do with the muggles motioned for them to follow him and he took them to his classroom and showed them the different tools needed for potions making. He kept looking oddly at Hermione to find out if she put her parents up to this.

"So is our Hermione a good student to teach?" Her mum asked as Hermione blushed and looked down at the floor.

Snape finally realized that Hermione had never said anything about him to her parents before and realized they didn't know he was the most hated professor in the school. "Yes, your daughter knows every answer and is never hesitant to showcase her vast intellect. She has never failed a potion in this class." He smirked at the shocked look on Hermione's face at another almost compliment. The comment seemed to satisfy her mother's curiosity.

"You rarely mention Professor Snape in your letters hun," Her father said giving her a questioning look. "I would guess he is one of your favorite professors since his is one of your favorite classes." Snape smirked and looked at her knowing she was going to have to put her parent straight on his teaching methods now.

"Professor Snape is a very efficient teacher," Hermione started choosing her words carefully. "He is very strict owing to the volatile nature of the substances we work with. He expects the best from everyone in his class at all times." She missed the shocked look on his face at her words since she was staring at her shoes while talking.

"It was wonderful to see you again Professor," Mr. Granger said shaking his hand as they headed to the office door.

"Have you shown your parents the DADA classroom yet Miss Granger?" Snape asked and when she shook her head he offered to escort them there which she was grateful for as they passed a few groups of Slytherins on the way.

"Thank you sir," Hermione said as she showed her parents into the DADA classroom. "We have two DADA professors, Professors Lupin and Tonks. Lupin is Harry's adoptive father and he is engaged to Tonks." Hermione said before she went and knocked on the office door to introduce her parents to her friends.

"Wotcher Hermione!" Tonks said as she came out to meet the Grangers. Hermione had to hold in a giggle at the wide eyes her mum got seeing a professor with hot pink hair. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Hermione is one of the best students in our class. She also helps run a defense club after school with Harry and Ron." Tonks said as Remus walked into the room.

"Ah, Severus said you were showing your parents our room Hermione so I rushed up here to meet them." Remus said introducing himself to her parents.

"It was very good of you to adopt Harry," Her mum told him. "Hermione was always so worried about him staying with those awful relatives of his."

"I was best friends with Harry's father all through school and couldn't let him stay there any longer," Remus said as he showed the Dr. Grangers around the room. Tonks and Lupin joined them for the rest of the tour. Hermione was able to introduce her parents to Professors Flitwick and McGonagall as well. McGonagall went on an on about how Hermione was the best student she had had in years. Mrs. Granger even let slip that transfiguration was Hermione's favorite subject which made Minerva beam happiness and Hermione blush and look guiltily at Remus and Tonks who both chuckled.

They met up with the Weasley's in the Gryffindor common room. Her parents were impressed with her house and got to meet a lot of her friends who they hadn't met before like Neville and the Creevys. She took her mum up to her dorm and showed her around, they had already seen the prefect's bathroom and was impressed with the tub.

"No wonder you love this school so much," her mum commented as they made their way back down to the crowd. "I'd want to stay here as much as possible as well."

They all headed down to dinner and sat at the Gryffindor table. It was funny to see so many Weasley's at the table not to mention the other parents. Professor Snape kept sneaking glances at the Grangers. He wasn't used to being universally accepted like they had accepted him. "Worried that having muggles in the school will cause problems Severus?" McGonagall asked after the third time he looked over.

"No," He told her. "I was just trying to figure them out. Miss Granger's parents appear to like me and it seems she has never said anything bad about me to her family. I find that difficult to believe."

"Why should that surprise you? Hermione is always the one trying to get both Mr. Potter and Weasley to show you the respect you deserve as a teacher. That she hasn't mentioned you to her parents could just be that she didn't have anything good to write home about. She gets top marks in every class that she can tell her parents about. I would think she wouldn't like to write about how she never gets recognition in one of her favorite subjects." Minerva told him.

Snape looked at her funny. "How did you know potions was one of her favorite subjects?" He asked her.

"I'm her head of house and had to give her career advice last year. She mentioned not knowing wither she wanted to pursue a career in transfiguration, potions or spell creation." McGonagall told him.

"Why wasn't I informed of this? If a student is interested as potions for a career I should be informed so I can guide them accordingly." He told her.

"Would it have made any difference Severus?" She asked. "You openly refer to her as an insufferable know-it-all, would you really have changed your opinion just because she happens to like potions?"

The food at dinner impressed the Grangers who were worried about what kind of food wizards ate after Hermione had shown them some of wizard sweets. After dinner Dumbledore stood up. "It is wonderful to see so many welcome guests here in our halls. We will be holding the finals for our dueling championship starting tomorrow morning. We will be using a standard single elimination bracket. We have decided that the 7th year participants will receive the by for the first round. We will start the tournament promptly after breakfast. We will be rotating between the boys and girls tournament so make sure all you participants come prepared. Now back to your dorms for a good nights sleep before the festivities tomorrow."

Hermione said good night to her parents and walked them to their rooms. "Make sure you stay in your rooms until I come and get you in the morning. If you need anything you can ring the little silver bell on the fireplace and call for Dobby. Since this is a magical castle it is safer for you to stay in your rooms. I had the librarian put some books I thought you would like on the bookshelves." She kissed them both and headed up to the tower to go over her spells and hexes for the tournament in the morning.

Hermione was paired up against the 2nd year champion first and almost felt bad about having to fight her she was a cute little Hufflepuff muggleborn. Ginny was up against the 4th year competitor first and the 1st year was against the 3rd year with the 7th year having a by. Neville was up against Dennis Creevy first (3rd year) and Colin was against the 1st year and the 2nd year was against the 4th year.

The very first pair to duel was Hermione and the 2nd year. She smiled at her parents sitting with Harry and Ron in the stands before taking her place on the stage and bowing to the little girl before her who looked terrified at the thought of dueling a 6th year. Dumbledore gave the signal and Hermione let her try and cast the disarming spell. The spell hit but she held firmly to her wand and quickly returned the spell on the girl who hadn't learned to block yet and the girl's wand went soaring into her hand. Hermione smiled at the girl bowed again and handed her back her wand. Colin Creevy was the next to duel against a 1st year Slytherin. Colin won immediately with the disarming spell and gave the little boy back his wand before getting ready to watch Ginny duel with the 4th year Slytherin girl who had made a nasty comment to Gin earlier.

Ginny sent her a smirk worthy of any Slytherin before bowing and waiting for Dumbledore's signal. Hermione could tell she was going to play with the girl for while before taking her wand thanks to her big mouth saying she could easily beat Ginny. Gin put up her protective shield and watched the girl attempt a few hexes before starting in on the girl. She hit her with the giggle hex, the tripping hex and a confusion charm before hitting her with a particularly nasty version of her bat boggey hex and then disarming her. The Weasley boys were all jumping up and down cheering for their sister.

"That's the way Gin!" Charlie yelled out.

"Show those Slytherins whose boss!" George yelled while dancing a victory jig with Fred and Bill. Ron and Harry were waving Gryffindor banners and yelling their heads off just like they were during Hermione's duel.

The next duel was between Neville and Dennis Creevy. George was joking around doing his Trelawney impression saying her had a strong feeling that a Gryffindor would win this duel. All the Gryffindors were laughing at him as they waited for the duel to start. "Me mum's watching Neville so go a little easy on me. At least let me look like I deserved to be in this tournament please." Dennis asked as they climbed onto the stage. Neville let Dennis try and get a few shots off but blocked each one expertly. He disarmed Dennis after letting him try and hit him 5 times. They bowed and Dennis thanked Neville for the sporting chance.

The 3rd year girl from Hufflepuff beat the 1st year Ravenclaw. And the 4th year Ravenclaw boy beat the 2nd year Gryffindor boy to take care of the firs round of the tournament. Hermione's next opponent was the 3rd year Hufflepuff girl and Ginny had to take on the 7th year Ravenclaw Head Girl. Neville was up against the 7th year Slytherin champion and Colin was up against the 4th year Ravenclaw.

Colin was first and wasted no time disarming the 4th year causing some of the spectators to yell for longer duels that were more interesting. Ginny was next against the Head Girl and everyone settled in for what should prove to be a good show. Gin put up her shield immediately and started firing single hexes at the other girl to gauge how well she could deflect them. The Ravenclaws were all cheering at how their Head Girl seemed to be able to easily dodge the spells but they didn't seem to notice that she had no time to cast spells of her own. Ginny was having fun. She loved hearing her entire family cheering for her and decided to step the duel up to the next notch. She started throwing double spells at the head girl one after another. The girl was obviously well trained in defense as she was able to block both spells each time.

The students were reminded of the duel between Snape and Lupin where one was offensive the other was defensive. Ginny decided to up the show and started throwing triple spells at the other girl who was able to block two and mostly dodge the third. She got hit with a few and Gin decided it was enough showing off and sent a string of spells at the other girl, about six in all, ending with the disarming spell and caught the dazed Head Girls wand. The crowd went wild. They had never seen anyone fire off that many spells so fast before. Even the professors were standing in awe. Hermione even heard some Slytherins commenting on how you could definitely tell that Ginny was a pureblood by the way she fought. Once again the Weasleys were jumping up and down in their seats and screaming their lungs out for the youngest of the clan.

Neville was next to duel against the Slytherin 7th year champion who was rumored to have already taken the dark mark. Neville was determined to win for no other reason then to bring down the pompous Slytherin a few pegs. The bowed and started on Dumbledore's signal. Neville toyed with him for a while by first casting 'Incendio' to set the boys robes on fire before conjuring a bucket of water to dump over the boy's head. This caused gales of laughter from the Gryffindor stands who were all cheering and waving their Gryffindor banners. The boy was angry and tried to use a slashing hex that Neville expertly avoided and send a tripping jinx at him instead. The 7th year was a good opponent, he was able to block about half of Neville's shots and send off one of his own, but never connected on any of his spells. After Neville sent the boy spinning through the air the boy cast the same spell as Malfoy had in 2nd year to conjure the cobra. Neville had already thought about this possibility and said a similar incantation that conjured a mongoose to kill the phantom cobra. While the boy was watching his snake get killed Neville disarmed him and won the match.

The Longbottoms were jumping up and down with the Weasley boys now that their son had won. The Gryffindors were all cheering as well as the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs to see the Slytherin's last chance for victory in the tournament go down. Hermione's duel was last against the 3rd year Hufflepuff. She let the girl get off three spells that she easily blocked and almost lazily said the disarming spell and won the match. That put the Ginny versus Hermione for the girls' finals and Neville versus Colin for the boys final. The Gryffindors were on top of the world having the top 4 all be from their house. McGonagall was almost in tears she was so proud of her house.

The finals would be after lunch. The winners would receive a free weekend pass to Hogsmead for themselves and one friend as well as a gift certificate to both the bookstore and the Three Broomsticks. Neville was the clear favorite for the boys' tournament but it seemed to be a toss up between Ginny and Hermione. The staff table was alight with predictions between the girls. Sprout, Flitwick, Vector, Sinestera, and Dumbledore thought Ginny would win and McGonagall, Lupin, Tonks, Hagrid and surprisingly Snape thought it would be Hermione.

The boys went first. Colin and Neville bowed and tossed spells back and forth for a few minutes, each blocking the other's spells. Neville took a page out of Harry's book and flipped Colin upside down and silenced him before taking his wand. The move earned cheers from the stands and Neville righted Colin and gave him back his wand before Dumbledore presented him with a bade that read "Hogwarts Dueling Champion" to wear on his robes as well as his pass to Hogsmead and gift certificates. He was hugged by his parents and couldn't believe how great it felt to be the winner and have his parents here to see it.

Hermione and Ginny had talked it over and decided they would go all out for the duel. Even though they were best friends they wouldn't let that effect how they fought. They also agreed to not let it bother them that the other won, they would just be happy that their friend was the champion.

They both placed their charms and spent the next 30 min breaking down the other's barriers. Once they were down they got into the routine of blocking then casting and it lasted for a while. Hermione could block up to three of Ginny's curses and still have time to fire one back. Ginny had the speed but Hermione had the power. One spell from Hermione was just as powerful as all three Ginny would send. The battle was one of the best fought ones they had seen. The fight between Neville and Draco was just as good but the girls almost seemed like they were dancing they were so smooth with their wand movements and incantations.

It finally came down to Hermione having to roll forward to avoid Ginny's bat boggey hex. While rolling Hermione cast a banishing charm and made Ginny fly backwards to the end of the platform. While Gin was in the air Hermione cast the disarming charm and got control of her wand. The two girls hugged and bowed to everyone cheering for them. The Grangers were cheering loudly and so were the Weasleys. Hermione was like a second daughter to them so if their girl was going to loose it might as well have been to her.

Hermione blushed when she was presented with her Champion badge and grinned at the gift certificate to the bookstore. She and Neville had their pictures taken to put in the Daily Prophet and they all went upstairs to the DADA classroom to celebrate with the rest of the order members who were at the school.

Chapter 34: Fearful of Father

The party went well after curfew but it didn't matter since all their parents and professors were present. Draco and Gabrielle joined them after a few hours. The mood in the Slytherin common room was dark and it seemed the sly Slytherins were plotting revenge against the Gryffindors for loosing the tournament.

Bill pulled Hermoine and Neville to the side to ask them a favor. "I have an announcement to make and I was hoping you wouldn't mind if I made it now while my whole family was here. I understand if you don't want to since this is your party and all" he rambled on quickly, obviously nervous.

"Sure Bill," Hermoine said hugging him. She gave Neville a wink since they both had an idea what the announcement would be. Before Bill even had a chance to get everyone's attention Ginny squealed and ran to him throwing her arms around him.

"I knew you'd get the nerve up sooner or later," she whispered in his ear. She had one of her 'visions' of him announcing his news.

Bill just shook his head at his sisters seeing ability and walked over to Harry. "I have been looking for the perfect ring for Fleur and couldn't find anything remotely good enough for her." Her started, "I saw this amazing ring in the vault and was wondering if I could buy it off you. That is unless you had it in mind for another member of my family." Bill said with a smile.

"Was it a huge diamond in its own velvet bag or was it in with another ring?" Harry asked already knowing the answer.

"It was by itself. Although the ruby and emerald ring was gorgeous it just wasn't for Fleur." Bill told him.

"I know, that is the one I had in mind for after graduation for Gin and the one with it I thought was perfect for Hermoine. The other one I had already set aside for Fleur. I knew you would have a hard time finding anything for part Veela, they just need a special type of ring to compliment their beauty." Harry told him with a wink.

"Does that mean I can buy it from you?" Bill said with a hopeful expression. "I brought it with me in case you would let me. I already asked her but I wanted a ring for her before we announced it to anyone."

"No, you can't buy it from me." Harry said seriously, enjoying the devastated look on Bill's face. "But you can have it. It was made for Fleur. Besides that was part of your Christmas present, but I didn't want to say anything until you were ready."

"Are you serious? Do you know what that ring is worth?" Bill asked in shock.

"Of course, what is family for?" Harry asked smiling. "Now go make your announcement and give her that ring!"

"Can I have everyone's attention please?" Bill called out as he went to stand by Fleur who was positively beaming with happiness. "I have an announcement to make!" Finally everyone was quieted down and watching the oldest redhead. "I have asked Fleur to marry me and she has accepted!" Everyone started cheering and Molly Weasley started crying as she went and hugged her oldest son.

"Oh, my baby is getting married! I'm so happy for you!" She told Bill and went over to hug Fleur. "Welcome to the family my dear."

"Hang on a second," Bill called out over the commotion. "I still have to make it official!" He kneeled down on one knee in front of her and took the ring out of his pocket. "Fleur Delacour, love of my life, will you please do me the greatest honor of becoming my wife?" He opened the velvet bag and held up the ring.

Fleur gasped as she looked at the ring. It was better than she could ever imagine. She had never seen such a perfect ring. "I love you Bill Weasley, of course I'll marry you." When he had asked her two days ago she couldn't believe it was true. She had never been so happy in her life but she was worried about his family's reaction, what if they didn't want a part Veela in the family?

"That is the most beautiful ring I have ever seen!" Gabrielle gushed as she hugged her sister and soon-to-be brother-in-law. "I'm so happy you have everything you wanted now."

Draco took a look at the giant rock on Fleur's hand and joked to Bill. "I'm never going to be able to compete with that ring!" Gabrielle laughed and he shook Bill and Fleur's hands and offered his congratulations. A house elf appeared seconds later with champagne and Dumbledore offered a toast to the couple.

"To our former head boy and our favorite French tri-wizard champion, may your lives be blessed with love, laughter and peace." He said with his twinkling eyes. As the crowd toasted and then went back to the celebration.

"So which one of your dear siblings will succumb to marriage next?" George asked the happy crowd.

"Charlie is next in age, but he isn't dating anyone yet." Ginny pointed out.

"That's because both Tonks and Hermoine are taken!" Charlie shouted out making Remus laugh and Ron turn red. "I think we should be looking for a double wedding of our favorite pranksters!"

"No way man, we barely started dating and have no plans for marriage until being forced into it by pain of death!" Fred said solemnly as George agreed.

"So it looks like a toss up between ikle Ronnikins and our beloved little sister!" Geroge added as the room looked over to the two couples who were standing next to each other both looking uncomfortable and blushing at the same time.

"I'll put my money on Potter asking first," Snape piped up holding up his glass to Harry in a silent salute.

"I second that motion," Draco added. "Besides, Hermoine won't agree to get married until she has finished all possible schooling!"

"That and Ron doesn't have to nerve to ask her now that he knows she could out duel him!" Charlie joked and they all laughed. No one seemed to notice the uncomfortable look on Hermoine's face except her parents.

"Now now, our little girl is way too young to be thinking about marriage." Mr. Granger said to ease the tension he could see his daughter was under. "We always told her to wait until she was in her mid twenties to get married. That way she has plenty of time to finish college and live a little before being tied down."

"Do you have wizarding colleges?" Mrs. Granger asked trying to change the subject.

"Yes, there are a few." McGonagall said also realizing the strain Hermoine looked under with the marriage talk. "Most entry level jobs do not require additional education. The universities are reserved for those who want to reach masters level in their craft. Only the best of the best are accepted as there are only 3 universities in the wizarding world."

"What do you want to study after Hogwarts Hermoine?" Remus asked her.

"I haven't made up my mind yet," She started. "But I have it narrowed down to wanting a mastery in either potions or transfiguration as well as an emphasis in spell creation." She told them. "That is assuming I get accepted into university." She said biting her bottom lip in worry for her fear of not being accepted.

"If your studies continue as they are, I doubt you will have any difficulties in being accepted to all three schools Miss Granger." Snape said as he made his way over to refill his drink and didn't see the smile light up her face at his praise.

"There's your answer Hermoine," Tonks told her. "Severus is never wrong in his assessment of individuals. If he says you'll make it then you will!"

The party finally winded down and the students were escorted back to their common rooms by their heads of house. "So your sister is marring a Weasley huh?" Draco commented once they were back in Slytherin territory.

"Yep, I'll be related to the Minister of Magic soon," she said before kissing his cheek goodnight and heading off to bed.

The next morning breakfast was lively with recaps of the tournament an everyone paying off their bets. Everyone was still commenting on Pansy's apology at dinner and her statement that muggle-borns were not as horrible as she had always said. The other houses thought it was great that Hermoine had finally put her in her place. None of the students noticed that the staff table looked especially subdued and almost nervous.

Hermoine was the first student to open her daily prophet and yelped and spit out her breakfast before shoving the paper into Harry's hands to read the headline: "Breakout At Azkaban! Dementors Join He Who Must Not Be Named"

"Shit!" Harry yelled out and looked up to the staff table to see the worried looks on Dumbledore and Remus' faces. "They told Fudge this would happen but he wouldn't listen and there haven't been enough guards trained yet to take over yet! We'll have to review patronus charms in DA." He was already thinking of the ramifications of the escape before he noticed the almost tortured look on Ginny's face. "What is it Gin?"

"Malfoy," she whispered. "Malfoy will have escaped." She told them while looking across the table where Draco was trying to look happy but they could all tell that he was upset and borderline terrified.

Harry went up to the staff table to talk with his dad and Tonks. After a few seconds of conversation with them and Dumbledore the Headmaster stood. "I am sure that this news comes as a shock to some of you. I have been dreading this occurrence for two years now. The ministry has been training guards since Arthur Weasley took over command. The prison was scheduled to transfer control to the ministry guards early next month. Rest assured that the Aurors will do everything in their power to recapture the prisoners and those prisoners that chose not to escape are already being held by the ministry guards who have since taken over the prison. I know many of you are frightened of the dementors. Because of their defection I have organized a training class to be held Tuesdays and Thursdays after dinner here in the great hall. Our DA professors along with Harry Potter will be giving lessons to teach you the patronus charm to ward off dementors. This is advanced magic and many of you will not be capable of it, but I encourage everyone who wishes to attend. The patronus is the only way to fight a dementor." With that he sat down and the hall broke into whispered conversations about the escape and the new lessons.

Mrs. Weasley said goodbye to Ron and Ginny along with the rest of the family. Mr. Weasley had been summoned away right after the party last night to deal with the breakout. Hermoine pulled the Longbottoms aside. "I'm worried about my parents' safety. After wining the tournament I'm an even larger threat to the death eaters. Can you accompany them home and ward their house. I know you both were Aurors and will be able to protect them as best as anyone." She asked them.

"Of course we will," Mrs. Longbottom told her. "We already discussed this with Arthur and have made two portkey necklaces for them to wear in case the wards fail. We will also be warding their dentistry practice. The portkeys will bring them to the burrow and from there Molly can get them to headquarters if needed."

"Thank you!" Hermoine said on the verge of tears. She hugged them and then her parents as they walked to the front gates of the school. The Longbottoms were going to apparate her parents home instead of using the floo.

"Be good Hermoine and say goodbye to Professor Snape for us." Her father told her. "Owl us sweetheart!" Her mother told her before they disapparated.

The next few days were tense at the school waiting to hear some news of the escaped death eaters and the dementors. The first attack they heard about was in the prophet Tuesday morning. Longbottom manor was attacked; obviously the dark side didn't realize they were not in residence.

"Why can't they just leave my family alone!" Neville stated angrily.

"You beat their favorite death eater in training as well as one of their new recruits. That was probably an attempt to upset you by killing your parents." Harry said bitterly. "It's a good thing they weren't there; it says here that over 25 death eaters attacked. Or at least that is what your house elf told the Aurors."

That nights training class was packed. Students from every house were present, even Slytherins trying to spy on the boy who lived. Harry got everyone's attention. "I learned this spell to protect myself from the dementors during my third year when they were here. It takes a lot of focus to even project a weak patronus. A corporeal patronus needs a very powerful memory to drive it, a happy memory. Let me demonstrate. I'm going to concentrate on a very happy memory and see how powerful my patronus is." He said the spell and his stag erupted from his wand and cantered around the hall a few times before disappearing. "Now I'm going to focus on a not so powerful memory and you'll be able to see the difference" He said the spell again and when his stag formed it was almost transparent and disappeared quickly.

The training went well that night. Those in DA had been told previously to pretend they couldn't create a patronus. The first person to produce a patronus was Malfoy followed quickly by Gabrielle. This earned cheers from the Slytherins who where still bitter that their house hadn't won the dueling championship. Neville was the best pretender out of DA, he was one of the 'worst' with his patronus and Harry had to try not to laugh at how the Slytherins were eating it up.

Draco got a letter the next morning at breakfast from his father.

Son,

Our master and I were disappointed to hear of your defeat in the dueling tournament. I am also disappointed that you have not joined my circle yet. These disappointments will be rectified soon. I will not allow you to become soft.

LM

Draco scowled at the letter and stormed out of the great hall and down to the dungeons to find Snape. Ginny hurried after him. "Draco!" She called as she caught up to him outside of the potions classroom. "What's wrong?" She asked.

He handed her the letter and waited for her to finish it. "He'll be showing up here soon enough to demand that I pledge my loyalty to the Dark Lord. He will want to speak with Gabrielle and determine her allegiance as well. I don't know what to do."

"Meet me at the Astronomy tower before the meeting tonight and we'll figure something out. Gabrielle can come to the meeting as well, it's time she joined us as well." Ginny told him and gave his hand a quick squeeze before running off to her first class.

Harry pulled Gabrielle aside at dinner and told her where to meet them for DA. She knew of their group and was excited to be invited. Tonks and Lupin were going to be demonstrating more protective and dodging spells that night and it would prove to be a useful meeting.

Ginny had an uneasy feeling in her stomach all day and new something bad was going to happen but hadn't gotten any visions to help her determine what. She was on edge when she went to meet Draco after dinner. As she climbed the stairs to the tower her feeling of unease tripled. It was such an intense feeling that she contemplated turning around and forgetting her meeting. As soon as she opened the door to the tower she could see Draco pacing the tower and tried to relax for his sake. Her relief to see him was short lived as the door slammed shut and Lucius Malfoy appeared from under an invisibility cloak and grabbed her and drew his wand before she had time to react.

"Father!" Draco exclaimed both startled and terrified for Ginny. "What are you doing here? Someone might see you and capture you!" Draco knew that he had to play the devoted son or Ginny would be in even greater danger. In Ginny's mind she was screaming for help but she wouldn't voice her fear in front of Malfoy senior, she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing he was unnerving her.

"I've been watching you all day," Lucius told his son. "Your mother was wrong, you have gone soft. I can not allow that to happen." He cackled. It was easy to tell that those months in Azkaban had unhinged his sanity even more than it was before.

"I don't know what you are talking about father," Draco said getting very worried about Ginny's safety and wishing that someone else was there to help them but they hadn't told anyone of their meeting as far as he knew.

"You lost the dueling tournament against a glorified squib and haven't taken the dark mark. I am disappointed and so is our lord. But don't worry son, we know the cause of your weakness and intend on remedying it." His father laughed.

"I am not weak father. I admit that loosing the tournament was my fault, I underestimated Longbottom, but that will never happen again. I waited to take the dark mark because Dumbledore is getting more suspicious and I didn't want to be expelled." Draco lied hoping his father would buy it.

"This little girl makes you weak and you don't even realize it!" Lucius roared. "She is poisoning your mind against all that you were taught to value."

"She is nothing to me father," Draco told him. "I only befriended her to gain favor with her father. I used her to gain favor for the Malfoy name within the ministry again."

Ginny realized what Draco was trying to do and decided to play along. "You bastard!" She screamed at him. "I thought I was your friend!"

"Why would I want to be friends with a muggle-lover and Potter's whore?" Draco sneered thankful that she had caught on.

"Nice try you two, but you can't fool me." Lucius yelled. "Now come Draco, we are leaving and you will take the mark at tonight's dark revel."

"What of the minister's daughter?" Draco asked trying to come off as casual.

"She is to be the night's entertainment," Lucius smirked. "Then you will show your loyalty by killing her and you will receive your mark."

"No!!!!" Ginny yelled struggling against his hold on her and trying unsuccessfully to reach her wand.

Draco had paled at his father's comment. He couldn't let his father take her with them and he didn't want to take the mark. He would have to stand up to his father for the first time in his life and if he lost both he and Ginny would die. He drew his wand and pointed it at his father, "Let her go." He said with as much conviction as he could. "I won't allow you to harm her and I refuse to kill her or let any of your death eater allies touch her."

"You are no longer my son," Lucius growled. "If you refuse to take the mark I shall have to kill you. I will not allow you to disgrace the name of Malfoy."

"You already disgraced the name of Malfoy. You are but a servant to a lunatic. You always taught me that a Malfoy never answers to anyone yet you grovel before a half-blooded mad-man. I refuse to allow anyone to be my master." Draco told him calmly.

Lucius tossed Ginny to the side and started to duel his son. "It's not too late, you have been brain washed by this chit of a girl. Kill her now and all will be forgiven." Lucius said as he turned his wand on Ginny who was unable to dodge the crucio he sent at her. She screamed in pain.

"Stop!" Draco yelled and sent curse after curse at his father who had to lift the curse against Ginny to dodge his son's hexes. The duel was fierce for a few moments.

With an almost sad look on his face Lucius said, "Goodbye my son," and began to cast the killing curse on his only son. Draco saw the change in his father's demeanor and knew what was coming.

Draco yelled out the curse before his father could finish his own. Lucius only had time to mutter Adva before Draco screamed, "Adva Kedvara" with all the hate he could muster at his father who was prepared to kill him because he wouldn't join the dark lord. Draco cried out in anguish as his father fell to the ground dead with eyes wide.

The door to the tower had burst open as Draco killed his father and Harry rushed in. He had heard Ginny's silent call for help in his mind and had rushed to save her. He realized he had been too late. Ginny rushed to Draco and held him to try and comfort him. Dumbledore and Snape appeared seconds later as the wards had alerted them to the use of unforgivables in the tower.

Draco was a mess. He had just murdered his father. He may not have agreed with his beliefs but he was still his father and it hurt that he was dead and that he was to blame. He couldn't even realize that Ginny was consoling him or that Snape and Dumbledore and Harry were taking in the whole scene.

"What went on here?" Snape asked.

"I heard Ginny's calls for help in my head. She kept saying that Lucius had her, I could tell she was scared and rushed up here in time to see Lucius start the killing curse on Draco but somehow Draco sensed what his father was going to do and beat him to it. Ginny had crucio put on her by Lucius as well, I could feel it." Harry told them.

Dumbledore magically raised Malfoy's dead body from the floor and had Harry help Ginny and Snape help Draco to the hospital wing. While Poppy checked out Ginny and Snape forced Draco to take a dreamless sleep potion Dumbledore called in the ministry. Tonks was summoned as well since she was still an active auror.

By the time Arthur and Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived everyone but Draco was in the headmaster's office. Ginny had been given a clean bill of health but was still visibly shaken and clinging to Harry like her life depended on it.

"What happened Ginny?" Her father asked her carefully. "We need the entire story so we can figure out what to do with the situation."

"Draco's father grabbed me and said I was the reason he had gone soft. He told Draco that he was taking us to the dark revel tonight and I was going to be the entertainment and then Draco was going to have to kill me to prove his loyalty and receive the dark mark." Harry gasped and grabbed a hold of her tighter.

"Draco and him started dueling then after Draco told him he wouldn't take the mark. Then Lucius crucioed me and Draco yelled and fought harder. His father tried to kill him but Draco got his curse off faster." Ginny finished and then started crying.

"We'll need to see her memory to witness the fight. We will speak with young Malfoy when he wakes up." Kingsley said and Ginny got up and deposited her memory in the pensive and sat back down. Mrs. Weasley showed up then and rushed to her daughter and took her in her arms. The rest of the group including Harry approached the pensive to find out what happened. They came out of the pensive looking grave.

"I find Mr. Draco Malfoy to have acted in the best interests of this world. He fought bravely against a death eater bent on destroying the daughter of the Minster and refused to join the Dark Lord." Kingsley stated and the rest agreed. The press would only be told that Lucius broke into Hogwarts to kidnap the Minister's daughter and was killed during the struggle.

Ginny was taken to her room and given dreamless sleep for the night. Harry went off to tell Ron and Hermoine what went on. Mr. Weasley, Dumbledore and Snape went to speak with Draco while Kingsley took Malfoy's body to the ministry to fill out the proper paperwork and inform Mrs. Malfoy. Tonks had the task of informing the rest of the teachers and checking the wards on the castle.

Madame Pomfrey woke Draco who was still shaken by the night's events. Mr. Weasley touched Draco's shoulder. "I am sorry that you had to experience that situation and I wish there was a way to ease your pain. No one should be forced to kill their father. There will be no repercussions for your use of the unforgivable curse, but know that if the situation was different you would be facing serious consequences. The press will not be informed of your role in this and no one will know it was you that took your fathers life. This should keep you free from suspicion by your Slytherin peers. On a more personal note, I want to thank you for your defense of my daughter. You are a true ally and will always be welcome in my house. I owe you my dept for my daughter's life."

"I accept your friendship but not your dept. My family has done horrible things with its money and power. Consider this the first step in restoring the name of Malfoy. I greatly value Ginny's life and will continue to protect her, even if you no longer are minister." Draco told him and the two shook hands.

"Although you cannot be honored for your sacrifice in public, know that you have many here who care for you and will be here if you need council." Dumbledore added.

They left Malfoy to speak with Snape. "There will be many rumors starting tomorrow, I am not sure your allegiance will be able to be kept secret long. I will speak with Miss Delacour and we will create an alibi your peers will accept. We will return shortly." Snape said before leaving to get Gabrielle.

Gabrielle decided they would say they were in the unused classroom on the second floor all night. She didn't care if it tarnished her 'reputation' as long as it kept suspicion away from Draco. They went as far as having Draco purposely give her a love bite on her neck that would be visible evidence of their evening's activities.

Snape was in Dumbledore's office going over their story for when he would be called later. Lucius had mentioned a dark revel tonight so he needed an appropriate story for the Dark Lord on his demise. They decided to say that Lucius had Miss Weasley in his possession and was looking for Draco when he was discovered by Tonks. The two fought and she killed Malfoy. It was believable since she was an auror. Snape was to say that Malfoy must have been weakened by his stay in Azkaban and that is why he failed. He was to also mention that young Malfoy and his girlfriend were both missing from the common room and he could not find them before being summoned.

They had just finished with their story when Snape was summoned. He hurried to the forest to apparate to the location of the dark revel. He hurried forward and bowed before the Dark Lord. "My lord I come before you with ill tidings." Snape spoke quickly so as to get out the statement before being punished for speaking out of turn.

"Tell me of these ill tidings," The snake like man said.

"Lucius Malfoy is dead; he was killed this evening while abducting the daughter of Arthur Weasley." Snape told.

"Tell me more and tell me if his son was involved." Voldemort said.

"No my lord, from what I gather Lucius had apprehended the Weasley girl and was looking for his son when Tonks the DADA teacher and auror found him. It was she that killed Malfoy after he placed the crucio on the girl and attempted the killing curse on the auror. She told me he seemed slower and less powerful. I fear that Azkaban may have slowed his magic my lord and he was unable to survive." Snape told him.

"Were you able to find young Malfoy?" Voldemort asked.

"No my lord, both young Malfoy and his intended were missing from the common room and the other teachers and I hadn't found them before I was summoned. I expect that young Malfoy was on a lets say romantic rendezvous with his intended and they were well hidden so as not be disturbed." Snape finished.

"Very well, you did well in bringing me this information." Voldemort said as Snape made his way to his place in the circle. The revel was over quickly as the news of Malfoy's death spread through the ranks. Snape returned to the school without being subjected to crucio for the first time in many revels.

Chapter 35: Coming to Terms

Draco stayed in the hospital wing the next day so he wouldn't have to deal with the rumors that he was sure were floating around. Crabbe, Goyle and Zabini all came to visit and give their condolences. Draco acted both sad and angry. "If he had only told me he was coming he wouldn't have had to look for me and he would still be alive!" He yelled to his friends.

"He should have told you, everyone in the house knows that you and Gabrielle go off for your alone time at least 3 nights a week!" Zabini told him. "There was nothing you could do."

Gabrielle came in and climbed up onto the bed with Draco and hugged him. He buried his face in her hair and the others left them alone. "Will I ever feel better about this?" He asked her trying not to cry and failing.

"You did the right thing but it will never leave you. After a while the pain will numb." She told him soothingly. "I am sorry about your father. I know that even though he was an evil man that you loved him, he was your family. It's supposed to hurt when you loose a loved one; it shows us that you're human."

"Thank you for being here for me," Draco told her as she wiped his tears away.

"I'll always be here for you Draco," She told him seriously, "I'm your intended, and we'll be together for a long time."

Ginny was a mess the next morning. She was nervous and jumped at the slightest sound. Harry, Ron and Hermione walked her to every class so she did not have to be alone. She was all right until potions class. Potions reminded her of Draco and everything that went on the night before and she started to shake and cry. Snape noticed her having a breakdown. "Miss Weasley, perhaps you should go to the hospital wing and rest for the rest of the day. You are in no state to be working around volatile potions ingredients."

Ginny nodded and started to walk to the door before stopping and realizing she would have to walk alone to the hospital wing. She turned to look at Snape with an unspoken plea to not make her go alone. He saw her look. "Mr. Creevy, please escort Miss Weasley." Ginny gave him the smallest of smiles as it was all she could muster at the moment. She ran to Draco as soon as she was in the wing and hugged him. He pulled her close and they cried together.

"I'm so sorry Draco!" She told him when she had stopped crying. She was still sitting on his bed.

"It's not your fault Red, if he had loved me as much as he should have I never would have been put in that position," he said bitterly.

"I'm sure he loved you," she told him. "It's just that Voldemort is very persuasive. He worms his way into his followers' hearts and turns them black with hate, a lust for power and loathing for muggles and muggle-borns. You father may have had a choice in the beginning but once that snake got is hold in him he was no longer the same man."

"Are you alright? He put you under crucio, are you hurt?" Draco asked her.

"I'm fine; Madame Pomfrey took care of me. I'm worried about you. No one should have to watch their father die let alone have to do it. I wish their was something I could do to ease your pain." She said as another tear fell down her cheek.

"You're my friend, that's enough." He told her as they sat their holding hands.

Gabrielle and Harry showed up soon after they had stopped talking to check on their significant others. Ron and Hermione were guarding the door to watch out for Slytherins. Harry went to the side of the bed that Ginny was sitting on, "I'm very sorry for your loss Malfoy, just know that we are all here for you if you need us." He said shaking the pale blonde boy's hand.

Gabrielle was standing on the other side of the bed watching the interplay between Draco and Ginny. They were holding hands and yet it didn't seem to bother Harry who knew of Draco's feelings for Ginny. She was startled out of her inner musing when Draco took her hand and smiled a small smile at her. "Are you feeling any better?" She asked him as she moved a strand of his hair out of his face.

"A little," he told her, "now that you're here." They smiled at each other and Harry and Ginny took that as their cue to leave.

Ginny walked around the bed and hugged Gabrielle. "I'm so glad he has you to take care of him. He'll need your support more than anyone else's. Take care of him. He saved my life but you're the only one who can make sure he stays safe." She whispered to the Veela before pulling away and leaving the ward with Harry.

"I feel so helpless!" Ginny yelled in frustration when they had left with Ron and Hermione. "He grabbed me and I couldn't do anything to protect myself. What's the point in being so good at dueling if I can't even draw my wand! And what's worse is that I had a bad feeling all day and it got so bad as I walked to the tower that I thought about turning around. I should have listened to myself and stayed away. Then none of this would have happened!" She broke down and started crying again.

Ron took his sister in his arms and led her to Gryffindor tower. Ron comforted his sister while Harry went off to Occlumency lessons with Snape and Hermione went off to Ancient Runes. Tonks had switched his training with Snape since she had to go to the ministry and testify on why she used the killing curse. She informed them all that it was standard procedure. She likened it to when a muggle police officer is questioned after being forced to shoot a suspect and told them not to worry.

"How did you know Miss Weasley was in trouble?" Snape asked Harry once they were in his office and the silencing spell was in place. "You said yesterday that you could hear her calling for help in your head."

"It was like I could hear her thoughts just as if she was talking to me. She was screaming out for help. It was so loud that I couldn't hear anything else and knew I had to get to her and fast." Harry told him.

"Thought projection of such magnitude takes intense magic," Snape told him. "The fact that she was under duress would account for how she was able to project but doesn't account for how you were able to receive when both myself and the Headmaster were unable."

"Could it be my connection to her and she was subconsciously calling out to me not just a general distress call?" Harry asked him.

"Perhaps, but we will begin some thought projection exercises to train your mind to both send and receive. When Miss Weasley is feeling better we will have her learn as well. She was able to learn Occlumency quite quickly so I believe her to have the talent for this as well." They spent the next 2 hours practicing thought projection and by the end of the secession Harry could successfully hear Snape's projected thoughts and feebly send a response.

"That is enough for tonight." Snape told him. "I don't want you trying this on any of your friends and especially not on Miss Weasley until I can give her some instruction. Understood?"

"Yes sir," Harry told him before leaving for dinner.

The four friends ate silently all still processing what had happened the night before. The spent the night doing their homework and trying not to think about everything that had happened. The Slytherins were even worse to the other houses after the death of the elder Malfoy. Even though Draco had not been released from the hospital wing his housemates were already plotting revenge against Ginny and her pack of Gryffindor friends.

Snape and Dumbledore had a meeting that night to determine what to do about the rising Slytherin threat. "I fear for Miss Weasley's safety, even within these walls." Dumbledore said without his customary twinkle.

"The students with ties to the death eaters will want revenge for the loss of one of their own. They will not just target Miss Weasley, they will target all her friends. We will need to watch them carefully and put Mr. Malfoy and Miss Delacour on alert as well. They will be able to notify us of any plots." Snape told him.

"We were lucky last night. Lucius knew how to skirt the wards and enter the castle. We will have to be more careful. I will not allow a student to be harmed in this school." Albus said.

"Perhaps we should increase the number of patrols for teachers and prefects. We should also make sure the prefects patrol in pairs. The wards should be checked as often as possible, perhaps the ghosts can help with that task." Snape suggested.

"What will happen to young Malfoy if his housemates find out the truth or suspect his allegiance with the light?" Dumbledore asked the head of Slytherin.

"It will be a grave situation." Snape said carefully. "There are only a few older students that are suspected of wither having joined or are going to join. The rest are waiting until after they finish school to decide. The 7th years are the ones we will have to concern ourselves with. I believe the 6th years will rally behind Draco as well as some of the younger students. I hope that situation does not arise."

Draco and Gabrielle walked into the Great Hall the next morning holding hands. Draco was still in a daze trying to process that his father was dead at his hand and that he had to act like he was outraged by it for the Slytherins. They sat at the table and Draco received pats on the back and comments like, "We'll get them back," and "They will pay." Her tried to ignore everyone and was doing a good job until mail arrived and his family's owl landed in front of him with a letter from his mother.

Draco,

The funeral will be on Saturday. Professor Snape can escort you. Bring Gabrielle. We will talk more when you arrive.

Mother

It was a short note and he didn't know what to make of it. He expected a long narrative on how their would be hell to pay or at least some emotional outpouring of some sort. He looked at Gabrielle with a shrug as she read the letter and went to speak with Snape.

"My father's funeral will be on Saturday. My mother asked that you accompany me along with Gabrielle." Draco told him and handed him the letter.

"I will make arrangements with the headmaster," Snape told him with a nod. "We will meet in my office tomorrow morning to leave for your manor."

The day went by quickly and everyone was relieved when Tonks arrived back in time for DADA. She told them that the hearing went fine and that she was actually promoted for saving the Minister's daughter. "They promoted your for killing a man?" Hermione asked in shock. "That's barbaric!"

"I know it is, but they felt that my exemplary performance while saving the Minister's only daughter merited a pay increase." She shook her head. "My department head is trying to get on Arthur's good side and thinks it will help. I can't say I mind the raise though, they always seem to skip over me in favor of their male Aurors."

"I heard that the wizarding world was still behind the time on equal rights for women." Hermione said in a huff as she sat down at her desk. Ron and Harry shook their heads and hoped she wouldn't start campaigning again.

"It's not that far behind." Tonks told her. "It's just that they believe men and married women have more influence and therefore it's harder for single women. In fact there are many jobs that single women can't even apply for."

"That is utter discrimination!" Hermione exclaimed. "Why doesn't anyone do anything about it?"

"It's because men have their family name to distinguish them and once a woman marries she carries that name as well. Single women are still considered to be under the care of their fathers until such time that they marry. The discrimination is that the culture believes that until a woman is married her father takes care of her, therefore they need not pay her as much or sometimes even not hire her in favor of a man or married woman." Tonks told her calmly. "As soon as I marry Remus I will most likely get another promotion or pay raise."

"So you're telling me that I have to get married to get a high paying job?" Hermione asked in a huff. "That is just stupid; I have the top grades in this school!"

"But what does it matter Hermione?" Ron asked her. "I thought you wanted to get married." He realized that was the wrong thing to say when her eyes flashed dangerously.

"Of course I want to marry someday. I just never expected to marry right out of school. I want to further my education and have a career before marrying." She told him without noticing the almost hurt look on his face.

Harry sensing the row that could easily start between his two best friends suddenly changed the subject and prayed that class would hurry up and start. "So what are we going to do in Hogsmead tomorrow?" That lightened the mood and they discussed everything they needed to purchase before the bell rang and class started.

Harry had special training with Dumbledore after classes and hurried off. He always enjoyed learning from the Headmaster. He felt special being taught by the greatest wizard of the age. "We are going to focus on detecting magic now," Albus told him. "You are quickly mastering performing wand less magic. Now let's see how well you do at detecting magic around you. I need you to sit, clear your mind and focus on the room. See if you can sense any magic, then tell me what you feel."

Harry sat and did as he was told. He was excited about learning something new. He concentrated on the room. As he did so, he started to feel the room around him in a new way. It was as if the room was forming in his mind. Suddenly he could sense the magic flowing through the room. It was like a steady hum, very soothing. Then he started to notice small ripples in the magic of the room. As he focused on a ripple he realized it was a concentration of magic. The magic was concentrated to the side of the headmaster's desk as well as on a shelf father back in the room but the most concentration was around the professor himself. It was as if he radiated magic. Harry told him what he felt.

"Very good Harry. The magic you are sensing is latent magic or a magical signature if you will. The more powerful the wizard or magical creature the more concentrated their magical signature will be. Try again and see if you can determine what it is that is giving off the signature."

Harry concentrated harder and started to make out what was causing the smaller ripples. "The one by the desk is Fawks and the one on the shelf is the sorting hat," He said not seeing the smile on the old man's face.

"Wonderful, now keep your concentration and tell me what you see." Dumbledore said as he took out his wand and levitated one of his silver objects in the air.

Harry was in awe, he could feel the magic now coming from his professor. It was a colorful blue tinted line that was stretching between the man and the object. "It's like a blue line coming from you and to the silver thing." Dumbledore then transfigured the silver object into a rabbit. "That was a dark turquoise colored beam and the bunny appears as turquoise in my mind, like I know it shouldn't be a bunny at all." Dumbledore then cast a confundus charm on the rabbit making Harry gasp. "That felt weird, it's hard to explain, but it was like I needed to protect the bunny or something. The magic was an orange beam." Dumbledore pointed his wand at the rabbit again and performed a stunning spell. Harry stiffened and shouted out a protection spell over the bunny using his wand less magic. He looked at the headmaster with wide eyes. "I could feel the spell, it was red and almost seemed alive and my urge to act to protect the bunny was strong."

"The magic that can hurt another usually appears as warm colors like reds, oranges, magentas and yellows. The other magics appear as cool colors like blues, greens, and purples. Healing magics will appear as white or translucent color and dark magic will appear black." Dumbledore told him. "You are a powerful wizard Harry. I know I keep telling you that but most wizards never learn to sense the magic that surrounds them. If you keep practicing, the sense will become second nature and you will be able to feel it at all times. For homework I want you to keep a list of everything that you see that has been magically altered. All objects like that will show that glow like the rabbit. When we meet Friday you can give me your list. Now have a good weekend."

Harry's brain was full of all the new knowledge he had learned. He could sense the magic of the school; it was a very calming feeling. When he reached the common room he practiced again. He could sense all the students and their magic. It was interesting to see whose magic signature was the strongest. Hermione and Ginny's signatures were strong it was hard to tell then apart since they were sitting next to each other reading. Ron had a strong signature as well, but not nearly as strong as the girls. Harry also noticed a glow on the wall next to the fireplace. The wall was glowing as if it had been magically altered; he decided to investigate it later. He made his list of the items in the room that had been altered before turning his attentions back to his friends.

Ginny got up from the couch and came over to sit in his lap. He sat and talked to Ron for a while before noticing that she had fallen asleep in his arms. The common room was starting to clear out to go to dinner so he took his opportunity and headed for the stairs with Ginny in his arms. "Hey mate, don't forget that you can't go up there. I don't think she'll want to wake up to you sliding back down here."

Harry just grinned and made his way to the base of the girls' stairs. He used his power filled voice and commanded the stairs, "Let me up," then walked up to lay Ginny on her bed. He tucked her in and headed down to dinner. Ron and Hermione were just staring at him when he came back down. "What? You knew I could do stuff like that."

The Golden Trio made their way down to dinner discussing their DADA homework. Hermione was complaining about not being able to spend the weekend in the library since it was a Hogsmead weekend. "Honestly Hermione sometimes I think you don't ever want to spend time with me," Ron whined.

"Ron you know that the most important thing to me right now is my studies. Please don't make a big deal out of this." She sighed knowing he wasn't going to let it go that easily.

"There is more to life than books and homework Hermione. You need to relax and have a little bit of fun once in a while!" Ron told her.

"I do have fun once in a while Ronald, why do you think I'm going to Hogsmead with you tomorrow?" She huffed.

"Because the library is going to be closed so Madame Pince can watch over the Slytherins while Snape is away." Ron told her, "I know that we would have to drag you with us otherwise. I just don't get it Hermione, why don't you want to spend time with me?"

"Ron, you're blowing this whole thing out of proportion. Now I'm going to go study before either of us says something we'll regret." She told him as she tossed her hair over her shoulder and marched out of the room.

"What's up with you two?" Harry asked curiously. "You've been arguing more and more recently."

"I'm just frustrated." Ron sighed. "I think I'm in love with her but I'm not sure she feels the same. Sometimes it is as if we are still only friends. We hold hands and she'll lean up against me on the couch or let me put my arm around her but we rarely ever kiss. When we do kiss it's a short peck on the lips or a quick brush on the cheek. She only ever kisses me when there is reason for it and I can count on one hand how many times that have been." Ron looked down at his plate dejectedly.

Harry looked at his friend with wide eyes. How had he missed that? He just assumed that Ron and Hermione's relationship was as great as his and Ginny's was. "Hermione is just shy. Maybe she doesn't want to rush into anything. The only other boy that's ever been interested in her was Krum and she told Ginny that she never really liked him but didn't have anyone else to go to the ball with and that is why she said yes."

"I know she doesn't want to rush anything, but I thought she wanted a relationship. After her comments to Tonks I'm not so sure she does." Ron said.

"What comments?" Harry asked trying to remember the conversation.

"She said she thought that it was horrible that society didn't give better jobs to single witches. She said that she didn't want to get married right out of school and that she wanted to further her education and have a career before marrying." Ron told him.

"Well that sounds like our Hermione, she wants to make all her dreams come true before settling down and starting a family. What's wrong with that?" Harry asked.

"I just thought that we would get married after school. You would marry Ginny and I would marry Hermione. The two of us would go to auror training while the girls went on to do whatever they want to do. Ginny to be a potions mistress and Hermione on to get 4 degrees and the highest marks the university had ever seen. I never really thought about her wanting to wait until after that to marry." Ron said with a sigh.

"Have you two ever talked about this?" Harry asked him curiously. "I mean we are kind of young to be planning our weddings."

"No we never discussed it. I just can't help but feel that she and I are growing apart. It's almost to the point we were at before we started dating. I just feel like her chum not her boyfriend. I wish we could have what you and Ginny have. The two of you just exude love to each other. To tell you the truth, your relationship makes me jelous that I don't have that kind of love." Ron said hanging his head and not meeting Harry's eye.

"Let's do something special for the girls then tomorrow. I'll get us a table at the Italian restaurant in Hogsmead and we'll treat them to a nice lunch. Then we can go for a carriage ride around town or you can take Hermione to the book store and Gin and I can find something to do if you want some alone time." Harry told him. "Maybe if you show her how much you want the relationship to work she will be more receptive. At least you might get a kiss out of the whole thing!" The boys spent the rest of the night planning the date for the next day and sent owls to the girls requesting their presence for lunch. Ginny slept the whole night and Hermione was still hiding in the library so they had plenty of time to plan out their romantic rendezvous.

Chapter 36: Attack on the Village

Ginny smiled when she woke up the next morning. She had slept peacefully with no bad dreams. She rolled over in bed and wondered how she got there. She remembered cuddling up with Harry on his chair and starting to feel sleepy but nothing after that. She shrugged and got up. She noticed the note from Harry on her bed table. There was a light purple rose and an invitation to lunch at the Italian restaurant. She smiled and put on her favorite purple robes and did her hair and makeup. She liked how Harry liked to spoil her and she did need to keep her mind off of what happened. She met Hermione in the common room and saw she was more dressed up than normal as well. "Did you get an invitation to lunch as well?" Ginny asked her with a smile.

"Yes. I'm looking forward to some Italian food." The girls talked for a few minutes until the boys tromped down the stairs wearing nice robes. Harry was in his green silk with the Potter crest and Ron in deep maroon almost black that his mother had recently sent him, even though he hates maroon.

Ron walked up to Hermione and kissed her hand. "You look beautiful this morning, and every morning for that matter." He told her making her smile. He loved her smile and realized her needed to do more to make her smile, not just take her for granted.

"Shall we go to breakfast love?" Harry asked Ginny and offered his arm to escort her to the Great Hall. There were many students at breakfast since everyone was excited for the Hogsmead visit.

Remus walked by and noticed the group in their nice robes and smiled. "You ladies look lovely this morning. I expect you two gentlemen to be on your best behavior today." He winked at Harry and went to sit next to Tonks at the head table. Although they were engaged they still kept their relationship quiet. They didn't hide it exactly but they avoided any public displays of affection to keep the rumors down. They were happy and content with their relationship and didn't want any scrutiny placed on it yet. Remus was sure that there would be concerned parents so they weren't going to announce anything until they were married. They were getting married the week after school got out and planned on spending half the summer traveling Europe for their honeymoon.

"They look like they are going to have a good time today," Tonks said smiling at her fiancé. "Even Hermione looks happy to be leaving the library."

"Did you know that Harry already plans on asking Ginny to marry him once he finishes school?" Remus asked her.

"Yes, and I heard that she had a vision of their wedding." Tonks told him with a smile. "She hasn't been wrong yet so it looks like he will actually get up the nerve."

"I just hope he remembers that they are both young and not to rush certain aspects of the relationship. They are both only 16." Remus commented.

"Don't spoil their fun old man. Ginny won't let the relationship go that far. She is a strong minded girl and will put her foot down. She is a lot like her mother in that regard," Tonks laughed as the group headed to the entrance hall to be signed out.

The four stepped out of the castle and headed toward the carriages that would carry them down to Hogsmead. Ginny gasped and buried her head in Harry's cloak starting to cry. She calmed as the climbed into the carriage. "It's so startling to actually see them when just last time I couldn't. I liked the idea of invisible horses better than them. They are so strange looking. I can't believe that's what we rode on last year."

Harry finally realized she was talking about the thestrals. She had seen Lucius Malfoy die and could see them now. He hugged her closer to him. "Shh, it's ok love. They are actually very gentle creatures. Nothing to worry about."

"Yes, but Harry†I can see them. I hoped I'd never be able to and now I'm only 16 and have had to watch someone die in front of me in the worst possible way. How did you handle it? I hated Malfoy and yet to see him die still haunts my dreams. In my dreams it's Draco that dies not his father. In my dreams Draco wasn't fast enough and his father killed him and then he turns his wand on me and I wake up as a flash of green light is shooting towards me." Ginny told him.

Harry looked to Ron and Hermione for support. Ron had his arm around Hermione who was trying not to cry. Ron himself had no idea what to say to make his sister better. Hermione moved over next to Ginny and hugged her tight. "You don't have to worry about that man hurting you anymore. He's tried to hurt you too many times, but never again. He's dead and won't be able to hurt anyone ever again." That seemed to be the right thing to say as both girls hugged once more and stopped crying.

"I say we head to Zonko's first for some laughs. Besides Fred and George gave me flyers to pass out when we are in there with their mail order catalog info on them." Ginny told the group as the carriage arrived in Hogsmead.

They spent the morning shopping and looking around town. They handed out all the flyers before they headed off to make their lunch reservation. On their way to the restaurant they passed a vacant building and Ginny had chills run up her spine. She tried to shake off the feeling but it wouldn't go away. "There's something odd going on in there." She told them all, "I can feel it."

They made it to the restaurant and were seated at their best table. The chef came out to great Harry and the Minister's children and suggested his specialty for lunch. The four agreed to let the chef chose their menu and sat happily chatting about different things to pass the time. "It's still weird to be treated like that." Ron told them. "I'm still used to being overlooked. This whole celebrity by association with both the boy-who-lived and my father is getting kind of strange."

"Try being famous for something you barely remember. At least with you they only think you're normal. Some of these people treat me like I'm some sort of god. It's bloody annoying at times." Harry said laughing.

"At least they still ignore me!" Hermione laughed. "I'd hate to think of what I'd have to do to get treated like the three of you!"

"You mean like 'There goes Hermione Granger, she had the highest NEWTs ever and managed to read the entire Hogwarts library restricted section and all while at school." Ron joked with her.

"No it would have to be something to get her into the society pages for anyone to notice. Like she'd have to marry one of the titled purebloods or be discovered as a pureblood herself." Ginny told them all realistically. "Just because she probably will get the highest ever NEWTs and has read the entire library doesn't mean that the gossip society will take any notice. Although they did do a good number on you after the whole Krum/Harry love triangle thing."

"I still can't stand that Skeeter woman, even if she did write that article for Harry last year in the Quibber." Hermione told them all which made everyone laugh.

"So what will it be Hermione, marry a pureblood lord or find out you're a pureblood?" Harry asked with a wink.

"It'll have to be marrying the handsome and ever so wealthy stuck up pureblood lord because I look way to much like my family to have been adopted and I think I would have noticed if my parents were wizards." She laughed, not noticing the sour look on Ron's face at the topic of discussion. Ron was about to say something that would most likely ruin their lunch when Ginny went rigid in her seat and then started to sway.

Harry held her until she came out of her vision. She opened her eyes, they were wide with fear. She jumped up and ran to the floo connection across the restaurant and contacted Dumbledore. "Sir, I just had a vision of Hogsmead being attacked. I saw Hermione in it fighting off death eaters wearing the same robes she's wearing now. It's today sir, you have to call for help." She had just finished saying that when there was a scream from outside. "They're here, hurry!" She said and jumped to her feat to join her friends who had heard her conversation and were already at the door with wands drawn. They raced out to protect the younger students.

They raced over to the side of town where most of the students gathered. As they neared the vacant shop they realized that was the entry point for the death eaters. Ginny's bad feeling had been right again. They started to fight the death eaters, shooting stunning spells and tying them with ropes that wouldn't let them apparate. They were quickly joined by Neville and the rest of the EDA (minus Draco). The members of the regular DA were huddling the students who couldn't fight inside the Three Broomsticks and casting group protection spells.

"Well well well if it isn't Potter, the mudblood and the muggle-lovers." A shrill voice said as the death eater made her way closer to them.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Harry growled and saw Neville tense up and look daggers at their mutual enemy. "You should leave now, I can't be held responsible for anything I do to you. You killed my godfather and I would love nothing more than to kill you."

"Poor little Potter. Didn't you learn your lesson last time? You can't cast an unforgivable without meaning it." She cackled.

"Oh I mean it you evil bitch," Harry told her. The whole time they were talking they were sending and blocking each other's hexes. "I'll do whatever it takes to bring you to your knees." He said as he hit her across the face with a slashing hex making her bleed.

The death eaters were dropping like flies against the EDA and were unsuccessful in penetrating the shields and wards the DA had put up around the Three Broomsticks. The fight was not going their way; they had not expected Potter and his classmates to fight back. They were to capture the Minister's daughter and the mudblood, kill the Minister's son and either kill or capture Potter. They were also supposed to kill and hurt as many students as they could. The Dark Lord would not be happy with their progress.

Harry hit Bella with many more curses and was able to deflect or dodge each one of hers. She was growing impatient and frustrated and that was a lethal combination in a mad woman. He knew he needed to finish her before she cast the killing curse on him. "Time to say goodbye baby Potter, it's time to join your mudblood mother." She said raising her arm again. Harry knew it was time to stun her so he shouted the curse. What he didn't realize is that each of his fellow EDA members had heard her comment and each shot a stunner at her as well. In all she was hit by 10 stunners at fairly close range and dropped hard.

Harry and Neville nodded to each other as Neville bound her and they continued the fight. The fight went on for another few minutes before help finally arrived. The professors had first to protect the school and the 1st and 2nd years inside before running down from the castle to help. The battle was almost won by the time the Aurors and professors showed up. The EDA had captured and stunned no less than 35 death eaters when reinforcements arrived and no one in their number had even a scratch. The rest of the students were safely enclosed within the Three Broomsticks waiting for the all clear from their professors to go back to the castle.

Remus raced to Harry and wrapped him in his arms mumbling something about damn Potters always having to play hero. "Dad, I'm fine. We kicked those death eater's butts. Look not a single one of us has a scratch on us!" Harry said prying himself away from his concerned parent. It was a nice feeling to know he was so worried. Tonks had finished hugging the other members and grabbed Harry once Remus let him go.

"If you hadn't just saved the entire village you would be in so much trouble mister!" She told him and he laughed. "That was a great way you organized the DA like that. How did you do it?"

"We have been planning just in case for a while. The DA knew to protect the students at any cost. To band together and use a shielding spell to keep the younger ones. Then myself and a few others would keep the attackers occupied until help arrived. Ginny had already contacted Dumbledore before the attack began so we just had to hold them long enough for you to arrive and get the students to safety." Harry told her calmly. He hated to admit it, but it felt good to duel the death eaters. He loved the feeling of firing off spells at the bad guys.

The students and the DA were sent back to the school with most of the teachers. Tonks, Lupin, McGonagall and Dumbledore stayed behind with the EDA to sort out what happened with the Aurors. "What I don't understand is why the townspeople and shopkeepers didn't come out to help us." Hermione told them. "They just left the students to fend for themselves. If we hadn't been here they could have been massacred!" She was livid and glaring daggers at any of the shop windows she could see.

"It's a sad world we live in Miss Granger. Most people live in fear of the Dark Lord and would never openly challenge the death eaters. In fact the only known people to stay and fight have been Aurors, magical law enforcement and Order members. That is until today when a group of students stood up for themselves and showed the world what they were made of." Dumbledore twinkled.

"They never would have expected such a show of strength. They were unprepared for the assault and had not idea as how to break through the shields and wards the DA put up around the students." Tonks told them. "The reason they have been so successful in their attacks is they instill fear in people and they run. Or they attack when the victim is unprepared to they are unable to fight back."

"That shield was a work of art Mr. Potter," McGonagall told him. "Madame Rosemerta told me that within a minute of the attack your DA members had every student in the area herded into her bar and the shields up. She said they actually stood outside raising and dropping the shields until they got all the students and cast the impenetrable shield. Your training is going very well I see."

Arthur Weasley arrived then with the head Auror to survey the scene. They walked to Dumbledore to find out what went on. "So you're telling me that all these death eaters were captured by Harry Potter and his young friends here?" The head auror said disbelievingly. "Are you sure that the Aurors are not just being modest?" Harry could see Tonks roll her eyes and tried not to laugh in the face of his future boss.

"I am quite certain sir," Harry said with a smirk. "My friends and I were not going to stand around and let some death eater trash walk all over us and our fellow students."

"Are you implying that Harry Potter and Arthur's youngest children were lying?" McGonagall asked him with a dangerous glint in her eye. The man had been a Fudge supporter and was replaceable in her eyes.

"So it was the 10 of you fighting against the Death Eaters while the rest of your friends protected the other students by using magical shielding and huddling them all in the Three Broomsticks?" Arthur asked them as they all nodded in the affirmative.

"May I ask why you felt the need to fight instead of alerting the authorities and joining your classmates in the pub?" The jerk of a head auror asked.

"Ginny alerted Dumbledore before we started fighting. We knew we had to draw the death eaters away from the other students and that is why we fought. As well as the need to kick a little death eater ass and show them that they will not succeed in taking on Hogwarts or its students." Hermione told the rude man.

"And you are?" He asked obviously not impressed.

"Hermione Granger, prefect Gryffindor House." She told him and then pointed out the rest and introduced them as well. "I'm sure you know Ron and Ginny Weasley since you work for their father." Dumbledore just stood to the side and twinkled at his students.

"Sir," one of the Aurors who was taking care of transporting the captured Death Eaters to the ministry came up to him. "There is a problem with one of the death eaters. She is dead sir."

The head auror turned to Harry again. "Would you care to explain Mr. Potter?"

"I assume that is Bellatrix Lestrange he is referring to. She and I dueled and as she started to cast the killing curse both myself and several of my friends stunned her at the same time. Our intention was not to harm her, although I cannot say I am upset about her death." Harry told him smoothly.

"How many of you cast a stunner at her any why?" The auror asked the group. They all raised their hands and even Dumbledore raised his eyebrow at the news. They all retold the comment she made and how she raised her wand and how they thought she was about to kill Harry and had to do something to protect him. The students were allowed to return to the school after another round of questions and a promise that they would answer any further questions that auror Tonks may decide to ask later.

"I don't think it was a coincidence that today was Lucius Malfoy's funeral and the day they chose to attack. They were trying to get payback for loosing one of their own." Ginny commented on the walk back up to school. Even the teachers looked at her with interest. "What other weekend would have so few Slytherins in attendance and it would have been a good show of strength on their part had it succeeded."

"Voldemort is going to be pissed off now," Harry added. "He doesn't like to lose or to have his plans thwarted; besides the fact that we permanently took out another member of his inner circle. He has lost two of his most devoted servants this week; that really only leaves him with Wormtail since the rest will be rotting in Azkaban. Such a shame." Harry said with a smirk.

The school was very quiet when they arrived back. The Headmaster escorted them into the Great Hall where the students were waiting. The entire hall broke into applause, even the Slytherins who had been in town were clapping. Many Slytherins were upset that they hadn't been given warning are were considered the same as the rest of the students. Dumbledore made his way to the front of the hall to speak to the students about what transpired.

"A great tragedy was avoided today. The death eaters attack was a response to the death of Lucius Malfoy a convicted death eater who was killed while trying to abduct Miss Weasley earlier this week. Voldemort wanted to instill fear into the hearts of the students here at Hogwarts. He assumed that you would all run and panic and that no one would come to your rescue until it was too late. I am very proud to say that he underestimated all of you. You all banded together and many of you risked your lives to protect your fellow students. For the past two years a group of students had banded together to form a defense club that would teach them the skills needed to defend themselves and the rest of the school from the vary threat we experienced today." The hall was silent at this realizing that was why those specific students seamed to know what to do in such a situation.

"This club has had to be kept silent to keep the rumors of its existence from the death eaters. I am now proud to be able to recognize those students. The majority in this club were the students responsible for the powerful shields and wards that kept you all safe within the Three Broomsticks. To each of you I award 20 points to your house for your courage under pressure. The remaining members of this group are the ones that kept both you and the townspeople from harm by fighting back." There was a small murmur through the students as they tried to get better looks at Harry and his little group.

"This group of 10 extraordinary students took out 37 death eaters. While Voldemort's servants did not hesitate to use dark curses your fellow classmates kept to simple stunning and disarming spells as well as anti-apparation binding spells. Will these 10 students please come forward when I call your name." He called each of them and they stood up in order of Harry, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Neville, Colin, Dennis, Luna, Hannah, and Justin.

"Each of you will be receiving an award for special services to the school and 50 points each for your house. As a special treat for everyone we will have a feast and informal ball next Saturday night." Dumbledore finished as the students cheered. He decided that a ball would be just what was needed to keep their spirits up. It would take the attack off their minds and help them get back to the normal routine faster. "Curfew for 1st through 3rd years will be the same as normal on Saturday but will be extended for those 4th through 7th years who attend the ball until 11 pm. Now dinner will be brought up to your common rooms tonight. You all will go directly to your common rooms now and stay there for the night. The castle wards need to be adjusted in light of recent events and any student out of their common room will be severely punished. I just need to speak with the 10 of you before you join your classmates." He then dismissed the hall.

Harry smiled at Ginny and leaned into her and whispered, "Will you be my date for the ball?" She grinned and nodded before winking at him.

Dumbledore led them all into the room off of the hall where the champions had gathered for the Tri Wizard tournament. "There will be reporters here to take your stories tomorrow afternoon. These are ministry paid reporters so they will not skew your words. We will also have ministry guests that will want to talk to your and perhaps honor your efforts at the feast next weekend. I just wanted you all to be ready. I also want to thank you all for what you did. I know that I revealed the DA but you are free to continue with your EDA training. I believe we may need to move DA sessions to the Great Hall now that the club is out in the open." He sent them back to their common rooms after that.

Harry smiled as they passed the points hourglasses. Gryffindor had 350 points more than the closest house. Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were about even but still had over 100 points more than Slytherin since no one from Slytherin had earned points that night.

Chapter 37: Meanwhile at Malfoy Manor

Professor Severus Snape escorted Draco and Gabrielle to Malfoy manor early Saturday morning so that Draco could spend some time with his mother before the funeral. Gabrielle was nervous about meeting Mrs. Malfoy and seeing the manor where she would end up living. Draco could sense Gabrielle's nervousness and took her hand as they finished stepping out of the carriage in front of the beautiful white brick manor.

"I would advise that you act as if you are entirely depressed over your father's passing so you will not have to speak with the death eaters that I am sure will be here." Snape told Draco. "And Miss Delacour should stay by your side at all times to prevent any of them from being inadvertently attracted by Veela charms."

"Thank you for the advice sir, and thank you for coming with us. I didn't want to have to face them alone." Draco told them before opening the front door. The entry hall was beautiful and Gabrielle couldn't help but stare at the black marble floors and tall ceilings. They were met by a small house elf who took their cloaks and escorted them into the parlor where they were told the 'Mistress' was waiting.

Mrs. Malfoy sat on a long green velvet sofa wearing an elegant black gown and clutching a handkerchief. She made an impressive grieving widow. She rose and walked to her son when they arrived in the room. "Draco dearest," She said as she surprised him by hugging him fiercely.

"Hello mother," he said still stunned from her display of affection. Growing up he had always been told that Malfoys don't show emotion, to show emotion shows weakness. It was a popular pure-blood philosophy. In fact Severus' father had spouted the same to him as a child.

"Narcissa," Snape said bowing slightly to acknowledge the lady of the house.

"Severus, thank you for escorting Draco," She told him.

"It was the least I could do after your tragedy," Severus responded smoothly. Most people wouldn't have guessed he could be so polite when needed.

"Mother, may I present to you my girlfriend and intended, Miss Gabrielle Delacour." Draco said as he placed an arm around Gabrielle's small shoulders.

"It is an honor to meet you Mrs. Malfoy. It grieves me our introduction had to take part under such circumstances," Gabrielle said as she gave a small courtesy. Both Draco and Snape were impressed with her tone and formality. She had obviously been raised well and knew the proper way to address someone of Mrs. Malfoy's station.

"The honor is mine, and please call me Narcissa as we are to be family," She said to the girl as they all took seats on the sofas.

"You wanted to speak with me mother?" Draco asked her hoping to get any unpleasant business taken care of quickly.

"Yes," She said stalling as she glanced at Snape warily. Draco saw the look and realized she was uncomfortable speaking in front of Snape which was odd as he visited regularly.

"Please mother, I'm sure whatever it is can be said in front of Professor Snape. I trust that he will not reveal anything you may wish to say." Draco said hoping to sooth her.

"I guess it doesn't matter if he's here. You'll probably have a worse reaction yourself." She said with a sigh before continuing on. "Your father was a very possessive man Draco and he was power hungry. I'm not sure you know how far his thirst for power and control went."

"Please, hold on for a moment Narcissa," Snape said before standing and checking the room for any listening devices or spells as well as warding it against those things and erecting a silencing spell. "I just made sure the room was secure before you said anything that may have been misconstrued by anyone who was listening. Please continue."

Draco gave him a nod before she continued speaking. "Your father and I had an arranged marriage. I was forced to marry him to create a bond between the Malfoy line and the Noble House of Black. You father has always been a cruel man. He was learning dark magic before he learned to walk. He was the type of man who wanted a wife who would obey him and not think for herself. I was not that type of woman. I had very good marks at Hogwarts, top of my class actually, and was used to thinking for myself. Even though I was a Black, I was not trained in any dark magic. That was for the men in our family, even though Bellatrix learned them anyway." Draco was wondering where this story was going. From the sound of it she was about to make some startling revelation. He had never heard his mother talk so much in his life and she almost looked content and relaxed instead of tense and snotty as she usually was.

"Needless to say Lucius was not happy with me when we first married." She told them. "He would hit me repeatedly if I ever talked back or offered my opinion or even spoke without permission. After two months I was fed up with it and told him so. I told him that I was leaving and going back to my parents the next day. That was about 20 years ago." She sighed and took in their expressions. Draco's lips were pursed thin, Gabrielle had wide eyes and a Severus was blank of emotion as always.

"As you can see, I didn't get away." She told them. "That night he came to my room and forced a potion down my throat. That was my last moment of independent thought until Thursday. Every day he would feed me the potion. While he was in Azkaban he had his house elf feed it to me."

"What did the potion do? What is it called?" Draco asked curious now.

"The potion made me dependent on your father. It was a lot like the Imperius curse except that I couldn't resist it or build up a tolerance. In addition I could still function normally except I would do what your father said." She told him. "I'm sorry I was never there for you son, but I was told to keep my distance. He wanted to raise you to be just like him and threatened to kill me if I interfered, like I was even capable of interfering. I haven't held my wand in 20 years, he took it away from me that first night. He dictated who my friends were, what I wore, what we ate, every aspect of my life. The potion is a very dark potion, all his commands would last until he negated them with a new one. For example he commanded me not to speak unless spoken to and that command lasted almost two years until we had a dinner party and ran out of champagne. I wasn;t allowed to tell him about it since he hadn't asked. He had to then modify the command to allow me to inform him of important things quietly in private. He also had to modify it when you were born so that I could greet you and sing you to sleep. The day after he died was the happiest of my life."

"Why were you worried of my reaction?" Draco asked her softly. He couldn't imagine living your life like that. His father had placed him under imperio once to demonstrate its power and that one time was enough.

"You are your father's son and are loyal to the Dark Lord already even though thankfully you haven't taken his mark. The reason I told you all this is so that you will learn what an awfull man your father was and stay away from the darkness. Draco you are an amazingly bright wizard, don't throw your life away by following after some crazy man who will end up killing us all in the end." She pleaded with him. "If you don't do it for me then do it for Gabrielle. If you take that mark it will turn you completely evil. There is no escape once he has your loyalty. You are too independent to let him take away your freedom." She finished and then looked at Snape in fear. "I've finished now so you can do whatever it is you plan on doing to me."

"While you may supect that I would be upset at hearing the Dark Lord spoaken to in such tones, I do not share Lucius' view of him. I may bare the mark but I am not a complete slave to it." Snape said and stood from the couch to pace the room.

"What should we do about this sir?" Draco asked him curiously. "She will have to still play the part that she has for so many years. If she stopped the Dark Lord and his followers would notice and come to investigate." He also rose and paced the room leaving the two women to sit on the couch and think. Gabrielle thought of the situation and Narcissa thought on the behavior of those in the room. She had definitely not thought they would help her, especially Severus who was a known Death Eater.

"Narcissa you are going to have to fake being upset about your husbands death. It would be best if you seem too upset to speak with anyone. Stay near Draco at the service or if you speak with anyone make sure you don't let anything slip. If the Dark Lord found out that people could be so easily controlled with a potion none of us would be safe ever again. He would start by feeding it to those he wanted to control and with his crazy ambition he could soon control the entire country." Snape said, still pacing. "I need access to his personal lab so I can find a sample of the potion and destroy all evidence of the rest."

Narcissa snapped her fingers and an elderly but regal looking elf appeared. "Show Professor Snape to Lucius' private lab," she told the elf.

"No one is allowed in master's lab. You do not have the authority to command me." The elf said with an air of importance that could only have been learned from a Malfoy.

"You will respect my mother or you will be given clothes," Draco sneered at his father's personal elf. "Voltin, you will take the Potions Master to my father's lab now. I am now the master of this house and you will obey me. As soon as you do that gather the rest of the elves and bring them to the ballroom where I wish to speak with them all."

"Yes master," the elf said looking sad that he had to take Snape to Lucius' private hideaway.

"Are you sure we can trust him?" His mother whispered once Snape was out of hearing range.

"Yes mother," Draco told her as he took her hand. "I would trust him with my life."

Lucius' private lab was impressive. Even more impressive than his own lab at school. But then Lucius didn't have Dumbledore looking over his shoulder and could brew as many questionable and dark potions as he wished. Lucius had copius notes on the Imperio Potion as he called it. "How Original," Snape thought sardonically. The potion was one he had obviously been working on since he was quite young. The original notes looked to be those of his father who had been a potions master. That would explain how Lucius figured out such a complicated brew.

Snape found a box of vials of the potion and shrunk them to take back for testing. He also shrunk all the notes and took those as well. What he found the most interesting is the notes on the antidote potion for incase he was accidentally slipped it or if there was an accident in the lab. Snape hoped the potion would help counteract the actuall Imperius curse. Snape then cleaned the lab of any traces of the potion and checked the desk for any other notes.

When he came across a warded cabinet in the corner he knew there was something good in it. The lab was completely hidden and surrounded with impenetrable wards, why would he then need a warded cabinet? The lab was so hidden there was no way to know it existed if you weren't told about it. He finally broke the wards after 10 minuites of 'foolish wandwaving' and was rewarded for his effort. It seemed like the complete history of the death eaters was in front of him. There were complete lists of members. There were financial records of bribes at the ministry including contact information on the bribed official and other information suitable for blackmail. There were biographies of every death eater some with the number of committed kills, rapes and tortures. This was the key to the undoing of the death eaters. Lucius even had spyware in the ministry that automatically updated the information.

Sanpe was happy to see that his file was void of any suspissions of his loyalty. In fact it seemed that the Dark Lord tourtured him so much not because he didn't trust him but because he worked for Dumbledore. There were even files on those individuals that the death eaters were hoping to recruit. The only name that surprised him was Percy Weasley. The fact that Fudge was on the death eater payroll didn't surprise him but he didn't think they would be interested in a Weasley. It seems as if Percy wasn't taking the estrangement from his family well. There were recorded conversations between him and Pemelope Clearwater, who was his girlfriend, where Percy lamented that he was too proud to admit he was wrong nad if his family didn't want him back it was fine with him and he would build a new family. That was the approach the death eaters were taking. One of the mid level members had befriended Percy at work and the two had fast become friends. They expected Percy to be ready to join in two months time. He would have to have Albus talk with that boy!

Voltin the house elf appeared after an hour to inform him that the funeral guests were to arrive shortly and his presense was requested by master Draco. Snape re-warded the cabinet to be safe from curious house elves and only able to be opened by him, Draco and Dumbledore. He needed to keep the information there so it would automaticly update but he didn't want anyone else to stumble upon it.

The funeral guests started arriving shortly after Snape returned to the parlor. Draco had finished addressing the house elves and they were all aware that he was the master of the house now and that in his absence that his mother was in charge. He also demoted Voltin to a regular house elf and promoted Slink to head elf. Slink was Draco's elf and had always done as Draco said, he had not been corrupted by Lucius.

The funeral was a small affair. Few people attended the funeral of a death eater, even if it was for a Malfoy. Arthur Weasley showed much to the surprise of all the other guests. "Minister, thatnk you for coming," Draco said solemnly. He was playing the depressed son very well and Narcissa was playing it up as well by hanging on her son's arm as if she would faint if she let go. Gabrielle just nodded to each guest or shook the hands of those who offered, she was standing on the other side of Draco.

"I am very sorry for your loss Mr. Malfoy. Although your father and I did not get along I wanted to assure you that I do not hold you or the rest of your family responsible for his actions." Arthur told Draco as the shook hands and Arthur went off to see if he recognized anyone there. He was going to see just who was on the Malfoy payroll.

Half an hour into the service a frazzled looking messenger from the ministry came running in and up to the minister. "Hogsmead is under attack by death eaters! The aurors have been dispatched but we have not heard any more news." This announcement was met with mixed emotions by the present crowd. Gabrielle gasped and clutched onto Draco who had enough practice schooling his features that he didn't give away his shock and sadness. He wondered how many of his new friends he would loose in the attack.

Many of the dark side sympathizers were trying to mask their smirks and smiles while thse loyal to the ministry were in shock and dismay at the next comment of the messagnger. "It's a Hogsmead weekend for the students sir!" Arthur was out of his seat and half-way to the door after that as well as the other ministry officials present.

Snape had been wondering why more of the death eaters had failed to show up to the funeral. He also wondered why he was not informed of the attack and hoped the Dark Lord did not suspect him, but most of all he hoped the students were safe. He knew none of the residents of the town would defend the students and the younger ones would be lambs to the slaughter.

Draco told the official to quickly finish the service so they could get to the graveyard. 10 minuites later they had Lucius Malfoy in the ground and informed the guests that the luncheon was canceled in light of the new circumstances. The Malfoys, Snape and Gabrielle were the only ones to return to the manor. "I should have known they wouldn't just stand by when one of the inner circle was murdered," Snape said. "I just don't know why they didn't summon me as well. It doesn't make sense. I haven't done anything to fall out of favor."

"Perhaps it was because you were my escort sir and they wanted to keep both of us out of it so we wouldn't be suspected. I'm sure the Dark Lord would not want you to loose Dumbledore's faith in you by having you attack your own students." Draco told him as they sat in the parlor.

"The floo connection is secure, you can contact Hogwarts from here if you like." Narcissa said as she put her arm around Gabrielle who was trembling. "It'll be allright dear. I'm sure your friends are fine."

Suddenly Snape's mark began to burn. "I'm being summoned," he told them as he transfigured his robes and took a coaster from the table and transfigured it to the mask. "You two stay here. Do not allow any visitors unless they are one of the professors or a Weasley." He then ran to the door to apparate to the Dark Lord's side.

He arrived in an abandoned barn to see the Dark Lord standing in front of him with Wormtail at his side. Snape bowed to the ground and kissed his 'master's' robes. "Rise my son, soon you will take your place at my side alone with the rest of my most faithfull. My faithfull servants are attacking the village of Hogsmead as we speak. They will bring me the Potter boy and we will finish him once and for all. What say you of that my son?" Voldemort asked in an almost tender way.

Snape was concerned, Voldemort had called him his son twice and was asking for his opinon. This was a totally new experience for him and it made him weary. He made sure his barriers were up and he was only allowing proper dark thoughts in his head. "You victory is at hand my lord, what may I do to serve you?" Snape asked hoping to avoid crucio for once and really hoping he wouldn't be killed.

"I wish you to take Lucius' place in my inner circle my son. I know how anxious you are to serve me but I could not have you discovered at the attack on the village. I am happy you escprted the young Malfoy. That old fool Dumbledore will never suspect you to be one of my servants if you have an alibi for the time of the attack. Your new place in the circle is at my left side. Rise Severus and we will wait together for their return." Voldemort told him. Severus was trying his best not to shake. He had never heard the man talk that much without cursing something. He dared a look at Wormtail who seemed upset about the preferential treatment Snape was getting.

They had stood for less than 5 minuites when death eaters started appearing. Snape could tell the battle had gone poorly as they were all hesitant to step forward and a few were being supported by others. Finally a low ranking death eater came forward and laid completely prostrate before Voldemort. "Forgive me my lord but I have failed you. We were unable to capture Potter or the two girls. They fought us." The death eater stopped talking and started screaming as he was hit with a crucio from Voldemort's wand.

"What happened?" He hissed dangerously peering at the rest of his followers and demanding they show their respect and answer his question.

"My lord," Another death eater said from his bowing position on the ground. "Potter and his friends countered our attack. The 5th, 6th, and 7th years from the other houses banded together to protect the younger students. They gathered them all into the Three Broomsticks and erected an impenetrable shield. Potter and a group of his friends fought us until the aurors arrived. They stunned and bound many of us and only a few of us were able to get away and back to you my lord. Please forgive me for my failure." Severus finally recognized the boy as Clayton Bagman the 7th year Slytherin that was defeated by Neville Longbottom in the dueling competition and the young cousin of Ludo Bagman the former head of Magical Games and Sports at the ministry.

Voldemort tortured each remaining death eater while trying to determine who was left of his circle. Snape realized that the Lestranges had not returned as well as McNair, Avery, Nott, Crabbe and Goyle. If Snape was figuring correctly the only members of the inner circle left were Wormtail and himself. Voldemort turned to him, "Severus my son, you must return and see young Malfoy back to school. Find out what you can about the attack." He then touched Snape's mark and it was all he could do not to yell out in pain as the touch scoarched his skin. "You will be able to apparate to my side without being summoned now. Return to me when you have information about the attack." With that Snape apparated back to Malfoy manor to take Draco and Gabrielle back to Hogwarts.

Chapter 38: After the Attack

Snape brought the two students to his classroom and told them to wait for him there while he went to talk to the headmaster. Snape was not surprised to find many members of the order in Dumbledore's office. "Severus, tell us what you know of this attack." The headmaster asked skipping the usual pleasantries.

"I was not informed of the attack before it commenced. I heard of it when a message came for Arthur during the service. I was summoned shortly after returning to Malfoy manor. The Dark Lord informed me that he had not told me of the attack so that I could not be suspected. He then gave me Malfoy's spot in the inner circle. That means I am at his immediate left. The remaining death eaters returned shortly after and he was most displeased to be informed of their defeat. He gave everyone other than Wormtail and myself crucio to punish them. He then assigned me the task of finding out what transpired in Hogsmead and I am to return to him as soon as I have gathered all the information." Snape finished and then took his customary seat. "Please tell me what happened sir, from what I gathered the students protected themselves with a shield and Potter and company fought back."

"Yes, it seams that Miss Weasley had a vision of this while eating lunch. She contacted me by floo shortly before the battle but not with enough warning to get help there in time. I feared the worst as the staff and I hurried to town. We arrived to see the younger students ensconced at the Three Broomsticks with the members of the DA protecting them with a very strong shield. They combined their power to reinforce the magic of the shield and the death eaters could not break through." Snape raised his eyebrow at the impressive use of magic the students had shown.

"Harry and his Elite DA or EDA as they are now called launched a counter attack on the death eaters." Dumbledore said, "They stunned as many of them as they could and bound them with anti-apparation ropes. When we arrived they had already taken down over 35 death eaters. We arrived at the same time as the Aurors and the rest of the death eaters apparated away. That is the gist of the battle."

"Students took out 35 death eaters?" Severus asked unsuccessfully masking his shock. "How many of them fought back?"

"Actually they took out 37 of the bastards," Moody growled from the other side of the room. "I always knew that Potter kid was going to be great like his father."

"The EDA is made up of 11 members, 10 of them were present for the confrontation." Remus told him with a smug smile on his face at how advanced his son and students were.

"Who are these students and was anyone hurt?" Snape asked floored.

"The students were Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, the Creevy brothers, Justin Flinch-Fletchly and Hannah Abbot. No students were hurt and most of the death eaters were only stunned. Unfortunately one of the death eaters was killed. Bellatrix Lestrange was killed when she attempted to kill Harry. It seams the other students saw what she was about to attempt as well and they all cast stunning spells at her. I don't think I have to tell you what happens if someone gets hit with 10 stunners at once." Dumbledore told him.

The meeting went on for another hour until everyone else left. Snape then told Dumbledore of his finds in Malfoy manor and how he was now able to apparate to the Dark Lord's side without being summoned. Dumbledore was pleased with the news and sent him to report what happened back to Voldemort. They decided to mention everything to the Dark Lord so he would not become suspicious since it would all come to light within a few days. The only fact remaining hidden is the existence of the EDA. Snape was even supposed to tell Voldemort what DA stood for. Dumbledore chuckled at how Snape paled at the thought of having to tell the Dark Lord that Potter named his defense group Dumbledore's Army.

Snape escorted Malfoy and Gabrielle back to their common room and told them to keep to themselves the next few days until things calmed down. Then he left to join Voldemort and prayed he wouldn't get tortured for the idiocy of the other death eaters. He was not looking forward to telling of Bella's death, the Dark Lord had taken quite a liking to her in the past year.

The next day was crazy for Harry and his friends. They were being hounded by the younger students who wanted to thank them, get their autograph and ask how many death eaters they took out. Neville was the first to crack. At lunch after the 10th person came and asked how many death eaters he took out he put his head in his hands and sighed. He looked over at Harry, "How can you handle it man? They are driving me crazy and this is only one day! How did you manage this your whole life?"

Harry chuckled at his friend. "Well I didn't know I was a wizard until I was 11 so that helped and then I had all you guys to help keep me sane. Plus I always had to go back to my aunt and uncles and they make my life miserable. When you live at Privet Drive for that long, a few fans is easy to handle. Plus I hide when they get to be too much, just ask Ron and Hermione." Harry laughed at his friend again.

"Come on lets get out of here," Hermione added. "We can go hide the common room!" She said loudly then whispered to each that they would sneak off to the Room of Requirement. Ginny went over to tell the others where to meet and they left for Gryffindor tower to grab their invisibility cloaks and the map. Ginny lent her cloak to Neville and shared with Harry. Hermione lent hers to Colin and Dennis and shared with Ron so they could all sneak out without being noticed.

Draco and Gabrielle were already there when the Gryffindors arrived. Ginny ran up and gave Draco a hug and inquired to how he was feeling after the funeral. "I'm doing really well. As it turns out my mother is not and never was a supporter of the dark lord. My father used potions to control her all these years. She is finally free of his influence. She even begged me not to join the death eaters." He told them all.

"That's great Draco; maybe with both of you on our side we can keep your secret a little longer." Hermione added with a smile. "We are all very sorry that you had to loose your father, even if he was on the wrong side it's still got to hurt."

Harry sighed in relief as he sunk down into one of the overstuffed couches in the room. "I as so glad we found this room last year. If I had one more person asks for my autograph today I might crack."

"Too late for that," Ginny giggled as she sat next to him on the couch. The room was set up nicely. It had three long overstuffed couches all facing each other in an odd triangle as well as a table of snacks and what looked like a muggle refrigerator full of drinks. There was a set of shelves with some books and games on it as well.

"Hey 'Moine get me a butterbeer will ya," Ron shouted out as he slumped down on the couch next to his sister.

"Get it yourself you lazy prat," Hermione answered as she grabbed butterbeers for herself, Harry and Ginny. "I'm not your slave." She handed the drinks to the couple and settled down next to Ron.

"What got you all riled up?" Harry asked her with a grin. "He usually has to insult your study habits or your favorite book for you to call him a prat." The room laughed as Ron turned red from embarrassment and Hermione snorted trying not to laugh as well.

"Let's play a game," Hannah suggested.

"We could play truth or dare again, or I never or something," Dennis offered as he got up to go look at the games on the shelf. He pulled down a box called "Party Starters" and brought it over. "This says it's a game of questions to let people get to know you better. What do you guys think?" He asked as he pulled out three decks of cards. The cards all had questions on them. Each card had 3 questions and the person asking got to pick which question to ask.

"Sounds good enough to me," Neville added. "We should all promise to tell the truth no matter what."

"I have a better idea," Ginny added while she shut her eyes and thought really hard. When she opened her eyes there was a bag of sweets in front of her. "Man I love this room! These are one of Fred and George's inventions, Truth Lollies. They have a mild truth serum in them. You can only tell the truth for 5 minutes after every lick. Plus you don't have to tell the entire truth and can choose not to answer, so it's not like there's anything to loose. You can still spin your answers as long as they are truthful."

"You spend way too much time around those two!" Ron told her. "They have corrupted your sweet innocent mind."

"Oh shut it Ron, I haven't been all that sweet and innocent since I was 9." She laughed at her brother and handed out the sweets. "Dennis you get to ask the first question since you found the game. Everyone took a lick of their lollipop and waited for the first question, hoping they were rather tame.

"I'll start out easy. What's your favorite color?" Dennis asked with a smile.

Colin and Neville liked red, Luna liked orange, and Hermione and Ron were blue. Ginny tried to say blue a few times to see if she could lie.

"Purple, wow these candies do work. I tried to say blue but it wouldn't let me lie." She told them with a smile. Harry and Draco both liked green. Gabrielle liked silver. Hannah liked pink and Justin liked yellow.

Colin asked next, "What color underwear are you wearing?" He asked laughing. They went around the room but the best answer was Draco who was wearing green boxers with gold snitches.

Luna asked next, "Who is your best friend?" She looked over to the Gryffindor trio who all looked nervous about having to pick a singular best friend. Neville looked shyly at the ground before answering Hermione. She smiled and squeezed his hand before answering Ginny which caused both boys to look at her funny and Ginny to giggle. Ron and Harry answered each other and Ginny answered Bill. Gabrielle answered Draco and Draco answered Ginny. Hannah and Justin blushed as they answered each other. Dennis and Colin also answered each other.

Neville asked, "If you could only have one hobby for the rest of your life what would it be?" Hermione smiled big before answering reading and making everyone laugh.

Ron was torn between Quidditch and Chess. "I think I'll have to go with Wizard's chess even though I love Quidditch I will eventually be too old to play it, but even Dumbledore can play chess." He told them with a smile. Ginny blushed with embarrassment as she said she would want to be able to brew potions. Harry and Draco both said Quidditch. Gabrielle smiled at Hermione as she answered reading as well. Making Hermione look at the girl with even more respect. Hannah said gardening and Justin said making models. Dennis said painting and Colin unsurprisingly said photography. Luna told them all that she liked to write both stories and articles.

Hermione was next and pulled out a different color card and blushed. All three questions were sexual in nature. She decided on the easiest question, "Who was the first person you ever kissed that wasn't family." Ron turned away from Hermione and mumbled Susan Bones which made the other three on the couch gasp and Hermione to look murderous. "So you lied to me when you said I was your first kiss? Why would you do that?" She said the hurt obvious in her voice.

"It was in third year when we weren't speaking because I thought Crookshanks ate Scabbers. She came up to tell me that she was sorry that I lost my pet and she went to kiss my cheek I think and I didn't realized what was going on and turned to look at her and she kissed my mouth instead. We were both really embarrassed and haven't mentioned it since to anyone since it was an accident. I'm sorry I should have told you." He told her as the room watched in silence waiting for Hermione's feared temper to flair up.

"No more lies Ron," Hermione told him seriously. "I won't let you get away with any more. We are best friends and you lied to me and Harry and even Ginny. If there is anything else you lied about you better tell me soon before I find out on my own." She said then plastered a fake smile on her face and turned to Ginny. "It's your turn Ginny."

"I hate my first kiss," She spat. "Tom kissed me when I was in the diary. But if you are talking about real kisses my first real kiss was Harry." She smiled and snuggled into Harry as he told them all his first kiss was Cho, which most everyone already knew.

Gabrielle said her first kiss was Draco that day in the Great Hall. He grinned, liking the fact that he was the only one she'd ever be with. He told them his first kiss was Pansy even though he pushed her off of him right after and tried to wash his mouth out with soap. Everyone laughed at that.

Hannah, Justin, and Dennis haven't kissed anyone yet. "What are you waiting for Justin? Kiss the girl, she likes you, you like her, what's the hold up?" Draco asked with a smirk watching the two blush. His only response was a smack on the arm from Gabrielle.

Colin's first kiss was a neighbor girl named Sarah Addams. Luna smiled and looked at Neville before saying he was her first kiss. Neville responded that she was his as well. Hermione smiled; at the beginning of the year when they had played a similar game Neville had never been kissed. She was happy for him.

Ron pulled out a card with a wicked grin. "Who was the worst person you ever had a crush on?" Ginny answered Tom Riddle which made both Harry and Draco cringe. Harry answered Cho and Gabrielle answered Harry. She smiled and said she though he was cute after he rescued her from the mermaids. Draco answered Amanda since she never existed and turned out to be his cousin. Hannah answered Professor Lupin in 3rd year making Harry chuckle that a girl had a crush on his dad. Justin answered Fleur during the tri-wizard tournament. Dennis laughed as he said Tonks and that he still had the crush. Colin looked at the floor as he answered Ginny; he wasn't going to look at Harry after admitting that. Luna answered Professor Lockhart while they all laughed and Hermione, Ginny and Hannah all admitted to their crushes on their old professor as well. Neville blushed as he answered Professor Sprout making everyone laugh. Hermione took a long time to answer and finally she looked to Harry apologetically before answering Sirius Black. Ron looked upset at that thought but Harry just smiled and winked. He knew his godfather was a charmer, so it wasn't her fault that she fell for it.

Ginny asked them what their dream job would be. Harry and Draco both said professional Quidditch. Gabrielle said she wanted to be a mother, which shocked those who thought she was a walking brain like Hermione. Hannah wants to be a healer and Justin an architect. Dennis dreams of being a professional artist and Colin a professional photographer. Luna wants to be an investigative reporter and Neville a botanist. Hermione just shrugged. "I think my dream job would be a researcher. Where someone pays me to research different topics and do experiments." Ron also wanted to be a professional Quidditch player only he wants to play for the Cannons only.

Harry asked them all what their greatest fear was. Gabrielle said it was being assaulted by someone who felt her Veela charms and wouldn't take no for an answer. The other girls could all understand this fear. Draco told them it was turning out like his father. Hannah was afraid of drowning while Justin was afraid of being burned alive. Dennis was afraid he would have to leave Hogwarts without graduating. Colin was afraid of basilisks after being petrified in his 1st year. Luna was afraid of heights. Neville told them that Snape was no longer his greatest fear and that he feared his parents would be taken from him again. Hermione gave him a hug before saying that her greatest fear was failure. That she worked so hard all the time and she feared it wouldn't be enough. Ron said he was still deathly afraid of spiders, especially the acromantula variety. Ginny said her greatest fear was watching someone she loved die and not being able to do anything about it. She told them she had dreams like this and Harry hugged her close.

Gabrielle laughed and read her question, "Describe your perfect mate." Draco's dream girl had long blonde hair and pale eyes. She was from a good family and was gentile and loving and wanted a family. She had to be intelligent and not on the dark side. When it finally got around to Hermione she was nervous about her answer since her dream guy was nothing like Ron.

"My perfect mate would be tall with dark eyes and long dark hair I could run my fingers through. He would be incredibly intelligent and we would be able to discuss all my theories and literature. He would be somewhat athletic but not obsessed with Quidditch. He would have the ability to calm and sooth me with his deep voice and wouldn't care if I was never ready to have a family. He would support me in any career path I choose and have a sense of humor." Hermione finished. She had been having dreams of this man since she was 9 and knew she would never likely find him.

Ron wasn't all that upset about her description owing to his own dream girl. "My dream girl would have blonde or red hair and a smiling face. She would like playing chess with me and we would talk about Quidditch. She would want to stay at home with a large family and would be a great cook. She would be friendly and funny yet able to keep things calm and orderly."

Ginny looked at her two friends in wonderment as they described their perfect mates to be almost the complete opposite of each other. Did they realize how far off from what they wanted the other was? "I've only ever wanted Harry, ever since I saw him boarding the train his 1st year. He is my perfect mate." Ginny told them all making Ron stiffen as he realized just how close his sister and best friend were. Harry also told them that he had found the perfect woman in Ginny.

Draco smirked as he read the question. "If you were stranded at sea with only one person and it had to be someone who was once or is your teacher, instructor, or superior at work, who would you choose to be stuck with? This also says eventually you'll be rescued and that you have anything you could want to pass the time."

Hannah answered Madame Pomfrey since they got along well since she wants to be a healer. Justin answered Professor Vector since that was his favorite class. Dennis said his primary school art teacher and Colin said Dumbledore would be fascinating to be able to talk to. Luna said Firenze since she liked centaurs. Neville said Professor Sprout since they could tend plants. Hermione tried to say McGonagall but it wouldn't come out. She tried a few other professors; she really hated the truth lollies. "You have to answer with the truth Hermione," Ginny giggled. "Come on it can't be that bad."

Hermione mumbled an answer that only Neville seemed to hear. He turned pale and looked at her wide eyed. "You have to say it louder Hermione," Justin told her wondering what could be that bad to make Neville pale and shaky.

"Fine," She sighed. "I would choose Professor Snape." She said as they all gasped or sputtered. "I think he is fascinating and if we were stuck together maybe he would actually talk to me and answer my questions instead of sneering and taking points."

"I think you're bloody out of your mind, but no worries I'd choose Hooch so she could give me Quidditch pointers." Ron told her. Ginny said she would choose Tonks since she was fun to be around and Harry chose Lupin since he loved his dad. Gabrielle said she would probably choose Dumbledore since he could tell her so many things.

Hannah didn't have a chance to read her question since Professor Dumbledore chose to join them at that moment. "Good evening everyone!" He said cheerily. "I see all the members of EDA are here, how wonderful."

"Hello Professor," Harry said wondering why the eccentric old man chose to interrupt them.

"I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your little game," he winked at Gabrielle. "I just wanted to tell you all that there will be a special table set up right below the head table at the feast for the 10 of you. I'm sorry that Mr. Malfoy and Miss Delacour will have to remain anonymous members of the DA, don't want any rumors getting out." He said to them. "I want all of you to know how proud I am of you. It's getting close to curfew so you should be heading back to your common rooms. Colin, Dennis, Hannah and Justin could you head back first. I need to speak with the others for a moment please." He said as the four left with a shrug. They could never figure out Dumbledore.

"I wanted to speak to you about the Order," he told them as they all understood why the others were asked to leave. "I have spoken with the other members and we feel it is only right to initiate the rest of you into the Order if you so choose. So Neville, Luna, Draco and Gabrielle I need to know if you are willing to join." They all agreed. "You already know the location of headquarters and most of the members so there is really only the formality of initiation. Your families have already given permission." The others smiled and they all took an oath to protect the muggle and magical community from evil forces to the best of their ability. To search out, capture and hinder all death eaters and followers of Voldemort. To maintain secrecy for all maters discussed within the Order. Then they were official members they all shook hands with the others who had already been members.

"There will be an Order meeting in the staff room after the feast and dance on Saturday. Go straight there when it is over." Dumbledore told them and left with a wink at Hermione this time.

"I'm never sure what he is up to," She mumbled as they all headed back to their common rooms.

Chapter 39: Hero's Ball

The week passed quickly for the group of friends. The ball and feast were later that night and the girls were all getting ready. "I thought this was an informal ball, why do they need 3 hours to get ready?" Ron asked Harry later in the common room. Ron was wearing his favorite set of robes that were a midnight blue, almost black that were tailored exactly for him to show off his muscles from Quidditch. He was happy they were no longer poor. Harry had on his garnet colored robes with the Potter crest on them. He liked that it showed his Gryffindor spirit without being too bright in color.

The girls were all giggling and trying to decide which robes to wear. Hannah, Luna and Gabrielle were all huddled in the prefect girls' dorm with Ginny, Hermione, Lavender and Pavarti. Pavarti was wearing bright rose colored robes and Lavender was in a pale yellow. They were going to the dance with Dean and Seamus. Hannah was wearing pale pink robes since pink was her favorite color. She even had a string of pink pearls that her mother had given her for her 16th birthday. She was meeting Justin at the dance but they were still not a couple, yet. Gabrielle looked wonderful in an iridescent teal green robe. It complimented her silver hair wonderfully and was just close enough to Slytherin green that her housemates would be proud.

Luna was wearing bright orange robes with yellow suns, moons and stars embroidered on them. She also had yellow feather earrings, making her look just strange enough to be normal for her. Neville had gotten up his courage and asked her to the dance. Hermione was in the same gold robes she had worn to Mr. Weasley's inauguration and she even wore the necklace Harry had given her, except she kept her clothes under the robes much more casual. Ginny had pulled everything out of her closet trying to decide what to wear under her robes. She was going to wear her purple silk robes that she wore to her dad's inauguration and was going to wear her beautiful purple jewelry but she needed a casual outfit to go with it.

"Ginny why don't you wear this?" Hannah asked pulling out a simple ivory sheath dress from the stack of clothes. It had a scoop neckline that would work well with her necklace. "I know it's not quite casual but it's not too dressy either." The girls put the finishing touches on their hair and make-up and made their way down to the common room.

"You ladies look magnificent," Harry said with a smile as they emerged from the room. Lavender and Pavarti giggled and made their way out the portrait hole to meet Dean and Seamus in the great hall. Harry offered Ginny his arm as soon as Neville joined the group wearing Gryffindor red robes and they all made their way down to the feast.

"You look very pretty tonight Hermione," Ron told her as he offered his arm. He was trying hard to be a gentleman.

"Thank you Ron," She smiled and took his arm as they followed the others out the portrait hole. "Who all do you think is going to be at the ball? Professor Dumbledore said there would be some Ministry guests at the ball tonight." Ron shrugged and opened the doors to the Great Hall for her.

The group made their way to the Gryffindor table for the feast. The great hall was decorated in the house colors of each house. There were house banners above each table and the Hogwarts crest above the teachers table. The teachers table had been extended as well as a small platform set in front of it. There were around 10 ministry members in attendance from the looks of things at the head table. Arthur Weasley was smiling around at everyone from his seat next to Dumbledore. There were others that Harry recognized including Madame Bones from his 'trial' before 5th year and the head auror. Ron pointed out the head of magical law enforcement and the witch that had taken over Crouch's job as head of international magical cooperation. In all it looked like most of the head people from the ministry were present. Ginny pointed out the photographer and the reporters in the back corner of the hall as well.

"I guess this is a big event," Hermione said as the others shrugged. They were all wondering why the top levels of the ministry were present. "I bet they are going to be taking our pictures for the Daily Prophet."

"I hate being in the paper." Harry complained. He watched Tonks introduce Remus to the ministry members they were sitting near. He smiled as he thought of how she was soon to be his mum.

Ron wasn't as curious as the rest. He just wanted the feast to start. "I wish they would hurry up, I'm starving!" The rest all laughed and Hermione just rolled her eyes at his never ending quest to fill his stomach. He didn't have to wait long though as Dumbledore stood to speak.

"Welcome students, staff and guests. We have the great privilege tonight to have several members of the ministry of magic in attendance along with Minister Weasley. We have some business to attend to before we get to our great feast. I will allow the minister to tell you of the reason of their visit," He said as he bowed to Arthur who stood and went to the small platform. The students all clapped politely.

"Thank you. It is a great pleasure for me to be here tonight. We are here to honor those of you who stood up for your beliefs and protected your fellow students and the residents of Hogsmead from those dark individuals who are bent on destroying this school and our current way of life." Arthur paused to wait for the applause to die down.

"I first would like all members of the DA that protected the younger students in the Three Broomsticks to stand and be recognized for your valiant efforts." He said as they slowly stood and the rest applauded them. "We at the ministry want to extend our deep thanks for your quick thinking under pressure. We expect to hear great things of you in the years to come and hope many of you will come to work for the ministry."

Arthur then nodded to the other ministry members who stood and joined him on the platform along with Dumbledore. "Now it is my great pleasure to honor those 10 students who risked their lives to protect the rest of you. Will those 10 please come forward?" The smile on Mr. Weasley's face was huge as they all approached. Ginny knew there was something good about to happen with how happy her father was.

"It is now my honor and duty acting on behalf of the Ministry of Magic to present the Order of Merlin 3rd Class to the following individuals." He said as the students gasped and then started to cheer. No one under the age of 18 had ever won an Order of Merlin before. There were 3 classes of the award. 1st, 2nd and 3rd with 1st being the most prestigious and then down from there.

Arthur then took a medal from Madame Bones and called Hannah forward followed by Colin then Dennis and finally Justin. "You four have shown great bravery and loyalty. You have proven that you are the elite among wizards, even at your young age. Thank you for your sacrifice and integrity." The four each had a medal hung around their necks and shook hands with each of the ministry officials while the photographer took multiple photos and the reporters quill was going furiously. "As many of you are aware, we do not just hand out the Orders of Merlin. These were all voted upon by the Wizegammot and the heads of each department within the ministry. With that being said I have a few more honors to hand out."

The hall was all waiting to see what kind of honor Harry and his friends would be receiving. "It is my most special and privileged honor to be able to present the Order of Merlin 2nd class to these following individuals who have in their young ages already tried to thwart the death eaters in two battles starting with the most intelligent witch it has ever been my privilege of knowing, Miss Hermione Granger." The hall cheered and hollered as she was presented with her medal and even hugged by the minister and Dumbledore. The teachers were all standing and McGonagall was crying she was so proud of her students.

"The next award is for a young man who has over come many hardships in his young life. It is my pleasure to present this Order of Merlin 2nd class to the fiercely loyal Neville Longbottom." Neville looked shocked at the cheers for him as he was presented with his medal. Luna received her medal next and the Ravenclaws were ecstatic that they had her in their house. They had finally stopped picking on her and were finally realizing what an asset she was.

"I have had the privilege of knowing the next young man for nearly 6 years. His fight against the dark is legend. He is pure of heart and one of the bravest souls I have ever met. His sheer determination is the reason the DA club was such a success. It is my greatest honor to present the Order of Merlin 2nd class to Harry Potter." The sound in the hall was almost deafening the cheers and applause was so loud. Remus was grinning and cheering while hugging Tonks who was crying with happiness. Even most of the Slytherins were clapping.

"I never thought when I took the position as Minister that I would be in the position to honor my own family, but here we are. My youngest child and only daughter is a strong and determined witch. She has always stood up for what she believed in and it is now my special pleasure to award Ginny Weasley with the order of Merlin 2nd class." Arthur was choked up as he wrapped his arms around his baby after placing the medal over her head and she whispered 'I love you daddy' in his ear before shaking everyone else's hand.

"The last honor to present is another of my children. My youngest son is a loyal friend and brilliant strategist. It was his strategy to divide the DA group to be both on the offensive and defensive. It is my most special honor to present Ronald Weasley with the Order of Merlin 2nd class." Ron grinned and hugged his father as he was presented with the award.

"These 6 heroes fought at the end of last year against death eaters and the Dark

Lord himself in the heart of the ministry of magic. Although the powers of the time were unable to award their efforts it is now my pleasure to be able to do so. These six have show the heart and ability better than many fully qualified witches and wizards. Together with the other four award winners they have shown unswerving loyalty and determination. For these acts, those of us at the ministry have thus awarded them the status of fully qualified witch and wizard. They have demonstrated the heart to protect and now they have the ability. They will of course continue their educations, but they no longer are bound by the decree for the restriction of underage wizardry. Let us one again put our hands together for the 10 heroes of Hogwarts." Arthur finished as the hall broke into applause again.

Dumbledore then stepped forward again. "I have never been more proud of my students than I am at this moment. Let us begin the feast!" With that announcement the tables filled with food and they all dug in.

"Order of Merlin, I never anticipated this," Neville told them after they had sat back down. "I can't wait to tell my mum and dad! Can you even believe it?" He was as excited as the rest of them.

"Hey Dennis do you realize you are the youngest ever person to receive an Order of Merlin?" Hermione asked him with a big smile on her face. "Until we all just got them, no one under 18 has ever received one before. They are the largest honor in the wizarding world." Dennis was younger than them, only being a 3rd year and it was surprising he was even able to do half the spells they learned in DA. He was definitely a prodigy.

The feast was over quickly in their eyes as they were all still on cloud 9 from receiving their awards. The dance started right after. Dumbledore replaced the long house tables with smaller round tables around the perimeter of the room leaving the center open for dancing. The photographer and reporter hurried over to Harry and the group to get interviews and group shots of the medal winners. Dennis blushed as the reporter asked him how it felt to be the youngest ever winner.

Tonks and Remus came up and hugged Harry telling him how proud of him they were. All the teachers shook each of their hands and gave their congratulations. Snape came up and offered his hand to Harry. "It is a well deserved honor Mr. Potter, congratulations," he said and Harry smiled at the compliment from Snape and shook his hand. The head auror and the head of magical law enforcement came up to Harry to offer their best as well.

"It is an honor to meet you," Harry told the head of MLE as well as shook hands with the head auror.

"I hear you are interested in becoming an auror," the head of MLE said. "You would be the 4th generation of Potters if that is what you choose to do."

"Yes, that is one of the only career fields I am interested in. I have the necessary OWLs and am taking NEWT level classes in the required areas." Harry told the man, making sure he was on his best behavior.

"Assuming you pass those NEWTs I would like to make you a preliminary offer. We will hold your spot in training once you complete your Hogwarts education and look forward to having another Potter on our team." The man told him as Harry grinned, this man obviously had no idea he was already receiving training from qualified aurors.

"Keep up the good work Mr. Potter," The head auror said as the two went to speak with another ministry official. Harry couldn't believe how great his day was going.

Hermione was being dragged from official to official by Ginny who seemed to know each of them. She was most impressed with Madame Bones. "I hear you had the highest score on your OWLs." Madame Bones told her.

"In all but astronomy and I do not take Divination or Muggle Studies," Hermione replied politely.

"With marks like that you are well on your way to becoming a member of the Wizegammot yourself," Bones told her. "We need intelligent and strong witches like you. I heard of your house elf campaign from Arthur and of your research for Hagrid. Most impressive I must say."

"Thank you madam. I am honored you believe me to be worthy of such a position." Hermione said the spark evident in her eyes at the thought.

"What are your plans after Hogwarts?" Bones asked her.

"Magical University to receive a mastery in Transfiguration as well as Potions with an emphasis in spell creation as well." Hermione told her with a smile. "I know it is overly ambitious to try for two masters, but I can't choose between the two for the life of me."

"I look forward to hearing about your successes in the future," Bones said as she departed. Hermione was all smiles.

"Congratulations on your Order of Merlin Miss Granger," Professor Snape said from behind her startling her out of her day dream.

"Thank you sir," she responded. She was about to make another comment when he grimaced and grabbed his left forearm. Her eyes got wide as she realized he was being called to Voldemort. He nodded at her and hurried off to find Dumbledore. Before she had time to think there was a commotion in the corner of the room. She turned to see several Slytherins with their wands drawn on three 7th year Slytherins who where on their knees and clutching their arms as well.

The younger Slytherins were quickly joined by some of the DA members as the ministry officials hurried over to see what the ruckus was about. Dumbledore looked somber and the twinkle was gone from his eyes as he realized that he had lost at least those 3 students to the dark. The rumble went through the students that the three had the dark mark. Tonks and the head auror bound the three students after baring their arms to reveal the ugly black tattoo.

The boy that was the 7th year boys dueling champion was not going to go down quietly. "The Dark Lord will reign. He will cleanse the earth of all mudbloods. Do not just stand there my fellow Slytherins. Take up his call. He needs your devotion. Leave now and go to his side. He rewards those who are loyal to him as he will reward me for staying loyal to him. Come follow me, pledge yourselves to the winning side of this war. For those who are not loyal to my master will fall. Come now!" He yelled and broke out of his bounds and rushed for the door followed by the two others. The aurors did not want to hurt any of the students by sending spells after them. They would be found later. The sad part was that 4 other 7th years followed him as well as Pansy Parkinson.

Pansy yelled over to Crabbe and Goyle to follow her and shot Draco a look that clearly indicated she expected him to come as well. "Sorry Parkinson, I have to finish my schooling first." Draco shot out and sat down at one of the tables. In all they lost 12 students to the darkness that night. The surprise was that as soon as Crabbe and Goyle realized Draco wasn't going they too sat back down. The fact that Malfoy remained was a shock to the students.

"Although it pains me to see my students lost to the darkness. It lightens my heart to be in the company of so many wonderful young people. You all are a credit to the wizarding community." Dumbledore told them. The ministry officials had all left to figure out what to do about the 12 new death eaters from Hogwarts. "Do not let this unfortunate event spoil our celebration. Let us once again unite the houses and band together to bring peace first to these halls and then to the world."

The students smiled and the music started again. Harry and Hermione looked at each other and nodded before heading straight for the Slytherins. Harry asked Millicent Bullstrode to dance while Hermione asked Draco. The DA took their cue and within a minute not a single student was dancing with someone from their own house. There were even two Hufflepuff girls for Crabbe and Goyle to dance with. The reporter was grinning and the photographer was busy taking photos.

The dance was a success in the end. The students from all four houses were starting to get to know each other. Dumbledore had the sparkle back in his eye by the end of the night. It really was a hero's ball. Never in his memory had the four houses been so open with each other. He had always hoped that somehow Harry's presence in the school would untie the houses and it seemed he was right. The Slytherins no longer trusted the dark side like they had. The dark had abandoned its own to get at Harry and instead of only protecting himself Harry and his friends protected them all, including the Slytherins they always professed to hate. The Slytherins had a wake up call that day and it seemed they were finally on the right track.

Chapter 40: Of Potions and Planning

The next morning's Daily Prophet was full of news the students were excited to see. The front page had a heading of "Heroes at Hogwarts" and a large color picture of the 10 Order of Merlin winners. The article outlined how they were the youngest winners ever and had quotes from each of them as well as some of the ministry officials and the professors. Dumbledore was quoted as saying he was "never more proud of his students." There were other smaller photos of the award ceremony as well. The article took up the whole front of the paper.

The inside articles were about the three death eaters and the students that left. Then there was a big article on house unity showing photos of students dancing with members of the other houses. Over all the press was great. Harry was happy to see that the articles were all written tastefully and accurately. The reporter did a wonderful job.

The 10 had all received an owl with copies of all the photos that were taken of them that night. Harry's favorite was the one of his standing between Tonks and Remus. It was their first family photo. Hermione was smiling at the one of McGonagall hugging her while crying. "Can you believe everything that has happened this week?" Ron asked Harry with a grin.

"It doesn't quite seem real does it?" Hermione asked them. "I mean one second we were having a peaceful lunch and then we race off to fight the death eaters. Now we all have Orders of Merlin and our pictures are all over the paper. It's very surreal."

"There's an order meeting tonight," Ginny whispered to them. "I'm sure we'll be informed soon." They all believed in her seer abilities too much to question how she knew.

The 10 of them had to autograph half the schools papers before lunch. The attention was unwanted but not unwelcome. The biggest surprise was that many of the Slytherins were asking for autographs as well. Hermione was beaming when a little Slytherin first year told her she wanted to grow up to be just like her. "I never thought that I would ever hear that I was idolized, let alone by a Slytherin," She laughed to the boys. They were all hanging out in the great hall instead of the common room so the other students could find them.

"Good morning all!" Draco said in an overly cheerful voice. He plopped down on the bench next to Ginny with a big grin. "Wouldn't you say it's a beautiful day?"

"What has you in such a chipper mood this morning?" Hermione asked him with a knowing smirk on her face.

"I don't have to hide or pretend any more. The whole of the remaining Slytherins had a little meeting last night. I was told in no uncertain terms by the rest of my house that if I was not loyal to Dumbledore and you lot that I should leave before bad things happened to me in my sleep. I also found out that Crabbe and Goyle never wanted to join Voldemort and only would have to pacify their fathers and me." He told them all.

"So we now have the support of Slytherin house?" Ron asked unsure.

"Yes, which also means I don't have to pretend that I'm not friends with you lot!" He told them laughing at the face that Ron pulled. "Just face it Weasley, I'm not nearly as bad as you made me out to be."

"Fine," Ron said resigned. "Welcome to the group Malfoy."

"Mr. Malfoy, come with me," Snape said walking up behind the group. When they were seated in his office he spoke again. "The meeting did not go well last night. Let me just say that you are not safe outside of this school. The Dark Lord was highly displeased that you did not choose to join him last night. I told him you wanted to finish your schooling but he would not be persuaded. The newest members were all interrogated to find out why your allegiance changed. Miss Parkenson was quite vocal about your friendship with Miss Weasley and your new relationship with Miss Delacour."

"What do I need to do? Is my mother safe?" Draco asked. He was unsurprised about the report. He had expected as much.

"Your mother is quite safe. I took the liberty of resetting the wards on your manor. The only people able to apparate through the wards are your mother, you, Gabrielle, myself and the headmaster. I am sure you know the extent of the wards your father placed upon the manor. Let us just say that the Death Eaters will not be happy to find that the wards have been set against them. I also made sure the wards were set so that your father's elf could not leave the house. He knows too much and it is not safe for him to get into the wrong hands." Snape told him. "All you need to do is concentrate on your school work for the rest of the year, we'll figure out what to do at the end of the year."

"Thank you for telling me this sir," Draco told his head of house. "I would appreciate it if you could relay the danger to my mother so she knows not to leave the manor."

The Order meeting was held in the Transfiguration classroom that night right after dinner. Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Luna, Neville, Draco and Gabrielle made their way to the classroom in anticipation of what information was going to be presented. The meeting from last night was canceled due to the new circumstances. They were some of the first to arrive and took seats off to the side to allow plenty of room for the older members.

Once the other members arrived Dumbledore stood to start the meeting. "Thank you all for coming. We have much to discuss. The Dark Lord has been significantly weakened thanks to the failed attempt on Hogsmead. The 36 captured Death Eaters were mostly higher ranking members of Voldemort's circle. After the attack there were only 2 remaining members of the inner circle. The Death Eaters that escaped during the attack were less ranking members and not as well trained. We now have an opportunity to plan an attack on them and take out Voldemort once and for all." This announcement was met with cheers from the room.

Snape stood up and gave an update of current death eater activity. It seems that Voldemort has all his remaining followers with him in extensive training. Snape as his left hand man is supposed to spy on Dumbledore and any resistance efforts. Snape also mentioned that he was supposed to try and recruit new members from his students. He related that Voldemort was displeased with the low number of students that chose to follow him. It also seemed that for the display of loyalty and in bringing new recruits that the 7th year dueling champion was awarded a place in the inner circle. The inner circle which used to consist of 10 members is now only 5 strong with 3 of them being newer members.

Dumbledore then opened the floor to ideas on how to use the failed attack to their most advantage. Harry stood, "Sir I think that whatever we do, we need to include the Slytherins. They have chosen our side, if we don't include them I worry that they will think we don't trust them. They are strong allies and it would not be good to alienate them."

Hermione stood as well. "Slytherins excel in cunning and planning. We should use their strengths. Also, they are good at subterfuge and spying. We need to play to their strengths. Gryffindors may be brave and like to rush in without a plan but that leads us to unnecessary losses. I say we use every resource available to plan the best attack with the lowest potential for losses from our side." She smiled shyly and sat back down.

"As much as it pains me to say this, Miss Granger is correct," Snape said. "If we form teams based upon skills we will be better able to plan out the attack." It was decided that Ron and Draco would be on the strategy team with Dumbledore owing to Ron's chess ability and Draco's natural Slytherin tendencies. Harry, Ginny and Neville were placed on the attack team to plan out the type of spells to use and get the arsenal ready. They would also be responsible for the training of other members who were less strong in attack. Gabrielle and Hermione were placed on Snape's team of alternative strategy and research. They were to determine the best way to counter any dark spells the death eaters would likely use as well as figure out the best method to bring down Voldemort. Luna was placed on the recovery team that was focusing on learning battlefield medicine from Poppy as well as researching emergency departure methods in case the battle started going poorly.

The meeting ended with each individual team determining when to meet. Harry's group had both Tonks and Lupin in it along with a good number of other members. Fred and George were given the job of developing any of their products to help the cause. The ministry employees were left out of the groups so they could focus on their jobs. The medical group was small, made up of Poppy, Luna, Flitwick, Sprout and McGonagall. The teachers were also responsible for the students safety at the school if the attack was to happen when they were around.

Draco, Ron and Dumbledore decided to meet on Thursdays after dinner to strategize. Thursdays before dinner they decided to reinstate the dueling club to train up all the students and to give them the impression that they were being included. The Wednesday secession of DA was also moved to the Great Hall so any student could join. Hermione, Gabrielle and Snape were the strangest group of them all. Snape assigned Gabrielle to research any possible methods to kill the dark lord. They needed a way for Harry to take him out for good. It wouldn't do them any good if he could be reborn again like last time. Snape set Hermione looking for ways to block the unforgivable curses.

Gabrielle had gone off to the library leaving Snape and Hermione to discuss possible methods. Hermione had already done some preliminary research over the summer at headquarters after the episode at the ministry. She had some theories on possible blocking methods. "I think the best method to block Crucio is using a potion. I don't think a counter spell will be strong enough to counteract all the effects. A potion that stays in the bloodstream for a specific amount of time will have the greatest chance. If we can block the effect the curse has on the nerves it should allow the person to continue fighting as well as negating the pain inflicted." She told him making him raise an eyebrow as that was the same conclusion he had come to after years of research.

"Have you researched this topic before?" He asked her once again impressed with her wealth of knowledge but loathe to admit it.

"Yes sir. I spent some time this summer researching in the library at headquarters. The books there have a lot of information on the unforgivables. I spent most of the time researching Imperious and I believe a mind enhancing potion would help strengthen the resolve of the person subjected to the curse." She told him, surprised at how easily she was explaining herself to the most hated professor at Hogwarts.

"Expand upon that," he told her not showing that he was interested. He usually ignored Imperius since he was able to throw off the curse.

"Since individuals with strong conviction can throw off the curse with no outside help. I thought that by using a potion to strengthen the person's resolve they could show the same conviction. Harry told me that while under the curse he still had a little voice in the back of his mind that questioned the orders given by the caster. Once he listened to the voice he would throw off the curse. When the fake Moody put me under it all I felt was the overwhelming contentment, I didn't have enough strength of mind to toss it off." She told him sadly.

"I have a supply of mind strengthening potions in my private stores. We should test those first. If any of them help at all we can use it as the base potion and research ways to form it to our exact purposes. We should go down there and start testing them tonight." Snape said getting up and motioning her to follow him.

They reached the potions classroom and Hermione started getting nervous. She just knew that they were going to test the potions on her since she couldn't cast Imperio. She followed him into his private lab off of the classroom and into his private stores. She smiled as she remembered the last time she was in there in 2nd year when stealing the boomslang skin. Snape handed her an armful of vials to carry back into the lab, in all he had 15 different mind strengthening potions. Hermione shot him a questioning look at the number of potions he had on hand.

"I was about to start some research on mind altering potions. I was beginning with the properties of these mind strengthening potions. But they will be more use in finding an anti-Imperio potion." He told her, wondering why he was explaining himself to a student. He was also impressed with her idea and looked forward to testing it. "I'll cast Imperio on you first without any altering potion. Then we will try it with the potion and you will make note of your reactions to the curse both with and without the potion."

Hermione nodded and pulled out a small spiral notebook to record her reactions. She also took off her outer robes to get prepared. She stood in the middle of the lab and nodded that she was ready. Snape said the spell and she felt the complacency rush over her and she was soon immersed inside a cocoon of ignorant bliss. She then heard Snape's voice to tell her to dance. All she knew was that it was imperative that she dance. She started twirling around in long forgotten ballet positions from her early childhood. Suddenly he lifted the curse. "Did you experience any urge to fight the curse on your own?" Snape asked her. She shook her head no and he handed her the first potion. One sip was all that would be required.

Again Snape placed the curse on her. She was surrounded by the same blanket of ignorance except now she was still aware of her surroundings in the classroom. She could tell that Snape was there and still smell all the different ingredients. She heard his voice tell her to jump up and down and she complied. The need to do what he said was not lessened. The next potion that she took increased her thought processes, she had been working on an advanced arithmancy calculation all week and with the potion the answer jumped to the front of her mind. Snape made her bark like a dog then took the curse off. She hurried to write down the answer to her artithmathcy problem and then her observations. They had tried 7 of the potions with no results so far.

The next potion didn't seem to have any immediate effects. Snape told her to sing. In the farthest back corner of the fog in her mind she heard the little voice question why she should sing. Before she had time to think about the voice she had started singing. She had him put the curse back on to see if it happened again. He told her to spin in circles and the little voice questioned again, but once again she still did as told.

"I started questioning your command but didn't have the chance to really think about the voice before I followed through with your command," she told him.

"Let's try the rest of the potions to see if we get any better results. But this seems like a promising start." Snape responded, anxious to resume the tests.

The next five potions had no noticeable effects. There were only two potions left to test and both were hybrid potions that Snape had developed for his research. He was interested to see if they had any more of an effect. The second to last potion heightened Hermione's senses, everything seemed more crisp and easier. Snape put the curse on and told her climb up on the work bench. The voice in the back of her head was louder this time questioning whether she should comply or not. She still was unable to stop herself from complying but she was able to slow down her response. Snape was impressed with her progress and they hurried to test the last potion.

"This is my best mind enhancing potion, it is untraceable. There are no current testing methods that will show that a person is under the influence of this potion. I developed this for use against the dark lord. He is skilled in Legimacy and can sense the use of mind altering potions and spells, this one he can not detect." Snape told her as he handed her the last vial.

Hermione once again could not sense any immediate effects from the potion. Snape ordered her to dance again and this time the voice questioning the command was loud, almost louder than the command itself. Hermione just stood there listening to the two voices and not knowing which one to listen to. Snape repeated the order and she managed to ask "Why?" before starting to dance and while dancing she was able to say, "No, I don't want to." He took the curse off and they hurried to document her experiences.

"I was so close to being able to throw it off. It was such a surreal experience. It was like having a foreign presence inside you. I could sense you trying to force your will upon me and I didn't want to listen but I just couldn't quite stop myself. That potion is definitely on the right track." Hermione said excited. The two of them spent the rest of the night going over the properties of the potion and brainstorming ways to alter it.

Gabrielle came into the lab just before curfew to ask for a pass to the restricted section to do more research. Snape sent the two study-aholics off to bed, both with passes the restricted section to use the rest of the week. They were meeting on Friday to discuss any findings. Hermione was to meet with Snape again on Tuesdays after dinner to work on the Anti-Imperious potion. The two girls were excited about their roles on the research. It was what the two did best. Hermione was surprised with how easily she was able to work with Snape. He really was different outside of classes.

Hermione went to bed that night feeling for the first time since convincing Harry to start DA that she was really doing something to thwart Voldemort's efforts. She dreamed of all the different possibilities that succeeding in their research would bring. She also was excited about the start of the research on Crucio.

Chapter 41: Clearing the Clouds

Harry and the group were holed up in the library all week long. The lot of them was working on research for the order under the guise of doing homework. Harry, Neville and Ginny had their own table full of DADA books as well as war history books. They were compiling lists of curses that would fully disable the Death Eaters without causing permanent damage. They wanted them all to pay for their crimes. Neville was determined to contribute to the group and not let them down. Even though his parents were healed, he still wanted vengeance for all the years they were lost to him.

They rushed through all their homework for the week to get more time to spend on Order research. Ginny and Luna were the only ones who had to spend extra time studying since it was their OWL year. Even Ron didn't complain about the extra time in the library. He was currently combining his Quidditch knowledge with his chess skills by devising aerial attack plans ands strategies.

Hermione was in her element; she was made for research. Gabrielle had memorized the library index so between the two girls they could direct the rest of the team to any books they might need, or at least the right section. Gabrielle had two scrolls of notes so far but she admitted that nothing looked overly promising so far. Hermione finally had to leave the others and head down to see Snape for more practical research.

Snape was also researching the potion at all available moments. He was making a detailed description of the current potion. He wanted Hermione to have the complete description so she could research possible alternatives. He had made three new batches during the week and read up on other potions throughout classes. He usually marked essays throughout classes but decided the research was more important. He hoped his students wouldn't notice his unusual drop in homework assignments.

"Good evening sir," Hermione said politely when she reached his private lab. She had noticed the lack of homework in his class but stayed quiet since she knew the reason why. They had been working every night that week trying to determine which properties of the potion was the cause of the increased resistance. They had already ruled out several ingredients. They worked in relative silence most of the evening. By the end of the night they had ruled out all but two ingredients that they believed the effect was due to a combination of the two.

Snape assigned Hermione to research the uses of the two ingredients in other potions as well as their properties over the weekend. Snape was going to collect some more samples of the ingredients out of the forest over the full moon that weekend. Rhodiola picked under the full moon was at its most potent and Schizandra properties change with every moon cycle.

"Sir, I was thinking that we might look at adding Polygonatum. From my research so far it looks promising that it could produce the desired results. I thought it might be beneficial if you picked some of it under the moon as well." Hermione told him, hoping he wouldn't yell at her for suggesting it.

"I will add it to my substantial ingredient list that I plan on gathering this weekend. The benefit of gathering the ingredients from the forest is that there is no record of the ingredients being purchased and therefore no record of what potion we are researching. You'll want to remember that for the future if you still plan on becoming a potions mistress." Snape told her. Hermione could only nod at him in surprise that he was behaving so cordially.

The next few weeks went fast for the group. They were still all busy with their jobs for the Order as well as their normal school work. Harry, Ginny and Ron were all busy with Quidditch practice since their match against Ravenclaw was at the end of the month. In addition to all of that there were the new expanded DA sessions on Wednesday after dinner. Over 2/3 of the student body was showing up for DA now.

Harry had to break the group up into groups with similar skill levels. He had a beginners group for the younger students that focused more on defense skills and what to do during an attack. The beginner group was mostly 1st and 2nd years and was run by Hannah and Luna who were good working with the younger ones. The next group was the intermediate group made up of mostly 3rd and 4th year students that covered the basic skills needed in DADA. This was mostly a review of the class work that should have been learned the last few years. There were quite a few older (5th and 6th) years that had to start out in this level. Tonks and Neville were running this group. The remaining students were placed in 3 groups labeled DA1, DA2, and DA3.

DA3 was for the least talented or slower learners. They learned the fighting techniques and advanced defense methods that had been learned the last 2 years in DA. Justin and the Creevy brothers were running that group. The DA2 was for those who surpassed the skills taught in DA3 as well as for those who wanted a focus on defensive abilities. Hermione, Gabrielle and Ron were running that group. The last group, DA1, was for the most advanced of the students and focused more on offensive magic. It was run by Harry, Ginny and Draco. Remus was in charge of making sure the students were in the right groups. He walked round and observed everyone's progress and moved them to different groups if needed. He also helped each group with lesson plans. The other professors would show up to watch the practice sessions but stayed out of the way.

Harry had auror training with Tonks on Thursdays and was finally out of the beginning boring history and rules and was into the hands on training. Mad-Eye Moody had attended his last session and told Harry that he would be better trained when he finished the school than most were when they finished the auror training course.

The group of them was in the Room of Requirement finishing up some homework assignments when Ron tossed his book down with a sigh. "Do you realize we haven't had any time to do any rule breaking or sneaking out lately!" Ron complained. "We have invisibility cloaks and al my brother's products at our disposal and we spend every waking moment preparing for an attack or trying to get our homework done. We're all turning into Hermione!" They all laughed and decided they would try and fit some fun into their new over worked schedule.

"I promise we will do something fun this weekend," Harry told them all. "How about we have a party here on Saturday? I can have Dobby send some Butterbeer and sweets and we can have the kitchens send up some other stuff. We can invite some of our other friends and just hang out."

"We could have some music so we could dance and have everyone wear their favorite muggle club clothes," Ginny said getting excited.

"Let's not make it too many people; I don't want the professors to find out." Hermione said trying to pretend the idea didn't make her nervous. "I have to go work with Snape now, so let me know what the plan for the weekend is later." She told them before making her way down to the dungeon. They were ready to another batch of potion. This would be their 7th test batch. They were making progress, the 6th batch had made it where she was able to resist the curse for a while but by the 2nd or 3rd command she couldn't resist any more. She was never able to toss off the curse like Harry was able to yet.

Snape handed her the potion as soon as she walked in. Like the others she did not feel any immediate effects. He placed the curse on her and she barely felt the now altogether too familiar detached feeling of bliss. "Jump up and down," Snape commanded her. She felt no compelling desire to comply and told him no. He gave her commands for the next 5 minutes and even recast the spell all without results. He finally lifted the curse and did something Hermione didn't even think was possible, he smiled.

"It works!" Hermione cheered smiling as well. "We did it! I didn't feel compelled to do what you said at all. Plus I didn't even feel that detached feeling very strongly. I kept my mind the whole time!" She was ecstatic; they had found the solution after only a month of straight research. She knew he had the base potion already made, but she never thought they could find it so fast.

"We need to test it on more people and using different spell casters to make sure. There is still the possibility that you were able to resist due to the multiple doses of potion you have been taking. We have to be sure, but yes, I believe we have achieved the desired results." Snape said back to his impartial face that showed no emotions except anger and irritation. "Let us take it to the headmaster."

They ended up testing the potion on Ginny, McGonagall, Neville, Ron and Flitwick using Moody, Dumbledore, Tonks, and Snape casting the Imperious Curse. By the end of the night they were convinced they had a cure to Imperious. They called an Order meeting for the following Tuesday after dinner to share the results. That would give Snape and Hermione time to brew a few batches of the potion to hand out. Snape had picked enough of the needed ingredients to make over 20 batches. Hermione's research showed that the potion would stay in the person's bloodstream for up to 10 hours at full strength and the results would then lessen over the next 4 hours. The needed dose was only a single sip of potion and the shelf life was a little over a year.

They sent Hermione and Ginny into Hogsmead the next morning to purchase a few hundred mini potion bottles. The girls told the shopkeeper the bottles were for a supply of hangover potion they were making for the big party they were having that weekend. The shopkeeper laughed and even offered them a discount since they were planning ahead. It was a good cover story on why they needed so many little bottles.

They placed unbreakable charms on each bottle and threaded them on strings to be worn around the neck and then filled them all with the potion. They put the rest of the potion in large beakers and kept it in Snape's private stores. They documented all their research for publication once the war was over. They couldn't afford the knowledge to get into the wrong hands before Voldemort was defeated. They also discovered an added side affect of the potion was that it increased the person's retention rate of what went on while under the potion. Hermione could recall almost every detail of what went on so it was easy to document their progress. They decided to name it the Cloud Clearing Potion.

Hermione was in a great mood when she woke up on Saturday morning. She was sill on a high from finishing the potion and was even looking forward to the party later that day. Ginny and she were going to spend the afternoon digging through their closets for the perfect outfits to wear. Although Hermione wasn't the type to care for that type of thing she was looking forward to spending some time alone with Ginny. The two girls had gotten to be even better friends over the year from sharing a room.

The boys were going to spend the morning on the Quidditch pitch and then get the room ready for the party that evening. Dobby had sent 15 cases of Butterbeer and three boxes full of Honeyduke's sweets all shrunk down and placed inside a Quality Quidditch Supplies box. "Dobby is the best house elf ever!" Ron exclaimed, "He even put it all in a box that no one would question you getting at breakfast."

"So, how are things with you and Harry going lately?" Hermione asked Ginny as they were sorting through clothes after lunch. She knew that things were going well and that Gin loved talking about Harry.

"Things are great. We haven't been spending as much time together lately due to order work and everything else but it's surprising that doesn't bother me that much. He still makes time to see me and even if we don't hang out as often it doesn't seem like we are apart. Did I tell you that I had a vision of our wedding?" Ginny asked her.

"Really? That's neat. It must be nice to know you'll be together forever." Hermione told her with a sigh.

"I take it things with Ron are not going so well then?" Ginny asked with a chuckle and sat on the bed next to her.

"I love Ron; don't get me wrong, he's a great guy and one of my best friends" Hermione trailed off.

"Why do I sense a 'but' in there somewhere? Come on out with it," Ginny said.

"I don't think I'm in love with him the way I'm supposed to be. We never talk, he only wants to talk about Quidditch and you know that I just can't stand that subject for very long. I'm also not that comfortable with him physically. I mean, if I was in love with him wouldn't I want to snog him all the time? When he kisses me I just feel weird, almost like I'm doing something wrong. I know he notices that I don't hug or kiss him but I don't know what to do." Hermione finally admitted. It felt good to finally tell someone what he was feeling. "Is there something wrong with me?"

"I don't think there's anything wrong with you." Ginny said with a smile. "Maybe you and Ron were just never meant to be more than friends. You two argue all the time and even though opposites are supposed to attract, maybe you are just too opposite for anything more than friendship. Do remember that game we played where we all describes our perfect mate?" She asked and continued when Hermione nodded yes. "You described someone who was no where near Ron and he did the same. You two are young; it's natural to fall for your best friend since you spend so much time together. Have you ever felt comfortable with a gut before?"

"Not really. The only other guy I ever spent any time with was Krum and it was hard to talk to him in person with his broken English. He hugged me a few times and it felt nice but nothing special. I hear you and Lavender and Parvarti talking about guys and how you almost loose yourselves in the guys embrace and how when they kiss you it's like you are the only two on the planet. Well I guess I just want to feel like that once in my life and with Ron I don't get that at all." Hermione told her with a shrug.

"Can you see yourself married to Ron?" Ginny asked and tried not to laugh as Hermione cringed and then shook her head no. "You just pictured yourself living my mum's life with way too many little wild haired red heads running around while Ron spent all day at work and left you to take care of them all didn't you?" Ginny giggled at the look on Hermione's face when she nodded yes.

"You are not meant for a life like my mum. My mum loves kids and all she ever wanted to be was a mother. You are too smart to stay at home and raise a litter of Weasleys. My brother wants a bunch of kids. If I'm not mistaken you don't even know if you want kids." Ginny told her friend.

"So what do I do now?" Hermione asked. She had realized that Ron wasn't her dream guy but with Ginny spelling it all out she realized she needed to break it off with Ron so he could find someone better for him.

"Talk to him," Ginny told her. "Be honest with him and tell him how you feel. You two are too good of friends to let this get between you. Do you want me to call him in here?" Ginny then left to go get Ron since she had her outfit all picked out.

"What's did you need me for?" Ron asked nervously as he walked into the girls' room. He knew there was something up with the way Ginny looked at him.

"Come sit over here with me Ron, I need to talk to you." Hermione said trying to smile like normal and failing miserably. She didn't want to hurt Ron; she loved being friends with him.

"So it's that bad huh?" He asked as he sank onto her bed. He knew their relationship hadn't been going the best but they had been so busy the last month he hadn't given it much thought. He remembered that the reason they were even in Hogsmead the day of the attack was so he could try being more romantic towards Hermione in an attempt to make things better. "Are you that unhappy with our relationship?"

Hermione was surprised at Ron's unusual display of observation. He was normally fairly dense when it came to girls and feelings. "I'm not unhappy exactly Ron, I'm just not sure what I want anymore. You and I are great friends; I just don't think we were meant for each other."

"Can you tell me what I did wrong?" Ron asked trying to mask his broken heart. He was surprised to find that he wasn't all that hurt or even upset about the idea of their relationship being over.

"You didn't do anything wrong Ron. You are still the same great, funny guy I've been friends with since 1st year. I was never comfortable with the physical aspect of a dating relationship. You know we have only kissed a handful of times. I just think that we don't fit together as anything other than friends. We both need someone that the other one cannot be. You need someone who likes Quidditch and will be willing to have a family and put you before their career. I need someone who challenges my mind, who I can discuss all my theories and ideas with and who understands that my career is important to me and that I may never want kids. We want totally different things, how would we ever work?" She asked him with a single tear trickling down her cheek.

Ron sat for a while processing everything she said. He knew that he wanted a big family and had never really thought about how different his dreams were from hers. He had never really given their relationship a lot of thought at all. The more he thought the more he realized she was right. They had been 'dating' most of the year and the only thing that had changed is that he wasn't jealous of other guys talking to her anymore. They still acted the same, just like friends.

"Wow, you're right as usual," Ron said with a laugh. "I really thought this would hurt a lot worse. Maybe this just shows that we are only supposed to be friends."

Hermione started crying because he understood. "I never want us to stop being friends Ron. I know it will be kind of weird for a while and then even more if you get a new girlfriend but we have to promise now that we will always work it out. Friends forever and for always?"

"Sure thing. But you seem to forget that things will also be weird when you get a new boyfriend!" He laughed and gave her a hug. The ease of the hug surprised both of them; their hugs had been awkward since they started dating.

"I don't think I'll have to worry about that for a while. There isn't anyone I can think of here that would meet my criteria. I think I'll leave dating for college and focus on studying, the order and hanging out with my friends until then!" She laughed as she sent him off to find Harry and Ginny and fill them in while she got ready for the party. They decided to announce their mutual break-up at the party and then have a good time dancing with all the single people there. Ron even made her promise to dance with at least 3 different guys as he was planning on dancing on any girl dumb enough to say yes.

"So things went better than either of us thought huh?" Ginny asked as she came back in to get ready for the party. "I even heard him tell Harry that it was like a weight was lifted that he didn't even know was there. Are you going to be ok now?"

"Yes, I think everything will be just fine. At least I don't have this adding to the number of things I'm worried about now. Come on, I still need help picking out the perfect outfit!" The girls then spent the next hour making themselves beautiful.

The party was already in full swing when the girls entered. Ginny was decked out in a shimmery green halter top and they had transfigured her ugly pink plaid skirt into a short leather skirt with silver stitching. She was wearing black lace up sandals and had her hair in a messy bun at the nape of her neck. She had laughed as she transfigured one of her bracelets into a silver serpent arm band. "I'm just showing how much things have changes in the last month that I can wear a silver snake and green shirt without being accused of going Slytherin!" She had joked to Hermione.

Hermione was wearing tight black pants with red stitching. They had slits in each side up to the ankle that had red ribbons threaded through to make them end in a flair cut. She had decided on wearing ballet type shoes in a black and red pattern that she had found at a thrift store over the summer. She completed the outfit by wearing a red corset style tank top. The top was red satin with black boning and ribbons up the back. She had double plaited her hair to keep it off her face and was wearing a black choker necklace she borrowed from Ginny.

The girls were happy with the results of their outfits. Hermione's mother had insisted upon taking her shopping for the latest muggle fashions before she went to Headquarters during the summer and though she had protested at the time she was glad she had bought a few outfits. She knew their hard work had paid off when Lavender and Pavarti were standing speechless when the two walked in. Ginny looked at Hermione and the two started laughing and walked over to the boys.

"Damn Hermione, you're not supposed to look that good after having just broken my heart!" Ron joked when he saw what she was wearing. He was in a pair of jeans and a tight blue t-shirt that he borrowed from Harry who was in black jeans and green t-shirt.

"Well at least we don't match like these two," Hermione said pointing at Harry and Ginny who couldn't have matched better had they planned it. "No one will doubt they are together!"

"No one will doubt you two are together either if you don't make your announcement," Harry reminded them now that everyone was there. "I mean how is Ron supposed to convince any of the girls to dance with him if they think he's cheating on our lovely Hermione?"

They all laughed and Ron asked for everyone's attention. "Hermione and I have an announcement to make!" He yelled once everyone had started looking his way. "Just to satisfy all of you who like juicy gossip."

"After much discussion, Ron and I have decided to quit dating and return to the friendship we shared before the year started." Hermione told them all earning quite a few startled expressions from the crowd.

"We figured we should be the ones to tell you all so the rumors wouldn't blow everything out of proportion. We split on mutual agreement, we are just better as friends. Being a couple just wasn't working for us. Now everyone enjoy the party!" Ron finished and the music started and everyone started having a good time.

Justin was still too shy to ask Hannah to dance so Ron made a big production out of asking her to dance and telling her how nice she looked. It worked because the next song Justin took her hand and they danced the rest of the night. "That was very sweet of you Ron," Ginny told him smiling as Harry danced with Hermione. Draco came over with Gabrielle in tow.

"You're looking very Slytherin tonight Red," Draco told her, "May I have this dance?" He led her to the dance floor as Ron danced with Gabrielle.

"Doesn't it bother you that Draco dances with someone else?" Ron asked Gabrielle. He was still wary of Draco but after he killed his own father to protect Ginny he knew that Malfoy was on their side.

"No, I trust Draco. Besides it's not like we are married yet. Jealousy is a waste of time in my opinion." Gabrielle told him.

"So your brother and Granger broke it off huh?" Draco asked trying to make conversation. "I didn't see that coming. I thought he was head over heals for her."

"He was at one point." Ginny told him, "He just never noticed that they didn't have anything in common and barely ever did couple stuff. Once she pointed that out, even he realized they were better off as friends."

"I just always figured that you and Potter would live next door to the two of them and raise a bunch of kids that would grow up to be best friends like the 4 of you are." Draco told her.

"Can you actually see Hermione content with a life like that?" Ginny laughed and they finished the dance so she could get back to Harry.

Hermione had a great time at the party. She danced with every Gryffindor boy there as well as with Draco, Terry Boot, two Hufflepuffs she didn't know and a 5th year Slytherin named Sylvester. She thought it appropriate that a kid named Sylvester was a Slytherin. Ron was quite the ladies man that night. Lots of girls offered to dance with him to 'ease his pain' from the breakup. He danced with almost every girl at the party. He didn't dance with Lavender, Hannah, Luna or the Patil twins but he did manage to dance with Susan Bones from Hufflepuff at least 3 times.

The party was a big success and everyone was having a great time. It was well past curfew and still didn't seem to be winding down. The four houses were having fun together without even noticing that old house rivalries were being broken down.

Remus was on night rounds when he ran across Severus. "Have you seen any of the 5th and 6th year Slytherins tonight anywhere?" Snape asked without preamble. He had checked the common room and they were all gone.

"No, but Harry and Ron were acting overly excited today and Harry received a box by owl. I wonder if there is a party going on that we were no made aware of?" Remus asked putting the clues together.

"Where would students from different houses get together to have a party?" Snape wondered out loud. "I have looked through all the empty class rooms."

"We should check the room of requirement, which is where I would have it if I was them." Remus commented as the two teachers headed off to the 7th floor. "Well the door is there so I'm guessing we are in the right spot. So how do we handle this?"

"It is an unprecedented event to have students from all 4 houses willingly spending time together. I believe we should open the door and inform them they have 10 minutes to get to bed before we hand out detentions and deduct house points." Snape told him wondering if they shouldn't just assign the lot of them detention. "We should also threaten suspension if we find another party being held without faculty permission."

"Sounds like you have it under control, I'll just watch you and help if needed," Remus chuckled and reached for the doorknob.

Hermione was on the other side of the room sitting on a couch with Draco and Neville when the door opened. She saw Remus and Snape enter and knew they were all in serious trouble. Snape was surprised by the sheer number of students in the room. The only beverages were pumpkin juice and Butterbeer and it looked as if everyone was behaving. It was thankfully not what he expected of a late night party in the room of requirement. There were no madly snogging couples or drunken students to take to Poppy.

"We are so busted," Draco commented when she elbowed him and pointed to the teachers. He didn't have time to comment any more when Snape took control.

Snape cast a Snorus charm and cleared his throat. He enjoyed the deer in the headlights look on the faces of most of the students and the music stopped abruptly and everyone froze in fear. "If you are not all in bed in 10 minutes you will loose house points and earn a week worth of detention. If I find out about any more unauthorized parties everyone in attendance may face suspension. Now everyone get out of here except for those responsible." Remus chuckled as he watched the students scatter out of the room as if their shoes were on fire.

Even though the party was Harry's idea, everyone in the EDA stayed to face Snape's wrath together. They were too close a group to point fingers or let anything happen to Harry. Remus smiled at how Hermione stepped in front of Harry and Ron in front of Ginny. Even Draco stepped in front of Gabrielle so that Ron, Hermione and Draco were standing in front of the rest of the group. Hermione spoke up first, "We are very sorry sir, we lost track of time. The party was supposed to be over before curfew."

Snape smirked at her attempt to cover for her friends and tried to keep his expression neutral while taking in her outfit and that of Miss Weasley who was decked out in Slytherin colors. Harry spoke up then, "The party was my idea sir. We have all been working so hard lately we just needed a night of fun. The others are not responsible. I was the one that set everything up."

"You are lucky you have such devoted friends Potter or you'd be spending the rest of the year in detention," Snape smirked earning a muffled snort from Lupin. "Now the lot of you, clean this mess up and get to bed. If any of you are out of your common rooms in 30 minutes you'll have wished you never came to this school." Snape said as he glared at them all and turned to leave with his robes billowing behind him. Remus just snapped his fingers and the room was once again spotless. He nodded to the door and the students all hurried out afraid of getting in any more trouble.

Chapter 42: Order of the Mind

"I hear you broke up a party of students from all four houses last night Severus," Dumbledore said over breakfast. "I hear even your Slytherins were decked out in muggle club clothes."

"Yes, the clothing was quite interesting," Snape commented remembering the unique outfit of Miss Granger. "Miss Weasley was even wearing Slytherin colors and a snake on her arm."

"It is nice the barriers between the houses have been broken down after all these years," The headmaster said with a twinkle in his eye. "Pretty soon we may even see the day that a Slytherin ends up with a muggle born Gryffindor."

Snape laughed to himself at that thought. "The barriers of friendship my have been broken. They may even trust each other enough to fight together in this war, but there are some things that will never change," he told Albus.

"You never know, when this war is over the perceptions will have changed. Look at Miss Granger for example. She is a muggle born who before her 7th year already has an Order of Merlin and has co-found the cure to the Imperious curse. These are things we used to believe impossible to achieve and yet she had done it. Maybe she'll be the one to end up with a Slytherin as well." Dumbledore commented.

"Somehow I think Mr. Weasley may not appreciate your speculation," Snape said.

"Ah, I see the mornings biggest piece of gossip has not reached you yet then," Dumbledore chuckled. "It seems our illustrious Miss Granger and the youngest Mr. Weasley has transferred their relationship back to that of the previous years' friendship." Snape's raised eyebrow was the only indication that the news interested him at all. "Did she mention anything while you were researching?"

"Of course not," Snape growled slowly loosing patience with the gossipy old headmaster. "We spoke only of our research. Why would the personal lives of my students be of any concern to me? Miss Granger was an adequate research assistant for the prescribed project."

"I'm glad to hear that," Dumbledore said with a smile that made Severus know something bad was coming. "Due to your success with the Cloud Clearing Potion, I want the two of you to spend the summer researching a potion that counters the Crucio curse at Headquarters."

"What?" Snape said with barely concealed contempt. "You want me to baby-sit the know-it-all for the summer?"

"Miss Granger will be staying at Headquarters for the majority of the summer and I believe the two of you working together can come up with an adequate solution. If you were to stay at Headquarters as well, your research would be sped up substantially. You will do this Severus; we need a counter to Crucio. You know the effects as well as anyone, we must find this and preferably before the final battle." Dumbledore said closing the conversation.

"Fine, but you'll be the one to break the news to her and Potter that I'll be hanging around all summer." Snape said brooding.

"Oh stop your sulking Severus; this is just what you need. I hate how you spend all summer holed up in your dungeon." Albus told him with a grin before resuming his breakfast.

Draco came over and sat down between Hermione and Ginny at breakfast that morning. "So Granger, I hear you stole the heart of one of my Slytherins," Draco drawled out loud enough for half the table to hear.

"What are you talking about Malfoy?" Hermione said rolling her eyes but putting her book down anyway.

"Sylvester Spinnet, the 5th year you danced with last night," he told her with a smirk. "Seems little Sylvester now has a thing for a certain know-it-all Order of Merlin winning Gryffindor who was looking quite good in that sexy little red number by the way."

Hermione just shook her head at the blonde boy. "It was just one little dance, I hardly think that means anything Malfoy," Hermione told him.

"Perhaps, but he talked about you and rumor is he will be asking you to the next Hogsmead weekend. What are your thoughts on that?" He smirked again.

"I'm flattered of course, but you might want to tell him not to bother asking as I will have to turn him down," Hermione told him.

"Why not? Are you too good to date a Slytherin?" Draco asked in mock outrage.

"I promise you I will date the first Slytherin who matches me in intelligence and doesn't want to date me solely for the fact that I have an Order of Merlin. Your little friend asked me about my award 4 times during the one song we danced! That is why I would say no. Besides, I think I'm done dating until I get to college, you boys just aren't smart enough for me!" She laughed earning several fake sounds of outrage from the guys around her.

"You wound me Granger," Draco said pulling an imaginary knife out of his heart. "But I'll hold you to that promise once I find the perfect Slytherin for you."

"You seem to forget one small point Draco," Hermione told him wrinkling her nose. "I'm not only Gryffindor but Muggle-born, what Slytherin would ever want me?"

Draco thought for a second and smiled with a shrug. He then stood on the bench and yelled out to the great hall, "I Draco Malfoy will not rest until I have successfully set up Hermione Granger, Order of Merlin 2nd class and Gryffindor Know-it-all up with the most intelligent Slytherin man I can find!" The Gryffindor's all laughed and applauded while Hermione turned red.

The teachers at the head table were all able to hear the majority of Malfoy and Hermione's conversation. Dumbledore and Lupin even chuckled at Malfoy's announcement. "Looks like my guess that it will be Miss Granger who ends up being the first Gryffindor to date a Slytherin will be correct if Mr. Malfoy keeps his promise." The headmaster said to Snape who was wondering what was coming over his students.

"I wouldn't worry Severus," Minerva told him with a sly smile. "I don't know a single one of your students that is intelligent enough for Miss Granger." Snape pretended to be outraged by that comment, but in reality he saw the truth in it. He wouldn't have to worry about trying to calm the dark lord or some set of irate parents, there were none of his students smart enough for the brilliant Gryffindor girl.

"Hello, we just broke up yesterday! Can't you wait like a week before setting her up with someone else?" Ron pouted.

"Like you can talk Weasley," Draco chuckled. "I saw how many girls you danced with last night! You didn't seem too concerned with a waiting period before pawing that Hufflepuff girl, Bones is it?" Ron turned as red as his hair and the rest all laughed at his embarrassment.

"Come on Gin, lets go get some fly time in before practice," Harry said with a wink taking his girlfriend's hand.

"It's Sunday," Hermione reminded them. "You don't have practice until tomorrow."

"Ron scheduled an extra practice to get ready for our match against Ravenclaw next weekend," Ginny told her. "We'll be out most the morning!"

Hermione decided to spend the morning in the library. She wanted to get started on some more research for the order. She was researching the ways the nerves of the body work in an attempt to figure out how exactly Crucio causes so much pain. She couldn't believe the end of the school year was only a few months away. She decided she would try and continue her research over the summer and she planned on getting her apparating license as soon as school was out now that she was a fully qualified wizard and all.

Hermione's research was interrupted by the headmaster shortly before lunchtime. "Good morning Miss Granger, would you mind accompanying me to my office? There is a matter that I wish to discuss with you." He told her and she hurried to follow him.

"I was very impressed with your and Severus' progress on the Cloud Clearing Potion and I want to continue your research." He told her once they were seated in his office.

"Yes sir," She told him with a smile. "I am already starting preliminary research into the effects of crucio on the human body. I spent all morning trying to determine just how the curse works."

"Excellent," He said with the maddening twinkle in his eye. "Then you will not be opposed to me assigning you to research the curse with Professor Snape over the summer at headquarters."

"Of course not sir, I will do anything to help the order." She responded wondering just how much time she would have to spend with Snape over the summer and how Harry would react knowing his hated professor will be in residence at his home all of summer break. "I was planning on spending the first two weeks of the summer with my parents and then the rest at headquarters, will this plan still work?"

"Yes, I wouldn't want you to miss seeing your family. I will be telling Harry and Remus of the arrangement after the Gryffindor Quidditch practice gets over." He told her and they headed down to the great hall for lunch.

"Sir, I truly respect professor Snape but I wonder about the working relationship over the summer. He tends to take points and assign detention whenever he gets upset. How will the arrangement work this summer?" Hermione asked looking at her feet so she didn't see the almost Slytherin smirk on the headmaster's face.

"Since you are a fully qualified witch and order member the two of you will be working as colleagues, not as professor and student. That is why I am waiting to begin your combined research until the start of the holidays." Dumbledore told her, his eyes full of mischievous sparkle.

"Colleagues?" Hermione squeaked excitedly as the old man just chuckled at her.

"Yes, I expect you and Severus will have an amiable relationship by the end of the break. To let you in on a secret I think that getting him out of the castle will be good for him. He has spent too many summers holed up in his dungeon with nothing but his potion ingredients. Some human company will do him good. I am also hoping this will strengthen the truce between Severus and Harry.

Hermione was on cloud nine as she entered the great hall and made her way to the Gryffindor table. She didn't even notice that half of the Slytherin table was watching her closely. She had just helped herself to a turkey sandwich when she was tapped on the shoulder. She turned to see Sylvester the 5th year Slytherin sitting beside her. "Good afternoon Sylvester," She said politely but groaning inside her head. She couldn't believe she had a 'fan.'

"Hello Hermione," He almost purred. Hermione thought it must be something taught to them in Slytherin since the only people she had ever known to pull it off were Snape and Malfoy. "I was hoping you would do me the honor of accompanying me on the next Hogsmead visit."

"I'm afraid I already have plans with Harry and Ron that day. I am sorry." She told him with a small smile, just enough to be polite but not enough to encourage him to try again. Unfortunately it seemed that young Sylvester was of the arrogant persuasion who believed he could charm her into seeing it his way.

He put his arm around her and flashed a cocky smile. "Surely you can change your plans. I was hoping we could take a carriage ride around town and have a picnic at the top of the hill. I'm sure that Potter and Weasley will understand."

"They may understand but I have never broken our plans before and I don't plan to start now," She said somewhat forcefully trying to get back to her lunch.

"Then perhaps we can go next weekend instead. I believe you have a special pass to Hogsmead that you have yet to use." He was really laying on the charms and obviously was not going to take no for an answer. She had discovered that most purebloods were used to getting their way and realized she would have to use some diversionary tactics to fend off the besotted Slytherin.

She glanced over at the Slytherin table to see Draco smirking and most of the rest of the table watching her exchange with their housemate. A glance to the head table saw an amused glint in Snape's eye. He could tell she was ready to drag the stupid boy back over to his friends if he didn't give up soon. Hermione finally sighed and turned back to Sylvester. "I am sorry but I already have my heart set on another Slytherin and I don't want him to get the wrong idea. I hope you understand," She smiled sweetly and thought to herself, "weasel around that answer you annoying little snake."

Sylvester went back to his house table defeated. His housemates patted him on the back in condolence except for Draco. "I told you not to bother Spinnet, she's too much for you to handle anyway!" Draco told him with a smirk.

"Does she think she's too good for a Slytherin?" Another 5th year boy yelled loudly down the table at his friend.

Sylvester shook his head, "Nah, she said she fancies some other chap and didn't want him to get the wrong impression."

"Oi, Hermione!" Draco called over to her. "What house is this bloke you fancy in? I told you I was going to set you up with a Slytherin," he said with a fake pout.

"Not to worry my dear little dragon," She said with a smile and went back to her meal without answering the question.

The table as a whole turned to look at Sylvester again. "She said he was a Slytherin." He yelled down to Draco and the boys at the table all smiled and tried to determine who it was the star Gryff liked.

"So you fancy a snake now huh?" Harry asked amused as he sat down next to her. Ginny just chuckled and Ron was shooting daggers at the entire Slytherin table.

Hermione just rolled her eyes at her friends. "I couldn't get the little bugger to leave any other way so I told him I fancied someone. I didn't want anyone saying that would make it seem like I have anything against the Slytherins so" She just shrugged. After Draco's little proclamation the rumors would be all over the school.

"You're not going to get out of this one now." Harry told her laughing. "Draco won't let up until you date a Slytherin."

"He's right you know," Draco said as he and Gabrielle walked by. "Now that you have admitted to having a thing for a Slytherin I won't rest until you are seen out in public with a Slytherin!"

"You'll be waiting a long time for that then. I have no plans to be seen in the exclusive company of a Slytherin." She told him with a smile.

"Is that so Miss Granger?" Professor Snape smirked from behind them startling the friends out of their conversation.

"Good evening Professor Snape," Hermione, Ginny and Draco all chorused.

"Miss Granger I would like to speak with you regarding that extra work the Headmaster asked you about." Snape said and gave her a nod before heading out of the great hall.

"What extra work?" Harry asked her.

"You'll have to ask the headmaster. He was going to talk to you and Remus after dinner." Hermione told him as she finished up her dinner and hurried down to the dungeons. "You wanted to speak with me sir?" She asked Snape.

"Although we will not be starting our combined research until this summer I believe we should use the Hogwarts library as best we can before the end of the year." Snape told her without his usual snarkiness. Dumbledore had instructed him to treat her like a colleague during their research. As much as he hated to admit it, she had been very helpful in finding the Imperio cure.

"Yes sir," She replied with a smile. "I have already started researching how the curse works from a physical standpoint. I plan on splitting my time between research and studying for finals. I think I should have the majority of the info I need out of the library before the year is over."

"Very good Miss Granger. We will start out research the 3rd week of the summer break," Snape said before dismissing her.

Dumbledore met with Harry and Remus about the plans for the summer. Remus was fine with the idea of the majority of the order research being done at their house as long as it didn't interfere with the wedding plans. Harry was fine until he was told that would mean that Snape would be staying for the majority of the summer. "It's not that I don't respect the work that Professor Snape does for the order. I know how important he is. It is just that this is our summer break and having him around makes things sort of tense." Harry told Albus.

"That should not be a problem this summer. Since you and your friends are all now fully qualified wizards and order members there is no reason that you can not all act as colleagues. I have spoken to Severus and he has agreed that the student teacher barrier need not be present during the break." Albus told the boy-who-lived.

"That works for me," Harry said with a smile. He would have said yes anyway so the breakdown of the student teacher barrier would be an added benefit.

"You ok with all of this Harry?" Remus asked him after they left the headmaster's office. "I know you were hoping for a calm summer of hanging out with your friends."

"Since when is hanging out with my friends ever calm?" Harry laughed. "Besides with you and Tonks getting married and all the research for the final battle at least we won't be bored!"

"Speaking of wedding plans, I want you to be my best man," Remus told him. "Tonks still hasn't decided who she wants as bridesmaids but I couldn't wait any longer to ask you."

"I would be honored," Harry said giving his dad a hug. "Have you two decided where you are having the ceremony yet?"

"No, it's hard to find someplace to accommodate both her wizarding and muggle families that is still safe from death eater attack." Remus told him.

"What about here at Hogwarts?" Harry asked. "Couldn't you just send carriages to pick up her muggle relatives and have them brought here?"

"That is most likely what we will have to do. We both wanted to have the wedding at number 12 but we can't risk the safety of its exposure. She only has a few muggle relatives that know about her being a witch so there won't be many of them coming. The rest think she hasn't spoken to since she was little." Remus told him.

"Have you finalized your plans for the honeymoon?" Harry asked with a wink.

"Yes, we'll be gone for a little over a month. Hedwig will be able to find us if needed, otherwise we'll be out of touch!" Remus said with a huge grin.

"The wedding is only a few months away; when do you want your bachelor party?" Harry asked. "As best man, I need to know these things."

"You can plan it for either the 1st or 2nd week of break before Hermione and the rest of the order gets there. Molly is going to go visit Charlie in Romania for those two weeks so we won't have to worry about the rest of the boys being in trouble for coming to the party." Remus said laughing.

Chapter 43: Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor

The week leading up to the Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor Quidditch match went by quickly. The houses were all excited about the game now that they were all getting along. Draco and Gabrielle had Gryffindor flags to support their friends even though they were sitting with the Slytherins. Hermione and Neville had front row seats to cheer on their friends. The big bet for the game was how many points the Gryff chasers would score before Harry caught the snitch.

The game was fast paced, at least for the Gryffindors. Ginny, Dean, and Seamus were much better players than their Ravenclaw equivalents. Cho Chang wasn't even trying to look for the snitch she was watching Harry and hoping he would spot it and she could get their first. Harry had already tricked her with 2 Wronski feints and a mad dash or two across the pitch.

Ginny had already scored 100 points and Gryffindor was ahead 180 to 20 when Harry spotted the snitch hanging out above Cho's head. He smiled at Cho and made his way over to her lazily like he wanted to talk to her about something. She smiled at him, still not noticing the snitch above her head. Draco saw the snitch as soon as Harry made his way over to Cho and was laughing at his attempt to grab it without her realizing it was within her reach.

"Hey Cho, good game don't you think?" Harry asked conversationally trying to both keep the snitch in sight and not alert her to its presence.

"Yeah, I just hope we can score some more points before we see the snitch." She told him with a big smile and eyelashes batting. Ever since he had gotten his order of Merlin she had gotten back in the habit of flirting with him. Ginny thought it was funny and he just found it annoying.

"I don't think that's going to happen today Cho," Harry said with an almost evil grin. Then he leaned in so she thought he was going to kiss her or at least touch her and grabbed the snitch from over her head. "Thanks Cho!" He yelled as he held up the snitch and took off towards his team.

The stands went wild at Harry's catch. The Ravenclaw's all groaned at their seeker and how she didn't even realize the snitch was hovering over her head. The Slytherins were all laughing at Harry's catch and the Gryffindor stands were going wild with cheers.

"I think we can safely have a big party tonight now that we pulled even farther away in house points. We can afford to loose some if we get caught!" Dean told the team as they headed into the showers. Hermione, Neville, Pavarti and Lavender hurried up to the common room to get the decorations up and get the food ready. Hermione had owled Dobby earlier in the week for provisions and he happily obliged with butterbeers and candy. The Hogwarts house elves sent up food as well so the party was well stocked.

"How do you get such good stuff for parties?" Lavender asked her as they finished putting up streamers and banners.

"Sorry, that is a Marauder secret that I'm just not at liberty to discuss." Hermione smiled at her friends. "You could call Harry, Ron, Ginny and I the 2nd generation of Marauders. Even though Fred and George are honorary members as well."

"Cool!" Pavarti squealed. "Do you have nicknames like they do?"

"Not yet, we have been too busy to think of any," She told her roommates. "Let's hurry and finish before the team gets up here. I have to go owl the rest of the 10 that aren't in Gryff to meet me outside the fat lady so they can join us."

Hermione met Hannah, Justin, Luna, Draco and Gabrielle at the Fat Lady. Fred, George and Lee Jordan were there as well having come to watch the game. The common room was a rowdy place. Hermione didn't even try to keep things under control. She knew it wouldn't work and decided to just have a good time. She knew the teachers were aware they were having a party so she wasn't too worried.

Tonks was recruited to keep watch over the Gryffindor party so she was in a corner dressed in Gryffindor colors and looking like a student talking to some 3rd and 4th years. Hermione had waved to her and Harry winked at her so she knew they recognized her but didn't say anything.

The party went on for a few hours before Hermione and Ginny took control and sent all the younger students up to bed letting only those 5th year and older to stay, except for Dennis who they always seemed to forget was so young. "Let's play a game!" Lavender said with a wink at Pavarti. "We kind of made it up after the last party. We charmed this muggle Magic 8 ball to come up with questions or dares for everyone. You just shake the ball and the question will float to the surface. Then everyone has to answer the question or do the dare. We also charmed it to know if you are lying so you have to answer the question truthfully. If you don't want to answer you have to take the consequence dare and the ball comes up with those too."

"You guys do know that it's against the law to charm muggle items right?" Hermione asked them with a smile. "But other than that, I think it's a great idea!" The girls smiled at the praise from Hermione.

"Can I play?" Tonks asked coming up to the group.

"Who are you?" Dean asked with a smile while moving over to let her sit between him and Seamus.

"This is Dora, she's cool." Harry told them. Since Harry seemed to think she should be allowed to play no one questioned her further. "I'll start," he said as he shook the ball and read, "If you had to kiss someone in this room right now who would it be? Well, that's easy for me it's Ginny." They went around the group and most of the answers weren't surprises. Ron actually answered Hermione even though they weren't together anymore. Hermione didn't want to kiss anyone in the room so when she answered Draco it wasn't a lie but it wasn't the truth either. Ron didn't seem to like her answer but Gabrielle and Ginny found it funny since they realized she was just messing with the boys and that she didn't want to kiss any of them.

Ginny was next with, "How far have you gone with a member of the opposite sex?" She blushed from ear to ear and looked from her three brothers to Harry with a look of utmost horror on her face. "Um†3rd base," She mumbled quickly as Harry gripped his wand hoping not to have to fight off all the Weasley boys.

"At least you haven't deflowered out little sister or we would have to hurt you and then make you marry her," Fred told Harry while Ron just looked impressed that Harry had so much success when he had such a hard time with Hermione.

Most of the rest of the 5th and 6th years had only been to 1st base or not even up to bat. Draco and Gabrielle were at 2nd base. Fred, George, Lee and 'Dora' have each gone all the way. Ron seemed impressed with his older brothers as well. Ron's turn with the 8-ball was, "Who is the sexiest teacher you know?" All the guys answered Tonks but the girls were split. Everyone but Lav, Pavarti and Hermione answered Remus. Lav and Pavarti still liked Lockheart even if he was a fraud. Hermione tried to answer Remus but the 8-ball said she was lying she tried again with Remus but it still thought she was lying. She went through all the teachers from Dumbledore to Hagrid and it still said she was lying. She finally only had one teacher left and she looked in shock at the ball before answering Snape. They all gasped as the ball didn't negate her answer. Draco smirked at her stunned face while the others all looked grossed out, including Hermione.

"How is that even possible, until this very second I never even thought of him as anything other than a teacher!" She huffed.

"That's it, all those books have finally rotted out dear little Hermione's brain." Fred told them all.

"I know you prefer intelligence over looks but really my dear, the question asked who the 'Sexiest' teacher was!" George said in mock outrage. Hermione just pouted until it was her turn for the ball.

"If you had to get married tomorrow what would the last name if the person you would marry be?" Hermione asked shaking her head. "I would guess I would end up with a Weasley if I had to marry tomorrow." She said and was relieved that the ball believed her.

"That's not fair! There are 6 Weasleys, which one of us would you marry?" George asked. He had always had a soft spot for Hermione even if he never wanted to date her he wouldn't mind her at least picking him to boost his ego.

"Too bad the question didn't ask that huh," Hermione laughed. Luna and Neville surprised everyone by answering each other, along with Draco/Gabrielle, Justin/Hannah and Harry/Ginny answering each other. The biggest shocks were 'Dora' answering Lupin even though Harry and Hermione knew it was Tonks and Ron answering Bones meaning he would rather marry the Hufflepuff girl than Hermione. Hermione was actually relieved that he didn't hold out hope of a marriage between them working. Fred, George and Lee all said their girlfriends (Spinnet, Johnson, Bell) and the rest all answered other Gryffindors.

Dean was next with a dare, "Walk up to a member of another house tomorrow and kiss them." They all groaned and promised to do the dare. Fred, George and Lee didn't have to do it since they wouldn't be around tomorrow.

Dora was next with, "Which Marauder do you think is the best?" She laughed and answered Moony along with Hermione, Luna, Hannah, Justin, Dennis, Dean and Seamus. Fred, George, Colin, Ron, Draco and Lavender all answered Padfoot. Harry, Ginny and Gabrielle were the only ones to answer Prongs. No one answered Wormtail and they were all grateful for it even if most of them didn't know who the Marauders really were.

They were about to play another round when Remus and Snape walked into the tower. "Not again," Draco groaned. "How did they know we were in here, shouldn't McGonagall be the one to find us."

"Hey pops, you wanna play with us?" Harry asked offering the teachers a seat. The non order members looked horrified at the idea and scampered off to bed with excuses of being tired. Tonks laughed at the looks on the kids faces as they thought of playing the game with a teacher not realizing they had been the entire time.

"What are you playing?" Snape asked trying not to sound too curious about the black ball they were using.

"It's a game that Lavender and Pavarti came up with. It's a lot like truth or dare except this ball comes up with the questions or dares and everyone does them." Tonks explained. "It's sort of fun, we should play it sometime this summer when all the order members are around."

"How do you know about the Order?" Ron asked her wondering why the teachers and Harry looked so calm. Harry laughed as Tonks morphed into herself and the rest realized they had a teacher present the entire night.

"I think we could play a round or two, what do you think Severus?" Remus asked as he sat down next to Tonks.

"Besides there is this one question it asked earlier about the sexiest" Draco started but was cut off by Hermione muttering a silencing charm on him so he couldn't finish. The rest all laughed at him before she released the charm. "Damn Granger I know better than to get on your bad side I didn't even see you reach for your wand!"

Remus picked up the ball and asked, "How many kids do you want to have?" He smiled at Tonks before saying two girls and a boy. Tonks wanted two boys and a girl so at least they were decided on having 3 kids. Harry surprised everyone by saying he wanted at least 5 kids and Ginny beamed saying she loved growing up in a big family and had hoped to be able to have six kids, 3 of each. Ron said he wants 4 kids. Both Snape and Hermione said they weren't sure they even wanted kids.

Snape was next with "Who is the smartest student in the school?" He glared at the ball and they all laughed that he would have to praise at least one person and they told him that the ball knew if they were lying. "Fine, I would have to say Miss Granger then," he said still grumbling but liking the shocked look on the students' faces that he had finally admitted that Hermione was the smartest witch in the school. Hermione had blushed and hid her face not wanting him to know how long she had waited for some sort of acknowledgement from him. Everyone else also said Hermione and she answered Gabrielle which made the little Veela smile.

"We should get to bed, it's getting late." Ginny said yawning. "We can just keep this ball by saying that Professor Snape confiscated it so we can play over the summer."

"Nah, I'll just make a new one with better charms so it can sense the kind of question the person wants to ask or the type of dare. I need something to do when I'm not researching." Gabrielle told them. "And I'll use a non-muggle ball so that we don't get in trouble from the ministry." They all laughed knowing that the Minister of Magic himself liked to tinker with muggle trinkets.

The next day the school knew of the dare that had been made where those who played had to kiss a member of another house. Neville and Luna were the first to follow through meeting between their table and giving each other a kiss to applause from both tables. Hermione decided to prove her Gryffindor courage and to get back at Draco for trying to set her up with a Slytherin and marched over to the Slytherin table. All eyes were on her in the great hall as the rumor that she fancied a Slytherin had made it all the way around school and they wanted to see who it was.

"Excuse me Draco," She said sweetly from behind him and Gabrielle tried not to laugh having figured out what Hermione was up to. "Could I speak with you for a second please?"

"Sure Hermione, what's up? Can't decide which of my house mates to kiss?" He joked not realizing how close to the mark he was.

"Oh, no I know exactly which Slytherin I want," She purred at him in her most flirty tone before pulling him close to her for a kiss. He was startled by her forwardness and impressed at her courage at the same time and let the kiss go on longer than necessary out of shock. "See you in class Draco," She said with a wink before sashaying back to her seat next to Ginny.

The Great Hall was in stunned silence. The know-it-all Gryffindor had just kissed the Slytherin Prince. Not only that but she had the guts to do it in front of his current girlfriend! Tonks was the only teacher who was laughing so she had to explain the dare to the others. Snape just watched in stunned silence as she approached his house's table and kissed his favorite student. The rumors around the school that morning were weather or not Hermione would be successful in stealing Draco away from Gabrielle.

At lunch time Gabrielle decided to get her dare done and headed over to the Gryffindor table. She decided to inflame the situation with Draco and Hermione a little bit by kissing Ron. She planted a big kiss on Ron and grinned as the table whistled and hollered as he turned as red as his hair. She then went back to her table and made a point not to sit by Draco. She was enjoying teasing him. Harry and Ginny had talked to Hannah and Justin earlier and decided to swap partners for the kiss so they wouldn't offend anyone or have anyone get any ideas. Dean and Seamus had bet Lavender and Pavarti 10 galleons each that they wouldn't have the guts to kiss Crabbe and Goyle so the two girls showed their Gryffindor sprit and earned themselves some spending money.

The Creevy brothers each kissed Hufflepuff girls in hopes they wouldn't get slapped and ended up with dates for the next Hogsmead weekend. Dean kissed Padma Patil and Seamus kissed Cho's rat of a friend Marietta. Ron and Draco were the only ones left to complete the dare by the end of lunch.

The teachers had to take multiple points off for students not paying attention in class. They were all talking about the dare that was going on and the result of the Quidditch match. The last game of the year would be Gryffindor vs. Slytherin for the Quidditch cup.

That night at dinner everyone was watching Draco and Ron carefully. Ron decided to get his over with first. He smiled as he walked over to the Hufflepuff table and sat next to Susan. He took her hand, whispered something in her ear and then gave her a short soft kiss on the lips. She smiled at him before he headed back to the Gryffindor table to finish his meal. Harry and Ginny patted him on the back as he sat down.

"So are you two and item now or did you just ask her to Hogsmead?" Hermione asked him with a knowing smile. She could tell as soon as she saw them dancing at the party in the Room of Requirement that they were perfect for each other. Susan even liked Quidditch!

"We are going to Hogsmead, how did you know that's what I asked her?" Ron asked her.

"I know you pretty well by now Ron. I'm glad you two are together or at least will be together." She told him with a smile. She was interrupted from continuing her speech when a pair of strong hands spun her around in her seat and a air of lips descended on her. She realized it was Malfoy and kissed him back. He was so startled by her kissing back that he stopped kissing her and headed back to his table. Gabrielle pretended to be upset and ran out of the hall leaving Malfoy to chase after her. Hermione just plastered a smile on her face and kept eating.

"Do you really have a thing for Malfoy?" Pavarti asked Hermione once all the commotion calmed down. "I mean you do realize that he is going to marry Gabrielle even if he liked you he couldn't be with you since she is his intended."

"Who says I want to marry him? I just want to have a little bit of fun. That's why I kissed him. I don't expect him to leave her for me or anything." Hermione told her. She was amused at how easy it was to manipulate people into believing something.

"That was so funny!" Gabrielle said as Draco got to the common room. "You should have seen your face when she kissed you back! You should know better than to try and get the best of the smartest witch in the school."

"I still can't believe that she kissed me in the first place! I know I was teasing her about liking a Slytherin but I figured she would just kiss a Hufflepuff or a Ravenclaw. I hate that damn Gryffindor courage. I decided that kissing her back would be funny, guess I was wrong." Draco huffed as he wrapped his arms around his girlfriend. "You're not mad at me are you?"

"Not unless you're mad that I kissed Weasley. It was a dare we had to complete. I'm afraid the dares will get worse over the summer at Headquarters. There won't be school rules to follow and I'm going to make the ball more interesting!" She told him as she curled up in his arms. "You know I was thinking about something that we found out during the dares."

"Oh really? What is that?" Draco teased sensing her playful tone.

"Harry and Ginny are further along in their relationship than we are, I was just wondering why?" She said with a wink before jumping off the couch and running toward the exit.

"You little tease!" Draco exclaimed and chased after her. "You know there is no reason for us to rush. We have the rest of our lives together. Besides I want to wait until we are married to do anything that could get us in trouble." He then proceeded to tickle her until the rest of the house returned from dinner to find them out of breath and clothing rumpled on the couch in front of the fire.

"I guess they made up," one of the other Slytherins laughed as the two tried to straighten their clothes. They knew what it looked like they had been doing but didn't bother to correct their house mates.

"Let's get out of here," Draco said with a smile as he pulled Gabrielle out of the common room. They had an EDA meeting so they needed an excuse to be gone anyway.

Chapter 44: Changing Appearances

"We're going to work on non-magical defense skills today," Harry told them. "I found a book of muggle defense techniques used to both dodge spells and disarm an attacker even if we can't use our wands."

"This looks like karate and yoga and a bunch of other martial arts and techniques rolled into one," Hermione said as she looked through the book.

They practiced moves for and hour or so before deciding to try them against spells. Harry and Draco faced off against each other. Harry without his wand to try the defense techniques did all right for the first few minutes. As he dove to the side to avoid a stunning spell Draco sent he smacked his head against the corner of a bookshelf and cut his head open. They had to carry him to the hospital wing.

"We were practicing defense maneuvers and he hit his head trying to dodge a spell," Ginny told Madame Pomfrey.

"He'll be fine as soon as I get this cut patched back together. Unfortunately I'll have to shave off his hair in that area to make sure I get the entire cut taken care of." She told them all.

"Can't make his hair any worse," Ron chuckled and got hit by both Ginny and Hermione. Hannah was helping Poppy tend to Harry and Draco went to get Remus.

Harry was awake again in a few minutes after Poppy stopped the bleeding. She shaved his entire head instead of just leaving part of it bald and part not. "I look hideous!" Harry exclaimed while looking in the mirror. "Ugg, I look awful without hair. I hope I don't ever go bald!" They all laughed at him and assured him that his hair would grow back soon before heading off to bed.

Remus and Tonks stayed with him for a while discussing wedding plans. "Hopefully your hair will be grown back by then," Tonks laughed. "I wouldn't want our pictures to have a hairless Harry in them."

"Ahhh," Harry groaned and put his face in his hands. "Grow, Grow, Grow!" He said wishing his hair to grow back. He didn't want to have to face the school tomorrow.

"Um, Harry, what did you just do?" Tonks asked sounding awed. Both she and Remus were looking at him with wide eyes.

"What do you mean?" He asked curious. She handed him the mirror back and he dropped it he was so shocked to see all of his hair had grown back. "Holly crap! Did I just do that? How is that possible?"

"What were you thinking just then?" Tonks asked him.

"I was willing my hair to hurry up and grow so I didn't have to face the school." Harry told her still admiring his full head of hair.

"Have you ever done something like this before?" Tonks asked him curiously.

"Once when my aunt cut all my hair off the next morning it was back to normal." Harry told her. "Does my hair have some sort of self preservation spell on it or something?"

"Try and see if you can will it to grow even longer. Image it as long a Snape's hair." She told him. "Really concentrate." Harry did as she told him and willed his hair to look like Snape's, except not to be greasy. When Remus gasped he stopped concentrating and looked at his dad. Remus showed him the mirror again and sure enough he had long jet black hair.

"So this is what his hair would look like if it was clean," Harry mused to himself admiring his new do. "Does this mean what I think it does?" He asked looking to Tonks who nodded. He focused again on changing his hair to look greasy and his nose to be hooked and his skin to become pale.

"AHHHH!" Poppy yelled as she walked over to them and saw what appeared to be a young version of Snape sitting on the bed where Harry used to be. Remus and Tonks started laughing and handed Harry the mirror again so he could see himself ala Snape.

"Awesome! I look like I could be his brother or something. We should go show Professor Dumbledore and see what he thinks!" Harry exclaimed.

"What is going on here?" Poppy asked them all.

"Harry was trying out his glamour charms and was playing around. He wondered if he could make himself look like Snape," Remus told her as they headed off to see the headmaster.

"Well Harry it seems you have another new power at your disposal," Albus chuckled as they entered his office. Snape was sitting in front of the fire and it looked like they had interrupted a game of wizards' chess.

"Well Potter you have cured me of my belief that if I had ended up with your mother our children would have been blessed with her looks." Snape said sarcastically. "My nose and hair and the only redeeming quality are the eyes. You could scare the student body walking around like that."

"Yeah, one Snape is enough to handle as it is," Tonks joked. "Try a different look Harry. The more you practice the easier it will be to change." Harry focused on changing again. He ended up with curly red hair and freckles with bright blue eyes. He even grew a few inches and had an earring.

"We should keep this new ability a secret to most everyone as well. As far as anyone is concerned about your hair growing back just say Poppy had a hair growth potion on hand." Dumbledore told him.

"I should make myself an alternate identity so that I can go out in public this summer without being mobbed by supporters and fans. I can become a Weasley cousin or even one of Remus' relatives. That way I can still hang out with my friends but not have to avoid the crowds." Harry told them.

"Sounds like a good idea; I'll start working on an alias for you." Dumbledore told him with a smile. "Any idea what you want your first name to be?"

"How about a unique name that will have a cool nickname? Something like Xavier so they can call me X!" Harry said happily as the adults all just laughed.

"Alright, we'll make you Xavier Lupin. Since most of Remus' family is unknown it will not be as obvious you are not who you say you are. Also, since he is getting married it would make sense that his family comes to visit." Dumbledore said.

"Just as long as he doesn't look like one of my relatives," Snape grumbled as they left the headmaster to his plans.

"So what do you think I should look like?" Harry asked Remus. "I think I'll go tell my friends what's going on and they can help me form a new identity." He said as he hurried to the Gryffindor common room.

"So what do you think?" Harry asked as they all sat in his and Ron's room. He was trying different faces and making them laugh. Finally Hermione was smart enough to pull out the photo album Harry had of his parents and friends to see what Remus looked like at his age so Harry could have some frame of reference.

They spent the next hour coming up with three different looks for Harry. One had sandy brown hair that was kind of shaggy and longer that swept into his face. He had grey eyes and a tan complexion. He made his face a little fuller with a slightly smaller build. His second look had him with dirty blonde hair that was in a short buzz cut with pale skin that looks almost sickly like Remus before a full moon. The eyes were a deep blue and he was thin but the same height. His third look had brown slightly curly hair that was to his shoulders and hazel eyes. He had slight freckles and an athletic build and big hands.

Hermione liked the first look with the sandy brown hair. Ginny liked the last one with the brown hair and Ron thought the dirty blonde one was the best. Somehow they all looked like he could be related to Remus.

"So which one do you like the best?" Harry asked Remus and Tonks the next day after classes. The three of them were having dinner together to go over some wedding plans. The guys were giving her a hard time about choosing her wedding attendants.

"I think either of the brown haired ones will be good. We don't want anyone to think you're a werewolf so let's avoid the blonde sickly looking one." Tonks told them.

"I say go with the brown one. The other looks too much like me and someone might think you're my kid instead of my nephew or whatever you'll be." Remus told him. "Besides you'll be able to tie back the longer hair where the medium hair will just get in your face."

They met with Dumbledore a few weeks later to show him Xavier's look. Dumbledore had papers made up showing that Xavier is Remus' nephew and godson. He was home schooled by his parents until they were killed in a muggle car crash last month. Xavier will be coming to live with Remus until he gets back on his feet. Arthur had the ministry draw up a birth certificate and history of Xavier Lupin. He was two years older than Harry and the gang and a fully qualified wizard with adequate scores on OWLs and NEWTs. Not enough to be an auror but enough to get a mediocre job someplace if needed. His received a large settlement from the car crash that killed his parents and therefore will not have to work for a while. They would introduce him and induct him into the Order just to keep up appearances.

The next morning Ginny was nervous and jumpy and went to meet with Dumbledore before breakfast. "Headmaster, its April 28th today, this is the day of the vision I had where Fleur was killed and Gabrielle taken out of class." She reminded him. "What am I to do?"

"We have preventative measures in effect already. There is nothing for you to worry about. We have done everything in our control to prevent what you saw, there is nothing else we can do but wait." The kindly old headmaster said while giving her shoulder a squeeze. "Just go to class and pretend everything is the same as any other day."

"Thank you sir," Ginny said as she made her way to breakfast. She was worried about her friends and what would happen later that day. The 6th years were all concerned with their test in DADA and didn't seem to notice that Ginny seemed more subdued than normal.

The exam was half way over when the door opened and Fleur walked in. She grabbed Gabrielle by the wrist and pulled her out of the classroom. They made their way down to the grounds and towards the forbidden forest. "What are you doing?" Gabrielle asked, she had never seen her sister act this way before. "Has something happened? Why did you take me out of my exam? I can't just leave without telling Draco and the teachers where I'm going!" She was worried that Fleur hadn't spoken yet.

They reached the edge of the forest and Gabrielle could see another Fleur tied to a tree and a Death Eater standing next to her. She decided she needed to think fast. "What is going on? Why am I being taken by the Dark Lord's followers? I am the intended of Draco Malfoy who is planning on joining the Dark Lord after graduation. He has worked his entire life to become the type of servant worthy to serve our lord." Gabrielle rambled trying to figure a way out of her predicament.

"He may be loyal but we do not know of your loyalty." The death eater sneered and Gabrielle recognized the voice as the 7th year boy who led the other Slytherins to the Dark Lord.

"My loyalty is unquestionable. I will be but a servant of my husband. I will do as he desires." Gabrielle said knowing she needed to keep them talking.

"Bitch," The imposter Fleur screamed at her. Gabrielle recognized Pansy's voice immediately.

"Pansy you are so pathetic. You question my loyalty just because you don't like that I got Draco and you didn't. I doubt the dark lord would be happy to realize you are so blinded by jealousy that you would do anything to get Draco." Gabrielle yelled at her.

"What are you talking about?" The death eater snapped.

"Pansy here would do anything to get me out of the picture so she could try and snag Draco. What she doesn't realize is that Draco would rather never marry or continue the Malfoy line if it meant having to be with her. He and I have bonded, not as much as when we marry but bonded none the less. If I were to die before bearing his heir he would never re-marry and the Malfoy line would forever be ended." Gabrielle said hoping her lie would be believed.

"So the two of you have slept together and formed a bond. This does make things difficult. We still need to test your loyalty. We cannot have you betraying our lord to protect your pathetic sister who had given herself freely to one of those muggle loving Weasleys." The death eater said.

"I will not betray out lord for my sister nor will I do her any harm." Gabrielle told them. "If she is hurt to test my allegiance you will fail as well as I. Veela are unable to harm their kin so I cannot even try. Let her go."

"Why so she can run off and tell that muggle loving fool they have the nerve to call Minister?" Pansy whined at her.

"I never said not to modify her memory you pathetic cow. I can't believe our lord would want followers as stupid as you. Not only are you pathetic but you didn't even finish school so you can't be half as powerful as his followers who did." Gabrielle said trying to enrage the girl into saying something that would show her disloyalty.

"I am a better servant than you will ever be. I will be on the arm of the lord's most powerful servant once Draco joins and then everyone will see how powerful I am. The Dark Lord will see what a valued servant I am and honor me for it." Pansy spat.

"Are you an idiot? The dark lord has no need for honoring his servants. Those who desire honor and power are not worthy of serving our lord. He deserves unswerving devotion to him alone. Anyone out to gain for themselves should be struck down by his mighty hand." Gabrielle said glaring at the girl who was starting to loose the effects of the Polyjuice potion.

"And you desire no honor for yourself? Everyone desires power for themselves. The Dark Lord promises rewards for faithfulness." Pansy told her.

"I desire nothing other than being allowed to marry Draco and the ability to serve once my schooling is complete. Our lord desires faithfulness and will reward for it even though we deserve no such reward." Gabrielle said and saw that the death eater was finally realizing what a fraud Pansy was.

The man turned to the real Fleur and modified her memory before stunning her and untying her. "Take care of this and do not let on that we were here. I will inform our master of Malfoy's continued devotion and your unswerving loyalty to your intended and to our lord." He then grabbed Pansy by the arm and pulled her deeper into the forest to apparate away with her.

Gabrielle revived Fleur and helped her up to the castle to speak with the headmaster. Dumbledore and Snape were waiting for them in the entry hall. "I see our plans were not entirely successful." Snape said bitterly. "How were you able to prevent your sister's death?"

"I convinced the death eater of my and Draco's continued loyalty and made him believe the whole idea was Pansy's trying to get revenge. They didn't kill Fleur because I convinced them I had already partially bonded with Draco and that he would never marry if I died. I also told him that Veela were unable to harm their own kin." Gabrielle told them.

"Good work Miss Delacour," Dumbledore told her. "Why don't you go back to class and finish your exam before lunch." The two professors were left to discuss how the vision was changed without anything being changed.

"Perhaps the vision was for another purpose?" Snape asked.

"I am not sure we did not change some aspect of the vision," Albus added. "I did not recognize the voice of the imposter Fleur in the vision but surely I would have recognized the voice of Miss Parkenson as easily as Miss Delacour did. Perhaps by preventing the attack on Hogsmead we changed who was assigned to ascertain Gabrielle's loyalty and she was able to talk her way out of the situation."

"Perhaps, but we shall never know." Snape said still pensive. "We should inform Miss Weasley that nothing bad has happened so she can relax and get back to her studies. In addition we should reinforce the wards to reject the signatures of the students who left to join the Dark Lord. It will take some time but will no longer allow any of them to enter in any form."

"Very good Severus, I'll let you work on that while I finish the exam schedule. I need to finalize the OWL and NEWT exam times with the ministry officials." He said as he headed off in the direction of his office leaving Snape to talk with Miss Weasley and take care of the wards.