I don't own any characters and as far as I'm concerned I won't own any characters. So, with that said, let the story begin - er continue!

Harry sat on the window sill while everyone else appeared to be asleep late that night. He sat there stroking his loyal owl Hedwig. He couldn't sleep. Dreams weren't peaceful, but he really had no one to talk to about it, as they weren't warnings. He thought about the day's events.

So N.E.W.T Transfiguration was harder than he thought it would be. They had to turn another animal into the animal next to it - like say a cat into a dog. Harry was still working on making a cup turn into a mouse, he wasn't ready to deal with animals! As always, old McGonagal was hard on them, but Harry knew it was best and sooner or later he'd have it down. That night after dinner he had to get straight into that homework, plus the others he didn't finish the night before.

The next class was Apparation. Harry wasn't aware they had an Apparation class, but then he thought of how they did learn how to do it. The classroom was in a lower dungeon, with walls of cold gray. It had one window, a desk, some chintz and a portrait hanging on the wall. There were a few murmurs when Harry walked into the classroom. And then the man on the Portrait spoke.

"Hello, students," he walked around his portait, which was a room with a desk at the moment. He was wearing glasses and had some of a beard. Harry remembered these as one of the previous Headmasters in Dumbledore's office, but he couldn't guess who.

"This class isn't really a class," started the Professor. "It's more as when you get Apparating down, you don't have to show up anymore." Then he pondered for a moment, and then looked up as if he got an epiphany. "Ah, my name. I am Professor Dippet. Previous Headmaster here at Hogwarts. We don't have a permanent portrait or teacher teaching Apparation, as it isn't a full term. So, I am teaching this for a while. You see, we portraits take turns." So that's where Harry knew it from. He had seen this man in Tom Marvolo Riddle's Diary his second year in Hogwarts.

"But, yes. Apparation is not as easy as it looks. Surely it does not take two full terms to learn it, but it is a bit tricky."

Hermione raised her hand. The portrait saw and beckoned her to ask her question.

"If we can't Apparate or Disapparate on School Grounds, then how do we practice this class?"

The portrait smiled. "Ah, clever girl I can tell. And probably the only one who has read Hogwarts, a History in here, I presume." Hermione flushed. "Well, this is a special dungeon. You can not Apparate into it, or out of it, just inside of it. Like say, if you would want to go from one corner of a room to the next. But not outside and surely no one can come inside through Apparation. A charm a previous Headmaster put on the room a fairly long time ago." He paused, and then continued on again. "Yes, well every wizard and witch has the ability in them. It does take practice though. Now, you are going to think of a corner of the room you want to be, very hard. And you should be able to POP! to that certain place. It's tricky, Apparation is. You could end up inside a wall if you don't think specifically enough. It takes desire and needing. Like Apparation to work. That's rush, so it works immediately there - after a lot of practice that is."

Then the class began trying to POP! into the next corner and such. Harry and Hermione decided to work together. Harry managed to POP! two feet away from where he orignally was and Hermione the same. He kept encouraging her with a new set of feelings for her. He didn't know what it was, but he definitely knew it was more than friendship. He still cursed himself for it, but couldn't stop them from coming.

Then dinner came and Hermione decided to spend half of it in the library, her nose in books. She really wanted to do good for her N.E.W.T year, no matter how scared she was of the events happening outside school. During dinner, while Hermione was gone, Ron and Harry had that conversation they planned to have.

"Well," said Ron, again eating messily. "Did you like Apparation? I thought it was brilliant."

"Yes, but you are sixteen, Ron, can't you eat a little more properly?" Harry said, laughing.

"Don't say that, Harry. You sound like my mom! Anyway, so... Hermione?"

Harry blushed furiously, but felt he could trust his best friend. "I don't know. I mean, don't you like her?"

"Me? Like Hermione? No, mate. I have my eyes on someone else. But that's not important at the moment. What I was jealous about at the Yule Ball was, hm, don't know. I think it was just pride." Ron mused.

"So what do you think I should do?"

"Tell her how you feel," answered Ron nodding his head in agreement with himself.

"But what if she doesn't feel the same way?"

"Then at least you know and you won't be curious."

Harry looked at his best friend, who was drinking his pumpkin juice. "Sometimes you scare me with your sudden outburst of smarts."

"What's that suppose to mean?" asked Ron innocently.

"Nothing," replied Harry, fighting laughs. "Ah, anyway. What are you doing tomorrow after dinner?"

"I'm going to the library."

Harry stared open eyed. "You are willingly going to the library? Are you okay?"

Ron just shrugged. "I have to work on some stuff. I'm sure your pretty self will have fun with Snape at Occlumency. Still pretending it's Remedial Potions?"

Harry's face filled with disgust. "Ugh yeah... I still hate him from you know..."

Ron just gave Harry a look of being sorry and nodded his head. "It's alright, mate. Whenever you feel like talking about something..."

Harry just nodded his head, happy about his best friend's support.

Suddenly, Professer Dumbledore stood up and made an unexpected announcement. "I am sure most of you are aware of the attack that happened at the Leaky Cauldron." Murmurs of students filled the hall, some horror- stricken and others with excitement. "Therefore, the first visit to Hogsmeade, which was set to be in two weeks, will be open only to fifth, sixth, and seventh year students." Fourth years and below gave loud groans. "We don't want to spoil your priviledges, but it can not be a long visit. Up till mid-noon, and then you must come back immediately to school grounds."

He then let everyone finish dinner and began getting into deep conversation with Severus Snape. Probably about me, Harry thought. But then, why did Dumbledore trust Snape so much? He was a Death Eater wasn't he? It was something Harry had been thinking about for years and years, and still he had gotten no answer.

Meanwhile, Hermione was waiting again in the Room of Requirement for Malfoy. She was in the library and after she had gotten her books, she decided to go to the Room to get some homework done.

"Hello, Granger," greeted Malfoy, but his usual smirk wasn't with him. He looked rather exhausted. "In case you didn't remember, we have Prefects duty tonight. So, I don't think I want to stay long."

Hermione, noticing the exhaustion on his face, decided to cancel for the night. "Tomorrow night, then?"

"I have Quidditch practice, I've been made Captain you know. Of course it's not like anybody didn't see it coming." This time his smirk was pasted on his face, but the tiredness was still there.

"Alright, next day then I guess." Hermione said shrugging.

"Fine, then. Mudblood."

Can he just not say that for one day to me? "I'd appreciate it if you don't call me that."

He saw the look of hurt in her eyes and felt bad. "Sorry." Then he realized what he said and then left the room before any accusations or suspciouns could be made.

So there Harry was. Staring at the night sky with it's pale stars and moonlight filling the room. He thought of all his troubles, the Prophecy being one of greatness. Before he was angry about Sirius' death. Everyday at the Dursleys' he gave them hell if they tried to yell at him. Thank Merlin that members of the Order picked him up after two weeks. He looked down at Hedwig, who was eating a mouse.

"That's cruel," said Harry sadly. "He must have a family out there looking for him."

Hedwig looked back at him with her big black eyes and quickly put the mouse down.

"Ah, it's okay, Hedwig. You must miss flying," he stroked her. "I'm sorry, but I have no Sirius anymore to write to..." he trailed off at the last words. "You can go and fly around if you want... with the other owls."

The owl looked back at him with remorse in her eyes. Suddenly, another voice arose.

"Harry? I couldn't help but here someone being up." It was the voice of Neville Longbottom, and he was coming closer to Harry. He stood there and looked out the window himself.

"Er, Neville," started Harry. "I'm just gonna go to sleep then. You can have the window sill."

But it seemed as if Neville wasn't paying attention. "You know what's worse than losing a loved one?"

Harry now looked at him with interest. Neville wasn't known to talk sentimentally like this. Surely it had to be something good. Harry nodded back indicating that he meant "No."

"Watching loved ones suffer. Knowing that they are there but aren't at the same time." Neville sighed.

And Harry agreed. At least he didn't have to watch Sirius go crazy and be put at St. Mungos. But he still grieved. "I'm sorry, Neville. I guess I've been selfish."

"No," replied Neville. "You're just sad."

Harry then knew that he could tell this boy about the prophecy. He did after all have the right to know. "Neville, I think it's only right you know something. It doesn't really concern you anymore, but it's still important."

Neville nodded, beckoning Harry to continue.

"The reason Voldemort," - Neville winced at the name - "tried to kill me in particular was because of a prophecy." Harry still felt uncomfortable, and the words coming out of Professor Trelawny's mouth still repeated itself in his head. "That prophecy said his equal would be able to destroy him and his equal would be born as the seventh month dies. And their parents had to have defeated or gotten away from him three times. That applies to both of us, you know."

Neville sat there, his eyes downcast. "So, I - I could be that boy?"

"No," Harry sighed. "He chose me. So therefore it's me and not you."

"I'm sorry." Neville said. "But you are a much better wizard than me anyway. But anything you need help with, I'm always here."

Wow, thought Harry. This boy had matured a lot since he was younger. He was still making mistakes in class, but he surely had grown up. "Em, thanks," Harry replied, not mentioning the part about one being alive while the other can't.

A/N: I think this chapter is rather long. Sorry about that, but I thought the rest of them were rather short. Please review... I'm actually working hard on this story! Anyway, the summary I put has nothing to do with the story, but I thought if I put something like that people would read it. :p Oh I know its wrong to go to desperate measures...