Jay Morris

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, just the gremlins in my head.

"Chapter 4: Auror Training"

Harry walked to Devine's classroom. He had made his appointment for the next day, as he had promised, and it was five minutes until it was supposed to start. He let his mind wander through the events of the day; Professor McGonagall turning a broom into a flower; Professor Trelawney predicting his death again; and Ginny purposefully running into him constantly. Not that he minded, but the last time, she bruised him in the side.

Harry opened the door to Devine's classroom to find him talking to Malfoy. All the desks were gone, and the floor was bare.

"Professor, did I come at a bad time?" Harry asked. He didn't want to embarrass himself.

"No, you're right on time. I found out from both of you that you wish to Aurors, which actually makes a lot of sense from your tests. Now, you will have to put aside all petty differences when you have training. And this is why; when you are an Auror you may have to have help from others, and it's best to not be enemies working together." Devine looked them both squarely in the eyes. "I don't want you to fight. You are both top of the line, and with the proper training you would rival Van Helseing himself as an Auror. Now, we will begin your training with the Dark Arts, and that includes dueling. You will have to take turns with me, because I don't want any accidents. Harry will you be first?"

"Yes Professor."

"Wand at the ready. I want you to block this attack with the Shield Charm and then return with Expelliarmus. Okay?"

"Allright."

Devine pulled out his wand and yelled "Stupefy!"

"Protego!" Devine's charm bounced off an invisible wall. Harry focused and yelled "Expelliarmus!"

"Protego!" Harry's charm bounced off the shield.

"Wands down." Harry lowered his wand. "Harry, you're dead."

"What?"

"You're dead. You were too slow on the returning, I could have hexed you into oblivion twice by then. You need to have faith that the charm you casted will still protect you, and it will. So while it's still in effect you can return an attack on your opponent and try to knock them out early while you still have all your strength. But to give you the best demonstration I could find I have an assistant tonight. Professor."

Professor Lupin stepped from the darkness into the light. He looked older again, but he had color in his cheeks this time.

"Are you ready Remus?"

"Whenever you are James."

"Very well. Harry would you give us a count please. In ordinary duels you wouldn't count but here we will so you can see how fast you need to think."

"One . . . two . . . three!" Just as Harry said three, Lupin launched "Stupefy!" just as Devine did. Both charms collided and showered the room in light. The two began to circle neither moving their eyes off their opponent. Devine yelled "Orbius incerno!" and sent a ball of flame spinning toward Lupin. Lupin countered with "Knox!", then quickly yelled "Forte forticus!" knocking Devine against the wall. But before Devine hit the wall he yelled "Expelliarmus!" knocking the wand out of Lupin's hand and sending Lupin to the floor. Devine hit the wall hard, but was up in a minute and had his wand pointed at Lupin.

"Toast."
"I know."

"Thank you Remus. That was it."

"I forgot how much fun it was with you around."

"Everyone did."
"Tomorrow at breakfast."

"Until then."

Devine turned to Harry and Draco. They were staring at Devine with wonder, and watching Lupin limp out of the room. "Now, I would have been defeated by his wall of force, but I had physical strength to fall back on, and that's something that you two need. So, like the muggles use for defense, you will learn a style of martial arts to train your bodies to take pain and keep going. Because along with Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology, and Care of Magical Creatures you will need to know how to work any angle of the Defense of the Dark Arts. You will face Dementors, dragons, magically enhanced animals, trolls, spirits, banshees, mummies, vampires, and an even longer list of enemies of wizard kind."

"Professor?"

"Yes Draco?"

"Who killed your wife?"

"Draco, I will answer that question at another time. I promise, and I never go back on my word."

"Oh, sorry Professor."

"That's quite allright Draco. I want you to ask questions. Just remember that their is a time and a place for all answers. You may go if you wish, but I need to talk to Harry privately. So, if you want that answer tonight please just put these in your ears and do some homework or something while I talk to him."

"Yes Professor." Draco pulled out an essay for Snape due tomorrow and started writing.

"Now Harry. I want you to know something about me. First of all, I know what happened to your godfather Sirius Black." Harry looked at his feet to hide the tears. "But, I know something about that place he disappeared into that only two, almost three, people know about besides myself. There is a way to get out of there, and there is a way to communicate to people who have gone past the curtain. You know the story of Sleeping Beauty don't you?"

"Yes I'm familiar with it."

"Well the Magic Mirror was actually a real mirror that existed in the real world. One of Merlin's apprentices wrote the story to hide the true meaning. That mirror is able to communicate with people on the opposite side of that veil. And there is a way to recreate the mirror. Dumbledore advised me to thoroughly think it through before I told you this, and I have. I don't want you to be hurt again. You are vital to the future, I don't know why or how, but you are."

"So will you recreate the mirror?" Harry was ecstatic. The chance of seeing Sirius Black again was incredible.

"Not yet. First you must earn that priveledge. You must have double sessions with me, and not get any kind of trouble. If you do all that, in a month I will let you see Sirius again. Do we have an agreement?"

"Done!"

"Allright, now off with you before McGonagall comes down here and duels me trying to get you to go to bed. Draco, her name was Moriah Jones. Now to bed with you! I'll see you tomorrow in class."

N/A: I would still like to have input, and please don't threaten me. I don't respond well to threats.