Disclaimer: I don't own anything JK does!!!

Chapter 17- NEWT Classes, Patronus, and Duels.

Lily woke up very early and very excited, remembering as soon as she woke up that today she would start her NEWT classes. She took a quick bath and was surprised to find Alex patiently waiting for her turn to take a shower.

"Good morning Alex. I'd like to introduce you to six o'clock in the morning, something I doubt you've ever been awake to see," Lily said, jokingly.

"Very funny, Lily. As a matter of fact, I have seen how the world is at six in the morning."

"Yeah, you stayed up until six."

"Not really. You have forgotten that I live near James Potter."

"Oh. Anyway, why are you awake?"

"I wasn't certain if the boys were going to prank us, so I woke up early. I mean, if they hexed me in the middle of the night at least I would have time to remove the spell, right? Now get out of my way, I want to take a shower."

Lily laughed and started changing clothes. An hour later, Lily was fully dressed and reading a book while all of the other girls were banging on the bathroom's door asking Alex if she had drowned. Finally the girls made their way to breakfast and sat down.

"Hey, girls! Here are your schedules," Remus said as he handed out the girls schedules.

"Double Transfiguration and Double DADA with Ravenclaw!" Alex said excitedly.

"You're lucky. I have Double Potions and Double Herbology. Why did I say I wanted to be a Healer?" Ellen complained.

"Don't worry, Ellen, I'm sure you'll do fine," Remus said, kissing her lightly.

"Moony, Ellen, please get a room," Sirius said as he sat down.

"Shut it, Padfoot."

"Why do you call each other by these strange nicknames?" Lily asked curiously.

"I would love to tell you, Miss Evans, if you would grant me a date," James said and he sat down next to Lily.

"What do you want, you arrogant prat?"

"Good morning as well. I'm fine, and you?"

"Alex, tell him to shut up."

"Sorry Lily, I'm not going to get involved in this. Oh, there's Jake! See you later!" Alex ran to the Ravenclaw table and threw her arms on Jake, causing them to fall over.

"So, Evans, what's you first class?" James asked.

"Double Transfiguration."

"Good luck!" James said as he smiled to himself.

"What are you laughing at?" Lily asked crossly.

"Nothing. Is it against the law to smile now? Or does my smile make you melt inside, Evans?"

"Oh, James! How could you have discovered my secret? I kept it so well! But since you already know, I'm forced to tell you how much you melt my insides!" Lily said sarcastically and with a flick of her wand she made her water become extremely cold and she threw the water on James's face. Lily stood up and stomped to the Transfiguration classroom. A few minutes later Professor McGonagall and the rest of her students entered the classroom. As Professor McGonagall took roll, James and Sirius entered as quietly as possible. Lily happened to turn at that precise moment, and when she saw James, she shouted:

"YOU! What are you doing here?"

"Hello again, Lily dear," James said feebly. Prof. McGonagall looked up, and asked:

"Miss Evans, do you care to explain why you are shouting while I take roll?"

"Sorry Professor. I was just surprised to see Potter and Black arriving late at your class," Lily said with an evil smile.

"Late, you say, Miss Evans?"

"Yes, Prof."

"I can explain, Minnie!" Sirius said and he dramatically went to the front of class to explain a long winded story about how they got lost.

"Lost? You've been studying here for five years and you're beggining your sixth and you are trying to tell me you got lost? Ten points from Gryffindor, now have a seat. Today I would like to teach you the theory of the Conjuring Charm."

The class went on without further incidents and the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws went to DADA. Professor Hagan greeted them warmly, and said:

"Today you will be learning about the Patronus Charm. Who can tell me what is the Patronus Charm?" Alex's arm shot up in the air and she said:

"The Patronus Charm is a spell that is used to send dementors and lethifolds away. It is a spell that is based on a happy feeling."

"Very good. Five points to Gryffindor. Now, the incantation is Expecto Patronum and I want everyone to repeat with me, Expecto Patronum!" The class did as he said and by the end of the class they were managing to make a few whisps of silver material.

"Attention everyone please! Before you leave, I would like to tell everyone that I will be organizing a Dueling Club. It will be worth extra credit only, and we'll be having a Dueling Championship in the end of the year. The House that wins will receive a hundred and fifty points. For those who want to be Aurors, I would suggest you participate. The first meeting will be Saturday night. You are dismissed."

"Hey, Alex wait up," Sirius shouted as she left.

"Yeah?"

"Do you know who my dearest cousins are dating?"

"No, who?"

"Narcissa is dating Lucius Malfoy and Bella is dating Rodolphus Lestrange."

"They deserve each other. But how do you know? I thought you were living with James now?"

"Regulus told me. He was extremely happy that for once he knew something I didn't. That was why we were late for Transfiguration. Anyway, guess what my mother told him?"

"That she's proud of her niece's for finding such adorable boyfriends?"

"Something like that. And she insulted Carrie."

"What?"

"She said that I should follow their example and date someone from a nice, pureblood family, and not that mudblood trash I'm dating."

"What did you do to Regulus?" Alex said, knowing that the moment Sirius's brother said mudblood, Sirius had done something to him.

"Nothing." Sirius said, lying very badly.

"Sirius Octavius Black, answer me right now."

"Okay, okay! I beat him up and hexed him a lot."

"Sirius, do you want to get expelled? Promise me you won't do that again. Do it for Carrie. You know how she hates it when you get into fights."

"Alex, please don't make me promise that."

"Fine. Don't promise anything. But the moment you get expelled I'm going to laugh a lot. And I won't comfort Carrie."

"Alex, you are a hell of a blackmailer. I promise, okay? Satisfied?"

"Very!" Alex hugged him and they went to the Great Hall to eat lunch.

The week passed very slowly for the people who were going to be part of the Dueling Club. Alex and the Marauders were absolutely hyper, and it took all of Lily's power as a prefect to make them shut up and stop jumping around the common room. Finally, though, Saturday arrived and they all made their way to the DADA classroom, where the classes were going to be.

"Good afternoon class! Welcome to your first dueling class. Now, I want two volunteers. Ah, Miss Owens and Mr. Snape, please come forward. I want you to disarm each other as fast as you can and try not to hurt each other, please. You may begin."

Alex smiled at Snape and as fast as she could she aimed a Disarming Spell at him. Snape produced a Shield Charm and the spell bounced back at Alex, who jumped out of the way. She aimed the Jelly Leg Curse at him, but he dodged and aimed one at her. Alex jumped on a chair, missing the spell by inches and put the Body Biding Curse on him, succeding this time. Snape fell down and Alex glided towards him, looking very smug and removed his wand from his hand. She turned to Professor Hagan who clapped and awarded Gryffindor ten points. He removed the curse from Snape and told everyone to pair up with someone and try to disarm the person.

Lily paired up with Carrie and the two girls spent a long while trying to disarm each other. When everyone finished disarming their pair, they stopped to watch the two girls. Finally Lily managed to disarm Carrie and with that the first dueling class finished.

Time passed quickly to everyone. Gryffindor won the Quidditch cup once more, everyone learned how to Conjure and do the Patronus,(Alex's was a hawk, James's a stag, Sirius's a dog, Remus's a wolf, Peter's a rat, Lily's a wildcat, Carrie's a panther, Ellen's a koala, Esther's a pine marten, and Jake's an eagle) and Alex became Dueling Champion. Soon it was time for vacations, and everyone was feeling sad because it would be their last summer before going to seventh year.

A/N: Hi everybody! Sorry if this chapter is short, it's just that nothing big happened so I wouldn't make a huge chapter with nothing happening. I promise you though, that next chapter will be more interesting. It might not be very big as well, but something big is happening, hint hint. I feel just like JK, not disclosing any information about the books... hehe.... guess you'll have to wait! Although if you reviewed a lot I might make things faster!!

Dani