Author's Notes – Yes, yes I know it's long over due, but it here now, all I can say in my own defence is that I was waiting for my finials' results on which my entrance to University hung. However, I am please to say that I got a B average, and that I am starting at the University of Cape Town on the 8th of Feb! But this is a very long chapter and I post the first chapter of a new fic, so really you're do quite well out of me sitting at home biting my finger nails off!

Plus I had my Birthday and a Party last week. Gosh, I hadn't realised just how busy I've been lately, between DMing, learning to Surf and trying to see all my friends before they leave the country or rather start study in the far corners of the world! I before I move out of the house myself. I'm going to be living in Cape Town while I study, which is cool but it is going to take some getting used to! On the up side for this fic and Price of Freedom, I'm getting my own machine to take to versity with me!

Sorry about any mistakes in this chapter, but I'm writing it without the books on hand, I've leant them to a Swiss friend of mine, who's never read them in English before.

-Chapter Nineteen-

Gryffindor Verses Slytherin

Man had always assumed that he was more intelligent than dolphins because he had achieved so much; the wheel, New York, wars, and so on, whilst all the dolphins had ever done was muck about in the water having a good time. But conversely, the dolphins believed themselves to be more intelligent than man for precisely the same reasons.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

"Ron stop daydreaming," Harry yelled across the Quidditch pitch as he flew passed. "You're meant to be stopping your sister from scoring, not sitting there staring off into space while she does."

Ron started guilty, his ears going red, and turned his attention back to his sister, who was speeding towards him.

"That's better," Harry yelled again, as Ron thwart Ginny's attempt to get the Quaffle passed him.

In the first few weeks Harry had almost forgotten that he was meant to be the Seeker, and that he usual spend most of time above the game. He had spent most of their practice time flying around at about the same high as the other. Which made it easer to see what the others where doing. It had been Ginny who had pointed out to him, that he could not do that in a game, so now he flew above them and tried to keep an eye on them as before.

It was much harder than he had realised, and he was beginning to believe that McGonagall had made a huge mistake in making him captain.

He had gone as few as expressing his concerns to her, but she had waved him off, saying that he was doing just fine, and that he'd get used to it.

So now Harry was sailing around above the rest of the team, it was still harder.

"It will be easer with the commentary," Ginny brightly told him, when they were back on the ground, the sun was just setting. "Then you'll be able to see what's going on without stopping looking for the Snitch."

Jasmine, muttering something about mad Quidditch players, walked stiffly of the pitch, (A/N for those who don't remember Jasmine and Ginny are the new Chasers on the team).

"I wonder who's doing it now Lee Jordan has left," Ron muttered as he struggled to put one of the Bludgers back in its casing.

"I donno," Harry said stretching, "I could ask McGonagall, she'd probably now. Here let me do that."

"Cheers, I've got to finish an essay for Binns for tomorrow." Ron said yawning, "and I don't feel like staying up all night to do it."

The others returned to the castle ahead of Harry, who stayed behind to wrestle the Bludger into it casing, and then put the whole wooden case with the Quidditch things away. He had just closed the lid when he had the feeling that he was being watch, the skin on the back of his neck stood on end, and his skin crawled.

He spun around on the spot, reaching for his wand as he did so. Harry squinted as he peered into the shadows.

"Well, well Potter," Snape said as he stepped out of the into view, "nervous?"

Harry had almost forgotten that a member of staff almost constantly followed him everywhere he went.

"Professor," was he only reply, he dropped his wand back into his pocket.

As he turned back to close the lid of the box, Snape spoke again, sneering this time. "Being made Quidditch Captain seems to have inflated your head even more then I had conceded possible. But I should have know better, your father was just as egotistical."

Harry gritted his teeth; Snape was trying to get a reaction out of him, he had done with before. Harry slid the box into the corner where is normal resided.

"Do you want something, Professor?" Harry asked as civilly as he could.

"Wasting your time am I, Potter." Snape snarled, "and here I thought that you were the one wasting my time. But then again the whole must wait for Famous Harry Potter. Are you done yet? I do not want to spend any more time then I have to, baby sitting you, Potter."

"I'm done," Harry said, not looking at Snape as he picked up his Firebolt, trying not to listen. However that was proving harder then he would have thought possible, Snape seemed to by trying harder than usual to get a rise out of him as they walked back towards the castle.

"Must you insist on using that thing Potter?" Snape sneered at Harry's Firebolt.

However, Harry was not listening, he had stopped dead in his tracks, he could feel that he was being watched again; he shivered although not from the cold or wet.

From behind him, there came a sound as if someone or something had stepped on a twig.

"Potter, are you listening to a word I've said?" Snape demanded

Harry paid him no heed, he turned around slowly and tried to see the think that had made the sound, the Forbidden Forest appeared deserted. A sudden desire to run had settled over Harry, as fear rose up inside him.

"Potter what are you looking at?" Snape said his wand in his hand. Harry jumped in surprise; he had forgotten that Snape was there.

Crack and then a loud crush, as a large branch fell to the forest floor. It was really dark now, the only light come from the castle was fell across the ground in long puddles, that merely throwing the surrounding area into deeper shadow, and thus making it harder to see.

"Lumos," Snape said, a dim light appeared at the tip of his wand. The light shown of the branch that had fallen, showing the surrounding forest as well.

Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw something move, but it was gone before he could see what it was though.

"Potter, we're going now," Snape said, half turning to the castle, his eyes still on the forest. Harry turned to see that Snape was staring at, this breath caught in his throat.

Snape grabbed above the elbow, and half dragged him up to the castle, but not before Harry had seen orange specks of light, staring rite at him. Which could only have been eyes, many eyes.

"Move Potter, now," Snape spat, push Harry ahead of him, still looking over his shoulder. The grip of his arm was now painful.

Harry thought that Snape would let go of him when they were inside the castle, however he was mistaken, Snape didn't let go.

Snape paused in the entrance hall, seeming undecided what to do. This, however did not last long, with a flick of his wand the front doors slammed shout

"Professor what was that?" Harry asked, trying unsuccessfully to extracted his arm.

Snape appeared not to hear him, although Harry was sure that he had, he merely started walking hurriedly up the stairs, pushing Harry before of him, all the way to Gryffindor Tower. Harry was thankful that they did not meet anyone

The Fat Lady was sound asleep, snoring quietly.

"Password, Potter, what's the password?" Snape said loudly.

The Fat Lady opened her eyes, she glared at Snape. "That Professor it my job," she said sternly before Harry could say than thing she had turned to him.

"Password?" She said looking at Harry with a much kinder expression.

"Fairy-cake," Harry said quickly more then ready to get rid of Snape, the password had been changed the day before.

She swung forward; Harry pulled his numb arm out of Snape grip, and climbed through the portrait-hole, leaving Snape scowling alone in the corridor.

The common room was packed, it was still early and most of the younger years were making as much noise as they could before they went to bed.

Harry noticed Dudley sitting in a corner by himself, working on what appeared to be a potions essay judging by the book at which he was glaring. A couple of other first year were throwing scrunched up pieces of parchment at him, openly laughing. (A/N there you go those who have asked how the other students are reacting to Dudley.)

Ginny, Hermione and Neville were sitting in their usual seats Harry hastily joined them.

"Oh Harry, we were just wondering were you were," Hermione said looking up from her work, "the others got back ages ago."

"Where's Ron?"

"Gone to get his books and stuff," Hermione said.

At that moment, Ron came down the stairs from the boy's dormitories, he sake down heavily next to Harry.

"Boy, I'm tried." He said pulling out a quill and parchment.

"I wonder why?" said Ginny shooting Harry a disgusted look.

"What took you so long Harry?" Neville said,

"Bumped into Snape," Harry said yawning, it was difficult to feel scared of a few pairs of eyes in the cheerful and brightly lit common room. "Well not so much bumped into, as him dragging me all the way up here."

"Snape did what?" Ginny screeched, just as Ron yelled, "Snape dragged you up here?"

However there was so much noise in the common room that no one noticed.

"He was hanging around after practice," Harry said quietly, "you now Dumbledore have got the staff following me everywhere? Well I don't know if it is Dumbledore's doing, although it probably is, anyway Snape was there, and well I heard something, and err, we saw eyes staring at us, out of the forest."

Ron let out a low whistle. While Hermione, the ever practical, started list the known creatures that lived in the forest.

Ginny cut across Hermione's comments to ask, "What did Snape say?"

"Not very much, something like 'Move Potter, now'," Harry said, "and then he grabbed me by my arm all dragged me all the here. Oh yes then he asked me what the password was."

"You didn't tell him," said Ron, "we didn't want him coming in here."

"I don't think that's why he did it Ron," Neville said looking at Harry.

"No I don't think it was," said Harry slowly. No Snape hadn't meant to use it against him, no he'd tried to get Harry out of harms way as quickly as possible.

"How do you know that?" Ron demanded, Hermione started to make disproving noises, "no really Hermione, I meant it."

"Dumbledore trusts Snape, we knew that," Hermione said in a voice that clearly said you-know-what-I-mean.

Harry smiled at her reference to the Order, hoping that Neville would not notice it.

Ron paused for a moment, "Malfoy," he said smugly. "Malfoy trusts Snape, and he wouldn't if Snape wasn't."

"What about last year then, when Snape told the others that we'd gone to the ministry?" Hermione said glancing nervously at Harry.

"Hung on, Ron's got a point," Harry said, "he trust Snape, he really does, I'm don't just mean Malfoy, I mean his father too."

Hermione made a hushing noise, but Harry ignored her. "So can't be well known."

"Of course it's not well known or he wouldn't be able to do it." Hermione said forcefully.

"But that's just it, Voldemort knows, what did he say again," Harry said remembering the third task, everyone but Hermione flinched at the sound of Voldemort's name, but Harry just carried on. "Oh yeah something like 'one has left me forever, he will be killed of course'."

He look around at them all expecting to see looks of understanding, but all he was meant will was confusion.

"Harry, what are you getting at?" Ginny said at last.

Harry didn't understand how they could not understand what he was getting at. He lent forward in his chair, "Voldemort said that the night he returned, he was walking round the circle of Deatheaters there were gaps in the circle. Like others where meant to be there, I guess there were."

Neville was looking scared, the others just looked puzzled.

"He was going round saying things to some of the Deatheaters, he started talking about the people who should have been standing there."

Harry paused, he had just remembered who else, other then Snape was meant to stand there.

"Yes and?" Ginny prompted when he did not carry on.

Harry looked at Neville, who blinked a couple of times in confusion, and then with a light of dawning understanding.

"No," Neville whisper, "no."

Harry nodded, "that was one of the smaller gaps, next to Malfoy." Harry said addressing Neville before turning back to the others, "then he stopped by the largest group and six people were meant to be. Three were dead; one was Crouch although we didn't know it was Crouch then. Voldemort said something about one being 'too cowardly to return' I think that was Karkaroff."

Harry paused yet again; the memories of the third task were still painful even after more than a year. His head was aching more then ever. He rested it in his hands, and tried not to think about the duel, or Cedric.

"But what does this have to do with Snape?" Neville asked.

Harry looked up sharply at Neville, before turning to look at the others for help. Hermione and Ginny, both looked shocked, Ron, however still looked puzzled.

"We'll have to," Ginny said, "we can't do anything else."

Hermione nodded, Ginny had prodded Ron painfully in the ribs.

"Oi, Ginny, what did you do that for?" Ron asked, "oh, yes their right."

Neville was looking from one to another of them, curiosity written all over his face.

"Neville, er you see, er Snape, er-" Harry trailed off, not knowing how to put it.

"Snape used to be a Deatheater," Ginny said flatly, "and yes used to be, or rather that's what we are trying to decide."

Neville gapped like a fish out of water, but Harry carried on.

"Yes, anyway Voldemort," everyone minus Hermione flinched, "said that one was those six people had left him, and that he would have to kill him. But don't you see?" Harry said warming to his subject once again. "Voldemort knows that Snape was spying on him the first time round, so he would be able to do it again."

"So he must not be spying then," said Ron gleefully, "he must be doing a double agent thing."

"That would fit in with why the Malfoys trust him, but not with anything else." Hermione said quietly it was getting late, and most of the younger students had already gone to bed, and the common room was much quieter than it was earlier.

"Think about first year," Harry just as quietly as Hermione, "when he was threatening Quirrell he would never have done than if he'd been working for Voldemort."

"So Snape can't be spying this time like before," Ginny said slowly. "Since You-Know-Who knows."

"But he can't be openly against You-Know-Who, or the Malfoys won't trust him." Ron added.

"But then what's he been doing then, if he hasn't been spying like he was last time then what?" Harry said.

"How do we know that he did spy last time?" Neville asked.

"I saw a trail, in er Dumbledore's pensive, back in fourth year, they said then the Snape had been working as a spy. So what's he been doing? We know that he has been doing some, because Dumbledore spent him out of the hospital wing after the third task."

Hermione paused, with a thoughtful look on her face.

It was a couple of days before Harry speak to the others about what the Slytherins had said. It was not that he had been putting it of, there just had not been a moment when they able to. There had always been someone who had been missing; doing homework, or there was been someone else there. Harry had been determined to talk to them when there was no one else around to over hear them. The opportunity come late the following Saturday, Harry, Ron and Ginny were tried after an extremely hard Quidditch practice; Harry was working them harder then ever.

Harry against stay behind after a Quidditch practice, this time with Ron and Ginny, and the three of them head towards the library where they had arranged to meet Hermione.

When they rounded a corner of bookshelves they found Hermione, Neville and Luna sitting at a table books laying around them, however they were not looking at the books their attention was focused on four people standing in front of them. Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott.

Luna however did not really seem to know what was going on, for she return to the rather large book that she had been reading.

"Where is he, Longbottom?" Malfoy spat at Neville.

Neville, showing more courage than he would normally have, smiled at Malfoy, "you might try looking behind you."

Malfoy span around and came face to face with Harry, "Potty," he sneered.

"Look it's the Amazing Bouncing Ferret ," Harry sneered back. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you Scarhead." Malfoy replied.

"And why do you want him?" Ginny hissed from behind him, Malfoy jumped back in alarm.

"Nothing to do with you Weasel,"

"What do you want with me then?" Harry asked his patients running out. He half turned away from Malfoy and stared at a chair instead.

"What have you been saying to some of the Slytherins?"

"Nothing, what make you think that I would want to speak to them?"

"Does that include Moon, and Zabini."

The chair Harry was staring at fell over with a loud crash making everyone jump, and earning them all a glare from the Librarian.

"Sod off Malfoy," Neville said taking all present by surprise. Malfoy's grey eyes flicked with some unreadable emotion.

"So I was right," Malfoy said softly, he continued more clearly. "Be careful Potter, if you try and get any other Slytherins into you little fan club it won't just be me you have to answer to."

Crabbe, Goyle and Nott followed him out of their line of site.

Harry sank down into a chair, and felt rather than saw the others do the same.

"I thought that settles it," Hermione said briskly. "Moon and Zabini are in the DA."

"And any others who'd like to join", said Luna's dreamy voice from behind the book she was reading.

They all muttered in agreement.

Harry was sitting by himself in the library late one wet and windy afternoon working on a perpetually nasty essay for Snape, Describe, with referents, the uses of Terinav root in potions.

He was in a bad mood, he had had to cancel a Quidditch practice because of the heavy rain, their match against Slytherins was growing ever closer, and Harry did not think that the Gryffindor team was ready yet. He was beginning to understand just how Wood and later Angelina had felt. He had increased the Quidditch practices to four a week, he had even toyed with the idea of making it five, but he was not that his fellow team member would let him live long if he did that.

The responsibly of winning lie heavily on him, as Captain and as Seeker, and he was beginning to show the stain. He was determined that the team would do well, in fact it came as quite a shock to him when he hear the normally good natured Katie Bell muttering something about Wood's spirit after a predominantly long and exhausting practice.

If anything had been designed to make his bad mood worse, it was the potions essay for Snape. It was due in the next day and Harry had meant to do it the day before, but after a late running Quidditch practice and a meeting of the DA he had just been too tried to do it the night before

Terinav root is one of the strangest ingredients used in potions making, toxic when unadulterated, conversely it is frequently a requisite of the strongest healing potions. Particularly when blended with crushed pomegranate seeds.

"Harry, are you busy?"

Harry looked up to see Dudley standing next to the table he was working at, it had been a while since he had seen Dudley up close. The change was not noticeable from a far but it was there. Dudley was slowly beginning to look last like a whale and more like a teenaged boy. There was also something different about the way he moved although Harry could not place.

"It can wait, it only potions," he said putting his quill down.

"You still take potions?" Dudley asked.

Harry nodded, feeling the question was an odd one to ask, "yeah I do, why shouldn't I?"

"It's just what I've heard," Dudley said softly.

"Which is?" Harry said, feeling this was rather like trying to draw water from a stone.

"Well everyone says that you and Professor Snape have a History, something about you cursing him one day." Dudley said smiling slightly.

"I've never cursed him," Harry said indignantly, and then he remembered the night he had learnt the truth about Sirius, "well there was this once, but that was a long time ago."

Dudley laughed, "I've also heard it hard to get in to the sixth year potions class."

Harry shrugged, "I guess, look I've got to finish this easy for Snape or he will curse me, do you want anything?"

"Oh yes, sorry I forgot," Dudley said quickly, "can I brow your owl, it's just I haven't written home yet, and I heard there is a post-office in the village but I'm not in third year yet and-"

Harry spotted a letter in Dudley's rather large hand, the address just visible.

"Sure Dudley, but why don't you does use one of the school owls, anyone can use them?" He said.

"There are school owls, where are they? I'll use one of them then."

"No it's fine, I just thought you'd like to know, I'll either take you up there when I'm done with this, or if you don't want to hang around leave your letter with me and I'll take it up."

Dudley hesitated, "I won't read it," Harry promised.

"It's not that, but I'll wait so I know where to go next time."

Author's Notes –Hehe, and you thought that this was going to be a Quidditch match, maybe next time! Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and to thedreamer4 for beta reading for me! Don't forget the Half-Blood Prince comes out on the 16 July!

Oh just remembered J.K. Rowling has confirmed that Blaise Zabini is a bloke!