A/N: I realized a mistake I made in my story the other day. In Neville's chapter the type of gum is Trident but I just remembered that it's Drooble's or something like that in the book. Just though I'd let you all know. I tried to get this chapter out ASAP since you seemed so intent to hear what happened but I had a long chapter planned out here so I shortened it down a bit. The next chapter will be much longer to include what I skipped out this time around. The plot really starts to get going next chapter. Anyways, here's the chapter.

Chapter 8: DA Reborn

Harry's weekend soon came to a close; he'd finished all his homework to both Hermione's and his own surprise. But their homework load was substantially less this year than it had been the last and Harry was grateful for it. He most certainly wasn't looking forward to his NEWT year.

"Harry," Hermione asked Sunday night, "when are you thinking of starting up the DA again?"

"Hmm," said Harry, "I actually hadn't though about it all that much since we got back. When's the next Hogsmead weekend? I could call a meeting then."

"That sounds good, it's in two weeks so you'll have time to prepare what you want to say to everyone."

"Hey Harry," said Ron, finishing his paper for defense, "Are we taking in any new members this year or are we keeping it the same people as last year?"

"Well, Dumbledore gave me permission to run the group so I guess we could invite the whole school if we wanted but I'd rather keep it down to just our core group."

"Actually Harry" Hermione said, "That may not be such a bad idea. Inviting the whole school, I mean."

"Are you daft?" Harry stared at her incredulously, "Me teach the entire school? I'm sure that'd be a hoot, Malfoy shows up and starts hexing everyone and nobody can hear me since everyone is running around screaming. That's a great idea Hermione!"

"Hmm, that does seem like the sort of thing that Malfoy would do, just to get a rise out of you. But the whole school has the right to know how to defend themselves."

"True but as much as I hate to admit it, Snape's actually an alright defense teacher." Said Harry.

"Oh, sure he is but that doesn't make up for the last 5 years' professors though," responded Hermione, "Let's just keep it down to the core group for now but we'll ask them what they think in two weeks. Sounds good?"

"Sure"

And they left it at that, as much as Harry knew that he was a pretty good teacher, teaching the entire school just didn't appeal! And then there was all the Slytherin who would probably take this opportunity to throw insults at Harry. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized how much the student body needed his experience.

But he had more pressing matters on his mind than the two weeks distant, DA meeting. First and foremost was Ginny, the one person who he'd like the most to not be angry with him, the only one who actually was angry with him, aside from Neville, who was still terrified of him. He needed to do something to make it up to her but he couldn't think of what. He sat there until 10:30 that night thinking; he just didn't know what to do. Look how he and Cho had turned out! He most certainly didn't want a repeat.

The next week rolled by a little more quickly than the first. The friends found that as much as the teachers insisted the sixth year came with much less homework than the previous one. Ginny was struggling to keep up with her mound of homework every night and relied constantly on Hermione and even Ron's help.

But she would always tell Harry that he needed to be doing something else trying her best to sound polite so that nobody else would realize what she had discovered.

Quidditch tryouts had gone very well. All of the captains had stayed on the pitch below to watch the players. They had started with the keepers since Harry had first pick and he wanted Ron on his team he picked keepers.

So the keepers blocked shots from the chasers who were trying out all tried to score on the twelve keepers that tried out. Harry felt sorry that not all of them would make it but he already knew whom he was picking. Ron was actually in the upper running of keepers. He blocked the most shots out of all of them. So it was really a no-brainer for Harry as to whom he picked.

After all the keepers had been selected it was Malfoy, who had come in second to choose the beaters next, who would be picked in pairs, making it impossible for Harry to take a Gryffindor duo. And seeing as he had last choice he took two Hufflepuffs by the names of Jacob and Lex. The two were really quite good and given some practice Harry though they could be great.

Next it was the seekers. Harry didn't need to pick one but observed them all anyways since he would need to select a reserve seeker.

And finally the chasers. Harry had fourth pick for the first round and he hoped that Ginny would still be left. She had flown very well. First pick and second pick passed taking some younger but speedy players. Next it was Jeffery Rimmington's turn. He looked at Ginny and for a moment Harry was sure that he was going to take her but he chose a bulky looking Slytherin boy instead.

Harry didn't hesitate in selecting Ginny who tried to look pleased but silently she wished that Rimmington had chosen her. She walked over to Ron and he congratulated her but she never said a word to Harry. He then chose two Ravenclaws, Terry Boot and his friend Helaine.

Harry used all of his Slytherin picks on reserves along with a Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. He was content with his team and believed that they could do well this year. But then he remembered that Ginny and he were still at odds and he deflated. The sooner he could think of a way to make up with her, the better.

The time in between quidditch tryouts and the first Hogsmead weekend passed gruelingly. To say his Occlumency lessons with Snape had been unpleasant was the equivalent to saying that Voldemort was a decent duelist.

Both Neville and Ginny ignored him. Both for very different reasons. In Ginny's case, anger at his betrayal and in Neville's just plain fear. So it was with a heavy heart that he trudged into Hogsmead that day.

Even stopping by at Honeyduke's and Zonko's couldn't lighten his mood. Hermione and Ron tried their best to lighten him up but they were failing miserably. Finally they stopped by the Three Broomsticks where all of last years DA members joined up with Harry and his two friends. Harry had decided to have the meeting there this year seeing as Mundungus had overheard them the year previous in the Hog's Head.

He was relieved to see Ginny and Neville amongst the onlookers when it was time for his opening speech. He wasn't so happy to see Cho and her friend Marietta as well.

"Well," he said, not quite sure what to say that might have the most dramatic effect, "I think it's about time we started up the DA once more, sure we've got a decent defense against the dark arts teacher this year but we can't settle for mediocrity we must strive to become the most talented wizards possible now with Voldemort out in the open."

Harry was pleased to see that not one student flinched or even batted an eye at Harry as he said the Dark Lords name aloud. He smiled and continued on, "So how many of you want to continue meeting for DA this year, if it's an added bonus, I have professor Dumbledore's permission to carry on with it."

Everyone put up their hands and Harry filled with pride, "Good, now this year I have two ideas for our group. We will have the 'original' DA along with another DA available to all students and taught by various members of the original DA. Any opinions on the matter?"

"I think that's a good idea Harry," piped up Neville, much to Harry's and everyone else's surprise, "Everyone should be able to defend himself or herself in this upcoming war. Every person we teach is not only able to protect themselves but also those around them saving more than just their own lives."

The group murmured their consent and Harry took a vote. The group was mostly in favor of allowing any of the student body to join only Michael Corner, Cho and Marietta voted against it.

"We'll all take turns teaching the new DA and will still continue with our own meetings in the room of requirement, the new members will always meet on the same days and will not require our galleons. I'm sure you all still know how to work them."

He turned to Hermione, but she couldn't think of anything left to say and smiled encouragingly at Harry while he concluded the meeting.

When it was over the three friends got up and made their way to a new location that Quality Quidditch Supplies had set up across the street called 'Quality Quidditch Quipment' or QQQ. Harry and Ron entered with great interest and Hermione, much less so. Ron picked up a device that could be strapped onto your wrist while riding a broom and while you were in contact with it you would float as it did.

This, Ron claimed, would enable him to jump off his broom to make longer distance saves, as long as he had one hand on his broom. Harry picked up a book called 'Broom Modification' to see if he could do something to improve his Firebolt or perhaps even one of the 'Slugs' that he had purchased.

The two were so engrossed that at first they didn't even hear the screams coming from the opposite side of the street. Hermione came running over to them, a panicked look on her face.

"They're attacking Hogsmead!" she said. Harry and Ron didn't need to be told more and they rushed out the door to see a group of Death Eaters enter The Three Broomsticks.

That's when Harry felt a chill go up his spine. Although there were no dementors nearby that chill had been worse than if there had been one. For with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach he remembered that Neville, Luna and Ginny had stayed in the Three Broomsticks to chat after the meeting. And there was no mistaking Ginny's scream.

Before he had time to think of a proper plan he rushed in after the five Death Eaters that had entered just moments before. He could not be stopped; he was a man on a mission.

He ran into the door but it wouldn't budge. He reprimanded himself for using such muggle means and used an alohamora on the door before rushing in. He saw Neville, Luna and Ginny all still sitting at the table in the corner that the meeting had been conducted at and saw also that the place was mostly empty except for their table and several other occupied tables.

But then he looked at the ground and saw two Ravenclaw second years laying motionless on the floor.

"NO!" he screamed, if only he hadn't tried to break down the door he could have been in time to save these unsuspecting students. But now was not the time to think about it, there were people to be saved. Luckily for him Neville, Luna and Ginny had been in the DA so they would also be able to help him as well.

As the death eaters saw that the three students at the back of the room would become a nuisance they decided to head there first so Harry ran over there at top speed, knocking over several tables and chairs in his haste. The three were holding their own rather well Harry though. Neville was dueling for two and the two girls were struggling to hold back the other three and it was obvious that the three, even with Neville's help couldn't hold out long.

Harry quickly took one out with a well-aimed stunner and sent another down before the other three realized what was going on. Just when Harry though that things were under control a trio of death eaters entered to take up their place.

"You three take these ones and I'll try to hold off these ones!" Harry instructed to the others.

The new death eater on the right sent a cutting curse at Harry which he dodged expertly then fired a full body-bind at him but he sent it away without a though.

"One…Two…Three!" the center Death eater shouted. On three the bunch of them sent another round of cutting curses at Harry. He was sure there was no avoiding them they had been sent at perfect places to make it impossible for him to dodge.

"Accio table!" Harry commanded, the table flew to him were he placed it in front of him quickly. He felt the cuts reach him but they were barley scratches by the time the reached him. He dropped the table but none of the three death eaters was there.

A quick look around the room told him that the only people left in the building were his three friends and the six remaining death eaters, what? Six? He realized with a start that his three death eaters had gone over there. He also saw with satisfaction that Luna and Neville had just taken down a couple of them, leaving four.

He ran to join his friends, Neville looked over at Harry for a moment and when he was off his guard he was caught with a stray stunner. He slumped to the ground. Luna, beside him turned to look at him and she was caught by a cutting curse.

Harry grimaced. This wasn't looking promising. He and Ginny went back to back to better see all around them so they couldn't get hit from behind. They were blocking all the spells sent at them and had managed to take down one more.

But Harry had been summoning many of the tables and chairs around the room to his and Ginny's defense and the death eaters soon grew wise to this trick.

One of the three remaining used the incinerating charm on the remaining tables and chairs and anything else in the room so there was nothing left. The death eaters pressed back onto the attack and soon Ginny and Harry found themselves against the wall and were forced to leave their back-to-back position.

Harry was holding off two of them while Ginny struggled against the other. It was all Harry could do to keep her and him safe. He was about to block a cutting curse aimed at himself when he heard two words he most certainly did not want to hear.

"Avada Kedavra!" shouted the center death eater.

Harry had little time to think. But he made the best of his time.

"Accio evil guy!" he shouted and the death eater the furthest to the left started flying towards him. Harry did this just in time so that he flew right through the path that the center death eater had just sent his killing curse. Of course, there was the downside to this heroic plan. Two of them in fact. That was the first time he'd ever killed a man of his own free will. And secondly, he had been unable to block the cutting curse, which promptly sliced across chest and sliced off the stump of his hand causing it to flow like a river.

He dropped to his knee from blood loss. He had spots over his vision. He couldn't leave Ginny now! He had to protect her! The green fire attempted to come to life but it wouldn't seeing as he was wearing his bracelets. NO! He would not let this happen!

This time the emerald flames burst through and his bracelets were reduced to leather shreds.

He felt different somehow from the other two times when he had lost his anger. He had not felt himself, or fully in control of his emotions. The fire died down and became simply a green aura around him. But the most miraculous thing of all was that he had somehow re-grown his own hand. Good as new! Without 'I will not tell lies' inscribed upon it.

The death eaters seemed somewhat intimidated but the attacked while Harry was marveling at his control in his 'monster form'. He was caught with an expelliarmus completely unawares and his wand flew directly to the castor who snapped it in two then threw it resolutely on the floor.

Harry ran at the man who had broken his wand. He was glad at this time that Professor Verplank had been giving him and Neville magical martial arts training. He thrust his fist into the death eaters gut and when he keeled over Harry thrust his knee into his face. When he slumped to the floor, Harry considered him incapacitated.

As much as martial arts was effective he much preferred magic so he decided a wand was in order.

"Accio wand," he said and half of his wand came towards him, "Accio other half of my wand." Then the other half flew towards him, "Reparo!"

And then his wand was fixed. But then it dawned on him that he hadn't actually needed his wand for that bit of magic so he quickly stowed it and sent a stunner at the last remaining death eater.

He had been stunned with Harry's wandless magic and martial arts skills ages before Harry's stunner caught him in the chest but that finalized it. As he too slumped over. But then Harry noticed that he disappeared. And upon closer inspection, the others had too, even the one that had been hit with the killing curse. Harry suspected port keys but he couldn't be sure.

But he didn't have much more time for thinking as he soon found that his fire had gone out and that blood loss was once again affecting him. But he didn't care at the moment. He was overjoyed. He'd gotten his hand back!

He heard Ginny kneel down beside him and take his head in her lap. Harry though for a moment that he had a cut on his face but realized vaguely that Ginny was crying.

"I'm sorry I ever doubted you Harry." She said.

"Dobby" said Harry, which was meant to sound like, 'don't be' but he was loosing consciousness fast. After that he knew nothing, although he could have sworn that he had felt something soft brush across his cheek but that could have just been his imagination.

He awoke, you guessed it, in the hospital wing. When he woke up, nobody was around waiting for him. Which was actually nice for a change. But upon closer examination he found that all of his friends who had been present at the Three Broomsticks were currently all lying in beds as well. Except, of course, Ginny who had not sustained any major injuries.

It was about ten minutes before Mme. Pomfrey entered and stared at him.

"I've never seen anything like this!" she proclaimed, "First, you get your hand back and then you heal up a full on cutting curse without so much as a scratch? I'm beginning to wonder if you're immortal Mr. Potter!"

"Well, something like that." He replied with a chuckle. Mme. Pomfrey regarded him strangly for a moment then made her decision, "By the looks of it, you're fully healed, you're free to go."

Harry gave a small victory cheer before being scolded by Mme. Pomfrey for disturbing the others the he walked towards the Gryffindor common room. He was in such a good mood that he waved to a suit of armor on the way. The strange thing was, the suit gave him the thumbs up. But not even that could dampen his mood, not that it should have.

As he walked into the common room people seemed to treat him like some sort of hero or something. He walked deliberately over to the side of the room where he had seen Ginny again working on some homework.

He sat down across the table from her. This was so much easier when he hadn't 'liked' her.

"Er, Hey," he managed.

She looked up and saw him. Harry's heart was beating at 100 miles an hour. And then she smiled. Which did very little to slow his heart rate. In fact the butterflies, which he had just acquired in his stomach, had a negative effect if anything.

"Uh, you," he stumbled, "You want to go work on that in the library?" he said looking around the filled common room at all the staring faces.

"Sure Harry," she smiled again, how was it possible that this had more effect on him than a 60-foot long basilisk? "I'm just working on some defense stuff, you're pretty good at that."

"Yeah, sure, well, I mean, I'm not, I mean, I guess I, well, I don't mean to brag," this was not going good!

Ginny giggled, "Well, come on then," Harry was grateful that she probably thought him clumsy thanks to her seeing his pensive.

When they reached the library Harry had clamed down a bit.

"Okay, I may have forgiven you Harry but I still would like to know what I saw in your pensive that night." Said Ginny seriously.

"All right, here it is," sighed Harry, "Ever since the attack in Diagon alley I've had some more of Voldemort's powers passed down to me since I've survived his killing curse twice. Unfortunately the power only activated if I was angry and when it did activate I had no control over it. But just today I think I discovered the secret and from now on I'll probably be able to control it more effectively. What you saw in my pensive was the first time I ever got controlled by my powers. The time when I nearly, nearly hurt Neville was the second."

"I'm glad to hear you've gotten it under control then," said Ginny, "It's a good thing you've got such a strong personality, otherwise you'd probably still be under it's control."

Harry tried his best not to blush, "But I was wondering Ginny, have you heard whether or not any other death eaters were in the village?"

Ginny's smile faded, "No, there were no other death eaters. But the ones that came into the Three Broomsticks later managed to kill five people before they came. And two students were killed by death eaters in the Three Broomsticks."

Harry deflated, just when everything was seemingly going his way, "Neither can live while the other survives" he said aloud. Ginny looked sadly at him.

"I feel sorry for you Harry, you must feel like every single death in this war is your responsibility or something."

"I'm fully aware of that!" said Harry, raising his tone without raising the volume as to not disturb the library, "It's not like I need a constant reminder that the entire fate of the wizarding community rests on my shoulders!"

He got up and pushed his chair in. He was already several steps away form the library doors before Ginny caught up to him and grabbed his arm.

"Harry, wait!" she said, "I didn't mean it like that. There's nobody I'd rather have fight the last fight against Voldemort than you!"

This made Harry stop and look at her, he realized how fast he was to lose his temper, "I'm sorry," he said, "I should blow my top like that, I know that sometimes I may do it anyways but please don't take it personally, it's my fault I've such a bad temper. I didn't mean what I said just now."

Ginny just nodded.

"Now how about that defense?" asked Harry grinning. Ginny nodded again but this time a little less seriously and allowed Harry to lead her back into the library.

It didn't take long before Harry had explained the theory behind the disillusionment charm and they were happily on their way back to the Gryffindor common room when they saw an odd sight.

Snape. Well, not directly Snape but he was looking very flustered and he never left his dungeons if he didn't need to. So it startled both Harry and Ginny that he was about. The exchanged glances and immediately knew what the other was thinking. Let's see what Snape's up to.

They tailed him at a distance all the way to the headmaster's office where he gave the password, puking pasties, and entered.

"Where's a pair of extendable ears when you need them?" asked Harry to no one in particular.

"I know what you mean, maybe we should just wait around here to see if anything else happens."

And as though she was a seer about two minutes later Snape emerged, once again looking even more flustered. In fact it was probably due to this that he never even noticed that Harry and Ginny were right there in front of the stone gargoyle statue waiting for him.

He made his way hastily towards the tallest tower on the castle, next to the astronomy tower, and opened the door to the outside top of the tower and exited. Harry and Ginny followed more cautiously behind after being placed under a disillusionment charm by Harry.

Outside was an ordinary rooftop but the thing that made this one different was that there was a unicorn carved into the floor. Snape looked around him as if he was paranoid of someone sneaking up on him. If he wouldn't have been so panicked he probably would have been able to see Harry and Ginny through Harry's hastily and sloppy disillusionment charm. He then stepped in front of the unicorn and waved his wand in a lying down eight sign.

Then the strangest thing happened. Almost identical to the way the chamber of secrets opened the floor opened itself and a beam was projected out of the hole and it was reflected off of a mirror over top of it and bounced off of a series of mirrors until it struck the unicorn's horn. Then a huge tower, seemingly out of nowhere, grew out of the ground.

The first thing that came to Harry's mind was, 'Wow!' the second was, 'what is Snape doing?' He looked over at Ginny and she was still looking intently at the beam of light.

"Ginny," he whispered seeing as they were out of earshot, "What do you recon that tower is?"

"What tower Harry?" she asked.

"The tower that just sprang up out of nowhere!" he said pointing, even though she couldn't see him, "You must be able to see it!"

"No Harry, I can't. Oh!" she gasped. For at that moment Snape had entered the door that had sprung up off the side of the tower out into the air. So if Ginny really couldn't see it, it would look to her as if Snape had just stepped into thin air and then vanished as he closed the door.

"Ginny," said Harry, "You stay right here, I'm going to see what the old bat's up to."

Harry assumed that she had nodded and proceeded to the door through witch Snape had preceded. He heard Ginny gasp again as he stepped into the doorway and closed the door. He was in a magnificent hallway made of marble.

It had huge pillars on all sides; in fact it was round and had three stories of balconies that over looked the central area. There was an enormous glass dome on top and all of the walls were lined with shelves of books.

In the center of the room was a table shaped just like the room with chairs all around. It was made in solid mahogany, which complimented the black-flecked, white marble floor and the royal red carpet quite well.

"Potter," drawled a familiar voice, "you couldn't possible hope to conceal yourself with that crude attempt at a disillusionment charm could you?"

Harry turned to face Severus Snape, "Professor" he greeted cordially.

"Skip the formalities Potter," he sneered, "I knew you were following me since the headmaster's office but I didn't care since I was in a hurry and I though I'd loose you at the unicorn. I'm the only one in the school who's ever been in this room before, how could you possibly have gotten in?"

"I'm not quite sure sir, I know Ginny couldn't even see the place, only I could, so I followed you in. What is this place anyways?"

"I'm not sure myself actually," Snape started, "In fact, I don't even know why I'm telling you of all people anything."

Harry walked around the room, which actually took a considerable amount of time and Snape watched him all the while.

He found that there was one chair that had a drawer in front of it on the table, he pulled it open and found a dust-covered volume, he took it out and blew what dust he could off of it. So much flew off that he was forced to cough. Snape who had been across the room was immediately standing right over his shoulder.

The book had no title. Harry flipped to the first page and looked at the page, which he saw. It read simply: Too late Potter!