Chapter Six: Draco's Detour

Harry woke up the next morning, and headed downstairs to breakfast. He settled down at the table next to Hermione and Ron. Seamus, Lavender, and Neville sat down across from them.

"So, what classes are you guys taking?" Harry asked the other sixth year Gryffindors. Neville had turned out high marks in Care of Magical Creatures, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology, and had managed to be proficient enough for Charms work. Seamus and Lavender were taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Transfiguration, and Care of Magical Creatures, and Lavender was taking Divination while Seamus took Potions.

Harry's own class schedule came just as Hermione was finished listing her seven classes. Most students opted for only five N.E.W.T. level classes, but Hermione didn't want to drop Arithmancy, so she had that, along with Potions, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Care of Magical Creatures, Charms, and Herbology. Ron was taking Care of Magical Creatures, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Charms, and Herbology, since he hadn't gained high enough marks for Potions.

Harry glanced at his schedule. First thing this morning would be Care of Magical Creatures. Then, after lunch, he had Charms. The next morning, he would have Defense Against the Dark Arts, and finish out the day with Potions. Later in the week would be Transfiguration. Harry noticed that Care of Magical Creatures wasn't a double class, like the rest. But instead of having that as an off-hour, Harry was given the class "Weapons Handling". Harry could only assume that this was referring to his meeting with McClaggan.

Harry and the others headed out to Hagrid's hut for Care of Magical Creatures. When they arrived, they saw Hagrid waiting for them outside his hut.

"Good mornin' to you. Glad to see ya all stuck around for sixth year Care of Magical Creatures. This morning, I thought I'd talk to you about Cerebrean bloodhounds. Can anyone tell me what those are?"

As came with no surprise, Hermione raised her hand. "Cerebrean bloodhounds are giant versions of the common bloodhound. However, unlike the common dog, Cerebrean bloodhounds have three heads, which is where it gets its name, in relation to Cerebus, the guard dog of Hades."

"Correct. Five points for Gryffindor. Now, some of you know this, but many of you do not. Hogwarts houses one of the few tame Cerebrean bloodhounds in the world. Granted, he's not totally tame, but he'll listen to me for the most part. Now, if you'll follow me here around back, you all can me Fluffy."

Harry was taken slightly aback with Hagrid. He didn't honestly mean for the class to get up close and personal with Fluffy, did he? Harry followed the game keeper around to the back of the hut, and sure enough, there was Fluffy, snoozing away. Harry noticed a magical harp playing itself.

"Now, you all might notice the harp. That's playing because that's one of the only ways you can get past a Cerebrean bloodhound. They make great guard dogs, and Fluffy isn't one to mess with. He's only about three-quarters grown, and in another year, he'll be down right huge. "

Hagrid went on to explain all about the other uses of Cerebrean bloodhounds, where they could be found, and even gave some insights on how they could be trained, as Hagrid had gained that knowledge first hand.

As the class was leaving, Harry noticed Dumbledore coming down to the hut. He spotted Harry. "Ah, Harry, if you could follow me, please?" Harry nodded, and followed the headmaster towards the Quidditch pitch.

"Now, Harry, I was able to convince McClaggan that you needed to at least be tested, to see if you would make a good student. He agreed to meet us here on the Quidditch pitch. Ah, here he comes."

Harry looked out on the Quidditch pitch, and saw a lone figure walking towards them. His features were undeterminable, because the sunlight cast a shadow onto his face. As he approached, Harry was able to distinguish the man's features better.

He looked rather like an old lion. There were streaks of grey in his mane of tawny hair and his bushy eyebrows; he had keen yellowish eyes behind a pair of wire-rimmed spectacles and a certain rangy, loping grace even though he walked with a slight limp.

"Ah, Julian, so nice to see you again…" Dumbledore started to say. McClaggan cut him off.

"Enough with the pleasantries, Albus. Let's get this over with. Is this the boy you are sure is the one should be trained?

"Yes. This is Harry Potter. I'm sure you know about him?"

"Yes, 'The-Boy-Who-Lived'. Just because he's famous doesn't mean that he can learn how to fight against an opponent like the Dark Lord."

"Just test him. I think he has promise. In his second year, he managed to draw the sword of Godric Gryffindor from the school Sorting Hat. People have been searching for that sword for centuries, as I'm sure you know. As this young man found it at the age of twelve."

"Fine, I'll test him. If he shows promise, I'll let him apprentice under me for at least a little bit."

"That's all I ask, is that you test him."

Harry looked at Dumbledore. "But Professor, I don't have a sword."

"Don't worry about that. The test Julian is going to perform is simply a magical spell cast on you to see if you have what it takes to learn the physical task of sword handling."

"That's right boy. If you have what it takes, like your Professor here thinks, then this test will show it. Sabarorous Cantatem!"

Harry suddenly felt himself become strangely peaceful and serene. He closed his eyes, and felt a gentle probing in his mind, much like Occlumency, but not searching for Harry's secrets, but for his knack for figuring out things.

Harry opened his eyes when he felt himself return to a normal state. He looked up to see McClaggan with a look of surprise on his face, and Dumbledore staring at him with a smug look on his face.

"Well, Dumbledore, looks like you were right about the boy. Potter, Dumbledore, follow me. We need to show Harry here how to get to my simple home. Let's go now."

The trio took off down a small path that led around the outside of the Forbidden Forest. When Harry thought he could walk no farther, he realized that they had entered a small clearing that he had recognized slightly as the same clearing that Aragog had attacked Ron and Harry in their second year.

"This is my home. You will come here every other day, after you are done in Hagrid's class. I don't care much for others, so you will need to find your way here by yourself. Come on Wednesday, and bring that sword of Gryffindor's with you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Good. Now, I think it's time that you and Dumbledore leave. We wouldn't anyone to find out about this place. It has wards placed that keep it secret from any that I don't share the secret of it to. However, it is possible to be found if someone is followed. You must watch yourself every time you come here, so that you are not followed."

Harry nodded, and he and Dumbledore turned to leave. Harry spotted a flash of black and silver-blonde hair running back out onto the path. It was Draco Malfoy, Harry's least favorite person at Hogwarts. He must have followed them to McClaggan's home.

"Professor, Malfoy followed us. What are we going to do?"

McClaggan spoke up. "Oh, don't worry about him. I spotted him long ago. As soon as you turned around, I placed a Memory Charm on him. He won't remember any of this. In fact, the only thing he will remember is the fact that he was in the forest alone, and you remember how terrified of the forest he was during your first year."

Harry nodded, silently remembering Draco running in terror from the sight of a giant hooded figure in the woods. Harry and Dumbledore headed out onto the path, and proceeded back into the school.

Harry sat down for lunch. "Harry, what happened to you after Care of Magical Creatures? Where did you disappear to?" Hermione asked, concern evident in her voice.

"Oh, Professor Dumbledore wanted to talk to me about some special classes he wants me to take after Care of Magical Creatures for the year." He dropped the subject, and gave Ron and Hermione a look that reminded them that Harry was supposed to be practicing Occlumency.

After lunch, the three friends headed up to Charms, which they had with the Ravenclaws. Tiny Professor Flitwick congratulated them all for their scores that had allowed them to take the N.E.W.T. level class, and then they jumped into the work.

At the end of the class, Harry was exhausted. They had started learning the Object Apparation Charm. It worked much in the same way as the normal Apparation transportation method, with the small change that the object to be transported wasn't a person.

Harry spotted Malfoy coming up from the Slytherin common room towards the Great Hall for supper, and couldn't help but be fearful. Draco had come dangerously close to exposing McClaggan as living close to Hogwarts. Harry couldn't even imagine what would have happened if the Death Eaters had found out that a powerful wizard who had fought in the first war was still alive, and starting to train an apprentice.

Harry went to bed that night, still thinking about things. In three days, he would start his full training, and finally be ready to start the battle for the wizarding world.

A/N: There's Chapter Six. I'm re-loading Chapter Two, because I had to change the name of it to fit the real HBP. Not much change. The only difference is that the Dursleys moved to a high-class neighborhood in Surrey, and it just happens to be called Spinner's End. That's the only tie-in. Don't bother reading if you don't want to.