A/N: Chapter Seventeen is where this story really takes off, so just keep your liederhosen on, and you'll get the goods in a few days. (By the way, am I the only loser in this existence who actually owns a Hogwarts mousepad?)

Centaur Disclaimer: Look to the heavens and they will give us clues to discern the future value of these words. What's that? Oh, no not the star. It's further over. Right there. It's unseen... what humans often call a black hole...

Chapter Sixteen -

Gryffindor The Brave and Hufflepuff The Just

The first quidditch game of the season for Gryffindor, was against Hufflepuff the weekend before Hallowe'en

Ravenclaw and Slytherin had already played earlier that month, and although Slytherin had won, it had been a minor win. The final score had been Slytherin 260 to 200 for Ravenclaw. It had been a long game, but very exciting until Malfoy had gone and ruined it all, and caught the snitch.

At least, Harry heard it had been exciting. He had been given a detention by Snape that day, and he hadn't been allowed to watch. The vicious Snape had escaped to watch the game leaving Harry to the mercy of a rather surly looking, axe-brandishing suit of armour that had raised his axe in threat every time Harry even thought about taking a break from pickling spider-eyes.

The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff teams had been working themselves so hard that Harry had only been able to have one DA meeting in the last three weeks. Gryffindor had better win today. Harry thought, flexing his shoulders.

"All right everyone. This is what we've worked for." Ron said, sounding a little nervous. "We can do this. Our team is awesome this year. Just keep your eyes open, and your brooms moving, and we can't fail. And Harry..."

"Yup?"

"Please catch the snitch or it's my arse on the line."

Harry laughed. "Don't worry, I can do it."

They heard their names called by a new announcer... who sounded familiar.

"Hey! It's Mark!" Harry said to Ben as they soared out of the gate.

"Who?" Ben asked, looking around.

"The announcer!" Harry called back. "Mark Evans! He lives in my aunt and uncle's neighbourhood!"

"Oh." Ben said, sounding a little confused as to why Harry was telling him this.

Harry realized someone who had probably grown up in a wizarding community would have no appreciation for the elation a muggle-raised wizard felt when finding out he was not alone in his neighbourhood.

"Oh, don't worry about it." Harry answered with a laugh.

They flew into position, and waited for Madam Hooch's whistle...

They were off.

Mark's voice rang out over the stands. Obviously he'd been studying the game intensely. For a muggle-born in his first-year, he was doing a very good job.

"Weasley's saved it! He passes the quaffle to Weasley, and she takes off, pass to Rogers, and to Bell, back to Rogers, quaffle intercepted by Finch-Fletchley! He takes off toward Gryiffindor goalposts, passes to Smith, back to Finch Fletchley, and it's a bludger there from Kirke, and the quaffle goes back to Gryffindor. Weasley to Bell, and back to Weasley. She passes to Rogers and they're almost there. Back to Bell, and Bell shoots, She SCORES! And it's ten nothing to Gryffindor!"

Harry smiled. These new Chasers certainly were worth it. They were doing quite well. He kept his eyes roving the pitch, looking for the snitch.

"Hufflepuff in possession, Smith with the quaffle, and he passes to Finch-Fletchley over to McCoy. Bludgers are keeping the Gryffindor Chasers busy. Quaffle is within the scoring area. Quick pass to Smith, He SCORES! Ten- ten is the score, and Gryffindor takes possession!"

All in all, the game was well played. Gryffindor had better chasers, but Hufflepuff had better beaters, and they knew it. Ron was neck and neck with their keeper, but he didn't lose confidence, and he continued to save quite a few goals.

Mark's commentary was very good, but lacked the dramatic flair Lee Jordan used to have when he would throw in comments like "Johnson with the quaffle, she's a good-looking chaser there, and she still hasn't agreed to go out with me yet!" Nor did Mark have quite the propensity for swearing at the opposing players as Lee. Harry was just waiting for Mark to give away his obvious bias towards the Gryffindor team as Lee had. But he didn't do it

Mark's commentary was very to the point, and he was still able to keep people's hype about the game up. Harry thought he was very good.

It also meant, that because Mark commented on every play, unlike Lee, Harry didn't have to spend a lot of his time looking at what was happening around him. He could spend all of his time looking for the snitch. He circled quite quickly compared to Fields the Hufflepuff seeker, and it meant that he could cover a larger area. As far as Harry was concerned, Fields was looking too hard. He had to sort of blur his eyes on a bright day like this and just give a general sweep of an area. If the snitch was there, he would catch a small glint of gold in the sunlight.

By the time he saw it, the game was eighty to seventy for Gryffindor, and Harry was very grateful that he was closer to the little fluttering gold ball. Harry didn't want to have to sneak in, and steal it from under Field's nose or anything. He liked having a relaxing game, and this certainly felt pleasant. He was almost tempted to let the snitch go this time, to let the game drag on a bit, but the thought that they were still pretty close in score made him decide to go for it now. He knew that when they played Ravenclaw and Slytherin later in the year, it would probably not be quite so nice, and they could use the advantage in points now to get ahead.

He swooped in easily, and clasped the struggling ball in his fist. It took a moment for Mark to realize what Harry had done, and then it was bedlam. This was where Mark really took off in his commentating.

"I can't bloody well believe it! Potter's caught the snitch, and the final score will be a damned hefty two hundred and thirty to seventy for Gryffindor! We'll most certainly be having a party in the common room after this! Eat my shorts Hufflepuffmph!"

McGonagall had slapped her hand over Mark's mouth, and she quickly took the microphone away while she berated him.

Harry was glad that Mark had waited until the end of the game to let off all of that steam. It was useful to have someone telling him what was actually happening in the game for once.

000000

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were studying in the Common room the next day. Harry however, was barely concentrating. He had been thinking for a few days now that Ron and Hermione were still being left out of everything, and it was high time they knew that he'd been inducted into the Order. Unfortunately he couldn't think of any way to let them know, without going against Dumbledore's orders.

All three were all feeling a little groggy as they had stayed up late at the party for the Gryffindor quidditch team. Hermione especially kept slumping in her seat, and letting her head hit her open book. She looked a little pale, and Harry couldn't help but comment.

"Are you all right Hermione? You don't look so well."

Ron's eyes lifted from his scratching quill, and took in Hermione's slightly green complexion. "You really don't look well." He agreed narrowing his eyes.

"I'm just a little tired. I'll be all right." She mumbled. Her head sunk down to rest on her book, and it stayed there.

"Hermione?" Ron asked, looking a little shocked.

She didn't answer, so Ron stood, and went around the table to jiggle her on the shoulder. "Hermione? Maybe if you're this tired, you should go to bed."

"I'm just resting my eyes." She mumbled, and she shrugged her shoulder to knock off Ron's hand.

Harry chuckled. "Resting your eyes, and your head, and pretty much every other part of your body, yeah. Hermione, I think you should go up to bed."

"No." She said sharply, and the entire Gryffindor common room leapt in surprise as one of the crystal chandeliers on the wall exploded, and little bits of broken crystal rained to the floor.

"Uh-oh." Said Harry.

"Uh, Hermione?" Ron had pulled his hand away from her shoulder, but he poked her to get her attention.

"What?!" Another crash, and the sound of tinkling glass made Hermione look up at the shattered window. "Did I do that?" She asked, looking bewildered.

"Um, I think you did." Ron said, pressing his lips together nervously.

"Oh." She said, obviously thinking hard about it. "I guess I'd better let McGonagall know."

"Hermione, remember not to use any magic right now, you might overdo it."

"I know." She nearly tripped as she stood up, and Ron had to reach over to steady her. The parchment on which she had been taking notes suddenly burst into flame. Harry quickly sprayed water from the tip of his wand to put it out.

Ron had released Hermione, and he looked almost as if he were a little afraid to touch her again.

"I'll just go see McGonagall now." Hermione muttered as she stumbled out of the common room, leaving a very shocked looking Ron and Harry behind her.

"I'm starting to see why McGonagall doesn't like to mention it." Harry said. "It's not exactly hard to miss. And I have the feeling this could be a little embarassing for Hermione."

"Do you think we should follow her, just to make sure she's all right?"

"It couldn't hurt." Harry slapped his book closed, and the two of them followed Hermione out to McGonagall's office.

Hermione was leaning against the wall outside of the office door, panting as if she had just run a marathon.

"Hermione are you all right? Is professor McGonagall not here?"

"I think she's out." Said Hermione, sounding a little dazed. "Am I all right?" she asked uselessly.

"Er, I think that's what we asked you." Ron pointed out.

"Do you think you should go see Madam Pomfrey?" Harry asked her.

"I think I'll go see Madam Pomfrey."

Hermione didn't seem to realize that she was repeating what Harry had just said.

"Do you need our help?" Ron asked, looking worried.

"Er... maybe." She mumbled. "I'm feeling a little dizzy."

Harry and Ron walked on either side of her, propping her up from time to time, making sure she didn't trip or collapse.

It was just their luck that they should run into Malfoy and his cronies at a time like this.

"Hey there Scarhead." Malfoy snickered. He then took in the pale form of Hermione being half-supported between both Harry and Ron. "Well, well... Mudbloods do seem to have all the fun, don't they."

Hermione hadn't really understood much of what Harry and Ron had said to her earlier, but she obviously did understand the word 'Mudblood' coming out of Malfoy's filth-ridden mouth.

Harry and Ron suddenly felt a sizzle of heat go through Hermione, and they pulled their hands away in alarm just as she leapt forwards.

POW!

Hermione had punched Malfoy in the nose. He put his hands up to his face, with a scream of indignation. Blood spurted out through his fingers and soaked the front of his robes. Crabbe and Goyle stepped forward, flexing their shoulders and trying to look as menacing as they could. Another second, and they would have made muggle-born mincemeat.

Hermione had drawn back her fist to let fly at Malfoy once more, when Harry and Ron gave themselves a mental slap. They took hold of her arms and dragged her back away from the swinging fists of Malfoy's brutes.

The hulking Slytherins charged forwards to follow, and another chandelier exploded from somewhere above. It rained sharp chunks of heavy glass around the thugs. They stopped swinging to duck and cover their heads, and Harry looked back to see them wincing as angry red welts were sliced open along their bare arms, and huge rips appeared in the fabric of their robes.

"Hermione, we have to go now!" Harry attempted to drag her down the hall towards the infirmary, and he nudged the shell-shocked Ron to get him moving faster than a stunned amble.

Harry pulled Hermione all the way to the hospital wing, while Ron trailed behind them looking a little afraid to come anywhere near Hermione. Halfway there, Ron had to stop and stomp out a small blaze that had begun at the bottom of an expensive looking tapestry.

"Madam Pomfrey, we've got a bit of a problem!" called Harry, as they walked into the wing.

Poppy Pomfrey stuck her head out of her office door. "Can I help you?" then she spotted Hermione's pale features, and gasped. "Help her on to one of the beds please. Do you have any idea what's happened?"

"A bit too much of an idea." Ron answered. He moved forward to help Hermione on to the bed, but stepped back away when the glass bottle beside the bed exploded.

"Oh, I see." Said Madam Pomfrey. "This does seem rather more severe than usual." She spotted bits of blood on Hermione's knuckles, and gasped once more, examining them closely. "Has she been fighting?"

"You'll probably find out soon enough." Harry answered, and sure enough, only seconds later, Malfoy came in cradling his bloody nose, and Crabbe and Goyle followed, holding out their mutilated arms while trails of blood dripped along the stone floor below them.

"She did all that?!" Pomfrey looked shocked, quickly pulling a curtain around Hermione's bed.

"Uh, yeah." Ron answered, looking both worried and slightly proud at the same time.

000000

Hermione seemed to have gotten her wish that her Agoramorphosis not remain a secret, as almost all of the Gryffindor sixth-years had been present during the rather explosive beginning to the experience. None of them were mean enough to blab about it to the rest of the school, but Malfoy wasn't so kind. He was busily telling all of the Slytherins that Hermione had gone off her rocker, and was due to take the first train back to St.Mungo's. Pretty soon the whole school was convinced that Hermione had completely lost her mind, and would undoubtedly never be the same again.

As it was, Madam Pomfrey was keeping her safely sedated. She said it was the most powerful Agoramorphosis she had ever seen, and was a little afraid to let her just go about her business as usual. Even the first few potions she'd been given hadn't been enough, although she did seem to gather her control enough to accidentally transfigure the next door bed into a couch instead of setting it on fire or blowing it up. It was a start, but Madam Pomfrey insisted that she could be a danger to herself and to others if she weren't completely knocked out.

When Hermione woke up after a whole week, she was quite embarrassed and a little upset that she had missed so much school as well as the Hallowe'en feast.

"Don't worry, you didn't miss much. It was good, but the same as usual." Ron promised her.

"You did miss one DA meeting." Harry said in a whisper. "We did some things on self-levitation, but I know you can catch on pretty quickly."

She smiled. "I'm going to have to study like crazy to catch up. A whole week missed!" She sighed. "And that essay I wrote for Snape is completely ruined!"

At that moment, Hedwig flew through the window. She hooted affectionately at Harry, and he took the note she carried off her leg. He handed her an owl treat, and she chomped it down quickly.

Harry

Would you like to come down and have some tea? Just you please, I've got news.

Hagrid.

Harry found it difficult to slide away from Hermione and Ron without them noticing. It was especially difficult since they had both been watching curiously as he read.

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked innocently when she noticed him trying to slip away behind the curtain. She was due to leave the infirmary just as soon as madam Pomfrey returned with a last potion.

"Um... Nowhere."

Ron and Hermione's faces were screwed up with a mix of curiosity and anger. There was nothing more Harry wanted than to tell them where he was going, but he remembered his promise to Dumbledore. An idea suddenly popped into his mind.

Harry looked at them pleadingly. "I'll tell you when I have permission to tell. I can't just yet." He knew he was being evasive and mysterious, but he had wanted this reaction from them. They were both looking at him curiously as he turned abruptly and left the room.

He sauntered slowly down to Hagrid's cabin, waiting hopefully for some sign that he was being watched. He felt a curious sizzle of awareness run down his spine, and he looked furtively up at the windows of the infirmary. A bushy brown head quickly stepped back from the open window.

"Hello Hagrid!" He called out as he approached the small cabin. A single trail of smoke was drifting from the chimney, and Hagrid was waiting patiently on the front steps.

He whispered to Hagrid once he was close enough. "You have news?"

Hagrid nodded, and beckoned him inside with a massive wave of his palm. Harry's first instinct was to put a silencing charm on the house, and he would have felt a little better with one surrounding him immediately, but that was contrary to his current intentions.

Instead, he took a long dark look around the walls and into the darkest corner. He didn't want to make Hagrid suspicious, but he needed to stall for time.

He looked momentarily out the window, and noticed a shock of red hair flit past behind the animal paddock. Harry then cast a silencing charm as large as he could, hoping against hope that the animal paddock was included in that space, and that his friend had been intelligent enough to bring a pair of extendable ears.

"All right Hagrid, what did you want to say?"

"Things are getting bad." Hagrid said sorrowfully. "There's been a few more killings of muggles, and one wizard dead."

Harry's eyes widened. "No! Is it anyone I know?"

Hagrid shook his head, although he looked intensely sad about the whole thing.

"Do you know what their next intentions are?"

"According to professor Snape, they want to attack here at Hogwarts."

"What!?" Harry nearly shouted, beginning to panic.

"Yeh, well, they haven't told him anythin' specific. He's come under a bit of suspicion recently, and they're keeping some things from him. Besides, the professor thinks you-know-who knows he's gota bit of an... erm... soft spot... for the school."

Harry snorted. He couldn't see Snape having any sort of soft spot. He also knew that as much as he hated Snape, it could be very dangerous for everyone if Snape was discovered to be working for the Order of the Phoenix.

"What made them suspicious of him?"

"You-know-who was upset at losing Percy to us, and he knew Snape hadn't been available for contact that night. Then he saw that Snape was missing when he attacked Azkaban. He's not the only one under suspicion, but he's the most important to us. Really, it'll only be a matter of time before the truth comes out somehow."

Harry pulled out a chair from the table, and sat at it looking very sullen. "It's all my fault isn't it?"

Hagrid shook his head emphatically. "You can't blame yerself because you wanted to save Percy! It's not up to you to decide what you-know-who thinks!"

"When and how are they going to attack?"

"Well the when is around Christmas when most of the teachers and students are gone to visit their families. It's still a month and a half away, so their plans might change. The how is a little more sketchy. We don't really know what he's doing or how many Death-Eaters will be sent. We don't think you-know-who himself is involved in this one, it's more of a sack, pillage and burn type of thing. Mostly it's his newest recruits. They want to prove themselves against Dumbledore's wards."

Harry was horrified. How could someone possibly feel that it would be all right to kill and hurt innocent students and teachers just to prove themselves? "How much help do we have from the ministry?"

Hagrid sighed. "They've told us we can call them any time, but we don't know who to trust in that group other than those who have already joined the Order. Dumbledore's especially uncertain about telling Fudge. The ministry mostly haven't been alerted about this. It's only Shacklebolt what's told us this, since he's a big part of Auror intelligence."

"What can I do to help?"

"Not much really, except sign up to go back to headquarters for Christmas."

"No! Hagrid, I can't just stay out of it! I need to be here!"

Hagrid's brow furrowed, and he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "You know Dumbledore won't let you fight."

Harry very nearly pitched the tea pot across the room, but restrained himself with the thought that he knew Hagrid was right and that he still wasn't ready to fight. All of his fighting with Death-Eaters in the past consisted of Harry ducking for cover, and the Death-Eaters shooting random spells over his head until they accidentally hit another Death-Eater. It had been mostly luck, and the next time Harry fought with them, he wanted to be a force to be reckoned with.

Harry closed his eyes and took three calming breaths. "Who seems to be in charge of the fight?"

"You don't want to know."

"It's Bellatrix Lestrange, isn't it?" Harry asked the question already knowing the answer.

Hagrid nodded.

"They're mostly after me and my group aren't they?"

"Well, yeh see, they know you usually stay behind for Christmas, and that you've got a bunch of mates what stay with you. Professor Dumbledore figured that if you signed up to go away, they would go off and leave Hogwarts alone."

Harry sighed. So there was a way he could help after all. He could leave. He tried to convince himself that no matter the circumstances, he wasn't being a coward and running away. It didn't completely work.

"I'll sign up to go home for Christmas then."

Hagrid nodded and smiled thinly. "That's a real help to us. I'll keep you posted with what's goin' on."

"Thanks Hagrid." Harry said sadly, and turned to leave.

"Wait a minute, didn't you want to get a chance to practice your mind stuff on me?"

Harry turned back, "Not right now Hagrid. I'm not feeling all that great."

"All right then, come down later and see me."

"Okay." Harry took the silencing charm off the house, and slowly walked back up to the castle.

"Harry?" He heard Ron's voice from behind him, and turned.

Ron looked as though he had been dipped into a vat of chalk his face was so white. "Harry is it true?"

Harry didn't say anything. He had promised not to tell, and that included saying yes to any question, but that didn't include accidentally letting Ron hear all of the information from Hagrid.

Ron seemed to understand however, and simply walked beside Harry while they made their way up to the infirmary.

"Is Hermione all right?" Harry asked. What he really wanted to ask was, "Why didn't Hermione join you?"

"She's been given her last potion from Madam Pomfrey, and she's been told to go and rest up in Gryffindor Tower."

Harry snorted. "If I know Hermione, she's already gone to all of her teachers, and is right now finishing up all of her leftover homework. She'll be sitting in the middle of Gryffindor Tower with six books open in front of her when we get there."

"You said it." Ron nodded.

They were correct in that Hermione was sitting in the middle of the Gryffindor Common Room when they arrived, but she had no books open, and seemed to be staring intently at the empty table top.

Harry and Ron sat down beside her. "Are you all right Hermione?" Ron asked.

She glared at him briefly from under a furrowed brow, not lifting her head. "I'm concentrating all right?" she said hotly.

Harry almost smiled. "Concentrating on what?"

Hermione didn't answer, but she didn't need to. The table beneath their resting elbows suddenly disappeared and in it's place sat a small duck.

It quacked loudly while Harry and Ron scrambled to regain their equilibrium.

"Hermione! Did you do that?" Harry asked surprised.

Hermione smiled proudly at them. "It's so exciting! I've been able to combine wandless and soundless magic to try out my transfiguration! On purpose!"

"I can see that." Ron mumbled, "Now can you bring the table back?"

"Oh, sure!" She stared at the duck, and a minute later the table was back. It looked far more ornate than the original table had ever been, and all of the black marks and scratches that had been left by various students' quills and ink had completely disappeared.

"Bloody hell!" Ron said, admiring the table, then looking intently at Hermione, who just grinned enthusiastically back.

"What else can you do?" Harry asked curiously.

Hermione shrugged. "To be honest, I think that's it. I was pretty good at transfiguration before, but now it's like everything I've ever learned about transfiguration just comes to me almost without thinking! Professor McGonagall is going to absolutely love this! And this whole soundless wandless magic is going to be so incredibly useful!"

"You have no idea how useful" Harry muttered thinking about the possibility of battle.

"What?" Hermione asked, looking at Ron and Harry's chalky complexions.

Harry nodded to Ron, as if to let him know it was all right to tell her, but that he couldn't. Ron nodded back to let him know he understood, and Harry left the two of them alone to discuss it by themselves.

There was nothing he wanted more than to gather some feedback about what he had just heard, but he knew that if he were present, he would want to put his own thoughts into the conversation, and that would surely violate his agreement with Dumbledore.