Chapter 19: Into Motion.
The students returned to Hogwarts, well rested and content from their holidays. The halls of the school were filled with the stories of wonderful Christmas presents and family get togethers. Harry and his friends had watched as the train pulled into Hogsmade as the steam filled the blue sky. Happy students packed the streets of the small town before heading up to the castle for the seriousness to start again. Many of the students spent their time, while on holidays, in muggle communities and once they returned, many of the students were preoccupied with finding out what was going on in the wizarding world. There hadn't been a lot of activities from He Who Must Not Be Named but his death eaters had caused a lot of sorrow through the magic cities. The most of the news that was to be read was that of the Order of the Phoenix, their members had reached great numbers. It was predicted that the order had gotten bigger than the army of death eaters but that still wasn't enough to put people at ease. Rumors circulated as they always did about Harry and how he would be facing the dark lord in the near future and there were always predictions on both sides. Harry had stopped reading the Daily Profit even though Hermione insisted it was his best link to the outside world. Harry had convinced her that it would only upset him and take his mind away from his studies and Hermione wasn't one to argue with the new dedication to school. The days before class started, with the students back in the school, were filled with activities. The weather held out and was sunny and warm for the most part but the nights lead to many curious students that were always looking for the truth behind the rumors that were spread about Harry. He found that his peace he had known during the winter break was gone and couldn't find ways to break free from the eyes and ears of his fellow students. However once classes were in full swing again the students of Hogwarts became serious once more. Harry was left alone to do his work and the rumors around the school seemed to die down as well. Both the fifth year and the seventh year students were working with double the work and assignments in preparation for their O.W.Ls and N.E.W.Ts. Belinda had been offering extended office hours to her students to help them with their preparations for their care of magical creatures exams. Professor McGonagall was also offering extra help to her students and had asked Amelia if she was willing to tutor some of the fifth years for their first set of wizard examinations. Hermione and Amelia shared top marks in all of their classes and even though they had a lot of work themselves they helped in all ways they could with the other students. As for Harry, he recruited Dominic and Ron to help him in a Defense against the dark arts club that met three times a week and Dumbledore would attend one day out of the three, as it was convenient for him, to help and evaluate the progress of the students. Extended office hours had been posted for most of the professors and many of them were taking in students after classes had finished by appointment. All but Professor Snape, he wasn't as willing to help out. His idea of extra prep were extra long potions and four sheets of parchment instead of two for the potions write ups and analysis and that didn't include any of the test book or lecture notes he expected his classes to take and have ready for spot checks, which he did often. Although the fifth years and the seventh years were in full study mode most of the other year levels were up to the usual mid terms and class work. The school was still a buzz with chatter and distractions for all the students and Harry found the odd distraction to be a good escape from the craziness that had become his school life.
Aside from the heavy work load, Harry and his friends still found time for play. The weather began to warm up and it was easier for the Quiddich teams to practice again. Not as seriously as they would have without the snow but it was good for them to keep their skills in check before the season started up again. Harry enjoyed taking his team out to fly laps around the school, racing each other, swerving around each other and trying not to collide with each other or the dangerous trees on the school grounds. But when it came down to it he was most serious about his school work and even though he was studying hard for his N.E.W.Ts he still had to keep up in the classes he was not taking N.E.W.Ts for but still had to worry about the end of year exams that would be happening as well. Hermione and Amelia kept their group of friends in check when it came to studying and getting school work finished for checked and handing in. The scheduling that the girls had developed for the boys seemed to work well and still left them with time for their trouble making. Dominic had taken to watching professor Snape really closely not trusting one move by the man. In his class Dominic was silent, did the work and handed it in and only glared at Snape when he would start to aggravate him. Harry had noticed on many occasions that Snape would stop in mid sentence while talking to Dominic, well more or less scolding Dominic, but he always left more angry than when he first started. Harry knew something was up with Dominic but could tell it was something that was meant to be kept between Snape and himself and didn't press the matter. Amelia had noticed it too and though she could break her brother she chose to keep clear of his grudge against Snape, she herself had her own ill feeling toward him she just preferred to keep quiet and let Dominic make him mad.
One day after a really bad potions class, one in which Professor Snape stormed out and came back with another huge assignment for Dominic, Amelia waited at the door to find out what was wrong with her bother. He was last to come out of the room carrying an extra large black potions book that was obviously not something Dominic wanted to be working with.
"Are you ok Dom?" Amelia asked seeing her brother angrily jam the book into a carrying bag he had.
"Yeah I'm fine," he huffed and through the bag back over his shoulder, "sometimes I just wish Snape would fight me rather than try and beet me mentally."
"Dominic don't say that," Amelia said softly, "you know what he is capable of, he was a death eater you don't need to go looking for fights."
" I know," Dominic said with a little smile toward his sister, "I really didn't mean it. I am just angry. You know that."
"You're lucky I do," she said, "or I would be going crazy with worry and you would have me hassling you as well as Snape."
"I already do sis!" Dominic laughed as they passed a group of Slytherins.
"Amelia, may I talk to you for a moment," a voice said from behind them as the Slytherins passed.
Amelia and Dominic spun around to see Draco Malfoy, alone, without Crabbe and Goyle or any of his other Slytherin groupies.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" Dominic asked.
"To talk to you sister," Draco said rolling his eyes, "don't you have potions homework or something to deal with?"
"It can wait," Dominic said.
"Oh Dominic I am a big girl I can talk to people," Amelia said feeling a little smothered by her brother, "please I will see you in the study hall."
"Alright Lia," Dominic said glaring at Malfoy, "be careful around him," he said to her in a place only they could hear.
Amelia and Draco watched in silence as Dominic walked down the hallway and turned toward the great Hall.
"Can I walk you to you next class?" Draco asked braking the silence.
"I have a free period next," Amelia said with a shy smile, "perhaps I should walk you to class?"
"That sounds nice, I have care of magical creatures with you mother now," He said extending his arm in the direction he was heading, "shall we?"
Amelia smiled and walked with Draco down the hall. She felt uneasy as students began to stair and as she got a terrible glare from Pansy Parkinson.
"Don't worry about her," Draco said noticing the Amelia lower her eyes away from Pansy, "she's just upset that we broke up."
"Oh I'm sorry to here that," Amelia said trying to make conversation.
"Don't be," Draco said, "her parents made her break up with me because they didn't approve. Most people seem not to anymore. Its because of my family and their decisions, which I really don't understand because her family was full of dark wizards and witches, and I'm rambling...sorry."
"Its alright," Amelia giggled as she noticed the embarrassment in his faced, "was there something you wanted to ask me?" she asked as they neared her mothers class room and the gryffindor common room.
"Oh yeah," He said feeling embarrassed again, "I was wondering, if you have time, and its not any trouble or gets in the way of your school work or anything, if you could... um... well..." he looked around to see if anyone was listening, then he whispered, "could you tutor me in transfigurations? I need to pass my N.E.W.Ts and I am no were near were I should be in that. Professor McGonagall has actually told me I would be better off not taking the exam but I need it to get into the profession I want."
"Oh..." Amelia said feeling a little more at ease, "yeah, sure that would be fine." she smiled.
"Really?" Draco asked.
"Yeah," she giggled, "I just need to know when you want to work on stuff and where you kinda sit with your transfigurations and then we can work from there. I will help you as much as I can to pass you exam."
"Thank you," he smiled, "my choices were ask you or fail cause I know Granger would never help me," he said again looking a little embarrassed, "we haven't had the nicest school relationship."
"No I would say you haven't," Amelia said with a little smirk.
"What has she told you?" Draco whispered.
"Oh some thing that, personally I would have taken offence to myself," Amelia said.
"Yeah," he said somewhat at a loss for words, "I really deserved some of the stuff I got from her. She's got a really good right hook."
"For a pure blood wizard you know enough about muggle traditions it would seem," Amelia laughed.
"If my parents found out that I watched muggle television I would probably be disowned but sometimes a good boxing match is entertaining," he smiled.
"If you say so," she laughed, "its not my favorite sport."
"To all his own I suppose," he said, "but I better get to class, I will talk to you later so that we can set up a time."
"Yeah that sounds fine," she smiled as he waved and walked into her mothers class room.
Amelia walked to the common room entrance, through the passage and toward the girls part of the dormitory.
"What did he want?" Dominic asked from by the fire.
"Oh my god Dominic," Amelia said feeling a little angry, "what business is it of yours?"
"Amelia, he's evil!" Harry said from a chair beside Dominic.
"Yeah I know that," Amelia said looking at the two boys, "shouldn't you be studying, both of you?"
"We were waiting for you," Harry said lowering his eyes, "you have better potions notes...I can't read mine."
"Oh Harry," Amelia laughed, "I'll get them for you."
"What did he want?" Dominic asked again.
"He wants me to tutor him in transfigurations," Amelia said looking at her brother very angrily, "are you happy with that answer?"
"Not really," Dominic said feeling just as angry.
Amelia shot the image of her conversation with Draco into Dominic's mine and looked at him waiting for an answer, "call it instant replay!"
"Ok so I don't believe him at all," Dominic said, "but you said yes and there is nothing I can do about that."
"Nope, there really isn't," Amelia said, "don't worry, if anything happens you'll know. I am just going to help him to pass his N.E.W.Ts nothing else."
"Ok," Dominic said still not feeling right about the situation, "but be careful."
"I will," Amelia said, "here are the note Harry."
"Thanks Lia!" Harry smiled and began to go though the notes.
"Speaking of N.E.W.Ts, you are wasting valuable study time Dominic Charles, you better get studying!" Amelia smirked.
"Your middle name is Charles!" Harry laughed, "you know you are in trouble when they start using your middle name!"
"Hey don't laugh Harry, Amelia's is Cecilia," Dominic said.
"Oh you are so dead!" Amelia laughed and cast a tickling charm at her brother.
"Resorted to the magical way out, eh Amelia?" Dominic laughed as he blocked the charm and jumped up and grabbed his sister around the waist and began to tickle her, "there is no way to counter curse me now!"
Harry found it hard to study with Amelia and Dominic play fighting each other, but it was a lot more entertaining than Snape's potion lecture notes. He put the parchment down and began to cheer on Dominic. Studying was not going to happen that day, well not before dinner.