A/N: Thank you for the reviews! You guys rock! This chapters pretty short, sorry, but i'll update quickly. As for the answers to your questions: It will all happen in good time. I've been asked about conversations with Riddle-there are more, Malfoy- he's in it lots more, and as for R/Hr, well I can't wait untill the ball either!

All my best,

Angel

Chapter 14- Another day

Sunday flew by in a flurry of homework and reading, and before Harry knew it, the weekend was over.

Monday brought colder weather and showers of rain, yet nothing could dampen Harry's spirits.

Potion's first lesson flew by to Harry, as he spent the whole lesson devising a new quidditch program. Sirius didn't mind Harry working on quidditch through his lesson, but Harry knew Lupin would.

Harry put away his quidditch work for care of magical creatures, and was glad he did. This lesson they had moved away from Unicorns, and were revising nifflers. Lupin told the class they probably didn't need to revise them yet, but might as well while he still had some nifflers from the lower years work.

The lesson proved to be extremely enjoyable, and Harry was glad he participated, but went straight back to quidditch as soon as it had finished.

Harry spent lunch explaining some of his plans to the team, and during Charms he perfected his game plan. During Transfiguration, Harry tried to explain his new plan to the other marauders, but was sadly unsuccessful.

'If you think you are going to spend this lesson discussing quidditch, you have another thing coming, Mr Potter.' McGonagal said strictly. 'If I'm not mistaken, you have the quidditch pitch booked for today. I'm sure you will have plenty of time with your team mates then. Now continue with your work'

Harry went back to transfiguring his daisy, but it wouldn't grow more than two petals, and its center was oddly gold. Harry couldn't help but think it resembled a snitch. Apparently Harry and McGonagal were on the same wave length.

'I think some of us are getting bored of flowers, and are getting...distracted.' McGonagal told the class, whilst examining Harry's daisy. 'Next lesson we will start something new, and come back to this at a later date. Class dismissed.'

As the Marauders made their way down the corridor, they passed Lupin, who was struggling carrying a large stack of books.

'Would you be able to help me carry these to my office, Harry?' Lupin asked.

'Sure.' Harry said, and took some of the books.

'We can help as well, if you like.' Dean said.

'No thank you.' Lupin smiled. 'I think I'm alright now. Come Harry.'

'I'll catch you guys later.' Harry said, and followed Lupin to his office.

Once they were inside, and Harry had put his books down, it was apparent why Lupin had chosen him to help.

'Animagus transformations for beginners.' Harry read off one of the books spines. 'Animagi through the ages. Do I need to read all these?'

'Some of them.' Lupin said, as he put his pile of books on his desk beside Harry's, and began to look through them. 'Lets see.'

Lupin chose five books from the pile, and handed them to Harry.

'These will do for now.' Lupin smiled. 'These cover the basic, to the more finer points of Animagi training. I will need you to read these all with haste. Now to the difficult part.'

Lupin took Harry through a series of exercises, some which he had covered last lesson. They were basic, but still difficult to master for Harry. Harry had little success through the first hour of work, but Lupin had patience, and by the end, Harry had made much progress.

Some things Harry did with hardly any problems, like making his hair grow. He'd been doing that subconsciously, since as far back as he could remember. Things like changing his eye color, he found a little harder. He had always treasured his eyes, because they were just like his mothers, and he found it hard to part with them. The one thing Harry found impossible, was hiding his scar. However much he wanted it to go away, it just wouldn't.

Either way, Harry had made remarkable progress. Lupin revealed that the Marauder seniors hadn't been able to do this sort thing, until after months of training. Even though Harry's transformations were short, and often messy, Lupin was still amazed.

'I must admit, I'm surprised.' Lupin told Harry, at the end of the lesson. 'Your concentration, it's astounding. I really thought I'd have trouble making you take this seriously, but you've really surprised me.'

'I want to do this.' Harry said, with determination. 'I really do. It's going to take hard work, but I can handle it.'

'You've really grown up, Harry.' Lupin said, in a fatherly manor. 'Now go back to your common room, and have some rest. Transforming really takes it out of you. Eat some chocolate too. I daresay you have plenty of it.'

Harry arrived back in the common room, to find it empty.

'Dinner.' Harry sighed to himself, and ran upstairs to retrieve some chocolate, before heading to the Great hall.

When Harry arrived, he was met with the familiar calls of the Marauders.

'Prongs!'

'Oi, over here!'

'We saved you a seat, Prongsie!'

Harry took his seat, and piled his plate.

'So where have you been?' Dean asked.

'With Lupin.' Harry said, casually. 'Just discussing my fabulous grades.'

'Or lack of them.' Seamus muttered, and the others laughed.

'No, seriously.' Dean said. 'You were with him for hours the other day, then you disappear off again today. How long can you talk about grades?'

'Look, just don't worry.' Harry said, pouring some pumpkin juice. 'You'll find out when the time is right.'

Ron gave Harry a worried glance, and Harry shook his head.

'Hey!' Called two friendly voices.

'Hi, Daisy, Erin.' Seamus said.

Erin and Daisy found themselves seats by the Marauders.

'So, quidditch practice after dinner.' Erin grinned, and helped herself to some potatoes.

'Yea, and I've got some great new game plan.' Harry said, enthusiastically.

'Another one!' Daisy sighed. 'You just told us one at lunch!'

'Well I thought of a better one.' Harry explained. 'This way, the Hufflepuffs don't stand a chance.'

'I thought your motto was: Plans are for rubbish teams.' Erin said. 'You said that we could beat any team easily without a plan.'

'Well I'm trying something new.' Harry said, defensively.

'Well it better work.' Dean said, as dessert appeared.

'It will.' Harry said. 'Now where's Ginny? We need the whole team if I'm going to explain this. It's bad enough that we couldn't find her at lunch. Where is she?'

'Where do you think she is?' Seamus said, motioning down the table.

Ginny was sitting with a large group of girls. She was obviously the center of attention. She was talking animatedly to the group, who were giggling uncontrollably. Either side two girls, who were obviously her sidekicks. One had long wavy black hair, and lots of freckles, the other had curly blonde hair, and sky blue eyes.

Harry was surprised to see Hermione on the outside of the group, sitting with Lavender and Parvati. Harry smiled. She didn't seem too pleased with the seating arrangement.

'Doesn't it bother you?' Harry asked Erin and Daisy, in a slightly hushed voice. 'The way that Ginny is best friends with you, then she dumps you for them.'

Erin and Daisy looked at Harry, with almost questioning faces.

'I mean, when you're with us, you three are like best friends.' Harry elaborated. 'But then she goes off with her little group. Doesn't it bother you?'

'Yes, it bothers us.' Erin said, picking at her food. 'But that's just the way it is.'

'Have you only just noticed?' Daisy asked.

'No. It's just... it never really bothered me before.' Harry said, looking at Ginny. 'How do you stand it?'

'You don't.' Erin said. 'You just accept that that's the way it is.'

'Why don't you say something to her?' Harry asked. 'I know I couldn't stand it. She uses you.'

'It's not like that.' Daisy said. 'She just has her duty as popular girl, to go around with her little group and give them advise about boys and gossip and stuff.'

'They aren't her real friends.' Erin explained to Harry. 'She doesn't talk to them about important stuff. If she has anything she needs to talk about, she comes to us.'

'Ginny isn't quite as she seems.' Daisy said. 'She goes deeper than all those other girls. She's not as shallow as you'd think.'

'Yea.' Erin said. 'In the evening she comes back to our dorm, and she's really quiet. She asks us how our day was, and we talk about any problems we have. Then she writes in her diary for ages, before reading, and going to bed.'

'She acts all tough and cool.' Daisy concluded. 'But inside she's just like the rest of us: insecure.'

'Why the sudden show of interest?' Erin asked, suspiciously.

'No reason.' Harry said, and took a swig of his pumpkin juice.

After dinner, Gryffindor quidditch team trekked up to quidditch pitch. Ginny left her little giggly group, and joined Erin and Daisy as usual.

In no time, the team was dressed and ready. Harry spent a while explaining his new plan, before they hit the pitch.

The team flew well, but Harry couldn't help seeing the resemblance between Neville and Daisy. Daisy was a great flyer, but very dangerous on a broomstick. She kept spinning and twirling everywhere, and it wasn't an odd occurrence for Daisy to fly off her broom. Usually someone would catch her, or she would conjure a large cushion under her.

Harry couldn't help but laugh when Daisy threw the quaffle at the hoops, and ended up flying with it. Luckily Ron caught her.

'Daisy, that was a great shot.' Harry said. 'But I'm afraid that Hufflepuff's keeper will be more keen on stopping the quaffle, than catching you.'

'Sorry.' Daisy said, with a cute lopsided grin.

'Now lets go again.' Harry ordered, and the team got into place. 'Now, go!'

Erin threw the quaffle under to Ginny. Ginny then flew up, and dropped the quaffle to Daisy. Daisy and Erin then both flew forward, and Daisy passed the ball over to Erin. Erin then dropped the quaffle for Ginny to catch. Ginny caught the quaffle, but didn't seem to have the strength to hold it. Ginny lent forward on her broom, and slid straight off the front of it.

Harry flew with incredible sped, and caught Ginny quite comfortably in his arms.

'Ginny, are you ok?' Harry asked, looking down at her tiny limp body. Ginny opened her eyes.

'I'm sorry.' Ginny whispered. Harry started to float towards the ground. 'I'm just tired. I shouldn't have come to practise today.'

'It's ok.' Harry whispered, not taking his eyes from her dark amber ones. 'As long as you're alright.'

'You alright, Gin?' Dean called, as he landed on the ground.

'So she gets all the sypathy,' Erin said.

'She's fine.' Harry called. 'Just passed out.'

'Thank you, Harry.' Ginny whispered, and Harry landed on the ground. 'You're not the Seeker for nothing.'

'Nope.' Harry grinned.

'You can put me down now.' Ginny said, with the twinkle back in her eye.

Harry put her down quickly, but wished he hadn't. Ginny's legs couldn't seem to hold her weight.

Harry was suddenly aware of how tired he was, so he called the team to him.

'I say we call it a day.' Harry said. 'Everyone's tired. Lets just head back.'

Everyone began to head back to the changing room, except for Ginny.

'I'm gonna go straight back to the castle.' Ginny said, and began to walk away. She took a few steps, and her legs gave way. Harry rushed forward, and put one of Ginny's arms over his shoulders, and tried to take her weight.

'I'm ok.' Ginny said, edging away from Harry. 'I'm fine.'

Harry watched Ginny limp up towards the castle.

'What's the matter with her?' Ron asked nobody in particular.

'I wish I knew.' Harry murmured.

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