Chapter Nine - Rigorous Training and Its Time

"Well done, Harry." Dumbledore smiled, "You show dexterity beyond your years, now let's start the training Hermione go with Tonks, Ron go with Remus, and Harry you'll be with me."

Harry slowly walked to his spot.

"Today you will learn to use your dagger…oh yes, put on the gloves we don't want an accident to occur."

Harry pulled his gloves out of his bag and put them on his hands and grasped his dagger in his right hand and when he looked up he saw a dozen targets surrounding him.

"You will throw the dagger at the target." He told Harry.

Harry would throw the dagger at the target and it would leave a scorch mark where it had hit the target most of them hit the bull's eye. Then Dumbledore furthered his training by making him fight with him. By the time the training session was over Harry was exhausted and by the looks of it so were Ron and Hermione.

"Well we will see you all tomorrow and everyday of this week at the same time." Dumbledore smiled as Harry, Ron, and Hermione groaned, "You are dismissed."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione trudged back to Gryffindor tower awaiting their beds. The little talk that was said was about their training it seemed to Harry that Ron and Hermione were having a tough time too with their training. They got into their beds and fell asleep.

The next few months were all the same till one very difficult training session. Harry and Dumbledore were dueling:

Harry struck first aiming for the old wizards neck but Dumbledore easily parried the onslaught. Dumbledore then tried to bring the blade of his sword down on Harry's head but Harry skillfully blocked it. They each in turn struck and blocked the others attacks Ron, Hermione, Remus, and Tonks watched in amazement at how each knew immediately what to do and marveled at how Harry could now fight at Dumbledore's level when mere months before he barely knew how to hold a sword. Harry made a spectacular jab a Dumbledore's foot. When Dumbledore blocked it he realized that now he had no control over his sword. Harry grinned triumphantly and knocked the sword out of Dumbledore's hands effectively making the old man fall. Putting the point of the sword at Dumbledore's throat he said:

"Finally." And threw his sword to the side helping his mentor to his feet and the whole room burst into applause.

"Well done, Harry." Dumbledore said with a smile, "I believe it is time…so go now and remember you are the Heirs of the Founders and Voldemort is sure to attack soon."

They nodded and left the Room of Requirement when the door shut Remus spoke up.

"Should I alert the Order?"

"No…they need to do this on their own Remus and not even I can help them anymore than I already have." He replied.

The Trio was out on the lawns enjoying their time together hoping it wasn't short lived.

"That was bloody brilliant, Harry!" Ron grinned enthusiastically

"It was Harry it was exciting to watch." Hermione replied to Ron's statement

"Unfortunately that was Dumbledore not Voldemort we don't know how much harder he will be to beat." Harry said glumly

"You'll do it, Harry." Hermione spoke quietly, "We know you will."

"No, I won't, we will." He commented with a smile, "We will do it together."

"Come on it is time for dinner and I'm famished." Ron said

"Ronald Weasley? Hungry? Never!" Harry and Hermione joked

"Funny guys but really this time I really need to eat." Ron frowned

"Then let's go."

They hurried to the castle completely unaware of what lay inside. Eating dinner in incredible succession they hurried off to Gryffindor tower now found sitting in armchairs by the fire, stuffed.

"I'm stuffed." Ron groaned

"Ronald Weasley is full! Alert the Daily Prophet! Alert the Quibbler!" Harry laughed

"I can see the headlines now." Hermione smiled

"We should probably go to bed." Harry commented looking around to find no one in the common room.

"I'm not tired…maybe we should go visit Hagrid?" Hermione said

"I never thought I'd live to see the day Hermione Granger, resident know-it-all and prefect, want to break the rules by going out after hours." Ron smirked as Hermione glared at him.

"Great idea, Hermione just let me go get the map." Harry replied. He went go the map and cloak and came back down in record time.

Tapping the map he said: "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Before his eyes appeared the whole of Hogwarts. Scanning the map he found a very interesting dot with a question mark beside it and immediately he said:

"He's here."