Hannah Abbott entered with a silent apology and sat down on the last remaining cushion.

"You're fine," Harry said. "Well, here we are again. I hope everyone's been doing well. If you have any requests for spells you want to learn, just let me know and I'll see what I can do. Now, originally I was planning on us continuing the Impediment Curse, but I heard that some of you had sufficient practice with it."

Almost everyone grinned mischievously.

"In fact, it's rumored that most of you had lots of practice in the time span that we didn't meet. We may come back later, or you can see me privately if you're still not up to speed with the Impediment Curse. Today we'll start on the Immobilizing Spell. Hermione, c'mere, will ya?"

Hermione walked up as Harry continued. "It's simple. One swish and the spell. Hermione, watch out." Harry pointed his wand at her and did one swish. "Immobulus!"

Hermione froze.

"This is more complicated than the Impediment Curse, because that one's only temporary. This is permanent. You'll find it more difficult. Get into pairs and try it out."

With an odd number of people, Neville was left without a partner.

"Right, Neville show me the swishing movement first," Harry said.

Neville did so without a word, swishing his wand.

"Good," Harry said. "This might not be so hard after all. Okay, try me."

Neville raised his wand and brought it down with a swish as the room was filled with a single word: "Immobulus!"

There were few people who froze on the first try, Harry being one of them. Neville stood there for a while before asking when the spell would wear off. It occurred to Harry that he had not shown them the counter curse. He had restored Hermione after ordering them to get into pairs.

Kelly had frozen Hermione and had a look of mock puzzlement. "Hm… oh, what was it? I can't seem to remember that counter-curse! Hm…." She walked over to Harry and mocked him with her eyes as she spoke. "Harry, you couldn't help me remember could you…? Oh, what was the counter-curse? It seems to have slipped my mind…."

Harry watched her, the only thing he could do. When Kelly decided it was boring she unfroze Hermione, and Neville, picking up the spell, did the same to Harry.

"That was excellent, Neville," Harry commended. "The first time you've gotten something on the first try."

"I heard from Ron that that would be the next spell, so I started practicing," Neville confessed.

"You did fine. Could you go join Dean and Seamus, though?" Harry asked.

Neville walked over to join the two boys, Dean mocking puzzlement as Kelly had done. Harry walked around the room, correcting the many errors. Several people had a problem with the getting the incantation out of their mouths right, Michael Corner even managing to blow a hole through the roof—twice. The majority had the swish down without difficulty, though Dennis denied turning Hermione's precious books into ice when he did two and a half jabs. Kelly spent half of the time attempting to calm Hermione. Harry continued around, his feet leading him nowhere in particular. They drifted wherever someone was having difficulty, which seemed increasingly towards the back left corner, where the Creevey brothers, Seamus, Dean, and Neville were clustered. By nine-fifteen there was significant improvement, and the number of people who had no difficulties with it pleasantly surprised Harry.

Harry blew the famous red whistle, which the D.A. members had learned to subconsciously listen for. The spells stopped and they all looked at Harry pleadingly, not wanting to go.

"Time to head out. Be sure to keep the galleons near for when the next meeting is decided. Oh, do you have your Quidditch practice schedules?" Harry added.

Two sheets of paper rushed towards him from opposite ends of the room.

"Thanks," Harry said. "See you next time, if not sooner."

Harry looked over the practice schedules. Again it would be difficult to find a date that all three houses could come, but there were some days that matched up. Harry thought for a spare piece of parchment, quill, and ink and saw some lying on the floor. Harry picked it up and began to write the free dates of all teams, doing Gryffindor's by memory.

"Ready?" Hermione asked as Harry stood, pocketing the papers, though leaving the ink and quill.

"Yeah, let's go," Harry said, smiling. It had been another great night.

The girls walked ahead a little, Ron and Harry lagging behind. When they were far enough that they were out of earshot, Harry gave Ron an annoyed look.

"What? I couldn't miss those meaningful glances during the lesson. What's up?"

"This." Ron slipped a note in Harry's hand and then called, "Hey, girls, wait up!"

Harry fumbled with the note in his robes until he was in his dorm, where he raced to his four-poster and shut the curtains. Harry opened the note and read it with interest, intrigued at the idea Ron had put upon the table. And if they did it inconspicuously enough, Hermione and Kelly would never know.

---

A/N:

So, what was the proposition? Well, I'm not telling! Not until next chapter, anywayz….

Next chapter, while we're on that topic, you find out what Ron's idea was. Then Harry relives a memory of another suspicious thing of Kelly. Then Ron proposes they have a snowball fight, and the Secret Students have some fun in Harry's mind.

That's all I've got for now. Byez! Thanks for reading, and don't forget to review on your way out!

Riles