"Harry!"

Harry turned around twenty-four hours later, heading to dinner once more.

"What?" Harry asked Katie.

She panted up next to him. "Okay, I just had Lyse and Heath do some extra research. Well, nothing came up, because no one's had curse scars before, but we do have some theories for you about last night."

"Let's hear it," Harry said as they entered the Great Hall.

"Well, the sudden change is most likely do to, what we believe, a sudden imbalance of power. That, or a dramatic change in your power over a short period of time. Now, if it were a sudden imbalance… well, let's put it into classes. Say your visions or dreams or whatever are… Divination, I suppose is the closest thing there is."

Harry stuck out his tongue in disgust as they sat down.

"If you had a sudden breakthrough in Divination through an imbalance of power, that would mean another class, say Transfiguration, would dramatically decrease."

"What? How do we know what went down?" Harry asked, concerned now.

"We don't know it was an imbalance. It could be a dramatic change, as I'm getting to now. In a dramatic change, everything changes. Either you skyrocket in all areas, or you flunk them all. You still remember your schedule, so if it was a dramatic change, I don't think it went down."

"Well, that's good news," Harry said. "And you think it's an imbalance?"

"Well, it might be. We're actually hoping it's the dramatic change, as you probably are, but us for different reasons, I'm sure."

"Why do you want a dramatic change?" Harry asked, feeling she was waiting for the question.

Katie smiled, but had a mysterious look in her eyes as she said, "A dramatic change was what made us who we are."

Harry spit out his pumpkin juice.

"Harry, it's not that bad!" Katie said quickly.

"SAY WHAT!"

The Great Hall became noticeably quiet.

"Oh, now see what you've done," Katie murmured. "Everyone, it's all right, go back to your dinner!"

Several people rolled their eyes and continued, though not all eyes left them.

"You, Elyse, Heather, and the Secret Students? All because--?"

"A major, but positive, dramatic change," Katie finished.

"What causes these things?" Harry asked as Ron and Hermione sat across from them.

"What's up, Harry?" Ron asked.

"SHHHHHHHHHH!" Harry hissed.

Ron looked affronted, but Hermione consoled him with a kiss.

"Well, no one knows for sure. We have made more theories on that. It could be a huge emotion, maybe something in a person's genetics, maybe it's just random, if it happens at all in a person," Katie said.

Harry thought about it. If that was what he had, why now?

Hermione whispered something to Katie, and Katie nodded.

"Harry," Hermione said quietly, bringing Harry back. "That's what happened to your sister. Kind of. She had the dramatic change. Then… I think it was some white blast that really did it? Whatever that was, that topped her off to become the Lady."

Harry thought again. "She said she couldn't fly and all until after the white blast."

"Well, naturally," Katie said, a smile suddenly playing across her face. "You could try and fly without a broom right now, if you wanted to. You have to train to control them. You can't just expect them to follow your will. Magic has a will of it's own, from the words of your sister. You have to… oh, you might say 'make friends'."

Harry rolled his eyes. "When will we know which it is?"

Katie's smile remained. "We already do."

"Which am I?" Harry asked immediately.

"The change, of course," Katie said. "You used your brain at Hermione's words. Any other day and you'd have taken her words as truth."

"So what, am I going to be some brainiack now or something?" Harry asked.

"I beg your pardon!" Katie and Hermione asked simultaneously.

"Sorry, sorry…" Harry said, putting a grilled cheese sandwich on his plate.

"Never mind," Katie said, rolling her eyes. "If he didn't see that one coming, it might've been an imbalance after all."

"Very funny," Harry said.

"Indeed," Katie said, smiling. "Indeed…"



Harry surveyed the group before him, knowing that he wouldn't see some again. "So, here we are at the last D.A. meeting."

"No way," Ron said mockingly with a grin on his face.

Harry grinned back. "I was thinking that instead of an actual lesson, we'd have a party, unless you guys really want to have a lesson instead."

There was a general murmur of conversation and debate among the students.

"Eh, I say we go for the party," Ron said, shrugging.

"A lesson!" Hermione objected.

The majority of people, Harry decided, were ready for a party.

"Not that we don't like the lessons," Hannah said, making sure Harry understood.

"Naturally," Harry said. He walked toward the doors and opened them, where house-elves were waiting with food piled on plates. Harry turned back and the whole room changed before his eyes. The pillows disappeared and the D.A. members found themselves sitting on the floor. They stood and came together in the center of the room as tables slowly appeared out of thin air. The house-elves entered the room and placed the plates of food on the tables, then left with a huge bow that made their ears touch the floor.

As soon as the house-elves were gone, Harry heard his name shouted furiously. "HARRY POTTER!"

"Hermione, don't yell!" Harry exclaimed, who moved right in front of her.

"HARRY--" Hermione paused, controlling her anger. She continued in an infuriated whisper. "How could you? Using those house-elves to supply the food! I am appalled that you would--!"

"Hermione, shut up," Ron said, laughing. He put his hand over her mouth and dragged her away, her muffled complaints to Harry fading away as they left.

"Cool party," Katie commented from behind him.

"Do you always do that? Come up from behind?" Harry asked, turning.

"As frequently as I can," Katie said with a smile and a shrug.

"So you ready for the end of the year?" Harry asked.

Katie smiled. "Are you?"

Harry shrugged. "I s'pose. I'll miss Hogwarts, as always, but I'm not sure what to expect of this secret base of yours."

Katie gave a hollow laugh. "Oh, you'll love it. Especially when the training starts."

The talk was going on around them, some sullen faces that there was no lesson. They ate and drank as they spoke, laughing at different jokes and memories they'd shared. Groups of people chatting engulfed Harry and Katie, who spoke in the middle of the room.

"I note the sarcasm," Harry said.

"Please do. The base is very… well, it's secretive with many spell around it so as not to attract intruders. The training itself will drive you mad in the beginning. It's very hard and complicated, and I'm sure your bed will soon be your favorite place to be in the day. You will, after all, only see it twice a day."

"Only twice?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Katie said. "When you wake up, and when you go back to sleep. When the actual training starts, there won't be much alone time in your room."

"Ooh, I can't wait," Harry said sardonically.

Katie smiled. "Punch?"

"Is that what they brought in?"

"Seven flavors."

"I'm in. What's the food looking like?"

"Pick something. I'm sure they've got it."

"I like."

"Knew you would."

Harry spoke with the other D.A. members incessantly until nine-thirty, when they had to leave. He spoke with Neville mostly about how he had improved so greatly, and that his grandmother would be most pleased. With Ernie and Hannah, they were more concerned about the different things they should do over the summer to prepare for next year, if there was to be one. Cho seemed most attached to him and seemed to follow him a bit, which Katie didn't fail to notice. After dragging Cho to a corner, the two girls had a heated discussion which Harry never noticed the end of, only that they were finished before he called quits at nine-thirty. Terry, Michael, and Anthony were very interested in the plans for next year, and if Harry would try any other illegal curses on them. Harry softly reminded them that there was no blocking or countering the others.

"Nine-thirty everyone," Harry said, taking the red whistle from his mouth after just blowing it for the last time, at least for that year. "I must say, it's been a pleasure teaching each one of you. You've improved greatly before my eyes, and it's astounding to see what you've become now." It occurred to Harry that he had no idea where these words were coming from. They didn't sound as though they were his own, yet he knew they were. "I look forward to seeing you next year, if not in the D.A. once more, than in classes we will surely share. Thank you for an excellent year. Goodnight."