The winter holidays at Hogwarts were coming to an end. The rest of the students who had gone home for Christmas were returning that night. Harry awoke as the first rays of sunlight crept in through the window of his dormitory. Harry knew that it would be a momentous day for him. He looked at his cane resting against the wall next to his bed and a smile crept to his face as he thought about the fact that, from that day forward, it would be no more than a decoration. He wasn't going to be running any marathons, but he had improved enough that he no longer had to rely on the cane for support.

Harry couldn't have been happier about how things had turned out over the holidays. His two best friends in the world had gotten engaged, he and Ginny were as happy as they had ever been, and Cassidy had come out of hiding to resume her friendship with Harry, as well as begin to explore her own feelings about Draco Malfoy. Harry had to be impressed with the effect she was having on Malfoy. After Christmas day, it was a rare thing to see them apart, and when they were together, the smile never left Malfoy's face.

Harry had even noticed a difference in Malfoy's attitude toward him. He spent so much of his time thinking about Cassidy that he almost forgot to be nasty to Harry at all. Harry knew that Malfoy's attitude was something that was likely to change quickly if he ever found out about Cassidy's father though. Harry was hoping that, by the time that happened, Malfoy's feelings for Cassidy would have grown strong enough for him to let go of his hatred of those who weren't pure bloods. He had an uneasy feeling that it wouldn't be as simple as that though.

As for Hermione, Ron and Ginny, they were in a constant twitch over the Potions test Harry was going to have to take, as well as making up all of the other classes on the weekends. It unnerved Hermione to the point of madness that the only notes of hers that Harry wanted to look at were History of Magic. Even those, he looked at quickly, leaving Hermione to wonder if he was taking it seriously at all. Harry had finally managed to calm her fears about History of Magic by allowing her to quiz him over anything in any of the notes he had looked at to that point. She had been shocked to find that he had absorbed it all so quickly, especially since it was a subject he had never taken an interest in.

So, after breakfast, Harry walked into the room of requirement to find exactly what he needed. Of course, he had looked through all of the books several times, but he was hoping that one more search would somehow reveal something he had missed in his research over the summer.

Harry was about two hours into his search when the door to the room of requirement opened, and Ginny walked in and asked, "This isn't a bad time is it?"

"No time is a bad one when you're around, Gin," Harry said as he dropped the book he had been reading onto a table so he could hug Ginny.

"What are you working on?" Ginny asked. "Are you studying for your test?"

"No," Harry said. "I was just working on a way to make my patronus powerful enough to kill a dementor."

"Find anything yet?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing that I didn't already know before," Harry said a bit disappointed.

"Maybe it isn't possible after all," Ginny said.

"I still think it is," Harry responded. "I couldn't explain why unless I wrote you an essay about little things I've read in these books, but I just know that there is a way. There's something I'm missing somewhere."

"Well, if it can be done," Ginny began, standing back to look at him, "I'm sure you'll be the one to find it. You really are amazing, you know. Not long ago, there was a question of whether you would ever walk again. Now you're walking without the help of your cane, and Hermione hasn't had to levitate you up or down the stairs in a week."

"Well, it wasn't for lack of her wanting to," Harry said. "For a while there I was wondering if she'd ever let me do it on my own again. Speaking of walking down the stairs, is it time for lunch already?"

"No," Ginny said. "Not yet. I know I said I would come and get you for lunch, but there was something else I needed to talk to you about."

"Sure," Harry said motioning her to a chair. "What's on your mind?"

"Well, Harry," Ginny said, "now that you're getting better, you'll be able to take over as the seeker again. I just wanted to tell you that, since you don't have your firebolt to ride any more, you can use mine if you want. I can just use my old broom."

"I bought that broom for you to ride," Harry said.

"But we can't have our seeker trying to catch the snitch with one of the house brooms," Ginny said as Harry held up a hand to stop her.

"I've already worked it all out with Ron," Harry said. "I won't be returning to the team right away, so you'll still need to be the seeker. I'll just be an alternate in case something happens and I have to step in."

"But Harry," Ginny pleaded, "you're the best seeker Gryffindor has had for as long as anyone can remember."

"And I have more work facing me in a single term than any student ever has before as well," Harry said. "Something tells me that there isn't going to be much time for quidditch practice with my new schedule. Besides, I want to try to get the D.A. running again."

"No one expects you to do that, Harry," Ginny said showing her surprise that he would even think of it.

"But it needs to be done," Harry said firmly. "There is a war raging outside the walls of Hogwarts. I know better than anyone the kinds of tactics Voldemort and his death eaters like to use. I have to prepare as many of the students here to defend themselves against those tactics as I can. You heard what Voldemort wrote in that letter he sent to me. I think it's only a matter of time before he brings that battle here to Hogwarts."

"But Professor Dumbledore…" Ginny started to say.

"He can't stand alone against two hundred death eaters," Harry said cutting her off. "Remember what the D.A. stands for. Dumbledore's Army. He shouldn't have to stand alone, and if I have anything to say about it, he won't."

"Do you think Voldemort has that many death eaters?" Ginny asked.

"I think it might be close to that at any rate," Harry said. "Remember that he got back all of the ones that were allowed to escape from Azkaban. He's also been recruiting more in the last couple of years. Add into that the fact that he has control of the dementors, and you can see why I'm so interested in finding a way to kill them."

"I'm sorry, Harry," Ginny said. "I guess I didn't understand just how much pressure you were under. I promise you that I'll do everything I can to help you."

"I know you will," Harry said with a gentle smile. "I would be proud to have you at my side. Just understand, when it comes down to the battle with Voldemort himself, I don't want you to get between us under any circumstances."

Ginny looked Harry in the eyes and saw the clear determination in them before saying, "I understand."

"I mean it, Ginny," Harry said. "I'll stun you myself to keep you out of it if that red headed stubbornness of yours makes you forget what you just agreed to. I'll hate myself for it, but I'll do it if I have to."

"I hope it doesn't come to that," Ginny said as she took Harry's hand into hers.

Unfortunately, Harry knew that, if Voldemort was able to get him on the defensive, it was very likely that he would have to follow through with his threat. He knew that no matter what she said, what he had told Cassidy was true. She would step in front of him and act as a shield to save him if she could. He just prayed that he was fast enough to stop her before she could do it.

It didn't take long after the students had returned to Hogwarts for the rumor of Harry's impending Potions test to circulate. Harry suspected Snape himself had probably leaked out the information. Harry thought that he had never seen Snape so happy. The look in Snape's eyes told Harry that he believed that his opportunity for revenge against James Potter was at hand.

Before the first seventh year Potions class of the second term began, Snape was sitting in his office consulting the most obscure book of potions he could find as he planned the test that he believed would finally take the swagger out of Harry. He was so involved with and excited by what he was doing, that it took him a moment to recognize the sound he heard as someone knocking on his office door. Snape put his quill down on his desk and went to open the door only to find Harry standing on the other side.

"What are you doing here, Potter?" Snape asked as he stepped out of his office and closed the door behind him as if to shield the information inside from Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore told me that you would have something for me that would spell out exactly how the test would be structured," Harry said.

"As if it would do you any good, Potter," Snape said as he reached into his robes and pulled out a scroll of parchment that he handed to Harry. "You really are a fool aren't you. Do you really believe that you can do something that no other student in the history of the school has been able to do?"

Harry knew that Snape was only asking him because most of the students had already arrived and were listening closely to every word. He wanted to shake Harry's confidence and belittle him in front of those who thought him brave for even attempting the test in the first place.

"I will pass the test, Professor," Harry said looking straight into Snape's eyes. "If you grade it fairly that is."

"I suspect there won't be much to grade, Potter," Snape said. "The test I'm preparing for you will be impossible for you to comprehend in difficulty. You made the choice to take this test in order to mock the art of Potions and to mock me as your instructor. I can assure you that you will make a mockery of yourself if you even attempt it. Do yourself a favor, run back to Professor Dumbledore and tell him you made a mistake."

"Needless to say," Harry said calmly, "I won't be attending this potions class any more. I could use the time to study Transfiguration I guess."

"You had better study your Potions if you still think you have a prayer," Snape said, trying to mask his anger at Harry's insult.

"I'm ready to take the test today," Harry said. "We could move up the date if you're ready."

Snape wanted to reach out and strangle Harry, but controlled himself as he said, "Very well then. If you are so anxious to fail then lets change the date of the exam. What about one week from today?"

"So long?" Harry asked. "You must not be done writing the test yet. Take as long as you like, Professor. I'll be ready when you are."

"We'll see, Potter," Snape said with an evil grin. "We'll see."