For the disclaimer see previous chapters

A/N: Reviews are what keep me going, so make sure you do.

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The next few days passed relatively quickly with Harry nursing Snape back to full health. As they hid away in what Harry had learned was Dumbledore's house when he was a young boy, it was easy to forget the growing threat of Voldemort and the prophecy that Harry was to fulfill. Harry and Snape grew closer still.

On the fifth day after the two had come to this house at breakfast, Snape was finally well enough to continue Harry's training. "Okay son," Snape said in a manner that was very characteristic of him lately (but Harry was still getting used to hearing himself referred to as son, "It's time. We must begin to train you for what's to come. You must face the inevitable. I want you to be fully prepared to face Lord Voldemort when the time comes. That means you must work extra hard. You must continue to practice your wandless magic. As you know this is a very special gift and only appears in a few wizards. In all the times that I have been around Voldemort, I have never seen anything like this happen. It is very possible then that you would have the upper hand in this area. I also need to teach you some more spells and charms and countercurses that you can use against Voldemort. I also think that you need to continue to practice on becoming an animagus. Have you figured out what you transform into?"

"Actually yes. Professor McGonagall says that I have come the farthest in her class. I'm very close to actually transforming. I transform into a hippogriff."

"Well, I'm not sure that will be very useful, but we should continue to practice that. We will start your lessons again tomorrow. For the moment, Ron and Hermione are coming over to see you for the day. You are not to go outside of the house, but you may visit in here. You might even find that this house has more secrets than it seems." Snape said mysteriously with a grin. "They should be fluing from Dumbledore's office any moment now."

Harry ran to the fireplace excited to see his friends again even though it hadn't been that long since he'd seen them before. Out popped Ron and Hermione one right after the other.

"Good Morning, Harry." Hermione said Primly.

"Harry!" Shouted Ron more enthusiastically.

"Hey guys. I'm so glad to see you. I feel like I've been away from Hogwarts forever. Fill me in on what's happened."

"Well, the Slytherins are all acting very weirdly. They are very much subdued and aren't even bothering to insult anyone else. I'm sure it's because of Malfoy's absence. I never thought I'd say this, but I almost feel sorry for him. I really thought that he might turn things around and be different from his father."

"Hermione! I can't believe that you would think that. He was evil through and through he was." Said Ron.

Hermione just continued on with a look of superiority on her face. "Also it looks like Gryffindor is out of the run for the house cup. Without you there to lead us, we just lost horribly to Slytherin in quidditch. The morale of the team is shot without you there. Ginny's leading us now and she isn't very knowledgeable. It looks like this will be the first year since we've been here that we won't see the Gryffindor colors flown at the end of term feast."

"Well, that's depressing. Thanks for cheering me up. I'm out here trying to save the whole wizarding community and my bloody quidditch team can't even bother to win without me there! Great! Just great!" Harry exploded.

"Woah! Calm down Harry. I know quidditch means a lot, but it's not the end of the world. We might even catch up," said Ron with a sharp look at Hermione.

"Sorry," said Harry apologetically. "I just feel this enormous pressure. I mean how would you feel if the whole fate of the wizard world rested on your shoulders?"

"I know you're under a lot of pressure, Harry. But you've progressed so far in the last year. You are already a much better wizard then you were – probably from the curse wearing off. I know you've been working hard, and I just know that you will defeat Voldemort. Dumbledore has faith in you. Your father has faith in you and Ron and I have faith in you? Right Ron?"

"Oh of course. We have faith in you." Said Ron unconvincingly.

"Okay enough of all this somber talk. Let's explore this house some more." Said Harry realizing again how many people cared about him.

"But Harry, we went through every inch of this house when we were here before." Said Ron.

"Yeah, but from what Snape said this morning, I think there are some secrets that we haven't uncovered yet. Let's look again." Said Harry.

"I'm game." Said Hermione.

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In all the years that Harry had been at Hogwarts and all the many things that Harry had seen. There were still some things that he could not get used to. One of them was the quidditch stadium that was infront of him. It was a necessarily grand stadium, what made it special was the fact that it was inside of the house. Sitting in the middle of the field were three of the very same brooms that Snape had gotten him at the beginning of the year for his birthday.

"All right!" said Ron.

"I can't believe this!" said Harry aloud.

"Come on you guys, stop gawking and lets play some quidditch."

Harry and his friends spent the rest of the afternoon playing quidditch and before they knew it, it was time for Ron and Hermione to get back to Hogwarts.

"You guys are such great friends. I don't know how I'm going to be able to defeat Voldemort without you guys. Why must I face this alone?"

"Harry. This is YOUR destiny. This is YOUR prophecy. Not ours. We will still be here when you get done. I know you can do this Harry. You have it in you." Said Hermione looking Harry straight in the eye.

Harry had never seen the determination that was in Hermione's eyes at that moment. Harry could feel himself gaining her confidence. He could do this. He WOULD defeat Voldemort.

That night at dinner, Snape asked Harry how his day had gone.

"Oh father! There is a quidditch field right in this house. We played on it all afternoon. It was so much fun. And those new brooms. They are so fast. We just whipped right around."

"Well, I'm glad you found it. It was put here just for you, you know. Dumbledore understands that you need some time to do something other than study as long as you are here. Tomorrow we must get right to the studies. Are you up for this? Are you ready for the challenge?"

"Yes, father. I WILL defeat Voldemort."