Disclaimer: The characters and locations of the Harry Potter world do not belong to me. That being said, anything in this fic that isn't in the Harry Potter world probably does belong to me.

Part Six

Saturday morning, a time to lie in and relax…unless you're Harry Potter. Harry was being shaken roughly awake by Ron. Ron was saying something but Harry just could not make out what was being said. Ron losing all patience lightly slapped his friend.

"Whaddya do that for?" Harry asked rubbing his cheek.

"Sorry mate, you wouldn't wake up. I put down Quidditch tryouts for this morning."

"And why couldn't you have told me this, oh I don't know, yesterday?"

Ron's ears turned slightly pink. Harry shook his head and began his preparations for the day. Mental shields, check; shower, check; broom, check twice. Harry smiled at the two brooms, Ron looked confused.

"Um, Harry, why do you have two brooms? And why do you have a chaser model?"

"I wanted to discuss this with you actually, but seeing as I didn't know the tryouts was coming so soon, I didn't get the chance. We need three new chasers, yeah? And the chasers usually have a leader,yeah? I thought you might have a little competition during tryouts. The best chaser earns a new broom while they are able to keep their spot. Either of the other two chasers can challenge for the spot in some sort of contest. This would give them even more incentive to stay at the top of their game."

Ron's eyes lit up as he said, "Harry Potter that is a bit of brilliance!"

Harry and Ron headed down to the Great Hall for a spot of breakfast before tryouts were to begin. Ron had his Cleansweep proudly on his shoulder. Harry sported a broom on each of his shoulders. The incredulous looks cast his way made him grin.

"God Potter, if I were about to die I wouldn't be worried about trying to impress people with two brooms," a cold drawl of a voice came from the side of the two friends.

"Shove off Malfoy; don't you have anything better to do?" Ron asked in a bored voice.

"Oh, the blood traitor wants to talk about better things to do? If I were you weasel, I would quit trying to sniff the mudblood's knickers and start trying to get my family name out of the mud."

"Yeah, and if I were you Malfoy I would have killed myself long ago, do us a favor eh sunshine?" Ron shot back.

"You two really are pathetic, I'll be seeing you later Potter."

Malfoy purposely strode away. Ron gave Harry a worried look, "What in the bloody hell was that about?"

Harry shrugged, and the two walked into the Great Hall.

The smell of the freshly cooked food hit the two teenagers full on. The smell made Ron's stomach grumble in anticipation.

"Can't you control that thing?" Harry asked.

"I'm a growing boy with needs," Ron replied.

"How long are you going to use that excuse?"

"Until I'm grown."

The two best friends laid their brooms gently beside them and began piling their plates with the exquisite breakfast the house elves had prepared. Harry began his breakfast but at a much slower pace than Ron. Sooner than Ron had wanted, and without a sign of Luna showing up, it was time to head to the Quidditch pitch.

"All right you lot," Ron was in front of the Gryffindors who had showed up. He seemed to be in his element Harry noted.

"We're having full tryouts this year. First will be Chasers, so anyone interested please come front and center!" Ron then lowered his voice to Harry, "Help me watch 'em eh? I already know you'll be on the team, so keep an eye out for me."

Harry nodded and Ron was shouting again. "Chasers line up; each of you will have five minutes to get the quaffle by me, so let's begin."

Harry watched as Ron fly to guard his three posts. Seven people kicked off from the ground after him, a girl Harry had seen a few times in the common room was the first to have her chance, she looked to be a third year. Her first three minutes were all right at best, she'd just throw the red ball and hope to get lucky. Sometimes she did. Her last two minutes though caught Harry's attention. She would throw the ball in an arc beside her then rush off for it. When she got there she would hit the ball, it reminded of Harry of his muggle school days when they'd have to play volleyball in P.E. Ron never knew what was coming; she scored six times in two minutes, which was very good.

Harry blandly noted that the second and third people were dreadful. Fourth was Ginny. Harry watched interestedly as she scored goal upon goal on Ron. At first Harry might have suspected an older brother going easy on his younger sister, but the look of concentration and aggravation on Ron's sweaty red face erased any notion of him letting her slide.

The fifth and sixth people were even worse than the second and third. Harry was getting a little fearful that their chaser team would be lopsided and that two would have to carry the third until the final person was up. She flew through the air like it was nothing to her. She had to be in the seventh year because Harry did recognize her, but still didn't know her name. She didn't pummel Ron with the efficiency as Ginny did, but she was good.

Ron landed near Harry, both wearing grins on their faces.

"Well, that was easy," Harry started.

"One, four, and seven," they said together. Ron nodded then shouted to the crowd before him.

"Will Sarah Todd, Ginny Weasley, and Amber Sleigh please come forward!"

The three girls approached and Ron welcomed them to the Gryffindor house team. With a nod to Harry, Harry picked up the Nimbus FX and was amused as six eyes grew wider.

"New to our team this year will be a reward for being the better chaser." Harry walked to Ginny and handed her the broom. "Either of you," he motioned to Sarah and Amber, "can challenge Ginny for this broom. The challenge is the same as you just did, whoever gets the most goals gets the broom. Today Ginny won. You can only challenge once a week, and the defender only has to defend once a week. A challenger can not challenge two weeks in a row, so make your challenges count." Harry finished and was pleased to see Ron nodding in agreement. Even with teaching the DA last year Harry wasn't comfortable speaking with people he didn't really know.

Ron finished talking to the girls and told them to stick around to help pick the rest of the team. After which he addressed the crowd again.

"Everyone applying for the beater positions please get ready." He then turned to talk to Harry again. "I need you to help with this one. You're the better flier and I need to watch." Harry nodded understanding what was coming.

"Ok, one person at a time with one bludger. Your goal is to make Harry either change course or knock him off his broom! You too will have five minutes each!" Harry smiled at the shocked faces when Ron had finished. He then mounted his brand new Firebolt SE and kicked off into the sky.

The wind blew Harry's air back; an emotion was welling up above his stomach. He felt giddy and excited as he went from the ground to one hundred feet above the stadium in seconds. He felt freedom as he turned precisely where he wanted and dropped back to the ground. This was Harry's specialty. The broom anticipated his every move perfectly. Before he could start flying off again he remembered what he was supposed to be doing and he slowed down and remained at a reasonable height.

Ron's shocked face broke into a smile as he went to a trunk and released a bludger. One of the candidates took flight also, bat in hand. Harry started flying familiar patterns around the field. He must have been up there about twenty minutes before he heard the telltale whoosh of a bludger coming towards him. He dodged and was getting back on track when the evil black ball was upon him again. For ten minutes Harry thought Dobby might have been trying to 'save' him again. The black ball seemed to follow him continuously. It felt very much like his second year all over again.

Then it stopped. After the ten minute onslaught the bludger came his way only a few more times. He wasn't too overworked, but was glad when Ron called him down again.

"Well that's an easy one," Ginny said as Harry landed.

"I don't know…" Ron mumbled lost in thought.

"You don't know what? The two best were easy to see!" Ginny said losing all patience with her brother.

"But he…"

"But – he – what?" Ginny asked enunciating every word with a kind of suppressed rage.

Ron looked at his sister with a confused expression. "He has Shanker's disease if you must know." He said shortly.

"Oh," a shocked look graced her face as her hand raised to her open mouth.

"Was he one of the ones making me fly for my life?" Harry broke in to the conversation.

"Yeah," Ron answered nodding.

"Then there is no reason to discriminate him for some disease that he has an instant cure for. Who was the other one?"

"His sister," Ron said, a red tinge creeping into his face.

"Well, no one else had me feeling any pressure…"

"And if it wasn't Harry," Ginny started regaining her composure, "and his new broom they would have had him on the ground in no time."

Ron threw up his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, Sira and Jenks Haszel," he shouted to the crowd, "will you please join us?"

The two twins started making their way to the rest of the team as a groan escaped from those who were left. The gathered mass of people began making their way back to the castle; evidently no one was going for Keeper or Seeker.

"Well, if everything keeps going this well the cup will be ours again. Ok everyone, practice is every Friday evening, then Saturday, and Sunday. I've already booked both of those mornings."

As Harry was walking back to the castle he mentally checked his schedule so far. This year was by far his busiest to date, and he still had something else to add to it. He fished into his pocket for the Galleon he had made sure to grab this morning. Using his amp certainly had an advantage as he didn't have to remove the coin and use a wand to change the date. Later (for those who had kept their coins) the DA would meet again. After practice he had invited Sira and Jenks to join them if they wanted. Both agreed and Harry told them the time and place.

Lunch was again subdued for Harry. Luna was again not present and he was starting to worry. Ron brushed off his concerns in favor of food, while Hermione told him that Luna would come around. Ginny stayed strangely mute when he expressed his concern over his girlfriend. Neville shrugged, but Harry needed his core group for later, and for tomorrow. He needed to find her and fix whatever it was he had done wrong. With a goodbye, Harry waved to his friends and left the hall.

Harry wandered through the castle but it was just too big. Giving a sigh he rushed back up to Gryffindor Tower. Through the common room and up the spiral staircase to the top where the door was marked 'sixth years' he rushed to his trunk and flung it open.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," Harry said as he tapped what looked like an old bit of parchment. After pleasant introductions from Harry's father and friends (he carefully avoided reading the name Padfoot) ink began to run in small lines from where his finger hit. After the floor plans were drawn Harry scanned every inch to only find that he couldn't find Luna. Panic nestled itself into the pit of Harry's stomach.

"Where is she!" said panic rose from his stomach into his voice. And much to his surprise the map drew out one word.

'Who?'

"Luna Lovegood," Harry answered, still in shock over this new feature.

'The Founders' Chambers.'

Harry nodded more to himself than the map, tapped (which was more like a thump) the map and said, "Mischief Managed."

After a hurried run back down through the castle, through the hidden passage, and into the hidden room, Harry had finally found her…crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked, feeling even more clueless than ever before.

Luna abruptly stopped crying, she tried to smile but it was a very weak one, "Nothing Harry, nothing at all."

"How am I supposed to help if I don't know what's wrong?" Harry asked with an edge to his voice that he didn't intend.

"You don't have to help with everything," Luna whispered back.

Frowning Harry sat beside her. Her scooting slightly away didn't escape his attention. With a sigh he continued, "I want to help. And as this concerns you then it concerns us. So what is wrong?"

Luna sat so silently and still that Harry was losing hope of her answering him. But after an exaggeratedly long time of five minutes of silence she broke off her far off stare and glanced at him. Timidly she began,

"I know that I was never good enough for you, shh, let me finish," she interrupted Harry's interruption, "you have always been special. Where I was Loony Luna Lovegood, you were always the great noble Harry Potter…"

This time Harry did get to interrupt, "Don't forget the Dark Heir of Slytherin, or the mentally unbalanced prat, or the attention seeking liar…"

Luna broke back in, "Or the Boy-Who-Lived, or the guy who beat the Dark Lord five times so far, or the leader of the D.A…."

"By the way there's a meeting tonight."

"I know, I felt the coin," Luna grinned but her saddened demeanor was back in a flash, "Don't get off subject."

"Fine, Luna Lovegood, rider of thestrals, fighter of Death Eaters…"

"Don't joke."

"I'm not!" Harry said shortly, "You are so much more than I could ever want…"

"But wouldn't you rather try to patch things up with Cho?"

"No, we never got along very well."

Luna's eyes glinted in the torch light, "You know, that Sira girl is rather attractive…"

Then something in Harry's brain clicked, "Yes she is." Luna's face fell but Harry continued on, "But you are beautiful. She couldn't hold a candle to you."

Luna smiled at Harry's response. Her eyes locked with his saw the truth and warmth in every syllable spoken by the young man. She leaned in for a kiss.

Harry was happy that everything finally seemed to be going his way again.

After spending the afternoon with Luna it was almost time for the D.A. meeting. Harry paced before the spot of wall concentrating on what he needed. On the third pass a door that had not been there materialized. Swinging it open he smiled at the familiar room. The shelves lined with dark detectors, the cushy chairs lying about, Harry hadn't realized how much he had missed this room.

The core group was already present; Harry began to explain to the other five what the first meeting was going to be about.

"I'm taking a page out of Mad-Eye's book. Neville, I want your wand trained at the door, stupefy everyone you can."

Neville grinned and nodded at his instructions, he then left to get into position.

"Ginny, I want you to help Neville from the other side of the room, since the door swings in just worry about anyone who makes it into the room."

She too grinned as she left to get into her position.

"Luna, I want you to bind and move everyone who is hit with a stunner. Ron, and Hermione, I want you two sitting bound directly in front of the door."

Ron protested and Hermione didn't look at all pleased. Harry convinced them none the less.

"I'll be standing over you, that way at least no miss aimed spells will hit you. Is everyone ready?" Harry asked the room in general, after everyone nodded Harry waved his hand and four of the six people's clothes were transfigured to look like Death Eater robes and masks.

It wasn't five minutes later when Ernie Macmillan was the first to enter. His eyes widened as he saw Ron and Hermione struggling against magical ropes. He fumbled for his wand when a jet of red light hit his chest. Luna levitated him to the corner of the room. This happened often. Most of the time Neville got them right off the bat, some would roll or get up a shield in time to fight back only to get hit by Ginny. Harry did note that a few that were there last year weren't there this year. Along with the graduates, Cho Chang, Marietta Edgecombe, and Zacharias Smith were nowhere to be found. The ones who put up the most fight were Sira, Jenks, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, and Terry Boot.

Harry waited five minutes for the missing three, when the door stayed closed he unbound Ron and Hermione, made everyone's clothes normal again, and started to enervate his fallen friends. Some smiled at the test they had just received, some looked hurt at being attacked, but most were confused.

"Sorry about the little test," Harry announced to the room. "But I needed to see how ready you all were." Most of the people nodded their heads in understanding. Michael Corner looked a little miffed about the test he had failed. He hadn't even reached for his wand as he saw a supposed Death Eater levitating the body of a schoolmate.

For the meeting Harry had the teens refreshing on everything they had begun last year. When it was getting close to curfew Harry called them to a halt with a whistle the room had provided.

"That's great guys. Before you leave I have something to give you." From his bag he pulled out several large manila envelopes. "The D.A. is being upgraded. The information and your password are in these." He started to pass out the envelopes (which were getting many odd glances from the wizards) to each person there. Each had their names on them. "The first meeting of the S.O.U.L. is tomorrow evening. I'll see you there if you want to attend."

After heading back to the Gryffindor common room Harry asked Hermione for a little help.

"Tomorrow before the meeting could you help me look up how to password a door?"

Hermione shook her head at Harry's lack of planning but agreed anyway. Harry was relieved. He headed up to his dormitory to shower and sleep. After a quick check on his mental shields he noticed Jenks sitting in one of the opened windows. A Marcol cigarette planted between his lips. Harry resolved himself to find out more about this disease for himself. He already had one close call being overloaded with magic. If he didn't have it yet he wanted to know if he could get it. Jenks had thrown the finished cigarette out to the grounds then came in closing the window with his amp and climbed into bed. Harry pushed out the thoughts of coming down with some mysterious disease and finally slept.

A/N: Much thanks to Lucy for britpicking/betaing this chapter!

SirusLivesOn: Well, here is more. Yes that little bit of info had been brewing in my mind, I liked how I intro'd it. I'm trying to keep on track with updates, hopefully for now on )

thekecmaster: Thanks for that piece of info. I write like its for film, so jump cuts tend to happen, but I fully see your point. As for Luna, well, she's just getting started I think.

Dianne, ch 3,4,&5: Thanks for the 'polished' compliments. I'm always afraid its jerky, repetitive or dull. As for the serious injuries, poor Neville will have his work cut out for him. Harry's wand is currently in his trunk. He'll find out if it can be repaired (though it might be next year before he knows) but either way he'll keep it. As for the sex, it really wasn't going to happen like that. But let's face it, they're sixteen (and fifteen). At that age sex isn't really romantically led up two, it just happens. Nothing really special (at least from my accounts and my friends). Later it becomes special, but for a teen, its sadly not. But thanks so much for the reviews, I hope to hear from you again.

Zozia: Thank you so much for the review. I was really hard up on what to do for Draco, so the song was written. I'm glad you liked it.As for 'shite' it was part of the Brit slang, now though the slang will not be left to me )

fanastyfirl721: I'm glad Luna was finally up to par. I really am struggleing to keep up with that girl. Shankers will be explained tomorrow (Sunday in the fic) while at the library. And yes you are forgiven ;-) Knockturn still goes, but there are no more deadlines. So take the time you need.

Dragon: Thanks for the review. Shankers will be explained further in the next chapter.

PouringRainDrops: I'm glad you like the story, I'm sticking with it.

Talix, ch 7,8,9,10,12: It was abrupt, and like RL IMHO, and yes, it was Dual (two things) training. I know Harry has been rushed into this affection, but sixteen year old hormones can override mental issues (he'll actually be more likely to smother her now that he has it). Cliche, yes, Texan, oh my. The Duo are just going to be modeled after my friends, so here's hoping they work! Glad you liked the Occlumency lessons, as for Harry and his girl problems, I just think he's a moody kid. So as his mood shifts the way he acts around girls will shift. Yes, Luna was subdued when she was unnamed, a tragic mistake on my behalf. Thank you so much for calling me out on "nonplussed". I even looked it up! My poor brain still turned it around with that 'non' in the beginning. I'm glad you are enjoying and hope you continue to.

Sodapop: Thanks for the review and I'm glad you like the story. As for your name, I like it too.

Moonlight: Thanks for the review! I'm glad you like this story, I was having doubts about it for a while )

Ponyboy: I'm glad you and Zozia are enjoying, and I'll keep writing! Thanks for the review.