Erm... Sorry, this is an Author's Note, but I wanted to apologise for not updating this story since forever, as well as give my excuses.

Ahem. The next chapter of this story has already been written and typed up, but I can't post it because it's on a different computer, and that computer conveniently won't turn on (some kind of virus). My sister said she'd fix the computer, but she hasn't got round to it yet, and I don't know when she will. Sorry.

Once the computer is fixed, I will have to transfer the chapter onto a zip disc, and then put it on the computer I'm using now (my laptop) before I can post it, as the old computer isn't connected to broadband.

Again, I apologise, and I hope you'll all have patience with this story, because I'm NOT giving up on it.

Thank you,

- Moonshadow

------- I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good -------

Miss Moony would like to dedicate this chapter to Nightwing509 for being the first reviewer.

Miss Moony would also like to thank Freedom isn't Free, girlknight, volleypickle16, Lil Miss Potter, Kaaera, Summer Rain of '89, anonymous, emikae, babyjayy, just annother stupid idiot (twice), Elemental-sorceror, Anonymous, Katherine0619, tigercub15, Prongsblacks, hye em yes, Xandria Nirvana, xMegz, kristin, insanechildfanfic, lala101, Fantasizing-Lady-Knight, jennifer, colie and Jersey Princess for reviewing.

To Anonymous: Sorry, no H/G pairing. I might put a paintball war in later on; nice idea!

To Lil Miss Potter: Dumbledore's the most powerful Light wizard there is, so he'd know that they wouldn't be able to beat him if he gave his all, so he only used up to a certain level of power in his duels so that they could cope. My idea is that he used all his power when he was duelling Harry, because he could sense that Harry could handle it. Plus, I like to have Harry leave his mark, and blowing up the duelling stage seemed just the way to do that.

------- I solemnly swear that I'm up to no good -------

Chapter 7

The rooms that were assigned to the new Defence teachers were very similar to the dormitories, the main difference being the colour schemes and the fact that there was only one bed in each chamber. The castle, seemingly recognising the six teenagers' preferences, had coloured each of the bedrooms accordingly, Luna's dark blue, Hermione's pale blue, Ron's orange, Neville's red, Ginny's purple and, surprisingly, Harry's bottle-green.

Their trunks had already been brought up, Harry suspected by one of the House-Elves, and he reminded himself to go and visit the new time's elves in the kitchens. Hermione would also have to be dissuaded from doing the same.

The six bedrooms all had doors that opened into a cosy Common Room, decorated similarly to the one in Gryffindor Tower. There was a roaring fire to one side, and there were five comfy armchairs surrounding it, as well as a two-seater sofa, and there was a small bathroom – fully equipped with a large bathtub, a toilet and a wash basin – between Harry's bed-chamber and Ron's.

Harry was so preoccupied with his examination of their rooms that he didn't notice when Luna positioned herself behind him, and he jumped when she spoke. 'It is interesting,' she observed, 'that your room is decorated in Slytherin House colours, when you are the Prince of Gryffindor.'

'I'm the what?' Harry asked in surprise. 'And I happen to like green. Is that so unreasonable?'

'Not at all,' Luna answered, then added, 'the Prince of Gryffindor is what we call you over at Ravenclaw House.'

Harry frowned. 'How come Cho didn't mention it, then?'

Luna flinched, and backed away from him slightly when he turned to face her, but answered, 'Most of my housemates seem to think that you already know.'

Harry's mouth formed an 'o'-shape, but he didn't reply, and Luna quickly retreated, a frown marring her face.

'Harry!' It turned out to be Hermione, calling to him from where she had placed herself next to Ron on the sofa by the fire. 'I've been sorting out our lesson schedule. How do you feel about teaching the seventh years on your own for a while?'

He crossed the room and sat down in one of the armchairs, peering at the neat schedules she'd drawn out for them. 'Won't we all be working together?'

She frowned. 'Don't be silly,' she said. '"Too many cooks spoil the broth", remember?'

Harry blinked a few times, but it was Ron who voiced his question. 'What's that got to do with teaching, Hermione?'

She rolled her eyes in impatience, and the fleeting memory of her doing just that on multiple past – or future – occasions, and then saying, "Honestly, don't you two read?" crossed his mind. 'We'll all have different ways of teaching our subject, and that will only confuse the students if we all try to teach at the same time.'

Harry nodded in understanding, and said, 'Seventh year will be fine for a while.'

Hermione nodded and smiled at him, but then added rather uncertainly, 'You do realise that you'll be teaching your mother and the Marauders, don't you?'

Harry blanched. He hadn't thought of the inevitability of having to face Lily, James, Sirius, Remus, and the rat that betrayed them. The temptation to warn them would be hard to resist.

He gulped, then nodded. 'That's fine,' he said.