Authors Note: The Plot is mine but everything else belongs to J.K. Rowlings. Enjoy!

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First Day Back

Harry woke up bright and early the next morning and was hardly surprised to see Dumbledore sitting next to him. Harry reached over and put on his glasses, sat up and looked at Dumbledore inquisitively. There was a tense silence that sat between them and it made Harry slightly uneasy. Finally, Dumbledore sighed, smiled and began.

"I'm sure that Ms. Granger and Mr. Weasley have already told you that you will be taking extra classes, as well as your normal ones?" Dumbledore asked politely, and Harry responded with a nod of his head. Dumbledore continued, "You will have to train very hard this year, and I'm going to have to ask that you make time for extra studying. While the Ministry does understand the situation now, they will also be keeping a close eye on you. Fudge has let his reason escape him and for that, we must worry a great deal. Harry, I must ask you-"

"Not to play Quidditch this year." Harry finished for him. "I know. I tried to figure out if it would be possible at all but it's not, is it?" Dumbledore shook his head and gave a warm smile.

"You are so clever Harry, you have surpassed all of my expectation and yet here I am, asking even more of you. I know this it will be hard, to deny yourself a game which you have grown to love, but it warms me to know that you do it willingly and not by my request." A slight sadness crept into his voice and the twinkle had left his eye. Harry noticed how old the headmaster looked just then. "Are you feeling up to continuing your classes today?"

"Yes, sir." Harry pulled out the bag that Hermione had brought for him. "Hermione has already gotten my books and assignments but I'm afraid I don't know what classes I'm taking or what I received on my O.W.L.s."

"Ah, I was wondering when you would ask for those. You'll find everything on your bed in the Gryffindor tower and I will expect you down at breakfast before your first lesson today, hmm?" Dumbledore had replaced the silence with his usual fatherly tone. He stood up, ruffled Harry's hair, and began to leave, muttering "Amazing, truly amazing."

Harry watched him go and as soon as he closed the door behind him, Harry jumped out of bed, grabbed his clothes and shoes from under the bed, threw them into his bag and padded down the hospital wing barefoot.

"EXCUSE ME?" A voice cried out from behind him. He turned around to see a very angry Madam Pomfrey staring at his bare feet. "I have not taken care of you for the last week just so you would walk around this drafty castle with nothing on your feet, probably catch a death of cold and come back in here within the hour. I certainly do not allow my patients to wander around bare foot. Come here, NOW!"

Harry did not have the courage to disobey so he walked quickly back over to her. She tugged on his blue pajamas and pulled him over to one of the beds muttering, "brave lad, wearing his p.j.'s around the castle." Harry blushed but said nothing. Poppy grabbed a pair of what looked like thick gray hospital socks and thrust his feet into them.

"There, all better, but make no mistake Mr. Potter, the next time I see you I'm going to want two pairs of socks AND shoes, understood?" With that, she nodded her head approvingly. "You can go now, Harry but I'm warning you. If you come back in here with a cold I'm going to send you right back out with a well deserved I-told-you-so."

Harry smiled graciously at her, ran towards to door, and called back "Thanks, Madam Pomfrey!" He ran all the way back to Gryffindor tower with a wide smile, excited about his schedule and nervous about his test scores.

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By the time he got to the dormitories, everyone was up and gone to breakfast except Ron, who was still sleeping.

"Ron, wake up, you're going to be late." Harry said, shaking the post of Ron's bed.

"Ate fur what, 'arry?" Ron asked; his voice muffled from speaking directly into his pillow.

"Late for I don't know, breakfast." Harry answered as he pulled back the drapes of his own four-poster bed. Hedwig was there, perched on the backboard with a letter attached to her leg. Harry quickly untied it and she nipped his hand affectionately. He was about to send her back to the owlery when he remember his letter to Lupin. Harry sat down on the edge of his bed and opened the bag. He pulled out the letter and held it for a moment, internally reading the letter to himself from memory. Now that he had thought about it, he wasn't sure if he really wanted to send the letter. Hedwig began to get irritated by Harry's indecision so she held out her leg and hooted. Harry gave in and tied to letter to her leg and petted her softly. "Get this to Professor Lupin as soon as you can. Thanks Hedwig."

Harry walked over to the window and opened it slightly and Hedwig squeezed through. He watched her fly away until he could no longer see her. He closed the window and walked back over to the bed. He picked up the letter that Hedwig had brought and realized it was from Professor McGonagall. He opened it and read his class schedule. He read his list of classes and teachers.

Defense Against the Dark Arts - TBA

Transfiguration- Professor McGonagall

Charms - Professor Flitwick

Astronomy - Professor Sinistra

Herbology - Professor Sprout

Adv. Potions - Professor Snape

He realized that he wasn't taking Divination, History of Magic, or Care of Magical Creatures. He knew that Hagrid would be upset but he also knew that he would not be missing Divinations or History of Magic. He was reading through his course list and when he reached the Adv. Potions he was shocked. Soon after, realization shot through him like an electrical charge. He had gotten into Adv. Potions, which could only mean one thing.

"I got an O on my Potions Exam! Ron, wake up! I got an O in potions!" Harry was beyond ecstatic and began jumping around the room and Ron just muttered a sleepy "woo-hoo". Harry shift through the papers until he found he O.W.L. exam results. He could hardly believe it.

Defense Against the Dark Arts - O*

Transfiguration - E

Charms - O

Potions - O

Divination - A

History of Magic - A

Care of Magical Creatures - O

Astronomy - A

Herbology - E

Harry was practically walking on air. He had passed all of his exams but most importantly of all, he had gotten on O in potions, which meant he could pursue his dream career. Being an Auror. Harry was momentarily stunned and then he remembered that there was also a letter enclosed from Professor McGonagall. He picked it up and read it.

Dear Mr. Potter,

Congratulations are in order for the impressive marks on your Ordinary Wizarding Level Exams. I cannot express how proud I am of your accomplishments. As per our discussion for your career choice after Hogwarts, I have given you the classes you will need in order to prepare yourself for Auror training. If you have changed your mind since then you must immediately inform me so that we can give you a schedule that will best suit your chosen career path. You have a busy year ahead of you Mr. Potter and I will not permit you to slack off.

Best Wishes,

- Professor McGonagall.

Harry read her letter and suddenly felt completely unsure of whether or not he wanted to be an Auror after all. It would mean further training after Hogwarts, and he would be battling the Dark Arts everyday. However, he had been battling dark witches and wizards since he was eleven. Now he was wondering if he really wanted to spend the rest of his life doing it. He put all three of the letters back into the envelope and decided to talk to Hermione and Ron about it later. Now he had more important things on his mind.

"Breakfast, Ron, breakfast. You've got to get up otherwise we won't get any." Harry whined and Ron snorted in reply. Harry washed his face and put on a clean set of robes and by the time he was done trying to fix his hair Ron was dressed and leaning casually against the door frame, eyes half-open. "Hey Ron, guess what?"

"What?" Ron asked sleepily through a yawn.

"I got an O in potions." Harry said with a grin.

"WHAT?!" Ron's eyes flew open and he fell backwards out the door. Harry laughed and ran out the door to see if Ron was ok.

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Ron was better than ok, he was thrilled for Harry. He had only gotten an A in potions but he decided that he did not really want to be an Auror after all. After going to work with his father and getting 'lost' on the wrong floor, Ron had decided that he wanted a career in the Department of Magical Games and Sports, but more specifically he wanted to work in the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquarters. Ron was becoming even more of an avid Quidditch fan, and had began reading and memorizing the rulebook.

They had just sat down to breakfast when Hermione came running over. She didn't have to look hard for where Harry and Ron were sitting because every other person in the dining hall was either staring or pointing in their general direction.

"Harry, Ron, nice to see you both at breakfast." Hermione said as she sat down on the other side of Harry. Ron was shaking Harry's shoulder and practically squirming with glee.

"Tell her, Harry, tell her." Ron whispered excitedly, and Harry just grinned like an idiot.

"Tell me what?" Hermione asked, paying more attention to buttering her toast then what the two boys were saying. Harry pulled the letter out from his pocket and handed it to her. Hermione put down her toast, wiped her hands on the napkin in her lap and took the letter from Harry. It took only a matter of seconds before Hermione looked up and began squealing.

"You got an O in potions! Harry, that is great! I'm so proud of you!" Hermione then looked back at the paper and realized that there was a little star next to the O Harry had received for Defense Against the Dark Arts. "Harry, do you realize what that little star means?"

Harry took the paper back from her and looked at it closely. He shook his head 'no' and Hermione looked exasperated.

"It just looks like an ink blot." He said innocently.

"That little star means you passed at the head of your class." Hermione stated matter-of-factually, while Harry and Ron just stared at her, open-mouthed with their half-chewed food spilling out. "Really, you two look rather disgruntled. Now, chew your food and get cleaned up, Harry and I have potions and you Ron, have Divination."

Once that initial shock had passed, Harry and Ron had begun patting each other on the back, congratulating each other for being so smart. Hermione ignored the both of them had begun reading a rather thick novel titled: Help, I'm Sick! Call the Medi-Witch! Written and illustrated by Alexandria Pomfrey.

After some very serious thinking over the summer, Hermione had decided that she wanted to help the magical community by working with St. Mungo's Hospital

For Magical Maladies and Injuries Magical Research Center, a smaller but very important section of the hospital. She had received top marks in all of her classes and was excited about researching more of her chosen field. Harry was chewing his bacon when a something strange occurred to him.

"Ron, why are you taking Divination?" He looked at Ron who in turn blushed horribly and began trying to make up excuses.

"Well, it's just a good idea, I mean, what if there is some truth to? And that crazy bat Trelawney did say that my inner eye was clearing up, so, maybe I-" Ron stopped abruptly because Hermione has practically fallen off her stool laughing. "What's so funny?"

"Honestly, you and I both know you don't actually buy in that stuff." Hermione stifled her giggles long enough to continue. "I overheard you talking to Dean yesterday and you said the reason you were taking Divination was because you wanted to be able to predict who was going to win the next Quidditch match." Ron suddenly looked at his breakfast plate as if everything on it were from another planet and needed to be studied closely. Hermione's giggles died down and she returned to her book. Harry looked over at Ron and nudged his slightly with his elbow.

"Hey, Ron," Ron looked up just slightly and Harry bowed his head a little and whispered. "If you ever figure out who's going to win the next Quidditch World Cup, let me know, ok? So I can place my bet."

Ron smiled a little and then a full on grin that eventually made both of them laugh. Hermione just shook her head and continued reading while Harry and Ron made plans for a Wizarding Chess Championship.

"Hiya Harry." Neville Longbottom was walking up with Luna Lovegood. Neville had lost a little weight and was actually looking rather fit. Luna, for once, had pulled her hair up and replaced her unusually long earrings with shorter once that sparkled. They both looked happy and different.

"Hey Neville, Luna. What's up?" They came and sat across from the trio.

"Oh, the usual, just getting a snippet to eat before stuffing our brains with knowledge." said Luna offhandedly while picking through the pile of toast for a crispy burnt piece.

"Glad to see you're ok, Harry. Everyone has been talking about the train incident but no one really knows anything about it. Just that V-v-Voldemort was there." Neville said, trying to sound brave when he mentioned the Dark Lords name. Harry was pleased that people were beginning to use his name more and more.

"Well, he was there, but luckily no one was hurt." Harry said trying not to relieve the event he had just recovered from. "Hopefully, he won't try anything more while we're at school."

"No, probably not while Dumbledore is here and all." Neville said, trying to reassure himself. "So, um, are there any D.A. meetings lined up?"

"What?" Ron asked, "Are we doing that again this year?" He looked at Hermione, then to Harry and back to Luna who was avidly paying attention now and finally to Neville who was looking as if he had said something he should not have.

"Well, I just thought that we'd still be doing it." Neville said, beginning to lose his nerve. "It's just that, you know, last year the D.A. really helped me improve."

"Oh, Neville, I don't know." Hermione said, biting her lip. "We've all got a lot on our plates, haven't we? I mean, we will all be taking special classes and such. I just don't think that the D.A. would be a good idea."

"Actually, I think it's a great idea, Neville." Harry said brightly, and immediately Neville's face lit up.

"Well, Hermione's right though Harry, we'll all be busy." Neville said trying to acknowledge Hermiones' point of view but Harry just shook his head.

"Sure, we've got a lot of extra classes but there's got to be room for the D.A." Harry said knowingly. "Only six of us will be taking the classes but there are other people who want help with their training or just want more of it. If we've got the knowledge, we should help them. If and when a war breaks loose, everyone will be fighting it, not just the six of us. I think we ought to help anyone who asks for it and that's exactly what the D.A. will do." Ron, Luna, and Neville all clapped their hands and melodramatically bowed down to Harry who blushed furiously. Hermione just looked at him, impressed but not really surprised.

"Alright mate, it's settled then, the D.A. lives on!" Ron said as he stood up. He went to grab his books but someone had already picked them up. It was none other than Draco Malfoy.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't Saint Potter." Draco spat in his usual contemptuous tone as he threw Ron's books over to Crabbe. "Looks as if you managed to stay alive again. Pity." Malfoy gave Harry a sinister smirk and Harry just narrowed his eyes and bit his tongue. He was not going to rise to Malfoys' bait.

True, Draco was still a prat but there was something different about him. He looked older, more fragile and while he was still spouting the same harsh criticism, it wasn't holding the same affect. He looked almost mechanical. His hair was down to his ears, his face was structure so you could see every curve of his jaw line and cheekbones and all emotion had left his eyes. He had also gotten at least half a foot taller and had gained some muscles. Something was just different about Draco, and it was more than just his physical features.

"What, can't think of anything to say Potter? Pathetic." Draco walked away silently and left Crabbe and Goyle there holding Ron's books. Harry stood up and drew his wand.

"You had best give those back and get lost." Harry said menacingly but Crabbe and Goyle didn't need to be order around, they knew that they couldn't fight Harry and his friends without Draco. Crabbe thrust the books at Ron, who took them delicately, and then the two lapdogs quickly followed Draco out of the Great Hall and towards the dungeons. After they had left, Hermione stood up and brushed the crumbs off her lap.

"Come on Harry, we had better get going. Ron, you too. See you guys around." Hermione nodded to Neville and Luna and Harry followed her towards the exit when he stopped short. Coming towards them was Ginny and his roommate Dean Thomas, holding hands. Harry watched as the walked by and tried to catch Ginny's eye but she was deliberately avoiding it. After they had passed, Harry took a step to follow them but Hermione caught his arm. "Let it go Harry, let's talk about it later."

Harry didn't put up an argument he just stormed out of the great hall and towards the dungeons. Once they had arrived in the class, Harry began unpacking all of his contents onto his desk. He, Hermione and two girls from Slytherin were the only early ones. They still had a few minutes before everyone else arrived and that was fine with Harry. He needed a few minutes to collect himself before he was faced with a potions lesson from Snape.

"You know Harry, you can talk to me." Hermione said evenly as she finished color coordinating her potion ingredients. Harry finished unpacking and sat quietly for a moment before finally saying anything.

"I just don't know what to do." Harry said simply. Hermione nodded her head.

"Sometimes I feel the same way," she began, "but you have just got to accept the fact that girls are complicated-"

"Wait, I know that, I meant that I don't know what to do about my future." Harry said, not really understanding where Hermione was coming from. The light went on and Harry suddenly felt rather dim. "Oh, about Ginny. Well, I don't know what to do about that either."

"Well, let's start with one thing at a time." She said and pulled out a piece of parchment and a rather fluffy looking orange quill. "So, what's this about not knowing what to do with your future?"

"Well, at the end of last year I was pretty sure that I wanted to be an Auror but the more I think on it, the more I want to be something else. Anything else." Hermione was scribbling madly while Harry continued to talk. "The way I think about it is this: I've been fighting Dark witches and wizards since I was eleven and I'm just not sure if I really want to be doing that for the rest of my life. But, if not an Auror, I don't know what else I might be good at."

"Hmmm," was all Hermione said as she continued to write. She wrote for a few minutes more before finally stopping and looked up. "Have you talked to Professor McGonagall about any of this?"

"No, not yet." Harry said with a light shrug. He wasn't quite sure how she was going to take his idea of changing career paths. He believed that she, like everyone one in the wizarding world, expected him to become an Auror because of his parents and his past. He was afraid that if she chose something else, everyone would look down on him; be disappointed.

"Harry, if you're going to change your plans, you've got to tell her. You're taking classes to become an Auror!" Hermione was looking at him incredulously. "I mean, honestly Harry, why haven't you talked to her about this yet?"

"Gee, I'm not sure Hermione. Maybe it's because I've been in the hospital for the past week." Harry said, a little louder than he intended too. The two girls looked over at him in shock for a moment and then began whispering amongst themselves again.

"You're right. I'm sorry," Hermione said her voice was soft and quiet now. "But you've got to go and talk to Professor McGonagall as soon as you can, alright?"

Harry just nodded his head and opened his notebook. More students came in as it grew closer to starting. Draco was last person to enter the room, just barely making it on time. There were only fifteen students in the class, so the room looked more than empty it looked deserted.

Yet, despite all of the empty space, Draco walked over and sat right next to Harry. Harry was just about to ask him why when Snape entered the class with his usual entrance; flowing black robes and a feminine whip of his hair. He walked to the front of the classroom and wrote something on the board. When he finally turned around Harry was able to read what was on the board. It was the Wit-Sharpening Potion. Harry remembered vaguely making during his fourth year.

"Some of you may remember this potion and if you do not recall it then perhaps you should have attended my class more often." Snape said dryly. "You will have the class period to get started. If you do not finish in time, you will have to come in during your own time to finish it. No excuses. Begin." With that, Snape turned and walked back over to his desk and sat down. He began sorting through papers and grading them with harsh, red ink.

Harry looked up at the board, mentally memorized the potion and began to work. After mixing and setting his wet ingredients to boil, he gently sprinkled in his ground scarab beetles. He looked up at the board to see what next: ginger root. Harry took out the last of his ginger root and began to cut them up into fine piece when suddenly Draco knocked into his elbow, causing Harry to cut his finger. Harry was about to say something nasty to Draco but he saw that Draco was clutching his forearm.

Harry's scar began to tingle, then to sear. He resisted his natural instinct to clutch at it and instead gripped the sides of the table until his knuckles turned white. Hermione noticed that Harry had stopped working on his potion and was about to ask him why when she realized that Harry's hand was bleeding uncontrollably from the cut and the pressure Harry was enforcing on it.

"Harry, your hand!" Hermione grabbed a handkerchief from her pocket, pulled Harry's hand off the table, and wrapped it around the cut. The pain in his scar receded but Harry had already broken out into a sweat and was breathing heavily from the effort. He looked at Draco who was doing nothing except staring into the abyss of his cauldron.

"It's fine Hermione." Harry muttered, but she did not look convinced.

"Harry, you should have Madam Pomfrey look at it , or at least get a-" Hermione started but Harry cut her off.

"I said its fine." Harry said in a low, dangerous voice. Hermione looked hurt for a minute and then angry. She moved her cauldron over two spaces and set up her work area again. It took Harry a moment to remember what he was doing before Draco had bumped into him. He looked down at his ginger roots and realized that he had bled all over them. He looked into his ingredients bag and realized that he had none left. He looked over at Hermione who seemed to have steam rising from her ears. Snape looked half-irritated and half exhausted, definitely not in the mood to grant small favors. Not knowing anyone else in the class, he had only one alternative.

"Excuse me; do you have any ginger roots I could borrow?" Harry asked Draco who turned slightly and raised an eyebrow.

"How many?" Draco asked no emotion in his voice.

"How many does the potion call for?" Harry answered a question with a question.

"Will I get them back?" He asked Harry, who gave him a puzzled look. "Will I get these exact roots back?"

"Sure, I mean, no, I'll have to buy more by owl but I will replace them eventually." Harry said, surprised that neither of them had said anything nasty or bitter yet.

"Does eventually mean soon?" Draco asked as he handed Harry the roots.

"Yes, very soon." Harry answer, with a bit a smirk. "It has become my top priority. Find more ginger roots!"

"That's rather pathetic Potter." Draco said jokingly. "Famous Harry Potter's top priority is to acquire ginger roots." Draco chuckled at his little joke, but Harry just kept staring.

"Do you think you're funny or something?" Harry asked seriously, and Draco took a long moment to think about it before answering.

"I used to, but today, just now, you have proven me wrong." Draco answer, straight faced and thoughtful. It took a brief moment for his words to sink in and then both Draco and Harry were chuckling to themselves.

"Having a good time Mr. Potter? Mr. Malfoy? Well, I am glad because you have just earned yourself a detention together tomorrow afternoon. Finish your potion and get started on your essay." Snape said evenly and then returned to his papers.

"Um, what essay, sir?" Harry asked before Draco could stop him.

"The essay on the importance of scurvy-grass and sneezewort in Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts to be turned into me before the end of this week, of course. Also their individual properties, differences and similarities, places of origin, and distinguishable characters. Understood?" Snape didn't wait for an answer he simply turned about to his work and began grading again.

Harry looked over at Draco who had returned to his potion and then to Hermione who was already finished with hers and had begun working on something else. He looked at his potion and realized that he wasn't even half way done. He began cutting up his borrowed ginger roots and wondering what Snape was going to make them do during detention.

"Well, isn't this a great first day back." Harry bitterly muttered to himself as he added his ginger roots.