– CHAPTER THREE –

A NEW DEFENCE

:Disclaimer – I own nothing – J K Rowling owns it all:

Ron could not have been more wrong; they got a Transfiguration essay, Charms practise, and research on Horklumps for Hagrid on top of their Potions and Herbology homework. Hermione went jauntily up to bed three hours before Ron or Harry did; they had to finish off their homework.

They were half way through their essay, when Katie Bell came up to them.

'Hi Katie!' called Harry.

'Hi Harry, Ron,' she lent in on them; 'McGonagall told me that you're Quidditch captain.' When both Harry and Ron smiled, Katie corrected herself. 'Sorry, Ron, I meant that Harry's Quidditch captain,' she cast a look if pity on Ron, but then continued as though she had not stopped. 'Well, at any rate, you need to find two new chasers, and I would recommend getting new beaters,' she lowered her voice, 'Slope and Kirke are terrible. But –' she regained pace, 'I think we should be on the pitch at least three times a week, you know, but if you can't organise it…' She stopped, seeing Ron's angry face.

'You know I think he can organise it himself,' Ron said heatedly, 'and that's why he's Quidditch Captain, and not you, so just get OUT!'

Katie turned on her heel and strode up to her dormitory. When Harry stared at Ron, he stared as blankly back.

'What?' he said. 'Oh…that…well, you're Quidditch captain, aren't you, and you decide when we practise, right?'

They returned to their homework, only to find Hermione standing next to them.

'What now, Hermione?'

'Next time I won't check your essays then … get the answers wrong,' she said coolly. 'I just thought I'd check out the noise … Katie told me you two were doing something to her …' Ron gave her a look of daggers, and she stopped talking. 'I'm going back to bed.' And she turned around and walked back up the spiral staircase, but stopped when she got to the top. She turned around and said in a hurt voice:

'You usually ask me to check them before I get to the top of the stairs.' Ron grinned, and Harry placed his essay pointedly on the table in front of him. A small smile spread across Hermione's face, and she checked all their homework with good grace.

Harry was not looking forward to his Defence against the Dark Arts lesson the next morning, and was just telling Ron and Hermione.

'Well,' said Hermione consolingly, 'He know the subject very well, doesn't he?'

'Doesn't make a difference,' said Ron grumpily, shovelling down his porridge.

'Mmm,' said Hermione, but she stopped further conversation; her Daily Prophet had arrived by a midnight-black owl, who flew off with a contemptuous glance at the three of them sitting in the Great Hall. Harry shook his head, assuring himself that the stare had meant nothing, but something Ron said made Harry more worried.

'That's odd – most of the owls are black.'

Harry looked up into the bewitched ceiling, and saw that Ron was correct, but, moreover all the black owls were the one's carrying copies of the Daily Prophet. The same thought had obviously struck Hermione, who was eyeing the owls suspiciously.

Ron, however, was staring at the paper, obviously working out something in his head. He leant out to Hermione, who leant back.

'No, stupid, give me the paper,' he said impatiently, and, as Hermione held out the paper, Ron said 'Thinner than usual.'

'They probably didn't have enough paper, or something,' she said, in an angry tone, for, according to Harry, some unknown reason. One look at Ron told him that he was taken aback. Hermione snatched the paper back, and forcefully buried her head in it. Harry continued eating, and Ron looked at his timetable hopefully, as if wanting the Defence against the Dark Arts lesson to disappear.

'You know, we'd better get going, we don't want to be late,' said Harry reluctantly.

And he was right. Snape prowled around the hall, waiting for people to turn up, and staring at them so fiercely that none of them dared to talk.

When the bell finally rang, Harry looked around, and saw that this class would only consist of Gryffindors. Harry felt a grim pleasure on the fact that Snape couldn't favour the Slytherins, and when he walked inside the classroom and took his seat, he took out his book with no argument.

The door shut with a flick of Snape's wand, and Harry jumped slightly as he heard the lock click.

'In the past years of your academic life at Hogwarts, you have discovered many, ah, aspects to the Dark Arts,' said Snape, looking around the class. 'You have learnt about curses, Dark creatures and various other defensive methods. Today, you will learn how to properly defend your self.'

Harry, despite himself, listened intently; he even thought the might be reasonable good at this new angle to Defence against the Dark Arts; he had done a lot of this type of thing before.

Snape paired them off, and told them to practise 'Expelliarmus', but issued to weirdest instructions: they were not to pair up, but to just hit anyone. Harry felt slightly worried, but, clutching his wand hard he braved himself to well. He did, after all, want to prove himself to Snape.

Three … two … one … GO!' Snape said almost lazily.

'EXPELLIARMUS!' The room shouted, and blazes of green almost blinded Harry, who was uttering the curse as quickly as possible.

It was over in thirty seconds, and Harry, who was grasping his own wand, looked around at everyone, scrabbling to pick up their wands. He glanced at Snape, who looked very unhappy, but Harry had other things on his mind. He was watching the people on the floor, who had been knocked off their feet find their wand. Whenever one of them did find their wand, Harry would cry 'Expelliarmus!' and they would be thrown back off their feet, with a small yell.

Harry could see Ron looking for his wand frantically, Neville gasping for his wand, hear Hermione whimpering as people trod on her, and the rest of the class just sat down, breathless. Many of them gave up looking for their wands; perhaps they realised that they would only have to look for it all again.

'Aha! Got it!' cried Seamus, 'Ex—'

'Expelliarmus!' said Harry, before Seamus could even finish the incantation.

'ENOUGH!' shouted Snape, and everyone froze where they were. Snape curled his lip at Harry, who jeered back. 'I think most of us have mastered that charm, so we will move outside for the next, more – dangerous – one.'

Harry's stomach turned to butterflies; he didn't want to be hurt. He saw Hermione sniffing, and Ron looking over his shoulder repetitively. When they were in a roomy space, Snape addressed them again.

'This time I will allow you to use any jinx you would like, bearing in mind that I would not like any permanent incantation. Last man, or girl standing wins their house' he paused, looking around at the sea of Gryffindors '– two points.' He smiled, and counted them in again.

'Three … two … one …GO!'

'IMPEDEMPTIA!' Harry yelled, and saw a jet of red light come to him 'PROTEGO!' he bellowed, and saw the jet of light rebound. 'Impedemtia! Impedemtia! Impedemtia! Impedemtia!' Harry repeated over and over again, but, as he soon realised, this jinx was not permanent.

'Stupefy!' gasped Hermione, and Harry was forced to duck, and he set a stunning spell at her, and she fell to the floor.

'Pertrificus Totalus!' he shouted, and caught Neville in the chest.

He used the body-bind curse, until almost everyone was frozen on the floor.

'ON YOUR RIGHT, HARRY!' Ron yelled, and Harry ducked as another jet of red light came his way.

'Sorry Pavarti!' Harry shouted, and hit her with the reductor curse. She was blasted off her feet.

Now only Ron and Harry were left. Snape watched interestedly.

'STUPFEY!' Ron yelled, and Harry, who performed the shield charm, felt it reverberate, and make a sound like a gong. The spurt of red light hit back at Ron in the chest.

Harry held down his shield, gasping for breath. In Snape's words, he was indeed the last man standing.

'Two points for Gryffindor.' announced Snape, looking coldly down at Harry. 'Stay there while I get the others up.'

'Finite,' uttered Snape, and the rest of Gryffindors woke up unsteadily. 'Stay where you are,' he added.

After Snape had given their homework ('write an essay on how the new lessons are better structured.'), Harry, Hermione and Ron trudged back to the classroom to get their bags, deep in discussion about the lesson.

'You can't say it wasn't an interesting lesson,' said Hermione.

Harry and Ron laughed feebly. Harry was tired, and he could see that Ron was sweating, and Hermione, shaking. Harry, who hadn't been cursed, knew he must look better.

'Some homework, though?' Harry said, and Ron nodded. They all stayed silent as they went back up to the castle.

By the time Saturday came, Harry was very thankful for weekends. He had had a busy week; they had been given five more essays to do, and four more other pieces of writing, including a plan for their own potion.

'How are we supposed to plan a potion – what if it goes wrong, and we…blow up our heads or something,' said Ron, though looking highly interested at the thought of blowing someone's head off.

'It's not like we're going to make the potion, is it?' said Hermione, as they pulled out their homework in front of the merrily burning fire, in the Gryffindor common room.

'S'pose so, but it would always be fun to blow off Malfoy's head…what's up with you, Harry?'

Harry didn't say anything; he was too busy trying to hide himself behind the books; Ginny had just come through the girl's Dormitory.

'What are you doing, Harry? I can't see you properly.'

Harry poked his head up, and looked at Hermione, who was now gazing at him in some concern. Ginny didn't look at Harry, but sat down in another squashy armchair, and spoke to Ron. Harry put his head back down, and though his quill was poised, ready to write, he was listening intently.

'How was your first week?' Ginny asked kindly.

''S'ok,' said Ron. 'How was yours? How was Snape? You know, for Defence against the Dark Arts.'

'I find it fun – hexing my students – it gets me authority. Snape keeps on looking at me funnily – as if I do anything wrong!' she smiled at Hermione and Ron, who half-smiled back. Harry made an indistinct noise of disbelief in his throat. Ron turned his head sharply towards him, or, as far as Ron could see the pile of books.

'I don't even think that he should be a teacher at all! Let near all those students, when he was almost this close –' she held her forefinger and thumb a centimetre away from each other '– to You-know-who, and his Death Eaters, he was one – what?' she added; Hermione had spilt her ink bottle, and Harry had dislodged most of his books. Harry knew Hermione was thinking what he was thinking – how could Ginny know that Snape was a Death Eater? Only very few people knew…

'Oh! I've just remembered – I – haven't had breakfast,' she made up quickly, as she perfectly well knew that they had been to the Great Hall only half an hour ago. Harry quickly understood and got up from his seat, but Ron was still talking to Ginny.

'Ron,' Harry said meaningfully; he did not care about Ginny at the moment, and he was still insulted that she hadn't even said 'hello' to him yet. 'Ron, I think you should get some breakfast, too.' He pointed openly to the Portrait Hole, and a thoroughly bewildered Ron got up from his chair.

As soon as they were one floor down, Harry glimpsed over her shoulder, and started to talk very quickly.

'How does she know? I thought only us, Dumbledore, and I suppose the teachers – '

'What do you have against my sister?' asked Harry, immediately, his ears turning a pinkish tint. Harry, who had noticed this, spoke, too.

'We don't have anything against her,' he said, in a voice barely above a whisper. 'I just think she's been a bit odd. She walks around the corridors, muttering to herself, and she's well, a bit, er, impolite to me. We usually get along great, though,' he added hastily, as Harry was breathing heavily. He had clenched his fists. Harry put her hand on his shoulder, and addressed him.

'I'm sure she's going through a rough time,' she assured, Harry looking at her disbelievingly. Harry nodded, and none of them, again, said anything as they went to the Harry to have a second breakfast.

Halfway through breakfast, a tawny owl came zooming towards them, just as Hermione left the hall for the toilet.

'It's addressed to Hermione,' Ron said in surprise.

'I wouldn't open it,' Harry said, looking at the letter; hardly anyone contacted Hermione.

'It says 'Krum' on the back,' said Ron, disgustedly. He wrenched it open, his face growing more and angrier as he read the letter. Harry held his hand out for it, but Ron just tore it up, red in the face.

'Git,' he muttered, and he dunked it into the orange juice jug.

Harry's next couple of weeks passed without dilemma, unless you count the Defence lesson they had on a sunny afternoon.

'Get up, Harry,' Snape spat.

'I'm getting up,' Harry retorted; he was not in a good mood; Harry had been telling them how to defend you when being attacked. This meant that Harry would teach them a mild defence, and then attempt to break it. Unfortunately for them, Snape was very quick, but he insisted that no attacker is going to be off the mark. Although Harry realised this was probably very good training, it didn't stop him from hating Snape…

'Imped—' Snape began, but this time Harry got through.

'Expelliarmus!' he shouted, amid whoops and laughter in the class, who were all observing. Snape was thrown off of his feet, and Harry stunned him then in the chest.

'Well done Harry,' Ron yelled, prodding Harry with his foot; the class had gathered around Snape.

'He only said defence,' said a worried Hermione. 'I think we should wake him up or he might put us all in detention.' The Gryffindors all glumly nodded, and Harry bent over Snape.

'OK, people, but stand back – he's not going to be exactly happy, is he?' the class retreated back. 'Enervate,' Snape stirred, but Hermione held him back.

'Stay still for a minute, Professor,' she said. Snape looked confused and angry. He was evidently trying to talk to Harry, and made movements to Harry.

'I said defend,' he snarled, though with some difficulty. He pushed Hermione back, and regained more of his silky voice. 'Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention on Monday, in a week's time. I will give you more details later, Potter.'

The bell rang, and the class, although excited by the lessons, made haste to get back to the school, rather eager to get to Harry. To their surprise, they were going to start human Transfiguration. Not to their surprise, she started them off with a speech.

'All of you have come very far in Transfiguration, but now all of you will be thrown in the deep end.' she paused, her eyes flashing over her spectacles. 'This type of magic is complex and intricate. I do not expect you to all do this first time.' she smiled at them, and beckoned Pavarti, who looked worried and shocked, over. She waved her wand, and Pavarti turned into a dog. Pavarti the Labrador sniffed everyone eagerly, before going back to Professor McGonagall, who turned her back. Pavarti was flushed, but looked exceptionally pleased. She beamed as everyone sat down. 'Please partner up, the incantation and wand movement is on the board.'

Harry partnered with Ron, and after a few feeble attempts, managed to get a cat ear on him. Ron looked fearfully up at it and meowed loudly. Everyone turned around and laughed, except for Hermione, who had enchanted her partner, who was scurrying around on the floor. Ron gave off an exceptionally loud meow, and stalked off towards him, bent over on all fours. Professor McGonagall waved her wand, and Neville popped back up, breathless. Ron looked at him confusedly.

Harry couldn't make much more of an improvement to Ron, so Professor McGonagall flicked her wand, and Ron's cat ear shrunk back, and he could talk.

'That,' he said, 'was weird.' He gave a shaky laugh.

Ron, on the other hand, as hard as he tried, couldn't get Harry to transfigure. He just made Harry very breathless, as his shabby spell work whooshed over him.

Professor McGonagall gave them half a scroll of parchment on the theory of the charm as the lesson ended.

Harry was very thankful for lunch.

By the time Monday had come around, Harry had successfully transfigured Ron, and vice versa, Hermione had progressed to transfiguring herself, Hagrid had got another Streeler, which is a type of giant snail that leaves behind a poisonous trail. Undoubtedly, Hagrid knew all of this, but just liked the kaleidoscopic colours.

On Monday morning, Gryffindor sixth-years trudged down to Hagrid's hut, where they learnt how they ate and lived in general.

'All yeh need ter do fer homework is ter write a summary on that.'

Harry, Hermione and Ron waved at him, and went up to the castle. On the way to the common room, Harry saw Snape, who beckoned him. Harry said goodbye, and waved t Ron and Hermione, who were watching Harry and Snape apprehensively.

'Good luck,' mouthed Ron.

Harry soon found out that he would be pickling eels in Snape's office, for –

'– as long as necessary, Potter. Do you understand?'

'Yes,' Harry said.

'Yes Sir,' Snape corrected.

'Sir,' Harry said with as much sarcasm as he could in it. Harry turned from Snape, and went up to the common room.

'Seven o' clock, Potter!' Snape's voice rang through the corridor.

He found Ron and Hermione laughing, their books laid out in front of them. Ron flourished his wand wildly, and they laughed even harder. Harry felt like he would not be let in on the joke, so he went quickly to the library, and came face to face with Ginny.

'Hi Ginny,' said Harry, and, to his relief, saw that she was smiling.

'Hi Harry. How're you?'

'I'm fine, just a bit tired, you know…

'I heard you got a detention with Snape' she whispered, as Madame Pince glared at them. They sat down at a table.

'Yeah, I did,' said Harry, who was very thankful that Ginny was acting normally again. 'I get the joy of pickling slimy things in his office for –' he put on Snape's silky voice '– as long as necessary, Potter.' Ginny laughed as the bell rang above them.

'See you later,' she called, as they went off to their afternoon lessons.

: SEX! Now that I've caught your attention, can you please review! Also, if anyone can tell me now to get a bio up, cos I'm new here, that would really help. Review:::::