A/N: Please see the end of chapter for some important updates!

Chapter 6

Harry's POV

Harry stormed out of the Great Hall, fuming. How dare Ginny say the things she said! How dare she even think about not letting Harry be friends with Daphne! He continued up the stairs towards his first class, which was Charms. When Harry made it to the classroom, he noticed that he wasn't the first one there. Standing by the door to the classroom was Tracey Davis, the Slytherin, now Hufflepuff, who was also Daphne's best friend.

"Davis." He greeted as he stood next to her. Davis turned and looked at him, with a puzzled expression.

"Potter. Why are you here so early? You've never been early to any class that I've shared with you these past few years." Harry shrugged and just smiled at her.

"New year, new me I guess. I feel like being a little more proactive in my studies this year, and being in Ravenclaw, I guess the need to be academically better is rubbing off on me." Davis joined Harry in laughter, and they stood in comfortable silence for a few minutes when Hermione, Daphne, Ernie MacMillan, and Susan Bones arrived to wait as well. Harry chatted with Ernie about Quidditch and he could hear a whispered conversation between Daphne and Davis, which seemed to do with what happened during breakfast.

"So, Potter, what do you think about this year, going to try out for the Ravenclaw team?" Harry turned his attention back to Ernie, and smirked.

"Well MacMillan, if you haven't heard yet, I'm the new captain for Ravenclaw, and I guarantee that I would be on the team already if I was to be captain." Ernie's eyebrows raised slightly but he nodded.

"Of course, Flitwick made you Quidditch captain, there is no doubt that was purposeful. You are the greatest seeker in the school Potter, everyone knows that." Harry just shrugged the praise off, and entered the classroom, followed by the rest of the class.

Harry took a seat on the far side of the class towards the front, with Hermione joining him. She looked like she wanted to talk to Harry, and he just shook his head and told her "Wait until class is over." She nodded, and they listened to Flitwick give a lecture on NEWTS and why they're important. While he was talking, Harry's eyes traveled across the room, he noted that there were no true seventh years in the class. From his understanding, the schedules were built to include a separate class for the 'Eighth years' as they have been coined by a few of the other years, and it allowed for all of the returning students to be around people they were familiar with, to reduce the amount of stress that could possibly come from last year's events. This familiarity is extremely useful to some, Harry included. He felt completely at ease around the students he spent six/seven years interacting with.

"Mr. Potter." Harry abruptly jumped in his seat and looked at Professor Flitwick who had a slight smile on his face. Harry instantly blushed when he realized everyone was looking at him, some with smirks, others with barely contained laughter, Harry sheepishly smiled and turned back to Flitwick.

"Yes professor?" Flitwick just smiled and gestured for Harry to join him in the front. Harry did so, moving a little consciously, and his face still red from all the people staring at him, and the giggling that was coming from Daphne and Davis. He glared at them as he passed, with Davis smirking, and Daphne gave him a wink and blew him a kiss.

"Now Mr. Potter, Ms. Greengrass had come up with a very good question, and that was 'what kind of charms could get us an Outstanding on our NEWTS for the practical?' And from what I know, you can perform a charm that would count towards that correct?" Harry thought for a moment, and smiled, pulling out his wand.

"I have just the one professor. Expecto Patronum!" Harry's silvery stag erupted from his wand and moved around the room, the gasps came from mostly the Slytherins that weren't in the DA. The rest of the DA, Harry noted, were smirking, knowing that many of them could perform the spell, and were very well set on their practical NEWT. The stag came to rest right next to Harry, who reached an arm up and touched the stag on its side. Flitwick then applauded, followed by the rest of the class, and Harry vanished his patronus, and went back to his seat. Flitwick then gained everyone's attention and nodded to Harry.

"A fine demonstration Mr. Potter, with a corporeal patronus like that you'll for sure get nothing less than an Outstanding!" Harry smiled and then began to zone out the rest of the class period, mainly because it was discussions on the patronus and its uses. When Harry left the classroom, he was stopped by a hand grabbing his arm, and he instantly began to walk dragging the person behind him, he found an abandoned classroom and walked in, followed by the mystery person.

"Hermione, I want to start with…" He turned and instantly stopped talking, it wasn't Hermione. It was Daphne. She stood there with a smirk on her face, and she instantly closed and locked the door behind her. She walked up to him and her smirk grew a little bigger.

"Dragging me into abandoned classrooms already Harry? I would like to at least have dinner first or maybe a few Hogsmeade visits." Harry just glared at her, he could feel a blush coming onto his face when she said that, and moved past her to hide his embarrassment.

"Sorry Daphne, I didn't want to talk to you, I thought you were Hermione. She wanted to ask me something after class, and so I assumed that you were her. Terribly sorry for this misunderstanding. Alohomora!" The door unlocked and Harry quickly left, leaving the door open behind him, and Daphne Greengrass standing there with the same smirk on her face.

~Time Skip~

Harry found Hermione outside of the Transfiguration classroom talking to Neville, and when she saw him she instantly excused herself from Neville and planted right in front of Harry.

"Harry! Where'd you go after Charms? I looked for you but I didn't see you after you left the classroom." Harry just shrugged and led her a little away from the classroom entrance.

"Look Mione, I get it. Breakfast was completely out of line, I should apologize to Ginny, and everything will go back to the way it was, right?" When Hermione just nodded, Harry continued.

"But that is where you're wrong. Ginny stepped out of line in there, and I made it distinctly clear before that Daphne and I were friends and nothing more." Hermione opened her mouth but Harry held up a hand and stopped her. "I don't think you realized it, but I sure have, Ginny is a fangirl nothing more, she wanted to date me because I'm Harry Potter not Harry, and I'm tired of it, Daphne is like you Mione, you didn't care I was famous you were my friend regardless."

"But Harry, can you at least see my point? Ginny is a friend long before a girlfriend, can you not forget that? You should try to rekindle a friendship at least Harry, she just recently lost Fred, and now she's losing you, how do you think she feels?" Harry looked at his feet, he could feel the shame rising as Hermione made excellent points, and he just shook his head.

"Hermione, I know, it would be a good idea for us to try and be friends, but not yet, I am not ready to try that, I want to wait a while." Hermione sighed but nodded,

"Very well Harry, if that's you how feel, I guess I have to respect it. Just promise me you'll try to make up with Ginny sometime soon?" Harry nodded, and headed into the classroom.

"I promise Mione, I'll try."

~Time Skip~

After Double Transfiguration ended, Harry and Hermione left the classroom and began to head down for lunch. They were discussing the NEWT Exam that Sirius discussed, and also talked about subjects from sixth year that they covered again in class.

"Sirius really knows his stuff, doesn't he Harry?" Harry nodded, and he was so proud of himself for getting the first transfiguration right, and the praise he received from Sirius about his dad, felt fantastic.

"He does, it's amazing to know that Sirius was such a good student even with all the trouble he and the Marauders caused." Hermione hummed in agreement, and when they reached the great hall, the students that were in there immediately looked at Harry when he walked in. Harry froze. He took in the faces looking at him, and he then just nodded to Hermione, and they began to walk towards their tables. "Bye Mione, I'll see you in DADA." Hermione voiced a similar farewell, and they sat for lunch. Harry sat down next to Michael Corner, who nodded in greeting. Harry did the same, and a thought occurred to him.

"Say Corner, weren't you on the Quidditch team last year?"

Corner shook his head, "We didn't have Quidditch last year, but our sixth year I was on Ravenclaw as a beater, why do you ask?"

"I'm the captain for the team yeah? I wanted to find all of the old players, if there are any still in the school, and get them in the common room around 3:00. Could you help me out with that?"

Michael nodded, and began to move down the table. "There are only three of us left since the rest were seventh years that graduated that year, but I can get them for you." Harry called his thanks, and began to set into eating. He pulled out a piece of parchment, and began to write. He put his name and Corner's name down on the parchment, with seeker next to his name and beater next to his. He then waited for Corner to come back, and he came back with two other students, one, a boy who looked like a sixth year, and he had brown hair and brown eyes, and an apprehensive look in his eyes. The girl next to him, Harry recognized as Lisa Turpin, a fellow eighth year. Corner then turned to the boy and introduced him.

"Potter, this is Lucas Hawkins, he was a chaser as a fourth year, and you already know Lisa who was also a chaser." Harry shook Lucas' hand, and gave Lisa a small bow and smile, which made her giggle. He wrote down Lucas and Lisa's names and put chaser next to them. He looked back at them, and said "All right, nice to meet you both, and now I'd like to share with you now that I'm captain of the team, I wanted you three being returners to be the first to know that our tryouts are this Friday at 7 p.m. sharp. I want to get a notice in the Ravenclaw common room, so that anyone who is interested can come and try-out for the other spots and reserves." The others nodded, and left with Lisa giving him a small kiss on the cheek. Harry smiled and just shook his head.

Finishing his Lunch, he headed up to his room to grab his DADA book, and to write out the notice. When he reached the portrait, he spoke the password, and walked in. Walking up to his room, he grabbed his DADA book, and sat down to write out the Quidditch team notice.

Hello Everyone! As Captain of the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, I'd like to announce this year's try-outs! I understand that there was no Quidditch last year, and so I met with the three remaining players of the team from two years ago. So, these are the spots being tried out, and the current roster:

Harry Potter-Seeker/Captain

Lisa Turpin-Chaser

Lucas Hawkins-Chaser

Michael Corner-Beater

These are the filled positions so we need a Chaser, a beater, and a keeper. If you do not get a roster spot, there is a chance for a reserve position. I'll be taking a reserve for each position except for two for chasers. If you want to try-out, please meet at the Quidditch pitch at 7 p.m. sharp on Friday! Remember: FIRST YEARS aren't allowed to try-out! Thank you all and see you on Friday!

Harry Potter

Reading it over, Harry decided it was good enough, and left the dorm, and went up to the Ravenclaw tower. When he reached the entrance, the eagle head situated outside of the dorm uttered out riddle:

"I move very slowly at an imperceptible rate, although I take my time, I am never late. I accompany life, and survive past demise, I am viewed with esteem in many women's eyes.

What am I?"

Harry was puzzled, thinking it over. 'I move very slowly, at an imperceptible rate...' he sat down by the door. 'I accompany life, and survive past demise, and many women view it with esteem...' He ran his hands through his already messy hair, when it hit him. 'I know what it is!' He stood up faced the door, and said the answer very clearly. The eagle screeched, and the door opened. Harry walked into the dorm and walked up to the bulletin board on the far wall. Posting the notice, he saw a few students looking at him, and after he left the board, a few came up to look at what he put down.

Leaving the common room, he could hear the excited conversations going on behind him, and he smiled, knowing that many of the students will try out mainly because he was captain.

'Especially the girls' he thought with a slight tinge of unease.

Harry kept walking down the hallway and after checking his watch, saw he had a few minutes before DADA. He began to walk quicker, passing students in the hallway, some who stopped and just stared at him in awe. Others, mostly students who had known Harry before, said hello as they passed. He nodded at Seamus Finnegan, a roommate of his who was in Slytherin now, and Seamus gave him a small smile.

"Going to DADA too Harry?" Harry smiled back and nodded.

"Yes, I am, you coming?" Seamus fell into step with Harry and they kept going towards DADA. They reached the classroom right before the class started, and when they walked in, most of the class was already there. Harry noted that Thomas wasn't there yet, so he found an open seat next to Daphne, and sat down. Seamus found a seat across the aisle from him next to his friend Dean Thomas. Right as Seamus sat down, Thomas came sweeping into the classroom, dressed in a very fine looking dark blue robe, which looked more like a muggle suit than traditional robes that you'd see in England.

"Welcome class to your NEWT DADA class! I am Professor Evans, and because I never truly introduced myself completely at breakfast, I'll take this first class to let you ask me questions." The class immediately erupted into people raising their hands, Thomas called on Susan Bones first.

"Professor, you said your last name was Evans, any relation to Harry's mother Lily Evans?" Thomas smiled and looked at Harry who gave him a small smile and a nod.

Turning back to Susan, Thomas nodded, "Yes, Ms. Bones, I am related to Lily Evans, my mother was Lily's cousin on her father's side, and before any of you ask I am a half-blood, my mother was what we in America call First-Gens, or here, Muggleborn." There were a bunch of hands raised after he finished talking, and he called on Blaise Zabini.

"You said your mother, what was your father's family, and why do you go by your mother's name." Thomas got a mischievous look in his eyes, and responded with, "If I told you, I'd have to kill you. Next question!" He called on Hermione next.

"What was going to Ilvermorny like? I heard that it is a very intense school." Thomas nodded,

"Correct Ms. Granger, the school curriculum is a very accelerated school, with some of the subjects we'll be covering this year are in our OWL and sixth year, while our NEWTs were much more intense than they are here. Ilvermorny is considered the best school in the west, with Beauxbatons, Durmstrang, and Hogwarts following, however, Ilvermorny is beaten by Mahoutokoro in Japan, since it is the best school overall, decided upon by the ICW. The schools, ranked internationally are: Mahoutokoro, Ilvermorny, Durmstrang, Castelobruxo in Brazil, Beauxbatons, Hogwarts, and Uugandou in Africa."

He paused when he saw Davis' hand shoot up, "Yes Ms. Davis?" The girl instantly asked

"Why is Hogwarts rated so low, when it is the best school in all of the Isles?"

Thomas laughed slightly at that, "Because Ms. Davis, the curriculum here is sadly very out of date. Here, History of Magic has been terribly lacking in substance because of the currently teaching situation with Professor Binns, outside of a few select careers Divination is completely useless, so should be only offered as a select few. Your DADA courses over the last half century have been horrendous due to no one keeping the job for very long or only a year, especially in the last seven or eight. Muggle Studies is offered as an elective instead of a required course like most schools, Ilvermorny included. There are a lot of holes here, and hopefully I can do my part and prepare you for the NEWTs that are coming up."

At that bomb drop, Harry could've sworn that you could hear a pin drop it was that quiet. Then Justin Finch-Fletchley raised his hand.

"Yes Mr. Finch-Fletchley?" Justin thankfully, moved the subject completely off this subject, and asked him, "Did you play Quidditch?"

Thomas got a faraway look for a second, and nodded "Yes, I played Chaser for my house, the Horned Serpents. I was good, I was offered a contract coming out of school to play for the Portland Phoenix's, but because I wanted to go into the Auror program, I refused. In America, while Quidditch is still a prevalent sport, it pales in comparison to the popularity of Quadpot, which was invented at Ilvermorny. Therefore, being a professional quidditch player in America isn't the most lucrative job. Besides, I'm a die-hard Seattle Thunderbirds fan, and the Phoenix's are their bitter rivals, I could never play for them." There were a few laughs from the rest of the class, and then Pansy Parkinson raised her hand, and Thomas nodded to her,

"Professor, do you have a current relationship?" Thomas had the humility to blush, and smile slightly.

"Ms. Parkinson, that is quite personal, but I will humor you. I do not currently have a relationship with anyone, but I do have a love interest." There were some disappointed looks that came upon many of the girls' faces at that statement, and Harry couldn't help but snicker slightly, with Seamus and Dean joining him.

Thomas continued, "I want to make it clear that even though I am only a few years older than you, I want to keep this professional, okay? Next question? No? Well shall we begin?"

The class was mostly review of the past two years of their education, with touches on OWLS and some things that Snape taught them. Harry knew most of it so he just zoned out the class and half paid attention. When the class ended, Harry signaled Hermione to head on ahead, and walked to the front of the room. Thomas looked up as he approached and smiled.

"Ah Harry, well, how'd I do?" Harry smiled back,

"Brilliant, you really know your stuff Thomas, but that's not why I'm here, I have been meaning to ask, since your family, why didn't you come to get me after Mum and Dad died?" Thomas frowned, and signed.

"A tough question Harry, but this is a question I expected, so I can tell you this, we didn't know about the events of what happened here until recently. We had been cut off from the Black family communication-wise since Sirius's father Orion took headship, since he and Walburga were not exactly fond of their "lesser" cousins in the States." He ran his hair through his hair and continued, apprehension in his eyes. "We would've loved nothing more than to take you away from the life you were living here, and take you over to the states where you would've lived in relative peace away from the fame and everything, but we just didn't know, plus I was only a few years old at the time as well."

Harry nodded, he could see the truth behind it all, and silently cursed Sirius's family of pureblooded bigotry for the problems they caused. "Thanks Thomas, I appreciate it."

Thomas smiled one last time, "Now off with you Mr. Potter, you don't want to miss your next class." Bidding him goodbye, Harry turned and left the classroom, and headed back to his dorm room, when he got there, he instantly went to take a nap, setting an alarm charm to go off before potions. 'Let's hope I don't sleep through it though.'

A/N:

Hello! As you all know, it's been quite some time since I've uploaded another chapter, I have been dealing with mostly school and finishing up that, but also I struggled with writing some of this chapter and a few of the next ones until recently, I had a great moment, and here's the result.

Now, some IMPORTANT updates for you all:

1) This will be the last chapter uploaded (maybe) until September. I am working this summer where there is limited internet and practically no time to use it. While this may be so, I'll be trying to write some, but don't expect chapter 7 or 8, depending on if I can pump out 7 before I leave until September.

2) I skipped over the first class with Sirius as an important moment, and instead kind of summarized it at the end with a conversation between Hermione and Harry. While I feel like it could have been done, I struggled with finding ways to word it, I will be touching on Harry and Sirius with Thomas mixed in as a full plotline.

3) Daphne. She's planning something, or some of you think she is, and I'll touch on that in some of the next couple chapters, and I'm planning on it.

4) Ginny. She'll get hers.

5)I have seen in other works that I read myself that the authors respond to reviews from previous chapters, so starting with 7, I'll do that, I'll be going through reviews from that and past chapters that I feel like I should address briefly, I'll do so at the beginning of the chapter, so that those of you who do review, feel you're getting heard.

6)I tried to answer one review in this chapter at the end, in regards to why Thomas's family didn't get involved with Harry sooner, and I changed my ending to answer that question. Hope it did it justice phoenix-rob!

Other than that, I'd like to wish you all a great Summer, and I'll try to get seven up before I leave for the summer, but no promises! If you want some other stories to read, here are a few I recommend for the summer, I read these myself and they entertain me!

Colt01's: Harry Potter and the Lightning Lord

Cragglerock82's: HP& The Jade Dragon

TheBlackResurgence's: Honor Thy Blood

Sorcerer Ra's Magical Origins

Cheers!

Rei