Chapter 11

Disclaimer: Harry Potter and Merlin do not belong to me. The only thing I own is the plot.

Harry awoke to a loud and crowded room. It took him a moment to once again gain his bearings and realize he was sitting in the great hall, his left elbow in his eggs. Ron observed his friend with an unusually pensive expression and wrung his hands slowly under the table.

"Harry, that's the third time this week" scolded Hermione, although her expression was more worried than annoyed.

"Sorry Mione...I uh, haven't been sleeping well lately" Harry explained, keeping his eyes trained on the squashed eggs.

Hermione looked closely at the dark circles under her best friend's eyes. It looked as if he had been in a rather violent fight with Malfoy and lost. She glanced over at Ron and saw he was also giving off an unusually worried vibe. Harry seemed rather uncomfortable with all the scrutinizing looks he was receiving and began to fidget in his seat. The poor boy looked as if he was about to drop on the spot.

"Harry, please tell us what the nightmares are about, maybe we can help" tried Hermione, reaching across the table and placing a comforting hand on Harry's arm.

"Mate, we all hear you yelling at night" added Ron, "no one's said anything cause we wanted to see if you could deal with this on your own, but something's really wrong isn't it?"

"I'm fine," said Harry, giving his friends an angry glare.

"Fine" sighed Hermione, getting up from the table and exiting the Great Hall. If Harry weren't going to get help, she would just have to do it for him. Most of the teachers had already finished breakfast and were preparing for the day.

Hermione strode purposefully to the transfiguration classroom and knocked smartly on the ancient wooden door.

"Come in" called the surprised voice of Minerva McGonagall. Hermione walked over to her head of house and took a deep breath.

"I think...something's wrong with Harry" she started.

McGonagall raised a thin eyebrow and waited for her student to continue. "He's been having horrid nightmares as of late...so much so that I don't believe he's slept for more than a couple hours in a few weeks. I think that something's wrong, but he refuses to get any sort of help so...I came to you" she finished awkwardly, wringing her hands.

"Miss. Granger, there isn't much I can do unless Mr. Potter comes to me directly...but I will see how I can help," sighed the Transfiguration professor, "I suggest you get to your first class before you're late."

The bushy haired witch nodded and left the room quickly while Minerva rubbed her temples wearily. She would have to observe Harry Potter in her class today, which was really the most she could do at the moment.

She plastered on a stern expression as she faced the seventh year Gryffindors; teaching the Weasley twins was both a blessing and a curse.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxXxXx

It was only lunch and Harry found himself unable to keep his eyes open for more than a few moments before they slipped close again. He skipped lunch and took a quick nap, but that only seemed to add to his fatigue. He covered his eyes as best as possible and tried to avoid the glare of the potions professor. They had only been in class for fifteen minutes, but it had been the longest fifteen minutes of his entire life.

'Only one more class after this' he told himself repeatedly, but it didn't do much to raise his hopes. Snape droned on and on about the differences of the antidote to common poisons and the antidote to uncommon poisons. How could one man's voice be so annoying?

He sat up quickly as he felt Ron shove his elbow into his ribs. He looked over at the redhead with annoyance, Ron only gestured towards the front of the classroom.

"Asleep Mr. Potter?" asked Snape, striding over to his table.

"Sorry Professor" muttered Harry, who was much too tired to get into an argument with Snape at the moment.

A flash of what almost looked like sympathy crossed the professor's face as he looked into Harry's eyes, but Harry chalked it up to sleep-deprived delirium.

"See me after class Mr. Potter" he snarled, and continued on with his lecture. Harry and Ron exchanged surprised looks before attempting to take notes.

The next seventy minutes of class passed rather quickly as Harry found himself dreading having to be alone with the potions professor after his outburst almost a week ago. He was a bit startled as everyone around him stood up and started to exit.

"Just yell if you need us mate," whispered Ron as he and Hermione left.

Harry got up slowly and straightened his shoulders as he faced his least favorite professor.

"What, Mr. Potter, gave you the idea that it was okay to sleep though my class?" asked Snape, glaring at Harry.

"I'm sorry sir, I've just been tired..." said Harry lamely, shoving his hands as deep in his pockets as they would go.

"Don't let it happen again" the bat-like man snarled, "now get out of my classroom."

Harry gave Snape an incredulous look before turning and leaving the cold room. Normally he would question the man's extremely odd attitude, but at the moment his brain was much too clouded to function. He attempted a weak smile as he saw the other parts of the 'Golden Trio' leaning on a windowsill just outside the entrance to the dungeon stairs.

"So?" asked Ron, "how many weeks?"

"None" said Harry, looking confused as the words left his mouth.

"Not one detention?" asked Hermione, looking a bit awe struck.

Harry shook his head and shrugged, "he didn't even yell at me."

"Bloody hell that's the strangest thing I think I've heard all month" muttered Ron.

"Language Ronald" said Hermione weakly.

Ron turned to retaliate but stopped when Harry stumbled and almost fell to the floor. He rushed forward to steady his friend and Hermione was not far behind. For once Ron was silent as he looked at Harry with unconcealed concern and draped his best friend's arm over his shoulders.

"Alright mate, we're taking you to bed" he grunted, and felt his uneasiness grow as Harry did not even attempt to protest.

He looked up at Hermione, whose eyes were also filled with fear and doubt. "Go to defence and tell Emrys what happened, I'm sure he'll understand. I'll get your notes after class." The bushy-haired girl nodded with vague surprise, not used to Ron acting so serious.

Ron began to half-drag his friend up the Gryffindor tower and managed to avoid running into anyone until he was right outside of the entrance to their common room. The large portrait swung open as Fred and George sauntered out laughing. Harry looked up at the twins in a light trance while Ron gave them a look that would make even his mother proud.

"Oi brother-o-mine, looks like ickle Ronniekins and ickle Harriekins are skipping class," joked Fred.

"I believe we may just have to report them, bother-o-mine. It is our duty as seventh years to help keep the younger students in place!" answered George with a stupidly serious look.

"I really can't deal with this right now" muttered Ron, shooting another concerned look over at Harry.

"Ronnieki..." George trailed off when he finally noticed the black-haired boy's current condition. He turned to his twin with a worried glance and Fred took a closer look at Harry.

"Oh come on, we've pulled the exhaustion card a million times to get out of class" said Fred, rolling his eyes.

"Shut it you two! I need to get Harry inside now!" growled Ron loudly, pushing past the twins.

"I don't think it's an act brother-o-mine," said George as the two exchanged equally worried looks and rushed back into the common room after their youngest brother. Although they may have not been Harry's closest friends, between his constant visits to the Burrow over the past five years and their extensive hours playing quidditch together they both thought of him as their fifth brother.

Ron, who was too tired to pull Harry up the many stairs to their dorm room, laid him down on the largest couch next to the fire before removing his glasses and draping a thick blanket over his friend's now deeply sleeping form. The last thing he wanted was for Harry to catch a cold along with his nightmares.

"What's going on?" asked Fred, giving Harry's still form a concerned look.

"Harry's been having nightmares for a few weeks now...but I didn't know how bad they were until he collapsed about ten minutes ago" Ron relayed, taking a seat on a plush armchair next to Harry's couch, "I think he's been putting silencing charms around his bed so none of us knew how bad they were getting."

George plopped down cross-legged on the floor across from Ron, "do you know what he's dreaming about?"

Ron shook his head, "not really. When it comes to that kind of stuff, Harry's a really private bloke."

Fred took a seat in the remaining armchair and the three Weasley boys watched the blankets covering Harry's body slowly rise and fall intently, as if they were afraid they would cease to move.

George realized he hadn't seen his brother this worried about something since Charlie was hospitalized after receiving a particularly nasty burn from one of the dragons he was working with. Although they hadn't known it at the time, the burn had damaged their second oldest brother's lungs and he had almost died.

The youngest Weasley brother's brow was furrowed as he stared intently into his best mate's face. He jumped a bit when Fred finally spoke up. "Are you sure we shouldn't take him to Madam Pomfrey?" he asked quietly.

Ron shook his head, "I'm going to wait until Hermione gets back from Defence and we'll talk it over then. She's the smart one after all." The twins tried to crack a smile, but it was as half-hearted as their brother's joke.

Ever so slowly Harry's condition seemed to improve, his pale skin seemed to regain a bit more colour and his breathing evened out a bit more. George didn't think he had seen Harry look this peaceful, even asleep, since Cedric died.

All three of the brothers jumped when the entrance to the Gryffindor common room flew open with a muffled bang. Hermione rushed over to Harry, her breathing a bit more labored than normal.

George motioned for his twin to follow him and they both started up the stairs to the boy's dormitories to give Ron and Hermione a bit more privacy. The two were strangely silent as they climbed the spiraling stone stairs, George because he was lost in thought and Fred because he wasn't sure what to say.

George paused as he grabbed the cold doorknob leading to the 7th year boy's room, "I reacon Harry hasn't gotten a good night sleep since Cedric died."

Fred looked him a bit strangely before nodding in agreement, "I think we might be able to brew some dreamless sleep potion and see if that works."

"We may want to make it a bit stronger than normal" sighed George.

"I was thinking the same thing," replied Fred with a good natured smile. Although the atmosphere was still a bit gloomy around the twins, they entered their room and got started on their little present for Harry.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Hermione had rushed into defense and muttered a weak apology to Professor Emrys as she tried to explain her unusual tardiness. Her professor had simply waved her off before she could fully explain and told her to take a seat.

For once Hermione found herself struggling to focus on the lesson at hand. Some students stared at her curiously as the normally studious girl fidgeted in her seat and glanced at the clock repeatedly. Even Professor Emrys began to shoot her confused glances every few minutes.

"Alright class, I need everyone to take their wands out and turn to page 157 in their textbooks," he instructed as he finished his initial instructions. Everyone turned suddenly as the door to the classroom was thrown open and Dolores Umbridge strode in with the Minister of Magic at her side and sent a glare in Merlin's direction.

"Hello Minister" greeted Merlin politely, sounding a bit confused, "may I help the two of you?"

"Yes Professor Emrys. Would you mind telling me what you are working on at the moment?" she asked, a suspiciously triumphant smile adorned her toad-like face.

"At the moment we are discussing the reductor curse" he answered. He looked around the room at the students present and saw that many of them were shooting glares at the horrid woman. There had been rumors of her evil detentions, and it seemed some of his students had experienced it first hand.

"I told you Minister" Umbridge said suddenly, turning to Fudge, "absolutely treturous." Merlin felt his stomach drop as the Minister of Magic nodded in agreement. He had never personally met the man, but always thought he seemed too much of a coward to belong in the noble house of Slytherin. Although these days that wasn't saying much.

"I never doubted you for a moment Dolores" he replied curtly, "it seems Dumbledore has been preparing an army behind my back!" Some of the students snickered at this and Merlin himself couldn't help but chuckle.

"Is there a problem Professor Emrys?" asked Fudge, looking a bit affronted.

"I'm sorry Minister, but Dumbledore hasn't changed the curriculum. It's been this way for years" said Merlin, finding himself feeling rather amused.

"I do not take well to treachery!" Fudge announced after a moment, looking actually angry that Merlin had questioned his logic.

"I have no choice but to leave any and all lesson plans to Professor Umbridge. She will be meeting with all of the Hogwarts staff shortly and hopefully putting an end to all the violence being taught in this school! Until then I have no choice to ban all wand use in this classroom. All students will check their wands at the door and if I find out my orders have been disobeyed the consequences will be grave."

"How are we supposed to learn to defend ourselves without our wands?" suddenly piped up Hermione, looking a bit angry.

"Dear girl" chuckled Fudge, "what would you need to defend yourselves from? The world is perfectly safe." Merlin couldn't help but notice Fudge's blasé attitude seemed a bit forced.

"Why, Voldemort of course" retorted the bushy-haired girl, surprising even Merlin. It wasn't like Hermione to disrespect authority.

Fudge's face reddened, "I will not be spoken to in this fashion! It is obvious that, that crackpot Dumbledore is filling these children's heads with utter nonsense" he turned to Umbridge, "Dolores, I'm sure I can trust you to take care of the seriously falling standards at Hogwarts."

With that the minister walked triumphantly from the classroom, Umbridge turned to follow him but stopped and faced Hermione.

"I believe that shall be detention every night for the next month Ms. Granger for speaking out of turn in front of the Minister of all people" she said, a small, prim smile plastered on her face.

"Professor Umbridge, as you have not officially been announced High Inquisitor as of yet, you have no right to issue detentions like that in my classroom. The students can ask any questions they very well please, and Ms. Granger did not speak disrespectfully. Now if you would kindly get out of my classroom" Merlin said darkly, drawing surprised looks from most of his students. They had never heard a teacher address another teacher in that fashion before.

Umbridge looked a bit scandalized before an expression of distaste took over her face, "I'd advise you to watch your tongue young man. I am not as forgiving as Dumbledore." With that she strode from the room, the large doors booming shut behind her.

"I'm sorry for that...interruption class. It seems the Minister has wasted most of our class time. Now if any of you have any questions about the current situation feel free to ask," Merlin said. Hermione was surprised at his aggressive choice of wording. For once, her hand was one of the only ones not to go up. She sat and wondered what kind of motivations Fudge could have for stunting their defense education.

Even if it were to prevent them from rising up against him, education like this would surely backfire in his face some time in the near future. At this point no one in the class could ever even dream of becoming Aurors, and if the ministry was lacking almost 7 generations of completely competent wizards, it would become a serious threat one way or another.

The next ten minutes of class passed rather quickly and Hermione rushed to her feet as soon as the bell rang.

"Excuse me? Ms. Granger may I have a quick word" called Professor Emrys as she was leaving. Hermione gave her professor a curious look before strutting over to face him.

"I'm sorry for my outburst Professor" she began, but Merlin motioned for her to stop.

"It's no problem Ms. Granger. Honestly...I feel the same way as you do. Although if you do continue to speak to Professor Umbridge like that, you may find yourself in some trouble that I can't help you with."

"Yes Professor, I just find it extremely frustrating how the ministry is depriving us of our education in a time when we need it most" she said, taking a deep breath.

"I find that I agree Ms. Granger, although as a teacher there isn't much I can do, but sometimes we have to take things into our own hands" Merlin said, waiting for Hermione to get the hint.

She gave him in odd look before a large smile burst onto her face, "thank you Professor Emrys."

Merlin pretended to look confused, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

This only widened the girl's smile as she rushed from the room. Merlin allowed himself a small internal victory dance; if all went well the school of Hogwarts may receive a semi competent defense education after all.

XxXxXxXxXxXxXxX

So this chapter seems a bit sub par to me, but it was just kind of an establishing chapter to set up a lot of the future story. Sorry if it's not as interesting as some of my past chapters. I also really wanted to add a bit more of the Weasley twins in this so here we are. I'm also sorry this took me so long to upload; who new break would be so busy lol. I was wondering, just by preference, if I did bring Morgana into this story would you guys rather she be good or evil? I'm still not sure if I want her in it yet, but let me know what you guys would want. Thanks so much for the love guys!