A/N: Only two more chapters after this one and then no one will have to read this awful story anymore.
The next morning Roxie's head was still buzzing with thoughts. Was Seamus just being nice when he said that or does he really know that? Hermione was over by the window writing. "Had a good day yesterday?" Roxie asked her.
"Yes, but we got in kind of late."
"What were you out late doing?" Roxie gave her a mischievous grin.
"Nothing like that!" Hermione said scandalized. "So how was your date with Seamus?"
"I don't think you can really call it a date." Hermione gave her a questioning look. "Well, let's just say I don't really have feelings for him. At least not romantic feelings." Hermione nodded and then went back to writing her letter. Roxie stretched and then got up to get dressed. When she was done, Hermione was folding her letter.
"I have to go down to the owlery. You want to come with me?"
"I don't have anything better to do." The two of them walked down the stairs. A large crowd had formed in the Common room. "Another Hogsmeade already?"
"I don't think so." The two of them elbowed their way to the front of the crowd. Immediately, they saw what everyone was looking at. A sign had been posted the previous night.
Auror Training.
All sixth and seventh years wishing to pursue a career in being an Auror must report to the Great Hall at noon today and at six every evening after for a week. This will determine who is prepared for the daunting task ahead of them and who should try to find something more suitable for them.
"Wow," Hermione said as they walked to the owlery. "In all my years here I've never heard about Auror training."
"Maybe it's new. I mean with Voldemort back, the Ministry wants as many Aurors as the can get."
"Well I'm doing it. How about you?" I guess if Voldemort is going to try and kill me I might as well be prepared to fight.
"You bet." They had reached the owlery. Hermione coaxed a barn owl down from its perch and tied her letter to its leg. She threw it out the widow and the two of them watched it soar away over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest. Then they walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast.
Ron and Harry were sitting at the table when Roxie and Hermione arrived. Hermione sat beside Ron and Roxie sat beside her. "So did you guys see the notice this morning?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded. "So you're doing it right.
"Absolutely," Roxie answered. "And you?" Ron nodded and Roxie saw, out of the corner of her eye, Harry nod too. They ate breakfast in semi silence. Ron and Hermione talked occasionally asking either Roxie or Harry a question, but all that they would do is give a slight nod or shake of their head.
After breakfast the four of them left the Great Hall. Harry leading the group, followed by Ron and Hermione hand in hand. Roxie brought up the rear. Hermione checked her watch. "Ten o clock. Just enough time to squeeze in some homework before training." Ron rolled his eyes. They entered the Common room and then all went up to their respective dorms to get their books. When they all came back down, they spread their work across one of the tables and got to work.
Two hours later the four of them had finished their homework, much thanks to Hermione, and they were headed back to the Great Hall. The House tables had all been cleared away. The Great Hall looked even larger than it normally did. A man stood at the front of the Hall. As the four of them neared him, Roxie saw that he looked fierce. His face looked as if it was chiseled from stone. He stood tall and straight. There was something in his eyes that had a "Don't mess with me" kind of look. His face was stern, not a hint of a smile and his wand was clutched in his hand. Other students were filing in. Most of them looked scared of the man, or at least curious.
When they had all entered, the man waved his wand and the Great Hall doors closed with a bang. "Hello, my name is Damian Kinsky. I am an Auror with the Ministry. I am here, and will be here for the next week, to teach you all to become Aurors. Some of you may not be up to it and that is understandable. If, at any time, you want to back out just leave. But don't come to me when He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has killed your whole family and you don't know what to do about it." He scanned the crowd as if daring someone to leave. There was a surge of whispers, but no one moved. "Good, good. Now the first lesson will be Apparation. Now I know that some of you have already passed the test, but I guarantee that you can use the practice. The rest of you will be practicing for the test. The headmaster has graciously lifted the enchantment that makes it impossible to Apparate within school grounds. This only applies to the Great Hall however. There is no use in trying to Apparate outside of the Hall. Now spread out!" The students did not need telling twice. They scrambled around, jostling one another in an attempt to find space
"Make sure you have plenty of room," Kinsky barked. "Now then," he said as the students began to settle down. He waved his wand and wooden hoops appeared in front of them all. "Most people will tell you to worry about three D's. That's nonsense in my opinion! Just focus on where you want to be, inside your hoop, and do it!" Roxie looked around. Some of the seventh years were spinning on the spot. They then appeared inside their hoops. Assuming that this was the right thing to do, Roxie spun on the spot, concentrating hard on the inside of the hoop. When she opened her eyes she was not, as she had been before, standing beside Hermione. Instead, she was standing inside her hoop.
"How did you…" Hermione said, surprised.
"Was that your first time young lady?" Kinsky had walked over to them.
"Umm yes sir," Roxie said.
"Hmmm interesting. You'll make a good Auror." Then without another word Kinsky strode off through the other students, telling them what they were doing wrong.
"You just have to think really hard about the inside of the hoop and then do a little turn and you're there!" Roxie explained. Hermione and Ron nodded and then turned, but nothing happened. "Just keep trying. Here let me show you." Roxie stepped out of her hoop, closed her eyes, and spun. When she opened her eyes, she was once again in her hoop. Ron and Hermione were looking at her closely. "Now you try." Roxie pretended to be watching them try, but instead her eyes wandered to someone beside Ron. He was determinedly not looking at Roxie and not doing as she was telling the others to do. He just stood there, looking at the hoop. She walked over. "You're not concentrating hard enough. Just clear your mind. Think about nothing else. And then spin."
"I can do it myself, thanks," Harry spat. Roxie nodded and then walked back to help the others. But when she looked back at Harry she saw that he was taking her advice. His eyes were closed and he had started to spin. Moments later he was inside the hoop. Roxie smiled.
"How did you do it, mate?" Ron exclaimed. He and Hermione still hadn't managed to get anywhere. Roxie tried once again to help Hermione and Harry helped Ron.
By the time the lesson was over all four of them had managed to Apparate within their hoops. They walked back to their dorms, where they got cleaned up and then went back to the Great Hall for dinner.
The next week passed by quickly. Every night after lessons, the sixth and seventh years would rush to their rooms to put their bags up and then they would run downstairs for that evening's lesson. Monday night's lesson concentrated on Stealth and Tracking. Tuesday's, Disguise. This was a little bit difficult owing to the fact that Kinsky didn't really tell them what they were supposed to do. Just make a potion to disguise themselves. Roxie was having trouble, her potion wouldn't do anything. Then someone handed her another ingredient. She looked up and saw that it was Harry. "Add this." Roxie smiled. "I owed you one." Harry smiled at her and then went back to brewing his potion. After that the two of them got along better. They would help each other with the tasks that they were assigned. On Saturday they were told to duel with a partner. Harry and Roxie partnered up. Harry shot something at her, but she blocked it. Harry fell down.
"Oh my gosh. Are you ok?" Roxie said as she rushed over to him. His eyes were closed. She bent down. No one around her noticed that he was on the ground. They just kept dueling. She turned her back on Harry for a moment, looking for Ron and Hermione. Then she felt arms wrap around her.
"Gotcha!" a voice whispered in her ear. Chills ran down her spine. He feels so good. She spun around. Harry was laughing on the ground.
"Oh yeah?" Roxie shot a charm at him. He started laughing even harder. Roxie had hit him with a tickling charm. She removed it. "Ok we're even." They both stood up and then watched the rest of the students duel.
"Kind of reminds you of the DA, doesn't it?" Roxie nodded. But she wasn't looking at the other students anymore. She was looking at one in particular. I miss him so much.
"Ok, enough! Now you should all know if this is the right career for you by now," Kinsky said. "Goodbye." He threw down some powder and with a bang he was gone.
"I'm going to go down to the library to finish Snape's essay. Do you want to come with me?" Harry asked Roxie. She nodded.
"You guys coming?" Ron asked the two of them as he and Hermione walked out.
"No, we're going down to the library." Ron gave them a shocked look.
"Together?" he asked. Harry laughed.
"Yeah together."
"You two have fun. Come on Ron." Hermione grabbed Ron's hand and lead him out of the Great Hall.
Harry and Roxie summoned their bags and books, which came hurtling at them. Then they walked down to the library, making fun of the Ministry official along the way. They found an empty table in the library and spread their books and parchment across it. Then they proceeded to write their essays, joking about everything. When they were done, they stood up, preparing to leave. As they were walking out, Roxie tripped over the chair leg. She fell down, pushing Harry down, so that she was on top of him. He was looking right into her eyes. He's got a girlfriend, remember. But he was mine first. Roxie closed her eyes and leaned down. She was an inch from his face when she stopped herself. "I'm so sorry." She moved off of him and sat on the floor. He sat up, looking confused.
"For what?"
"For almost kissing you. I mean you have a girlfriend."
"Ginny dumped me. She said I was only using her to get back at you." He leaned towards her. "And that kiss with Seamus?" He was less than an inch from her.
"It was a goodbye kiss really. He knew that I still had feelings for you."
"You still have feelings for me?" Harry teased.
"Yeah." Roxie closed the gap between them. Their lips made contact and Roxie's heart skipped a beat. Yes! This is what it's supposed to be like. Harry pulled away.
"We better get back to the Common room. Hermione will worry about you." He stood up. Roxie stood up to, brushing herself off too. They picked up their books and then left the library. As they were walking back to the Common room, Harry took Roxie's hand. Roxie felt a tingle emanating from her hand. "So why do we keep breaking up?" Harry teased.
"It keeps our relationship fresh. We never date for more than a couple months." They both laughed. Ron and Hermione weren't there when they walked into the Common room.
"Well, goodnight then." Roxie pulled him to her and kissed him long and hard. Sparks charged through her body.
"Goodnight," she said as she pulled back and then walked up the stairs.