The First Match

"Ginny traced his name?" Dumbledore asked shocked, "Are you sure?"

"Yes sir," Harry answered quietly, "I never touched his plaque, who is she going to sacrifice herself for?"

"I can not answer that," Professor Dumbledore said sadly, "she has a lot of love Harry. I don't recommend that you tell her, who knows how it can effect her."

"Can it be stopped sir?"

"Well, it isn't a Prophecy so it isn't set in stone. You may be able to change it but it may be difficult, Harry."

"I won't let her die, sir." Professor Dumbledore gave Harry a smile as Harry said this.

Harry couldn't believe what Professor Dumbledore just told him, how was he supposed to know that Ginny, his girlfriend, was going to sacrifice herself and not tell her. Harry walked around the school for an hour before he finally decided to go back to the common room.

It was almost Halloween now and Harry was learning to cope with the knowledge he had gained about Ginny's fate. He hadn't told anyone else about it, but had resolved to not let it happen. Right now he was in his Auror's Defense Against the Dark Arts class waiting for Professor O'Bannon to arrive.

"Ah, hello, Harry," Professor O'Bannon greeted him with an Irish accent, "early again I see. That's good, shows willingness to learn."

"Yes sir," Harry said quietly, "I need to learn all I can."

"Yes I suppose you do, well you do know a great deal already. Today, we are going to cover spells to defend others during battle. You obviously know Protego, but there are a few others that are good to know."

The Professor walked to the black board and tapped it with his wand. The first spell appeared Occulto .

"This spell will cause the person it is cast on to become invisible for about fifteen seconds, long enough for them to get to a new position. This is a spell that is not used very often, Harry, it isn't used very often because it doesn't hold much strategic value in a large scale battle."

"Why isn't it strategic?"

"Well because, like I said, it doesn't last very long and if there is a spell traveling at the person Occulto is cast on it can still hit them. The spell itself is fairly easy but the wizard or witch casting the spell has to be talented. On average it isn't cast consistently until a witch is in their seventh year. Lets see how you do though, I have heard you are pretty skilled in transfiguration and charms, this should be easy. Pick a target, aim your wand at it and imagine it gone, then say Occulto. That is it."

Harry picked an inkpot that was on Professor O'Bannon's desk and imagined what the desk would look like if it weren't there.

"Occulto," Harry said the spell. Almost immediately the inkpot vanished. Harry tried it on several other objects in quick succession until the desk was cleared off. Then one by one the items began reappearing.

"Very good, Harry, that was no trouble for you at all. Now the next spell is a little trickier but it is more advantageous as it moves the target. The spell is Agito Occulto, as you can tell it causes invisibility but it will also move the object to a spot twenty feet away. This is the tricky part, you decide the spot by picking it out before you cast the spell and concentrate on it and making your target invisible. Go ahead and give it a try."

Harry again picked the inkpot and then chose to simply move it to the other side of the desk. Harry thought of it being invisible and then moving to a predetermined spot.

"Agito Occulto," The inkpot vanished and then a second later both Harry and Professor O'Bannon heard a crash and liquid splattering on the floor. Harry tried to hide his smile while the Professor openly laughed.

"Not to worry, Harry, I told you it was tricky. The important thing is that you moved it and made it invisible, now we have to work on your placement."

The broken inkpot reappeared on the floor next to the desk and the ink was splattered everywhere. The Professor quickly fixed the inkpot and vanished the ink while Harry continued practicing on objects that wouldn't break. When the objects reappeared Harry noticed that they had all were where he wanted them to go.

"Ok, Harry," The Professor spoke clearly impressed at how quickly his student was mastering these spells, "I have one more spell for you today, it is very similar to Protego but it affects numerous people and will last for one spell impact. For example, if you were to cast it on me the shield that is generated around me would absorb any one spell, after that, it is gone. The difficult part is that you have to form a list in your head of who you want it to affect. Obviously you don't want it to affect your enemy, so you picture in your head your allies, and possibly even bystanders. The incantation is Servo Populus, and you simply aim your wand into the air."

Harry nodded and pictured himself and Professor O'Bannon in his mind then pointed his wand up and said the incantation.

"Professor, how do we know if it worked?"

"Simple, cast a stunning spell on me, if it hits me it didn't work. Then I will try the same on you."

"Stupefy," Harry cast the spell at his Professor and watched as it absorbed into a clear shell around him. The Professor sent the same spell at Harry and got the same results.

"Well done, Harry, very well done. Twenty points for Gryffindor. You will make a fine Auror, Harry. You are dismissed. No homework."

"Thanks, Professor." Harry smiled as he left the classroom. He went to the Great Hall to join his friends for lunch before he had to got to his Friday afternoon Charms class. When he arrived Ginny was complaining about Snape's class.

"He took five points away from me because I was the first person to finish my potion!" Ginny stopped and smiled when she saw Harry. Harry bent over and kissed her gently.

"Bad potions class?" Don't worry about the points Professor O'Bannon gave me twenty points and taught me a couple pretty wicked spells. Watch."

"Agito Occulto," Harry pointed his wand at Ron who was sitting across the table from him. Ron instantly disappeared.

"Hey! How did I get over here?" Ron asked confused.

"Over where Ron? Where are you?" Hermione asked while looking all around for him.

"Right here next to Harry," Ron said, "can't you see me?"

"No," Ginny added smiling, "we can't see you Ron."

As Ginny finished her sentence Ron reappeared sitting right next to Harry. Hermione and Ginny both looked at Harry in awe. Ron looked completely bewildered as he stood up to walk around the table to sit down next to Hermione again.

"It's a spell to help protect people, it moves them and makes them invisible. I learned another one just to make people invisible and a third that casts a long lasting shield around numerous people," Harry explained to his three friends, "Other than Animagus, my Aurors training class has to be my favorite." Lunch ended and the three sixth years went to their Charms class with Professor Flitwick while Ginny went to Herbology.

It was Saturday morning and finally it was the day of the first Quidditch match of the year, Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw. Harry was in his coach's office going over last minute strategies in his head. He walked out of his office and the rest of his team were sitting there waiting.

"Ok everyone," Harry began his first pep talk, "I know most of you have never played an actual game of Quidditch before and that's ok. You have all practiced great over the last few weeks and I have no doubt that we will win the Cup. Now this is what I want to do, Neville and Seamus aim your bludgers at the Chasers, let me deal with Chang. Ginny, Paravti and Kaylee you three remind me of Bell, Johnson and Spinnet, you work great together as a team. I want quaffle control out there, score fast and score early. I want you to score every chance you get, if you build a 150 point lead all the better. Beaters, if you notice Chang and myself chasing the Snitch take her out. Don't cheat and don't play dirty but take her out. Ron, you are better than Wood now, don't let them score. Now lets go."

The Gryffindor team left the locker room ready to destroy Ravenclaw. They flew out into bright sunlight and loud cheers. Ravenclaw was already on the pitch and Cho Chang scowled at Harry as he flew over to her to shake her hand.

"Good luck, Captain," Harry said sticking out his hand. Cho simply nodded her head and took her position opposite him. Madam Hooch released the balls and blew her whistle. Ginny quickly got control of the quaffle while Dean called the game.

"Weasley with the Quaffle, she passes to Rose, Patil now has the quaffle, she goes behind the rings, passes back to Weasley, goal! Ten to nil Gryffindor!" Harry was circling high above the pitch watching his team, Neville and Seamus were doing an outstanding job as Beaters. They were hitting both bludgers at the other chasers causing them to swerve and miss passes. In the first five minutes of the game Gryffindor was in the lead eighty to nothing, Ravenclaw hadn't even taken a shot yet.

"Weasley with the quaffle again," Dean's voice boomed out over the crowd, "Wow! What a move? How did she turn on a knut like that? She goes into a loop, she has reached the top of her loop and passes to Rose who flies straight to the rings. She scores! Ninety to nothing Gryffindor!"

Harry was very pleased at how well his team was. He then noticed Cho following him closely waiting for him to make a move. Harry didn't see the Snitch yet but knew he had to make her think twice about following him. Harry turned left sharply and sped up, and Cho followed right behind him. Harry smiled as he went into a steep climb, again Cho followed him. 200 feet above the pitch Harry turned his climb into a steep dive. Cho followed his dive, Harry waited until he was just fifteen feet above the ground and pulled out of his dive. The crowd gasped as Cho used an extra ten feet to stop her dive. She charged after Harry again, Neville had hit the bludger just as Harry past him and it headed straight for Cho. She saw it at the last second and rolled to her left, the bludger caught the twigs on the end of her broom and caused it to spin out of control momentarily. By the time she regained control Harry was back circling the pitch. Cho had now decided to look for the Snitch on her own and not follow Harry.

A long hour later the score was 240 to 20, Ron had saved ten goals and was doing great. Harry knew his team was getting tired, he wanted to find the Snitch now just to end the game. Ron had just saved another goal when Harry finally saw the Snitch flying near Ginny. Harry darted straight for his girlfriend and the Snitch, Cho saw this and when she saw the Snitch herself she made her move. Harry had a three broom lead over Cho and was gaining on the Snitch.

Seamus sent a bludger at Cho that narrowly missed. Harry was now just an arms length away from having the snitch. The snitch was heading straight for Ron and his three goals. Harry kept steady on his course.

"Potter has almost got the snitch! He is heading straight for his own rings! He is going to crash into them, Chang pulls straight up in to a climb to avoid crashing. It's just Potter and the snitch now! Ron Weasley moves out of the way as Potter flies through the center ring! He has the snitch! Gryffindor wins 390 to 20! Oh no, what's this? Chang has been knocked off of her broom by a bludger."

Harry heard Dean talk about Cho falling to the ground and turned around and flew straight for her. He didn't think he was going to make it to her in time. Harry reached his arm out and grabbed the unconscious Cho's robes just ten feet above the ground. Harry slowly flew to the ground and gently placed Cho down. Madam Hooch landed right next to them and looked over Cho. The bludger had hit Cho on its way back to the beaters, it missed the first time it went by her and she thought she was safe. Madam Hooch picked Cho up and headed straight for the castle.

"You all did great out there today! Sorry to have kept you on your brooms for so long," Harry was celebrating with his team in the locker room after the game, "I couldn't have asked for a better performance from all of you."

"That was a brilliant catch of the snitch, Harry," Kaylee complemented him, "I thought for sure you were going to knock yourself out on the ring."

"Or knock me off my broom!" Ron jokingly yelled, "And what a great catch of the other teams seeker! That should be worth bonus points." The whole team laughed at this. Harry then suggested that they all go see how Cho is doing to show good sportsmanship. The seven Gryffindor's stepped out of the locker room and were met by the entire Gryffindor house. They led them back to the castle and stopped in to see Cho. When they arrived Cho was awake but very sore, she thanked Harry for coming and for checking on her.

That night there was a large victory party in the Gryffindor common room. Some of the students had snuck down to the kitchens and got butterbeer and numerous other treats. Ginny and Harry had sat on the couch and Harry held Ginny as they watched the fire. Ron and Hermione came over and sat with them. Ginny and Hermione had both fallen asleep while Ron and Harry continued talking late into the night. Finally the common room was cleared except for the four of them.

When Harry was finally ready to go to bed he woke Ginny up and told her that he was going to bed. She kissed him goodnight and went to her dorm, Ron and Hermione did the same. Harry had changed into his pajamas and laid down in his bed and thought of the game. Suddenly Harry sat straight up as he felt something trying to enter his mind. Harry had immediately closed his mind and trapped the person in his mind.

"I thought I told you weren't welcome, Professor Snape," Harry snapped, "Is this some sort of test?"

"Snape?" A cold voice spoke, "I am Lord Voldemort!"