~*~Ann's POV~*~

I groan as I wake up. I still feel exhausted. Even with the remarkably good sleep I managed, no nightmares for once, I feel as though I could sleep another few hours. I glance down at the white cotton sleep clothes provided by the matron and chuckle. I slide from my bed and change back into my clothing that I had been wearing when the Death Eaters attacked. After folding the clothing that I'd slept in and making the bed, I pull back the curtains and stretch, feeling the wonderful pull of my muscles and the popping of my joints.

"Miss Grimwood, you should have waited for me to examine you before getting out of bed," Madam Pomfrey says, walking over.

I smile, "Sorry Madam, but I can't sit still for too long."

"You and every other student in this castle," Madam Pomfrey says. "At least allow me to run a diagnostics charm on you."

I nod and feel the tickle of the charm a moment later. She frowns at me.

"You seem to have a lot of residual Dark Magic on you," she says.

"I'd be surprised if there wasn't," I say, giving a shrug, "It's ok, just leave it."

She frowns, but nods. Walking down toward another bed, I can hear her chastising another one of her beloved patients. I grab my boots, shove my feet in, and lace them up. The door of the hospital wing opens and I glance up, just to grin at the person walking in.

"What do you need kiddo?" I ask.

Rowan scowls, "I'm not some kid anymore. I wanted to make sure that you're alright, but seeing as that you're already dressed, I'm going to assume you're fine."

I nod once, "Do you not have a class right now?"

"Classes have been canceled so that the first years can be sorted. Plus, Dumbledore wants you seventh years to have a day to recover. He expects a lot of you to be at least partially exhausted. I imagine you five are the worse off of the lot though," Rowan says.

"That's because we're bloody spectacular," Sirius says as he walks out of his curtained off area. He runs a hand through his hair and grins before shaking like a dog.

I raise an eyebrow, "Fleas?"

"Merlin no, just trying to make sure my hair is in place."

"Pansy."

"Butch."

"Poof."

"Git. I can't believe you went for that this early on."

"Not in the mood right now. Feel like sleeping."

"As much as I hate to interrupt this," Rowan says, "We should head for the Great Hall so we can watch the sorting."

I shrug, "Fine by me."

"Whatever. It's not like it matters that much anyway. The poor shrimps must still be terrified," Sirius mutters.

I knock his arm with my shoulder and raise an eyebrow at him. He shrugs and interlaces his fingers behind his head, watching the ceiling as we walk along. Arriving in the Great Hall, I notice that Sirius and I are the only students not in uniform. Deciding not to care, I grab an apple from the bowl on the table and take a bite as we sit down. Regulus, who had been waiting at the end of Slytherin table, immediately walks over.

That had surprised Sirius the most. Regulus had been upset with him when he had left in fifth year. In fact he had ignored Sirius for the rest of that year and then for the first little bit of sixth until the Marauders started ignoring Sirius. After that, the brothers had somehow managed to put aside time to talk. I'd bet anything that Rowan had convinced Regulus that he needed to talk with Sirius. Rowan had seen the lengths Sirius went to protecting Regulus, even when the Black brothers weren't talking, and that had convinced him that Sirius really did love his brother. After that, it only took Sirius a little bit of time until he had convinced Regulus to start meeting him regularly to talk.

"Ann? Hello? Are you going to keep spacing out on us?" Rowan asks.

"Only if you keep annoying me."

"I'm not annoying! Regulus, am I annoying?"

"Like a dog."

"Oi! I take offense to that!"

"Why would you?"

"Because Sirius is a moronic git."

"No, arsehole, it's because Sirius is the alpha in the Canis Major constellation."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Apparently that makes Sirius think he has a connection with dogs," Regulus says, a smirk on his face.

Sirius glowers, "At least I don't have an affinity for cats."

"What's wrong with cats?"

"They're evil."

"I like them."

"My point proven."

I sigh, hitting all three of them in the forehead with a grape, "Stop your tongue wagging, Dumbledore's going to talk and it looks like it's important."

Dumbledore motions for the students to quiet down before speaking, "First, thank you to the seventh years who assisted in yesterday's trouble. As such, I would like to award each house one hundred points." The counters all fill with various gems, "Also, I would like to commend all of you for doing what was needed to keep each other safe. However, until further notice, the Hogsmead visits have been restricted to special occasions only." Many people groan here, "It is unsafe to have visits once a month and as such a schedule with appropriate dates will be posted in all the commons. Now more than ever it is imperative for the students to follow the rules, prefects, Head Boy and Girl, and the teachers. We are here to help you and protect you. Therefore, it should be noted that none are to go into the forbidden forest and that all students should be in their dorms at their appointed times."

I nod, all of this is expected.

"I would also like to inform you that there is a new club available to all Hogwarts students. As of this year, we are opening a Dueling Club. It will be divided into two groups and meeting times according to year. Fifth years and above will be in one section, fourth year and below in another. The club is to be headed by the Heads of Houses. I encourage all students to join for at least one meeting." Dumbledore looks around the hall, "In light of the times we find ourselves in I also implore you to band together as a school. It does not matter your house or year, what matters is that you all are students at this school. What matters is that everyone is going to be affected by the current state of our world."

With that, Dumbledore steps down and sits at his chair. I tap my fingers on the table.

"I can't believe that they're finally starting a dueling club!" Rowan says, "So do you all think you're going to go?"

Regulus nods, "The more practice the better."

"I don't know if I'll go all the time, but I'll drop in once at least," Sirius says.

I finally become aware that they're all staring at me, waiting for my answer, "I don't think so. It's not prudent for me to attend, so I probably will not. I have other things that I am working on this year."

"Why not? You're an awesome duelist," Rowan says.

Sirius shakes his head, "I understand what she's saying. Everyone there, excepting the teachers, are going to be far below her level. Doesn't make sense for her to necessarily attend. Though I think it would be a good idea to show some of the students how good they could become."

I shrug, "We'll just have to wait and see."

~*~AG~*~

Remus and I are walking down the hall when out of nowhere this black, white and red blur runs past before doubling back to stand in front of us for a moment before running around in circles.

Turning to Remus, I raise an eyebrow, "Ok, what have I missed?"

"Dunno," Remus shrugs, before aiming a tripping hex at where the blur is going to be. The person sprawls on the floor, vibrating from unused energy. Walking over carefully, Remus pokes Sirius in the side with his foot. Sirius jumps up and is still vibrating.

"HeyRemus!HeyAnn!'dbeenchasing?" Sirius says, without taking a breath.

"Woah, woah," Remus holds up his hands, "Who gave you the sugar?"

"IthinkitwasJames,butIreallycan'!" Sirius rambles.

"Riiight…Let's start back at the beginning. WHO gave you the sugar?"

Sirius pauses for a moment in his rambling to stare at Remus. When it seems like that's all he's going to do, he says, "James" and then is off rambling again.

I see Remus's eye twitch. "I'm going to go kill James," Remus says, turning around and walking in the direction he knows James should be.

"Fine! Leave me to deal with a hyper Sirius!" I shout after the tawny haired boy. He throws his head back in laughter, and turns the corner, his laugh echoing off the stone walls. Sighing, I turn back to Sirius and raise an eyebrow at him. He's still talking way too fast for anyone who hasn't experienced this a thousand times to understand. Even then I can barely understand him. Getting an idea, I pull out my wand and subtly cast a spell. On the wall opposite of Sirius, right in his line of sight, a red dot appears.

"DOT!" Sirius immediately runs over to it and tries to get it. Smiling, I start to direct the dot all around the hall, always keeping him in my sight so that he doesn't end up tripping down the stairs or something. Of course, that doesn't stop him from running into a suit of armor.

Chuckling, I add another dot to the wall, this one about five feet away from the first one.

"Dot!" Sirius says, looking at the new one, then he turns back to the old one, "Dot. But…dot…and…dot…DOTS!"

He starts trying to get them both at once, causing him to run back and forth between the two and turning into a blur again. By this time, quite a few students have gathered and are watching. I get a wonderfully evil idea and cancel the dots.

"Dots? Where? Dots?" Sirius's expression is that of a confused and kicked puppy.

Casting another spell, a new dot appears in a place extremely visible to Sirius. His nose.

"OhmygodandMerlin! DOT!" This was apparently a better idea than I thought because now he ends up chasing the dot around himself. Causing him to end up twirling in circles, flipping around, and over all looking like a whirling sphere of blur-ness.

I can't help it and end up laughing like some mad woman.

"Miss Grimwood, what is going on?" McGonagall asks. Her eyebrows are raised and her eyes are wide. She cannot stop looking at the whirling mass that is Sirius on a sugar high.

"Sirius-Sirius-ah ha ha ha! He's-had-too-ha ha- much-he he he- sugar!" I somehow manage to speak through my laughter, though I'm now holding my stomach, "Remus-made-ha ha ha-me-ha ha-babysit-ah ha ha!"

"So why is he…"

"Chasing-dot."

McGonagall's eyebrows travel even further on her forehead as she watches her seventh year beater. His exclamations of 'Dot!' can still be heard, and are sounding at various decibels.

"Miss Grimwood, please restrain Mister Black."

I stop laughing and turn to McGonagall, "How am I supposed to do that?"

"However you must."

"Remember you said that." I smirk, cancel the dot spell on Sirius, and soon have him pinned to the wall, his dominate hand behind his back and neck in the crook of my arm.

"Miss Grimwood!"

I smile and whisper in his ear, "Calm down honey, you don't want to upset Minnie."

"If I knew you were in this mood, I would have found you earlier."

A chuckle escapes me, "Can I let you go now?"

"Sure, but I rather like the way we are right now."

"You shameless flirt."

"Like you aren't."

I release Sirius and look over at McGonagall, who is watching with wide eyes, her wand pointed at me. I give a pout and cross my arms. When she finally lowers her wand, remembering what she had said and where we are, I grin and place my hands in my back pockets.

"I warned you to remember what you said," I say.

McGonagall's eyes narrow, "Yes. Very well Miss Grimwood. I expect both of you to be at the dueling club tonight since you both have so much extra time on your hands."

We watch McGonagall walk away and I can't help but raise an eyebrow at her retreating back. Just what is she trying to achieve?

AN/ I know this is shorter than previous chapters, but I felt I needed to publish something. Should have another chapter up by the end of the week. Oh, and here's your warning now, the chapters will start getting signifigantly darker. There will be mentions of death, destruction, rape, and other various fiendish things that the DEs and Moldy will do. Consider yourselves warned.