Hi everyone!

Sorry for the long wait, but I was really busy with school and other things.

I really want to thank you for all the wonderful Reviews and I hope you keep it up. Small words or critism are enough to motivate me.

Thanks to my beta knitchick. (By the way: Look at her profile. She writes really great stories.)

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

Enjoy

Chapter 16

Harry sighed... that was all he was able to do at the moment. To Harry's immense relief, the first week of school was finally over and it was now Saturday. He had been successful in passing both the Ancient Runes and Arithmancy tests and had happily told Professor Trelawney that he was dropping her class. She had been nearly catatonic, and if it had been up to her, he would have already died seven times since last Tuesday.

He scrunched up his face in distaste when he thought about the reason for his current bad mood and looked around. He was sitting near the lake and waiting for his friends to arrive so that they could start their daily training routine.

Harry ruffled his hair and looked up at the sky. That damn pink toad on two legs! He thought back on his first lesson with her.

Flashback

Harry looked over at Hermione who was sitting next to him with a slightly amused face, while some others were looking at her with disbelief. He could understand them very well. What was a Defense lesson without learning to defend yourself? Surely the Ministry couldn't be that stupid.

He looked at Umbridge and frowned. Okay… maybe they could, but that was not the point.

Everyone was currently reading their own copies of the new Defense book: 'Defensive Magical Theory' by Wilbert Slinkhart.

That is… everyone except Hermione, Ron, Draco and him. All four of them were staring at Umbridge and not even Hermione had bothered to follow the professor's instructions. She had her hand raised in the air and Harry was leaning back in his chair with a blank expression on his face every time Umbridge looked at him.

To his amusement, when he looked around he saw that the four of them weren't the only ones who weren't reading. Nearly every one of the students was staring at Hermione slightly open mouthed, and at the moment, she was more interesting than the book. After all, when had she ever not opened a book that was in front of her?

Umbridge, of course, ignored her, until not a single person in the class was reading. Then the toad seemed to decide that she couldn't ignore the situation any longer.

"Did you want to ask something about the chapter dear?" she asked, as though she had only just noticed Hermione.

Hermione shook her head and Harry flicked his wand while she was arguing relatively politely with Umbridge.

On the blackboard, which had been filled with text about magical theory, was now a drawing that showed the evolution of toads.

Umbridge, of course, was depicted as the end result of that evolution, and just like in real life the drawing had horrible pink clothes on.

The good thing: it was permanent.

He let the picture stay as it was and turned his attention back to Umbridge, who by now was arguing with the whole class.

The big questions of course were: Do we always read? – Yes. Do we practice defensive spells? - No. What about real life and a possible attack? – There won't be any attacks!

Harry wisely kept his mouth shut and Umbridge looked at him often as if daring him to say something. He just stared back at her with the same bored expression on his face he had before.

He was silently communicating with Draco, who sat two rows behind him, using his Phoenix skills.

'Do you think she will make a good fly-trap?' he asked silently.

He heard Draco snort before he answered. 'Those poor flies… not even they deserve to be near that… thing.'

Harry had to agree with that and they amused themselves even more when Ron joined the discussion about possible futures for their new Defense Professor.

From time to time Harry tuned in to the argument the rest of the class was taking an active part in. And to say he was miffed was the understatement of the century.

Suffice it to say, not a single house escaped losing points after that lesson.

End Flashback.

Harry looked up from his musings when Hermione jogged over to him. She stopped and sat down next to him; giving him a sweet kiss.

"And?" she asked and used his side as a backrest. "Had a good night's sleep?"

He shrugged. "I had a nightmare."

She looked at him alarmed and he grinned. "I dreamed that I was a fly and Umbitch tried to eat me. I tell you… that was scarier than Voldemort ever could hope to be!"

"You prat! Don't scare me like that!" said Hermione and swatted his arm while chuckling.

"But you're right," she said with a frown a short time later. "That horrible woman has no clue what it means to be a teacher. I don't understand how they can give us someone like her for our OWL year!"

"Relax Mione," said Harry and stretched his legs. "If you think back, we've really only had one good Defense teacher, and that was Remus."

"What about Moody?" asked Ron who had just arrived, "Mornin' by the way."

Harry snorted. "I don't know about the real Moody, but the Death Eater who taught us last year wasn't that bad. He was just a little too careless in my opinion."

"Says the one who's learning dark magic in its fullest," Draco threw in as he joined their little group.

"But really…," said Hermione and bit her lip as they started their warm up. "We have to do something if Umbridge is going to be like that for the rest of the year. We'll fail our OWL's for sure!"

"So you're saying…," asked Harry, "… that you really are worried about the exams?"

Hermione looked at him like he had grown a second head once they started their run. "Of course I am! OWL's are important for our future!"

He sighed. "Mione, even Ron could pass them with flying colors now that we've started to train. No offence of course."

"None taken mate," said Ron and went back to his Quidditch conversation with Draco.

"But that's no reason to let that woman do what she wants!" huffed Hermione.

"And that would be… what?" asked Harry bored. "She doesn't do anything useful in the first place, so why should it bother us what she's doing?"

"It's our education," answered Hermione exasperated. "We're suffering because she's not able to teach us what we have to know if we want to survive when Voldemort attacks."

Harry looked at her with a frown. "Okay… I see your point. We don't have to worry about that as much as the other students though."

"True, but I'm worried about the other students," said Hermione. "I know that we are preparing for… well… for war, but the others don't have a clue."

He sighed and looked at the shimmering surface of the lake. "You know that nearly everyone thinks I'm a lunatic and that Dumbledore has grown senile. Not many people out there believe us when we tell them that Voldemort is back."

Hermione looked down at her feet when they finished their run and started to do some sit-ups.

"I know that, but… do people have to die before they see the truth?"

Draco, who seemed to grasp what they were talking about, looked at Hermione. "Even then, that idiot of a Minister will try to cover it up. Believe me; I've met him often enough and he's such a waste of air…"

"I can second that," mumbled Harry when he had finished his work out and lay flat on his back to wait for the others to finish. "Why do all the people who have a say in things always have to be so bloody stupid?"

"Merlin knows why," shrugged Draco who was leaning against a tree.

Harry raised his eyebrows. "I'd sure like to ask him if he knows."

Draco rolled with his eyes and mumbled something Harry couldn't understand. Harry closed his eyes and tried to concentrate on his Phoenix form. He was still trying to get this 'teleporting thingy' down… obviously luck wasn't on his side.

******

Harry and Draco relaxed for fifteen minutes while Ron and Hermione finished their work out.

"Hey guys," said Ron who was breathing a little harder than normal. "Look who's there!"

Harry turned around and looked in the direction Ron was pointing. He shook his head and blinked. Wasn't that…?

"Isn't that Neville?" asked Hermione, sitting down and finishing his thoughts.

Draco tilted his head. "I think it's Longbottom, but… what the hell is he doing? Is he trying to learn how to dance, or what?"

Harry rolled his eyes and threw Draco a mild glare. "Of course he isn't, you dumbass!" He looked at Hermione and she nodded slightly. "Wait here. I'll be right back."

He stood up and dusted his clothes off before walking over to a tree that he could now clearly identify as the Whomping Willow. It was moving it branches around rapidly and he could see flashes of light hit it from time to time.

Harry watched Neville jump over one of the branches and then take a couple of steps back out of the Willow's reach.

He watched a little bit longer and a small smile formed on his lips. Neville kept jumping, dodging and attacking the branches, but he could see, that he was getting tired and wouldn't last much longer.

It wasn't until a branch came dangerously close to hitting Neville, who had tripped over a stone and fallen, that Harry interfered. He immediately had his wand out and shot a spell at the knot on the base of the tree rendering it immobile.

Harry approached Neville and chuckled when he saw his flabbergasted face.

"That was pretty good Neville," Harry grinned.

Neville looked up a little startled. "Wh-what? H-harry? Um… thanks I g-guess."

Harry offered Neville his hand and helped him to his feet. He looked exhausted. His face was covered in sweat and his shirt was torn at the arms, as were his jeans and he had a small cut on his right cheek that was still bleeding a little bit.

"Do you do this often?" asked Harry and nodded over to the tree. "Pick fights with trees?"

Neville looked at the ground. "I… I've done it nearly every… every day for the last week…"

"Wow," said Harry who gave him a sincere smile. "Well, it seems to be paying off! I thought you'd been working out over the holidays or something like that."

Neville shook his head and fingered his wand nervously. "No… I got t-the idea when I s-saw you and the other three working out together. I guessed… well… I guessed that it would be a good idea now… now that V-v-volde-voldemort is back."

Harry had a lot more respect for the former Gryffindor after that. He never would have thought, that Neville of all people would say Voldemort's name out loud?

"Yeah," he nodded. "It's a good idea to train for a possible war. And dueling with the Whomping Willow… that's just brilliant! You sure know how to do it up right!"

Neville blushed slightly under the praise. "Th-thanks."

Harry looked over at Hermione, Draco and Ron who were staring in his direction. He tilted his head slightly and then turned back to Neville. "Want to join us? We're finished with training for today, but we were gonna hang out at the lake a bit."

"Um… I think I'll j-just be in the w-way…," said Neville in a small voice and Harry rolled his eyes before grabbing his arm.

"Come on! You're not in the way! It'll be fun to have someone else in our group," he said while dragging the surprised Neville over to the others.

"Hey guys," Harry chirped. "Lookie, lookie what I found!"

Hermione and Ron chuckled and Draco groaned and hid his face behind his towel. "Now he's starting that again…"

Harry grinned and stepped behind his friends. "Say hello to Neville." He petted each of them on the head like dogs. "Neville, this is Ronnie, Dray and Mione."

"Hello Neville!" the three chorused and started to laugh.

"Um… hi," answered Neville shyly.

"Good boys. Good girl," chuckled Harry and sat down. "Sorry, I haven't any dog biscuits with me. You'll have to wait until lunch."

Draco scrunched his face up in distaste. "God forbid! I would never eat anything like that!"

Hermione turned to Neville. "And? How are you Neville?"

"Yeah. Are the Puffs treating you good?" Ron threw in, and grinned when Hermione gave him an annoyed glare.

Neville nodded and Harry saw him really smile for the first time. "I'm fine, a-and it's great to be in Hufflepuff. I wrote my Gran, but at first she didn't like it… then I reminded her that I'm a Prefect and she's okay with it now… I guess."

"That's great!" smiled Hermione. "How about your classes?"

Neville shrugged and looked at the ground after he sat down. "Herbology is good… I think. And Care of Magical Creatures as well, but everything e-else… well… I'm absolutely rubbish at Potions… a-and useless in Defense, Charms and Transfiguration. I won't even mention History of Magic and Divination…"

Draco snorted and Neville flinched. "Divination is hardly something you have to know. Who wants to stare at a crystal ball anyway? And it's impossible to listen to Binns' monotonous droning about the Goblin Wars. So it's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Um…," was all Neville said while looking at Draco a little unsure. "Thanks?"

Draco just grinned and enlarged his bag, which had been in his pocket, before taking out a book about potions.

"And you are not useless in anything," said Hermione softly. "Everyone can do some things, just maybe not as well as someone else."

Harry nodded. "And you aren't useless in Defense. I just saw that for myself when you fought against the Willow."

"And you're not useless in Charms either," said Ron. "You just need… practice. And Potions… well… I guess someone has to be at the bottom of the class."

"Very nice Ronald!" snapped Hermione and rolled her eyes. "That was really nice! Idiot!"

But Neville smiled. "Maybe… I finally got the Expelliarmus right in just the last two days… I'd never managed to do it before. And I w-was able to ho-hover a rock in the air for two minutes…"

Hermione beamed. "See? All you need is practice!"

Harry looked at Draco out of the corner of his eye and smirked when he saw that he wasn't really reading, but listening to their conversation. He coughed quietly and Draco glanced at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Well…," said Harry and laid his head down on Hermione's lap to use it as a pillow. "How about we help each other Nev?"

"Comfortable?" asked Hermione a little annoyed by the fact that he hadn't asked first. He just grinned at her and looked expectantly at Neville.

"You mean… with some training?" he asked quietly and looked at them for a short time before looking at the ground again. "But you said help each other… I'm not a-able to help you with anything…"

Ron sat up straight. "Are you kidding?! I'm absolutely rubbish at Herbology!"

Harry nodded. "I'm not that good with plants either… so you can help us with Herbology; you are absolutely brilliant in that subject! Not even Hermione is as good as you are."

Neville blushed again, but nodded. "Okay then... I'll help you in Herbology."

"Then it's settled," said Draco and snapped his book shut. "We're five now." He looked Neville straight in the eye. "But I'll tell you one thing: It won't be easy to train with us."

Neville gulped and Harry sighed. "He's right, you know? We train very hard and sometimes… well... we sometimes train for forty-eight hours straight. But don't worry. It's just hard at the beginning. You get used to exercising and with time the training will be easier."

Hermione looked down at him. "I guess you and Draco will be doing the 'special program' with him then?"

Harry frowned. "No… at least not now. It's too early for that. And… I want to find out something first before we use the pocket watch."

"So Neville? Up for a game of chess?" asked Ron and effectively took Neville's nervous mind off the upcoming training.

"Yeah, sure… but I'm not very good."

Ron took a chessboard and pieces out of his bag. "No problem. I can teach you some moves."

"Okay."

Hermione meanwhile had decided to take out a book, and Harry frowned at her.

"Hey! Is that book more important than me?" he cried.

She looked down at him with a small mischievous smile and turned a page. "Yes… why?"

He pouted. "That's not fair. What's so…" he craned his neck to read the title. "… much more interesting about Care of Magical Creatures than me?"

"For one, they don't talk as much," answered Hermione. "And… well that was it."

"Nice…," mumbled Harry and got up to cup her chin with his fingers. "But can a book do this?"

He leaned forward and started to give her a kiss when a chess piece flew through the space between their eyes and Ron's face popped up next to them.

"Sorry," he said and looked at the broken piece. "I guess I ordered my knight a little too enthusiastically."

"Ronald…," growled Harry and Hermione at the same time.

"Um…," chuckled Ron sheepishly. "I didn't mean to interrupt your snogging session! Honestly! It really was an accident!"

"You are absolutely unbelievable," sighed Hermione while Harry conjured a pillow and threw it into the redhead's face. "You really know how to kill the mood…"

Ron grinned. "That's my job! Ouch!"

"Idiot," mumbled Draco after Ron got hit by another pillow.

Neville was still brooding over the chessboard and didn't seem to notice the commotion going on around him. Harry's eyes widened and he smirked at Ron who was currently glaring at the pillow in his lap.

"You know… I think you should concentrate a little more on the game," said Harry.

"Why?" asked Ron and looked at the board. "Neville is still thinking and I'm giving him his…"

Then Neville moved his piece and Ron's jaw hit the ground. Neville looked up and smiled at him.

"Checkmate! I win!"

"But… that… I… how?" stuttered Ron and his eyes darted from piece to piece. "Gulpin' Gargoyles… I didn't notice your castle over there…"

Neville nodded. "I wondered about that. I sometimes play w-with my Gran and she always sees right through me."

"Then your Gran must be a bloody brilliant player," smiled Harry after observing the board more closely. "And she taught you well. You're better than me by far."

Ron nodded and flicked his wand. "Care for another game?"

Neville smiled happily. "Sure!"

*******

Not far from where the teens were relaxing, two people were standing, unseen by everyone else and hidden in the shadows. All you could see were their smiles

"Well… they're doing well. They're already forming a unity between the houses," the first shadow said. "I'm interested to see when they will be asking for help…"

"Yes," said the second shadow. Clearly a woman. "They are growing stronger day by day. And they have really good friends."

"So it is," said the first person and a pulse of magic surrounded them.

*******

Harry frowned and looked over towards the Forbidden Forest. He was sure that someone was watching them… he had felt a familiar pulse of magic just now. He squinted into the darkness of the trees and a small smile formed on his face.

He nudged Draco and nodded over to the trees. He too frowned, but then smiled when he looked back at Harry.

Who would have thought that they would see them again so soon?

So that was the newest chapter of my story.

I hope you liked it.

Don't forget the Reviews!

Dark Phoenix of Slytherin