Author's note: Next Chapter! Sorry if I've been keeping you all hanging for long. Actually I'm writing another fanfic as well. It's a Twilight Fanfiction.
Now I know, most Harry Potter fans dislike Twilight but it's okay. I'll still be posting the link here because I'll be posting it from another account.
For those who like Twilight, please give it a go. It's under the username 'jsampada50' and the story is 'Devoted.' I hope you guys (I mean all those who will read it) enjoy it as well. It's from Edward's POV!
Now back to Harry Potter! (Personal favourite)
maesde: Thank you. Yes, I did consider Harry/Daphne pairing in the beginning but as the story progressed I thought Ginny will be a better option. I think it will be Theo/Daphne but I haven't thought about it. Maybe it's something I'll know as I progress writing!
101FrozenFire101: First thing 'Happy Birthday' (A belated one. Hehe) I hope you had a great one and enjoyed a lot! Next thing, thank you for the review. The Slytherins training is going to be quite different from the other DA members considering they spent more time training with the DA Core. So, they will learn something different as Harry teaches 'Advanced Magic' to the DA Core. So, it's going to be some new and powerful magic that they'll be learning. And a small part of that training is there in this chapter!
Legionary Prime: Thank you for the review! Yes, you are right; with Slytherins siding up with DA it's going to be difficult for her but not impossible. Your suggestions are most welcomed. I was actually facing some problems with what I could do about Umbridge; you might just solve my problem. Thanks- looking forward for your suggestion!
Starzinmieyez: Yes, exactly! They'll become friends as the story progresses further. They are going to learn how to trust and lean on each other. Thank you for reviewing!
….
"Okay all you need to do is go to her and ask her out for the weekend." Theo said slowly. He and Ron were huddled up in the corner of the couch, their heads together whispering continuously for the past half an hour.
"But it's not easy man, she is always with someone. They walk in groups like a herd." Ron screwed up his face and Harry burst out laughing.
"That…that was the most appropriate description ever." He said between his fits of laughter.
"It's true mate…" Ron said, giving his reasons. "Have you ever seen a girl walk alone? No, they have to walk in groups. I say, it should be banned. How the fuck is any boy supposed to go and ask them out if half the girl population surrounds her?" Ron was really angry by now and Harry held up his hands.
"I know mate. But you have to take chances if you really like her." Harry looked down at his defence book and continued with his work.
"He is mental." Hermione said. She was sitting with Luna, completing their Charms homework. Luna giggled. "That he is and if doesn't ask her out early, we all are surely to go mental."
Hermione smiled at her. "Where's Neville?" she asked looking around at the room and not finding him.
"He went down to the lake, said he wanted to pick up some plant for his Herbology assignment." Luna let out a sign and continued with her homework.
"Hey Hermione…" Ron called out from his position on the couch. She looked up at him and he gave her a pleading look before asking, "Lavender is in your class for Ancient Runes isn't it?" he again gave her a pleading look.
Hermione's eyes widened when she realised what Ron wanted her to do. She shouted at him at the top of her voice. "I'm not going to ask her out on your behalf Ronald."
Harry's book fell from his lap and he laughed clutching his sides. Ron blushed a deep red and Theo joined Harry in the laugh. "But…." He began.
"What but? Ronald. I'm not going to ask her or any girl out. Gosh! You have gone bonkers. Helping in your homework is one thing but this…forget it. And you both…" she pointed a finger at Harry and Theo, "…stop laughing now." Her eyes flashed with anger and both the boys turned silent.
"Okay..." Theo said turning to look at an angry Hermione. "Don't worry you don't have to ask anyone. Ron will do it. I'll help you."
"I'm in as well." Harry said and got up from his armchair and sat beside Ron on the couch.
"This is ridiculous." Hermione said, picking up her quill to finish off her homework. Luna had turned bright red, as she did her best to control her laughter. "Luna…"
Hermione scolded. "Alright I'm sorry." She said and turned back to her homework again.
Half an hour later Draco came back from his classes followed by Neville. Ginny had returned from her Potions as well. Blaise and Daphne were yet to return from their classes.
Draco sat next to Hermione who was reading handwritten notes on the Banishing Charm.
"Hey." He said as he sat down next to her. He loosed his tie all the while staring at Hermione.
"Hello." She said, not looking up from her notes.
"Will you stop that? I want to talk."
"Sure." She closed her notes and looked up at him curiously.
"Thank you for giving me a chance." He said slowly, avoiding her eyes. He had never thanked anyone before in his life. It was foreign to him, like all those emotions he felt when she was around him.
"Don't thank me Draco. If you want to thank, then thank Harry. If he had said no, there was nothing I could have done for you." Hermione said sincerely. It was true, if Harry had said no to the idea of the Slytherins, especially Draco joining the DA there was nothing that Hermione could have done. All hope would have been lost and she would have definitely lost Draco.
"I know, it's not easy for you to talk to Harry casually. But he deserves it. He gave you a chance which the world could never give you and with that he gave us a chance too, you know."
Draco knew she was right. He owed Harry a lot. He gave him a chance when the world refused. Harry accepted him and gave him his Hermione, when the world would have refused and done everything to sweep him off the face off the earth. He had to talk and thank him but the thing called ego, which was responsible for the hatred he got stopped him.
"Hermione…" he began.
"No Draco. Swallow up your ego. Harry has and he is trying." It was three days since the Slytherins had joined DA. And to say the truth, they had gotten fairly well together. Yes, they had fought, there were spells and hexes and injuries but in the end everyone was trying.
"Okay." He said finally agreeing to Hermione because it was true. Harry did not let his ego come in the way whenever he taught him something or the other Slytherins. He behaved the same way he did with his friends and Draco had to give him credit for that.
His eyes drifted off to the room and he spotted Harry near one of the windows. "Ah…" he said unsurely. "I'll go and…you know talk." He said awkwardly. Hermione smiled encouragingly at him.
Harry was standing near the windows, his thoughts far away from the present. He was worried, he still hadn't heard from Sirius. He knew it was difficult for him to write under Umbridge's nose, but Harry was desperate for a letter from him, even if it was just a word. He heard footsteps behind him and he turned to tell Ron that he wanted to be alone for a moment, but he stopped when he saw Draco standing there.
"Potter, I want to talk." He said, avoiding the green eyes as they burned holes at him.
"Sure." He said and turned back at the window.
"I just….look Potter. I wanted to say thanks." he said in a breath and looked up at him when he didn't say anything for a long time.
"You don't have to." Harry said after a long time. He measured Draco with his eyes, debating whether he was serious or not.
"Look I have to…" he began but Harry cut him off.
"Everyone deserves second chances Malfoy, even a git like you." A small smile played on his lips and Draco smiled back at him, relived that he didn't have to face Harry's ego.
"It meant a lot…you don't know Potter what I have gone through. It was…bad, my parents and everyone. I've suffered." He looked into those green eyes, wishing he would understand those empty words he had just spoken.
"Everyone suffers Malfoy in some way or the other. Jealously, love, hatred, is nothing but suffering with just different names. Ron has suffered and so did Hermione. I have too and so have you. Everyone does. I hardly think there is anyone who hasn't. It's a part of life."
Draco knew what Harry was talking about and he was right. All those times when he felt jealous of him for getting all those attention and fame, the hatred he felt for him, made him suffer, made him torture. Harry was right.
"But there is no suffering greater than the ones which your parents give you? Is there?" Draco asked, and he remembered all those times when his father had punished him for 'disciplinary acts.'
"I'm sorry but I cannot give you anything on this one, Malfoy. I'm afraid I'm not the right choice for this question."
"You've suffered a lot isn't it?" he asked. Draco didn't know why he asked him, he just wanted to know.
"Suffering has a lot of forms I told you Malfoy and yes I have seen some of those. Hatred for all those people who grew within the four walls of their houses, jealous of all those people who were within the strong confines of their parents arms, anger against all those who took advantage of the luxurious things which their life provided them with, fear of all those people who wants to take away what has been left with me." his voice drifted off and Draco suddenly realised how much Harry had aged in those words he had spoken. He was shocked to see that no 15-16 year old boy stood before him but instead he saw a grown up man forced into the body of a teenager and in that moment he knew just how much Harry had suffered in his life.
No one said anything for a long time. They just stood there buried deep in their own thoughts, far too much engrossed to notice who stood beside them. They had their own thoughts and opinions to consider.
"I did offer my friendship to you, back in first year." Draco said in a whisper, it was low and he was sure Harry had heard him.
"And I was placed in Slytherin by the Sorting Hat." Harry said, lifting his head and meeting the grey, cold eyes of Malfoy.
"Then how…" he was shocked. How the hell did he land himself in Gryffindor then?
"I asked the Sorting Hat to place myself in Gryffindor." Harry said slowly, and turned back at the window. Small flakes of snow were gathered on the ground, turning the brown and green thing white.
"And if I had been in Slytherin, there would have been no doubt who I would have befriended then." Harry's eyes first gazed across Draco and then at Theo and Blaise who had returned.
"It would have been you who would have helped me in fighting against Voldemort. You would have simply replaced Ron and Hermione in all those quests and adventures. In the end you were destined to turn your back on the Dark side."
Draco was shocked. He racked his brain and forced himself to think and imagine what Harry had told him. He imagined Harry accepting his friendship and being sorted into Slytherin. He saw Harry sitting beside himself at the Slytherin table and making fun of the Gryffindors. He saw their friendship strengthening and becoming even more powerful over the years and in the end there was no doubt that he would turned his back on the Dark side for the sake of his friendship.
He looked up at the Boy-Who-Lived. His eyes were staring across the grounds and Draco couldn't help himself. He knew Harry was right and he realised what position he now held and what role he was going to play at the upcoming war. It was bound to happen and Draco decided he would give his best in the fighting.
"I think we should head back to the group. There is something I have to teach you'll today." Harry turned and joined everyone on the couch. Draco stood at the windows for a minute longer and returned back as well. Hermione raised her eyebrows questioningly when her eyes met Draco's but he shook his head and mouthed 'later on.' She nodded approvingly and turned her attention back to Harry who had begun with the lesson.
"There are some boundaries within which your magic works. But if you break these your magic will work wonders." They were standing in the middle of the room facing Harry. All the furniture was huddled up against one side of the wall giving them enough space to practice.
"Today, I'll teach you that. I'll teach you how to break those boundaries and work wonders with your magic. You'll realise how much more you can do with it then just hexing. It is surly going to shock the enemies when you are going to show off how much control you have upon your own magic."
Harry took a step forward towards the group. "I'll need volunteers." He smiled and continued. "Blaise, Luna and Ron step forward." They did as told. "You all have already mastered the protective shield, so this will be easier for you, it should be."
"What I'm going to teach you now, is complicated. For it to work, the most important thing is coordination and trust. If you trust your partner it will work, a slight lose faith and it will rebound. Therefore, you will have to learn to trust each other blindly for this."
"I'll teach you how to protect you and your partner with your shield and fire through it." everyone looked shocked.
"But Harry, you cannot fire through your own shield, it will rebound." Neville said looking genuinely shocked.
"That's what I meant by working wonders Nev."
This was not something Draco had thought he would get to see. It was not possible. He had read every book that was there in the library upon self-protective shield and he had never heard anyone firing through their own shield and staying uninjured.
"Okay. Ron stand over there." Harry pointed his finger to the wall which was father from the group. He turned to Blaise and Luna. "Blaise stand beside me and Luna stand behind, across from him so that Ron is visible to both of you." They did as told.
"Now Blaise, throw up your shield, the strongest one you can manage." Blaise flicked his wand and a light blue bubble covered him from head to foot. It was like a wall between him and Ron that stretched left and right and covered Luna.
"Okay, now concentrate on what I say." Harry moved an inch closer to Blaise, his green eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Do you know where your magical core is situated Blaise?"
Blaise nodded and said, "Hands." Small beads of sweat rolled off his forehead.
"Excellent, now concentrate on your core. Throw out as much energy and magic as you can upon your shield. Look inside you Blaise, and push it out with all your strength. The body stores extra amount of magic, just like energy, find it and push it out with your hands. Concentrate."
The tension in the room increased as Blaise concentrated. His face was shining but tensed. He had closed his eyes in concentration. Hermione's breath was etched in her chest and she held Draco's hand who squeezed hers in return. Ginny looked worriedly at Harry.
Just then, Blaise's hands shined with energy and he opened his eyes. "Brilliant Blaise" Harry said, moving closer to him. "Now, stretch your hands forward and touch your shield." Blaise did as told. He spread his fingers against the light blue wall of his shield.
"Now, Try to lift it up." Blaise looked shockingly at Harry, who gave him a trust-me look. Blaise nodded, "How?"
"Just like you did with your core. Use the energy from your hands and spread it against your shield. Feel your shield, not with your hands but within you. Unless you don't make your shield a part of you, it won't move. Feel it inside you with the help of the energy that you created. Feel and make it a part of you, stretch your fingers and feel it. See how your shield has surrounded you, look how it is curved and imprint it upon yourself. Know your shield Blaise, every crack, every curve, let it get and be a part of you."
It took more than five minutes for Blaise to do that. His face was now covered with sweat and it rolled off his face as he concentrated with closed eyes. "Done." He said as his fingers spread against his shield, like a traveller knowing his way around with blind eyes.
"Now try to lift it up." Harry said slowly and Blaise screwed up his face in concentration again as he attempted to lift his wall. "Let your fingers guide you Blaise. Lift it when you are ready."
Harry had a lot of patience, he stood beside Blaise and encouraged him, guided him as he attempted to lift his shield. At the fifth try Blaise lifted the shield, effortlessly, like it was weightless.
"Excellent Blaise." Harry said, bouncing with excitement. He then turned to Luna. "Luna, now listen to me. Just when Blaise lifts his shield I want you to fire Stupefy at Ron. But you have to be careful. You have to concentrate on Blaise and his shield. He will lift it off just enough for your Stupefy to pass. You have to measure it cleverly. If you mess up, it will rebound on both of you."
Luna nodded and stretched her wand arm forward. "Blaise lift your shield." Harry instructed and Blaise did as told. He lifted his shield, Luna's eyes were trained on Blaise and just as he created enough space for her spell to pass she cried, "Stupefy."
The spell passed effortlessly between his shield and threw Ron across the room. Blaise restored his wall, amazed and shocked. Harry smiled with satisfaction. Blaise threw his shield down and faced Harry. Everyone was silent with shock at what they had just seen. Luna had indeed fired a stupefy from Blaise's shield without injuring either of them.
"Blimy Harry." Ron said, walking over to him.
"That was…brilliant." Blaise said, panting a little.
"Harry…"Hermione began but Harry cut her off.
"I was reading on the limitations of shields and how you can alter and work with them. And this just struck me, you know." Harry said a little embarrassed.
"It was amazing." Draco said and Harry nodded appreciatively at him.
"Okay, now I want you all to practice it. It's going to take some time to get used to it. But once you do, it will be just a game of seconds but keep changing your partners. It'll help."
They did as he told. And they practiced; first out of curiosity and then out of understanding. They knew in order to win against the Death Eaters they had to do something more powerful, something that will throw the Death Eaters off guard. They took the option of surprise pretty seriously. They were going to face the Death Eaters with spells they had never seen or even knew existed.
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Done! I hope you guys enjoyed it because I definitely did when I wrote it.
Review! Review!