A/N: I don't know Gerald's actual surname so I've made one up. And sorry if he's really OOC.

Chapter 6 – New Experiences

Harry POV

"What've I done to become Mr Potter again?" I quizzed her. She hadn't called me that since I became a teacher.

"Slipping back into old habits I'm afraid. You know you've been teaching for too long when you see students become teachers or when their kids are about to leave school themselves." She answered. We both chuckled.

"I'm guessing that you didn't keep me back to tell me about your retirement plans?" I questioned.

"No." She replied. She hesitated slightly before moving on to the issue. "You've seen our security measures in action. Do you think we need to upgrade them in case he decides to attack the school?" She asked.

"Isn't this something you should discuss with Leon?" I asked her back.

"Yes but you have seen them in action, he hasn't. Also we both know that you and your children will most likely be his targets, especially if this summer is anything to go by."

I sighed before answering her original question. "I was afraid of that. Before I came here I formulated a plan with my closest and trusted friends. The protective enchantments should be used to protect the students. We will need an instant way of messaging people, but we were going to meet up in Hogsmeade and face him together." I explained.

"You can't go out there with only six people." She exclaimed. "No, we should give any of the other teachers a chance to help as well."

"That would be a great help, but there would actually be quite a few more than that. The whole Weasly family and my family will help as well, including Moody, Remus and Tonks." I gave her more information.

"Are you sure that's wise Potter?" She asked. "I mean they are supposedly dead."

"They're all itching for a fight actually and they came up with the plan. They should be involved."

"I suppose that you're right. Hat have you been listening to the conversations again?" She asked the sorting hat, who normally resided in her office.

"Headmistress, I am only used once a year at the beginning of a year. For the rest of it I am sitting in this room, the only thing keeping me occupied is to listen into your conversations." The Hat replied.

She sighed before speaking once more. "We should turn in for the night, since it is a new school day tomorrow. We shall need to talk about this again, maybe with the other teachers. Goodnight Harry." She said effectively dismissing me for the night.

Gerald POV

Shit I was going to be late. I knew I could sleep in and still be on time, but I still wouldn't get there fast enough to be on time this morning. She'd probably be waiting for me, oh well it wasn't like I had given her a very good impression last night anyway, it was probably better for her to stay away from me.

Shoving my robe on, I yanked my door open to face her in exactly the same position opposite me. "Good morning. Guess I'm not the only late one for breakfast. Fancy showing me the way to the Great hall from here?" She rattled off quickly smiling. I stood there a little stunned for a second before nodding my head in reply.

We didn't talk much on the way to the hall, just a few passing comments on houses and subjects.

As we entered the hall we broke apart to eat at our respective tables. She went towards Gryffindor and I went towards Ravenclaw. I sat down near McGee and took out my 'Anaemia' tablets and put them into a glass of water. The water slowly turned red.

As I was drinking Professor Aaron came up to me. "Which subjects will you be taking this year Mr Wilson?" She asked me so that she could write out my timetable for this year.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts, Charms, Astronomy, Herbology, and Ancient Runes." I suddenly realised that most of my classes were with Abigail except for one.

"Okay." She said quickly scribbling out my timetable for the rest of the year. "If you want to make any amendments please come and see me within the next two weeks, after that you will be stuck with these classes for the next two years." Professor Aaron then asked McGee what subjects he would like to continue on with.

I quickly downed my glass and went over to the Gryffindor table to collect Abigail. McGee was only a few steps behind me, presumably going to see the rest of his mates.

"So what've you got first Abigail?" I asked as I reached her at the table. She turned around with a dark glare on her face. Had I said something wrong?

"It's ABBY!" She said through clenched teeth.

"Sorry didn't know." She looked at me like it wasn't a good enough excuse.

"Hey Abby. When have you got a free?" McGee asked her. She turned her attention to him, instantly brightening up. I hadn't known that she knew some people already.

"Third and last today." She recited perfectly without even glancing at her timetable.

"Shame, I've got one now." He replied.

"I think both Jenny and Zeeva have one now as well though." She told him.

"Okay thanks. I'll see you later then?" She nodded to him as he left to find the other people who were on his free.

"So are you going to answer my question then?" I asked, gaining her attention once more.

"Herbology, however Al's going to show me there, so there's no need for you to go out of your way to show me there." She said smiling.

I looked down at my timetable for the first time and saw what my first lesson was. "I wouldn't be actually, since I also have Herbology first."

"Oh I suppose that you could walk with us then, I don't think Al will mind." She offered.

Abby POV

"What wouldn't I mind?" Al asked as he walked up to us.

"Well Gerald here was supposed to show me to my first lesson, but I said that you were, but then he told me that he also had Herbology first, so I said that you wouldn't mind if he walked with us to keep up the pretence of having to show me to my first class." I replied talking at my usual speed, at which only Al and Tony could understand me. My other family were beginning to understand it but not as well.

"Yeah that's fine. Have you taken your anaemia tablets this morning?" Al asked, concerned.

"Yes. I'm not likely to forget those; I'm not going back to how I was before." I said half sarcastically but mostly cryptically. I couldn't talk about my 'condition' in front of those who didn't know.

"You're anaemic? How weird is that? So am I!" Gerald said sounding slightly surprised.

"Yeah!" I replied sounding interested, knowing I had to keep the lie up. "It was the reason I had to stay away from school for so long. There were complications which made me worse than I should have been; it also meant that I couldn't be given the normal drugs." I explained in more detail, knowing that it could be cured easily with regular tablet doses. A bell rang. "I'm guessing that's the signal to get to lessons." I said jumping up from my seat. I grabbed both Al and Gerald by the arms and dragged them out of the great hall. "So which way is it towards Herbology?" I asked.

"Outside in the greenhouses." Both boys answered at once. We all burst out laughing. After our small laughing fit we managed to get to class fairly quickly.

Walking inside greenhouse 5, we dropped each others' arms and stood to the side there were a few others in the greenhouse but I guessed that this was a small class. "Hey Abby!" Kate shouted walking over to us. "Looks like a fair turn out for this class doesn't it?" She commented. Just then a man who looked a similar age to my dad walked in, I guessed that this was our Professor.

"So you have all chosen to stay with Herbology. This year will be an exciting year. Today's lesson will be a little bit of fun. I'm going to ask you to find and identify a few plants. Step up to one of the water tanks each please." We all now noticed the tanks spread around the room. I stepped up to one on the centre table near Al and Gerald, while Kate took the one opposite me. Each tank had a separator and in each side a different plant which both looked very similar. "Inside these tanks are two species of plants. I will tell you now that one of the plants is the seaweed Ulva Intestinalis; you must decide which plant this is and identify the other. There is a timer next to each of you, when you have finished click the timer and stick your hand in the air. You may start." He then waved his wand and all the timers started.

I immediately took a board from the stack at the side of the room. I took a small section from each and sniffed. The one from the right smelt a bit salty and stagnant. I dipped my finger in the water to test it. The left compartment had fresh water and the right had salt water. I rubbed the small section I had cut off between my fingers. The section from the green plant was slightly waxy in texture while the section from the green-grey plant was slimy.

My hand shot out to the timer as the other shot to the air, a second later Gerald's did the same. Professor Longbottom walked over to me first. "So Miss Potter, it seems we have a star on our hands." He said quietly. "Which do you think is the seaweed Ulva Intestinalis? And can you identify the other?" He asked me both questions at once.

"That would be the plant on the left." I replied quietly, to give the other students a chance to work it out. "The plant on the right is Gillyweed." I told him.

"Well done, you can relax for a bit now while you wait for the other students." He then moved over to Gerald, as Al's hand shot into the air. I took to watching the other students at work. Some seemed to be on the right track while others seemed to be struggling. A few more students' hands went into the air and Professor Longbottom worked his way around the students as they all started to identify the two species.

"You cheated didn't you?" Al asked me quietly since we had both finished. "That's why you identified them so quickly."

"I didn't cheat. I just have an advantage." I said cryptically, in case anyone could hear, which I didn't think they could. "Anyway, Gerald worked it out just as quickly as me and you weren't far behind." I commented. He shrugged as the class was called to order.

"You were all correct in identifying the plant in the left side of the tank as the seaweed Ulva Intestinalis and the plant in the right side of the tank as the plant Gillyweed." He congratulated us. "Now I have spread out some other plants in this room. The first plant I want you to find is Duckweed."

I started looking in the water tanks knowing that this was a pond dwelling plant. I quickly found a tank with a plant which had many small circular leaves floating at the top. I stuck my hand in the air and everyone crowded round as Professor Longbottom told everyone a few facts about the plant. The rest of the lesson went much like this with different people finding the plants.

"The lesson is almost over now. All that is left to do is set you some homework." There was groan in unison from the students. "I'm setting you a 300 word essay on Gillyweed. There are many books in the library which will help you with your research. You may also come into the greenhouse during your study periods to carry out small experiments if it will aid your work. Class is now dismissed." The bell rang as the class started to shuffle out of the greenhouse.