Chapter Fifteen - Come and Ride The Train

Theo eventually returned to classes and the dormitory. He wouldn't meet anyone's eyes, and he still refused to speak. He was always face down in his books, quill scratching away.

Harry felt awful for his friend and wished for the thousandth time that there was something he could actively do to help. As November passed into December and the castle began to think of Christmas, Harry found himself wondering if he should sign up to stay at the castle with Theo.

"Hey, Theo," Harry said one evening in the dormitory.

The boy didn't turn, but the quill paused.

"It's going to be the holiday coming up soon, and I figured, I mean, with things the way they are and all, you know, I thought it would be nice if you came home with me."

The quill began moving again.

"Or," Harry said desperately, "if you wanted, I could stay here with you."

The quill paused once more. Theo turned around and briefly looked up at Harry. Harry shivered from the intensity of Theo's eyes. There was no hope, no life in those eyes. The boy blinked once and turned back to his essay.

"It's okay, Harry," Crabbe said suddenly. "I know you've been looking forward to this. I'll stay with Theo. Goyle invited me, but I think I'm needed here more."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. We'll have a jolly old time."

Harry continued to worry about his friend as he worked on his homework. Alone, or near enough to it, was no way to spend Christmas. His own invitation had been rebuffed, but Harry and Theo had been rather on the outs for the past year or more. Maybe Theo would be more likely to accept if one of his older friends invited him.

Unable to focus on his schoolwork, Harry closed his books and headed out to the common room. Several of his friends were sitting in front of the fireplace chatting quietly.

"Hey, guys."

"Harry, join us?"

"What's happening?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary. Couldn't study any more right now."

"Same with us. Going to get back to it in a few minutes, though."

"I probably will too." Harry hesitated for a moment. "I'm worried about Theo. Where's he going to go for Christmas?"

"I hadn't thought about it," Draco said. "I guess he'll stay here, yes?"

"Seems a miserable way to spend Christmas," Millie said.

"I thought so. I invited him to come home with me."

"He accepted?"

"No. Didn't say anything, really."

"That's typical this year."

"Crabbe offered to stay, but I think the best place for him would be with one of us."

"I tend to agree. I'll invite him."

"Really?"

"Sure. It beats having to put up with Arcen for the holiday. My kid sisters would love him. I don't know anyone who can keep scowling around that pair. I bet Theo and I could have a lot of fun."

"That's great, Millie," Harry said with relief. "That sounds like just what he needs."

One of Professor Umbridge's new security measures had been for prefects to patrol in pairs, rather than singly. It had played havoc with their study schedules, and Harry was down to only six and a half hours of sleep every night during the week. He was looking forward to the holiday break, such as it would be with his study plan. He recognized that it was O.W.L. year, but he was starting to feel like a Ravenclaw, not a Slytherin.

The fifth year Slytherins had been assigned to snow duty. It continued to pile up on the castle and grounds. The battlements were covered with great drifts that patrolling prefects had to remove every night with fire spells.

"Maybe Goyle should have been the prefect," Harry complained to Pansy as they worked.

Pansy laughed merrily at the thought. Goyle was good at Fire Charms and little else.

"Can you see him now? Can you imagine the look on Weasley's face if Goyle were to give him detention?"

Harry snickered. It was December, and he hadn't yet issued a detention to anyone, let alone Weasley.

"Come on," he said, changing the subject. "We're going to be late for duelling club."

They'd all been working hard in the Ministry Youth Club. The good casters had hexed everyone else so they could work on their Protego Shield. Now Professor Umbridge introduced the next phase of her plan.

"Hem, hem. You have all done quite well to master the Protego Shield. Now you will begin to work on the list of hexes, jinxes, and curses that your fellow youth have been casting on you for all these weeks. It's time for you all to get your payback."

Ron Weasley looked like the cat that ate the canary. He certainly ate everything else in sight. Harry knew he would be getting a lot of angry hexes from the Gryffindor Seeker.

"Good thing my shield is pretty solid," he muttered.

"Come on, Potter! Let's see if you can take it as well as you can dish it out."

Harry cast the shield and stood there waiting for Weasley to attempt his first spell.

Weasley didn't go for a Disarming Charm. He didn't try the Full-Body Bind or the Jelly-Legs Jinx either. Fury raged in his eyes as he pointed his wand.

"Bombarda!"

The force of the Blasting Curse pushed Harry back a step or two. His shield held, but Harry knew he'd only be able to block a few more times before he needed to recast.

"Not bad, Weasley," Harry taunted. "Not good, but not totally horrible either."

"Shut up, Potter. Diffindo!"

The Severing Curse was also absorbed by Harry's shield. Weasley had remembered Professor Moody's lesson from last year about mixing up his spells, because he went through the whole gamut that Umbridge had provided them. Harry noted with interest that Weasley succeeded with every spell; nothing fizzled out on him.

Harry certainly got some practice with the Protego Shield. Every four or five spells, Harry would need to reinforce it just to keep Weasley from breaking through. The red-haired twat was better than Harry had ever given him credit for.

"Hem, hem. Well done, everyone. The Minister is very proud of you all. Everyone who knows how to defend him or herself is a threat to the Death Eaters. Keep up the practice, and I'll see you again next time."

Harry put his wand away and peered around for Laine. She looked like she'd been working hard. Her hair was slightly messy, but she had a satisfied grin. Harry's breath caught in his chest for a moment.

"Hey," he said.

"Hey, yourself."

"I've got about twenty minutes of free time. Would you like to go for a walk?"

"Twenty whole minutes? You must've not had homework for one class."

"I did well in Charms, and Flitwick let me off."

Laine giggled. "Well done. What Charm was it?"

"The Stunning Spell. I've had a bit of practice with it."

"Training for the Tasks?"

"Actually, a bit earlier than that. You remember Mother Black's portrait that I've mentioned?"

"The one who liked to yell?"

"Yes. Well her yelling disturbed the other portraits, and they'd all start to shout and row as well. We were trying to clean and couldn't take the racket, so I got to try using the Stunning Spell on the portraits."

Laine giggled. "That sounds so silly. I didn't realise you could stun a painting."

"True fact. It kept me busy, and by the end of summer, I was pretty handy with it. Now it's second nature."

"You're a great wizard, Harry. I've known that for ages."

Laine glanced around the corridor. There were no other students in sight. She opened a small door and pulled Harry inside.

"Come on, great wizard."

Harry grinned and closed the door behind him. He put a Locking Hex in place and put his arms around Laine's waist. She squeezed him tightly first, resting her head on his chest. She sighed contentedly. Harry liked this almost as much as snogging. He often wished he could stop time just so as to spend a few more minutes in a warm, comfortable embrace.

Alas, they had only fifteen minutes.

Harry kissed Laine's forehead, and she turned up her face to him. He lowered his lips to hers and was soon engaged in a different sort of duel. Harry's body reacted predictably, but he didn't worry about Laine noticing ever since he'd gotten that Concealment Charm from Sirius.

They made the most of the time they had, but Harry was still regretful when they emerged from the closet. How was a boy supposed to make it through fifth year when he was stretched so thin?

"I've got to head back up to the library," Harry said, fibbing a bit, "but I'll walk you down to the common room first."

"You also need to get your books."

"Well, there is that too."

"Anything to spend more time with you."

They held hands as they walked. Laine said little, but every so often she squeezed his hand. They entered the common room together and moved towards the far end of the common room. There was no gazing deeply into each other's eyes. Laine briefly kissed him hard on the mouth.

"Study hard," she said before heading into her dorm.

Harry wished he didn't have an obligation tonight. Though he was not going to the library to do classwork, he was studying something else. He grabbed his bag, hurried through the dungeon corridors. He was about to knock on Professor Snape's office door when he realised that he should take a few moments to calm his thoughts.

He breathed in deeply through his nose and exhaled slowly from his mouth. He cleared his mind, ejecting all thoughts of girls and snogging. He immediately felt better and raised his hand to knock.

"Good evening, Mister Potter. Have a seat."

"Hello, sir."

"Have you been clearing your mind every night before sleep?"

"Yes, sir."

"Have you had any more disturbing dreams?"

"No, sir."

"Any strange visions? Any thoughts not your own?"

"No, sir. Just schoolwork and Quidditch, sir."

"Good. Last time, you were able to eject me from your mind without shouting. I had only a few moments in which to examine your memories. This is good progress. The fewer things you allow an intruder to see, the less they can use against you. You will be quicker about it, and you will not let me in so immediately. Are you ready?"

"Ye-"

"Legilimens!"

Harry had been waiting for Snape to strike without warning. The technical specifications of the Firebolt drifted through his mind. Though he had a certain dry, detached admiration for them in the abstract, Harry could never suppress his joy of flying on it.

With a flash, he was remembering his first Quidditch match, where he'd nearly swallowed the snitch. Hagrid was knocking down the door of the hut on the rock and handing him a squashed birthday cake.

Harry tamped down his happy memories and shoved Snape's presence out of his mind.

"Well done, Mister Potter. You are much faster this time."

"Thank you, sir."

"Clear your mind. Divest yourself of all emotional attachment to the experience. We go again. Legilimens!"

Harry and Draco were playing a prank on Weasley, abducting his rat. Harry and Sirius running around Grimmauld Place in their Animagus forms.

Harry pushed Snape away as hard as he could. That was a secret. He hoped Snape hadn't seen the mongoose.

"Interesting memories, Mister Potter. I congratulate you on achieving mastery of Transfiguration. Thirty points to Slytherin."

"Thank you, sir."

"Let us go again. Legilimens!"

Harry was running from Dudley's gang on the schoolyard and winding up on the roof. Mr. Malfoy and Sirius were teaching him how to Apparate.

Harry shoved Snape away again.

Snape raised an eyebrow. "You continue to surprise me, Mister Potter. Take another thirty points. It seems you are ready for your Apparition test a whole year in advance. Well done. Lucius did well to arm you with this weapon."

"I'm still not very good."

"As with everything, Mister Potter, you must practice."

"On the grounds of Hogwarts."

"Naturally not, but Hogsmeade, perhaps?"

"When we're not fending off Death Eater attacks?"

Snape spared himself a small smile. "Yes, in all that wonderful spare time I know you have so much of."

"Yes, sir."

"What other secrets are you keeping, Mister Potter? This will be a perfect test of your abilities. I will attempt to discover the secrets, and you will keep the knowledge away from me."

Uh oh.

"Legilimens!"

Dudley had socked Harry in the face, but he hadn't locked his wrist, so he'd broken that in addition to Harry's jaw. The Muggles had taken the pair to the hospital. Dudley got a cast. Harry's mouth got wired shut.

"Boys will be boys," Vernon had said ruefully to the check-in gentleman. "When I was their age, my friends and I got into all kinds of scrapes. Had to put your dukes up every so often to defend life or honour. There's been a bad element creeping into our little village over the past few years. I don't like it. No, I don't."

Harry pushed Snape out again.

Snape seemed very troubled by what he'd seen. His usual cool composure cracked, and he seemed almost sad. "Did they often need to take you to the Muggle hospital?"

"Thankfully, no. I was usually pretty quick. That time, he got me as I was walking away."

"I cannot stand bullies," Snape declared. "The idea that just because one is taller and stronger somehow means that he has a brain with which to think and not drool on himself is quite uncivilised. One cannot reason with bullies. They must be confronted and made low."

"Yes, sir." Harry would just as soon get an Obliviator to remove all memory of his childhood with the Muggles.

"Are you ready?"

"Sure."

"Legilimens!"

Harry was whispering Parseltongue and reopening the Chamber of Secrets. Draco was with him, and they carried brooms.

"Mister Potter! You are making use of the Chamber of Secrets?"

"Yes. It's mine, isn't it? By rights? I have the gift needed to open the entrance. Slytherin left it here for me. Yes, for Tom Riddle, too, but anyone who can speak the snake language can get inside. I've looked up a bit of my family history, and I don't think I'm related to Slytherin directly. Everything is a bit hazy that far back, but that's my best guess."

"It is indeed a most interesting way of interpreting the term 'Heir of Slytherin'. One need not be a blood relation to be an heir. It is most commonly used as such, but can be otherwise. Have you woken the basilisk?"

"No. There's no need. I told her to go to sleep for a long time. Maybe someday I can let her out again, and she can see the sky. I bet she's beautiful in the sunshine."

Snape shook his head. "As you wish, Mister Potter, but be aware that most wizard/basilisk relations do not end well. I think we've done all we can do for tonight. You still need to at least attempt to keep me from breaking in at all. Clear your mind for longer before you sleep."

"Yes, sir."

"Good night."

Professor Umbridge was moving right along with her lessons in the Ministry Youth. She called the group to order and had them form a circle.

"Hem, hem. You are all doing quite well with the hexes and curses. I'm glad to see that everyone's basic Protego is up to scratch. Tonight, we're going to start something new. It's a variant of Protego, called Protego Recurve. It allows you to do more than simply block a curse by absorbing it. With a Recurve Shield, you can redirect a spell towards other enemies. It's tricky, but the Aurors are master of it. I'm trying to get another Auror to come visit. They would be able to show you the shield properly. As it is, we are going to try our best to learn from the book. Please turn to page two hundred."

Harry studied the wand motion and noted the similarity to the normal Protego Shield. It was really only an additional sweep to catch a spell and redirect it. That was the risky part. If one didn't get it exactly right, one would catch the full force of the spell.

"Would anyone like to volunteer first?"

"I will," Cedric Diggory said.

"Thank you, Mister Diggory. Ten points to Hufflepuff. I will be casting a Stunner. Redirect onto anyone you can."

Cedric stood in the centre of the circle. Any spell deflected would hit someone not quick enough and aware of the situation to raise their own shield. He bowed to Umbridge.

She bowed back. "Stupefy!"

"Protego deflecto!"

The red light of the Stunner was caught in the wave of Diggory's wand and went blasting right at Harry.

"Protego deflecto!"

Harry could have simply absorbed the spell, but he wanted to try the new shield. He caught the red bolt on the tip of his wand and pointed it across the circle at Weasley.

"Protego!"

Weasley's shield blocked the spell.

"Well done, all of you. Ten points to Hufflepuff and Slytherin, five points to Gryffindor."

Harry grinned.

"As Mister Potter so amply demonstrated, it is possible to redirect the same spell multiple times. I have learned that the Aurors have a training game where they pass around nasty curses. We will try with the Stunning Spell. If you fail at redirection, you will be revived at the end. This is a game of elimination, and the last one standing will receive twenty points. Are you ready? Stupefy!"

Harry and the Slytherins did their best to redirect the spell at Weasleys. It was hard enough to aim precisely when simply casting magic, but one eventually got the hang of it. The redirection shield was more imprecise. One had to perfectly catch the spell on the tip of the wand. It would deflect just fine if one did not, but the direction would be more random. That was what made this game so challenging and fun.

The younger students were the first to be knocked unconscious. About half of the older students were as well. Harry had the satisfaction of helping to eliminate Ronald and Fred. Naturally, though, the Slytherins were targeted by the Gryffindors as well. Only Draco and Millie were still standing with Harry.

Roger Davies was the next to go, and he crashed to the floor, which Professor Umbridge had thoughtfully covered with a Cushioning Charm. She cast another stunner, and the game continued. It was almost blinding, keeping an eye on the bolt of light. This one they juggled for five minutes before it finally fizzled out.

"Well done, my dears. Ten points to all of you. Now, we're going to take one big step forward and go again."

By closing up the circle, there was less time for them to react, and they began to drop like flies. Harry had gotten his timing fairly well in the big group, but now he was really nervous.

The bolt came rocketing towards him. Harry cast the shield and went for the wand motion, but he wasn't fast enough. The spell was already inside his defences, and it slammed into his chest like a ton of bricks. Harry stumbled backwards, falling to the floor as he fell into a pit of blackness.

The drifts would have to be cleared away with more fire before anyone would be able to find the way down to the village station. Harry thought it all quite pretty when viewed through the great picture window in the Slytherin dormitory.

Between the occasional walk and snog in the snow with Laine, school, youth club, Quidditch, prefecting, and Occlumency lessons once a week with Professor Snape, Harry was worn out and stretched thin. Every evening he dragged himself to bed a few minutes before midnight, and every morning he rose at first light to get in a bit of studying before breakfast. Despite a few hours of respite snatched on weekends, his world had been all about preparing for the O.W.L.s and surviving fifth year. Thank Merlin they did not sit regular examinations as well.

He had gotten a tad better at the mind magic. He now wasted no time in shouting, protesting that his memories were his own and private. Now when Snape broke in, Harry was able to instantly push him out. Little of his memories slipped out. Six weeks of lessons had taught him that much, at least, but he had progressed no further. Snape must have noticed his dissatisfaction.

"Mister Potter, you have now been studying this complex magical art for only a few weeks. You are doing quite well. Most students cannot even expel an intruder this soon in their training. Of those who can, most of them are still shouting. They can't help it. You have at least learned to use your mind."

"Thank you, sir. I don't much feel like I am doing so well."

"Would you care for a cup of tea, Mister Potter?"

Snape had seldom invited Harry to drink with him. His Head of House kept an open door, but he was not in the habit of initiating the meeting.

"Thank you, sir."

Snape tapped his wand to the kettle, and it instantly began to whistle. With a casual wave, he opened a jar on the shelf and filled two tea balls with the contents. The balls deposited themselves in a pair of solid silver teacups, complete with saucers, that emerged from the cupboard to set themselves in front of teacher and student.

"Why do you feel you are not doing well at Occlumency?"

"I haven't really improved, have I? I was able to push you out the very first time. I can still do that. I'm quicker, but I'm not preventing you from getting in at all."

"That will come with time," Snape assured him.

"How much time?"

"As much time as it takes. Either it will be rapid or not. It may never come at all. From the progress you have made so far, I am confident that you will be able to stand up to my assault by late spring. From there, Professor Dumbledore will test you. When he is satisfied with your mind, we will work together to break in. If you can keep us both out at once, the Dark Lord will not have a hope of penetrating your defences."

Harry couldn't help but be awed by how well Snape had planned out his growth as an Occlumens. He presented it with such absolute certainty that Harry was capable of doing this. The notion of keeping out two Legilimancers simultaneously was enormously intimidating, but Harry could appreciate such a lofty and ambitious goal.

"So when? Sometime in seventh year?"

"Perhaps next Christmas."

Harry wasn't thinking about next Christmas; he was thinking about this year's holiday. He couldn't wait to get back to Grimmauld Place, where he had two and a half weeks of vacation to spend with Sirius. This year there was no worrying about tasks for a tournament, no mystery hanging over him, no conundrum to solve, nor any threatening situation. It was all out in the open now, the war on. That small fact aside, Harry had been having a remarkably normal-seeming year at Hogwarts. He hoped that he might have a normal Christmas as well.

The fifth years were ready for a break. The O.W.L. exams were well-known for making students go a bit loony. Aside from all the essays they were regularly writing, most of the professors had announced intention to set a mock-O.W.L. exam in the last week before the holiday began. They were almost through the gauntlet, but it wasn't over yet.

The students at large were ready for a break. The school had been a very taut place ever since Professor Umbridge had arrived, even more so since she'd been appointed as Security Officer. She had investigated most of her fellow teachers quite thoroughly by this time. Nobody had quite had the nerve to ask her when she might have her findings or what those findings might mean.

It was double Defence, their last class before lunch. They'd just finished the mock-exam, and Harry wondered if his hand was going to fall off before double Charms later in the day. Thankfully Binns had given his test last week, and Flitwick had promised no exam.

"You must achieve at least an A in Defence in order to take the NEWT-level course," she lectured them. "The Aurors currently require O, but the Ministry is considering the stringency of the qualification parameters. The Ministry needs everyone to do their part. Still, you should aim to meet the current requirements. There are no guarantees, of course. Yes, Miss Greengrass?"

"Surely the Aurors can use less-talented wizards in roles other than front-line duty," Daphne said. Her tone implied only an idiot would think otherwise.

"The Ministry is considering how best to implement such support. These things must be done carefully, or the result will not be all we hope to achieve."

The Ministry, according to Professor Umbridge, could do anything. She was constantly saying things in class like, "The Minister says" this and that, or "Ministry policy is" such and such. With praise to Merlin, the bell rang. Harry stood up and moved for the door.

"I will not be at Hogwarts over the holiday. I must make my report to the Minister, and he is quite interested in my findings. Things might be shaking up a bit in the next term. Happy Christmas, all of you."

Harry headed to the Great Hall for lunch and sat down almost with a crash. For a long second, he just enjoyed a peaceful moment. Despite the chaos of the table around him, he felt calm and at peace. Snape had told him to practice emptying his mind during the day now as well. It was exactly like his Animagus meditations, but not nearly so long. Ten seconds here and there did wonders for his focus and concentration.

"So we leave tomorrow morning, and we still haven't come up with a final prank on Weasley," Draco said as he cut his cold turkey sandwich diagonally.

"I still haven't seen him do more than talk, Dray," Zabini said. "Why bother? You'll only get into trouble."

"Stop calling me that. He deserves it."

"Why?"

"For being him."

"That's a stupid reason, Dray."

"You're stupid, frog. You know something? Every time this year we've suggested a little fun, you've turned up your nose at the idea. Just like with that troll in first year. You still haven't done anything to prove yourself."

"I can't believe you're still holding a grudge about the bloody troll. I don't have time to get 'proof' in your silly game, Dray. I've been studying a lot, just like the rest of you."

"Make Weasley lose his voice. Hit him with a Silencing Charm."

"Right here in the Great Hall?"

"Can't you cast it nonverbally?"

"No. Can you?"

"Naturally."

"Let's see it, then."

"I don't need to prove myself. You do, frog."

"I'm not bloody French," the black boy hissed. "I'm from a British colony. I actually attended two months worth of class here."

"Then I'll just have to give you another nickname. What rhymes with Blaise?"

"Laze?" suggested Harry.

"Perfect. Blaise the Laze."

"Oh, real original, Hair."

"Shut up, Laze, or I'll ask Pansy to come up with your name."

They ended up not pulling a prank at lunch. Their next class was double History, where Professor Binns seemed not to understand that this was the last day of term, assigning them reading for "next week".

The last lesson of the day was double Charms, and Professor Flitwick had no mercy on them.

"Hello, Slytherins!"

"Hello, Professor Flitwick."

"Books away, quills down, and heads up," Flitwick said cheerfully. "Pop quiz!"

"Sir!" "No!" "Oh, come on!" "Unfair!" "Last class of term!" "You promised!"

"You will all be caught off-guard with the variety of questions that come up on the OWL exam. You will have to call upon your knowledge instantly. First to get the question right earns five points."

Well, at least they'd get points out of it.

"What is the incantation for the Levitation Charm? Yes, Mister Malfoy."

"Wingardium leviosa."

"Five points! Name the three classes of Relocation Charms. Miss Greengrass?"

And so it went on.

When Flitwick finally let them leave, Harry felt completely wrung out. His brain literally hurt. He was contemplating heading to the hospital wing for a minor pain-relief potion. He'd brew it himself, but he couldn't think straight.

Food helped restore his equilibrium. Harry ate two large helpings of meatloaf and potatoes. In-between mouthfuls, he turned to the girl sitting to his left.

"Laine, would you like to go for a walk tonight?"

"Don't you have a prefect meeting?"

"I'm willing to skive. After the day I've had, I'd go right to sleep with all that droning on and on."

Laine giggled. "In that case, I'd love to."

"Pansy, cover for me tonight?"

"Sure. You owe me one."

"I thought you owed me one. Doesn't this make us even?"

"Oh, who can tell anymore," Pansy said with a laugh. "Diggory's meetings are so boring. Have fun and tell me all about it."

"I will," Harry and Laine said at the same time. They turned to each other with an embarrassed expression.

"Awkward," she said.

"Not if we don't let it," Harry suggested.

"I'm for that. Let's go."

Harry snagged a few cookies and wrapped them up. He put the package in his pocket. He and Laine departed the Great Hall.

"Where to?"

"The ground floor?" he suggested.

"Going to be crowded once dinner gets out."

"The battlements?"

"It's snowing again."

"I like snow."

"I do too, but the wind is pretty bad too."

Harry was about to suggest the tapestry room in the dungeons when a sudden inspiration came to him.

"I've got it. Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

"Ooh, a surprise. I love surprises."

Harry and Laine held hands all the way up to the seventh floor. Harry paced back and forth in front of the wall, thinking hard about a place to have some private time with Laine in a romantic setting where they could kiss and be cosy.

As the door appeared, Laine gasped.

"A secret room! How'd you find this?"

Harry only grinned at her. "Wait until you see the inside."

Soft candlelight permeated the room. There was enough to see by, but not much more. The floor sank into a basin filled with soft pillows. A ancient record player began to spin, and romantic music began to play.

"What is this place?" Laine asked wondrously. "How can a room like this exist in a school?"

"It's a room that can be whatever you require it to be. If we wanted to brew a potion, it would give us cauldrons and ingredients and all. If we wanted to practise Defence, I imagine it would give us books of spells, targets, duelling dummies, and more. If I were still training for the second task, I could probably get a swimming pool filled with icy lake water."

"Since you want a place to snog with a girl, we get this romantic place to snuggle."

"Yes."

"You are incredible," Laine said as she wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her lips to his. They fell into the pile of pillows, taking one last night of pleasure in each other's company before the cruel necessity of parting on the morrow.

Terry Boot was a typical fifteen year old Ravenclaw boy. He was academically smart, a bit awkward with girls, of average height and build. He was, in a word, boring. His family was pure-blood, though they could only trace their lineage back six generations. The ancestral family home had been burned to the ground in an accident, destroying much evidence of their family history.

When he had reached an appropriate age, his parents had sent him to Mr. Timothy Nott to begin his education. He had studied his sums, English grammar, Latin, history, and the elementary principles of magic. Nott's son Theodore had been his strongest rival, and the two began to compete academically even at that young age. He'd never precisely disliked the other boy, but their personalities just didn't mesh well.

When they'd gone off to Hogwarts, Terry had been hoping that Theo might be in Ravenclaw. It seemed logical, and it would be nice to start off already knowing one of his housemates, even if they weren't exactly friends. It was not to be, as Theo wound up in Slytherin. The competition for the House Cup had given them a formal way to channel their rivalry. They were quick to brag about points and marks.

When they'd started to notice girls, they'd had another arena in which to lock horns. Everyone had assumed that the constant bickering between Theo and Pansy Parkinson had been a prelude to a relationship. They'd even gone to the Yule Ball in fourth year together. When the Slytherins Harry Potter and Gregory Goyle had asked his fellow Ravenclaws Padma Patil and Mandy Brocklehurst, Terry had turned the tables by asking Tracy Davis, a Slytherin girl and Theo's closest friend.

The whole night had been a disaster for the foursome. Pansy had spent the whole night glaring daggers at Draco and his date, Parvati Patil (Pansy's worst rival). Tracy had eyes only for Harry. Harry was a decent chap and had offered to let Terry dance a few with Padma. It was a nice gesture, but Terry had declined. He wasn't about to accept a pity date. He'd instead turned his attention to Pansy. The influential girl was pretty enough, and she'd definitely been open to his interest.

In their fifth year now, they'd started to walk out together. Things had so far been progressing swimmingly, but there had been no opportunities to be smug to Theo. The weedy boy seemed like a ghost of his former self.

"What's been going on with Theo lately?" Terry said to Pansy as they walked. "He hasn't been any fun at all this year. I thought for sure he'd care about getting beat on Professor McGonagall's exam, but he didn't even acknowledge me."

"He has been a bit distant this year, hasn't he? Maybe he's fallen in love," she speculated.

"No, I think I'd recognize that. Something else is going on." Terry liked mysteries. Solving them let him exercise his Ravenclaw intellect.

"He's not telling us." Pansy's tone was dismissive.

"What could make Theo disinterested in classes?" he wondered.

Pansy made a frustrated noise. "Do you want to talk about Theo or do you want to find a place to snog?"

"Can't it be both?" he asked cheekily.

"Talking about that uncouth boy does not put me in the correct frame of mind," she said flatly. "Change the subject."

"As you wish. Anything in particular?"

"Got any plans for the break?"

"It's my cousin Regina's birthday. Her family is having a small gathering."

Terry still could not wrap his considerable brain around the fact that his cousin had been sorted to Slytherin. The rest of the family were Ravenclaws, so far as he knew. She had always been a bit odd, but when the Sorting Hat had shouted its selection, his mouth had dropped open like a halfwit.

"Sounds fun. I love parties."

"How is Regina doing in Slytherin anyway?" he said curiously. "She says she's fine, but prying details out of her is harder than unravelling advanced runic structures."

"She and Astoria are the best of friends. I don't pay a great deal of attention to the third years, but Astoria is Daphne's little sister, as you know. If you really want to know all the details, you should ask her."

"I think I'll do that. Thanks."

They had come to the trophy room. Terry thought the place was inspirational. Any student who had ever been honoured by the school had an award, trophy, cup, plate, shield, statue, or medal on display in one of the crystal glass cases in this room. It was Terry's deepest desire to see his own name added to the list of Head Boys.

It was a good place for a rendezvous, because it was always unlocked. In addition to the two main entrances, there were two secret passages that could provide a quick escape. He had brought Pansy here several times.

He reached for the door. "After you."

"Thank you."

In his pocket, Terry carried a comfortable chair. He pulled it out and reversed his Shrinking Charm. The chair was large enough for two people to sit, so long as they didn't mind being very close together.

Being close together is exactly what they had in mind.

"There, that's nice," he said with satisfaction. He enjoyed showing off how good he was with any magic.

"How splendid," Pansy admired, running her fingers through her long black hair. "You're so talented."

Praise always went straight to his head.

"Anything to impress a pretty lady like you," he said.

"I bet you say that to all the girls."

"You know there are no others," he bantered back. "Nobody in this castle can keep a secret from you."

She smiled at him, and he felt his knees tremble. She reached up with both hands and pulled his face down. Her lips were soft and inviting.

They stayed in the chair for some time, and Terry dared to try something he had heard the older boys talk about. She made a little noise of surprise when he opened his mouth, but she responded in kind. Wiggling their tongues together set fireworks exploding in his brain.

The sensations running through his entire body defied all description. He found himself daring to move his hands to places he had never touched before. He reached under her shirt and touched the skin of her abdomen. She was so warm. He went to slide his hands higher, but she pulled her hands away from his shoulders and grabbed his wrists.

"No," she said firmly.

"Pansy, I-"

"No, Terry." She leaned back, putting some distance between their faces.

"Tell me you aren't enjoying this." His voice was husky.

"I am, but that's as far as you go." Her eyes were hard, and he knew that when a girl said to stop, one stopped or got hexed.

"Of course." He hesitated a moment. "Do we have to stop?"

"I think we should." She stood up. "It's getting late."

He checked his watch out of habit. "Oh my goodness."

"Exactly." She tucked her shirt back in. "Besides, there will be plenty of opportunity on the train."

He shrunk his chair and put it back in his pocket. He offered his arm, figuring he should try to act like a gentleman again. "Shall we?"

She took his arm, and they walked back in silence, listening carefully for Filch or Mrs. Norris.

When they reached the main stairs, she turned her face up to him. He closed his eyes and kissed her again. It was sweet and gentle, not passionate like before.

"Good night," she whispered. "Sleep well."

"You too," he breathed.

He watched her flit down to the stairs that led to the dungeons. Once she was safe, he took the steps two at a time to the fifth floor, made his way down the corridor to the spiral staircase, and up to the door to the Ravenclaw common room. He absently answered the eagle knocker's riddle ("a three-edged sword"), and headed for his dorm. None of the other boys was still awake, but Terry knew he couldn't sleep.

I need a cold shower.

Harry entered the dorm room several hours later and lay down on his bed with a sigh of contentment. His neck was still tingling from the touch of Laine's teeth. He was certain to have at least one mark to cover up. He'd probably left a few of his own.

"Been out with Laine again?" Draco asked.

"Yeah. I took her up to that room you found. Absolutely smashing find, old chap. I wanted a room where we could snog and not be disturbed. It conjured up a whole bunch of these soft pillows for us to sit on. No bed, but there was a record player playing this slow, waltzy stuff. Laine was really into it. She snogged me pretty good."

"Gotten further than kissing?"

"Not much before tonight."

"What happened tonight?"

"Well I finally got up enough courage to put my hand on her chest."

"Well done. She like it?"

"Oh, she was very enthusiastic. She sort of moaned and giggled at the same time, then she just kissed me harder."

"You go under the robes?"

"Yes, but not under her shirt," Harry said regretfully. "I wasn't quite that daring."

"Why not?"

"Afraid she'll say no."

"So she says no. Then you don't do that. But what if she says yes?"

"What if she thinks I'm too forward?"

"I don't think that'll be a problem, Harry. Laine's nuts about you, and very vocal about her opinion. If she wants you to stop, she'll tell you."

"Next time. How's your love life going? Still enjoying being single?"

"Quite. I've been getting a lot of homework done by not worrying about romance. Even on the bit of break we do have, we won't be attending any social events, so I wouldn't see a girl even if I had one. What's the point? I like this flirting I'm doing with Ginny. While I wouldn't be averse to a snog here and there, I'm quite content for now."

"A snog with Ginny?"

"Why are you laughing?"

"Just marvelling at how situations change."

"My parents arranged my betrothment to Pansy, but I hate being told what to do. I don't even want to date Pansy anymore. Father would jump out of his skin if I told him I was going to marry a Weasley."

"So now you're contemplating marriage."

"My brain goes weird places this year," Draco said. "I think it's the stress. Surely I must be mad to be contemplating any of this."

"I did meet a girl during my years at Beauxbatons," Blaise chimed in suddenly. "Raquel. She was a stunner. Skin the colour of coffee, so smooth. Eyes like midnight that you could just get so lost in. Pouty lips that were made for kissing. She was a little taller than me, and she had wonderful assets."

"How far did you get with her, Laze?"

"She let me play with her hair, Hair."

"That's all?" Harry had been running his hands through Laine's hair since their first encounter.

"She always kept her hair up, styled. The only time she ever took it down was when we were together. She liked me to play with it, even to pull it a little."

"Now you're making things up," Draco declared. "Girls hate it when you pull their hair."

"Not all, and not all the time."

"What else?"

"Kissing, of course. She was French."

The next morning was a hurried affair. Everyone hurried through showers and brushing their teeth, packed up the last few things, and left their trunks at the entrance to the dorm for the house elves to take down to the platform.

Nobody lingered in the Great Hall once breakfast was over. They all poured out of the castle and into the carriages which took them down to the train platform.

Everyone scrambled to find their luggage and board the Hogwarts Express, which was brilliant red against the pristine snow. Smoke poured from the stack as the driver called, "All aboard! Hogwarts Express leaving non-stop for London! All aboard!"

Crabbe and Theo were remaining at school. Theo had been invited to go home with Harry and Millie but had been unresponsive. He had wordlessly signed up when Professor Snape came around with the list. Crabbe had taken the quill and scrawled his signature as well.

Harry and Laine found a compartment right off and were joined by Draco and Ginny. Millie, Pansy, and Daphne claimed the compartment immediately next door.

"Have fun," Goyle said, moving further along.

"Where are you going?"

"Mandy said to find her."

"I'll go with you, Goyle," Pansy said. "I need to find Terry anyway, and they'll likely be together."

"I'm off as well," Tracy said. "Alex invited me to sit with him."

"Have fun, Tracy," Daphne said, "but not too much fun!"

They settled into the compartments, moving freely from one to another. They played cards, Gobstones, and ate far too much candy from the trolley.

"This would have been so much quicker if we could Apparate," Draco complained, stuffing a cauldron cake into his mouth.

"Agreed. Why do you have to be a certain age before being allowed to Apparate? If you can do it, why can't you? If you can't, you won't anyway."

"Some stupid Ministry rule, no doubt," Laine said confidently. "Maybe with the war on, they'll repeal it. I'd love to learn how to Apparate."

Just then, the door slid open. Pansy stepped in casually and took a seat.

"Hello. Anyone have a deck of cards?"

"Weren't you going to sit with Terry?"

"That was the plan. What wasn't part of the plan was breaking up with him."

"What?!" Laine gasped. "You broke up with Terry!"

"Yup. It was long since time. I've been hoping things might get better, but he's just not my type. He's nice enough, but it would never work out long-term."

Laine giggled. "So who's your next target?"

"Would it bother you greatly if I stole Harry away from you?"

Laine smiled confidently. "I have faith in his kisses. You're welcome to try, I suppose. Of course you know what will have to happen if you do."

"Naturally, but it's good that you have enough trust in him to let me even try. Never fear, Harry's not my fancy."

"Why not?" Harry demanded. "What's not to fancy?"

"I like blue eyes," she said with a shrug.

"I think I need to stretch my legs," Draco said, getting to his feet. "Harry, want to come along?"

"Good idea," Laine said brightly. "Ginny and I can see about fixing Pansy up with a nice, blue-eyed boy."

"You have fun with that."

Harry squeezed Laine's hand and stood up. The best mates exited the compartment and began to walk the length of the train.

"Looking to hex Weasley?" Harry asked.

"Not really. I really did need to take a walk."

"Too bad," Harry replied. "Because he's at the other end of this car."

Draco glanced up. "Wonderful. Can't I have just one day without having to see his ugly face?"

"Too much to ask, I suppose. Do me a favour and let him start things."

"Sure."

"Hey, it's the Champion! How's it going, Champ?"

"Just fine, Weasley," Harry replied, affecting a bored tone. "Get your Christmas shopping done yet?"

Weasley reddened a bit. "No, there was a small matter of Death Eaters in the village. Such a shame that they couldn't have taken you away with them."

"Yes, I know," Harry commisserated. "Then I would have been able to kill Voldemort and be even more famous and rich than I already am."

Weasley got even more red. "I don't care about your fame or money, Potter."

"Really? That's surprising. It's all you ever seem to talk about. You know, I really don't mind when you call me the champ. You're right. I am the winner of the Triwizard Tournament, and I'm a damned good Seeker."

"Not as good as me."

"Only because I was fouled."

"Don't lie, Slytherin. I never touched you."

"Watch your cheek when speaking to a prefect, Weasley, or it'll be house points and detention for you."

"You'd really give me detention just for calling you a liar?"

"If that were the case, you're overdue for a few dozen or more."

"Then you need to stop lying."

"Do you really want me to give you detention for Christmas, Weasley? Because I will."

Weasley looked furious, but even he had some common sense every now and again. He clearly did not relish the idea of having a detention before the new term started, before it was even January yet!

"I'll see you again, Potter. In that duelling club."

He turned and began to walk away.

"And get your sister something nice for Christmas!" Harry called after him.

"You know," said Draco, "if I'm ever going to get Ginny to go out with me, maybe I should make nicey-nice with the Weasel."

Harry snorted. "Yeah, try me again."

"No, seriously! We should send him a Christmas present. Something nice."

"He'd just throw it back at you."

"I won't tell him it's from me."

"What are you planning to give him?"

"I was thinking maybe some cologne. I don't think he bathes regularly."

"Just cologne? Not a potion?"

"Well, it would be a perfume that starts smelling rancid the instant he starts to sweat."

"That's more like the Draco I know."

"If there's a remote chance he might be seen in public with me, he'll need something to wear. Ah-hah! A self-tying tie that ties too tightly. It's perfect. He won't be able to say anything."

"A miracle, to be sure."

When they re-entered the compartment, Laine hopped up and pressed her lips briefly to Harry's.

"There you are. I was starting to wonder if you'd gotten in trouble for hexing Weasley."

"I never get in trouble for hexing Weasley."

She giggled. "Oh, you're too cute." She turned to the others. "I'm declaring this a snogging compartment. You can stay, but you've got to be about your own business."

Pansy laughed politely. "I'll be going then. No chance I'll ever lock lips with a Malfoy again."

"I'm crushed, honestly," Draco said dryly. "How about it, Ginny? Would you ever again?"

"What is this about 'again'? We've never, and if you've been telling anyone differently-!"

"No, no, I was just teasing," he said hastily. "I guess that answers the question, doesn't it?"

"Guess so," Ginny said, not letting him get in the last word. "So get out."

"You're not coming?"

"Nope. Sit down, Pansy, and scootch those lips my way."

Pansy laughed, a little more genuinely this time. "Well played, Ginny." She bent down and pecked the redhead on the cheek. "That's for being clever, but I have no particular desire to snog or watch snogging after having just broken up with my boyfriend. Want to come gossip with the sixth years?"

"Sure."

Draco looked confused, bemused, and he let out a lusty sigh. "I swear she's going to make me crazy."

He left.

"Lock the door," Laine said.

Harry did so, using a Locking Hex as he always did these days.

"And now, as Ginny so eloquently said, scootch those lips my way, Harry."