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Harry stared at Hermione skeptically. "You want me to what?"

"You heard." She said impatiently, as she glanced at Theodore, who stood several shelves down. They were in the library a couple days after Harry and Theodore had started talking again. Hermione had approached, wanting to speak with Harry alone, but Slytherin instincts strong, neither boys had wanted Harry to be alone with her. Theodore remained out of earshot, but he kept his eyes on their interaction. "We need a teacher, Harry, and...well, you're the best qualified given everything. We'll meet in the Hog's Head down in Hogsmeade and I'll bring some people who may want to join..."

"This is a stupid idea." He reigned in some of his Slytherin disgust, trying to ignore the red and gold colors of her scarf. "Not a single one of the members of any of the other Houses is going to want a Slytherin to teach them."

"But you're Harry Potter."

"The raving lunatic Dumbledore supports." Harry snarled.

"Not everyone thinks that." Hermione objected. "I for one and the Weasleys..."

Harry gave a snort, though he had only meant it for Ronald.

Hermione seemed to figure this. "Ronald and you have your differences, I know that, but even he's agreed we need to learn this."

"I doubt he's going to accept me as a teacher."

"Well..." She hesitated and then she heaved an annoyed sigh. "Look. We're going to meet up regardless and we're going to try to do this. You can help if you want to. We'll be meeting at the Hog's Head next Hogsmeade visit...just...if you do come, don't bring him."

She gave Theodore a dirty look before marching off.

"What did she want?" Theodore asked as he approached Harry.

"Something stupid." Harry scowled at his surroundings. "Come on...we missed lunch. Let's go to class. Oh, wait...you have Ancient Runes...and I have Magical Creatures."

"Dumbledore let me take up Magical Creatures." Theodore showed Harry the book and Harry's eyes widened.

"What?"

"I kind of missed it." Theodore smiled faintly and then leaned in to whisper. "Truth be...I missed you."

"If Hagrid comes back you'll just drop it again." Harry pointed out as he readjusted his bag.

"Maybe..." Theodore shrugged. "Maybe not..."

On the day of the Hogsmeade trip, Harry realized there was no possible way he was going to be able to shake Theodore without telling him what was up and as Harry wanted to see if anyone serious would really learn from him, he decided he needed to go to this meeting.

"Look...Nott..." Harry stopped his friend as they reached Hogsmeade. "I told Hermione I'd meet her for a few minutes...she doesn't really like...you...so it'd probably be best if..."

"Is a Gryffindor." Theodore spat. "And a Mudblood."

"Don't say that word."

"You can call me a Pure-blood with your own nasty tone." Theodore's eyes narrowed. "I can call her a Mudblood."

"Theo..."

"Don't meet with her, Harry." The taller Slytherin stated sternly. "Who knows..."

"I'm fairly sure I can handle myself, Theo." Harry interrupted. "Just wait for me wherever. I'll find you."

"Harry..."

"Please." Harry almost begged. "Don't...follow me."

Theodore straightened slightly and his face became devoid of emotion. He didn't even look bored. Slightly unnerved, Harry took off and waited until he was sure Theodore couldn't see him before yanking out his cloak and pulling it on. Once covered, he slipped off to the Hog's Head. When he arrived, he hid the cloak between two wine barrels outside before entering. He was utterly shocked that Hermione and Ron meant business and even more shocked by the amount of people who turned up. (He wasn't surprised at all that he was the only Slytherin.)

"Look." He hesitated. "I don't have any answers for you. If you want to learn to defend yourself, I can help teach you...but that's it."

Cedric Diggory's opinion of Harry turned out to be the winning card for Harry as finally everyone seemed to agree that teaching was all they really needed at this crucial time.

It took a bit of arguing about when and where to meet as they had to work around four Quidditch practices and make sure they didn't skip out on any classes, though most agreed they could all do with missing out on Umbridge's classes. As for where...this was left up to debate. Then Hermione asked for everyone to write their names down on a piece of parchment as a sort of an agreement not to tell anyone about what they were up to, most importantly Umbridge.

After everyone had signed and started filing out, Harry turned to Hermione. "I want Theodore to join."

"No!" She gasped, eyes wide.

"He's a great and powerful wizard, Granger." Harry argued. "And he's smart like you. He could be a huge aid...and it'll be impossible to keep it secret."

She argued with him for several minutes about this, but as he was positive there was no way he could keep this secret from Theodore, she finally consented.

"Have him brought here." Hermione sighed. "Don't tell him what it's about. I have to explain."

"Why?"

"I've jinxed the parchment so anyone who blabs..." She glared and didn't finish her sentence. "It'll be up to him whether or not he joins."

"Love to, actually." Theodore's voice came across the room where they saw he was leaned against a pillar, Harry's invisibility cloak in hand.

Harry gave him a reprimanding glare, but said nothing as he motioned towards the parchment that Hermione had pulled out again. Once Theodore had signed, the two started off, Ron hissing something derogatory in Hermione's ear.

"Sorry." Harry apologized. "I wanted to tell you, but I wanted to see that they were serious and it wouldn't have been until they knew I was serious before they let you in."

Theodore's face was still unreadable as he drawled, "Think I'm a great and powerful wizard, Harry?"

Blush came to Harry's cheeks. "You've proved that with both your Patronus and Animagus."

"Will never trust me, them." He jutted his chin back at the Hog's Head. "But I have to keep an eye out on you, Harry, in case they're planning something less than favorable."

"I don't think they are."

"Are too trusting."

"Maybe you're not trusting enough."

Theodore's eyes became blank as if all his emotion had dropped right out of his heart. "So naive..." Was all he muttered, but Harry chose not to call him on it.

The following Monday, clubs were disbanded thanks to Umbridge, but at least Harry was assured that no one from their newly created group had ratted them out as they would have been jinxed. What this did mean, however, was that all the Quidditch Teams had to be reformed, which meant asking for permission and Harry had to swear to his Captain that he wouldn't get himself into anymore trouble while they tried to work this out.

It was on this same Monday during History of Magic that Harry saw Hedwig looking very ruffled and wounded. He asked to leave the class and was halfway down the hall before he realized that Theodore was beside him.

"What could have happened to her?" Harry asked as they walked briskly through the castle.

"Looks like she was roughed up." Theo said in a low tone. "You didn't send any letters, did you?"

"To Sirius and Lupin at the start of term." Harry replied. "I wanted them to know what was going on...I've been having nightmares..."

"Heard."

"Well, my scar hurts when I have them and I thought I should tell them."

"Didn't think to tell Snape?"

"No..." Harry frowned. "Honestly, I like Snape, but I don't think he understands these things."

"Think he'd surprise you."

They reached the staff room where McGonagall greeted them along with two animated gargoyles. She let them in to Grubbly-Plank who thought perhaps it was a Thestral, but she did ascertain that the owl had been attacked.

"There's no return letter." She muttered, her eyes scanning the owl's feet.

"She either dropped it when she was attacked or it was taken from her." McGonagall seemed very strict suddenly. "Potter, I'm sure your owl is in good hands with Wilhelmina. (Grubbly-Plank agreed) If you would, Potter."

They stepped outside the staff room and some ways from the gargoyles where she warned Harry that some channels of communication may be watched. He nodded his understanding and then walked with Theodore off towards their next class as it was silly to return to History of Magic. When he finally glanced at Theodore, the tall Slytherin growled, "Umbridge."

In front of the Potions classroom, Neville got in a fight with Malfoy and Harry watched in awe as Ron, Seamus, and Dean struggled to hold back the boy while Draco's cronies got between them. Theodore had yanked Harry away from the squabbling, a protective arm around Harry and hand pressed hard against the wall. With how tall Theodore was, Harry could barely see over his friend's arm.

Snape arrived and everyone was ushered into the classroom after points were taken from Gryffindor. Once everyone was seated, they learned that Umbridge was overseeing Snape's class. Harry felt as if his stomach abruptly had no bottom and that his head was filling with air. It was almost impossible to focus and several times Theodore intervened to assure Harry's potion did not become a poison like the Draught of Peace.

The conversation to follow between Snape and Dolores was nearly unbearable for Harry to hear. So many times he wanted to jump to his Professor's aid, but several pinches from Theodore reminded him to keep his cool.

"Well, this class seems fairly advanced for their level." Umbridge started speaking. "Though I would quesiton whether it is advisable to teach them a potion like the Strengthening Solution. I think the Ministry would prefer it if that was removed from the syllabus."

Snape straightened and faced her, his features emotionless.

"Now...how long have you been teaching at Hogwarts?" She asked, smiling with her sickly sweet grin.

"Fourteen years." He replied.

"You applied first for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, I believe?'

"Yes..." His drawl was absent and his voice had become very quiet.

"But you were unsuccessful?"

"Obviously."

"And you have applied regularly for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post since you first joined the school, I believe?"

"Yes."

"Do you have any idea why Dumbledore has consistently refused to appoint you?"

"I suggest you ask him." Harry smirked at the bite that had been in his Professor's tone.

"Oh, I shall."

"I suppose this is relevant?"

"Oh, yes. Yes, the Ministry wants a thorough understanding of teachers'...er...backgrounds."

Harry made a loud scathing noise, but Theodore dumped his entire stock pomegranate juice into his potion and it exploded just as Umbridge faced them. Theodore had the barest amount of time to shove Harry out of the way before the melting cauldron and bubbling potion coated him. Snape was there in a flash, his wand flicking away the dangerous substance as he tried to quickly heal the burns.

"What happened?" He asked, his black eyes boring into Harry for a moment before focusing on Theodore. Red hot boils were popping up all over Theodore's skin and his hair and robes were still sizzling.

"Hand slipped..." Theodore coughed.

"Hospital wing." Snape ordered, tugging Theodore to his feet. "Malfoy, you will accompany him as you are a Prefect. Potter, clean up this mess."

As Malfoy helped Theodore out, Harry quickly cleaned up the destroyed cauldron and ingredients before finishing his potion without arguing. Harry was sure it was because of this incident (in which no doubt Snape believed Harry to blame) that they were given so much homework on the subject.

Harry skipped lunch to head up the Hospital Wing, but he was told rather rudely that Theodore wasn't taking any visitors right now. More downcast than before, Harry spent his entire Divination class fretting over Theodore and wondering with growing anxiety if the potion explosion had been Harry's fault. Had Theodore done it on purpose to cover for Harry? If so, Harry was feeling like the worst git in the history of all terrible gits. He felt like he drifted through through Defense and rushed off before Umbridge could hold him back.

At the door of the Hospital Wing, Madam Pomfrey stepped outside into the corridor with him and closed the door to the wing, her features tight. "I hate to admit this to you, Mr. Potter, but Mr. Nott has specifically requested you not see him."

"But...why?" Harry gasped, stunned.

"He..." She hesitated and then straightened again. "I believe he is feeling a little resentful due to his current condition. I'm sure he will be much more inviting after he has been dismissed from the infirmary."

"Which will be when, approximately?"

"I'm sure he will be better by tomorrow." She told him. "Now, off you trot."

As Harry crawled into bed that night the image of Theodore's cauldron exploding and his friend intentionally taking the blast of it while shoving Harry back replayed over and over into Harry's mind becoming a nightmare as it went. By morning, he was covered in sweat.

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