Chapter 73: Welcome to the Jungle

(This chapter contains nudity in a non-sexual fashion)

Sirius took a deep breath and strode through the doorway, into the room where the trainees were lined up in the middle of the room.

"Attention," the trainees snapped to attention. "My name is Sirius Black. Yes I know you have heard much about me but I guarantee, it doesn't cover half of the shit I have done and seen. You are here because you all want to be Aurors. I am here because I want you to be the best. When I stand in front of you, state your name and, just for fun, your Hogwarts house."

He arrived first at a short redhead.

"Jerimiah Studebaker," the boy said. "Ravenclaw."

"Johnny-Ray Day," a lanky dark-haired man said. "Hufflepuff."

"Doris McCarthy," a stout-looking blonde said. "Hufflepuff."

"Joe Rosenberg," A curly-haired wizard said. "Gryffindor."

"Richard Checker," a rotund man stood as tall as possible. "Hufflepuff."

"Reagan Mixon," a dark-skinned girl with dreadlocks spoke her name. "Gryffindor."

"Sally Ride," the smallest of the bunch, stepped forward and spoke with a squeaky, energetic voice. "Slytherin."

"Steven Morrison," a pale man with white-blond hair said. "Gryffindor."

The last two in line, a petite blonde and an elegant-looking brunette, straightened and spoke.

"Chelsea Thomasson," she said. "Gryffindor."

"Penny Clearwater," the last said. "Ravenclaw."

"Good to meet you all," Sirius greeted them. "You may have had your houses and housemates at school but from this moment on, you have each other. You will be pushed to your physical, magical and emotional limits. A magical is only as good as the magical next to them. You will eat, sleep, work as a team. At Hogwarts, I am sure you had your number of house rivalries and affiliations in the past. Those are now at an end. All of you: welcome to Fire Team, one of four new teams of Aurors teams Director Bones has put together."

Sirius flicked his wand to open the doors behind them into a large room with a running track.

"First things first: physical," Sirius said. "A magical fight takes stamina and the more you shield, the more you exert your magical core. The best way to not get hit by a spell is to not be where it is heading. To do that means I need to get you all into shape. 10 laps starting now."

"10!?" Chelsea interrupted.

"You can't be serious," Checker said.

"I am Sirius," the animagus smiled at his joke. "Yes Mr. Checker. 10 laps. Now. Unless you want it to be 11."

The trainees huffed and sprinted passed Sirius onto the track. As they did, Sirius subtly keyed the runes at the doorway. With every lap, he increased the gravity so their last lap would be at ten times Earth's gravity.

While the trainees were getting put through their paces, Harry and Hermione were sitting in Charms as the bell rang.

"That will do it for today, class," Flitwick said. "I want 30 centimeters on the Summoning Charm, its uses and limitations, on my desk by this time next week. Class dismissed."

A great cacophony of rushing parchment, chatter and books being returned to their bags ensued as all the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws packed up to get to the next class.

"Mister Potter, Miss Granger," Flitwick's voice cut through the raucous noise. "Please remain."

"Oooooh you're in trou-ble," Lavender teased, knowing they were likely far from trouble but Lavender also loved acting like an immature teenager from time-to-time.

While the class filed out, Harry and Hermione walked toward the desk near the window.

"Excellent job today, as usual," Flitwick looked out the window with his hands clasped behind his back. "You two have been a real credit to your classmates, helping those around you to master the spell in their own way. You both have a knack for helping a student understand their own way to master a spell.

"As a matter of course, you two are advanced far beyond them yet you continue to help them. I am grateful for this."

"Thank you, professor," Hermione smiled.

"It certainly keeps us from getting bored," Harry shrugged.

"Yes well I wanted to talk to you about our sessions outside of class," Flitwick turned to regard them. "Harry, your work in dueling and crafting spell chains has been impressive. We need to work on continuing to grow your repertoire but you've mastered silent casting. Meanwhile you, Hermione, are a scholar the likes I have never seen. Your understanding of the theory and construction of charms is bordering on a mastery level.

"To continue as we have would be a disservice to you," Flitwick said. "You have both been exceptional students but your time as my students must come to an end."

Hermione looked at Harry, nervous and confused, yet Flitwick continued.

"There is another step that students can make upon graduation," Flitwick said. "A step very few are offered and even fewer take. I have offered what I am about to offer only once before to a student who had just graduated. Unfortunately, before she could accept, a life event took precedence.

"She became pregnant," Flitwick locked eyes with Harry. "Then she had to go into hiding and, much to my prevailing sadness, she was murdered. However, now I look at her son and the only girl whose intellect could match her. I would like to offer both of you to become my apprentices. Harry, you would be my apprentice in dueling in pursuit of a mastery in dueling and combat, perhaps becoming the youngest dueling champion in history. Hermione, you would be my apprentice in spell crafting, developing new spells and improving existing ones.

"This undertaking would be incredibly challenging. What you thought was tough will increase exponentially. You will have to sit your Charms O.W.L. and then your N.E.W.T. and pass them with at least an Exceeds Expectations. That would happen on September 29 and 30, should you accept. I will give you the next week to consider my offer. I do not expect you to accept right away without giving it due consideration. That is all, you are dismissed."

Dazed and confused, shocked and honored, the two teenagers walked in silence to their next class. For the first time, Hermione Granger sat through an entire history class without taking a single note. Eschewing lunch with the rest of their classmates, they went to the Room of Requirement where Winky brought sandwiches.

"So what do you think?" Harry was the first to break the silence.

"I don't know what to think," Hermione said. "We'd be doing mastery-level work while also completing school. That's… that's a lot. We're already pressed for time. However, it is an exciting opportunity. And, if we're being honest, this would help you in the tournament. You and I both know you'll be entered, right?"

"I figured as well," Harry said. "All the tea leaves appear to point toward that."

"Don't say tea leaves," Hermione was exhausted of hearing about tea leaves- anything in connection with Trelawney, to be honest.

"Just a turn of phrase," Harry put his hands up. "In any case, we both know that I'll be entered into a tournament, possibly as an attempt to kill me. Nothing we haven't dealt with before and we'll get through this one as well."

"But this is next level," Hermione fidgeted nervously with her fingers. "We don't know what the tasks are or what someone might do to tamper with them."

"At least Dumbledore is one of the organizers," Harry reasoned. "As one, he has a hand on the wheel. I know we've had our issues but Dumbledore's been a lot better, especially last year."

"Assuming he doesn't see this as an opportunity to draw out Voldemort," Hermione suggested.

"I don't think he needs to do that," Harry said. "Voldemort is gaining strength. We know this, we've seen the signs. Maybe Flitwick does too and this is his way of helping, even if it means we'll be pushed."

"I'm just worried about pushing ourselves too hard," Hermione's skin tightened around her eyes as her stress levels showed.

"I know what you mean," Harry said. "I love the opportunity but it's also a lot. Masteries are supposed to be full-time endeavors. If we do this, I have to say two things. One, this endeavor will undoubtedly be stressful on both of us. I don't want to take that stress out on you and obviously I don't want you to take it out on me. Second, I want to keep time in our schedule for us, for dates and relaxation."

"And snogging," Hermione bumped him.

"And snogging," Harry extended his arm around her shoulder and looked her in the eyes. "I just don't want to lose you."

"Thank you for being honest," Hermione leaned in and let Harry hold her close. "This is what's most important to me. However, if you're willing to take up the challenge, I am as well."

"I love you," Harry tilted his chin down to kiss her, living in the moment, wishing it would never end.

"I love you too," Hermione said once their lips parted.

Back in London, Sirius watched the group round the bend for the last time. Jeremiah was on his 11th lap while Richard was struggling with the final lap. When he crossed the finish line, he collapsed, heaving heavy breaths. Even a week in to training, he was still struggling.

"What's the matter Chubby?" Studebaker called him out. "Having trouble breathing?"

"Shut it, Red," Checker shot back.

"Make me," the redhead shot back. "You can barely move. How are you supposed to defend yourself if you can't move?"

"Like this," Richard kicked Jeremiah's legs out from underneath him and rolled over top of him. "Who's Chubby now, Red? What are you going to do? Little guy, can't even move me. I doubt you'd move Thomasson and she's tiny.

"Get off me!" Red struggled but couldn't even move him when suddenly the weight was lifted.

"That's enough," Sirius said. "Checker, you're getting better. I know you feel you're still struggling but your times have decreased every day. Studebaker, you got overconfident and left yourself open. You learned a critical lesson: never assume someone is down for the count. Everyone hit the showers and get some food and water. We'll start combat situations in an hour.

Everyone picked themselves up and trudged toward the locker room to shower.

"You doing okay?" Penelope asked Chelsea who was sitting on the bench in communal shower, letting the cool water run down her body.

"Why oh why did I sign up?" Chelsea moaned in reply. "I'm not physically fit, I'm not especially strong. Maybe I should quit."

"Don't do that," Doris said from the other wall while she washed her blonde hair.

"And you've already got a runner's build," Reagan said which was interesting considering her long legs and slim frame were built for running. "You'll be able to keep up in no time; I'm certain of it."

"Sirius said he would be pushing us," Sally said as she washed the soap from her tiny body. "We're all finding our limits and once you push through, you'll be great. You were a prefect and you got an Outstanding in defense."

"Because of Potter and Diggory," she said. "Getting the Patronus to work gave me the bump."

"That's still impressive," Penelope sat down next to her. "I never got a Patronus to work and I was a member of the D.A, like you. You've got more in you. Now chin up and push through."

"Thanks, Penny," Chelsea said. "I'd hug you if wasn't so sore."

"That's okay," Penny held her hands up. "I'm not into nude hugs, if that's okay by you. I'm not into hugs in general, to be honest."

"Unless it's Percy, you mean," Reagan joked.

"Well yes," Penny blushed in her admission.

After they left the showers, Doris handed Chelsea a cream.

"Use this on your back," Doris said. "It'll help you recover."

"Thanks," Chelsea smiled. "So glad to have you on the team. You're really one of the best forces keeping us all together."

"That's what we Hufflepuffs do," she said, proudly. "Loyal and True, that's What we Do."

"Cheers," Chelsea took the cream and administered some to her back, instantly feeling relief. "What is this potion?"

"It's not a potion," Doris smiled. "It's a muggle cream called Bengay. Helps with muscle and joint pain."

On the other side, the boys weren't faring much better.

"Join the Aurors, they said," Joe said, shaking his curly hair under the water. "It'll be fun, they said. I swear I thought Black would be more fun. He certainly was in school, if my dad's stories are to be believed."

"I think I'm going to die here," Richard leaned with one arm on the wall as the water flowed down his back.

"It's just the first week," Johnny-Ray flexed and stretched his extremities to deal with the buildup of lactic acid. "Focus on what you can do and what you need to do better, rather than the pains your body is experiencing."

"Don't really see what the problem is," Studebaker said. "This fitness thing is no sweat. If it's too tough, feel free to quit any time."

"Not on your life," Steven said. "You need to check yourself, Red. Next time we're dueling, we might not be so kind. Yes you're fast but your spell casting and accuracy sucks."

"I'm just going easy on you," Red shook his hair under the water. "Make you feel like you have a fighting chance."

"We'll see about that," Joe said, dismissively.

"Just remember what I said when I mop the floor with you all," Red, as he was unaffectionately being called, turned off the water and strut from the showers.

"Git," Steven spat.

"Someone should really teach him a lesson," Jonny-Ray said.

"Give it a break guys," Checker said. "We're all trying to fit in and deal. Red is just doing it in a different way."

"Yea well if he doesn't knock it off," Steven glared at the doorway. "I'm going to wipe that arrogant smirk off his face permanently.

With everyone showered and ready, dressed in dueling robes, they came back out to find Sirius in the dueling ring.

"Everyone ready for the next session?" Sirius asked to general grumbles. "Today we are going to be doing something different. Up to this point, we have been dueling one-on-one. Today, you are going to have to defend yourself 2-on-1. For one team, it will help you to work in teams to bring down one suspect. For the others, it will help you defend yourself in a situation where you are outnumbered."

Studebaker scoffed and volunteered to go first.

"Alright, Jeremiah," Sirius smirked. "Your opponents will be randomly drawn."

Sirius reached into a bowl to withdraw two names.

"Thomasson, Morrison step forward," Sirius barked. Chelsea looked nervous while Steven glared at the redhead across from him.

"Nothing lethal," Sirius said. "You can stun or bludgeon. Nothing above a bone-breaker. Am I clear?"

Three heads nodded as they readied their wands.

"Everyone else watch and learn," Sirius conjured bleachers with a good view of the dueling arena. "Begin when you're ready."

Chelsea tried to catch Steven's eye but he wouldn't meet her eyes. Timidly she fingered her wand. Turning her attention back to her opponent, she saw Studebaker tense his grip.

"Stupefy, Stupefy, Stupefy," he launched his opening volley, all targeted at Chelsea who shielded one, deflected another into the floor and sidestepped the last which was poorly aimed.

"Flipendo," Steven shouted. The spell lanced toward Jeremiah and pushed him back. Studebaker rolled with the spell and used it to dodge the disarming charm cast right behind it.

"Ventus," Chelsea entered the fray, covering the arena in smoke. "Aguamenti, Glacius"

Before Red could do anything, he noticed the arena was no longer level and he was sliding down. He fired off three more stunners wildly, his lack of firm footing affecting his aim.

"Expelliarmus," two voices said in concert. Both red spells hit Studebaker, ripping the wand from his hand.

Steven smirked as he caught the wand. What he didn't count on was for Jeremiah to charge straight at him.

"Incarcerous," Chelsea's voice cut through, binding Studebaker. "Moblicorpus."

The redhead was bound and floating above the arena, centimeters from Steven.

"Well done," Sirius dropped the dueling ward and entered the arena to release Studebaker. After giving the man his wand back, Sirius turned toward the other trainees. "Observations."

"Studebaker came out aggressive," Doris said. "He snapped off three stunners, all aiming for one person in three different locations. That's good because you force your opponent to guard three areas of their body but his aim was off and thus lost effectiveness. Thomasson did well to shield the most dangerous one, evade the least dangerous one and deflect the final one which could have been a danger to her partner. Morrison did well with his power to disarm but it was really Thomasson's use of smoke, water, ice and transfiguration to change the battlefield that swung it, allowing her partner to disarm. She then bound and levitated the suspect while Morrison thought the battle was over."

"Excellent summation," Sirius felt her explanation was worth 10 points were she in school. "What can you tell me about what they did wrong?"

"Studebaker focused entirely on one opponent at a time," Sally said. "In doing so, he left himself open to attack from the other. Meanwhile the other two worked as two individuals against the same opponent. If Studebaker had a little better tactics, he could have used that to gain the upper hand."

"Again wonderful observations," Sirius said. "When you are outnumbered, being overly aggressive is a good way to end up dead. You will wear yourself out while your opponents have the benefit of a partner to worry about trading offense and defense. Well done on the arena change, Trainee Thomasson, excellent use of the non-directed spells to change the field. If you had coordinated with Morrisson, you could have apprehended your suspect earlier. The earlier you can do that, the less of a chance of them hurting you, your partner or a bystander."

"I still can't believe you used Potter's move," Jeremiah scoffed.

"We were both members of the D.A.," Chelsea simply stated. "In fact it would have worked well for you to use that tactic."

Sirius couldn't hold back the smirk that his godson's technique was known by Auror trainees. Shaking it off, he drew the next names.

"Thomasson you stay," Sirius said. "You are facing… Mixon and Rosenberg."

The three took their positions. Mixon kept wider than the previous group while Joe gripped his wand tightly.

"Whenever you're ready," Sirius gestured for them to begin.

Rosenberg snapped off a volley of stunners. Chelsea rolled under two, her body shouting in protest as she did, deflected a third toward Mixon and shielded the last. Chelsea cast a stunner back his way which Mixon shielded. That was when Chelsea got creative.

"Bombarda," Chelsea cast the spell at the wooden floor at the feet of her opponents, pushing them back and throwing splinters up in the air. With a flick of her wrist she transfigured the splinters into birds and set them on Mixon. Rosenberg moved to help and was knocked over by Thomasson's tripping jinx. He fell into Mixon just as the birds attacked from her other side. They fell over one anther and Chelsea summoned their wands as they fell from their hands.

"Well done!" Sirius beamed as he clapped enthusiastically. "Great used of an area spell and transfiguration to keep your opponents off balance and seize the advantage. Take a seat Thomasson and everyone else take notes."

Chelsea sat down next to Doris who smirked and nudged her.

"Told you you'd be fine," Doris said. "Mopped the floor with three people without breaking a sweat."

Round after round, the trainees dueled and every round, Jeremiah found himself targeted and embarrassed. They were in their last one had a defeated-looking Jeremiah paired with Richard against Steven. Steven took his position across from them, his look something between loathing and gleeful.

"Last one of the night," Sirius called out. "Begin."

"Flipendo," Steven shouted as Studebaker flew backward. "Incacerous, Expelliarmus."

"Protego!" Checker countered Morrison's follow up spells "Impedimenta, Langlock, Locomotor Mortis."

Morrison barely blocked the leg-locker with a weak shield, though with his tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, he was unable to cast verbally.

"Are you going to help out?" Richard asked over his should to the shaken Jeremiah. "I'm strong on defense but attack I am not great."

"Right," Jeremiah focused on his opponent. He flicked his wand to conjure a banana and made the floor beneath his opponent slick. Then, he sent spells to push his opponent in the way of his conjured trap, thankful that Checker's defense was holding. Steven sidestepped the last stunner sent his way right onto the banana. Steven's feet slipped out from underneath him and body hit the platform with dull thud.

"Expelliarmus," Richard shouted, ripping the wand out of Steven's hand.

"Well done!" Sirius led the audience in a clap. "Got to say that's the first time I've seen a banana peel used in such a fashion."

"I got it from my roommates at Hogwarts," Jeremiah said. "They said they saw it in an old muggle film to make someone slip. I just made the floor slippery around it to help it along."

"Well done," Sirius said. "Excellent defense to keep your partner safe, Checker."

"Yeah," Jeremiah said, earnestly. "Thanks. I've been a target all day and you saved me from being embarrassed again. I appreciate it."

"Just ease up, okay?" Richard told Jeremiah. "We're all learning; all trying to become better but we can only do that as a team. The arrogant 'I'm-better-than-you' shtick has to stop, Red."

Red watched the large man join the group, nodded and joined them as well.

The next day, back up at Hogwarts, Harry sat down in the defense classroom with Hermione. It was their first class with Moody but his classes were already a hot gossip around the school. Ron and Seamus filed in last, just after class started, Ron carrying the crumbs of his breakfast in with him.

"Ow!" Ron yelped in pain and rubbed his elbow. Shortly thereafter, Seamus inhaled sharply and grasped his knee. Lavender was next as she grabbed her shoulder. Neville turned and cast a shield while Hannah and Susan covered his flanks.

"Oh enough of this," Hermione scoffed. "Harena Proficio."

Sand came from the end of her wand, moving about the classroom until it reached the corner and settled over the invisible person.

"Stupefy," Harry, Neville, Hannah, Susan and Lavender all cast at once, with Parvati and Dean choosing Incarcerous instead.

"Protego Maxima," Moody's gruff voice echoed across the classroom as a golden shield intercepted each spell. "I see Lupin was not messing around when he mentioned you lot were a formidable group. I wanted to see for myself who has the correct mentality for defense. First lesson: Constant vigilance.

"Constant Vigilance will save your life and keep you from burying your friends. Evil does not sleep, it does not care if you've had a full meal and a shower. Evil just is and if you are unprepared for it, it will ruin your day, you week, you month or even your year.

"I am Professor Moody," the man hobbled his way to the front. "I am here for a year to teach you about curses and the proper way to defend yourself against them, as a favor to Dumbledore. Word to the wise: don't own anyone favors, if you can help it. Another tip: if you are late, as Weasley and Finnegan were, expect to defend yourselves from stinging hexes."

Moody spent the remainder of the class having them take notes on different curses he had encountered and the best ways to defend against them. Some were better to be blocked, others deflected but, above all, one tactic worked for all.

"Best way to defend a curse is to not be in its path," Moody gruffed. "I lost my leg because I didn't get out of the way of one. If you like being whole, don't be in the way of a curse."

Across their other classes, the teachers pressed on harder in the interest of preparing them for their OWL tests.

"At the end of fifth year," McGonagall sternly lectured. "You will sit your OWLs. Career goals can be made or broken at these tests. It is the job of the staff to prepare you for them, so that you can move forward into NEWTs."

Even Snape was sure to focus on the tests that were over a year and a half away.

"As many of your classmates have discovered by now," he drawled. "Potions is the core to a lot of careers you may aspire to take up. I only take those who score an Outstanding on their OWL into my NEWT class. It takes nuance and skill to successfully brew, a talent many of you truly… lack."

Snape's eyes landed on Harry who, while not to the level of Hermione, was able to brew potions as well as Parvati or Lavender. Neville was still hopeless in the class but since Snape had pulled back from bullying him, he had shown significant improvement.

As September progressed, the school started to titter in anticipation of the guests who were soon to arrive. The castle was being polished and shined down to the dungeons. Alfred was constantly bustling around the castle to touch up a spot he missed.

"Mister Potter," Harry turned to Alfred's voice. "Would you be willing to help me? I need to dust this painting and the occupant is adamant she never touch the ground. Would you be willing to levitate it so I can dust the frame?"

"Uh, sure," Harry levitated the portrait of a woman in an elegant violet dress while Alfred ran his wand around the frame to carefully remove any dust on it.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter," Alfred nodded at him, straightening his butler's tuxedo as he walked away. Nobody knew why but he was always wearing it.

While the school was preparing for their guests, Harry and Hermione were preparing for their Charms exams.

"Do not worry too much about it," Flitwick said. "You have already mastered the spells they will have you do. The test itself is rather similar to OWLs except for every spell has to be done nonverbally which you have already mastered. You will have to study up on theory but something tells me you will already have the materials to study for that.

Flitwick winked at Hermione who promptly blushed and nodded her head.

"You have almost two weeks to prepare and I am sure you will be great," Flitwick smiled. "Know that whatever happens, I am proud of you as my students and cannot wait to have you become my apprentices."

That night, as Hermione trudged up to bed, she couldn't shake the feeling that Harry was hiding something. The wheels of her brain churned to learn what it could be.

(A/N: There's Sirius' Auror team. The button to change the gravity is a subtle Dragon Ball Z reference and the names of the OCs have all been pulled, by and by, from somewhere with the exception of Steven Morrison who is the combination of singers Steven Tyler and Van Morrison.

Moody's line of a spell ruining your day, your week, your month or even your year is a line from the theme song to Friends.)