Disclaimer: Everything belongs to J.K Rowling.

Chapter 29: Art

"My next duel is on the first of December," I said with a tired smile.

Alice shrugged. "Then we've got a week to whip you into shape."

I rolled my eyes with a small smilel. "When's your duel?"

"Third," Alice answered simply and raised her wand at me.

"Then we've got one week and two days to make sure you don't fail spectacularly."

She stuck out her tongue at me. "Haha, I could just leave you to your own devices, if that is what you want?" she asked with an arched brow.

We had finally gotten together to practice a bit of duelling together before our second duels. My master had seemed thrilled by the idea of me making a friend.

"You ready?" Alice shouted across the abandoned house we had found to practice in.

"Ready!" I affirmed with a nod.

She didn't do anything at first, much like her duel in the tournament. I remained on my toes as well, my eyes scanning desperately for any sign of her offensive. Then it came hurling towards me in the form of a bolt of blue lightning. I deftly stepped out of its way and sent a retaliation at the same time. My 'stupefy' didn't do much damage as she barely had to move to dodge it.

Alice arched an eyebrow at me. "Is that all you've got?"

I glared at her figure. "I'll show you what I've got."

I did, but it wasn't enough.

Alice danced in a duel. She said she couldn't dance, but I would argue that she could.

-()-

I felt like James Bond from the movies my dad collected almost fanatically when I slipped Michael Corner the note after Ancient Runes. He didn't even nod or look at me or acknowledge me in any way; perhaps the claim that Ravenclaws were smart held true, to an extent, of course.

Susan had not been nearly as subtle. I could have sworn that Greengrass had seen our exchange based on the narrowed eyes she sent me afterwards. Still, she couldn't really do anything about it. Umbridge could outlaw a lot of things, as she had proved, but I doubted walking next to each other was one of them.

The message was clear to everyone: tonight at six oclock by the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Ron had been in a rather sour mood over the fact that Ginny had missed out on her spot on the team. Apparently, she was much better than the other, but the difference in broom quality was too significant. Ron had narrowly beaten McLaggen to his spot on the team, which he had been fairly happy about. After I told him about my finding, he had been at least a little less sour. I would most likely never understand how quidditch could mean so much more than the safety of our future. I frowned at the thought; why did he really value quidditch so much?

Either way, I was a nervous wreck throughout the entire day. It felt like searching eyes followed me around every corner. Every time I walked the corridors, I found myself glancing over my shoulder to make sure that no one was following me. I made it through the day without any real incidents. I had almost smiled outright during Umbridge's lesson. I even read the assigned pages like she wanted us to. She didn't know a thing. How surprised she would be come summer when our exams took place.

None of the torches flickered purple when I walked from our common room to the room of requirement in the evening. Ron followed me a step behind with a nervous look, I could understand him, I shared his concern really.

I walked in front of the empty wall three times like the note had instructed and voila, the shining silver door appeared again.

"Wow," Ron said with awe when the doors swung open with no sound at all.

The interior was exactly as I had remembered it.

"This is perfect," Ron said with an impressed look. "How did you even find this?"

I smiled at him. "I guess you could say that the castle wanted me to find it."

Soon, our classmates began arriving. They all arrived in groups of three or two, never more. That was one of the safeguards we had spoken about in the clearing.

Then the doors swung shut behind the last Hufflepuff and it was done. We had successfully formed this, me and Ron.

"Hello everyone," I began with a little smile. "We made it."

Loud cheers erupted in the room. George and Fred even added some whistles. I appreciated the sentiment, but my eardrums didn't.

"What do we do now?" Smith asked sourly from the back.

I beamed out over the group. I gestured towards the old bookshelves and practice targets. "We learn."

-()-

"Something is wrong," Daphne said when Pansy finally left to go to sleep. Only Daphne and I remained in the common room, it was late at night. The moonlight sank through the lake to envelop our common room in a comfortable, dim light.

"What is wrong?" I asked cautiously.

Daphne twirled one of her locks absently. "Granger is up to something."

"How do you know?"

"She did the work during today's lesson."

I looked at Daphne with an incredulous look. "You think something is off when Granger is doing what she is supposed to?"

Daphne rolled her eyes at me. "She never reads during defence lessons anymore, she just sits in her silly little, silent protest."

"She does," I confirmed with a nod.

"Well she doesn't anymore, at least not today," Daphne said vehemently. "Why?"

I shrugged. "Perhaps the mudblood has finally realised that her little rebellion is getting nowhere."

Daphne shook her head, making her pretty, golden hair swing. "No, Granger may be a sanctimonious bitch but she isn't stupid."

I snorted at her insult, which earned me a glare in reply.

"I'm serious! She wouldn't just stop for no reason."

I held my hands up in surrender and stood up to stretch. "Perhaps you're just looking into it a little too much? I mean, have you been in the castle recently? Half of the population are so scared they won't even look at me anymore." The thought of that made me a little uncomfortable; people had always looked at me with some form of respect, if grudging. Now, everyone was outright fearful. I knew which one I prefered.

Daphne shook her head. "No, something is happening."

"If you say so." I paused and met her cool eyes. "Good night Daphne."

"I will find out what is going on," Daphne said with eyes burning in determination.

I had no doubt that she would.

-()-

"Are you ready for this?" appeared in tiny purple letters inside the ancient book.

I sighed. "Probably not," I wrote in much larger and less delicate letters.

"If it makes any difference, I think that you are," faded into existence on the tired paper.

I swallowed audibly. "I'll try my best."

"Remember, don't pick a fight you can't win."

I chuckled mirthlessly. "I feel like we've gone full circle here," I scribbled quickly. "Wasn't that the first thing you told me?"

"Then you should know it by now."

Just as I thought she wouldn't write anything more, another sentence appeared on the page. "Don't forget, have fun."

I snorted. I was about to fight for my very survival in this tournament, there really was no room to have fun.

-()-

Flitwick shook the hand of my opponents' mentor. My opponent was a Japanese boy of seventeen dressed in a glowing green robe. I searched the stands for any sign of Hogwarts presence and actually found a group of people bundled together with Montague and company. I didn't see any red or bushy brown hair. I felt my stomach twist at the prospect of them still not having seen me. The stands were nowhere near as full as they had been last time, I also got to fight in an usual arena, instead of a larger one like last time. There were even some empty seats strewn across the stands.

A female voice broke me out of my trance. "By how much will you lose this time, Potter?"

I turned around and faux glared at her. "Who says that I will lose?"

Alice arched an eyebrow. "Who doesn't?"

"Smart people," I said with a smile.

She nodded with a smirk. "Good that I think you'll win."

I stroked my chin. "Perhaps I was wrong when saying only smart people."

Alice swatted my arm with a pointed look. "Behave, otherwise I might not be so supportive next time."

I rolled my eyes but turned serious. "Do you really believe I will win?"

Alice smiled sheepishly. "Do you want me to tell you what you want to hear or the truth?"

I grimaced. "I think that tells me enough."

The girl gave my shoulder a comforting squeeze. "Remember, duelling is an art." She paused for a long moment. "Let your creativity flow through you. Think less, invent more."

I chuckled. "You should become a philosopher."

Alice remained serious. "At least I have something to fall back on if my career as a duelist fails. I'm serious though, don't force it."

"I won't, master," I said with a bow.

Alice stuck her tongue out and climbed up to take a seat in the stands.

"Made some new friends, Harry?" Flitwick asked me with a small smile.

"I think so," I replied vaguely.

"Good, are you ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be."

-()-

"You can't do both quidditch and help run the DA," I said irritatedly. "This is the fourth time this week you've left me alone to have quidditch practice. It is hard enough as it is to plan lessons, I don't need you to leave me as well."

Ron frowned at me and sat down on the couch. "What do you want me to do? Quit quidditch?"

I didn't answer.

Ron scoffed. "So that is what it is all about? You want me to quit quidditch!"

I rolled my eyes. "All I am saying is that you can't do both! You have to choose one."

Ron met my eyes for several long moments. "Why can't you ask someone else to help you? I'm sure Corner would be more than happy."

Now it was my time to scoff. "Corner has some serious anger issues, and even if he didn't, it's barely allowed to hang out with anyone who isn't from your own house."

Ron nodded. "That's true," he conceded. "What about Neville? Dean? Parvati?"

I looked at him seriously. "Ron, no matter what we've told everyone else about why we are doing this, both you and I know this is not about getting good grades."

Ron sighed. "I know, Mione, I know."

"Why do you need to play quidditch so desperately?" I don't get it."

Ron chuckled bitterly. "No, you never do." He sighed and stared up into the ceiling. "This is the one chance I have, I can't forgive myself if I don't take it."

"This is your chance to do what?" I asked gently.

Ron still stared up at the ceiling. It looked like some kind of battle was fought inside his mind. I heard Ron mutter something unintelligible.

"Sorry?"

"I said, to show that I can do it as well."

"Show what to who?" I asked gently.

Ron still refused to meet my eyes. "All of my brothers have played in the quidditch team…" He trailed off. "Ginny will be able to as well once she gets a proper broom."

"Just because your brothers did it, doesn't mean you have to."

Ron swallowed. "All of them have something, Fred and George are pranksters. Charlie is an expert with dragons. Bill could probably get a veela to marry him. Even Percy is so good at his job that he became an assistant to the minister after just one year."

"That doesn't mean anything," I remarked.

Ron met my eyes with an angry look. "No, it does! All of them have something, if I asked you now, what I was good at, what would you answer?"

I smiled at him. "I would answer that you are the best of all of them."

He scoffed and looked at him incredulously. "I'm not saying this in some attempt to get pity from you, Hermione. Seriously, what am I best at?"

"I didn't see any of your brothers down in the chamber of secrets and beating enchanted chess sets."

Ron shook his head. "That was years ago! And if the one thing I am good at was helping Harry, then I don't even have that anymore."

"Okay," I responded evenly. "So say that you're right. What will playing quidditch change?"

Ron opened his mouth but closed it again.

"Don't you think that running the DA could be exactly what you want?" I asked gently. "I don't think I've ever heard your mother say that any of your brothers was a leader for a rebellion."

Ron smiled but it turned into a frown. "Perhaps, but what about the broom?"

"What about it?"

Ron narrowed his eyes on me. "I don't think you realise just how much that broom cost our family, I can't just wish for that thing and then never use it."

I nodded slowly. "I see."

Then an idea struck me. Perhaps that was madness, but it would solve more than one problem.

"What if…what if you let Ginny borrow your broom?"

Ron stared at me like I had turned my hair into snakes. "What?"

"I mean, that would mean that the broom didn't go to waste and it would mean that Ginny would be able to play."

Ron gulped and stared into the ceiling again. "Ginny is probably the best quidditch player in the family."

"So let her be," I urged and gave his hand a supportive squeeze. "Let her be her best self. Then you will be your best self as well."

-()-

The referee fired his usual spell into the ground. The duel had begun.

It immediately started with a bolt of lightning going straight for my torso. I stepped out of its way easily. Before he could continue, I summoned a pair of purple wolves to charge my opponent.

He was prepared for it and incinerated them with an inferno of white flames. I searched my mind for a way to stop them, I found nothing.

I conjured a shield which the flames tore clean through. Just as I thought the flames would embrace me into the hot nothingness, they disappeared. My robes were smoking a little, but still intact.

"Point Sakai," the referee said loudly.

I repressed a sigh. All preparation and still no result, I couldn't think of any way to defeat him.

Think less, invent more.

I remembered what the girl, my friend, had told me. But I couldn't be like her, she danced in a duelling ring. I didn't.

Invent more, that was a strange thing to say.

The referee shot another burst into the ground and the duel began anew. I was distracted.

I fired a 'stupefy' immediately and dodged his reply. He sent two green spells in quick succession which forced me to dodge twice. I was completely out of balance after the second one, which he took advantage of with three green spells aimed at three different heights.

"Point Sakai."

It wasn't anything more than a spell which turned my eyebrows into stone, I transfigured them back and was fine again. I had never seen anyone use that kind of spell as an actual weapon before.

I had never seen it before. I think that was when realisation dawned on me, duelling wasn't something to learn in a book. In a way, you couldn't learn it from others. You had to learn it from yourself.

I chuckled out loud. I must have looked mad. My master said creativity was the most important trait, it was time I showed I had some.

"Don't try to do what Alice does, don't imitate Rowena, not Dumbledore. Not anyone," I thought to myself with a calming breath.

A bolt of lighting jolted me from my thoughts.

The duel was on. My eyes narrowed in concentration. One word was ringing in my mind: Invent.

Display the traits of Ravenclaw.

I sprayed a burst of purple water at my opponent who stepped out of the way immediately. Before he could react, I summoned a wind which guided the water back around to slam him in the back. He was ready and summoned a shield, but that left me open to fire which I took ample of opportunity of. A purple spell struck him in the chest with enough force to make him fly several metres backwards.

"Point Potter," the referee said loudly. I liked the sound of that. It was a rather pleasing alliteration actually.

My opponent smiled to himself, as if my point had just been a lucky hit. My eyes narrowed, I would show him how wrong he was.

The duel began and I gave him no reprieve. I fired bolt, after bolt, after bolt of crackling energy towards him. He shielded and shielded again and again, enveloping himself in a beautiful play of light and colours. He eventually got a spell back through my onslaught which forced me to take a step to the side. He immediately tried to take advantage with an onslaught of his own. He sent me a pair of wooden spears in my direction. I smirked unintentionally, I almost got flashbacks.

I transfigured the spears into a flock of birds who chirped peacefully for a moment before I had them fly towards Sakai with intent for blood. He summoned the same white flames again to totally disintegrate them. I knew I couldn't block those flames so I did the most natural thing.

"Feriollo," I whispered barely audibly.

A red light emerged from behind him and struck him in the back of his unsuspecting head.

Shouts emerged from the stands.

"Cheating!"

"Who sent the spell?"

The referee looked simply murderous. He turned back to the two of us who remained there glaring at each other. "We apologise for the intervention, we'll have to find the culprit."

I cleared my throat. "Excuse me, but I sent the spell."

He raised his eyebrows. "Don't be ridiculous, it came from behind him, not from you."

I nodded. "I know, I sent it."

He shrugged but clearly didn't believe me. "Do you consent to usa a priori incantatem to prove your claims?" I didn't like the way he said 'claims'.

I narrowed my eyes. "Of course."

He rolled his eyes but consented.

"Prior Incantato," he said brusquely.

A copy of my opponent appeared in front of us. A spell emerged from behind him and slammed him in the head.

"I'll be damned," he said with raised eyebrows.

He cast a spell which made the sound of a cannon sound throughout the arena, calming the chaos around us. "Point Potter, two to two," he declared loudly.

The crowd erupted.

"What?"

"How?"

"He cheated!"

The referee gestured for me and my opponent to return to our spots. "Let's begin again."

One flash on the floor later and the duel began again. This time with a boiling crowd around us.

Neither of us took the initiative this time. When we began again, I couldn't even hear the crowd.

I don't know how long we fired spells, dodged and glared at each other. But after what felt like hours, I reached nine points. He had five. I could barely believe it when the referee said it.

I needed one point to win? That felt surreal.

My opponent was glaring daggers at me, there was a glint of fear in his eyes now.

I smiled at him sweetly and the referee fired another bolt in the ground.

I started off with fervour, I knew I would win and he knew he would lose. He couldn't get a spell in, he shielded and flung himself out of the way but nothing he could do even bothered me.

A spell to the face? Dodged.

A charging wolf? Turned to stone.

Then he summoned his ace, the white flames. The flames flew at me like in slow motion, I glared at them with absolute venom. I raised my wand and in one quick motion, I summoned flames of my own. Brilliant, purple flames sprang from my wand and slammed into his white ones with a loud hiss. I couldn't see him through the inferno of heat which felt like it would peel my face off, but I pushed harder, more energy, more fire.

Slowly but surely, his white flames were being pressed back. My purple flames enveloped them and ate them up like a parasite. The flames reached him and engulfed him just as I ended the flames.

"Point Potter," the referee declared. There was silence for a moment before a section of the stands erupted into cheers. I could see that most only looked at me suspiciously though.

I smiled broadly.

This was fun.

-()-

Gryffindor won against Hufflepuff in the first game of the season by 540 points to 60. It was almost repetitive to say so at this point but Angelina, Alicia and Katie were ridiculously good. The beaters, Fred and George, had done a good job as well; or at least I thought so, I still wasn't quite sure when a beater had done a good job. But if the number of times the quaffle was knocked out of one's grasp was any indication…

Ron had done a good job as well. A large banner reading 'Go Gryffindor!' hung above the Gryffindor stands with a gold and red shine. Ron had done a remarkable job to procure it. It really was an excellent piece of enchantment, even I had to admit that.

Ginny had been the star.

"Ginny! Ginny! Ginny!" had rang across the quidditch pitch since she tackled the opposing seeker off his broom on their first contest.

It hadn't been very far off the ground so he had been quick to take to the air again.

When she finally caught the snitch, I thought that the roof would have lifted, if the quidditch pitch had a roof. I got the feeling it wasn't just a victory being celebrated and cheered for, it was something far greater. Even the losing Hufflepuffs cheered and had smiles on their faces. It dawned on me that this was perhaps one out of very few occasions where people would be able to have fun and laugh for quite a long time.

Umbridge had looked furious ever since that first tackle from Ginny. I don't think anyone held any delusions that there would be new articles introduced the following days.

That made me join the cheers as well.

-()-

It felt like the line of people who wanted to say something to me after the duel was endless. Some of them simply wanted to shake my hand, others wanted to make it abundantly clear that I was an evil cheat. Strangely, it felt better getting insulted than it did getting praise.

I breathed out a long sigh of relief when I finally was left alone again. Then a large group descended from the stands, all clad in black. With details of red, blue, green and yellow on their robes. The robes weren't the usual Hogwarts robes, since all of them held every house colour. Curious choice for this occasion.

Most of them, I didn't recognise at all. All of them just said something short and left. I barely looked at them.

"I see you're about as good as this as quidditch," I heard a female voice say with amusement.

I looked up and saw Angelina and Alicia stand over me. I got to my feet and smiled. "Shame not everyone on the team can say the same thing," I teased with a pointed look at the two of them.

Alicia snorted but Angelina arched a brow. "I'm not the one who has fallen off my broom more times than I could count."

I rolled my eyes. "Fair point." I smiled at each of them. "It's good to see you."

It was Angelina's turn to roll her eyes. "It's good to get away from the castle, to be honest. It feels more like a prison nowadays."

I grimaced. "It's that bad?"

"It's better now," Alicia explained. "We've found a way to deal with Umbridge."

I nodded. "Good, just don't put yourselves in any needless danger."

They rolled their eyes in synchronisation. "Hermione really is right about your 'saving people thing'," Angelina said irritatedly.

I raised my eyebrows. "She's 'Hermione' now?"

She shrugged. "We've gotten to know each other I guess."

She didn't meet my eyes when she said it. I felt a little confused. Did she hide something from me?

"Anyway," I said quickly. "How is quidditch going?"

"Uhhh, you meet your friends for the first time in months and the first thing you talk about is quidditch?" a female voice interrupted

I rolled my eyes. "Just because you don't possess the mental capacity to understand the sport doesn't mean everybody is so simple minded."

Alice glared at me. Then she turned to Alicia and Angelina, who were looking at her like she was an alien. Which she probably was to them, with her American accent and dislike for quidditch. "I'm Alice."

"Angelina," Angelina said with a forced smile.

"I'm Alicia," Alica said with an extended hand.

It was the most awkward handshake I'd ever seen. When Alice reached out to shake Angelina's hand, Angelina left her hand hanging in the air.

Angelina turned back to me. "Well, goodbye and good luck, Harry."

Alica rolled her eyes over her friend's antics. She gave me a brief hug. "We'll be rooting for you."

"Thanks, bye," I responded and watched them join the group of other Hogwarts students who stood by Flitwick.

Alice patted me on the shoulder. I sighed exaggeratedly. "Do you have another question?" I asked with faked exhaustion.

"No, it's a demand actually."

I raised my eyebrows. "Really?"

Alice looked me in the eyes with a determined look. "You will teach me that spell you used."

"Which one? I used a lot of spells."

She glared at me and swatted my arm. "You know which one."

I smiled innocently. "I'm sorry, but the answer is 'no', always will be."

Alice folded her arms. "We'll see how long you'll keep that stance."

"I'd like to see you try to change it."

-()-

"Stupefy!" everyone called out in synchronisation.

A bolt of red light burst out from every wand and struck their practice target. Some struck it perfectly. Others, less so.

Either way, I still felt greatly proud over what we had accomplished in just under a month. Everyone could finally do stunners, everyone could already to the 'reducto' spell and 'Impedimenta' as well. Winter break was just a couple of days away, the excitement hung heavy in the air. It felt like it had returned to Hogwarts together with the snow. I didn't think it was the snow which brought excitement though.

We had plans to learn shielding and perhaps the Patronus charm next year. The books in the room had proved invaluable to our mission. They fit what we were trying to do perfectly.

The future felt bright for the first time. If we went on like this, I had no doubt that all of us would pass defence with flying colours.

People from all the good houses said goodbye with excitement and happiness. Ginny left last of everyone, or so I thought. Michael Corner stepped out from behind a bookshelf when only me and Ron were left.

"We need to talk," he said seriously.

I and Ron exchanged glances. Corner had developed a bit of a reputation for being overly violent, but he was a fast learner.

"About what?"

Corner dragged up his sleeve to reveal his forearm. He pointed to it. "This."

His forearm was red as a lobster of irritation, but it was the barely healed cuts which made me grimace in disgust. It looked like they would break and start bleeding any second. The cuts weren't only cuts though, they formed letters.

"I must not withhold information," Ron whispered out loud.

"Yes," Corner said seriously. "This is Umbridge's punishment."

I looked at him in horror. I knew she was…bad, but this? This was something else entirely.

"You should report her to the aurors," I said with a gulp.

He chuckled darkly. "That didn't work." Michael sighed. "I thought only I got this punishment, because of my…well. But last night, a third year returned clutching their forearm in pain."

"A third year?" I said desperately. "This is insane!"

"I know." He met both of our eyes. "We need to do something about this, fast."

I felt a shiver run down my spine. This was what we trained for though. To be able to stand up to bullies.

"We will," I promised. "We will."

A/N: Thank you for reading! I'd appreciate a comment with your thoughts! There will be another chapter next week, one I had loads of fun writing!