Chapter Seventeen

'but it's Dumbledore' was the only thought that filled Harry and his friends' heads over the next few days.

He took the time to fill Cho, William, Hermione and Neville in the next day, about the lessons with Dumbledore and the growing feeling that something wasn't quite right.

Neville and Cho both agreed that something didn't feel quite right. Hermione was sure that a man as great as Dumbledore was would never play such games and they needed to trust he knew what he was doing. William fully admitted he didn't know what to think, Harry felt he was in that group as well.

None of them wanted to believe that Dumbledore would put them in danger. They just couldn't ignore the evidence before them but they also couldn't ignore the fact they might well not have all the evidence.

"I think I should stop the DA lessons." Harry said, huddled with his friends in the Come and Go room one evening.

"Why?" William asked, picking up a handful of nuts that the room had thoughtfully provided.

Harry shrugged, "I don't want this room to be common knowledge so we have to do it with a teacher there, and there is only so much we can do in front of McGonagall. It's also… I don't want to show them how we fight, just in case we're right about there being more to this than we're told."

"We need the DA though." Draco pointed out, "We need to make sure that we're ready for what's coming, because whether or not we're right about… certain things, bad things are on their way."

"Keep it going Harry, just pull it back to basics." Cho suggested, "Work on theory of things, basic spells but not tactics."

Harry nodded; it seemed the middle ground, even if wasn't perfect. He knew that Dumbledore knew about this room and that in itself made him feel uncomfortable.

What if they were wrong? Harry would hate for them to be suspecting him, he still remembered how terrible it was with half the school suspecting him of opening the Chamber of Secrets in his second year.

He shook his head, when did everything become so complicated? Harry missed the days when the most important thing on his mind was if Danica was going to cry him awake that night, or that Draco had managed to collect more water lilies than he had.

He wondered if life would ever get back to that.

The next morning Harry sat at the breakfast table, Quidditch try outs were that afternoon and there was a long list of people who wished to have a go, far more than had been in previous years. Harry had no doubt that half of those wishing to try out were only really wanting to see Harry a little more now that he was back in the Ministry's good books.

He was also trying to study and plan out the next DA session focusing hopefully on Patronus Charms with the growing number of Dementor attacks. The result was he was rather distracted as the owls arrived, showering them all in water droplets from the heavy rain falling outside.

"Harry have you seen this?" Daphne asked, looking over the Daily Prophet.

"Mmm." Harry answered.

Daphne rolled her eyes, "Harry!"

"What?" Harry asked looking up, "I was just trying to work everything out."

"I know. But you'll never guess who they've arrested as a Death Eater!" Daphne said quickly, shoving the paper towards him.

"Gemini Lestrange?" Draco smirked, glancing up the table to where she was sitting.

"Stan Shunpike!" Daphne said, pointing out the article.

"You've got to be kidding!" Pansy scoffed, "Doesn't he work on the Knight Bus?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah, says here he was boasting about it in a pub, so unlikely he can claim the Imperious Curse as a defence."

"Sounds to me like he was just showing off." Draco commented.

Harry nodded in agreement, "Yeah I think you might be right there. Stupid thing to say to try and get some attention over though."

Harry shuddered, it was a chilling comment on the growing support for Voldemort.

Pansy glanced up the length of the table, "Well, it works for some." she muttered.

Harry glared up at Gemini and Rodolphus. He had to admit their circle of followers had gotten bigger after what had happened at the Ministry. The petty part of him had hoped that they'd be shunned by everyone but most of their friends were children of Death Eaters.

There were also an uncomfortable number of pure and half-bloods that could see the way the wind was blowing and wanted to get in the Lestranges' good books.

Harry had too much to worry about right now though to worry about Gemini and Rodolphus as well. He did however take some petty happiness seeing Tracy Davis alone more and more.

It was the Gryffindor Quidditch try outs that morning so Harry and his friends stayed in the Great Hall so that Hermione and Neville could join them. Hermione spent most of that time copying notes from Harry's Potion's text book, while muttering about how awful it was really. Harry ignored her.

After lunch Harry, Daphne and Draco headed out to the slightly muddy Quidditch pitch.

"You've got to be kidding!" Daphne scoffed, looking over some of those who had turned up to try out. They ranged from seventh years, a couple of which had been on the team before to a large group of first years clutching onto the awful school brooms.

"Right…" Harry said, looking the group of at least fifty over and wondering where to begin, "Well firstly, as many of you know I also run the DA so if I ever can't make practice Daphne, assuming she makes the team again, will be in charge." he was thinking more of his lessons with Dumbledore but either way it made sense to have someone to help out if he wouldn't be available. He also had no worries that Daphne wouldn't be making the team again.

"Thank you, Harry." Daphne smiled, nodding encouragingly to him.

"Right…Groups of ten!" Harry said quickly, "You lot, and you and then you." he said, grouping them up, "When I say, fly twice around the pitch and land back down softly."

The first group was nothing but excited first years. Thankfully having been raised in magical families they, for the most part, had at least been on a broom before. However if they had ever played Quidditch before it was not often, and there was also the issue of them being stuck on the old school brooms, being too young to be allowed to own their own.

Harry quickly decided that although one or two of them had some talent, they weren't brilliant and the issue the brooms were going to cause was clear.

"Thank you for trying out and some of you show real promise, however you're a bit young… if you're free to sit and watch I will make my final decision at the end." Harry said diplomatically, "And remember, you can always try again next year."

A couple grumbled but they didn't seem to disheartened and went to the stands to watch the others try out.

The next group seemed so fixed on Harry he had to ask them three times to try flying round the pitch.

"We'll never get anything done!" Draco hissed.

Harry nodded, there was no way he was going to be able to put up with being stared at so much and quickly dismissed the group.

They didn't seem to bothered to be leaving. There was only a few grumbles, most of them happily went to sit with the group of first years on the stands to heckle those trying out.

The remaining three groups looked at Harry patiently.

"Corvus?" Harry asked as the next group lined up.

Corvus Lestrange looked worriedly at Harry, giving him a small wave. He was clutching onto a very worn Nimbus 1995 broom, but at least it wasn't a school one.

"Hi… umm… hi Harry." Corvus said, running a hand through his already messy hair, "I hope it's OK that I try out?"

Harry blinked to try and force himself to focus, "Yeah, yes of course. Anyone is free to try out." Harry smiled, still partly in shock, seeing Corvus there, "I didn't know you were interested in Quidditch."

"I…" Corvus wasn't sure what to say. In truth he had very little interest in Quidditch and even normally wasn't a brilliant flyer, and that was before he considered the fact he hadn't flown at all in over a year.

The real reason he was trying out was simply because Thomas had suggested he should to get out a bit more, and Gemini and Rodolphus had laughed over the idea of him being 'good at anything'.

"I just want to try." Corvus shrugged.

Harry gave him a kind smile.

Corvus's flight wasn't brilliant, he did however manage to stay in the air so Harry let him through to the next level of try out.

He let fourteen students though, Daphne and Draco included. After a few rounds of Quidditch, during which he frequently swapped the positions they were playing, Harry felt like he had a pretty solid team.

Corvus showed promise but needed more practice. Harry wanted to offer to give him extra lessons, that way maybe next year he would be up to scratch but Harry knew he was over stretched as it was, he didn't have time to give private Quidditch lessons.

Jason Vaisey managed to stay on from last year, as did Blaise Zabini. Crabbe and Goyle has been on the team last year but hadn't even bothered to show up for try outs this time. Harry couldn't say he was massively surprised or sorry about them not being on the team.

Harry was very pleased with himself when he posted the list of players on the Slytherin common room notice board.

Slytherin Quidditch Team 1996-1997

Seeker- Harry Potter (sixth year)

Keeper- Draco Malfoy (sixth year)

Chaser 1- Jason Vaisey (fifth year)

Chaser 2- Robert Urquhart (fourth year)

Chaser 3- Blaise Zabini (sixth year)

Beater 1- Daphne Greengrass (sixth year)

Beater 2- Jasmine Simons (seventh year)

"Your hand writing gets worse and worse!" Gemini scoffed, looking quickly over the list, "I see dear little Corvus didn't make the team!" she snorted.

Harry rolled his eyes, "He did really well you know! With a bit of practice he'll be fine for next year."

Gemini laughed and waved her hands dismissively, "Whatever you say!"

Harry grit his teeth as Daphne put a calming hand on his shoulder.

"Don't let her get to you." Daphne warned.

Gemini rolled her eyes at them and went over to her window seat, tucking her legs underneath her and pulling out a book.

Harry sighed, "I know. Besides she seems ready to explode any moment currently, best not to push it."

Harry, Daphne, Draco and Pansy moved over to the fire side, digging out their latest batch of homework. Harry tried his best not to look at the people moving over to see who was on the team. Most people nodded, some even smiled! There were a couple of grumbles but no one felt strongly enough about it to come over and have a go at him which he was pleased with.

"How was Hagrid when you told him we weren't coming back to Care of Magical Creatures?" Pansy asked Harry.

Harry sighed, he felt bad that none of them had been able to take Care of Magical Creatures. There were two main reasons, one it had been placed in a really tricky time slot on the timetables meaning there was always something else they needed to study more that Care of Magical Creatures.

The second reason, and possibly the main reason, was that they hated the lessons. They had some nice ones, like Nifflers or Bowtruckles but for the most part it was horrible creatures that always seemed to want to sting or burn or eat them, often all three at once.

"I haven't really seen him." Harry admitted, "I was going to go this afternoon but Quidditch try outs took so much longer than I thought they were going to."

"We should go tomorrow." Draco suggested.

Harry smiled, feeling a little burst of confidence, "Yeah, good idea."

Tea at Hagrid's was always good fun after all, as long as they remembered not to eat the rock cakes!