Author's Note: Enjoy the new chapter! Feel free to leave reviews or comments or let me know what you think of the story so far!

Chapter 13: A Little More Than Walking

'The scariest path you will ever take is the one which will lead to your destiny. But once you are on it, just remember that just because you walk in fate's footsteps, does not

mean you have to walk them alone.'

A tale of a Warlock's Heart

No less than four jinxes - purples, blues and oranges - tore through the air towards him. At the last second, Harry ducked and fired a few rapid stunners at the nearest enemy. They met with a shield charm and disappeared out of thin air. Moving quickly to avoid the next barrage, he conjured ropes, banishing them towards the target. Like lightning, they moved out of the ropes path and retaliated with a volley of vibrant curses.

Harry had to leap behind a pillar to avoid them. Sweat was poring off him now and he really could use a breather. Ever since upping the training dummies skill level to hard, he'd been forced to run, duck, dodge, dive and cast faster than he even knew how. He'd have to come up with something soon if he wanted to put the two dummies down before Daphne arrived.

He'd had a little time to kill before their first session together so decided, as he had done regularly as of late, to get in a short warm up. They had agreed via their charmed two way piece of parchment to meet tonight and if he was honest with himself, he was working up a sweat trying to take his mind off his nerves. Its was odd what made you afraid, Harry reflected, the thought of fighting dummies or dementors or trolls, he was used to, but the act of teaching someone else, some you might have certain thoughts for…

CRACK, part of the pillar in the Room of Requirement split under the spell-fire and a piece of stone fell to the ground with a clatter, snapping Harry harshly back to reality. Shielding charms would only buy him time. He needed a plan!

An idea began to form in his mind, and not having much time to consider its success, he acted on instinct. Harry waved his wand and turned the bits of stone into a few snakes.

"Distract that one for me." He hissed in parsletongue.

They sped off after one of the dummies, whose attention immediately shifted to the snakes. The other active dummy came hurtling around the corner, seizing the chance to flank him, except he'd been ready for it. As soon as Harry was in the dummy's sights it fired. The familiar blue stunning spell headed straight for him. Conjuring his magic, and remembering how the new spell felt as it pulsed through him, he let the dummy's jinx come within arms reach before thrusting the tip of his wand into it: AVORTO!

The spell was absorbed harmlessly by the light at the end of Harry's wand.

He didn't have any chance to dwell on how cool it was, as he was forced to back off and repeat the his shielding parry. AVORTO! AVORTO! AVORTO! His holly wand dancing in his hand, stabbing deftly at the oncoming curses. The dummy was now stalking him, so he was sandwiched between the two; behind him he heard the last snake scream as it met its fate. Now or never.

Both dummies fired from either side, Harry waited until the last possible second, -then sidestepped out of the way; it was so close the air rippled as the spells shot past. Unfortunately for each dummy they were now in the firing line of the other's. All spells struck their unintended targets and both dummy's flopped back, defeated.

Harry panted, no small amount of relief mixed with triumph surged through him. That had been the first time he'd defeated two on hard; now he knew why he'd waited so long to increase the skill level. Wiping the sweat from his brow, he turned to the door to see Daphne standing there, mouth wide open and eyebrows reaching her hairline.

'-Daphne!"

"-Harry…wow! I'd clap if I wasn't so gobsmacked…That was, -amazing!" If Harry's face wasn't already red from exercise, he was sure he wouldn't have been able to hide the blush.

"Thanks," he said, awkwardly yet relieved. "You're…a little early." Indeed she was, he self-consciously looked at his reflection on one of the many mirrors adorning the walls and couldn't believe that yet again she was seeing him so messy. He quickly waved his wand over his head and siphoned the sweat away. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do about his hair, as it sat as aimless and unkempt as ever.

"Er, -yeah well um…I thought I'd try and beat you here, but it seems you had other ideas," she said raising an eyebrow suggestively.

"Yeah, I just wanted to get a jump start on things."

"Clearly. Well, if our first lesson is anything like what I just saw, I'll be fending off Death Eaters in no time…."

"I wouldn't recommend doing that quite yet, but-"

"-seriously how did you learn to move that fast?" She said cutting him off, her eagerness clear as day.

"I've been training quite a lot…almost daily actually." She nodded, but continued to stare as if expecting more. "…And like I said, if we want to stand a chance against Death Eaters, or worse -" Harry muttered, "-then we need to work a lot harder. That's why I go for runs in the morning and use the dummies to practice my casting speed whenever I can. -And so far, I feel a lot stronger for it."

"It shows." She said, then seemed to want to take it back, "I mean, you know, -from what I just saw…its clearly working."

Harry did his best to imitate her smirk, knowing he had her. "I'm flattered you noticed, Greengrass."

She pouted right back at him. "Don't let it go to your head, Potter." Another pause fell between them - which were all but typical by now - and Harry considered the best way to breach the question he yearned to ask her. In classic fashion she got there first, "I would ask how your side is but I figure that's pretty redundant at this point."

Harry smiled gratefully. "It's as good as new. Like I said I owe you one. Which, I guess, brings us to today's lesson."

"Lesson, is that what we're calling them?"

"Well, I er-," he stammered.

Daphne chuckled. "Professor Potter does have a good ring to it to be fair." Now it was Harry's turn to pout.

"Shall we, Miss Greengrass?" He said playfully, leading the way onto the dueling floor. She narrowed her eyes and followed.

"Alright. I've not taught one on one before. So bear with me…" She gave an affirming nod. "-But I think the first step to learning how to be a better dueler isn't spells or technique, or style. The foundation is speed, and the speed to which you can call your magic. I noticed early on there was a difference between how Voldemort and Dumbledore fought, and the way everyone else does. They're fast. Faster than light. So fast they're not even thinking, the magic doesn't need to be called up; its already there, flowing in unison with how they wish to use it. It was truly amazing…" Harry finished, remembering the two masters clashing in the Ministry. "-So, if you agree, I think we need to start working on your casting speed and the speed in which you can draw upon your magic."

"Well, you at least sound like you know what you're doing, so I'll go with it," Daphne replied the corner of her mouth rising.

"Ha, yeah I guess we'll see…"

Nearly an hour later, Harry called a halt to their training. He'd started by having Daphne cast the same spells over and over again as fast as she could, until she saw some improvement. Then he had her chain spells together and repeat them. She'd slowly gotten quicker, but after continuously casting for so long she was noticeably tired.

"How was that?" Harry asked, as they sat on some benches leaning against the side of the room.

"Good. Although, now I realise why you were so sweaty when I came in." Daphne said between breathes.

"Yeah, that's why I tend to train in my work out clothes…Er, you might want to…"

She raised an eyebrow at him. "-like to suggest something would you, Potter?" She took one look at him as he mentally tripped over his words and smiled. "Okay, I see what you're saying. I know I need to get some more work out appropriate clothes, if we're to keep on training like this." She dabbed the sweat from her forehead then tucker her hair behind her ear.

"So, you would like to… continue then?" He asked, running a hand through his own mess of hair.

A stammer shorted the conversation and Harry got the distinct impression she liked dangling him on edge. "Yes, I would. You clearly know what you're talking about. And I can already see a difference in my casting…." Butterflies erupted in Harry's heart, and not just because she'd appeared to benefit from his tutelage. "-You know, I was joking earlier, about Professor Potter…But you're actually really good. Now I know why so many came to your DA classes."

"You know about those?" Almost immediately upon saying it, he already knew the answer, "of course you do," he muttered, rolling his eyes which caused her to chuckle melodiously. Acutely, Harry realised he'd never heard her laugh out loud before, just a half chuckle or smile before seeming to want to restrain herself, as if she'd placed a restriction on fun in his presence. An uncanny determination stole over him in that moment, and with the flutter in his heart urging him on, he vowed to himself that he would try to break her resolution. "Thanks though. I'm happy I can help."

"So far….not bad." She said up with a smile and a simper. "Can I expect you, oh chosen one, to grace us with your presence at Slugclub any time soon?"

Harry groaned. "I try and avoid them as much as possible."

"Why? They're not that bad, you know."

"Easy for you to say, he's not fawning over you like a winning lottery ticket. Besides, it's because of him that half the school has been onto me about a date." Harry said, rolling his eyes.

"Yeah must be tough: an army of fangirls all throwing themselves at your feet."

"When you say it like that it makes me sound like a dick."

She smirked, her intention fulfilled. "Then why don't you just pick one and put them all out of their misery."

"Because, I don't want to go with just anyone. I'd rather go with someone I want to be with…" Harry said awkwardly. He looked up and caught her eyes and for a second they held the gaze. Harry's next question was on the tip of his tongue when-

"-Not all of us can have that luxury…" She said, looking away. "Zabini asked me the other day."

"Oh?"Harry replied as conversationally as he could, while his insides felt like they'd struck an iceberg. "And what did you say?"

"…I agreed." She stared at her feet unenthusiastically. "It's the best of a bad bunch. Zabini is in a similar boat: he knows going together means less awkward questions, less unwanted attention from certain members of Slytherin. We wouldn't be considered too kindly by the rest of our house if we chose to go with someone from any of the others. So in the end, we don't have much choice."

Harry couldn't stop his heart from sinking, until he felt like he'd drowned altogether. Even if he had asked her, it was obvious it was nothing but a long shot. Yet, something inside him still held out hope and urged him on heedless of the results. Every time they met and he took one look into her deep blue eyes, he didn't have to persuade himself to know it was her he wanted to ask. He just didn't know how much until now, as the penny dropped like a strike to the chest from a Hungarian Horntail.

"Sounds unfair," he mustered.

"Yeah, well…" she shrugged, "there are more important things happening right now than Slughorn's party." That was a statement Harry knew to be true, yet did nothing to allay his disappointment.

"I had no idea being in Slytherin was so restrictive."

Daphne chuckled humourlessly. "It didn't used to be this bad. Fratonizing with others was more frowned upon, but never truly discouraged. Then last year, with Umbridge and Malfoy, and Voldemort so clearly returning: it shook everyone up. Before you knew it things had changed, and the darker side of Slytherin emerged. Suddenly, mature and intelligent seventh years were backing down to the fifth year sons of Death Eaters…and oafs like Crabbe and Goyle were brandishing their wands as if they knew how to use them." It didn't take a Legilimens to work out a tension had filled her, her body stiff and reserved as it had been when they'd first met. Harry had the urge to lighten her burden, and had to fight the impulse to reach out and comfort her.

"I never thought about it like that before. Then again, I've never talked to someone in Slytherin this long before either."

"Something that doesn't surprise me."

"-if it makes you feel any better, I imagine you'll get to watch me dodging between fangirls, as you call them, on the one hand and Slughorn's fawning on the other." Harry pictured himself being squashed by the unscrupulous arm of Slughorn against his bulging belly on one side and cornered by his collectables and Romilda Vane on the other.

She cocked a smile his way, "so at least it won't be a total waste of time."

"…and that's without the dancing." Harry thought apprehensively, he the one now shuffling his feet.

"Yeah, I feel sorry for your dates toes, Potter." Daphne laughed cutting off the chain of thought. She hopped off the bench and said, "Fancy a duel?…to finish off the session."

Harry checked the clock, and noting they had only half an hour left before curfew, decided he had plenty of time. "Sounds fun, although you're sure you're feeling up to-"

"-Yes, I'm fine professor." She said with a wink over her shoulder, leading him onto the dueling floor this time.

As you wish…"I've never been in a friendly duel before."

"What makes you think this is going to be friendly, Potter." She smirked and took her place. He matched hers several metres away.

"So do we count down or-"

"Impedimentia!" The spell shot from the end of Daphne's wand straight at him.

He sidestepped just in time to watch the curse sail by, impacting the wall behind. When he turned to face her once more her smirk was firmly in place; one he was only too happy to match. So that's what kind of duel it's going to be.

Daphne kicked off and followed up with a number of simple disarming and impediment spells, all non-verbal. Harry managed to raise a shield or dodge when he didn't have time. He was keen to let her do the attacking and see how she would try to beat his defences. Within the next 30 seconds she pelted him with as many non-verbal, non-lethal jinxes as she could, but Harry managed to dodge or shield from them. Seeing her spells falter, Daphne changed tactics and waved her wand at pair of books on the side. Harry recognised the movement from their latest Transfiguration class and wasn't surprised when they'd transfigured into birds.

"Oppugno!" She said, sending them flying at Harry. That he didn't expect.

They were heading towards him too quick to transfigure and were too many to dodge. Without thinking he thought of a spell he'd read researching the DA.

Incendio Maxima!

A plume of angry fire spilled from the tip of his wand, engulfing the oncoming birds. They met it head on and shrieked, disintegrating into ash. Harry turned in time to see a purple light hit him on the legs; they immediately stuck together, glueing him to the floor.

"That'll teach you to take it easy on me, Potter!" She said, sending the unmistakable blue light of a stunner his way.

But Harry's wand arm was still free.

Finite. He thought, waving his wand over his legs and ducking underneath the stunner. His legs were free once more and before Daphne could utter another spell, Harry was off.

"Careful what you wish for Greengrass!" He taunted, and threw a host of spells her way while deftly beginning to circle her.

Impedimentia!… Colloshoo!…Ventus!…Stupefy!

Spell after spell wordless tumbled from his wand. She was nowhere near the same level of speed at casting Harry was and and found herself retreating and dodging hastily. Taking a page out of her book, he sent a few of them flying at her. Flipendo!

At this point she was barely attacking as she struggled to block and move, and narrowly avoided the flying books. Harry saw his chance. She turned back to face him wand at the ready, but Harry was already there-

Expelliarmus!

Her wand flew out of her outstretched hand, sailed through the air comically slowly, and landed in his outstretched hand. All the while he didn't break eye contact with her.

Daphne narrowed her eyes at him. "…point proven, Potter." She shook herself off and caught her breath. "But don't let that go to your head, I'll catch up to you in no time."

"I look forward to it." He said, as he walked over and gave her wand back.

"Seriously, thanks for the lesson," she said walking them to the door. "It er,-…well it'll help me out a lot…" Harry could only nod, feigning understanding. Though he was enjoying their newfound time together, there were still so many unasked questions that passed between them. The biggest of which was why she wanted to fight Dolohov? -And badly enough that it would cause her to leave the school to confront him and risk taking lessons from Harry just to prepare. The trouble was she never seemed to want to talk about it, which only made the question burn deeper in his throat.

"You're welcome. Um, same time next week?"

"Sure….I'm glad you healed alright." She said giving him a once over with her eyes.

"Thanks to you." He smiled without thinking.

"Goodnight, Harry." She returned the smile ever so briefly, before opening the door. However, as soon as she walked over the threshold, that which had illuminated her face only seconds before, vanished to be replaced with a cold, emotionless facade. And Harry was left to watch her go, wondering why someone with a smile that radiated life, warmth, accentuated her already knee-shaking features and made him crash with a yearning to be with her, would hide behind such a staid stone mask.

Harry had already resolved to get her to laugh when she was around him - and he'd noticed she was easing her smile the more they saw each other - but now he felt like he should take on more than just that. In those few moments when they'd held one another's eyes and for whatever reason she'd smiled, Harry had felt alive in a way he'd never known before. He loved his friends, and enjoyed spending time with them. But this was different; it was so much…more. He felt like it was his Mission to help her, to get her to loosen up and drop the arm she kept him at distance with. There were no illusions this would happen overnight, but with something stirring heartily inside of him, he knew he'd do whatever he could to keep the smile in place, and maybe, just maybe - even if a little - drop the arm that kept him at bay.

As his heart pumped of its own accord, willed on by a desire that tore through him, he stole one last look at her as she turned the corner at the end of the hallway. Against all hope, she didn't glance back.

"Goodnight, Daphne." He said to himself and headed up the stone steps, towards Gryffindor tower.

—HP—

The next day was the first Hogsmeade weekend of the year. Dumbledore had refuted the Ministry's warning, and announced to the whole school at breakfast earlier that week that, "It is important, despite the hardships that will inevitably face us in the coming years, to not let evil come between us and life. It would be a crime, as well as a shame, to stay cowered up, when we could be out there living to the fullest…Now that said, naturally there will be extra protections in place in Hogsmeade, so should you witness anything suspicious or if anything happens, there will always be someone close by to safeguard you…" The headmaster finished, and almost in spite of his charred hidden hand, smiled genially with his ever present twinkle in his eye, radiating hope, calm and confidence.

It was inevitable then that excited whisper would break out in the hall half a second later and that the third years and above would be consumed with the Hogsmeade chatter for the rest of the week.

Harry rose early on the Saturday morning, grabbing a hasty and solitary breakfast - not even the teachers had arrived this early - and proceeded to make his way to the local town. It was lightly snowing as he exited the castle, small feather-light flakes falling precariously from the sky, readily being caught in the dilemma of whether to settle on the Hogwarts grounds or not. The birds chirped harmoniously back and forth, back and forth, as if arguing over whether the oncoming winter was a good or bad omen. The thought bubbled its way into his mind that if he could turn into a hawk, then maybe he could confirm what the birds were so excited about. But the idea popped before it could heed fruit: turning into a hawk was one thing, speaking bird was a whole galaxy far away sized other.

Approaching the Hogwarts gates, Harry was met by an unmistakable glower. Filch made sure to swipe the secrecy sensor over him a dozen times before he was satisfied Harry wasn't smuggling some dark materials out of the castle; and even then he kept a firm look of suspicion in place. , who sat beady-eyed in Flich's other arm, even gave a soft hiss as Harry left, verbalising her master's expression.

The road to Hogsmeade, as he'd predicted was empty at this hour. No doubt, most of the remaining shops and the the two pubs were still shaking the morning cobwebs off. Perfect, he thought, because it was not them he was there for. Double checking nobody was near, Harry leapt off the lane and into a bush on the side of the road. Channelling his magic he slipped seamlessly into his hawk anigmaus.

He took flight, as he had done several times since his first success and rose up and out of the trees, wings flapping fervently, fighting against the wind. Hogwarts took up the horizon on his left, but he angled himself to the right and glided over Hogsmeade. The town seemed to absorb snow at a more fastidious rate than Hogwarts, the rooftops already acquiring a thin layer. But it was not Hogsmeade that was Harry's destination either. He continue to beat his wings until he passed the village and a certain rinky-dink building appeared on its outskirts.

Harry managed to incline himself and flew directly through one of the open windows, landing on the mantle in the main room. His quarry was already here. Remus noticed him fly in, but regarded Harry with a quizzical eye, before shrugging and looking away. Harry made a show of shaking his feathers to rid the melting droplets of snow, before leaping in mid-air and transforming back into himself.

"Morning Remus!" He said, landing on the floor next to his friend.

"-MERLIN Harry!" Remus said, whipping out his wand in fright. The look of horror on Remus' face was enough to make Harry burst out laughing. "Good god kid, don't do that to me!"

"-I'm sorry….Remus….I thought you'd recognise me…" Harry chocked out between laughter.

"-But how…,-you've transformed already? Harry, how did you manage so quickly?"

He shrugged once he'd regained his composure. "I practiced. Every day. And in the end, I felt like I had no choice. I needed to transform, so I willed my magic until it worked."

Remus shook his head in disbelief, a smile that seemed part exasperation, part joy came to his tired face. "Sirius and your father would be proud."

I'll never tire of hearing that. "Thanks. Anyway, Moony, forget about my furry issues, how are you getting on with yours?" Remus plucked needlessly at his robes and wrapped them tighter round himself.

"Yes, well as I'm sure you can see I'm fresh from a transformation myself. The days after are particularly draining." Harry clasped the man on the shoulder, offering unspoken comfort. "Alas, I'm afraid I won't have much time to recover. I'm off on another mission for Dumbledore soon."

"Oh?" Harry had certainly felt Remus' absence over the last few weeks, both men being too entangled to be able to talk via their mirrors, a fact which seemed would only continue.

"Yes, I'm to visit with the werewolves, and try and convince them to….well, let's just say to convince them to stay neutral."

"From what I've read in the papers recently about Greyback, that sounds like an uphill struggle - and that's putting it generously."

"Indeed. But I agree it must be done, if nothing else than to gain information about their numbers and standings." Remus perched himself on the dilapidated chair, where Sirius had sat over two years ago now. His pale and gaunt face betraying his always warm demeanour. The Shrieking Shack gave a howl and swayed in time with the wind, floorboards creaking and loose shutters slapping against the moulding wood. It's as haunted on the inside as it is on the outside, he thought.

"Listen, Remus. You don't have to go if you don't feel up to it. You could always wait and-" but his friends hand rose to mollify him.

"-Harry I understand and appreciate your concern. Trust me, I may look bad now, but in a few days I will be right as rain." Harry didn't feel like he believed him, but relented anyway.

"Alright, well, keep in touch if you can, by mail if not by the mirrors."

"You know I will. Now, tell me, how have you been doing? Other than sneaking around, transforming into hawks that is…any progress on our mystery friend in Dragon Alley?" Remus raised his eyebrow suggestively. Harry couldn't help but roll his eyes and try and play innocent. For the next half an hour the two talked and caught up on everything. This was exactly what Harry had missed over the last month: being completely honest with someone. He was keeping so many secrets now and pursuing so many goals, he felt like he was caging himself in, the hidden details always so desperate to break themselves free. And although Remus had a few choice words for him when Harry mentioned all the details about the Hogsmeade attack, he still supported him.

"You've just got to be more careful than that kid."

"I know, I know. I'm working on it! I'm meeting the twins at the Hogs Head at midday. They've got something they've been working on for me. It should help with my activities." Remus sighed, considering words Harry already knew would come. So he decided to jump the gun. " Moony, I know what you're going to say. But I won't ever stop. This year, ever since I've started doing things for me, I've felt…free. In an odd sort of way and even if every time I go out to help people I only save one or two - like I did in Hogsmeade - then you know I'll do it: every time."

Remus shook his head and smiled despite himself. "Just promise me you'll be more careful Harry. And if you ever get into a situation you can't control, promise me you'll get out of there, no matter what."

"Well, that's where you come in Remus. Shall we get to today's lesson? You're overdue your own promise to teach me on this one." Harry replied casually.

Over the next hour Remus, walked him through the basics of apparition and gave him a few demonstrations. Harry was mostly acquainted with the theory, having researched it prior, knowing it would be necessary to achieving his goals. This meant he could practice apparation already and if any awkward splinching occurred, Remus was on hand to fix any…errors. The first two dozen tries heeded no results. Patience was key, Moony emphasised, his teachers demeanour from third year reemerging in his voice. Fortunately, Harry's long hours over the summer spent channelling his magic and learning to direct it round his body had required more patience than Dudley's birthday tantrums had when he was a kid, so he was well versed in that. But even more so it was the fact that he had such a deeper grasp of his magic since then that allowed him to attempt to feel what his magic was doing. His final attempt to change into an Aniamgus and Mcgonagall's words leapt to mind as he pictured the space he wanted to be, a few metres away on the floor.

He span on the spot, willing his magic to obey and before he knew it landed half way between where he had been and where he wanted to be.

In that split second as the wind yowled past outside and the two men stared at each other, Harry realised for the first time he'd semi-successfully apparated.

"YES!" He threw his fist in the air

"Wait, Harry stop…notice anything?" Remus said approaching him.

"No." He patted his whole body over quickly to be sure he hadn't splinched a limb or a toenail or even a thread away, but everything was in place….although a simper of burning hovered in the air. Harry's eye's widened. "Remus!"

His friend merely chuckled in response and waved his wand over Harry's head to cancel out the signing. "Relax, Harry. Just a few of yours hairs. Other than that you just apparated quite successfully…not exactly where you wanted to be, but nonetheless that's remarkably quick going!"

"Thanks. I guess I've got a pretty good reason for it." Harry couldn't keep the smile from his face.

"Hard to deny, Harry." Remus finished, some colour seeming to have returned to his old professor. "Unfortunately, I'm out of time for today…perhaps our next lesson can be held in a,-slightly more hospitable location." He gestured to the thick tendrils of snow now blowing through the broken glass window.

"Just as soon as I can apparate more readily….Professor."

"I rather think you're more the professor than I these days. Anyway, I will see you soon."

"Be careful Remus, and remember if anything comes up from the order-."

"-I know, I know, I'll let you know right away. Be careful yourself, Harry." He said, smiling finally before spinning on the spot and disappearing into thin air. Harry practiced apparating a few more times with varying degrees of success, which meant he was able to disappear from where he was, land differently to where he wanted and didn't splinch anything. All in all I'd call that a win, he said to himself, checking his hair once more for signs of singeing.

Satisfied with today's work and with a nagging feeling he was late for his next appointment, he ran at the open window and leaped through while transforming back into a hawk. The wind immediately caught him and harry had a hard time to gain altitude through the breeze and bluster of the snow-filled sky. His hawks eyes, now in daylight, were leaps and bounds better than his normal eyesight and from his place over the Shrieking Shack, he could just make out the Hogshead pub.

Landing behind it in a secluded alleyway, Harry reverted to his normal self. From the air he was able to spot a few students already flitting their way through the town, but none of these were close to his destination: something he'd counted on. Opening the door, he was greeted by the infamous barman, whose long grey beard, pointed nose and furtive eyes reminded him of a grumpy Ollivander, if he'd been made into one of Hogwarts' sentient stone statues.

"Er…hi." Harry said awkwardly. The pub was exactly as he'd had remembered it from a year ago when he and his friends had hosted the first DA meeting; the floorboards were cracked, the dust clung even to the ceiling and the only fresh marks in the entire place were those of ale rings left on tables. Except now, it was far too early for anyone else to be in here. Anyone except his quarry.

"Harry!" Fred and George intoned simultaneously from the other side of the pub, breaking the hastily crafted silence the owner was otherwise enjoying.

"3 butterbeers, please Abe." Fred said coming over and pulling Harry away from the bar. The man named Abe shook his head, then acquiesced.

"Harry, my friend how are you?" George said, as they sat down at the table.

"-Been up to any mischief at Hogwarts this year-"

"-We hope." They both finished the sentence, and wiggling their eyes.

"Oh, you know, same old." Harry bantered, not able to help the smile creeping onto his face.

"Oh really? So after the troll, the basilisk, the Dementors and what was it fourth year Fred?"

"Dragons, Merpeople, and you-know-who." George replied counting off his fingers.

"-Right and then worst of them all last year…"

"Umbridge." All three of them supplied.

"Merlin, the beast of a thousand deadly detentions." Fred reminisced. "And now this year we hear your back to teaching again, but no troublesome monsters? Taking a break are we Harry?"

Harry laughed. "Guys, have you ever known me to take a break?"

"He makes a good point, brother mine. Which means if he's doing something, and we - with our considerable eyes and ears - haven't heard about it then it must be quite something he's cooking up, battling on the sly maybe." The twins had a lot to offer the world, but laughter was certainly their greatest gift, as Harry couldn't help himself but laugh along with them.

At that moment the barman arrived with their drinks. He slopped them down on the table, grunted wordlessly and eyed Harry for an ever so brief second.

"Thanks, Abe." Fred said, and aged wizard shunted off back to the bar. Harry, meanwhile was taken aback, because for a moment he could have sworn the aged wizard before him resembled someone else entirely other than Ollivander.

"Guys, why do I recognise the Barman?" Harry whispered to the twins.

"That's Aberforth, Harry. Dumbledore's brother." George returned under his breath.

It was not usual for someone of so many secrets to be surprised, but in that second, he was sure his eyes widened to the size of the great hall's oak doors. "…what?…I-, I didn't even know he had a brother."

"One of those not so secret, but never talked about aspects of the wizarding world you only get when you grow up in it," George replied. "Like the fact we still use owls to deliver mail, when all of it could be hand delivered a thousand times quicker by apparition,-"

"-Or the fact that parents still send their kids to Hogwarts despite an annual monster attack,-"

"Or-"

Harry tuned the twins out and eyed Aberforth Dumbledore, who was trying to clean a dirt-riddled glass with an even dirtier hanky with one eye, and casting curious glances their direction with the other. Perhaps this was no longer the private location he'd hoped. In fact, the realisation that Dumbledore had a whole other life Harry didn't know at all, couldn't help him but feel more than a little betrayed. It's hardly like his brother would have ever come up in conversation up to now, but the fact that his headmaster, whom he thought he'd knew at least quite well, had a family he never spoke of, tore at Harry more than he'd care to admit.

"Okay," Harry said cutting into the twins comical list, "I think if we continue to talk it would be better to do so quietly from now on." Mentally reminding himself to look for a spell that granted more privacy.

"Gotcha, Harry." They replied with a wink.

"So, speaking of which, how's the project coming along?" The twins looked at each other and smirked before removing a large box from underneath the table. When he'd seen them last at the beginning of September, he'd given them a few drawings he'd rather crudely come up with and asked if they could put their considerable pranking genius to a different use for a one off. Since then, he'd heard little from them, except from 1 week ago, when he'd received an owl, with a thumbs up and a meeting suggestion. Fast forward a week and both twin's eyes were gleaming in anticipation. What have they done….What have I done?

Making sure Aberforth couldn't see inside, Harry opened the case and for the second time in the last few minutes, his eyes widened to the size of quaffles.

"You like it Harry?"

"Guys, holy shit!" Harry whisper-shouted.

Both the twins chuckled, "I think that's a solid yes, George."

Contained within, was a thin deep black suit, made from a material he could only begin to guess at.

"Is this…"

"Dragon hide." Fred supplied. "Indeed it is, oh chosen one."

"But, guys, how did you get it?"

"Ah, it wasn't easy."

"Nor cheap."

"But, for you illustrious leader, we thought we'd take your drawings a little further…"

"I'll say." Harry was incredulous. The drawings he'd given them were just a mock up for protective clothing he could wear to help renegade or particularly predatory spells from hitting him when in a fight. He hadn't expected the twins to come up with something so… much more: The fabric was rough and tough to the touch, yet somehow supple, bending and moulding itself when Harry prodded it. Not only that but it was super light. He didn't lift out of the box, despite the temptation, fearing Aberforth's eager eye, but the moment he got some privacy later, he'd try it on for size.

"We had a little trouble with the fabric, as that substance is notoriously difficult to tamper with, but we finally managed to make it a lot more lightweight and flexible than anything else we've seen out there."

"-So if you-know-poo or any of those monsters comes calling when you're wearing this Harry, less harmful spells will bounce off you and you'll be able to move like you do on your firebolt without anything weighing you down."

Harry was speechless. "Guys, I don't know how to ever repay you!"

'No sweat at all, Harry. We appreciate the challenge." The twins grinned at one another mischievously. "Plus, we owe you one for the money you gave us as an initial investment after the Triwizard Tournament-"

"-So consider this payback, Harry."

"I won't, not even close."He stated firmly. "I'll be sure to pay you back with royalties. Especially if this is all it's cracked up to be…." He said patting the case. "And if it is, I wonder what else you guys can come up with…"

"Have something in mind do you?" Fred asked nudging his brother with his elbow.

"I might." Harry replied, putting the suit back in the case and closing it. He then shrunk it down and placed it in his pocket for safe keeping. "I'll be in touch when I do."

"This one's got the mind of a Marauder Georgey."

"Indeedy, Freddo. Maybe we should be the ones hiring you to work for our Wheezies enterprise."

"Thanks, but I think I've got a few other things to take care of for now."

"Understandable-" One of them said.

"-But," the other picked up, "as soon as you've stuck it to Ol' Voldy, just know you'll always have a position with us." They finished, chorusing together.

They bantered back and forth for the next hour and caught up on everything that was Hogwarts, until Harry realised he was late to meet his friends. He thanked them once more and made sure to thank Aberforth, while dodging his inquisitive gaze. The snow had decided to settle after all and he had to disturb the first few inches in order to make his way to the Three Broomsticks. The wind was picking up now and the sleet was beginning to prickle his face as he arrived. Before he even entered he could hear the loud jubilant sounds reverberating from under the door. Blimey, it's barely lunchtime.

As soon as Harry pulled it open he was hit by a wave of merriment; this must be what it would feel like to collide with a Patronus, Harry thought, the collective joy from the pub's inhabitants warming him to his core, so that even the snow off his shoulders melted. Not a single seat was empty, the vast majority of customers being students, huddled together in groups, enjoying the tangy sensation of seasonally flavoured butterbeers. A large Christmas tree took up a whole corner of the pub and in front of it, Harry saw Professor Slughorn talking with Hagrid, who himself took up half the Christmas tree. Both men's ales were sloshing unknowingly over the side of their glass as they gestured to one another animatedly.

Next to them, Harry spied his friends and snaked his way through the crowd. Unfortunately, his beeline for their table did not evade Slughorn's exceptional eyesight.

"Ah Harry, m'boy. Lovely to see you." He gestured, as if surprised, his eyes suggesting he'd been camped out near his friends awaiting his arrival. Hermione gave him a sympathetic look.

"Alr'gh, 'Arry." Hagrid said in his usual boisterous manner and clapped him hard on the back.

"Hello Professor, Hagrid, how are you?"

"Well, very well m'boy," the aged professor said through rose tinted cheeks. "Looking forward to seeing you at my little soiree next week."

"Thanks, professor. Um, me too." Harry tried.

"Yes, yes, lots of people I'd like to introduce you to." He took another slop of beer and turned to face Hagrid. "Now, Hagrid, do tell me more about this Acromantula friend of yours." Using this as an excuse Harry slipped out of the conversation and onto the table with his friends.

"Hi everyone," he said, sliding in next to Hermione. Ron he noticed was at the other end of the table talking to Seamus, Dean and Ginny. However, he appeared decidedly uncomfortable seemingly not wanting to make eye contact with Dean, whose arm was draped lazily over Ginny's shoulder.

"Harry, how are you? How was Remus?" Hermione jumped in. Wishing to avoid a confrontation with her and needing an excuse to get a breather from her questions, Harry had simply opted to tell Hermione most of the truth about leaving the castle early this morning.

"Good and good thanks."

"Did he bring any news from the order?" She said the last word under her breath, glancing around surreptitiously.

"Nothing yet. He said he'll send word if there's anything new happening."

"Perhaps, there will be more news after Christmas. Gran mentioned Voldemort always used to attack during the holidays, as more of the Hogwarts kids are at home." Neville added.

"Really?" Harry said, taken aback. In all his studies, he'd never thought about researching the history of the prior war for clues at to how Voldemort would strategise in this one. I'll put that on the ever growing list of things to look that up later, he thought.

"Yeah. My gran used to look after me over Christmas because my parents would be so busy…" he trailed off, his sight following his voice and gazing off into the nowhere. Luna placed a comforting hand over Neville's, which was resting on the table, while Hermione patted his back reassuringly.

The momentary silence was broken by Madam Rosemerta who rolled up juggling an obscenely large amount of butterbeer glasses and looking disheveled. "Here you go, dears." She said through a strained voice and slopping a few on the table for them, the sweet scents of cherry and sugar assaulting their noses, before moving to the next.

"Harry," Hermione said, taking one of the proffered glasses, "I've still not been able to find out anything on our mystery book in the library. Although, Madam Pince told me that a few key books on the subject of the founders are currently checked out. So, I still have some checking to do." She finished almost defensively, which made Harry chuckle. Hermione would find the answers, if it took her tearing through every page the library had to offer.

"What book was this, Harry?" Luna asked airily.

"Oh nothing. I just found a notebook with a strange Hogwarts symbol on the front and was curious to find out-" But he was interrupted by a crashing sound, followed by yelps next to them. A few of the glasses Madam Rosmerta was carrying had tumbled to the floor sending butterbeer everywhere.

"Ah!" Hermione squealed, leaping up as some of the juice sprayed onto her back.

"Merlin's beard Rosmerta!" Slughorn injected leaping away.

"Lemme gi' you a hand with th', Rosy." Hagrid said, bending down to pick up the errant glass. While several of the tightly packed crowd jeered inconsiderately, Seamus and Dean among them.

"Oh, no, no silly me, Hagrid. So sorry dears," Rosemerta said addressing everyone near. Harry noticed that Ernie Macmillan, a highly critical boy in his year, was now coated head to toe in butterbeer.

He simply stared at the pubs patron aghast, droplets of butterbeer dripping from his head, while the rest of his table, which contained Susan and Hannah, and several others from Hufflepuff giggled away.

"It seems there was a limit to the empty glasses Rosmerta could carry after all." Ron said laughing. Hermione sent him a venomous look and left for the bathrooms with a grumbling Ernie in toe. Rosemerta swiftly siphoned the remaining glass and beer from the tables and shuffled off after them.

As Harry watched them sail away, his eyes wandered around the room and caught Daphne sitting with her friend Tracy and Blaise a few tables over. The trio were smirking over the plight of those involved and continued to talk animatedly thereafter. Harry couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy reverberate through him, as Tracy headed for the bathroom leaving Blaise to sidle up to Daphne.

"You know, Harry, you really should start wearing a butterbeer cork necklace." Luna said from beside him.

Harry and Neville looked back at her cluless. "…For the wrackspurt infestation," she proclaimed as if it were completely obvious. "they've suddenly appeared around your head and seem to have taken a liking to you." She then swirled her hands next to his head as if playing with the air currents. As usual and in contrast to Harry's perplexity, she seemed fascinated with the invisible creatures.

"Er thanks Luna, I'll do just that… er, -how are you finding the DA?" He asked, wanting a hasty distraction, and noticing Dean and Seamus smirk behind their hands, the former receiving an elbow from Ginny.

"Excellent, thank you, Harry." She said, forgetting about the wrackspurts, a bright smile beaming to her face instead. "It very nice making friends from other houses, plus I get to see you five more, so that's always nice…"

"Yeah…," and then an idea popped into Harry's head, that he only barely considered before he knew it was right. "Um…Luna?" She turned to him. Harry was acutely aware that Neville's eyes were on them.

"Er," He began, attempting and failing not to stumble over his words," I was wondering if you'd like to go to Slughorn's party with me…You know, just as friends, but I thought it might be fun to go with someone who I can have fun with and not have to worry about all this date,-stuff." If Harry thought she was beaming at the mention of the DA, her face positively blossomed with joy at being asked to the party.

"Oh I'd love to go with you as friends, Harry. I've never been to a party like this before!" She exclaimed and hugged him abruptly. Over her shoulder, Harry saw Ginny give him a thumbs up and Neville gave him a playful smirk. Ron's eyebrows, meanwhile, were above his head as he mouthed, 'why?'

"Wow, this is really exciting. I wonder about all the people we'll get to meet."

"Er…yeah…" He said turning and glancing at Slughorn, thinking perhaps that instead of asking her because he thought she'd have a good time, what he'd actually done was condemn her to a night conversations with Slughorn's most valuable prizes. Maybe he should have invited Malfoy instead, before shuddering and tossing that thought aside.

His attention was drawn away by Hermione, who was wearing a vacant expression and marching towards the doorway.

"Hermione?" Harry shouted, but his voice was drowned by the cacophonous pub. She swept past the bar and out the door. That was strange, Harry thought, she didn't even take her jacket.

Ron had caught her leaving as well and grabbed her coat to make after her. Harry floowed, eager to find out what was wrong. The snowfall had turned into a soft blizzard outside, with the snow drifting down in lazily large numbers. The door closed behind them and they saw Hermione setting a storming pace back towards the castle.

"Hermione?" Ron called after her. They sped up quickly until they were right behind her. "Hermione, I'm sorry about before and about everything listen…" But Hermione just kept on walking as if she hadn't heard him.

Then Harry noticed a small package clutched in her arm. "Hermione, wait!" Ron said exasperatedly, grabbing her shoulder to slow her down. Hermione shook off his grasp and levelled her wand at him.

"Get away from me!" She all but shouted, her voice carrying like a deathly wave against the snowy wind. "I have to delivery this. It's very important-" Sleet was beginning to colour her jumper white, but she paid it no heed and spun around, marching even more fervently than before.

Ron looked at Harry gobsmacked, but Harry already knew something was very wrong. He sped up and stopped right in front of her. "Hermione! What's in the package?"

She stopped and stared at him. "None of your business," she spat and went to level her wand at him.

Expelliarmus, Harry thought, the spell already shooting from the holly wand that leapt from his holster. Hermione's wand flew out of her hand and landed in the snow.

"HARRY!" Ron yelled. Hermione meanwhile, snarled and clutched the case tighter, as if it were a lifejacket in a storm. Harry's other wand vibrated aggressively up his sleeve.

"You can't stop me!" She shouted. Ron having had enough tried to snatch the package from her. In her haste to wrestle the package back it spilled open. A wave of magic burst from within to reveal a necklace. Harry hastily raised a shield but not quick enough to cover all three of them: Hermione flew up into mid-air, as if suspended by vicious invisible ropes. She let out an ear slitting scream that carried even through the blizzard. Her eyes were wide in fear.

"HERMIONE!" Ron shouted. Then she fell.

Ron was quicker than Harry and leapt beneath her catching her just before she hit the ground. "Hermione!" He yelled at her unconscious form. "Wake up, wake up!"

"Ron, put her on the ground." Harry didn't need to reach out with his senses to know it was dark magic. He waved his hand over Hermione and could feel it concentrated on her hand. He turned it over and found a black mark on her finger. He had never done it before, but he tried one of the healing spells Daphne had used on him.

Sana Tenebris! The mark sizzled and hissed under the pressure from the spell. The mark lightened, but was still clearly visible on her pale skin. Harry tried the spell again but nothing changed.

"HARRY!" Tonks shouted, appearing out of nowhere, snow clotted in her pink hair. "What happened?"

"She was cursed by the that." Ron said, pointing at the necklace which lay innocently on top of the snow a few feet away.

Tonks hurriedly felt Hermione's pulse. "She's still breathing, but her heart rate is erratic. We need to get her back to the castle immediately." She raised her wand and shot sparks up into the air.

Through all of this Hermione had not awoken or reacted. She simply lay inert in Ron's arms, oblivious to what was happening. Ron though was cradling her very close to him.

"It looks like she may have touched it," Harry said, indicating her hand to Tonks, whose eyes widened.

"What do we do?" Ron asked desperately.

"Okay, Ron, I need you two to carry her as quick as you can back to the School. People will be waiting there for you." A swift nod from him was all he gave before leaping up as if Hermione were feather-light and sprinting in the direction of Hogwarts.

Harry was about to follow him, when he stopped to consider the necklace. Tonks was about to get close to examine it, when Harry's hand shot out to stop her.

"Don't get close to it, Tonks. Even at a distance, I can feel dark magic pulsing from it." She looked at him quizzically, but he was not wrong. Harry could physically feel the dark magic oozing off the necklace, like it was laced with a poison that clawed over itself to tear through the air.

"Gotcha, Harry." She conjured something that looked like the bubble head charm and placed it around the necklace. As soon as the blue bubble wrapped itself around the jewel, the dark magic ceased to radiate, and Harry let out a breath.

"I'll leave it with you." Without waiting for an answer, he shot off in the direction of the school. Ron wasn't visible anymore, and he had no idea what had happened, but for now all he thought about, all he could wish, all he could pray, as he sprinted through the now torrential snow, was that Hermione would be alright…Harry picked up the pace, the white desert consuming him.