“The Halloween feast has always been a festivity of fun and games,” began Professor McGonagall in front of the student body in the Great Hall. “However, this year’s feast will not be the same as the past ones. A fellow student of yours, Draco Malfoy, has been expelled on some very serious charges. The others involved in the calamity are alright, though harm was intended for these students. On another note, let me assure you that, while you are safe within these walls, be on your guard. As you can see, not all danger comes from outside Hogwarts. Please take this simply as a light warning to keep your wands with you at all times. With that, let the feast begin.”
A dismal mood had overtaken the room as the prepared food magically appeared before the students and staff. It had only been two days since Draco and Snape had attempted to steal the two Horcruxes from Hogwarts, injured four students, and almost fatally incapacitated a professor in the process. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny ate silently, as did most of the students. It had been years since a student had been expelled, according to Hermione’s readings, and this knowledge left little to talk about at the present time.
Harry was grateful his friends were alright. Hermione had to have her air way cleared and her voice revived before she was able to communicate anything, as both were constricted by a spell from Snape. Ron had suffered three cracked ribs and a broken wrist. Ginny and Harry both were bruised and bloodied by their confrontation, but that was all. Professor Moody had it the worst. He was sent to St. Mungo’s immediately. The results of the duel would render him heavily bandaged and further accentuate his limp. The memory of seeing two fully trained wizards duel one another still had Harry’s mind stirring. It was a sight he had longed to see for so long, and now wished he’d never seen it at all. Not everything that is dreamed about occurs the same way when played out in reality.
Harry also noticed that Professor McGonagall had been very preoccupied and removed since he told her about the Apparations. Hermione reiterated to Harry the impossibility of such an occurrence at Hogwarts, but Ginny argued alongside him. The truth would be told soon enough, and Harry knew that was a fact. McGonagall had called another Phoenix meeting for that night, and he knew it wasn’t going to be good news. If Apparating wasn’t possible within the grounds of Hogwarts, then why was it possible for Snape? And Draco, who was even less experienced than the Potions Master?
After less than an hour, the students filed out. Harry stayed seated, as did his friends. They wanted to know the truth as well. The duel had shaken the close group of friends, and they were concerned about Harry. Hagrid walked up to the quartet and smiled fondly.
“Yeh lot had best be runnin’ along,” he said softly. “Harry’ll tell yeh what happened later on. Don’ worry ‘bout it.”
With that, he turned and walked out, followed by the rest of the staff. The small group of Gryffindors left the Great Hall and watched Harry leave towards the Headmistress’ office. When he entered the room, the Order was buzzing. Tonks and Lupin had arrived, as had Garrison and the rest of the staff associated with the group. Moody was even there, looking rather worse for wear.
“Well, get on with it, Minerva!” demanded Alastor. “Is it true or isn’t it?”
“I’m afraid it is,” was her quiet response.
The room went deathly silent. Harry looked at the faces of the other members, and not one had a look of joy or hope. They all wore expressions of disheartenment, defeat, and shock.
“It can’t be,” said Remus, shaking his head. “It’s not possible.”
“It’s obviously possible,” Mad-Eye responded loudly. “Two students can attest to that, and clearly Malfoy didn’t just walk out the front gates of the castle. I myself saw those two Apparate from within the gates, so what we all feared is true. The defenses of Hogwarts are diminishing. There’s no other way to say it.”
Now it was Harry’s turn to look shocked and defeated. If the defenses were weakening, then there was no telling what could happen to the school!
“Let’s not jump to the worst possible conclusion just yet, Alastor,” said Minerva. “I’ll try to explain this to you all. I had a feeling this might have happened after Potter told me the truth about the Apparating. So I went to research it. There are so many spells and types of magic protecting this castle that it would be impossible for a full attack to be made. However, as Professor Dumbledore had created a large amount of them and maintained them while serving as Headmaster, these spells are starting to weaken in his absence.”
“How can that be?” asked Harry, unable to contain himself any longer.
“It’s because no one, including Dumbledore, thought he would be leaving at the time he did,” responded Garrison, stepping out of the shadows. “You’ve seen how powerful a wizard he was, even at his age. We assumed he’d always be here, and so did he. It was foolish, but there was no reason to believe otherwise, so Dumbledore maintained the spells merely by being present within the grounds. However, after half a year of absence, the spells would logically begin to diminish. It’s only a matter of time before they are non-existent. When that happens “”
“When that happens, plans will be set in motion to further protect the students at this school,” Lupin interrupted. “Voldemort would be a fool if he decided to attack us here, with many of the Order’s members present, and a school with many skilled students.”
“But it could also result in an attack that would turn the tide of the war permanently,” argued Garrison. “Have you forgotten who’s in attendance here? If Voldemort wanted a chance to kill Potter, now’s the perfect time for him to strike!”
The other members of the order immediately took sides on the issue and the office was filled with loud voices. The portraits were also split, arguing alongside the Order members. Some just moved to another part of the castle or covered their ears. One near Harry, who was just watching the dissension taking place in front of him, started muttering to himself.
“If they cannot be united as they once were with Dumbledore at the head, the Death Eaters won’t need a full attack.”
“Which do you think is right?” Harry asked the portrait.
“I agree that the best time for the Death Eaters to attack would be soon, considering Hogwarts is at its weakest. But with the Order present and the students united, they wouldn’t stand a chance. It’s like the Sorting Hat always says, but no one listens to the voices of Hogwarts anymore.”
“Is it possible to hear them still?”
“Of course, if you’re willing to listen for them. If you open your mind while in this office, you’ll hear their advice. They may even answer some questions for you. It worked for me when I was Headmaster here.”
“I’ll have to try that,” said Harry, more to himself than to the portrait. He thanked the canvas and turned his attention back to the Order, which was still speaking in raised voices.
“There’s no point in staying any longer, Potter,” Phineas Nigellus said with a look of disgust at the arguing group. “Just walk out the door. You’re no longer needed here.”
Though he hated to agree with this painting, he took its advice and left. In the corridors, he reflected on what he had just heard. When he returned to Gryffindor tower, he said the password.
“If ever there was a time to look downright hopeless, it’s now,” said the Fat Lady sadly as she opened. Her canvas had been repaired and the background repainted just hours after the attack.
Harry was met with a blast of sound and conversation. Obviously at the center of the room was Ginny, Hermione, and Ron, but the whole of Gryffindor tower was present as well, all anxious to hear what was going on. When they saw Harry come in, the room quieted quickly. He walked to the chair facing the fire and didn’t say a word. His heart leapt when he felt the expected hand on his shoulder. Ginny walked over to him and sat on the floor in front of him, putting his hands in hers.
“What happened, Harry?”
Not sure how to explain, Harry remained stationary. Ginny asked again, and Ron and Hermione knelt beside her. All the students leaned in closer, and Harry finally said it. As one, they all gasped. A few girls screamed. Both Ginny and Hermione put their hands to their mouths as Ron stood looking dumbfounded. The news, they knew, would be bad, but no one expected the worst: Hogwarts was truly not safe any longer.
“That’s what McGonagall meant at the feast today,” said Hermione. “The defenses of Hogwarts are weakening. But there’s so much magic protecting this place!”
Harry took a deep breath and further explained the situation to her. For the next few minutes, Harry took questions and explained as much as he could. He retold the story of what happened on the mountainside two days prior, and grew tired and weary with all the stress. Time was so short now. He knew he had two more Horcruxes to find and now this. He could no longer keep his friends here and be assured of their safety. They were better off at Hogwarts, but not for long.
No one spoke for a time, even when Harry stood up and walked slowly to his room. He expected to hear a roar of conversation as soon as the door shut, but instead he heard the dissipating sound of whispers and crying. He laid down and closed his eyes, wanting it to be all over. He wished he was one of his peers instead of who he was. He wanted to forget the responsibility that rested on him, but his mind wouldn’t give him any peace. A few minutes later, the door opened and Ron next to him sat on his bed.
“Ron, I don’t want to talk anymore.”
“It’s not about that,” Ron said, sounding a bit more emotional than he usually did. “I, well, we, need to ask you something.”
The last time Harry heard that was a couple days ago when Ron found him and Ginny asleep in each other’s arms on the couch in the commons room. That was awkward enough, and Harry didn’t know what Ron was going to ask now. He turned to his side, noticing Hermione was there too.
“How long are you going to stand alone without us?” she asked, knowing what Ron was thinking.
It was the last thing Harry expected to be asked. His eyes started to water as he sat up and looked at his best friends. They had always been there, and he knew they always would be.
“I can’t anymore,” he responded, fighting his emotions. “I need you now more than ever. Will you...I mean, could you...?”
“Yes,” both Ron and Hermione said, embracing their friend. The comfort he felt with these two was cut short, however, when a shadow blocked the light coming in through the door. It was Garrison.
“When you’re finished here, meet me outside the portrait, Potter.”
With that, he left. Ron and Hermione exchanged worried looks as Harry stood and walked out the door. He turned, smiled softly, and followed his professor. The room had remarkably cleared out by that time, so Harry just walked out the portrait hole. Garrison was leaning against the wall at the bottom of the stairs, waiting.
Wordlessly, Garrison started walking away. Harry rushed to keep up, wondering why his professor was acting this way. He seemed frustrated. Probably from the meeting, Harry thought. After several hallways, he saw a torch approaching. It was Filch.
“What are you doing here at this hour?” he sneered. It was as if he didn’t even see Garrison.
“I’m here with Professor Garrison,” responded Harry defensively.
“Don’t lie to me, Potter. There’s no one here but me and you. Now I ask again, what are you doing here? And don’t give me trouble, boy, or you’ll regret it.”
“He’s with me,” said Garrison, but he didn’t sound like himself. The voice sounded deeper and more sinister. Filch, startled by this new presence, started to back away.
“Who are you? What do you want? You can have the boy, just leave me alone specter!”
“You’d best be off then,” Garrison said forebodingly. Filch tucked tail and ran away, constantly checking behind him with his lantern to see if he was being pursued.
“And you’d best keep up,” said Garrison.
“I was right behind you,” Harry replied.
“I was leaning against that pillar and I didn’t see you.”
“But you were right there!”
“Be careful what you feel and what your eyes tell you, Harry. Didn’t it seem strange when I didn’t say a word but just kept walking?”
“Well, yes, but...”
“I wasn’t with you, Harry. I was waiting for you by that pillar the whole time.”
Harry froze for a moment, trying to comprehend what was going on. He was utterly confused. After a moment, his professor revealed the secret.
“It’s an illusion trick that can save your life. It’s saved mine quite a few times.”
“There’s a few other spells he used that you didn’t catch on to either, Potter,” said a second voice. Harry turned around and saw Mad-Eye limp towards him.
“What? I mean, where?”
Both professors exchanged precarious looks before starting to walk again. This time, Harry hesitated.
“Let’s go, boy!” shouted Moody, and Harry followed.
The three men climbed several staircases to the top floor, walked past a wall three times, and stood back as a door appeared. All three entered the room, one after the other, and Harry gazed at his surroundings. There were several different books around, but the amount of space was incredible. The far wall looked very unusual, as if it wasn’t attached to anything. It wasn’t floating, but just sat there. Harry looked to his professors for answers, hoping he’d get them soon.
“You heard the news earlier this evening, as you obviously passed it along to your fellow Gryffindors,” started Moody. “After you left and the argument ceased, Garrison and I spoke about what to do with you and came to a decision. I was going to collect you, but Garrison insisted we show you some things prior to. Which brings us to the hallway and to here.”
“You just witnessed a number of spells you most likely didn’t know existed,” Garrison continued, walking around to Harry’s other side like a wolf circling its prey. “These spells have saved the lives of many members of the Order of the Phoenix the first time Voldemort was around, and they continue to do so still. It is about time you learn to defend yourself properly without relying on sheer luck and improvisation. Therefore, we will be training you nightly on different defense techniques “”
“Nightly!” cried Harry. “But Professor, I have school work to so and the Horcruxes and “”
“Don’t interrupt, Potter,” Garrison responded quickly. “And speaking of Horcruxes, we’ve still got two more to find. Time’s running out. That meeting should’ve knocked that into your head! You no longer have time to be idle. This is the moment for action and for you became a better duelist. Tonight you were introduced to a few of the spells we’ll be teaching you, which were the illusion spell, the voice change, and the invisibility charm. Those three will be taught to you tonight, and you will not return to your dormitory until you’ve performed them to our satisfaction.”
“That’s how things are going to be for a while, Potter,” interjected Moody. “The next time you face Voldemort, it won’t be so easy, as it will truly be one on one, and don’t expect him to toy with you any longer.”
“What are these spells going to do against Voldemort?” Harry asked.
“Voldemort isn’t the only one coming after you. These aren’t for him. They’re for his Death Eaters.”
“Then why is it just me learning them?”
“Because you are our only hope left.”
Harry was silent for some time after that, as were his two professors. Just then, a thought popped in Harry’s head.
“Professor Moody, do you remember the DA?”
“DA? Oh, you mean Dumbledore’s Army a few years back. Yeah, I remember that,” Moody responded.
“Do you think I could teach the rest of my friends these spells by restarting it?”
Moody and Garrison exchanged glances once again, this time grinning.
“Resurrecting Dumbledore’s Army? I think that’d be appropriate for that group to rise again from the ashes,” Garrison responded.
Harry smiled, happy at the news that he would be surrounded by his friends again in the DA. It was bad enough without Quidditch to keep him occupied, but this was a decent substitute. Unfortunately for him, his smile didn’t last long. Moody and Garrison weren’t easily satisfied with Harry’s work, and Harry didn’t get much time to rest. Both wizards drove him until he had no energy left, then continued working him relentlessly. It was important that he learned these spells, but Harry wasn’t expecting this. He wasn’t sure he could handle teaching something he himself couldn’t master. He also learned that he would need more resilience and endurance for a full-fledged duel.
Following four and a half hours of training, Harry was relieved to go back to his bed. The sun was already starting to make its presence known in the sky as Harry dropped to his mattress and fell asleep. A couple hours later, Ron shook him awake.
“We’ve got class, mate,” his friend said before exiting the room. Potions was their first class of the day, and Harry was asleep after 10 minutes of it.
“Harry,” Hermione whispered, harshly elbowing him in the side. He grunted in response, sitting up and looking at Professor Slughorn.
“You know the answer, right Harry?” said his professor. A satisfactory look overcame Hermione’s face as Harry looked astonished.
“Could you repeat the question, sir?”
“I asked you how many times a human being can withstand a full dosage of a unicorn and stallion speed acceleration potion before they are permanently affected by its power.”
“Er,” Harry stammered. “I think it’s six or seven.”
“Close,” said Slughorn. “The amount is actually eight. Good guess, though. Still asleep, eh, Harry?”
After class, the trio went to the Great Hall for an early lunch. Harry told Ron and Hermione about what had happened the previous night with Garrison and Moody.
“They’re going to train you that hard every night!” exclaimed Ron. “Blimey, that’s rough.”
“Not to mention that Garrison seems to give you a hard time whenever he’s able,” mentioned Hermione. “I wonder why that is.”
“I’m sure he has his reasons,” responded Harry.
“Do you know them?” asked Hermione.
“I have some ideas, but nothing for certain. He did mention something else to me when I asked him about it.”
“What?” asked Ron and Hermione simultaneously.
“I’m bringing back the DA and teaching them everything I learn as soon as I have it mastered. There’s no sense in me learning it on my own, as it pertains to the Death Eaters, not to Voldemort.”
“But what can you use against Voldemort?” asked Hermione.
“There is a spell Dumbledore told me about in his letter that I’ll need your help in looking up. I guess that’ll help some.”
“I certainly would hope so,” replied Ron shakily. “I’d hate to face him unprepared.” When Harry and Hermione both looked at Ron with annoyed faces, Ron flushed and said, “Well, just saying...”
“Anyway,” interrupted Hermione, “how are you going to recreate the DA?”
“I want you two to help me get as many of the old members as possible. Let them know that next Sunday night will be the first meeting. That should give me enough time to master a few of the spells Moody and Garrison want me to have down. Have them tell their friends as well. Try to keep it away from Slytherin at all costs, though. I don’t want any members from there. If word leaks out to the Death Eaters, then “”
“Then we’re in trouble,” Ron finished. He looked excited, as did Hermione. It brought back their old fighting spirits, and they seemed very eager to learn more from Harry.
That night, Harry was bombarded once more with spells a great deal more complex than he ever imagined them to be. He was thrown against the wall on more than one occasion, and the strange looking wall was actually thrown at him on several more. Moody and Garrison made the whole room a frightening place to behold, with objects flying and hovering from every direction Harry looked.
Harry knew this was not a game, nor did he treat it as such. He held his own after many failed attempts, learning the spells and standing his ground by the night’s end. Moody was impressed, but Garrison insisted on more drilling. Harry was able to get two more hours of sleep than the previous night, but it still wasn’t enough to get him through Professional Transfiguration. McGonagall woke him several times during class to make sure he learned the material of the day.
This schedule was constant for the next week and a half, and Harry was very tired by the time the first DA meeting was to happen. Moody and Garrison agreed to give him the night off for the meeting, but he would be back the following evening. When Harry walked to the seventh floor, he was surprised by the amount of students waiting for him. Last time, there were between twenty and thirty. Tonight, though, there were close to sixty, which almost accounted for all of the houses this year, Slytherin not included.
A thought came to Harry, and he placed himself under the invisibility spell before approaching the group. He listened to the conversations going on around him as he walked past the wall three times, thinking of a place for them to have their meeting. The Room of Requirements revealed its door to all, and a slight gasp was emitted from the group as the door opened seemingly on its own. Harry undid the spell at that time, holding the door open.
“Are you ready for one more go at Dumbledore’s Army?” he asked with a grin. The group of students returned his smile and all walked into the room. When Harry, who entered the room last, looked at his surroundings, it was like walking into an old memory, much like walking into Moody’s office earlier in the year. The memories encompassing this particular room were much more pleasant.
“For those returning to the DA,” began Harry, “welcome back. For those who weren’t with us the first time, there will be a separate group for you. There is much to learn, and unfortunately not much time to learn it. I will be teaching you, just like last time, and as you can see from the spell I used outside, these will be a bit more difficult and a lot more useful against any Death Eaters.”
With that, Harry split up the massive group into two sections. He had the veterans of the DA practice what they remembered from last time in one part of the room while he led the new members to the opposite side. I don’t remember the room being this large last time, thought Harry to himself, noticing the far wall was much farther than before. He had the new group practice the stunning drills with pillows before moving to the advanced group.
“Alright, now try the Patronus,” he instructed.
Harry was surprised with how well the returning members performed and decided to start them with the voice change that Garrison had used. Though he wasn’t skilled enough yet to change his voice too dramatically, he was able to perform the basic charm, and it was with this knowledge that he demonstrated to the DA members in front of him. For several hours, Harry went back and forth between the two groups, constantly correcting and complimenting when he could. There were a lot of mistakes from all the students, but Hermione, Neville, and Ginny could be counted upon to master the new spells quickly, and they joined him in helping others.
The last time the DA was in existence, Harry was very unsure of himself as a teacher. This time, with all the drilling Moody and Garrison had him doing on a nightly basis, he felt almost over-prepared. After the first DA meeting had concluded, Hermione brought out a bag of Galleons, with the same configuration as two years prior. Harry smiled, remembering a time when he didn’t have to worry as much as he did now.
Hermione, Ron, and Ginny all walked Harry back to Gryffindor tower after the meeting, and they all wore smiles. Harry was silent, listening to his closest friends discuss what had happened. Then Ron made an unexpected comment.
“Harry, you taught us so much better than last time.”
“Yes you did,” agreed Hermione. “You seem so much surer of yourself now than you used to.”
“He also holds himself a bit higher than he once did,” added Ginny, “meaning he’s more confident than before.”
The friends walked through the portrait hole, and Harry decided to hold the meetings once a week, every Sunday evening. That would give him six nights with dueling lessons and one with the DA. He thought it was fair, so he would bring it up to Moody and Garrison the next night.
Although the first DA meeting was a success, the following night was almost torture. Garrison was the only one there that night, as Moody had some things to look in to. They had another lead on one of the missing Horcruxes, and Moody wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity. The curse of the night was to draw blood, and Garrison wasn’t about to let Harry slack off. He taught the countercurse to Harry first before hurling the actual curse right at him. Caught off guard, Harry was hit with it and cut on his left cheek.
“Block it, Potter!” shouted Garrison before hurling another at him. This time, Harry did block it, and every time after that as well. Finally it was Harry’s turn to learn the curse, and he threw it back with a vengeance. It was Garrison’s turn to be surprised, as he was driven back by the power of the curse. Both of them now bleeding, Garrison smiled an unusual smile at Harry before walking up to him. He placed his wand on Harry’s face, and the pain and the wound healed.
“How did you do that?” asked Harry, bewildered.
“You forget I’m not an Auror, but a Healer,” was Garrison’s simple response. “A few more curses should suffice for the rest of our time here.”
These curses were painful to endure and extremely difficult to perform. Harry was hit by each one at least a dozen times before he learned just the countercurse, and after all these hits, he was angry. He charged at Garrison, firing with everything he knew. Garrison blocked every curse and charm thrown at him effortlessly before sending Harry flying to the back wall, unable to move.
“This is not a game, Potter,” spat Garrison as he hovered above the ground and shot towards Harry. When his face was three inches from that of his student’s, he landed softly on the ground, a serious expression on his face.
“I told you before to watch that mean streak. As you can see, attacking in anger only opens you to an entirely new world of pain and humility. You are not ready yet for any battle or duel. And you won’t be until you learn to block properly, throw these spells more accurately, and keep your mind closed.”
“Who are you?” Harry shouted back. “You sound like Snape did last year when Dumbledore died.”
“And a brilliant effort that was in your duel with him, wasn’t it?”
Harry was almost boiling over with anger as his breathing sped up.
“Why do you keep hitting me over and over again with these curses? There’s no point in teaching this way, if you can even call this teaching.”
“I do call this teaching, Potter,” replied Garrison with a sneer as he let Harry fall to the ground. Harry stood as quickly as possible, a determined, albeit frustrated, look on his face.
“Now, let’s go again, shall we?”
Harry was hit several more times when he gave up. He found himself against the wall again, which knocked the wind out of him.
“How do you expect to learn when you won’t even try?”
“I can’t do what you can,” responded Harry.
“That’s not true! I’m not the one who can defeat Voldemort, am I? I’m not the one who’s being pursued by the most dangerous organization of wizards in our history. And I’m also not the one whose honor, friends, and family are at risk because I don’t have the will or the resilience to stand and fight when it is necessary.”
“But this isn’t a fight,” protested Harry, now drained of energy.
“No, it’s not,” said Garrison. “But if you don’t learn the nature of these curses, how they feel, how they’re blocked, and how they’re used, then you will never be capable of standing in front of Voldemort as a worthy opponent. That’s why I’m teaching you this. I’ve fought him, boy! I’ve fought him.”
Garrison dropped Harry again, shaking his head as he turned his back to him.
“I know exactly what you’re up against.”
“Why don’t you just tell me what happened to you?” asked Harry.
Garrison turned around with a different expression this time: one of pity and remorse.
“It’s not time for you to know yet. Now get up and try it again.”
The two went at it for a few more hours before Harry had everything completed. He had a new respect for Garrison, even though this night had been his most painful yet. He returned to the tower completely drained of energy. He saw Hermione come up from behind him just as he was about to climb through the portrait hole.
“Where’ve you been?”
“I had lessons with Garrison,” Harry responded.
“You missed Transfiguration, Harry. Oh, my! What happened to your face?”
Harry hadn’t looked in a mirror, but he still felt some of the burns and scratches from Garrison’s barrage of attacks just minutes earlier.
“You have bruises all over your face! Come inside, quickly.”
Harry followed Hermione through the portrait hole and lay on the couch. Hermione grabbed a small vile from her room before returning and placing it on Harry’s face. Her hands were soft and the ointment was soothing, making Harry feel even more tired.
“Stay awake, Harry,” said Hermione softly. After a few minutes, Harry’s bruises had dissipated and the two left for lunch. Ron was already there waiting for them. They talked about classes and Harry’s lessons for a bit when Hermione brought up the DA.
“When will the next meeting be?” she asked.
“Sunday night,” he said. That seemed to work for his friends, and Hermione had him put the date in his Galleon before finishing his food. A few minutes later, Professor McGonagall approached them with a smile on her face. Taken aback, Harry stood wearily and asked what was going on.
“I know why you were absent,” began McGonagall, “so there’s no need to feel nervous. I actually have some good news for you. I’m informing all the captains of last year that there will be one Quidditch game this year, and it will be in two weeks. You need to get your team assembled and ready quickly, Potter. It’ll be a different sort of game, since there will only be one.”
“Why only one?” asked Ron dejectedly.
“It’s too dangerous to have more than one, with us all out in the open,” Hermione responded.
“Quite right, Ms. Granger,” responded McGonagall, turning her attention back to Harry.
“Now, you will be selecting seven players from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw, as the three of those houses add up to Slytherin. Choose carefully, Harry, and most importantly, have fun with this. Good luck to you.”
Professor McGonagall smiled again and left them. Harry felt as though he was on top of the world. He turned to his friends with the biggest smile he’d had all year.
“You ready for one more game, Ron?” he asked excitedly.
“I’m right behind you!” exclaimed Ron. Hermione was happy for them, and looked forward to something that would be fun and carefree for once.
Harry Potter & The Silhouette Of Eternal Benevolence by JourneyJosh
Chapter Notes: Harry begins taking dueling lessons with Garrison and Moody after problems seem to escalate to serious proportions from the previous events. These lessons bring back the fighting spirit of Harry and his friends and rekindle the army that once was assembled years ago in preparation for the upcoming battle.