The Opposite

Chapter 5: Italian Cursing

"Merda!" Neve cursed in Italian as a ball hit her. It was two weeks into their training and Neve wasn't really catching on with the dodging curses practice. She had bruises on her arms and legs. She'd grown a real bad language problem because of it.

"Come, Neve! You can do it!" Sloan yelled. Harry was levitating one of the balls and laughing at her at the same time. He'd grown rather good at Soliopathy. Ron was a master in Muggle weaponry like knives and guns. Hermione could kick Ron's butt in hand-to-hand combat and was a better knife thrower. Draco was very talented at magical weaponry like enchanted arrows and such. Aurora was rather powerful with her telepathy now thanks to Fionnula, and her relationship with Draco was blossoming. Ginny seemed to be hiding something, as she'd begun to act rather weird in her training. She'd begun to keep to herself and was known for disappearing for hours at a time.

Another ball was launched at Neve, and this time she dodged it then through a spell.

"Finite Incantatem!" she yelled. The ball blew up, sending pieces everywhere. Sloan smiled at her.

"Finally, you do something right. Take a break; then head to Drake. Harry, you're up and stop playing with the balls. I want you to use your Soliopathy this time to destroy the balls," Sloan said. Harry stood up and Neve passed him.

"Parte di merda," she mumbled idly. Harry thought that Italian was a great language to curse in. It sounded so beautiful. He walked out to the field, and Sloan immediately sent a ball at him. Harry didn't bother to dodge. Instead, he held his hand out. The ball stopped in mid-air and hovered for a second. Suddenly it flew back towards Sloan at an amazing speed. Sloan dodged it and threw his own spell to destroy it.

"Very good, Potter. But, I said destroy the balls. Don't attack me with them," Sloan said. Harry frowned and then nodded, his face softening. Ron and Draco watched silently. Sloan sent another ball in Harry's direction. Harry dodged swiftly and held his hand out. A jet of light shot out of it and the ball blew up into pieces. Sloan nodded and Harry went inside. That was when Professor Dumbledore appeared right in front of Harry, making him jump back and pull his wand out. Their reaction times had increased also.

"Relax, Harry. It's just me." Dumbledore put the goblet he was holding down.

"I thought this area was zoned as a Non-Apparition Zone," Harry said.

"That was a Portkey, Harry. Where are your trainers?" he asked. Harry looked sternly at the old man. His face was still very hardened.

"Sloan is outside, Fionnula is working with Hermione and Neville, Aislin is working with Aurora, and Drake is with Neve and Ginny," Harry said, starting to walk past the old man. Dumbledore looked as if he was going to say something more, but apparently decided against it as Sloan walked inside with Draco and Ron in tow.

"Ah, Dumbledore. What a pleasant surprise. Shall I call the others?" he asked jovially.

"Hello, Sloan. Yes, please meet me in the kitchen away from the students." Dumbledore glided off.

**********

Meanwhile, Harry went to the room with the other students. They were all resting and looked very tired and worn out. The girls looked noticeably more muscular, as did Neville. His face was not nearly as chubby anymore, and he was also well toned like the other boys. Aurora walked in behind Harry. She immediately sat down next to Ginny. Ginny glanced up at Harry.

"Hi, Harry," she said quietly.

"Hi, Ginny. Learn anything new?" He asked. He'd begun to get quite suspicious about whatever it was she was hiding. She shifted nervously in the armchair she was in. Aurora stared at Ginny, and then looked away from her. She looked at Harry and discreetly shook her head. Harry got the picture and went over next to Neville and Neve.

"I hate Sloan and Fionnula. They both are so damn hard on me. Bloody vultures," Neve grumbled. Aurora glared at her sister.

"Why is everything out of your mouth a swear word, Neveah?" she asked. Neve looked at her sister. Today, her hair was sky blue and her eyes matched. Normally, her hair tended to change whenever she was angry. No one ever called Neve by her real name except Aurora occasionally and Fionnula. Ron slipped up and received quite a beating from her, magical and non-magical.

"Vaffanculo," Neve said. Aurora's eyes widened. Hermione sighed. Neve had just started another fight in Italian.

"Coglione," Aurora retaliated.

"Baci il mio asino."

"Sia calmo prima che batti la merda da voi!" Aurora said and turned her attention to Draco. She leaned down to his ear. "Ti amo," she said audibly. Draco blushed and Neve rolled her eyes. Hermione realized that Neve had understood what Aurora had said and obviously wasn't too happy about it.

"What did she say?" Hermione whispered enthusiastically. Neve looked over at her.

"I'm not sure Aurora wants me to spread the joyous news just yet. I think I'll let her tell you. Draco understands most of the Italian language. He's almost fluent in it. Personally, I love cursing in Italian," Neve said. Harry chuckled along with Ron.

"Yeah. It's like wiping your arse with silk," Ron said. Neve hit him on the back of his head, and Harry, Ginny, and Hermione continued to laugh.

**********

In the kitchen, Dumbledore was sipping on very strong coffee. The four Magi watched him closely.

"What is it, Dumbledore? What has happened?" Aislin asked with urgency in her voice. Dumbledore looked wearily up at her.

"I fear that the times are growing colder and more dangerous. I hate to put more pressure on the students, but it is necessary. Aislin, how are Harry and Aurora coming in Soliopathy?"

"Harry seems to have a better grasp of it while Aurora seems to only get things done when under pressure. Harry has been practicing with the balls that Sloan uses to help the students' reaction times better. Aurora's time with me has gone from three to five hours in the morning. She has to get up earlier than everyone else," Aislin said, crossing her arms as she sat back in the chair.

"Has anyone else exceeded in a particular area?" Dumbledore asked.

"Draco has certainly become a master at magical weapons. He is exceptionally good at enchanted archery. He may even be better than you, Fionnula," Sloan said.

"I highly doubt that. Aurora is better at telepathy than Soliopathy. Ginny is excellent with sniping with Muggle weaponry. Ronald and Hermione also seem to have a knack with knives and guns. Hermione also excels at hand-to-hand combat with Ronald," Fionnula said. She basically called everyone by their real names, much to Neve's dismay.

"What about Mr. Longbottom and the other Miss Assante?" Dumbledore asked.

"Neville is rather gifted with defense curses, hexes, and charms. He'd also make a wonderful mediwizard one day. Neve's excellent with hand-to-hand combat. She can be very deadly with stealth, as she is very flexible and quiet. She isn't too great at dodging, though. Her reaction time isn't that great. She'd be a great spy, as she is a Metamorphmagus also," Drake said. Fionnula shifted in her seat and Dumbledore looked her way.

"I feel that something is troubling you, Fionnula. What is it?" Dumbledore asked.

"Ginny Weasley, Headmaster. The bloody child confuses the hell out of me. It seems she is partially a telepath, but there is also something else that I can't quite place on her. If I was to find out what it was, I'm sure I could train her. As it stands, I am stumped. I don't know what to do, and I'm used to thinking this," Fionnula said, obviously frustrated. Dumbledore nodded.

"Hmm. I will ask her parents if Ginny has shown any special abilities in the past. For now, I want each student to concentrate on their greatest abilities the hardest. This is where I bid you adieu and goodbye. I will visit again soon. Sometime around Christmas, I think." Dumbledore stood, and the four Magi stood with him.

**********

The teenagers all looked at the headmaster as he exited the kitchen. Dumbledore picked up the goblet and disappeared. The four Magi looked at the students.

"Well, you might as well get to lunch. After that, the rest of the day is yours," Aislin said. The four walked off.

**********

As the eight of them ate, Ginny kept glancing at Harry. Harry never seemed to catch her, as they basically kept missing each other. Hermione watched the two do that. After lunch, Hermione pulled Ron aside.

"Listen, Ron. Your sister apparently fancies Harry and vice versa. We need to get those two alone so they can talk. At this rate, they won't get together until they're fifty years old," Hermione said. Ron looked over her head at Harry and Ginny, who were silently clearing the table with Aurora's help.

"Why? I don't fancy the idea of Harry snogging my baby sister," he said. Hermione sighed.

"Oh come off it, Ronald! Ginny is fifteen and old enough to make her own choices about whom she snogs. Stop being such a big baby. You apparently had no problem when she was with that Michael fellow," Hermione said, crossing her arms. Ron looked down on her with a warning look. It didn't have any affect on her at all.

"No. I'm not going to help Harry succeed in tainting my sister." Ron started to walk off, but Hermione pulled him into a kiss. Harry, Ginny, and Aurora's mouths hung open. Draco was still in mid-bite. They'd never seen this kind of affection from the two. In front of everyone, they acted as if they hated each other. When the kiss was over, Hermione looked into Ron's dazed eyes.

"Harry's your best friend. You think he'll taint your sister?" Hermione asked, shooting her cutest face at him. Ron sighed. He hated it when she did this. She always managed to entice him into doing anything either by kissing him or looking at him with that sad puppy dog look. This time, she'd pulled both.

"Fine. You win. But, you owe me BIG TIME!" he said. Hermione smiled and kissed his cheek. Then she hopped off happily. Ron went back in the kitchen where Harry was smiling smugly. "Not one word, arsehole," Ron growled. Harry nodded and continued his task.

**********

Later that day, Neville and Ron were playing Exploding Snap while Draco was trying his hand at beating Harry in chess. Hermione sat in the corner whispering to Neve and Aurora while Ginny was watching Harry and Draco. Harry looked suspiciously over in Hermione's direction. She smiled at him and kept talking.

"Now, Aurora, I need you to keep Draco busy for about an hour. Do you think you can do that?" Hermione asked. Aurora nodded. Hermione turned to Neve. "What about Neville?"

"I could ask him to help with my medical charms. I suck at them anyway," Neve said. Hermione smiled mischievously.

"And I will take care of Ron. Then Ginny and Harry will be alone for quite some time. Let's go. Our plan goes into action now." Hermione stood.

"Checkmate," Harry declared while leaning back and stretching. Draco stared at the board.

"That's not checkmate," he mumbled. Harry stopped stretching and sighed.

"How so? It appears that my bishop is getting ready to wrestle your king into submission," he said jovially. Draco looked around, desperately trying to find a place for his king to move. Harry smirked and looked at Ginny, who giggled.

"Chess is a dumb game anyway," Draco said as Aurora walked over to him. She whispered something in his ear, and Draco followed her out of the room.

"I wonder where they're going," Ginny said, looking in their direction. She knew after she'd asked the question that it was a pretty stupid one. Harry made a snorting noise.

"Are you daft? I guarantee you that you don't want to think about it," Harry said. Then he noticed the room had gotten very, very quiet. He glanced around and saw that Ginny and he were the only ones left. Ginny seemed to notice also.

"Harry, do want to know a secret?" Ginny asked, stammering a bit. Harry looked over to her. She was staring at her fingers.

"What is it, Gin?" he asked. Ginny looked up at him.

"Well, I don't really know what it is. Do you know why I've been disappearing every now and then recently?" she asked him. Harry shook his head. He had a feeling this was going to be an interesting conversation.

"Why? I've been meaning to ask you about that myself. You're not secretly seeing some strange bloke, are you?" Harry asked. Ginny really couldn't tell if he was joking or being serious.

"No, Harry. I only li..." Ginny stopped herself as Harry looked over at her from his stretched out position. Ginny immediately avoided his gaze. Harry stared at her hard, so hard that he was starting to get a little light-headed. Ginny looked up at him. She was staring intently at him also. "Harry..." she whispered. Her eyes seemed to glaze over, and Harry felt himself enter Ginny's mind in his attempt to try and figure her out. The next thing they knew, they both were sprawled out across the floor, their eyes staring at seemingly nothing.

**********
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Merda = Shit
Parte di merda = Piece of shit
Vaffanculo = Fuck you
Coglione = Asshole
Baci il mio asino = Kiss my ass
Sia calmo prima che batti la merda da voi = Be quiet before I beat the shit out of you
Ti amo = I love you