I Understand

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TRAINING

Draco was exhausted Sunday morning when he and his friends got to the Great Hall for breakfast. It had taken awhile to calm Lydia down. After she had fallen asleep, he had told the others everything he knew about what had happened.

Crabbe and Goyle were upset enough to curse You-Know-Who. Pansy was silent and still for a few minutes before going white and leaving the room. Draco knew he would have to console her sometime today. He was hoping he could get some sleep before that happened. They all knew that she was on her way to the Astronomy Tower to scream and let out her anger. It was her only release other than crying on Draco's shoulder.

Crabbe and Goyle then performed the spell that added the Neimitz's name to the wall of the Slytherin Common Room. Its mural was of a snake getting ready to strike, the rubies in its eyes always glowed for days after a name was added. Surrounding the snake was all the names of those Slytherins who had fallen in the fight against You-Know-Who. It was a big list. Only those loyal to the light could see the list. Those students who had taken the Dark Mark knew something was there but no amount of spells could ever reveal it to them. Slytherins did not give away their secrets easily.

As he sat there quietly discussing the day's events with his friends, Pansy had still not returned from the Tower. She would be gone for hours, he knew. He pushed his breakfast around on his plate; suddenly, he was not so hungry. Feeling someone watching him, he glanced up and caught Potter staring at him. He glared back, but for once Potter did not return the glare he was surprised when the Boy Who Lived lifted the glass that he was drinking from and saluted Draco with it.

Draco was so surprised that all he could do was stare. What the hell was that all about, he thought to himself. Did Harry Potter, Gryffindor Golden Boy, just acknowledge Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin Prince? Before he could respond in any way, Potter had turned his attention to his best friend Weasley laughing in response to whatever it was that the red head said.

It was time for the friends to go to their regular Sunday training. Draco sent Crabbe to get Pansy while he and Goyle started off towards Dumbledore's office. They had training with the Headmaster every Sunday after breakfast until lunch; and then with Snape after lunch until dinner. After dinner, Draco went back to the dungeons to train privately with Snape. As they walked to Dumbledore's office, Draco thought back to what Harry had done at breakfast.

What in the world was that all about?

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Harry had had a restless night. He spent most of the night wondering how to go about telling Ron, Neville, and Hermione about what he had overheard. He would tell them, he knew that much for sure, but what he would tell them he had not yet decided. He wouldn't tell them everything. That was for Draco to do. Draco...did I just call him by his first name? Harry thought in amazement. Let's just hope I don't slip and call him that to his face. Harry decided he would tell them after breakfast; but before they went to their regular Sunday training.

At breakfast, Harry noticed Draco looking across the Hall at him and couldn't resist lifting his glass in a salute. He smiled at the other boy's look of surprise and then turned to Ron, who was asking if he was ready to go.

"Time for battle Harry, old friend. Maybe this time you can knock Snape on his ass!" Hermione laughed along with them as the three of them left the Hall headed for the dungeon. It was Ron's fondest wish that Harry knock Snape for a loop. Every Sunday he was sure that today was going to be the day that Harry did this for him. But Harry never did. Personally, Ron thought that Harry was holding back. So did Hermione. They had talked about this; and had come to the realization that Harry was afraid to lose control of his powers. There was no telling what he could do if he ever did.

Every Sunday between breakfast and lunch, the Trio and Neville met Snape in a deserted classroom to train in defending against the Dark Arts. This training was nothing like the class; this was intense training that often left one or two of them injured. They had training with Dumbledore after dinner until 9:00 and Harry had training alone with the Headmaster until 11:00.

Neville had become an integral part of their group last year when they had to save Ron from a poisoning. They needed supplies from the greenhouse and Professor Sprout was away. Since Neville was a mini Professor Sprout they had turned to him for what was required to heal Ron. They had never regretted asking Neville to join their group. All four of them had a significant, unique role in this group. Neville was their healer, Ron was the statistician, Hermione the brains, and Harry was the power.

They had foiled many of the Dark Lord's plans, but lately he had gone disturbingly quiet. He had stopped the overt killings and apparently gone underground. Both Ron and Hermione thought he was gathering power for a big battle. Snape and Dumbledore agreed with them. Ron was one of the best-kept secrets of the Light. He played his part of the bumbling best friend and side-kick of the Boy Who Lived with the finesse of a Shakespearean actor. No one knew that the strategies for the battles came directly from him. Between Hermione's ability in the research department, Neville's uncanny healing abilities with his plants, and Ron's tactical genius; Harry had a great group, not to mention some really fantastic friends.

Before they even got through the door Snape started flinging curses at them. They had been talking and had not realized that they were right at the door to the classroom they used for training. Ron was the first through the door, so he was the first to go down. Hermione managed to evade the first curse thrown at her but fell with the second. Harry had erected a shield around himself, but by the fifth curse it had broken and he too was lying on the floor shamefacedly staring up at the scowling face of his Potions Professor.

"Very good, Mr. Potter. You managed to get your team killed. Never walk casually into a place that you don't know is protected." The sarcasm dripping from his voice made Harry wince, he knew better. This thing with Draco was messing with his mind.

"Sorry, Professor," was all that Harry could say in their defense.

"Humph," said Snape and then released them from the curses that had them on the floor. "Mr. Longbottom will not be here today, as the mandrakes are ready to be cultivated. I have assigned him some different training tomorrow. Mr. Potter, you will need to be here right after dinner." Snape turned from them and crossed to the other side of the room where a big map was up on the wall. Ron and Snape had been working on this map trying to locate Voldemort. As of yet, they had had little success.

Hermione went to the books situated on the desk on the other side of the room; she was working on finding out all the pertinent information on a curse that they had heard You-Know-Who had been searching for. It was ancient magic and all that she had been able to find out so far was that the magic needed to use this curse was more good than bad in nature. Of course, she believed that there was no line between good and bad magic. Magic was magic, and it was the user of that magic that determined whether it was used for good or evil.

The curse was the Septimeital. It was designed to take the one cursed and separate them from themselves. How it actually worked she had yet to discover, but she would, it was her job to know.

Snape left Ron at the board with their correspondence and went to Harry to start their training. Harry and Snape had come to an understanding a long time ago. They didn't like each other, but that kept neither one of them from doing what they must. It was an uneasy truce.

Snape and Harry paired off. "Today we will be practicing the defense against the Tottertal curse. This curse, when done properly, makes the one cursed to walk unsteadily and be unable to concentrate. The counter to this curse is Wildewail, which reflects the curse back unto the one who cast it. Ready?"

Harry nodded and got ready to throw the counter curse. He watched Snape closely. Snape never gave away when he was ready to cast the curse. He never gave anything away. After two minutes of watching Snape closely Harry just barely had time to say the curse before Snape had muttered Tottertal. Harry got out wild before the curse hit him and instantly Harry was unable to concentrate and ended falling on his bottom like a baby just learning to walk.

From his position at the map, Ron had to stifle a giggle at Harry sitting on the floor with a confused look on his face. Seeing Snape's glare, he got back to responding to the letters that he and Snape had sent off last week.

"Finite Incantatum" Snape said.

Harry's head cleared and he looked up at his Professor with a sheepish look on his face. "That curse is wicked," was all he said.

"Explain to me what you felt," Snape commanded, his usual smirk prominent on his face. They spent the next two hours discussing the curse and its side effects before once again getting up and practicing. By the time the left for lunch all three of them were sore from falling on their butts and not one time had they been able to anticipate Snape's casting.

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Draco and Goyle waited for Crabbe and Pansy at the foot of the Gargoyle that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. It was easy to tell that Pansy had been crying but Draco was glad to see that she had herself back under control.

"Buttercup worms," said Draco. Ew! he thought with a shiver, who would eat worms? As they entered the room he could see that the Headmaster was waiting for them. Draco knew that they would talk about everything that had happened this weekend and training today would not happen. He realized he was right when the old man started speaking.

Dumbledore looked at all four of them in turn and sighing, he said, "You are all aware of what has happened this weekend. You also know the reasons behind what was done. The struggle is escalating and Voldemort's madness has become unstable. Draco, do you think you can get your father to see this and help us?"

Draco winced at this; he didn't want to discuss his father. "No, Headmaster, I don't think that my father will turn against Voldemort. Though I do know that all of them are worried about his deterioration. They believe that this new spell will set everything to rights and that the old Voldemort will be back. I am sorry that I can not find out anything more about this spell."

Dumbledore was nodding his head the entire time that Draco spoke. "It is as I thought. Pansy, what of your father?"

Pansy paled at the mentioned of her father. "The same as Draco's. They know something is wrong but they all believe that this spell will save him. They are afraid of him. He is worse than before. None will leave him. They will die if they try." Pansy's breathing was harsh when she finished, she knew her father would rather die than leave the Dark Lord and it tore her to pieces every time something else happened.

Dumbledore did not ask Crabbe and Goyle about their parents. Both of their fathers were in Azkaban thanks to Harry and his group. He knew it was time to tell them about the other group. But still he waited. After his and Snape's discussion the previous night, Dumbledore had agreed to wait one more week.

They continued to talk, Dumbledore pulling all the information that he could from them. After only two hours he released them; ordering them back to the dungeons for some sleep. He knew what Snape had planned for them today and since they had been up all night, they would need their wits about them to get through this afternoon.

They all trudged tiredly to the Slytherin dorm room for a few hours of sleep. No one bothered to talk on the way there.