First Place - Angst

It was the start of a second secret, smaller version of the DA that Harry dubbed in his own mind his SA, Slytherin Army, though it only had five members. Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Malfoy helped the Slytherins work on their dueling technique and taught them advanced defensive spells that weren't usually taught until Auror training. The ambition and cunning that were classic traits for Slytherins helped them advance quickly, and the difference in dueling style was good for Hermione and Ron to practice against.

Harry usually met with them while the regular DA was meeting, so he was often the only non-Slytherin there. They were more comfortable the fewer Gryffindors there were, but cautiously accepted the presence of Ron and Hermione when they had to. Any other Gryffindors, and the Slytherins would barely acknowledge the existence of anyone wearing red and gold.

These particular Slytherins hadn't been really active in the rivalry between Houses but were still cautious. Harry, the son of their Head of House and nearly sorted into Slytherin himself, was accepted more readily than the others.

They worked on whatever the DA was working on most times, unless one of them had a particular question or they got sidetracked. Harry took a cue from his non-magic combat lessons, and his lessons with his father, and started accuracy drills. He conjured up targets and they all aimed spells, trying to hit their spot exactly. They were all good with still targets, so they tried animating them to see what happened. The accuracy was lower, but improved as they worked. Harry passed along the idea to Hermione and Ginny, who started the same practice with the DA.

He hadn't heard a word from or about Charlie. It didn't exactly worry him, as he suspected no one was daring to bring up the topic. He had initially been a little worried about how the rest of the Weasleys would react, but those worries were laid to rest by Hermione. She was the only one he felt at all comfortable talking to, as she had already heard exactly what happened.

Hermione was firm in the belief that Harry should apologize to Charlie for panicking and try to actually have a relationship. Harry explained to her several times how it wasn't that easy. Even if Voldemort could no longer invade Harry's mind there were many ways they could find out if he was in a relationship with someone. He had already risked far more than he should have.

Valentine's Day came and went, much like the previous year, with only one noticeable difference. While he did get something from Charlie it was only a note with one line and no signature. He only knew who it was from because he recognized the handwriting. Harry couldn't bring himself to send anything.

Thinking about you. Happy Valentine's.

They hadn't actually been dating, so Harry wondered why that one note hurt so much to read. He wondered why he felt like he had broken up with someone. All day, as he saw couples kissing in the corridors, or sitting closer together in the great hall, he reminded himself why he couldn't be in a relationship, why everyone was safer if he was alone. When classes were over for the day he did his homework alone and then went to the Room of Requirement to work on his knife fighting. He would be going up against a practice dummy for the first time.

"Concentrate Harry," Ollivander said quietly. "Try to see what holds the magic to the box, and then find how to disconnect it."

Harry nodded. Ollivander had conjured the box, conjured items being highly magical, and Harry was trying to find out how to remove the magic from the box. It was a single color, a light blue, and it weaved all over the box. Harry had been able to draw on the magic, to fix it when Ollivander cast a charm that warped the box, but couldn't remove it yet.

"Nothing," Harry ran his fingers through his hair. "I don't think it's attached, not in any way that I can see. It's more like it's... another layer to the box."

Ollivander nodded, looking at the box and studying it, "You can draw on its magic, how about sending some of your magic to the box."

Harry raised an eyebrow and nodded. He hadn't thought of trying something like that, and then he shook his head, "I don't want to give Voldemort any of my power though. What if he figures out what I'm doing and tries to take more from me, or just gets stronger?"

"I see what you are saying," Ollivander gave Harry a respectful look. "Let us start at the beginning again. What do you do when you fix someone's magic?"

"I just...," Harry almost felt the sudden snap of his thoughts falling into place. "I have to touch them."

"Do you touch the magic, or the person?" Ollivander asked with a touch of excitement.

"I'm not sure," Harry moved his hand slowly, concentrating on the magic of the box.

As his hand got close he could feel the tingle, just a bit, and see his own magic respond to the proximity of the box's magic. He was not actually touching the box, as he could not feel the surface, but his hand did encounter something. Harry concentrated harder, and tried to grasp the magic, to actually hold it in his hand. When he thought he had it he pulled back, and there was a loud cracking sound in the room, like a firecracker.

"You did it," Ollivander's voice was hushed, awed, as if he hadn't really believed it possible.

"I did it," Harry's voice was the same. It was his theory, but he hadn't thought he was right. "Now I have to try it on a magical creature."

Ollivander nodded. He transfigured the box into a young acromantula and Harry could see blood red magic all over the tarantula sized spider. He was hesitant about reaching towards it, not wanting to get bitten, so he petrified it first, and his eyes widened as he saw the flow of magic slow dramatically when the spell hit.

"Whoa," Harry sat back for a moment, and explained what he saw when Ollivander questioned him.

Before the spell could wear off though, Harry concentrated on the spider again. He reached out, understanding Ron's fear with sudden clarity, grasped the red magic and pulled. It gave a little more resistance than the box, but came away and dissipated like a spell that never hit a target.

Harry just stared at the spider for a moment, reversed the petrifying spell, and the spider scurried around on the table.

"It's a normal spider now," Ollivander commented.

Harry nodded, "But I have to touch it. If I can do that to Voldemort, and if it's enough to destroy him, I'll have to make sure he's distracted first so I can get close enough to touch him."

"You don't have to do everything Harry," Ollivander said reassuringly. "Leave some of the work to the Order. I'll have to talk to Albus."

"I should be going too," Harry nodded slowly. It was time to meet with the Slytherins again.

Harry finished telling his story about the Chamber of Secrets, as Davis had finally worked up enough courage to ask exactly what happened during their second year. She sat up from where she had been leaning against Zabini, who she had been dating for months without the school finding out, and gaped at him.

"Do you go looking for trouble," Nott questioned incredulously, "or do you just stumble into it at every turn?"

"Trouble seems to know where I am pretty much all of the time," Harry replied bitterly. "All I have to do is be me, and trouble follows everywhere I go."

"No wonder you're not seeing anyone," Nott snorted. Harry groaned inwardly. His love life was on everyone's mind. "They'd get pulled right in like Granger and Weasley."

"He might be seeing someone," Malfoy said suggestively and smirked.

Harry glared at the Head Boy. No matter that they managed to get along, to put the past behind them, they both still relished getting a rise out of each other. The other three Slytherins, Corinne Zabini having returned to their common room already, perked up at that and their eager curiosity hit Harry in a wave. He even leaned back at the force of it.

"No Draco," Harry insisted, "I'm not dating anyone."

"But you were," Malfoy pointed out. "You admitted as much to me on the train."

"I did no such thing," Harry stubbornly declared. "You don't have to be dating someone to snog them."

"Or sleep with them?" Malfoy questioned with a raised eyebrow. The others were listening quietly, taking every word in.

Harry glared, "That's right."

"Come on Potter," Malfoy prodded. "What's the need for secrecy? So you slept with a muggle, who cares? None of us do."

"A muggle?" Harry wondered exactly what made Malfoy think that.

"I thought you lived with muggles for the summer," Malfoy was suddenly equally as confused as Harry.

"I do."

"Then it had to be a muggle," Malfoy insisted a bit weakly.

Shit, Harry thought. "I wasn't there the entire summer."

"You mean Snape let you leave the muggles, where you're supposed to be safer than anywhere else, and go somewhere just to get laid?" Malfoy challenged with his eyebrows raised. He was clearly confident he had Harry cornered.

It was too much to resist and Harry smirked Snape style, "It was his idea."

The other Slytherins burst out laughing and Harry understood exactly why. Snape was not the type that any of the students thought of having a life outside of Hogwarts. His own Slytherins rarely talked to him about anything that wasn't academic. The idea of him taking an active interest in Harry's sex life was a completely outrageous concept for them.

"I was a bit surprised too," Harry said with a grin. Thinking of Charlie still hurt, but a small part of his mind, the tiny optimistic part that thought he had a chance at survival, accepted his feelings for Charlie and was planning for after the war.

For the next hour each Slytherin had a shield up and Harry bombarded them with increasingly more powerful curses until the shield fell. On the third time around with Malfoy Harry had stopped, unwilling to actually harm one of them while they were practicing. Harry had no desire to explain to Poppy Pomfrey why he had cursed a bunch of Slytherins badly enough that he couldn't heal them himself, and he couldn't reveal his animagus form to them. Too many people knew already, as he had shown Ron shortly after Hermione. He wasn't about to create secrets between them.

"Harry!" Ron's voice persisted despite Harry's firm wish that his friend would shut up. "Wake up you lazy bum! You have class to get to and I don't want to miss breakfast because of you!"

Harry groaned and rolled over. Why couldn't he just sleep? He pushed himself up and felt around for his coffee mug. He muttered the spell that activated it and the aroma of freshly brewed coffee wafted up to his nostrils. He inhaled deeply.

"Best present ever," Harry muttered after drinking perhaps a cup and a half worth.

"That's wonderful," Ron said dryly. "Now get moving so we can eat!"

"Yes sir!" Harry mock saluted and Ron rolled his eyes. He realized the room was much more... peaceful, emotionally and magically, than it should be. "Where is everyone?"

"They're at breakfast, where we should be! Why were you so late last night?" Ron asked in irritation.

Harry grinned, "Working with the Slytherins, then drinking with the Slytherins. I'm an Honorary Slytherin apparently, 'cause of Dad and what the hat said."

"If you had told me that two years ago I would have declared you insane myself," Ron gave Harry a mildly troubled look. "Are you sure they're okay?"

"I've scanned them Ron, every time I've been with them," Harry explained truthfully. "They're sincere."

"And I'm sincere too. Get dressed before my stomach starts digesting itself," Ron ordered forcefully.

Harry laughed and flicked his wrist, swapping his pajamas for his Hogwarts uniform with a quick cleansing charm on his body first. He stood up, drank as much coffee as he could stomach just then, spelled his mug to stop, and returned it to its place on his nightstand. He followed Ron out the door and down to the great hall.

Something changed as soon as he walked in. There was an odd feeling in the hall, apprehension, maybe anticipation. He couldn't quite identify it and didn't dare scan with that many people around. Harry could easily overload on the emotions of every Hogwarts student and staff member...

That was one thing. The staff table had several people, key people, missing. Dumbledore, Snape, and McGonagall were not there. Dumbledore never missed meals, which meant something had happened. Harry only nibbled at some toast, drinking more coffee. He noticed Hermione watching him, but he was distracted, trying to think of what could keep the headmaster, deputy headmistress, and Head of Slytherin away from breakfast. Whatever it was, it couldn't be good.

He wasn't the only one who had noticed. Malfoy was looking deep in thought, as was Zabini. Nott and Davis weren't there, and were probably nursing hangovers in the dungeons. They had gotten truly smashed the night before, trying to outdo each other, but Harry had stuck to his personal pledge and not had so much to drink that he lost his judgment.

"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Weasley please come with me," McGonagall's voice was clear and blank as she stood behind Harry.

He turned and looked her over sharply. Something bad had indeed happened though she was controlling herself admirably. There was an extra tightness to her lips and eyes though. She was also blocking her emotions, which Harry hadn't known she was capable of doing.

Harry stood with his friends, and was only a little surprised when another voice spoke from behind them, "We're coming too."

"Mr. Longbottom, you were not summoned," McGonagall said sharply.

Dean stood beside him, "That doesn't matter. We're coming."

McGonagall looked at her seventh years, all of them standing there and waiting. Harry saw that every eye in the hall was on them, and McGonagall clearly saw as well. She just left the hall and the group followed her. No one said a word when Luna Lovegood came up behind them and joined, slipping her hand into Neville's.

They all rode the staircase together, though it was a bit crowded. Dumbledore's office seemed to expect a larger group than called for, as it was larger than normal and there were several extra chairs.

"Everyone please sit," Dumbledore said tightly. Harry saw there was no twinkle in the blue eyes, none whatsoever. "We received some news this morning. I am afraid that Percy Weasley was killed by Death Eaters last night."

There was silence in the room.

The Gryffindors had all heard about the reuniting of the Weasley family, and Neville or Ginny had probably told Luna. They all knew Percy too, first as a Gryffindor prefect and then as Head Boy. No one moved though, or said a word, until a choked sob came from Ginny.

"P - Percy?" Ginny asked in a voice that made her sound like a little girl more than a sixteen year old, her face ashen.

Seamus hugged Ginny as she stared at the headmaster. Harry turned his attention to Ron, who had his eyes shut and his fingers pressed against his temples. Hermione stood up and started massaging his shoulders. A few tears leaked out of the corners of his eyes.

"Yes Ginny," the headmaster answered sadly. Harry wondered just how many messages of the sort the headmaster had to deliver, and if it ever got easier. Dumbledore had been teaching so long that the majority of the adult wizards and witches out there had been his students. "School policy dictates that only family members may take an absence from the school for mourning, but any of you that wish to attend the Memorial may."

Dean, Neville, Luna, Parvati, Lavender, and Harry all nodded, the other four either busy comforting or being comforted. Harry looked over to his father questioningly. He nodded once and gave Harry a sharp look. They would discuss it later.

Dumbledore had McGonagall escort Ron and Ginny back to Gryffindor Tower to get their things together. They would spend the week at Grimmauld Place with their family and the Memorial would be that weekend. The Gryffindors and Luna were given the day off their classes and they spent it in the Room of Requirement, talking and dueling. Harry knew that they were all targets because of him.

"He knew it was coming," Harry said while they were a dinner provided by Dobby. As they ate Dumbledore was announcing Percy's death to the school.

"What?" Parvati gasped.

Harry gave Hermione a sharp look, "You remember how he looked on Christmas."

"I thought he was nervous about seeing his family," Hermione said with a sniff, "but I think you're right. I think that's why he was there."

"How would he know?" Seamus asked. The normally somewhat hyper Irish wizard had been subdued all day, looking very worried. Harry wondered if Ginny had talked to him about Percy much.

"Every Weasley is a target," Harry said quietly, standing up and walking away from the group a bit, "because of me. It was no secret that he had a falling out with his family. I think they were trying to recruit him."

"So they just... killed him?" Lavender said in shock.

Harry nodded but didn't say anything.

"If they want you it's either join or they'll kill you if they get you," Hermione said darkly. "If you can resist Imperious and they capture you, you don't have much hope. Percy has always been strong willed."

"Don't worry Lav," Harry snorted, noting the girl's terrified look. "He only wants purebloods, narrows his choices a bit, hm?"

"Didn't you say he's a half-blood?" Dean questioned.

Harry nodded, "That reminds me. Hermione, can you send our favorite beetle a note? I've been meaning to have a talk with her about that."

"First thing tomorrow morning Harry," Hermione agreed. "When do you want to meet her?"

"Friday," Harry said decisively. "You pick a time and place and let me know." She nodded. "I think we should have a DA meeting tonight, let everyone get some aggression out. Do you have your Galleon?"

Hermione took out the controlling Galleon, which Harry had passed to her the previous year. She tapped it with her wand and changed the date and time, which made the other Galleons all grow warm in their owners' pockets.

"Are we learning anything special tonight?" Neville asked.

Harry smirked. He needed a good duel, and short of asking Dumbledore for one he only knew of one way, "I thought we'd have a mock duel, see if all of you can take me down."

"Just you against everyone else?" Parvati looked at Harry with wide eyes.

"Don't worry," Harry continued smirking, "I won't hurt anyone."

"You're not fighting alone Harry," Hermione said sternly, glaring slightly.

"I'm not?" Harry faced her and raised his eyebrows. They all knew that they weren't just talking about that night.

Hermione shook her head, "We said we would stand beside you and we will."

The others nodded. Harry was taken aback once more by the fierce loyalty he felt from his friends, the determination. He didn't deserve it, not really. The only reason it was him and not Neville was because Voldemort decided to attack the Potter family first. Harry was sure that Voldemort had planned to go after the Longbottoms after the Potters, not leaving anything to chance.

The DA showed up after dinner, not looking at all surprised that they had been called. They were surprised at the plan for the evening. The group had grown since it started with about twenty-five members in Harry's fifth year. Almost every student third year and above from Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff was there, totaling about one hundred people.

It was a complete blur in Harry's memory. The mock battle lasted well over an hour, and at the end everyone on his side was standing except for Parvati, Lavender, and Seamus. Harry knew he had stunned at least forty people himself. Hermione was looking determined and focused even after the duel was over. They had exchanged glances and nodded. More lessons of that type were needed. The DA needed to learn how to fight battles. The others revived the fallen while Harry and Hermione reversed a variety of hexes and sorted out the wands strewn about the room.

Finding the Key - Chapter 39

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