""Harry Potter and the Orb of Reawakening""

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Chapter 7--Spiders and Dragons, Dreams and Shields::

There was a great chatter between members of the D.A. on Thursday morning. Everyone buzzed excitedly, wondering what Lupin will be teaching them. A few people, who, after the attack on the Hogwarts Express, has decided to rejoin the Army. During breakfast, owls were delivered to each member of the Army, informing them that they will be meeting the Room of Requirements and reminding them where and how to get to the Room.

"I don't think this has ever happened before," Ginny said. "You know, different years in the same class. Different years have different abilities, so Lupin would have to teach something that every year can manage, right?"

Besides Hermione, no one seemed to have paid attention to her question. Harry kept looking at the staff table where Lupin was talking excitedly to Professor Avalons. For a brief moment, Lupin seemed to have caught his eyes and smiled at him.

"Well, mate, what was in your dream last night?" Ron asked as the headed out of the Great Hall.

"Oh, that, um..." Harry strained his brain, but could not recall any part of the dream. "That's strange..., I don't seem to remember it."

"Oh.... That's okay! Tell me when you remember it!" Ron said and ran outside for Care of Magical Creatures.

Harry was accompanied by Cho as they head up the castle. "Well," she said, "what class are you going to right now?"

"Occlumency." Harry said simply.

"Octo-what?" Said Cho.

"It's some weird thing to protect my mind from being invaded by Voldemort." Harry explained, and noticed that Cho did not flinch at the Dark Wizard's name. "Well, what class are you going to?"

"Charms. Ah, here it is." They have reached Flitwick's room. "Well, see you after lunch." And she went inside.

Harry soon arrived in front of the stone gargoyle and gave the password. The gargoyle hopped aside reveal the spiral staircase leading to Dumbledore's office. His hand reached for the door knob as he heard voices.

"Acromantulas?" Said Dumbledore's amused voiced.

"Yeah," a second voice growled, "Hagrid said that colony of Acromantulas disappeared overnight. We think Voldemort is up to something."

"Now why would he want spiders? Unless he wishes to scare Mr. Weasley I see no point of his in taking the colony." Dumbledore said.

"Not only that," Moody continued, "Charlie Weasley said that several dragon eggs have been stolen from the International Institute of Dragon Studies."

Harry let out a small, surprised gasp and took one step forward. The sound of the step echoed down the spiral staircase.

"Ah, Alastor, we'd have to discuss this some other time. I believe Mr. Potter have arrived for his lesson."

Harry stepped back one more step and allowed Moody to exit. He nodded at Harry and descended down the staircase. Harry went inside Dumbledore's magnificent circular room where Dumbledore stood next to Fawkes, stroking him.

"Let's begin, Harry." Dumbledore said softly. "I don't know if Professor Snape have told you this, but there is a spell to protect your mind from the Legilimens Spell."

Harry didn't say anything; there was an actual spell to use, and Snape decided not to teach him it?

"The spell is Minde Protego." Dumbledore said.

"Minde Protego," Harry repeated under his breath.

"Yes, now brace yourself." Dumbledore said and raised his wand. "Legillimens!"

Memories soared through Harry's brain, "Minde Protego!," he choked. But nothing happened. The ominously dark tower was standing rigid in the middle of the lake.... Hooded figures stood around him, opening cell doors, Harry's scar began to ache. "Expelliarmus!!" He shouted, and Dumbledores wand flew out of his hand.

Harry was sweating, his scar glowing a bright red-orange.

"Well, that Disarming Spell was very powerful," Dumbledore said, retrieving his wand from under his chair. "Harry, what was that dream?"

"Which one?" Harry asked.

"That last one with Voldemort and the Dementors."

The dream came back to Harry and he remembered that he needed to tell this to Dumbledore right away. "Professor!!" He exclaimed. "The Dementors... they're working for Voldemort now!!"

Dumbledore looked as if he had no reaction to this. "It's just as I feared. The Minister put too much trust into the dementors to remove them from Azkaban. Harry, listen, remember what happened to Sirius; I don't want you to see these things anymore. Do you understand?"

Reluctantly, Harry nodded. Dumbledore continued. "Every night before you sleep, you are to use Minde Protego to shield your mind. Now, let us try again."

Two hours of Occlumency with Dumbledore and Harry still didn't get any better. He left the circular office a hour before noon and headed back into his dormitory, wanting rest. He dropped on to his four-posters bed and fell asleep...

Flashes.

Green.

Flashes.

Jets of green light were everywhere, countered by jets of red, blue, and golden lights. The golden statue which has just been repaired, was blown up once again. Harry was marching down a long, dark corridor. A door blocked his way, Harry raised his wand and destroyed the door and arrived in a circular room with blue candles.

He has been here before, just the previous year. Harry approached the Door that was always locked and attempted to open it. No use. Harry raised his wand and cursed the door. The Door stayed the same. People were coming behind him, firing spells at him. He turned around, and saw Cornelius Fudge, Mr. Weasley, Amos Diggory, Ludo Bagman, Dwalish, and Kingsley.

"Hmm..." Harry said, "six people..., one spell would be sufficient. Avada Kedavra!" The green light hit all six members of the Ministry at once, and the second later, all six of them lay lifeless on the ground.

. . .

Harry woke up, his scar, once again, bursting with pain. He hurried down to the common and was relieved to find Ron and Hermione. He eagerly told them what he just saw in his dreams. Ron was devastated at the idea of his dad being dead.

"But Harry, that can't be." Hermione said. Harry and Ron looked at her. "Well, if there was an attack on the Ministry right now, Dumbledore would've been there already, but he wasn't, we just passed him by on the way here."

The discussion lasted throughout lunch until at last Ron remembered that Mr. Weasley was in America to deal with foreign Anti-Voldemort wizards and convinced Harry that it was just a stupid nightmare. At one o'clock Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way up to the seventh floor and came to the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. They walked back and forth in front of the blank wall opposite of the tapestry three times, concentrating hard. When they finished the third time a polished door had appeared. They entered the familiar room, filled with Dark Detectors and the bookshelves full of Defense compendiums. No one was there yet except them, Harry picked up A Compendium of Common Curses and Their Counter-Actions and started to read while Hermione paced around the room.

"Hermione, can you stop pacing?" Ron said, irritated.

"I'm just thinking of what we need, and in case you didn't notice, we don't have chairs and desks enough for twenty people." Hermione said crossly and twenty sets of chairs and desks appeared.

"Don't forget Lupin's desk," Harry added, now reading The Dark Arts Outsmarted, and a large teacher's desk appeared at one end of the room.

As soon as the large desk appeared, Ginny, Neville, Dean, Seamus, Lavender, Parvati and Padma Patil, Luna, Anthony Goldstein, Terry Boots, and Katie Bell walked in, followed by the Creevey brothers.

"Wow," they all gasped as if they've never been here before. A few more minutes passed and Lupin walked in hurriedly into the room, carrying a large cage covered by a black rag.

"I'm sorry class, I was delayed. I've been doing something for the Or-" Lupin stopped himself. "Yeah, sorry I'm late."

He laid the cage on the table, and it rattled. "Yes, anyway, for the first hours, we will be practicing the Shield Charm."

"But we already know the Shield Charm!!" Dean complained loudly.

"Yes you do, Mr. Thomas, however, I believe none of you have taken the Shield Charm to a different level." The class fell silent, wondering what the 'different level' is. "Harry, would you kindly perform a most basic Shield Charm please?"

Harry nodded and stood in front of the class. He took out his wand and said "Protego!" A sort of a transparent bubble engulfed Harry, electric blue surges occasionally passes through the surface.

"Judging by the color of the surge, that is a powerful Shield. Thank you Harry, you may dispose the Shield."

"Finite!" Harry said, and the bubble died away.

"As I was saying," Lupin continued, "we needed to take the Shield Charm to a higher level, so to not waste too much of your energy on protecting unnecessary body parts. Since the charm we'll be learning--the Radiant Charm--can really hurt your eyes if performed without the proper protection, we'll be practicing limiting the area of the Shield to your eyes only. To do this, all you have to do is point your wand at your eyes and say the spell. Now go along, practice."

Harry pointed his own wand at his eyes and said "Protego!" For a moment, the Shield covered his head, and the next second, it started to shrink. He could feel a warm, sparkling energy traveling to his eyes. Then it felt like his eyes were being burned by a heating fire as the magic covered his eyes, and judging by the groans and grunts, he knew he wasn't the only one feeling it. It felt like staring into steam, all hot and made your eyes water with pain, however, after a few moments, the heat died away and Harry can see faint, blue sparks flashing across his eyes every few seconds.

He looked around the room, Hermione stood with a reddish Shield around her eyes, wearing an expression as if the others must be morons to take so long to do it. Harry shifted his attention to Ron, whose eyes were emitting furious golden lasers. The class had to bend down on the floor to avoid getting hit and it wasn't until a few minute later when Lupin realized what happened and reversed the spell. However, Ron wasn't nearly as bad as Neville, whose nose was flashing different colors as if it was a Christmas light. Harry looked around for Cho and suddenly realized that she's not in the room.

"Professor," Harry said to Lupin quietly, "Cho isn't here."

Lupin looked around the classroom and noted the absence of Cho, "I'm sorry, Harry." he said a moment later, "I'll have to invade your dormitory. He pointed his wand at his desk and said, "Arriveh Marauders' Map!" And the old, concealed map materialized on the desk, Lupin pointed at the map, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." And the map revealed itself.

"Harry, did you know that there's a way to search for someone using this?" Lupin said. Harry shook his head as Lupin pointed his wand at the parchment once more, "Locator Cho Chang!" The map quickly showed the different floors of the castle, some time afterwards, gold letters appeared on the parchment:

CHO CHANG NOT FOUND

Harry's eyes widened in horror. Ron and Hermione, who seemed to have overheard them, came to ask what's wrong. "Harry, Ron, Hermione, you are now to go to the Headmaster's office and tell him what happened, go quickly." Lupin commanded, and the three of them left, dashing to Dumbledore.

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