A/N: Thanks for the reviews! So, I decided that, because not much will probably happen while the boys are in school, I will try to make each chapter a month or two, maybe three if I stretch it. So, this chapter covers September and October.

Please visit my profile and take the poll asking what genre you would classify this fic as, I am having a hard time classifying it into two genres, and help is appreciated!

WARNINGS: See Ch 1

This is unbeta'd.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I make any money from writing this. No copyright infringement is intended.

Chapter 16

Fainthearted Felines, Pursuit Presents and Halloween Horrors

Monday, September 9, 1996

Harry's Sixth Year Gryffindor/Slytherin Defense class was seated in the room as the class gong rang, signaling the beginning of the double-period. This was the second time he had seen this group since showing them their practice room a week ago.

Today, Harry wanted to wait for the class to get fidgety, and see how they handled "freedom".

As the minutes ticked away, whispering broke out amongst the Gryffindors, about what, Harry didn't need nor want to know. He waited, and the talking got louder. The Slytherins stayed silent, waiting for their professor to begin the lesson.

Then, Ron got brave. "Hey, ferret, still bending over for You-Know-Who?" The Gryffindors snickered. To Draco's credit, he didn't bat an eyelash. He just waited passively for the lesson to start.

All of a sudden, a voice rang out. "From Gryffindor, that will be ten points for insulting another student, and another ten for being a coward, Mr. Weasel-y. To Slytherin, twenty-five points for being mature, Mr. Malfoy. Also, Mr. Weasel-y, a detention with me, tonight. Eight o'clock, and another detention for every second you're late."

Harry stepped out of the shadows he had been hiding in. "Class, today we will be revisiting the Boggart. This time, you will not be practicing Ridikulus, but, rather, we will be assessing your fears, and other ways to deal with them, should you not be facing a Boggart.

"So, before we begin the practical assessments, who can tell me what makes a Boggart different from any other shape-shifter?"

Two hands shot up. One, predictably, was Granger's. "Mr. Nott?"

"Normal shape-shifters only change their outside appearance by growing a second layer of 'skin,' leaving their insides the same. However, Boggarts are the only known shape-shifters to change their entire anatomy, physically becoming whatever it is the subject most fears, except with the ability to change back to their true form, thus allowing one to kill a Boggart however one would kill or destroy what they worst feared. For example, if one feared Inferi, their Boggart could only be killed by fire in their presence, or subdued by the Ridikulus charm. Also, it is a little known fact, but a fact nonetheless, that a transformed Boggart's shape will be bigger if the subject's fear is stronger, but the size of the Boggart in relation to fear is in relation to the actual size of the object feared; so, if the Boggart is the same size as the actual thing is, then the fear is at the average level one fears their worst fear."

"Very good, Mr. Nott. Five points to Slytherin. Now, can anyone tell me why they think we are using Boggarts when not practicing the Ridikulus charm?"

Every Slytherin hand shot up. No Gryffindor hand did. "Miss Parkinson?"

"Because practicing with Boggarts is safer than practicing on the real version of one's worst fear because Boggarts can be incapacitated with a Ridikulus. This also helps us learn to deal with our fears so they do not stop us during a fight."

"Correct, Miss Parkinson. Five points to Slytherin for getting the correct answer, and another five for common sense. Now, I need a single-file line behind Mr. Weasel-y, beginning at the door." The class lined up and Harry took them to the sixth year practice room.

"On days when we do individual assessments, like today, we will be meeting in your practice room, and not the classroom. I will make it known to you when these days are, but I will deduct points for those who cannot make it to the correct place on the correct days," he drawled to the class as they walked.

Once inside the room, the class noticed a portrait of Professor Madriot that had not been there before. Ron snorted and said, "Vain, much?" to which many of the Gryffindors snickered.

Harry heard this and waved his hand. He had applied a glamor to the portrait that only the students in this class could see. Though he could not see it, he knew what it looked like: it made the portrait look like a picture of the Weasel in his Yule Ball robes from Fourth Year. The class, Gryffindors sans Ronald included, snickered.

"Is something funny?" Harry asked his class. Before anyone could respond, Draco said, "Not at all, Professor."

Harry nodded. "Now, to begin, I want you to write me ten inches of parchment on what you think your worst fear is and why. When finished, you will bring it to me. We will test in the order these parchments are turned in. Begin."

Harry conjured himself a chair in the middle of the room, so he could keep an eye on everyone.

As the time ticked by, Harry kept his eye on the Gryffindors, specifically the duo of backstabbers. He noticed things that he would mention later. As expected, Granger was the first to bring her paper up.

Harry read it. She seemed to be under the impression that Voldemort was her worst fear, contrary to what she had found out during Third Year. Another thing he noted was the complete lack of mistakes and the utter…neatness of the page. No scratches or ink drops or messy script anywhere. Harry smirked. "Miss Granger, your paper is very neat."

"Thank you, Professor Madriot."

"You do know that the only enchantments allowed on parchments or quills is the enchantment that makes a quill self-inking and that extends a sheet of parchment, correct?"

She nodded, and he saw slight fear in her eyes. Good.

"Miss Granger, is a Proof-Reading spell in either of those two categories?"

She shook her head, the fear evident on her face.

"Then why, Miss Granger, did you use one on this assignment?"

She floundered for a moment, before her jaw snapped shut and she lowered her head. The Slytherins snickered.

"This assignment will receive a T for cheating, I will deduct ten points from Gryffindor, and you have a detention with me tonight, same time as Mr. Weasel-y."

She nodded, and Harry could make out a tear falling from one eye.

"As it happens, you were first to turn this assignment in, so I shall be giving you your assessment first. Follow." Harry got up and walked to the glamored portrait, saying a quiet "Prongslet" to the portrait as the password.

He led Granger into the room. It was bare, just the cabinet with the Boggart in it inside the stone room, with sconces lining the wall. It was a large room, at least one hundred feet long and seventy-five wide. Just in case the fear was big.

Without giving Granger a chance to prepare herself, he waved his wand and the cabinet opened. Out came Professor Dumbledore. He walked from the cabinet, a grandfatherly smile on his face.

"Miss Granger," he said, "I am afraid that I cannot requite the love you hold for me. I am very sorry, but this will not work. Please, forget me and move on, maybe with Mr. Weasley."

Hermione held up her wand, and began to say, "Avad-" but was cut off when Harry stunned. Her. 'Interesting,' he thought. 'The bint has a crush on the goat.' Harry banished the Boggart back into its cabinet without looking to find out what his fear was now. He woke Granger and told her that her score was a T for attempting to kill the Boggart, and let the tacit threat hang that he would tell the Ministry about her attempted use of an Unforgivable if it suited him.

He and Hermione walked from the room, and there was a line of students by Harry's chair, the first being Theo.

The cycle of testing the students with their Boggarts went on for the rest of the period. Harry was only able to get through half of the class, because the other half took too long to finish.

The most notable fears were Theo's being a bad grade and Blaise's being an African man, looking similar to Kingsley Shacklebolt, but there were obvious differences between the two. Harry would have to question that later.

The one that most heartened and worried Harry, though, was Draco's. Draco's worst fear was that of Harry rejecting him. What Harry had seen the Boggart do and heard the Boggart say would haunt him forever, knowing that his prince though that those things were capable of him.

During the next defense class, Harry learned two things about Weasel-y: one- he could not go to the places instructed by the teachers when told to do so, as he had gone to the Defense room when specifically told to go to the Practice room, and two- he was still afraid of spiders. And he fainted at the sight of them.

.:OoO:.

September 22, 1996

Draco was sitting at the breakfast table when the owl post came soaring in. His eyes widened minutely when a pure black falcon landed in front of him, with a roll of parchment in its beak. Draco went to pull the parchment from the beak of the falcon, but the falcon dropped it in his hand. Draco opened the parchment and read it, elation showing in his eyes, but firmly hidden under his Slytherin mask.

Dearest Dragon,

I leave with you today, one month after the day of your birth, the first of the twelve courting gifts I shall send you.

This gift is the falcon who has brought this message to you. He is no ordinary falcon, but a Magickal Falcon. I shall not explain them because I know that your intelligent self already knows.

His name is Hermes.

Lovingly,

Lord H

Draco was ecstatic at finally receiving his first courting gift. It appeared that Harry was serious about bringing the Wizarding World back to its old traditions, as he had adopted the oldest courting tradition still known. The more modern courting tradition, involving dates and premarital sex, were brought in by Muggleborns and Draco hated them. In the old days, the future dominant of the pair would woo the future submissive with gifts and kind, loving letters, one on the monthly anniversary of the submissive's birthday. This would go on for a year, until, on the next birthday of the submissive, the dom would give the sub their last gift, and, if the sub accepted the courtship, the pair would bond and have sex that night. However, there was only minimal contact allowed with this courtship ritual after the first gift had been given (which Draco had received just a minute ago), so Draco knew that there could be no cuddling in Hogwarts or any other such things until they were bonded.

Harry's gift was an extremely rare one. Magickal Falcons were only born once a century, and usually only two in a clutch. The reason, though, that this gift was so special, was that Magickal Falcons were not falcons at all. They were only called falcons because of their resemblance to the species. No, Magickal Falcons were actually Dark Phoenix hatchlings. Once the hatchling bonded with its own, it would become a Dark Phoenix, changing its appearance and gaining abilities. For example, because Draco did have a small talent as a Seer, his phoenix might develop the ability to see things before they happen as well. Dark Phoenixes were similar to Light Phoenixes in their abilities, except that Dark Phoenixes run on…you guessed it! Dark magic!

Draco, after he had finished the letter, watched as the Magickal Falcon flew off and out of the hall. He looked up at where Harry sat at the head table, mask firmly I place, but let his gratitude shine in his eyes. He got the slightest of nods in response before Harry began talking to Severus.

.:OoO:.

October 30, 1996

As Harry was eating breakfast, the owl post came in. A small, unremarkable owl dropped a letter onto his plate, and he picked it up. After checking it for curses and such, he opened and read the letter.

My Lord,

This letter has been charmed to make people think it is a letter from Harry Potter to Ethan Madriot informing him of his progress in his studies. Only you can read this, and I wrote it in Parseltnogue as a precaution.

Lucius and I have been talking, and we have a…event we would like to out on for Halloween, with your approval.

The letter went on to detail the plan that Lucius and Tom had come up with.

Finished with the letter, Harry conjured a parchment and quill, and wrote his response.

Ok.

.:OoO:.

A/N: So, thoughts? Any suggestions for what happens on Halloween? I have a few ideas, but nothing concrete, so suggestions are appreciated.

And please visit the poll on my profile about the genres for this fic and vote on one! Thanks!

Also, please check out my new story. It is a HP Sherlock(BBC) x-over called "No Man Ever Steps in the Same River Twice"

SUMMARY: All Harry wanted was to escape from the world that had betrayed him, even after he had saved them. So, he fled to Muggle London, and guess who he became neighbors with? HP/SH/MH RW/LB HG/NL FW/GW/DM BZ/SF JW/Anthea Alive!Dumbles Alive!Sirius Lots of people who died in the Final Battle lived in this story. There will be bashing! PLEASE READ THE WARNINGS