The feast was over and the students of Hogwarts started to go to their common rooms. A group was about to stay behind but Harry looked at them and shook his head. He threw a gallon in the air looked back at them and smiled. They knew what it meant and just gave a short nod before leaving.

"Do you think Dumbledore wants to see you before we go to our room or you think he can wait until tomorrow?" Ron asked, having seen a bit of the exchange Harry and Dumbledore had at the feast.

"No, I will be talking to him tomorrow, he has Order business tonight and I wouldn't want to disturb him" Harry said.

"I was told that you have been quite hard working Hermione. Salsy one of the elves told me you came looking for a book." Harry said failing to hide his smile.

"Harry what were you thinking when you did that? It has been a major difficulty to deal with not having the book. These people are now your allies, our allies and we have to see who is on our side!" Hermione said.

"That is why I had to take it. I had to see what resources we could use, what ties still existed and go speak to them myself. I know I made you my lord-protector and I don't regret it, but as the head of the houses I had to renew these bonds."

"But..."

"No buts Hermione, I dealt with it and I will give you the book tomorrow. Now I want to go up to our common room sit with you two and listen what has happened since I left." Harry said throwing an arm around each of his friends and leading them to the staircases.

They arrived at the portrait and looked at each other, none of them knew the new password. They were about to turn around and go looking for Professor McGonagall, when they saw Ginny coming up the stairs a smile playing around her lips.

"And where have you been?" Ron asked accusingly. He might have gotten even more protective over his little sister.

"That is none of your business, Ronald. I can do whatever I want." Ginny said, not stopping but walking right to the portrait.

"None of my business? If it has anything to do with Malfoy it damn well is my business. You have gotten far to friendly with him."

"What I do and who I talk to has nothing to do with you so leave me alone!" Ginny said, now standing in front of the fat lady. "Gillyweed" without turning around, Ginny walked into the room, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione outside.

"Alright I really think there is a lot for us to talk about."

They had looked for a place a bit away from the others and with a bit of magic on Hermione's part, nobody was able to eavesdrop. They started talking and it almost felt like old times.

"So you're telling me that Ginny and Malfoy have a thing?" Harry still couldn't believe it. He had a soft spot for Ginny. Perhaps if the world had been a different place, they would have had a chance. But now he saw her as a good friend, someone he wanted to protect.

"She took care of his sister and I think that is how they started talking. I really think he put an Imperius on her. I mean Malfoy, really? Mom and Dad will disown her,"

"We don't know anything Ron. They are just talking. Have you ever seen them doing something else?" Hermione asked waiting for a reaction. "Yeah, that's what I thought. But enough of that, now Harry tell us what you have been up to. I can see how you changed!" Hermione said. She and Ron had seen it from the moment Harry had entered the Great Hall. His aura, a think both of them could now see and also feel, had changed. They both knew that Harry must be controlling it. The older the wizard the better he could control his or her power and as such his aura. The Harry in front of them was showing a small flame, which they thought could become a forest fire.

"You both must know who I was training with. I believe you got some special training for yourself Hermione?"

"Yeah, she was a great help and I learned a lot from her. Did you know she was a healer?"

"I was told so. And you Ron? I heard McGonagall gave you a run for your money."

"I knew she was brilliant. Do you remember our first day? I always knew she must have a great strategic mind who else would install a chess game to protect a stone. And even though she isn't the youngest anymore, she must have been one hell of a competition in a dual. I also got Kingsley and Lupin to help me."

"I'm glad. Perhaps we can have a small match. Have both of you practiced with the presents I sent you? I did. I had some other things to do first, so I think you transformed before me. What would you two say about a small tour around the grounds. We could..." Harry didn't get to finish, because Hermione cut him off.

"Harry James Potter, you haven't been her for more then 3 hours and you already plan on sneaking out?" Hermione began to lecture. He could help but smile, he was finally back with his two best friends, his family.

Since Harry didn't want to get into trouble with Hermione he agreed with Hermione to go to the chamber of secrets the next day and test it out. They talked some more and the three were one of the last to go to their rooms.

The next day started normal enough. Harry, Ron and Hermione met in the Great Hall, where they received many smiles from the DA. Before going to bed, Harry had taken out his coin and sent out a massage for their next meeting. Because of the different time schedule Hermione went to Ancient Runes while Harry and Ron made their way to Herbology. The day went by quickly and when it was nearing 5 o'clock the three found themselves in front of the Room of Requirements. The door appeared and they didn't have to wait long before the room began to fill. By five everybody was there. All of them were talking until Harry who had watched them with a smile took a step forward and cleared his throat.

"Hi everybody. I hoped you had nice holidays." Harry began but then was interrupted by Seamus Finningan.

"I have never worked so hard in my live. I trained muscles I didn't know existed." Seamus said with a half chuckle and many laughed with him agreeing with what he had said.

"I know what you mean, but I have to say you all look great. I can see it in the way you carry yourself around now. But before I tell you what we will be doing today I have to thank you. I can't imagine what you all are risking and I will never be able to pay you back for the support you are giving me, so thank you again, for your courage, loyalty and hope." Harry said, looking at no one particular, but at the same time looking at all of them.

"I think you confused something there Harry. You don't have to thank us, we have to thank you. When Umbridge came last year and you had many people not believing you, you stayed strong and taught the DA. You taught us how to defend ourselves and now you will help us to bring peace to the magic world, make the magical world save for hopefully generations to come. Without you Harry, many of us wouldn't even be here today. You have defeated the Dark Lord many times and mad it save for us to grow up in peace. So it is us who have to thank you, thank you for not giving up, thank you for helping us, for teaching us so that we can help you making our world save again." Padma had not really planed on giving such a long explanation but she had felt like this for a while and wanted Harry to know how much she appreciated what he had done last year.

Harry didn't know what to say but was saved by Ron "Well that should boost your ego Harry, I myself feel quite good now." Ron said. This brought another round of laughter and even Hermione had a small smile when she began to talk.

"Over the summer all of you trained really hard and I thought that we should keep that up. From Tomorrow on we will meet at a special room at 5 o'clock in the afternoon and train for an hour, every third day."

"Where will we train if not here?" Anthony Goldstein wanted to know.

"We will train in the chamber of secrets!" Harry said taking a step forward again. "I will have to go there later and make some preparations, but form tomorrow on that is where we will train. I will need your coins to make them into some kind of a portkey, which only you will be able to use."

"Why can't we stay here?" Susan Bones asked.

"The Room of Requirements as great as it is can't be manipulated to let the time move slower. Being in the chamber of secret, time on the outside will go by slower, so while we will be in there for two to three hour only one hour will have passed inside. This will be a hard year for us. There are the O.W.L and N.E.W.T for some of us this year and Quidditch. Not all of us will always be here, but we should always try to be here."

"Enough of the planing now. Give Hermione your coin and lets see what you've learned over the summer." Ron said, wanting to start the lesson and get it over with so he Harry and Hermione could go to the chamber and transform.

The lesson went by quickly and Harry was impressed with the progress all of them had made. Harry had walked around correcting here and there , but nothing major. Almost at the end Terry Boot requested a dual with Ron. They had been practicing shield charms and ways to use objects as a shield or for attacking and now Terry who had trained hard all summer long wanted to test his skills.

"Are you sure mate? I mean you did well today, but me. You should try Hermione." Ron said,regretting it the second it was out of his mouth.

"You think your better than me Ronald? Terry please let me show this ginger one what happens to him when he gets over confident." Hermione said, looking at Ron with a raised eyebrow.

Terry thought for a second, it would have been great to test how good he had gotten over the summer, but seeing a dual between these two would be even better. "He's all yours Hemrione." Terry smiled. If he had to bet, his bet would all be for Hemrione. The determination in her eyes and also the fear in Ron's eyes.

Taking their positions, both bowed to the other. It all began as more of show dual, but Hermione was determent to win, after what Ron had said and Ron didn't want to lose to a girl. The dual that had begun rather easy, very soon started to become more aggressive. Both using stronger and more powerful charms, moving quick and with precision. At the begin Harry had a smile on his face, but that had soon faded. He had conjured an invisble ring around them so that the jinxes and charms wouldn't harm anybody else, but Harry knew he had to intervene before anything serious happened.