Dumbledore came to dinner that day simply to calm everyone’s fears, if the headmaster was eating the food, then it had to be fine. McGonagall was absent, probably overseeing the added wards to the kitchens. Harry dropped into a seat and openly pulled his wand, scanning the food around him with several spells.

“Well?” Dean asked, glancing dubiously at the steaming food before them.

“Nothing, just regular ingredients,” Harry offered with a grin, starting to fill his plate, setting off a chain reaction at the table.

“Have you heard from Ron lately?” Dean asked, trying to change the subject as everyone started to eat.

“No, but the rumor is that his mother is sick.” Harry said with a frown, cutting into a sausage, “It sounded like all his brothers are taking time off work to be home to help with the house and looking for work in Britain to stay close for a time.”

“I tried writing a letter, but the owl returned it. Do you know where they are staying?” Seamus asked.

“I sent a letter through Gringotts to Bill. You could try the same.” Harry said, turning to Hermione as she hurried to the waiting seat, “Get caught up studying?”

“Sorry, I found this great book on runic wards and how they can be used. I took it to my room so I could show you a few useful spells later," she said, casting her spells over the food before serving herself a plate.

“How are you liking classes so far?” Harry asked, nibbling at a roll as he glanced around the hall, Neville was at the Ravenclaw table eating with Luna today.

“Professor Slughorn seems a more even teacher than Professor Snape,” Hermione said, slowly hesitating to insult a teacher.

“I don’t think Snape wanted to teach. He was forced there when he wanted to be a potions researcher. Did you know he submitted constantly to Potion Master’s Monthly and other publications during his entire tenure?”

“Was he not published often?” Hermione asked, frowning, trying to remember seeing the man’s name attached to any articles.

“Most were deemed too complex to replicate. They generally published only his breakthrough work, like the Wolf’s Bane Potion.”

“He was the youngest Potion’s Master so far,” Hermione agreed with a hum, thinking.

“I don’t understand Professor Richmond. He’s supposed to be a dueling master, but all he does is demonstrate. Do you think we will have practical lessons after Christmas break?” Harry asked, changing the subject, “Even with Lockhart and Lupin, we practiced in class.”

“I hope so, if not, the DA is going to have to pick up the slack, and that’s not the direction I wanted to teach this year.”

“At this rate, the main class is going to be pretty small either way.” Harry said with a grimace, “Only ten people showed up to the last morning class, and only about twenty are coming to the inside sessions. Do you think it’s just too much right now?”

“I would think more people would be coming now that the outdoor sessions are on hold,” Hermione said.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

“You do realize we are just moving the exercise inside the castle, right?” Harry asked, smirking.

“Do they?" she countered with an answering smirk.

“I hope not,” Harry chuckled a bit meanly, “Saturday morning is going to be brutal, consider this your fair warning.”

“Do we need permission to take the students through the halls?”

“I’ll ask Professor Flitwick after charms. Do you think there will be a problem?”

“Would you want a herd of students running up and down the halls on the weekend?" she asked rhetorically.

“Point,” Harry sighed, “I don’t want to move to just spell casting.”

“Maybe you would be allowed to use the quidditch pitch instead? You could always ask.”

In the end, the exercise sessions were canceled, forcing Harry to use shadow drills in one of the larger classrooms to at least get the students moving. He pushed for accuracy, speed, and movement in every drill. They needed to know when to stand and when to dodge. Casting stinging spells randomly certainly motivated people to move, he thought with a smirk.

They lost a few more members that week when they realized the sessions would not be getting any easier. It left them with about thirty members, a handful from each year and house. Most at least seemed determined to stick it out, even if they were not particularly skilled at the drills yet.

******

“Do you have a moment, Mister Potter?” Professor McGonagall asked, stopping him on the way to the dinner.

“Has something happened?” Harry asked, fighting to keep his expression blank, knowing the fallout was finally starting to appear.

“I’ve been asked to moderate a meeting between you and the Gryffindor quidditch team. They have concerns with you vacating the Captaincy so early in the year.”

“Alright,” Harry said with a sigh, “I know I should have refused this summer, but I’d hoped this year would be calm.”

“Honestly, I would have preferred you have the Prefect position, but the Headmaster insisted it would be too much of a burden on you this year," she murmured with a tired smile as she let him into her office where the rest of the team was waiting.

“Thank you for letting us have this meeting, Professor.” Katie said, looking tired, “I’m afraid if Potter leaves the team, we won’t have a chance at much of a season. Most of our members are new and untested. I want to offer to take the Captaincy if Potter stays on to play as Seeker.”

“With Ron and Ginny out as well, we’ve lost three members and don’t have easy replacements. We will need to hold tryouts again to pick backups for every position.” Dean Thomas said, glaring at Harry.

“Mister Potter, would you be willing to continue as Seeker for this year if the Captaincy was given to Katie?”

“No, Professor, I just have too much going on. What if someone tried to hurt the team because I was a member, or if they got hurt by someone aiming for me? My broom was cursed in my first year during a game. I won’t risk the same thing this year.”

“So that’s it, you are just going to leave us flat?” Cormac snarled, fists balled against his sides.

“I can understand your reasoning, Mister Potter. Team, what options do we have? Would you be willing to have Mister Potter train a new seeker but not compete himself?”

“We never had a backup seeker. We would have to run tryouts for the position along with a new Keeper.” Katie said, “If we do find someone promising, it would help if you could train them at least one day a week.”

“I’m willing to help where I can; I just can’t do multiple days a week right now.” Harry agreed, “Let me know when you want me on the pitch to help train, and I’ll be there.”

“It’s going to be a rough season with most of the team aren’t used to the training we do each week. We could use you to help with training.” Katie pressed.

“I’ll help where I can, but I can’t promise anything. I have a feeling the rest of this year is just going to get crazier.” Harry agreed with a sigh.

“We’ll schedule tryouts for next weekend if that is acceptable, Professor?”

“I’ll arrange to have the pitch reserved for the day.” McGonagall agreed, making a note, “Is there anything else you wish to discuss?”

“Is the poisoner targeting Harry?” Katie asked, looking worried.

“I am afraid so; I must ask that everyone be on their guard. Mister Potter isn’t wrong in saying that those around him could be harmed until the perpetrator is caught.” McGonagall said with a frown, “The school is taking every precaution. However, it never hurts to be aware of your surroundings.”

“Constant vigilance,” Katie muttered with a tired smile.

“Quite,” McGonagall agreed, “If there is nothing else, I hope you enjoy your dinner.”