Harry dove behind a tree that shattered as Dumbledore's formidable Reducto hit its center, but before the splinters could even begin to fall the young wizard countered with a well placed Duro which hit the old wizard squarely on his knee and sent him tumbling.

 

"Sir!" Harry called out in shock then pelted across the Room of Requirement to where the Headmaster now lay - somewhat incapacitated.

 

"Oh God, Sir! Are you all right?" Harry was on the verge of panic. "Let me help get you to Madame Pomfrey."

 

"Merlin's sake boy, calm down," snapped Dumbledore as he pulled up the crunchy fabric of his taffeta robe to inspect his knee. "I'm certainly capable of handling this!"

 

Harry knelt beside his fallen instructor and watched him counter the spell which had virtually left his knee solid as stone.

 

The skin and bone softened and he was once again able to bend his joint. "There see? Good as new."

 

He smoothed down his robe then reached out for Harry to take his hand. "Do help me up."

 

Which Harry did, "Sir I'm so sorry; I didn't mean to hurt you. I promise, next time I'll be more careful."

 

Dumbledore pulled out two lemon drops from of his pocket, transfigured them into a couple of overstuffed chairs then motioned for Harry to take a seat.

 

"Of course I realize this was unintentional, but the fact of the matter is..." he quickly transfigured another drop into an ottoman to prop his leg upon, "you shouldn't have to be more careful."

 

"What d'you mean?"

 

"The whole point of Professor Snape and me working with you is to give you a challenge ... not the opposite."

 

"But Sir, look at you! I do need to be more careful!"

 

The old wizard didn't respond but instead toyed with his beard as he apparently contemplated an idea. "I believe some tea is in order."  

 

He called for an elf to bring them a service and after a few sips of robust Ceylon and a bite of sweet cake, he was ready to address the situation. "The fact of the matter is that with Severus busy at the new stronghold ... I simply cannot keep up with you my boy."

 

Harry didn't like the sound of he'd just heard. "What d'you mean Sir?"

 

"What I'm saying is ... that as long as Professor Snape's evenings are committed to setting up this new laboratory for Voldemort, I need help in carrying out your training."

 

"I guess that makes sense; who did you have in mind?"

 

Dumbledore took a slow sip of his tea then placed the little porcelain cup on its saucer, "Professor Priestly has asked if he might be allowed to help with your training."

 

Harry tensed, "He did?"

 

"Yes. He mentioned having had a discussion with Professor Jackson about one month ago ..."

 

"Yeah, Channon wrote about it in one of his letters."

 

"I believe he has finally admitted to himself that he was wrong about you. "

 

Harry fiddled with the lid on the teapot but didn't say anything.

 

"So, what is your opinion on the matter?"

 

Truth be told, Harry wasn't at all keen about working with Priestly. He didn't like him and for some reason - he didn't trust him. But knowing how busy Severus was and not wanting him to get sick again, added to the sight of an exhausted Dumbledore sitting before him with his recently hexed leg resting on the little ottoman, it didn't seem like he had much of a choice. "All right Sir, I suppose I could practice dueling with him."

 

Dumbledore sighed with relief, "Splendid Harry. I'll let him know straight away." 

 

~~~~~SH~~~~~

 

Solomon Priestly scribed his critique neatly in the right-hand margin on this, the last essay of the evening. He had been at it for hours, reading and grading the seventh years' recent assignment: The merits of Perfection in Defensive Magic.

 

He wiped his quill clean, carefully placed it on the unadorned pen rest then leaned back and released a tremendous sigh.

 

His eyelid twitched and he shook his head in frustration. Why does it keep doing that?

 

He placed his finger gently at the edge of his eye lid to try to stop the twitch. It didn't work, his lid continued on as it had for the last few days, twitching every twenty seconds or so.

 

Exasperated, he stood and crossed over to the sideboard where he started to pour himself a glass of Scotch. Stop you fool, he reprimanded himself then quickly set down the decanter.

 

Solomon Priestly firmly believed that drinking was a social act; one never drank by onesself.

 

I know what's wrong with me ... it's staying at this blasted castle and teaching these bloody children.

 

He began to pace back and forth across the small office. It's all starting to catch up with me... that must be it.

 

To say that Solomon was out of sorts would be an understatement. It had all started that night after the failed attempt upon You Know Who's manor, the night he went to drown his frustration at The Hog's Head. Ever since then, he simply didn't feel right, was the only way he could describe it. Added to that was a persistent headache and the embarrassing twitch.

 

He knew that everyone could see it; they could see that he wasn't in control of himself and that made the twitch more difficult to bear than the headache. For Solomon Priestly always had to be in control, he needed order and most importantly - he needed respect.

 

A whoosh of sound startled him as a letter flew out of the Floo and then hung suspended, waiting patiently to be noticed. 

 

He snatched it up and scanned the short note from the Headmaster confirming Potter's agreement to participate in his proposed dueling sessions.

 

He sighed in relief, but at the same moment another part of him - one very much in distress, tried in vain to voice its opposition.

 

But the demanding quietude of the Imperius curse was far stronger and it caused him to succumb to its specious logic.

 

Perfect, he thought. This will enable me to carry out my assignment and then, all will be as it should be.

 

~~~~~SH~~~~~

 

Neville wound his fingers around Luna's golden locks. They felt so silky and caught the light just so - 

 

"Luna, let's go up to the Astronomy tower."

 

She smiled and tipped her head askew, "Orion should be high in the sky just now. Yes, this would be a delightful time."

 

Whatever works thought Neville. "Let's go," he whispered.

 

They'd stepped into the Porthole just as Harry was coming in, "Hi you two."

 

"Good evening Harry," answered Luna in a daze, Neville simply looked guilty.

 

Harry whispered in Neville's ear, "It's almost curfew."

 

With a nod of acknowledgement, he and Luna headed off for distant prospects as Harry joined the remaining students in the common room, slumping onto his favorite chair by the fire.

 

"How was training?" asked Ron as he sat back up on the nearby sofa, exposing a rather disheveled Hermione.

 

"Not so great," Harry replied and then looked around the room. "Is it just me, or is everyone snogging in here?"

 

"I think you're over exaggerating," said Hermione as she tidied her hair.

 

Harry stared at Ginny and Dean curled up together in the far corner, and then remembered Luna's lips - from the looks of them, she and Neville had been hard at it.

 

Just then, Hermione flipped her hair back behind her shoulders.

 

"You have a hickey on your neck," Harry pronounced flatly.

 

She quickly pulled her hair forward and smacked Ron on the shoulder. "How many times do I have to tell you ... be careful where you do that," she huffed. 

 

"Sorry," Ron gave her his best I feel terrible about it look, then lightly stroked the mark with his thumb.

 

Harry had had enough. "I'm gonna take a shower," he said as he stood to leave.

 

"You can't do that - we have rounds!"

 

He stopped mid-step. "Well then hurry up," he called back as he headed instead toward the Porthole.

 

She quickly cast a glamor, and then raced to catch up with him.

 

~~~~~SH~~~~~

 

"What's got you in such a foul mood?" 

 

"Nothing," Harry snapped as he marched down the hallway. 

 

She turned to go up the steps to the Astronomy Tower.

 

"Wait a minute," he glanced up the steps thinking Neville and Luna were probably up there. "Let's catch the tower on our way back."

 

"Oh ... all right." They continued down the hall, "Tell me what's wrong?"

 

"I'm just frustrated."

 

"What about?"

 

"Everything," Harry said and then dragged his hand through his hair. "Sev's been away working on that lab and now I have to start training with Priestly..."

 

"You can't be serious."

 

"It's true. I think maybe he asked to do it because of that talk Channon had with him."

 

"Well, perhaps it's for the best. He really is quite good with details."

 

Harry rolled his eyes and headed back for the tower.    

 

"Hold up!" she called out. "We haven't checked the Astronomy tower yet," and then started off in that direction.

 

"Oh yeah," he mumbled and reluctantly caught up with her. They reached the Astronomy tower and as they ascended the steps, Harry intentionally made a bit of noise to warn of their approach.

 

It was all for nothing, for when they stepped out onto the tower they found nothing but dark sky and swirling snowflakes.

 

"Let's go Harry; it's freezing."

 

"You go on," he answered quietly then walked over and leaned against the battlement.

 

Hermione joined him and lightly touched him on the back. "Just give Priestly a chance. It'll be all right."

 

"We'll see."

 

She sighed and looked out at the Wintery landscape. "I can't believe Christmas break is almost here."

 

"Are you going skiing with your folks again?"

 

"Yes," she said as she brushed away a snowflake that had landed on her nose. "Sounds like the Burrow is going to be even more crowded this year."

 

"Yep. Ron's kind of nervous about Fleur and her whole family coming," Harry said lightly even though his heart felt heavy at the prospect of spending another Christmas at the castle - alone.

 

"Listen Harry, maybe the Headmaster might ..."

 

"He won't," he cut her off, knowing what she was about to say. "It's too dangerous, not only for me but the Weasleys as well."

 

"Oh Harry ..."

 

"Don't worry about me Mione. I'll be okay, really."

 

Even though Hermione could be annoying at times, Harry did love her and thought of her almost like a sister. But he couldn't bring himself to say any of that, so he just settled for a quick hug.

 

"Come on, let's get back.

 

~~~~~SH~~~~~

 

"So where are you meeting him? Ron asked while slinging his book-bag over his shoulder.

 

Harry stood staring at the note from Priestly which detailed the time and meeting place for their training sessions. "The Room of Requirement."

 

They headed for the door but paused and waited as Professor McGonagall bustled past them.

 

"Excuse me boys, I'm late for a meeting," she called back and hurried out of the classroom.

 

"No worries Professor," answered Harry as Ron looked to Hermione whom was still gathering her things.

 

"Are you planning on spending the holiday break in here?" he asked.

 

"Ha ha," she snipped. "No I'm not. I just needed to jot down a couple of notes regarding our assignment."

 

"I can't believe McGonagall gave us homework to do over the break!" protested Ron as they now headed out into the hallway.

 

"She's just trying to keep us on track in our preparations for N.E.W.T.s."

 

They turned and started to climb the staircase. "Listen Hermione, there's plenty of time to do that during classes. I'd rather have some fun over the break, not work on Transfiguration."

 

She rolled her eyes and changed the subject, "You're awfully quiet Harry."

 

"I bet you can guess why," he replied.

 

"It'll be all right. Don't worry."

 

"That's easy for you to say."

 

"She's right mate," added Ron encouragingly. "Priestly isn't so bad. A bit anal ..."

 

"Ron, don't talk about him like that," Hermione reprimanded. "Look how much he's helped Neville. All that attention to detail was just what he needed."

 

They reached the seventh floor.

 

"You want us to wait for you?"

 

"I'm not exactly sure when we'll finish." Harry sighed and looked down the hallway, "No, I'll just meet you down at dinner."

 

"All right then ... Good luck mate."

 

"Right," he croaked then headed off for the Room of Requirement whilst Ron and Hermione went in the opposite direction toward Gryffindor Tower.

 

~~~~~SH~~~~~

 

"I need a place to train." Harry uttered the agreed cue and the heavy doors opened, allowing him into the room.

 

Solomon Priestly was already there, waiting for him. "Ah Mr. Potter, right on time."

 

"Hello Sir." The teen looked around in disappointment at the starkly barren room. Great. I can see how this is going to go.

 

Whenever he worked with Dumbledore, the room would be filled with a myriad of objects: armoires, trees, prisms of light-anything an individual could hide behind, be distorted within, or climb up on - all in order to add the factor of dimension to the duel.

 

With Severus, he always got the room to change into different places: a warf in a fishing village, a beautiful countryside, an orchard of olive trees. They were all places near his villa in Italy and experiencing them had been a godsend for Harry, as it was now nearly two years that he'd been confined to the safety of the castle.

 

"I thought we might start with some basic target practice, so that I can observe your technique."

 

"Yes Sir." Harry's eyes were drawn immediately to the man's twitch. It had grown in intensity so that it now included his cheek. "Are you all right Sir?"

 

"What this?" Priestly waved nonchalantly at his twitching face. "Don't concern yourself. It's simply due to fatigue. I'm certain it will go away over the holiday break."

 

"Yes Sir," Harry placated, but couldn't help thinking that the Professor's malady added a whole new dimension to the term ‘twitchy'.

 

Priestly faced the far wall and waved his wand in an exacting arc. A stone buttress appeared with a bull's-eye painted in its center. "Now Mr. Potter, if you would ... please demonstrate for me a Stinging Hex. Try to hit the bullseye exactly in the center mark.

 

Harry squinted at the little red dot in the center of the ring. It was almost impossible to see - even with his glasses. Nevertheless, he gave it a go and executed his wandless Stinging hex.

 

It missed the little dot by about five inches to the right.

 

"You missed."

 

"Well, it's kind of hard to see that dot. Is it okay to make it bigger?"

 

"The entire point of this exercise Mr. Potter, is to refine your spell placement."

 

"Oh."

 

"Try again."

 

Harry sighed, turned back to face the buttress, squinted and then executed another Stinging hex. He missed, but this time it hit just to the left of center.

 

Priestly watched intently, apparently trying to discern what it was Harry was doing wrong. "You know Mr. Potter, without using your wand, it is very difficult for me to appraise your movement."

 

"But I can't use one Sir; it would cause too much damage."

 

"I understand that." He pursed his lips as if trying to come up with a solution. "I have an idea."

 

He reached into his pocket, pulled out a coin and Transfigured it into a wand.

 

"You can use this. Since it isn't a real wand, there shouldn't be any problem."

 

That seemed reasonable, so Harry reached for the innocent looking piece of wood.

 

 Immediately, he felt the sudden jerking sensation behind his navel as the specious Portkey activated from his touch.

 

Panic ripped through him as he realized what was taking place, knowing at the same time that he was powerless to stop what was about to happen.

 

 

~~~~~SH~~~~~