Chapter 3
The weeks past quickly, and all to soon they were once again on board the Hogwarts express heading for Hogwarts. The day was clear and warm, the trio found a compartment and rolled down the windows to let the warm breeze in.
"So, who do you think is teaching Defense?" Ron asked once they were off.
"Perhaps Snape…"
"Don't even think that Hermione!"
"Harry's right, that'd just ruin the entire year."
"But if he was a death eater he'd know so much about it." She persisted, Ron rolled his eyes at this.
"About using the dark arts. Besides he's better at Potions. What about Lupin, Harry?"
"Perhaps, I doubt it. But we can always hope."
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Mudblood, the Weasel, and Scar face." Draco Malfoy had entered the compartment followed by Crabbe and Goyle. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all glanced up, traded exasperated looks, and ignored him. "Listen Mudblood, the Dark Lord is back, and you're kind will be the first to go."
"Nice to have your opinion ugly, good bye." Harry said, kicking Ron to stop him from strangling Malfoy.
"You're another goner scar face." Malfoy strode forward, drawing his wand. The trio leaped to their feet.
"Beat it dung brain, or don't you remember what happened last time?" Ron snarled angrily, Harry reached behind him and picked up one of their prankster inventions. He felt it with his hand, good, a laughing bomb. Round and orange with a small green button, the bombs looked just like oranges, once the button was pressed it took twenty seconds to go off. His finger found the button and pressed it as he spoke.
"He's right Malfoy, you'd better leave, now." He said firmly, trying to kill Malfoy with an enraged glare.
"No, I don't think we will." Malfoy said, raising his wand, Harry signaled Ron and Hermione not to draw theirs. He stepped back and tossed the Laughing Orange at Malfoy before jerking Ron and Hermione back. Whoom! Pale orange smoke exploded from it, Harry, Ron, and Hermione covered their mouths and noses and waited for the smoke to clear before breathing again. The smoke thinned and out stumbled Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, laughing helplessly.
It was really very amusing, Malfoy tried to glare at them, but couldn't stop laugh, Crabbe and Goyle ran for the door, still half doubled up with laughter. Malfoy followed them quickly while the trio sat back down and gave eachother high fives. The door slammed the sound of the receding laughter as the three ran through the compartments could be heard for some time. Then the door opened again and Prof. Lupin entered a huge black dog at his side. He shut the door before turning and smiling at them, Sirius jumped into the seat beside Harry and Lupin took an empty seat next to Ron.
"Hello professor! Are you teaching again this year?" Ron asked, Prof. Lupin nodded and Sirius yipped.
"Yes, as Care of Magical Creatures teacher." Harry was immediately worried.
"What about Hagrid? Or his he still off with the giants?" Ron and Hermione stared at him, Harry had told them nothing about Hagrid's assignment.
"How did you know about that? Never mind, yes, he's still out of the country. What's with Draco?" Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged looks, should they tell a teacher about their pranks? Well he had been a Marauder…
"Just a little invention of ours," Harry said innocently, Ron jumped in,
"Thought they needed a little cheering up."
"They're always so glum and mean, hardly ever laugh."
"You can't have a good life without laughter."
"So we decided to be nice for a change."
"Though they were threatening us at the time."
"Practically invited us to set off a Laughing Orange on them."
"Sure did, maybe they'll even thank us." They all sat back smiling, Sirius and Lupin's heads had been going back and forth as they looked at each of the three as they spoke their lines. Sirius made a sound a little like a laugh but more of a wheeze and Lupin chuckled outright.
"Decided to become prankster's huh? Don't get into too much trouble or break to many rules." He advised them, Sirius snorted through his nose.
"But professor the only reason there are rules in the first place is so people will break them. We're only doing what is obviously expected of Hogwarts students, breaking the rules!" Harry said, struggling to keep a straight face. Lupin opened his mouth to answer but Sirius shook his head and gave them all a doggy smile.
"Do you have any idea who the new DADA teacher is?" Hermione asked to break the silence.
"Yes, you already know her Harry, she's an auror. Or was, until Voldemort's downfall she worked with them, but Fudge denies Voldemort's return and she believes it. The Aurors are caught, they can't really disobey Fudge, but it may come to that. Anyhow she's agreed to teach, for however long she lasts in that post." Harry thought carefully, a DADA teacher he knew, a retired auror.
"Not, Mrs. Figg? Arabella Figg I think her name is?" He gasped in astonishment, his old babysitter, and an auror! Wouldn't the Dursley's have a fit if they knew!
"Yes, exactly. It should be an interesting year." Lupin said with a smile, Ron and Hermione looked very confused.
They spent the train ride playing exploding snap and thinking up evil pranks to play on Snape. Ignoring Lupin's comment that they shouldn't be talking like that in front of a teacher. Finally the train slowed to a halt as Hogwarts came into view across the lake.
"Hogwarts! I'm so glad to be back!" Hermione said excitedly as they climbed into a carriage and started up towards the castle.
The weeks past quickly, and all to soon they were once again on board the Hogwarts express heading for Hogwarts. The day was clear and warm, the trio found a compartment and rolled down the windows to let the warm breeze in.
"So, who do you think is teaching Defense?" Ron asked once they were off.
"Perhaps Snape…"
"Don't even think that Hermione!"
"Harry's right, that'd just ruin the entire year."
"But if he was a death eater he'd know so much about it." She persisted, Ron rolled his eyes at this.
"About using the dark arts. Besides he's better at Potions. What about Lupin, Harry?"
"Perhaps, I doubt it. But we can always hope."
"Well, well, well, if it isn't the Mudblood, the Weasel, and Scar face." Draco Malfoy had entered the compartment followed by Crabbe and Goyle. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all glanced up, traded exasperated looks, and ignored him. "Listen Mudblood, the Dark Lord is back, and you're kind will be the first to go."
"Nice to have your opinion ugly, good bye." Harry said, kicking Ron to stop him from strangling Malfoy.
"You're another goner scar face." Malfoy strode forward, drawing his wand. The trio leaped to their feet.
"Beat it dung brain, or don't you remember what happened last time?" Ron snarled angrily, Harry reached behind him and picked up one of their prankster inventions. He felt it with his hand, good, a laughing bomb. Round and orange with a small green button, the bombs looked just like oranges, once the button was pressed it took twenty seconds to go off. His finger found the button and pressed it as he spoke.
"He's right Malfoy, you'd better leave, now." He said firmly, trying to kill Malfoy with an enraged glare.
"No, I don't think we will." Malfoy said, raising his wand, Harry signaled Ron and Hermione not to draw theirs. He stepped back and tossed the Laughing Orange at Malfoy before jerking Ron and Hermione back. Whoom! Pale orange smoke exploded from it, Harry, Ron, and Hermione covered their mouths and noses and waited for the smoke to clear before breathing again. The smoke thinned and out stumbled Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle, laughing helplessly.
It was really very amusing, Malfoy tried to glare at them, but couldn't stop laugh, Crabbe and Goyle ran for the door, still half doubled up with laughter. Malfoy followed them quickly while the trio sat back down and gave eachother high fives. The door slammed the sound of the receding laughter as the three ran through the compartments could be heard for some time. Then the door opened again and Prof. Lupin entered a huge black dog at his side. He shut the door before turning and smiling at them, Sirius jumped into the seat beside Harry and Lupin took an empty seat next to Ron.
"Hello professor! Are you teaching again this year?" Ron asked, Prof. Lupin nodded and Sirius yipped.
"Yes, as Care of Magical Creatures teacher." Harry was immediately worried.
"What about Hagrid? Or his he still off with the giants?" Ron and Hermione stared at him, Harry had told them nothing about Hagrid's assignment.
"How did you know about that? Never mind, yes, he's still out of the country. What's with Draco?" Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged looks, should they tell a teacher about their pranks? Well he had been a Marauder…
"Just a little invention of ours," Harry said innocently, Ron jumped in,
"Thought they needed a little cheering up."
"They're always so glum and mean, hardly ever laugh."
"You can't have a good life without laughter."
"So we decided to be nice for a change."
"Though they were threatening us at the time."
"Practically invited us to set off a Laughing Orange on them."
"Sure did, maybe they'll even thank us." They all sat back smiling, Sirius and Lupin's heads had been going back and forth as they looked at each of the three as they spoke their lines. Sirius made a sound a little like a laugh but more of a wheeze and Lupin chuckled outright.
"Decided to become prankster's huh? Don't get into too much trouble or break to many rules." He advised them, Sirius snorted through his nose.
"But professor the only reason there are rules in the first place is so people will break them. We're only doing what is obviously expected of Hogwarts students, breaking the rules!" Harry said, struggling to keep a straight face. Lupin opened his mouth to answer but Sirius shook his head and gave them all a doggy smile.
"Do you have any idea who the new DADA teacher is?" Hermione asked to break the silence.
"Yes, you already know her Harry, she's an auror. Or was, until Voldemort's downfall she worked with them, but Fudge denies Voldemort's return and she believes it. The Aurors are caught, they can't really disobey Fudge, but it may come to that. Anyhow she's agreed to teach, for however long she lasts in that post." Harry thought carefully, a DADA teacher he knew, a retired auror.
"Not, Mrs. Figg? Arabella Figg I think her name is?" He gasped in astonishment, his old babysitter, and an auror! Wouldn't the Dursley's have a fit if they knew!
"Yes, exactly. It should be an interesting year." Lupin said with a smile, Ron and Hermione looked very confused.
They spent the train ride playing exploding snap and thinking up evil pranks to play on Snape. Ignoring Lupin's comment that they shouldn't be talking like that in front of a teacher. Finally the train slowed to a halt as Hogwarts came into view across the lake.
"Hogwarts! I'm so glad to be back!" Hermione said excitedly as they climbed into a carriage and started up towards the castle.