Chapter 4
The end of transfiguration was signaled by the loud gong noise, which still didn't fail to make Rynno jump out of his skin. Though thinking about it for just a moment, he figured that might be the point, give the students no excuse for saying they didn't hear the gong. Either way, after the long, but enjoyable class he made to follow both houses back to the great hall once more. When he remembered about seeing Professor McGonagall, thankfully, both Miss Davis and Greengrass waited outside the class for him.
With his meeting finished he met up with the girls and started their trek after their housemates together. At first, with the constant back and forth to the grand room for food, he wasn't sure why everyone wasn't so large and rotund. Must be because of said back and forthing, working it off before it could even settle. Rynno was after all slightly bigger than average, though not in the stocky muscular way that three Slytherins in particular were. Hopefully, with all the extra exercise, he'd maybe lose some of it by the end of the year.
Before he knew it he was back in the great hall, this time remembering what Professor Snape had mentioned during lunch, he sat at the Slytherin table. Just as with breakfast, he sat near Tracey and Daphne, teddy had stuck with his spot to Draco's left. Also just as with breakfast, he stayed away from certain undesirable foods.
Tracey it seems had decided to enjoy those foods for the both of them, taking large helpings of 'infected' foods. Daphne, though at a more sedate pace, delved into her usual fare with a gusto. Helping himself to some sausages he was in the middle of searching out something to go with it when an upper year made the mistake of trying to be helpful and place a bun on his plate for him, incorrectly assuming that was what he was looking for.
Before he could even explain that he couldn't eat that, Tracey had simply taken it upon herself to steal said offending piece of bread for her own. With a large smile at his red headed Slytherin friend who was too busy eating to return the grin, he simply speared the pork and ate it before another bun could be offered. Afterwards he noticed a platter of half chicken roasts, unable to resist the temptations he grabbed a portion and dug in as well, only broken from his indulgence by Daphne offering some mashed potato with a questioning look, with a simple nod at the unasked question he received a dollop of the food in question and continued eating in companionable silence.
Soon the foods disappeared just as they had appeared, and all manner of deserts were left over, unfortunately, looking around, there was not much he could actually partake in. Treacle pudding, pies of all kinds, cakes and pastries abound, but very little that he could have.
"What about custard?" he heard from his side, looking into Daphne's eyes for a moment he was happy for the attempt.
"Unfortunately it depends on what they use to thicken it with; same can be said with fudge. You'd be surprised what gluten is actually in."
Receiving a silent 'oh' he continued looking around and simply gave up, after all he'd eaten already he was full, so it wasn't like he'd be going to bed hungry or anything. Pushing his plate further away from himself he was content to finish off with some chilled water. Miss Farley who was seated about two seats down looked over at him and his plate.
"Not a desert person Mr. Oakren?" her questioning gaze flickered to Daphne and Tracey who were sharing a look.
"Not exactly. Uhh, how should I put it, I'm on a special diet."
However this answer only made Gemma's eyebrows raise further and look him over once more, "at your age trying to lose weight? Bit early for that isn't it?"
Tilting his head and shrugging his shoulders in a non committal way was all he could think of, sure he'd explained it earlier to the girls but he'd been dealing with it since he was 7, he'd gotten a little tired of explaining. "It's complicated."
Receiving curious looks from said girls, he shook his head, hoping they'd not make too much of an issue out of it. Thankfully, the Slytherin prefect shrugged as well and went back to her cherry pie. Soon enough the deserts also were taken away and people started filing out of the hall. Quickly explaining to Tracey and Daphne about his appointment made by Snape he received nods and replies of them waiting for him in the common room later to go over their transfiguration homework if he wanted.
Soon, Miss Farley was waving off her own friends and stepping closer to Rynno with a unreadable look on her face, "ready Mr. Oakren?"
"Whenever you are," was his simple response, a smile on his face present. With a nod of her head, she started leading the way out. Unbeknownst to the two, a bushy haired Gryffindor was doing her best to follow them discreetly.
==========HP:TSM==========
In the Slytherin common room a blonde wizard was grumbling about Rynno to whoever would listen, "I don't understand why he'd be hanging around with those two," to which he gestured to Tracey and Daphne who were doing their best to ignore the boy, "and not us. You've spoken to him Nott, what's your opinion?"
Blinking at being put on the spot, the brown haired Slytherin smiled at the attention. Usually, Draco wouldn't let him be part of the conversation and would put him down if he tried to leave the group, so being asked for his opinion was different. "Well, maybe he's gone to the Hufflepuff house?"
"But why would he willingly hang out with them for?" came the high pitched voice of Pansy, he face scrunched up a little more than usual.
"Well, he is part puff." Came Millicent's response, taking a bite of a pastry she'd smuggled out of the hall. Crabbe and Goyle who were both watching her avidly.
"Maybe he got detention?" came Blaises input, feeling like she was being left out.
"No, that's definitely not it. The teachers loved him; the only Professor who didn't award him points today was binns. Though an erumpent could charge through the room and he'd never notice, so that doesn't mean much."
The line of discussion lasted for about 15 minutes before Tracey's laughter could be held back any longer. Her guffaws stopped their conversation and caused the blonde wizard to scowl at her. "What's so funny Davis? Finally realized that your input isn't wanted yet?"
"You idiot Draco, it's so simple and your complicating it well out of proportion. It's just so funny."
Draco's scowl only got worse, when his frustration got too much he was almost as red in the face as weasleys' hair, "well if it's so simple, why don't you enlighten us?"
Raising her head triumphantly and nodded towards the group as a whole, "what did Professor Snape have everyone do during their first week here?"
For a moment, only silence was the answer, until Millicent was the one to speak up. "He made us appointments with Pomfrey?"
Further silence when the group realized for a while, Draco of course only got more frustrated at being shown up by the half-blood redhead. "I was about to make that very suggestion, you just interrupted me before I could Davis. You're not so great."
Shaking her head at the blonde idiot she turned to her blonde friend instead and did her best to ignore Draco's group for the rest of the evening.
==========HP:TSM==========
After a ten minute walk, Rynno and Gemma both made it to the infirmary, the doors were already open so they walked in. Rynno's first impression of the room was 'so bright'. Thankfully he'd been pretty healthy as a kid, if you ignore the obvious, no broken bones, and no major illnesses. In fact the only accident he'd ever been a part of was a trip down the stairs when he was 6, and even then he'd clambered back to his feet and continued as if nothing had happened. Nobody had told him at the time that a fall down 3 flights of stairs usually resulted in an injury, so how was he supposed to know how lucky he'd been. He knew now, though that was beside the point.
Broken from his musings he looked around the room and noticed no less than 6 beds with curtain railings along the one side of the room, two on the opposite wall, with an office to his immediate left. A door with a frosted glass window in it was cracked open enough for him to see an elderly woman finish up whatever she was doing and come bustling out.
"Ah, Mr. Oakren, I was expecting you this evening. Professor Snape has me to do a thorough check up of all of his students when they arrive, and you'll be no different. Come on, hop on the bed here," she stated whilst bustling them both to nearby bed and closing the curtains.
Miss Farley smiled at his bewildered look and sat down at a bench by the entry way, a book appearing in her hands out of nowhere.
"Now before we begin, I'm going to ask you to remove all but your undergarments for a moment and go from there dear."
Following the matrons instructions, he did as asked, leaving only his socks and underwear on. Soon the healer was waving her wand around him and taking notes on a clipboard next to the bed, "now hold still Mr. Oakren, this will only take a moment."
Other than the slightest tingling over his skin, nothing happened that he could tell, he almost didn't know if he was done until she told him to put back on his clothes and lay back on the bed. Once accomplished, her wand was once more waving over him from head to toe, only stopping twice for further circling.
Once over his chest area which prompted the mediwitch to take numerous notes, a surprised look flashing across her features for the briefest of moments before the look of no nonsense returned.
Second time whilst hovering over his stomach, causing a highly confused expression to mar her face. It wasn't until she'd finished her examination that she asked him to sit up once more before she stated asking her questions.
"Just a few questions Mr. Oakren," finishing up her notes quickly she picked up the clipboard and scanned it over, "firstly, have you ever had your core tested or examined before?"
"Not that I'm aware of ma'am, though I must admit confusion. What do you mean my core? You mean my core muscles?"
"No Mr. Oakren, I am referring to your magical core, I shall take your answer as a no." more note taking, "I noticed some irregularities with your stomach and bowel lining, do you have a lactose intolerance or some other food borne allergy?"
"Yes ma'am, I have celiac disease." Admittedly the young wizard was surprised it had shown up at all, it was a new thing according to the doctors his father had him see.
"Celiac you say?" a thoughtful look crossed her face before she ended up shaking her head, "well that would explain the confused readings from my diagnostic charms; I've yet to hear of this, would you explain it as best as possible?"
"Oh, sure, celiac disease is an immune reaction to eating gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, barley, oats and rye. Though I've heard some companies are working on filtering some oats which seem to be ok."
"That would mostly consist of bread, is that correct?"
"Yes ma'am, although wheat flour, is used in a lot of things including thickening agents and batters. From what I've seen so far, other than fruits, there are no safe deserts for me yet, or at least until I can ask whoever the cooks are for the ingredient lists."
"I see, one moment." For a brief moment, the matron wrote a note down and exited the closed of area.
Swinging his legs from his seat on the bed, Rynno was content to wait. It wasn't the first time a doctor had to go look something up when his allergy was brought up and the brown haired boy was sure it wouldn't be the last. After a minute or two, he swore he heard madam pomfreys voice, but the curtains muffled it so well he was unable to make out what she was saying, he was able to make out a high pitched voice responding, but not the words.
Soon the matron returned to the bed side and with a firm but not unpleasant look she gestured for him to get down from the bed. "Well Mr. Oakren, I have filed the documents I need and requested some books on your condition for future reference, for now, remain vigilant and hope we have little need to meet again for some time."
Leading him out of the cordoned off bed that they'd claimed for his examination, she opened the curtains once more and gestured to Miss Farley who's nose was hidden in the pages of her book. Once the elderly witch caught the prefect in questions attentions she packed her book away into a pocket which seemed far too small and gestured for him to follow her out.
Just before leaving, Rynno turned and waved to the kind matron before following his housemate out of the room. Oblivious to the nearest beds curtains hiding a large lump that wasn't there when they had entered, that had shoes poking out from underneath.
==========HP:TSM==========
Usually the rules were extremely important to Hermione; she prided herself on proving herself to teachers and adults alike. After her recent affair with the Quirrell incident as she was calling it, she'd realized that not all adults would pay attention to the small details. Professor McGonagall's reaction to them trying to warn the headmaster was one such reminder.
In the end of course, whilst they had blamed the wrong Professor, having been proved right, did nothing to dampen her righteousness. As smart as she was, adults shouldn't treat her like other kids her age, she'd proven that a long time ago, or at least she thought she had.
Just like McGonagall, she felt that Ron was ignoring her concerns regarding the new student. She was sure something was different and she was determined to find out what, even if it did mean doing something about it on her own.
The bushy haired Gryffindor wished she could have had Harry come along, but she knew that Ron would want to tag along and then he'd argue with her until they were both blue, or in Rons care red, in the face and waste the chance she got when a Slytherin prefect started guiding him to the infirmary.
Just as Hermione made it to the hospital wing, she was in time to hear madam Pomfrey usher the boy into a curtained off area, "-Come on, hop on the bed here."
Unfortunately the prefect was just to the side of the entrance reading a book, but that wasn't going to stop her. Looking around she found a small rock near the doorway, taking careful aim she threw the small pebble into the room at one of the only moving trays the hospital had. The resounding clang got the prefects' attention enough for her to investigate the noise.
Though not used to sneaking around, Hermione dashed around the edge of the doorway and snuck into a nearby curtain. With baited breath she waited to see if she'd gotten caught, but soon heard the prefect grumble about hearing things and return to her book. Peeking from her hiding spot, Hermione saw her nose once more in her tome completely entrenched in whatever she was reading.
With relief flooding her system, Hermione did her best to shuffle silently along the curtains close enough to hear what was going on, the very idea that she was spying on something private didn't even register to her at this point, just the success of her self appointed mission to out the new kid mattered.
Once she could get no closer without giving away what she was doing, she could just make out what was being said. Something about a disease and his magical core. Immediately thoughts of a contagious disease flooded her mind, that would be just the thing Voldemort would do, she was sure of it. She just wished she heard more than something about bread though. Surely he wasn't infecting all the bread products in their food in an effort to get to Harry was he? If only she'd learn a eavesdropping charm before she tried a solo spy mission maybe she'd know better how to protect her unlucky friend. Unfortunately she made no other words out other than 'flour' and once she heard movement, she did her best to remain still and silent.
Hearing madam Pomfrey leave the area, she heard a conversation along the lines of the kitchen staff needing to be careful with anything including flour. The high pitched voice ringing an affirmative before a slight pop noise sounded a departure of her conversation partner.
Soon she heard them both leaving and did her best to match their footsteps with her own shuffling. Once at the area she'd entered with she saw the prefect and he-who-must-be-evil leave, she waited for madam Pomfrey to return to her office before attempting to make good her own escape.
Just as she was almost out of the door frame, she was called back by the matron herself, "Miss Granger, how are you feeling this evening?"
Aghast at being caught the bushy haired witch turned to the mediwitch and placed her hands on her stomach, "oh, just a stomach ache, but now I think about it, it's not bad enough to bother you with."
"Ah well then, that's lucky since we just ran out of stomach soothers, Professor Snape is working on a new batch for me. If you've nothing else, have a good evening Miss granger."
With wide eyes at the possibility that it might have already started she shook her head and made her way as quickly as she dared to talk to Harry and Ron about what she'd discovered.
==========HP:TSM==========
Back with He-who-must-be-evil and the Slytherin prefect, they were almost at the portrait when a one armed wizard caught up to them, his left leg being a wooden prosthetic. Miss Farley turned to him with confusion and surprise, "Professor Kettle-burn, how can we help you?"
"Ah, well I was actually hoping to talk to Mr. Oakren here for just a moment, I'll escort him the rest of the way to the Slytherin common room from here Miss Farley."
Once the prefect nodded and left, Rynno took his moment to look over the Professor in front of him, his medium length dirty blonde hair fell either side of his head, split right down the middle. His right arm missing, with his sleeve folded up neatly and held back by a Gryffindor coloured pin. From what the young wizard could tell, what was showing of his left foot was a beautiful replication of the human foot made of wood. Shaking his head from his ruminations, he looked at the Professor expectantly.
"Mr. Oakren, firstly I'd like to ask if your pet is enjoying his terrarium I gave you." If nothing else, Rynno could say the professors' eyes were lit with passion and excitement.
"Oh! I wondered where that came from, thank you very much Professor; yes he seems rather pleased with it. Do you mind me asking sir, why did you give that to me?"
"Ah well, you see." However the man paused for a moment trying to gather his thoughts, his head tilting from left to right and his eyes reading something a few inches on front of his face before he finally focused on him once more. "I'm the Professor that teaches the care for magical creature's class, which you won't be getting the option to choose until you hit your third year." For a moment the man was quiet as if this answered the question but with a shake of the man's head he continued as if he'd never stopped. "So when your pet arrived, the elves didn't know what to do with it and asked me what to do. Of course I'd only ever read about a badgermole before, Mr. Scamander met a herd of them in the Asian mountains at one point and described them fantastically. Ooh, I wish I could be out there researching alongside my old friend."
This time, the older wizard did stop his dialogue, seemingly caught up in reminiscing.
"Okay, well thank you sir. As I said, he seems happy; I just hope I get the opportunity to let him stretch his legs at some point."
"Ah yes, that actually works into what I was asking to talk to you about." Once more he was focusing on Rynno instead of his memories, "this Friday the 3rd year magical creatures class was supposed to be studying light sensitive animals. However the headmaster vetoed me acquiring some dire bats. So I was wondering if you'd allow us to study your badgermole on short notice."
Blinking in thought was Rynno's first reaction, he remembered his old science class and what they wanted them to do to those poor frogs and rats, of course he refused to participate but the point of the matter is that he sincerely hoped they wouldn't dissect his pet. "Study how exactly?"
"ah well, Professor McGonagall has offered to transfigure an environment to suit whatever animal I'm able to acquire that meets the headmasters standards, then we'd discuss the feeding and sleeping habits the animal partakes in." for a moment a scowl passed over the jovial mans face, "of course, for purely academical purposes if there are any potions that require parts, those would be discussed also. Heaven forbid of course." For a moment he shook his head to get rid of those thoughts, giving Rynno a chance to do the same before he continued, back to his passionate self once more, "oh and after discussing with both of your heads of houses, which let me tell you was difficult enough to figure out which one first. Anyway, after talking to them, Snape told me that your 1st period on Friday was empty and that if you gave permission, he was willing to award you points for assisting a teacher."
For a moment Professor Kettle-burn simply stared at him as if expecting an answer, before he realized he hadn't even asked yet, "So will you? Are you interested I mean?"
It didn't take long for Rynno to agree happily, "sure. Oh! Would it be possible for me to bring some of my friends if they have the same schedule?"
"Sure! The more the merrier." The older wizard exclaimed, his face as excited as when he first rushed up to him and Gemma.
Speaking of the prefect in question, the Professor realized he'd promised to escort the young student back to his house and led the way as if he'd been there a hundred times. Considering he was wearing a Gryffindor pin on his sleeve, Rynno thought this slightly odd, but being a teacher made it plausible enough for him to ignore it.
Once at his portrait the Professor left him to enter before bustling off as fast as his prosthetic would allow. "Draconis Sanguis." Quickly he entered the portrait hole and was immediately accosted by Miss Farley, who looked him over carefully.
"Oakren, what took you so long? You didn't get in trouble with Professor Kettle-burn did you?"
With a quick shake of his head, he explained what the eccentric teacher had asked for, which brought up his unusual pet. Which of course a few other students over heard and asked him to bring it down for them to see. Dashing up, with teddy following along, they retrieved the animal in question and brought it down to the common room. The girls gathered around and crooned over the unique creature, Pansy being the only one who thought its' nose was gross. Daphne and Tracey were among those first who were brave enough to try and pet it once gaining permission to do so.
The most interesting event occurring when the badgermole growled menacingly at Draco when he approached. Of course, rather than showing his fear, Malfoy scowled and made out as if he wasn't interested in a Hufflepuff pet anyway before making his way back to the table he was working on his homework at.
Soon the animal in question grew restless about being crowded and so Rynno dutifully returned it back to its' mound of dirt where it snuffled down a few worms before settling in for a nap. Its' owner agreeing with its opinion of large crowds just gave it a last petting before returning downstairs.
Once down he mentioned to both Tracey and Daphne, who unfortunately had situated themselves at a two seater table without thinking, about the professors offer and after getting their positive answers about attending moved over to teddy who was working on the homework all the first years but Pansy and Millicent were working on.
Though not used to writing in an essay format, Rynno was confident he'd done ok. Or at least teddy thought so, endeavoring to ask the girls tomorrow morning, he bade himself an early night and headed back to his room. Thinking about what he'd discussed with Professor McGonagall earlier.
==========HP:TSM==========
"Thank you for staying behind Mr. Oakren," and after receiving a 'of course Professor' from the boy in question she continued with what she had asked him to stay back for. "I was hoping Mr. Oakren, that you might enlighten me as to who had tutored you before your entrance to Hogwarts."
"Tutored Professor? No one, I only cast my first spell this morning."
The answer, obviously, was not what the Gryffindor head was expecting. "That was truly the first time you transfigured something? I find it hard to believe."
Shrugging non commitally, he wasn't sure how to answer exactly; he was being honest after all. "I don't know what to tell you Professor, I mean, I made things happen when I was growing up but no one ever taught me to do anything specific."
Externally, the Professor was calm and composed. Internally, she was beyond excited. She hadn't had someone who was as natural with transfiguration magic as this for over 20 years. To say she was jealous of Pomona and Severus was an understatement.
"The match you returned from needle earlier Mr. Oakren, was still light able, a skill that many third years find difficult. To say you grasp the first year curriculum after your demonstrations today, would be an understatement, and leaves me with no doubt you will pass your practical exams. I would highly suggest you continue developing your talents and work on the theory when possible."
Simply nodding at the praise he felt was being given he promised to do his best, and with a sharp nod from his teacher he took the dismissal in the way it was intended and left. Getting caught by his two female Slytherin friends who were waiting outside for him. Almost immediately they asked what she'd wanted and the best answer he could give was a shrug and "apparently I'm gifted."
With the joint "yeah that was rather obvious," that both girls stated at the same time, they laughed and smiled the whole way to the great hall, when Daphne's mask came back on as if automatic, something Rynno was determined to ask about.
==========HP:TSM==========
In the Gryffindor common room however, Harry was wondering where Hermione had gotten to. After he was wrangled into playing at least one match of chess with Ron, he managed to untangle himself from the game and started working on his homework.
Whilst his time working on the weeds and flowers in his aunt petunia's garden was far from his happiest thoughts, he did to a degree actually enjoy herbology. When Ron wasn't grumbling about this or that, and Hermione wasn't rattling off facts he had no way of remembering, he was able to have a decent conversation with the most shy Gryffindor of their year.
When it came to the greenhouses, it was obvious to those not blind and deaf that Neville was in his element. The bespectacled boy would later find out from the boy in question, that his 'Gran' allowed him to work in their family's greenhouse, as long as he kept out of trouble and his grades were acceptable. The longbottom heir was working as hard as he could to keep the right to enjoy his past time, as it was apparently one of the few things that connected him to one of his parents' pastimes as well.
Not that Harry understood what that meant and wouldn't ask due to the haunted look that overcame the boys face when he realized what he'd stated. Knowing all about keeping secrets, Harry had no intention of prying, even if he didn't get that same luxury from his friends.
Sometimes, Hermione just didn't know when to stop poking and prodding at an issue and just let it rest, her constant questions and inquiries would never let up or drop a subject. He'd already felt like he'd told her too much about his time at the Dursleys and was doing his best to keep mention of them down to zero. He was already dreading going back as it were, he certainly didn't need Hermiones reminders about the term ending too soon.
Whilst his bushy haired friend was more interested in the end of year exams, Harry was simply content in being where he was, whilst he was. In the wizarding world, he felt at home. More of a home than privy drive ever did, if he even felt it worthy of the name in the first place.
Unbeknownst to Harry, a few devices in the headmasters' office took that exact moment to explode, burst into flames or simply go completely still. Nor did he know nor realise that said headmaster would be absent from breakfast and back only seconds in time for defense against the dark arts tomorrow. Though that was then, and rather than thinking about the future, harry's thoughts instead turned once more to the new student, and where on earth Hermione was when he actually wanted to talk to her for once.
As if summoning the devil, he was sure he got that quote wrong, the bushy haired girl appeared through the entryway in a rush, bustling over to him and Ron who was currently playing against Seamus and grabbed their wrists without a word. Despite Rons cries of 'Hermione, I was just about to kick his Irish butt', she simply pulled him and her other friend to a secluded corner where no one else could hear them
The same corner that they'd used when discussing all the weird happenings throughout the year. It seemed that as soon as she'd caught her breath, from what Harry could only gather was a run back to the common room, that she launched into a description of where she'd been and what she'd been up to.
Whereas Ron was both proud and pleased about her snooping, generally breaking the rules. Harry was simply upset. As soon as he understood that Hermione was knowingly ignoring someone's privacy, and a health examination from the sounds of it, it simply brought back thoughts of all the times she needled him for information, he was much happier to keep hidden.
"I can't believe you spied on him Hermione!" Harry started to say, his anger getting the best of him, causing his attempt to admonish his friend.
However, Ron found it to be the next best thing to Quidditch and food, "me neither, it's bloody brilliant!"
"No Ron it's not, what if she'd done that to you?"
"Well, I'm not a dirty snake who has something to hide-"
However Harry was not done with his righteous indignation. "What if you had some highly embarrassing illness and someone spied on you, what then huh?"
Whilst Hermione was simply surprised at Harry unknowingly hitting the proverbial nail on the head, Ron simply got blustered not knowing what Harry was getting at, "I've not got any embarrassing secrets to hide so it wouldn't matter! What about you Harry, you seem awfully angry about nothing, have you got something to hide."
Before the two boys in front of her could start an argument, that she felt more than just guilty about causing, she put her hands between the two and brought their attention back to what she was just starting to explain. "Stop it you two! If you'd just let me explain Harry, you'd know that I was right to do so, he's got some kind of disease that he's spreading through the food. I'm sure Voldemort must have sent him in as a backup to get you."
Ignoring Rons gasp at the name, Harry was definitely surprised enough to let his anger ebb away, Voldemort sent him? "Dumbledore would never allow someone connected to Voldemort into the school, especially after what just happened with Quirrelmort."
Of course Ron was more concerned about the food and gasping at the name being thrown around, "what do you mean he's spreading disease through the food?! I bet Malfoy's got something to do with this, that-"
Before anyone else could comment, however, Percy waltzed up to the group just like he had yesterday, "Ronald stop shouting this instant! Now someone explain what he's talking about diseased food for."
Before Harry could interrupt, nor Ron get angry for being silenced, Hermione took her opportunity to explain her discovery to someone who would listen and maybe do something about it. Percy's face was a continual frown, surprise registering every now and then before resting on a concerned scowl.
"whilst I'm not a prefect, yet Miss Granger, I'd advise you not to go invading other students privacy, I've half a mind to report you to someone right now," just when it looked like Ron was about to leap to her defense however, Percy quietened him with a sharp stare, before relaxing his face in Hermiones direction once more. "However, any concerns should be taken into account first. I'll talk to our prefects and see if they can't get to the bottom of this diseased food fiasco. I'll warn all three of you to not go spreading this around until the proper authorities are sure there's even something to worry about. Now finish any homework you have and I'd suggest some advanced studying to keep your minds off the matter. Curfew is in 45 minutes and you'd do well to get ahead of your classes."
Once the older redhead had left the group alone, Ron was fuming still; Hermione was rushing off to work on her homework that in her haste to talk to her friends, she forgot about.
Whilst Harry as a mixture of outrage of the new students behalf, frustrated with both Ron and Hermiones behavior and concerned that there may be some small 'grain' of truth to the whole problem. Too tired to argue any longer, the bespectacled Potter heir returned to his homework from where Hermione had stolen him from, and wrote his report on the whistle weeds they'd been looking at during today's class.
Five minutes before curfew, he'd finished his writing and packed everything up, not even stopping when Hermione asked to both check over his work, as well as his notes from history of magic. Instead he passed by her and Ron who was just calling 'checkmate' on Seamus who he managed to get back to their unfinished game, and went straight up to his dorm.
Despite wanting to be alone, he knew he shared a dorm with the other first year boys, so was not too surprised to see Neville lead on his bed working on his own herbology project, apparently he was drawing a surprisingly detailed rendition of the plant in question. So entrenched was he that he didn't notice Harry had entered the room until he re-emerged from the shared restroom wearing only a towel and his glasses. "Hey Harry."
Feeling much refreshed from his unplanned shower, he sat on his bed and started drying his hair with a second towel. "Hey Neville. Finished with your homework?"
"yeah, I was just putting on the finishing touches as you walked in. did you know that the older the plant, the more elaborate whistle they make, I read a book say that they can even copy a tune that lasts 30 seconds or less and repeat it perfectly."
"Huh, really. No I didn't know that." With a smile on his face he threw his towels both into the hamper in the corner of the room, and donned his bed clothes quickly. If Neville saw any of the marks on his upper back area he never mentioned it, so he wasn't too concerned. Ron on the other hand he was exceedingly careful about. "You really enjoy herbology don't you Neville?" the bespectacled boy asked while slipping into his bed.
Receiving a large smile in which Harry returned back, he slid further into the covers until his head hit the mattress, his curtains and eyes both closing on their own. Just as he was nodding off to sleep, he thought he heard a response but fell asleep before he could think anything of it.
'Yeah, most plants don't leave scars.'
==========HP:TSM==========
Meanwhile whilst countless children slept, one monocle wearing lady was re-reading a letter that she'd received from her niece, the Hogwarts stationary emblazoned with a proud looking badger. Surely what she read was a bad joke on her niece's part? Though she certainly knew better than to make such claims to her. Removing her monocle from her cheek, she replaced it with the finger and thumb of her right hand, kneading out the potential stress before it could settle in.
With a deep sigh denoting another sleepless night she stood up from her cedar desk and purposely strode to a series of filing cabinets surrounding the one wall of her office. Opening the drawer labeled, 'Hogwarts reports', she flipped through looking for any sign that she'd missed such paperwork coming across her desk.
When no such paperwork was found, but a empty folder marked 'DADA Teacher' she knew that someone better bring the rest of the information quickly or someone was going to get fired for incompetence.
With her flat heeled boots clacking along the highly polished marble flooring, the older witch exited her office looking for the nearest officer to get a hold of. Fortune favoured young Miss Tonks it seemed, "Junior Auror tonks, attention!"
Immediately the young witch in question fell backwards off her chair, which had been tipping backwards precariously. The young Auror's hair cycling through chocolate brown, neon pink, red and yellow stripes to finally settle on green with blue tips, she herself standing to attention, doing her best to not rub at her back which was still twitching from her fall.
"Yes ma'am, junior Auror tonks reporting for duty! Ma'am!" her hand which was rubbing her back coming to the front for a salute to her superior. The surprise on her face belying her embarrassment at having been caught goofing off, something her old head of house used to mention regularly would get her in trouble one day, hopefully he would not find out that very thing coming true.
"Auror shacklebolt is out for the evening so I need you to help me with a case," madam bones could see the excitement at her chance finally coming true, but with a wicked grin she continued her orders, "track down the missing report regarding the disappearance of the current DADA Professor!"
Seeing her surprise turn to dismay at what would hopefully be a simple records run, the young recruit simply nodded, grabbed her juniors badge and headed out the office. Leaving confidential folders laying open on her desk completely forgotten.
With a deep sigh of exacerbation, the older witch flipped the folders closed and turned the young recruits desk lamp off before returning to her own office. Muttering to herself the entire way, "one day she'll be great but she needs to get her shit together or she'll never make it."
==========HP:TSM==========
The young recruit in question sneezed randomly, her hair changing colour to a vibrant purple before continuing on her way, waving to fellow ministry night owls on her trek to the records department. At first she felt like grumbling about getting such an easy task and cry injustice at not getting chosen for actual missions.
Not that she'd joined the DMLE purely to chase dark lords and creatures prowling around, fighting crime and saving the day and all that. She really wanted to help people, not just assist the misuse of muggle artifacts department and make coffee for the actual Aurors.
Being chosen for any assignment by the main boss though, surely would lead to something, as long as she wasn't asked to bring a coffee, one sugar and no milk. Not that she had that memorized or anything. Either way, record run or fighting a vampire, she did her duty all the same, it all helped somehow right?
It didn't take the young witch to make her way to the department she needed, conveniently all she had to do was go one floor down, enter the corridor and second door on the left. She'd made the journey enough times to know which tiles were wobbly and which jutted out enough to trip her up. Which happened all too often for the young witches liking.
Signing herself into the booklet laying open at the front of the office, she went in quickly through the employee only entrance and started making her way in-between aisles and aisles of 20 feet high bookcases and shelves. Scrolls, parchment and memos all over the place in what she could only describe as a mess worse than her own flat. Thankfully she found who she was looking for quickly, halfway up a ladder placing rolled up scrolls into cubbyholes.
"There you are Eric, I was looking for you."
The blonde haired twenty something wizard simply smiled whilst continuing his work, "is that so Nym? And what can I, the lowly records keeper of vault wherever, do to help the junior Auror Miss Tonks?"
"You know, one day, I'll just superglue you to that ladder and leave you back here to gather dust."
"Sure sure," the young man stated whilst climbing down regardless and smiling, his hands brushing off dust from his apron. "Now really, what can I help you find?"
With her normal gusto and jovial attitude she described what madam bones asked for, at first Eric simply frowned and burrowed his eyebrows tightly when his expression brightened and nodded quickly. "Now that you mention it, a report did come in earlier, it was missing the DMLE stamp of receipt so I was planning on sending it back on up, but the strangest thing happened." Whilst talking the blonde wizard lead the young witch deeper and deeper into the room which never seemed to end. "No matter what I tried, the scroll just rolled itself out of my grip, tied itself back up and sorted itself. Finally I got fed up and started sorting the DMSG documents. Maybe you can have better luck with it."
Soon the pair was situated in a set of aisles that was full to the brim with parchment and scrolls, a hanging metal sign indicating duplicate Hogwarts documents, to be viewed by the heads of departments and headmaster only. Thankfully the document in question was not hard to discover, especially since whenever they tried to pick it up it'd roll just out of reach underneath the shelves.
Eventually tonks decided to simply levitate it out, when it was no longer able to fight the spell she smirked triumphantly. "Not too difficult" whether she didn't see the smirk on her friends face or was too preoccupied by outsmarting a piece of parchment one will never know. She certainly lost her own smile however when the moment she tried to leave the large room, the scroll in question started browbeating her across the face before escaping and rolling back to where it once was.
Erics' laughter echoed throughout the cavernous room, his guffaws increasing when he saw what amounted to a hand slap across the witches face in the shape of a rolled up piece of paper. "You think I didn't try that? Come now, I graduated 2 years before you did, we're both Ravenclaws, surely you knew I must have tried that."
Not to be beaten by a piece of parchment, the young witch declared war. What proceeded was a battle of wills between whoever enchanted the damn scroll and a eighteen year old witch who graduated top of her class, despite being known for being a goof off and klutz.
After her fifth attempt at getting the parchment out of the room, she finally succeeded. After having tied it to her arm with a conjured piece of string and walking herself out through the door frame, did it relent in its attempt to return to its alcove. With applause from the records keeper in question, and a bow of acceptance, she bid her friend adieu and made her way quickly back to her bosses office.
==========HP:TSM==========
Startled from writing a reply to her niece, madam bones looked up from her desk to see who knocked upon her door frame. The sight of junior Auror tonks' disheveled appearance brought an almost smile to her face, "Miss Tonks, what on earth happened to you?"
Instead of answering she simply lifted her arm out towards her superior, for a moment the older witch looked at her confused until she noticed a scroll tied to the youngsters arm. "That is the report I'm looking for I'm assuming?"
Receiving a simple 'yes ma'am' madam bones stepped forward and untied it from her young recruits arm. To say she was simply shocked when the offending piece of parchment sprung to life, and slapped the older woman across the face, would be a huge understatement. After the rambunctious report had showed its' displeasure it dropped to the floor and started rolling towards the office door.
Thankfully young Miss Tonks was apparently acquainted with said document and simply closed the door smugly, then proceeded to watch it repeatedly bumping against the closed exit for a full minute and a half.
Eventually the elder bones got her bearings once more, "troublesome red tape I'd wager. Nothing worse in this business." With a gesture from her wand and a muttered 'impedimenta' the rolled up report slowed down to a crawl, allowing the older witch to pick it up, unfurl it and read what it was apparently trying to hide.
To say she was shocked before at the audacity of the parchment was an understatement, to say that the findings were mildly shocking was even worse.
In a bustle of activity, the older witch duplicated the report by hand, allowed the offending paper to return itself to wherever it was wanting to go and proceeded to hand a note to the young junior Auror still standing in her office to send to the minister personally, consequences be damned.
Not only had a teacher at Hogwarts died and not only had one student been involved, but three students involved, one of them being the famous, or infamous, Harry Potter.