I'm so, so, so, sorry for the delay! I dropped my laptop and it had a heart attack or something, so while I figure out how to fix it, I have to type this from an old computer that's incredibly slow, so bear with me. Thanks for all your support.
Silvermoony77: Haha, yeah, it would be bad if Levina took a bite out of someone! Poor Levina, always being mistaken for a guy (:
Savvygurl101LunaRachel: Yes, Draco is jealous! :D Oh, you're a vegetarian? That's cool! I love animals, but every time I try to be a vegetarian, it doesn't work out. :( Curse you, meat! And thanks, I can't wait either. You'll just have to wait for more LevinaXFred moments, I'm pouring on more romance in this novel because everyone's sort of growing up more.
Flyingwerecats: I'm sure all the carnivores out there are cheering her on, haha. And yeah, Draco is definetly not liking Fred right now! Draco and the Weasley twins are my favorite characters! (I mean, besides the obvious awesome trio of Harry, Ron, and Hermione) (:
Disclaimer: As I've said the last who-knows-how-many-chapters, I am in fact not JK Rowling. Terribly sorry.
When all of the puddings had been demolished, the plates were swept clean and the buzzing chatter died down.
"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling down at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered," ("Hmph!" said Hermione) "I must ask once more for your attention."
Levinalistened as he went over some of the rules and forbidden objects, watching Hermione out of the corner of her eye as she crossed her arms and glared at her plate.
"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."
"What?" Levina and Harry gasped.
Levina turned to Fred and George, who were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too apalled to speak.
"But I'e been practicing and taking notes all summer!" Levina protested.
"This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy-but I am sure you will enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts-"
But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall sprang open.
Oh, great, Levina thought. Just as he was about to tell us. She turned around to look at the doors.
A man stood in the doorway, leaning upin a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, then began to walk up towards the teachers' table.
A dull clunk echoed the Great Hall every time he took a limping step. Levina shot Harry and Ron a look, but Hermione gasped.
The lightning had thrown his face into sharp relief. It looked as though his face had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what human faces are supposed to look like. Every inch of his skin seemed to be scarred and his mouth looked like a diagonal gash, a large chunk missing from his nose.
But what was most frightening was his eyes. One of them was small, dark, and beady. The other was as large and round as a coin, and a vivid, electric blue. It was moving quite independently of the other eye, swiveling about like mad.
The sharp blue one met Levina's brown eyes for a moment and she felt a cold shiver; Fred turned to look at her, but he didn't say anything.
The stranger reached Dumbledore, shook his hand, and sat down. He began cutting up a slice of sausage, his normal eye looking down and his blue one wildly searching the room.
"May I introduce the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Professor Dumbledore. "Professor Moody."
Only Dumbledore and Hagrid clapped, which was odd since usually new teachers were greeted with heavy applause.
"Uhh," whispered Levina. "Moody?"
"Mad-eye Moody? The one your dad went to help this morning?" said Harry to Ron.
"What?" said Levina.
"You were upstairs," said Harry.
"Must be," said Ron in a low, awed voice.
"What happened to him?" said Hermione. "What happened to his face?"
"Dunno," said Ron, watching Moody with fascination.
Levina watched as he took out a flask from his cloak and drank from it, ignoring the flask of pumpkin juice.
"Looks pretty mad to me," whispered Levina. "And Moody."
Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"As I was saying, we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."
"You're JOKING!" said Fred loudly.
The tension from Moody's entrance broke. Nearly everyone laughed and Dumbledore chuckled.
"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore.
He began to explain everything that takes place in the tournament, including how there were to be champions from each school and three magical tasks.
"-the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued-"
"Death toll?" Hermione whispered.
"Brilliant," said Levina appreciatively.
"The Heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their shortlisted contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. An impartial judge will decide with students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."
"I'm going for it!" Fred hissed.
"Sounds awesome," Levina agreed. "I'd like to try my hand at it."
Dumbledore continued, explaining the rest of the Tournament, including the age boundary of seventeen (Fred and George looked furious at this) and the judge.
"And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"
"Well, that's crap," said Levina with a frown.
"They can't do that!" said George, standing and glaring at Dumbledore. "We're seventeen in April, why can't we have a shot?"
"They're not stopping me entering," said Fred stubbornly. "The champions'll do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!"
"Yeah," said Ron, a faraway look on his face. "Yeah, a thousand Galleons..."
"I really wanted to try out," said Levina with a disappointed look. "It looked like fun..."
"Fun?" said Hermione, staring open-mouthed at Levina. "Did you not listen about the 'death toll' and 'danger's?"
"'Course I did," said Levina. "That's exactly why I want to try."
Fred laughed. "Well, obviously."
Levina yawned and stretched. "Ah, I can't wait to sleep on my bed again. The one back home feels like sleeping on cardboard..."
"I reckon a couple of drops of Aging Potion might do it, George..."
"Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though," said Ron.
"Yeah but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he?" said Fred shrewdly.
"People have died, though!" said Hermione.
"Yeah," said Fred airily, "but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk?"
"Exactly my point!" said Levina; Hermione shot her an aggravated look.
They made their way back to the Gryffindor Tower, where the Fat Lady was sitting in her usual portrait and waiting for them.
"Password?" she asked.
"Balderdash," said George. "A prefect downstairs told me."
Levina went straight up to the girl's dormitory, shrugging off her still-wet cloak and waving goodnight to the others.
"Slave labor," said Hermione as she followed behind Levina.
"Yeah, yeah," said Levina. "Did you ever consider the fact that they might like it?"
Hermione stared at her. "Like it? Like it? Levina, that's insane!"
"You're insane," said Levina.
"Hello," said Ginny when they entered the room.
"Hi, Ginny," said Levina. "I can't wait for October! I wonder what the other schools are like?"
"Same here," said Ginny as she dropped onto the bed next to her. "Anyway, goodnight!"
"'Night," said Levina. She curled up under the covers as the lights flickered off, sinking into her dreams of winning the tournament.
That following morning, the storm had blown over as Levina ate breakfast in the Great Hall, comparing her schedule to Harry, Ron, and Hermione's.
"Double Divination this afternoon," groaned Harry as he stared at his list of classes.
"Same here," said Levina. "Oh, but look, Care of Magical Creatures with Hagrid! ...Oh, wait, it's with the Slytherins again."
"Damn it," said Ron. "We're still with the Slytherins?"
Levina stabbed her scrambled eggs. "Why can't we have it with Ravenclaw? Cho and I hardly ever talk anymore."
"Cho?" said Harry; he looked up from his porridge, turned pink, and quickly shoveled some into his mouth.
"Yes, Cho," said Levina with a smile. "Problem?"
"No," said Harry too quickly.
Levina's grin widened. "What's the matter? You don't...like her, do you?"
"What? What are you-? I mean-" Harry spluttered.
"I'm kidding," said Levina, pulling the plate of bacon towards her.
"You're eating again, I notice," said Ron to Hermion as she added liberal amounts of jam onto her toast.
"I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights," said Hermione haughtily.
"Yeah...and you were hungry," said Ron, grinning.
There was a sudden rustling noise above them and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows carrying the morning mail. A small parcel landed on Neville's lap and Draco's eagle owl soared down to deliver what looked like his usual sweets and cakes from home. Levina watched as Harry searched the sky for his snowy owl, Hedwig.
A package dropped from the sky and landed in front of Levina. She looked up and saw Athena fluttering down to land on her shoulder.
"Don't worry too much, Harry," said Levina as she untied the package. "I'm sure Sirius and Hedwig are fine...Oh, another werewolf book from Lupin," she added.
They headed off to Herbology, where they extracted pus from an ugly black plant called a Bubotuber, which Levina found revolting, even if it was good for helping acne.
Afterwards, the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs seperated; Gryffindor headed down to Hagrid's hut, where Hagrid was standing outside with Fang, his enormous black boarhound, and several wooden crates.
"Mornin'!" said Hagrid, grinning at Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Levina. "Be'er wait fer the Slytherins, they won' want ter miss this-Blast-ended Skrewts!"
Blast-ended Skrewt? thought Levina. Is that some weird cuss word?
"Come again?" said Ron.
Hagrid pointed to the crates.
Lavender Brown peered into one and squealed. "Eurgh!"
Levina came up behind her and glanced into the crates, but immediately jumped back. The Blast-Ended Skrewts looked like deformed, shell-less, horribly pale lobsters. They were slimy and had a few legs sticking out in odd places and had no visible heads. They smelled like rotting fish and every now and then, sparks would fly out of the end of one and it would be propelled several inches.
"On'y just hatched," said Hagrid proudly, "so yeh'll be able ter raise 'em yerselves! Thought we'd make a bit of a project of it!"
"And why would we want to raise them?" came a cold voice.
The Slytherins had arrived. Draco Malfoy was standing at the front of them, accompanied by Crabbe and Goyle.
Hagrid looked stumped at the question.
"I mean, what do they do?" asked Draco. "What is the point of them?"
As much as Levina hated Draco, she couldn't help but agree with him.
"Tha's next lesson, Malfoy. Yer jus' feedin' 'em today. Now, yeh'll wan' ter try 'em on a few diff'rent things-I've never had 'em before, not sure what they'll go fer-I got ant eggs an' frog livers an' a bit o' grass snake-just try 'em out with a bit of each."
Levina managed an incredibly weak smile that didn't reach the disgusted look in her eyes.
"First pus and now this," muttered Seamus.
Levina picked up a frog liver and shuddered as she lowered it into one of the crates; she found it quite pointless, seeing as the Skrewtsdidn't appear to have mouths, but she nevertheless placed it in the crate.
"Ouch!" yelled Dean Thomas after about ten minutes. "It got me!"
Hagrid hurried over to him, looking anxious.
"Its end exploded!" said Dean angrily.
"Ah, yeah, that can happen when they blast off," said Hagrid, nodding.
"Eurgh!" said Lavender again. "Eurgh, Hagrid, what's that pointy thing on it?"
"Ah, some of 'em have got stings," said Hagrid enthusiastically. "I reckon they're the males...The females've got sorta sucker things on their bellies...I think they might be ter suck blood."
"Well, I can certainly see why we're trying to keep them alive," said Draco sarcastically. "Who wouldn't want pets that can burn, sting, and bite all at the same time?"
"Just because they're not very pretty, it doesn't mean they're not useful," snapped Hermione. "Dragon blood's amazingly magical, but you wouldn't want to keep a dragon for a pet, would you?"
Levina, Harry, and Ron grinned up at Hagrid; they all knew too well how much he wanted a dragon as a pet; he had owned one for a brief period of time in their first year.
"Agh!" said Levina suddenly; one of the Skrewts had shot off and burned her hand.
Draco, who was standing in front of Levina, sneered. "Having fun, SnowWeed?"
"Loads," snarled Levina, glancing at Hagrid to make sure he wasn't watching. "Why don't you try it?"
"No thanks," said Draco. "Don't want another incident; remember the last time one of that oaf's pets got me?" He gestured to his arm.
Levina could feel her blood beginning to boil. "One: Hagrid's not an oaf. Two: That was your own damn fault, Malfoy, and you know it."
As they headed back to the castle, Levina caught up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"If there's anyone who could turn me into a werewolf, it would be him," she muttered angrily.
"Don't," Hermione advised.
"I think I should," said Levina. "Then I could rip his head off."
They sat down at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall and helped themselves to lamb chops and potatoes. Hermione began to eat so fast that Levina, Ron, and Harry stared at her.
"Er-is this the new stand on elf rights?" said Ron. "You're going to make yourself puke instead?"
"And you were upset with my eating habits," said Levinaas she spooned potatoes onto her plate.
"No," said Hermione. "I just want to get to the library."
"What?" said Ron in disbelief. "Hermione-it's the first day back! We haven't even got homework yet!"
Hermione shrugged and continued to shovel her food down.
"See you later!" she said moments later; she then leapt to her feet and departed at top speed.
"Blimey," said Ron, "what could she possibly need to look up on the first day?"
"I know," said Levina through a mouthful of lam chops. "I mean, she's already read every single book there is."
When the bell rang to signal the start of afternoon classes, Levina, Ron, and Harry set off for the North Tower where, at the top of a spiraling staricase, a silver stepladder led to a circular trap-door in the ceiling.
Levina gaggedat the scent of heavy perfume as they emerged into Professor Trelwaney'sclass, which consisted of several poufs around circular tables and lots of clutter along the walls.
"Good day," said a sudden misty voice behind them; Levinajumped and turned to see Professor Trelwaney, decked out in her usual large bangles and beads. Her eyes were magnified several times with her black glasses.
"You are preoccupied, my dear," she whispered mournfully to Harry. "I see difficult times ahead for you...most difficult...and perhaps sooner than you think..."
"Well, duh," muttered Levina to Harry and Ron as they sat down on their poufs and rolled their eyes. "I mean, when have we ever had an easy year?"
But to her surprise, Harry looked somewhat nervous.
"What?" said Levina. "You don't actually believe her...do you?"
"'Course not," said Harry, but he still had a far-off look.
"My dears, it is time to consider the stars," said Professor Trelwaney as she crossed the room. "The movements of the planets and the mysterious potents they reveal only to those who understand the steps of the celestial dance."
Levina yawned a bit too loudly and quickly covered it with a cough. The perfume of her room and the heat of the fire always made her sleepy, which made the class good for sleeping in. Levina laid her head onto the table and closed her eyes.
"My dear," said Professor Trelwaney, coming up to their table in front of Harry. "The Inner Eye tells all, but sometimes it is not always comprehended in the way we expect. You, my dear, were obviously born under Saturn."
Harry didn't say anything.
Everyone in the class looked at their table expectantly and Levina lifted her head up.
"Harry." She jabbed him in the ribs with her elbow and he jolted awake. Apparently the perfume had gotten to him, too.
"What?"
"I was saying, my dear, that you were born under the baleful influence of Saturn," she repeated, looking slightly irritated.
"Born under-what, sorry?" said Harry.
"Saturn, dear, the planet Saturn! Your dark hair...your mean stature...tragic losses so young in life...I think I am right in saying, my dear, that you were born in midwinter?"
"No," said Harry. "I was born in July."
Ron and Levina quickly covered their open laughs with hacking coughs.
Half an hour later, each of them were given a complicated chart to use for figuring out the position of the planets at the moment of their birth.
"I think I did something wrong," said Levina as she examined her sheet. "Should there be a Mars on here?"
"I've got two Neptunes here," said Harry, frowning, "that can't be right, can it?"
"Aaaaah," said Ron in an accurate imitation of Professor Trelwaney's misty voice, "when two Neptunes appear in the sky, it is a sure sign that a midget in glasses is being born, Harry."
Seamus and Dan, who were working nearby, sniggered loudly, but not loudly enough to cover the excited squeals from Lavender: "Oh-Professor, look! I think I've got an unaspected planet! Oooh, which one's that, Professor?"
"It is Uranus, my dear," said Professor Trelwaney, peering down at the chart.
Levina accidentally let a loud snicker slip and she hastily turned away, covering her mouth to stifle it.
"Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?" said Ron.
Levina completely lost it; perhaps it was the combination of thick perfume and all the jokes, but Levina burst into hysterics.
Most unfortunately, Professor Trelwaney had heard Ron, and they suspected that was why she gave them so much extra homework.
"Miserable old bat," said Ron bitterly as they joined they headed back down for dinner. "That'll take us all weekend, that will..."
"Lots of homework?" said Hermione brightly, catching up to them. "Professor Vector didn't give us any at all!"
"Well, bully for Professor Vector," said Ron moodily.
"It was worth it," said Levina, who still had tears in her eyes from laughing so hard.
They reached the entrance hall, which was packed with people queuing for dinner. They had just joined the crowd when a loud voice rang out behind them.
"Weasley! Hey, Weasley!"
"Crap," said Levina, all her humor draining instantly. She turned around to see Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle heading towards them.
"What?" said Ron shortly.
"You're dad's in the paper! Listen to this!"
Draco unfolded the newspaper under his arm and began to read about 'Arnold' Weasley ("Imagine them not even getting his name right, Weasley," Draco crowed.) and Mad-eye Moody's issue with a bunch of aggressive dustbins. The whole situation required many memory modifications as well.
"And there's a picture, Weasley! A picture of your parents outside their house-if you can call it a house! Your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?"
"Piss of, Malfoy," said Levina.
"Get stuffed, Malfoy," said Harry. "C'mon, Ron."
Ron was shaking with fury. Everyone was staring at him.
"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter? SnowWeed?" said Draco. "So tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?"
"You know your mother, Malfoy?" said Harry, "that expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?"
Malfoy's face went slightly pink.
"Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter."
"Keep your fat mouth shut, then."
"Yeah, at least Ron's mom isn't as thin as a fish bone," said Levina. "Come on, guys."
They turned away and there was a sudden loud BANG! Something white-hot shot past Harry's face, nearly hitting him. Both Harry and Levina wheeled around, pulling out their wands, but there was a second BANG, and a roar that echoed through the entrance hall.
"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"
Levina spun around. Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and was pointed at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Draco had been standing.
Bewildered, Levina stared blankly at the ferret in disbelief.
"Did he get you?" Moody growled.
"No," said Harry, "missed."
"LEAVE IT!" Moody shouted.
"Leave-what?" said Harry.
"Not you-him!" Moody jerked his thumb over his shoulder at Crabbe, who had just frozen, about to pick up the ferret.
Moody began to limp towards them, and the ferret gave a terrified squeak and took off towards the dungeons.
"I don't think so!" roared Moody.
The ferret flew ten feet in the air, fell to the floor with a loud smack, and bounced upwards once more.
"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back is turned," growled Moody as the ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do..."
The ferret flew through the air, its legs flailing helplessly.
"Never-do-that-again-" said Moody, speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upward again.
"Stop it!"
If everyone hadn't stared at Levina, she would have thought someone else had said it, but the words had left her mouth before she knew what she was saying.
Moody raised his eyebrows at her and the ferret seized in mid-air, drifting and letting out squeals of pain.
"'Scuse me?" he growled.
Levina flushed red and Harry and Ron gave her stunned looks. "Well, you're...you're hurting him..."
Moody's electric blue eye swiveled at her and he gave the ferret another slam onto the tile.
"Professor Moody!" said a shocked voice.
Professor McGonagall was coming down the staircase, carrying a handful of books in her arms.
"Hello, Professor," said Moody calmly, still bouncing the ferret higher.
"What-what are you doing?" she asked, her eyes following the ferret.
"Teaching," said Moody.
"Teach-Moody, is that a student?" shrieked Professor McGonagall, the books spilling out of her arms.
"Yep," said Moody.
"No!" cried Professor McGonagall, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand; a moment later, Draco appeared, lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blond hair all over his brilliantly pink face.
"Miss SnowPetal, will you please help Mr. Malfoy up?" said Professor McGonagall. She turned sharply to Moody. "Moody, we never use transfiguration as a punishment! Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"
"He might've mentioned it, yeah," said Moody, scratching his chin unconcernedly, "but I thought a good sharp shock-"
"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!"
"I'll do that then," said Moody.
In a half-sympathetic-half irritated-manner, Levina offered Draco her hand. He stared at it blankly as Professor McGonagall and Moody argued behind them.
"I'm not going to kick you when you're down," said Levina with a roll of her eyes. "Literally, I mean. So get up."
"Why'd you tell him to stop?" said Draco with a look of disbelief.
"Because I'm not a terrible person, like you," said Levina through gritted teeth. "Not take my hand before I change my mind and slug you."
Draco reached out and took her hand in his; she pulled him to his feet and he turned to Moody malevolently, muttering something in which the words "my father" were distinguishable.
"Oh yeah?" said Moody. "Well, I know your father of old, boy...You tell him Moody's keeping an eye close on his son...you tell him that from me...Now, your head of House'll be Snape will it?"
"Yes," said Draco resentfully.
"Another old friend," said Moody. "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape...Come on, you..."
And he seized Draco's upper arm and marched him off toward the dungeons.
"Don't talk to me," said Ron quietly when they sat down at the Gryffindor table a few minutes later.
"Why not?" said Hermione in surprise.
"Because I want to fix that in my memory forever. Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret..."
Hermione, Harry, and Levina laughed, and Hermione began doling beef casserole onto each of their plates.
"He could have really hurt Malfoy, though," said Hermione. "It was good, really, that Professor McGonagall stopped it-"
"Hermione!" said Ron furiously. "You're ruining the best moment of my life."
Then Ron rounded on Levina. "Speaking of which, what the hell is wrong with you? Sticking up for Malfoy?"
"I'm just saying he could have been seriously injured, and then we'd have another situation with his father and the school," said Levina calmly, but she really didn't actually know why she had felt bad for him.
"Finally you agree with me on something," said Hermione. She began eating at top speed again.
"Don't tell me you're going back to the library this evening?" said Harry.
"Got to," said Hermione. "Loads to do."
"But you told us Professor Vector-"
"It's not schoolwork," she said. Within five minutes, she had cleared her plate and departed.
"Sheesh," said Levinaas she tore off a chunk of bread from the loaf.
Fred Weasleydropped into Hermione's now-empty seat.
"Moody!" he said. "How cool is he?"
"Beyond cool," said George, sitting down opposite Fred.
"Super cool," said Lee Jordan, sliding into the seat beside George. "We had him this afternoon."
"What was it like?" said Harry eagerly.
"Never had a lesson like it," said Fred.
"He knows, man," said Lee.
"Knows what?" said Ron, leaning forward.
"What it's like to be out there doing it," said George.
Levina lifted her eyebrows. "Doing what?"
"Fighting the Dark Arts," said Fred.
"He's seen it all," said George.
"'Mazing," said Lee.
Levina pulled out her schedule and examined it. "Aw, we haven't got him till Thursday!"
The Gryffindor fourth years were so excited for Professor Moody's lesson that they all arrived early before the bell had even rung.
Levina, Hermione, Harry, and Ron all took a table together directly at the front. They took out their copies of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection and waited, unusually quiet. Soon they heard Moody's clunking footsteps coming down the corridor and he entered into the room.
"You can put those away," he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, "those books. You won't need them."
Levina excitedly stowed her book back into her bag. Was this going to be another hands-on lesson like the boggart with Lupin?
"Right then," he said after calling out their names for role call. "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures-you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, hinkypunks, grindylows, Kappas, and werewolves," Levina flinched, "is that right?"
There was a general murmur of assent.
"But you're behind-very behind-on dealing with curses," said Moody. "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark-"
"What, aren't you staying?" Ron blurted out.
Moody's eye swiveled to look at Ron, who looked apprehensive, but after a moment Moody smiled-the first time Levina had seem him do so.
"You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh? Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago...Yeah, I'm staying just one year. Special favor to Dumbledore...One year, then back to my quiet retirement."
He gave a harsh laugh, and then clapped his hands together.
"So-straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you countercurses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until your in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then.
"But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking."
Lavender jumped and blushed. She had been showing Parvati her horoscope under the desk. Apparently Moody's magical eye could see through wood, as well as out of the back of his head.
"So...do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"
Levina kept her hand firmly at her side. She knew all too well about one of them, but she didn't care to say it out loud.
"Er," said Ron tentatively when Moody pointed to him, "my dad told me one...Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?"
"Ah, yes, your father would know that one. Gave the ministry a lot of trouble at the time, the Imperius Curse."
Moody got to his feet, opened his desk drawer, and took out a glass jar. Three large black spiders were scuttling around in it. Ron recoiled slightly beside Levina and she shuddered. She and Ron hated spiders.
Moody reached into the jar, caught one in the palm of his hand, and muttered, "Imperio!"
The spider leapt from Moody's hand in a fine line of thread and silk and began to swing back and forward as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rapidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance.
Everyone was laughing-except Moody.
"Think it's funny, do you?" he growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?"
The laughter died away almost instantly.
"Total control. I could make it jump out the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats..."
Levina flinched again and Ron gave an involuntary shudder.
"Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?"
Yet again Levina grabbed the side of her chair and clenched it hard. To her surprise, Neville's hand hesitantly rose.
"Yes?" said Moody.
"There's one-the Cruciatus Curse," said Neville in a small but distinct voice.
"You're name's Longbottom?"
Neville nodded nervously.
Moody reached into the jar for the next spider and placed it on the desk. He said, "Engorgio!" and the spider swelled so that it was no larger than a tarantula. "Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea," he explained.
Moody raised his wand again, pointed it, and muttered, "Crucio!"
At once, the spider's legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but Levina had a feeling if it had a voice it would be screaming. The spider started to shudder and jerk more violently.
Suddenly, Levina caught sight of Neville out of the corner of her eye, who looked horrified, his knuckles white and his eyes wide. She looked from him to the spider.
"Stop it!" said Levina and Hermione at the exact same time.
Moody raised his wand and muttered, "Reducio."
He placed it back into the jar and Levina relaxed slightly, but her eyes were still on Neville, who still looked terrified.
"Pain," said Moody softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone. Right...anyone know any others?"
Levina swallowed hard. She could feel everyone's eyes behind her go to their table where Harry was sitting.
Next to her, Hermione raised her hand.
"Yes?" said Moody.
"Avada Kedavra," she whispered.
"Ah," said Moody. "Yes, the last and worst. Avada Kedavra...the Killing Curse." He reached into the jar and placed the last spider on the desk.
Levina hastily looked away and shut her eyes.
"Avada Kedavra!"
Even with her eyes closed, Levina saw a blinding green light through her eyelids and heard a whooshing sound. When she opened them, the spider was dead.
"Not nice," he said calmly, sweeping it off the desk. "Not pleasant. And there's no countercurse. No blocking it. Only one person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me."
Levina peered over at Harry, who's face reddened.
"All right there, SnowPetal?" Moody growled.
Levina jumped, startled. "W...what?" she asked.
"You look pale. Do you need to go to the Hospital Wing?"
Levinahadn't realized it, but when she touched her forehead, it had beads of sweat on it, and her hands did indeed look very white.
"Actually, yeah," she said quietly. She was all to aware of everyone's stares as she got up and left the room.
As she walked down the empty corridor, she could feel her head pounding painfully and her stomach began churning.
Halfway down the hall, she merely slumped against one of the walls. She didn't feel like going all the way up to the hospital wing, so she dropped onto a bench and shook her head. Flashes of images of green light and her mother's features ran through her mind rapidly like a poorly-made movie. A loud scream seemed to echo down the hallway.
When the bell finally rang, she'd managed to clear her mind enough to stand up and head down to the Great Hall, where she found a seat next to Hermione.
"Are you all right?" said Hermione between bites of food; she was eating at a rapid pace again. "You don't look as pale."
"I'm fine," said Levina. "Just a mild headache."
"Well, you're in the same boat as Harry, then," said Ron; Harry was frowning at his plate.
"What happened to Neville?"
"He's having tea with Moody," said Harry.
"Why?" said Levina. Neville was clearly afraid of Moody.
"Moody invited him," said Ron with a shrug. "Pass the bread, will you?"
Back in the Gryffindor Tower, Levina, Ron, and Harry went up to their dorms to get their Divination homework. Katie Bell and Parvati were already there, doing their own homework on their beds.
"Can't believe we don't have Quidditch this year," said Katie gloomily as she scribbled something onto her paper.
"I know!" said Levina, pulling out her Diviniation homework from her bag. "And I just polished my broom, too..."
When she returned to the common room, she, Harry, and Ron found a table and set to work on their predictions for the coming month. An hour later, they had made little progress and their table was littered with bits of parchment bearing sums and symbols.
"That's wrong," said Levina with a frustrated groan, crumpling up her paper and tossing it for the fourth time.
"I haven't got a clue what this lot's supposed to mean," said Harry.
"You know," said Ron, "I think it's back to the old Divination standby."
"Wha-make it up?" said Harry.
"Yeah," said Ron.
"Best idea I've heard all night," said Levina, dipping her quill into her ink and pulling out more parchment.
"Next monday," said Ron as he scribbled, "I am likely to develop a cough, owing to the unlikely conjunction of mars and Jupiter. You know her-just put in loads of misery, she'll lap it up."
"Right," said Harry. "Okay...on Monday, I will be in danger of-err-burns."
"Yeah, you will be, we're seeing the skrewts again on Monday."
"On Monday, I will obtain yet another horrible headache," said Levina.
"Same goes for me," said Harry. "Can I use that one?"
"Sure, just change the wording on it."
"Okay, Tuesday, I'll...erm..."
"Lose a treasured possession," said Harry, who was flicking through Unfogging the Future for ideas.
"Good one," said Ron, copying it down. "Because of...erm...Mercury. Why don't you get stabbed in the back by someone you thought was your friend?"
"Yeah...cool...because...Venus is in the twelfth house."
Levina tapped her quill against her cheek, thinking. "And I will forget something critical to my grades."
"Nice one," said Harry.
They continued to make up predictions for another hour, while the common room slowly emptied and went up to bed. Crookshanks, accompanied by Lilypad, wandered over to them.
"You two are becoming close, aren't you?" said Levina, stroking Lilypad's cheek.
Crookshanks purred happily.
As Levina finished her last tragedies and passed her paper to Ron, she caught notice of the twins sitting together in a corner, poring over a piece of parchment and whispering inaudible things. Levina got to her feet and walked over to them.
"Whatcha doin'?"
The twins hit their heads together in surprise as they looked up.
"Work," said George.
"That's a lie," said Levina confidently, sliding in beside them. "Why so secretive?"
"I think we can tell her, George," said Fred.
George eyed Levina accusingly, but he slid the sheet of paper out so she could see it; it was a letter.
"Bagman," Fred whispered with a serious expression. "Bagman defaulted on our bet. He gave us Leprechaun gold-"
"-which disappears," finished George. "We're writing to him."
"I bet it was on purpose!" said Levina angrily. "Can I help?"
Fred laughed. "That's what I love about you." He handed her the quill. "We're trying to see if it was just a mistake by sending him this letter."
"How about, 'I know you gave us fake money on purpose, you lying, cheating-'"
"No-that sounds like we're accusing him. Got to be careful," said Fred.
"We are accusing him," said Levina, but nevertheless, she tried to think of something kinder to put.
Once they'd done the last finishing touches, Fred and George rolled it up and said a quick goodnight, heading up to the guy's dormitory. Just then, the common room door swung open and Hermione entered carrying a rattling box and a sheaf of parchment.
"Hello," she said, "I've just finished!"
"So have I!" said Ron triumphantly, handing Levina her paper back.
Hermione pulled his predictions towards her. "Not having a very good month, are you?"
"Well, at least I'm forewarned," Ron yawned.
"You seem to be drowning twice," said Hermione.
"Oh am I? I better change one of them to getting trampled by a rampaging hippogriff."
"Levina, I don't think getting pushed off the Astronomy tower is within reason," said Hermione critically.
"It's just a very specific prediction," said Levina.
"Don't you think it's a bit obvious you've made these up?" said Hermione.
"How dare you!" said Ron. "We've been working like house-elves here!"
Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"It's just an expression," said Ron hastily.
"What's in the box?" said Levina and Harry together,
"Funny you should ask," said Hermione, with a nasty look at Ron. She took off the lid and Levina peered in to see at least fifty different-colored badges that read: S-P-E-W.
"Spew?" said Harry. "What's this about?"
"Not spew," said Hermione impatiently. "Its S-P-E-W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."
"So...spew," said Levina.
"Never heard of it," said Ron.
"Well, of course you haven't," said Hermione briskly. "I've only just started it."
"Yeah?" said Ron in mild surprise. "How many members have you got?"
"Well-if you three join-four," said Hermione.
"Big group," said Levina sarcastically as she examined a blue one; Hermione ignored her.
"And you think we want to walk around wearing badges saying 'spew,' do you?" said Ron.
"S-P-E-W!" said Hermione hotly. "I was going to put Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in their Legal Status-but it wouldn't fit. So that's the heading of our manifesto."
Levina stared blankly at her as she brandished the sheaf of parchment at them.
"I've been researching it thoroughly in the library. Elf enslavement goes back for centuries. I can't believe no on'es done anyting about it before now."
"Hermione-open your ears," said Ron loudly. "They like it. They like being enslaved!"
"Y'know, I agree that they should be treated on more equal terms," said Levina, "but do you ever seen any elves complaining?"
"Our short term aims," said Hermione, speaking even more loudly than them, "are to secure house-elves fair wages and working conditions. Our long-term aims include changing the law about non-wand use, and trying to get an elf into the department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, because they're shockingly underrepresented."
"Um," said Levina.
"And how do we do all this?" Harry asked.
"We start by recruiting members," said Hermione happily. "I thought two Sickles to join-that buys a badge-and the proceeds can fund our leaflet campaign. You're treasurer, Ron-I've got you a collecting tin upstairs-Harry, you're secretary, so you might want to write down everything I'm saying now, as a record of our first meeting. Levina-you'll cover advertisements, since you're good at art. I'd like you to begin on some posters and do some designs for future badges."
There was a pause in which Hermione beamed at them and Levina sat, completely dumbfounded. The silence was broken by a soft tap, tap on the window. Levina looked across the empty common room and saw, illuminated by the moonlight, a snowy owl perched on the windowill.
"Hedwig!" Harry shouted. He launched himself across the room and pulled open the window.
Hedwig flew inside, soared across the room, and landed on top of their predictions.
"About time!" said Harry.
"She's got an answer!" said Ron excitedly.
"So then Sirius is all right!" said Levina happily, running over to look at the note.
"What does it say?" Hermione asked breathlessly.
Harry-
I'm flying north immediately. This news about your scar is the latest in a series of strange rumors that have reached me here. If it hurts again, go straight to Dumbledore-they're saying he's got Mad-Eye out of retirement, which means he's reading the signs, even if no one else is.
I'll be in touch. My best to Ron, Hermione, and Levina. Keep your eyes open, Harry.
Sirius.
P.s, have Levina keep in touch frequently and report anything, any signs that she's read in the books.
Harry looked up at the three of them and Levina took the note to re-read.
"He's flying north?" Hermione whispered. "He's flying back?"
"Dumbledore's reading what signs?" said Ron, looking perplexed. "Harry-what's up?"
Harry had hit himself in the forehead.
"I shouldn't have told him!" said Harry furiously.
"What are you on about?" said Ron in surprise.
"It's made him think he's got to come back! Come back, because he thinks I'm in trouble! And there's nothing wrong with me! And I haven't got anything for you," he snapped at Hedwig, who was clicking her beak expectantly, "you'll have to go up to the Owlery if you want food."
"Harry!" said Levina.
Hedwig cuffed Harry in the head with her wing and Levina took the owl onto her own shoulder. "I'll get you an Owl treat, Hedwig." She shot Harry and angry look. "Sirius needed to know, Harry! It's not your fault."
"Harry," said Hermione.
"I'm going to bed," said Harry shortly. "See you in the morning."
As he stormed up the stairs, Levina grabbed a box of Owl treats out of her bag and passed Hedwig two. Hedwig nipped her ear affectionately and nuzzled her cheek with her feathers.
Hedwig took off through the open window and Levina turned to face the others.
"Sirius needed to hear about it," said Levina seriously.
"I know," said Hermione, "but he's not going to listen to anything we say right now."
"I hope he'll calm down more tomorrow," said Levina as she stuffed her books back into her bag.
Ron still looked bewildered, so Levina rolled up her homework and headed up to the girl's dormitory with Hermione, where they pulled on their pajamas and climbed into their beds.
Levina rolled onto her side and stared out the window. Lilypad curled up in a ball at the foot of her bed and purred softly while Crookshanks followed Hermione to her bed.
She knew Harry would send Sirius a letter to convince him he was fine, which was an utter lie. If she sent one with Athena telling the truth, Harry would be sure to find out.
But was Sirius really going to come there?
Yet again, I apologize greatly for the delay. I'll do my best to get the next chapter up as soon as I can, but in the meantime I need to fix my laptop so I can post chapters sooner.
Things to come: The Goblet of fire, Ageing potions, beards, and more.
Review :)