yay! Finally! Another one! I actually really like one of the quotes in this one. Guess which one! Anyways, here you go.
The Future of the Past
Chapter Seven
Of Transfiguration and Turtles
Harry sighed, peeking into classroom after class room until he found what he was looking for. Lily was sitting on the windowsill in a classroom no one used anymore by the appearance of the dust on the desks and the way they were propped up against one of the far wall, well out of the way.
"Lily?" Not calling her 'Mum' was getting easier for Harry… though he had to still remind himself in his head that she didn't know, mustn't know. He closed the door behind himself as she looked up from her staring out of the window to blink at him and rather awkwardly wipe at her eyes. She hastened to climb down from the windowsill and keep her face hidden behind a shroud of brown hair that should have been dark red. One might have found it odd, for Harry to go after a girl he barely knew… but... she wasn't just a girl… she was his mother... he was her loin fruit whether she knew it or not. "You alright?"
Lily blinked at him again as she lifted her head and nodded. Her eyes were supposed to be green… his eyes… not those… weird blue orbs she had now. Harry sighed. Her appearance didn't matter… what mattered was she was his mother and she'd run away upset and he was going to do something about it.
"No... you... you look like you've been crying."
"So what if I have? It's stupid too. He's just a stupid git bent on constantly hurting people's feelings and pulling pranks so others feel bad. It's what he's always done, what he'll always do. I vote we all just kill him now and have it over with." Harry snorted and shook his head.
"Unfortunately for you, I kinda need him to be alive…"
"Oh… yes… that's right. You wouldn't be here if he was… well then… I suppose we'll just have to find another way to get back at him. Know any good weak points?"
"I… No…"
"Agh!" Lily kicked out at one of the desks. She yelped and flopped down on the floor, holding her foot. Harry couldn't help laughing as he sat down beside her. He got a hand upside the head and called a wanker for it, but that wasn't something he wasn't already used to happening... well... usually it was Ron and it hurt more… but anyways…
"You sure you're ok though?"
"Yeah… I cry when I get angry... stupid tear ducts…"
"Alright then…"
"I hate crying."
"Alright then…"
"I need a hug."
"Um…"
"You're supposed to say 'Alright then…' again."
"Oh um... yeah... sure…" Harry blinked at her and didn't have a chance to even move to try and fulfill her wanting of a hug because she already had her arms tight around him, all he had to do was hug back. He blinked and hugged her tighter, feeling as though he was clinging to her… like a five year old to it's mummy after they'd been lost for an hour in a store... it was that feeling… the feeling of being safe and loved, and cared for that he got as he hugged his mother. It was sort of like hugging Mrs. Weasley, but better because it wasn't his best friend's mum, it was his own.
When they finally let go of each other, Lily was smiling at him brightly. "You're a damn good hugger Potter."
"S'are you." Probably got it from you actually….
"You know… I think you're right... you're nothing like Potter... you're sweet... he's just.. annoyingly big headed."
"I told you before. People say I take after my mum too."
"Well, that's a good thing. Anyways… class'll be starting soon… we don't want to miss it and we'd also best get cleaned up beforehand as well."
"Oh right." Harry looked down at his very currently messy self and pulled out his wand hoping that Scourgify would be a worthy enough opponent for the sticky syrupiness of his hair. Turned out it definitely was… after a few more than a few tries at it they were both clean. Together they made their way out of the empty unused classroom and back along towards the Gryffindor Tower to retrieve their bags for the day ahead of them.
"..and then she hugged me and everything was good." Harry stated, recounting his talk with Lily to Ron and Hermione at the very back of the Transfiguration classroom. The Marauders had been sitting with them until McGonagall had noticed where they were and decided she'd like to have them where she could see them better… right in the very front row. Lily was next to Remus... though not a trouble maker, McGonagall had said something about 'poor performance in previous Transfiguration classes so she wanted her up front too', so that was that. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were left to discuss things alone for the first time in days and to be honest, they found it rather nice.
"I still can't believe it's them though. It's like really weird movie." Said Hermione, peering up from her notes to look at the four in the front row.
"A what?"
"A movie. It's like… a story that you can see. With moving pictures."
"They're called paintings and photographs Hermione, not movies."
"No it's… never mind. Listen, Harry… you… you should try not to get too... too attached. I mean, they'll be going back soon enough and…"
"And what?"
"And you're just going to make it more painful on yourself when they do if you become…"
"Attached?"
"Well, yes."
"I can't not get to know them Hermione, they're…"
"Your parents I know." Hermione sighed in exasperation, setting her quill down and cupping her chin in both hands. "but honestly, you really shouldn't..."
"I know what I shouldn't do, but I just can't do that and you know it."
"Unfortunately."
"It'll be fine."
"I hope so, but…"
"Hermione, just bugger off already. He gets it." Ron took her quill from the table and shoved it back into her hand. "Now write, cause you know we're all going to need your notes later."
"Just because you can't read your own hand writing…" Harry couldn't help but snort drawing a glance from McGonagall that caused Hermione to start writing vigorously. Harry thought he saw the corners of her mouth twitch as Ron responded by slowing up his own note taking and concentrating rather harder than normal at getting his letters legible.
Transfiguration ended without much more conversation. The sixth years were ushered off to either Ancient Runes (to which Hermione darted off quickly), Muggle Studies (which she'd dropped, but they lost Sirius to, something about bugging the pants off his mother), or had a free period. Given that neither Harry nor Ron had ever taken up either subject they were left to start the Transfiguration essay they'd already been assigned in the common room. Harry was not pleased with how hard McGonagall had made their first homework assignment and even pouring over the right page in his book, could not quite figure out the exact difference of wand movements for turning a turtle into a teacup as opposed to turning the turtle into a tea kettle. Rather unfortunately, Ron seemed just as baffled as he did when he consulted his notes from today's lesson.
"You hold it higher and give it a tinier flick with a teacup." Harry looked up to find James peering down at his mostly blank parchment. He placed a hand on the back of the couch and launch himself over. "See…" He took up Harry's book and pointed at the particular paragraph Harry had skimmed again and again. "See it says here… 'Reduce the flourish of your wand when performing the Tipsiria spell.' At least that's the simple wording of in inside all this gobbledy gook." Which was what the paragraph was.. a lot of big words and semi colons that had had Harry at a lose.
"Thanks."
"No problem. Transfiguration is my favorite."
"Really?" Harry stared at him for a moment before he remembered what Ollivander had told him about his dad's wand way back when he had gotten his own... About it being good for Transfiguration... and his mother's was great for Charms. But would that make Charms her favorite class like Transfiguration was his? It was an interesting concept he'd never considered before.
"Mhmm." James nodded and took out his own Transfiguration things to start work on the essay. He quill flew across the paper as though he wasn't even thinking about it. Harry watched him for a moment before turning back to his own work. He gave up after a while, his mind turning to mush. He'd wait for Hermiones typically easier to under stand (as she explained them) notes before he bothered to try and finish it up. Ron seemed to have the same idea because he had gotten out his chess game and was prompting Remus to join him. The werewolf did so, sitting down on the hearth rug and setting up his pieces.
Harry sat and watched two games (both of which Ron predictably won) before the bell rang and they gathered up their things to head down for lunch. The stroll was long, but it only took Harry until they were out the portrait hole to notice someone had gone missing.
"Hey, where'd L-Sage go?"
"Transfiguration."
"But we just came from there."
"Let me rephrase that... Remedial Transfiguration. Because someone…" Remus looked pointed at James. "...won't help her."
"Like she'd let me." James stated back in a slightly agitated way that indicated that this was not the first time they had had this conversation. "You saw what happened the last time I tried."
"What happened?" Harry asked curiously, not able to help himself, though his gut said he'd most likely not be too thrilled with the answer.
"Somehow managed to get the book wedged into my skull. She's stronger than she looks bloody Evans is."
"Ouch." Harry's stomach clenched at the thought. Having something like that… text books were large.. lodged into your head… well.. it was a rather unpleasant thought.
"Promfrey sent him out to St. Mungos and he had to stay a week."
"Which is why we leave McGonagall to the teaching. Though I don't see why you couldn't do it Moony, she adoooores you."
"I'm bad at wording things into the simplest of forms when I understand them perfectly fine when they're complicated."
"Remy! Remy! Look!" Aforementioned 'bloody Evans' came running towards them, brown hair flying out behind her, blue eyes gleaming brightly, face alight with happiness. She held something in her hands and immediately shoved it towards Remus. He took it and stared at it with a smile.
"That's great Lils! Look Prongs!" He held up the thing she had given him. Harry blinked. It was a turtle… mostly porcelain with a handle coming out of it's back and flowers running along the edge of it's still turtley shell.
"Wow, real progress." James blinked looking at the turtle and taking it from Remus. He examined it closely, tapping it in a few places. "You're getting better." He held the turtley handled thing to Harry who passed it one wards to Ron after making a good show of looking it over and being pleased with it. Ron, however, was as blunt as ever.
"It's still not done all the way through though…"
"Well, of course it isn't, I can't get it all in one go like the rest of you lot do after practicing for a while." Lily took her turtley back and turned to hug Remus tightly round the chest. "But this one only took me five times rather than twenty!"
"That's really wonderful Lils." Remus nodded, hugging her back with a big smile. "Really."
"Thanks." Lily let go of him, still smiling. "McGonagall says it's only the shell and the shape that still needs work. The rest of him's all glassy." She patted the turtle's head fondly. "She said I could keep him to practice on. He's used to it."
"How many years of work is he going on?"
"Thirty. I can turn him back into a turtle, no problem. I'm going to name him Harold. She said he'd like a quieter life, though they normally live to be about a hundred even with being practiced on almost everyday." Harry blinked. A turtle named Harold? Was it possible that.. no… it couldn't be. But... it was old enough… could McGonagall have given his mother a turtle twenty years ago? And if so, would she have named it that same thing? Surely she must have, right?
"I.. I'll be right back. I've just remembered something." Harry stated casualy before heading off in the direction of McGonagall's class room. He arrived there in no time flat, having been on the same floor in the first place. "Er.. Professor?"
"Yes, what is it Potter?" McGonagall looked up from reading what seemed to be an older essay. No one would have turned their homework in that fast.
"Professor, that turtle you just gave my… Lily... well, she's gone and named it…"
"Harold?"
"Yes. And I was just…"
"Curious?"
"Er… well.. yes."
"Potter…" McGonagall set down the roll of parchment she was reading on her desk and looked at him as thought she understood exactly what he wanted to hear. "I did indeed give your mother that exact turtle twenty years ago to this very hour. He was meant to be a tool, but alas, he became more of a pet. She still had him when she had you. I remember the conversation I had with her very cleary. She'd asked for me and I went to St. Mungos and there you were. Pink faced and wailing in her arms… and you're wild hair, it was... Back on track, she wanted to give the turtle back you see, because she wanted you to have her favorite name, for there to be no confusion. But then when I went to leave your father refused to let me take the turtle because she loved it so. He suggested naming you Harry instead. Still the same general idea, just a bit different. He would have called you that anyway had you been named Harold. So, she got to keep the turtle until she parted with him before you went into hiding, thinking he'd be better off being able to go out doors sometimes rather than being cooped up inside indefinitely."
"So... what you're saying is, that I'm named after... a... a turtle?"
"Yes Potter, you are indeed named after a turtle." McGonagall's lips twitched slightly at this. "Now Potter, I must get back to reading this over. Though I must say the look on your face has just made my day, thank you."
Harry stood there stunned, his mouth slightly agape, eyes blinking in confusion. They're named him after a turtle…
"…a bloody turtle!?"
"Yes. A turtle. That one actually." Harry pointed to the now green little fellow who was happily being fed lettuce from Lily's hand. The the group had met up with Hermione at lunch who was snickering behind her hand.
"I'm sorry Harry, but that's just…"
"Nuts?"
"Hilarious." Harry sighed, glad the others weren't listening. The Marauders had eaten and hurried off to do something or other, Harry suspected it to be some sort of prank, and Lily was so occupied with the turtle that she wasn't really paying attention to much else. Though they had been careful to keep their voices extra low as they whispered.
"What's hilarious?" Lily looked up from fawning over Harold, her finger still running along his little head as he munched.
"Nothing." Harry said quickly. She shrugged and went back to turtle loving. Harry sighed again. It was going to be a long two months.
Hope you liked it. Did you find my favorite quote? It's towards the end and kind of obvious. Well, yo can go push the happy little periwinkle blue button down there... \/ I'd really like it if you did.
Loves,
S.Q.O.
