Third Person Pov
Eve and Hermione where already in the Great hall when Jack, Harry, and Ron got there. The ceiling was overcast as the boys sat down and saw Hermione had her Lockhart book, Voyages with Vampires propped up against a milk jug.
"'Morning." Hermione said stiffly. She still didn't approve of how Harry and Ron arrived.
Eve rolled her eyes at Hermione's stubbornness as Neville walked over.
"Mail's due any minute—I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot." He said.
Harry had just started eating his porridge when Owls started flying in. Eve ignored them. A moment later she was sprayed with milk and feathers along with Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Jack.
"Errol!" Ron said annoyed as he pulled the old Owl out of the milk jug.
"Poor guy. He needs a brake." Eve said then her eyes landed on the bright red letter in Errol's beak.
"Oh no—" Ron gasped.
"It's all right, he's still alive." Hermione said as she poked Errol.
"It's not that—it's that." Ron said pointing at the red letter. It didn't look any different then another letter to Harry, but Neville and Ron looked like they thought it would explode.
"What's the matter?" Harry asked.
"She's—she's sent me a Howler," Ron said faintly.
"You'd better open it, Ron." Neville said in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't. My gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and,"—he gulped—"It was horrible."
Harry looked from their petrified faces then looked at letter. 'What could possibly be bad about a Howler?' "What's a Howler?" Harry asked.
But all of Ron's attention was on the letter, which had started to smoke at the corners.
Eve slowly covered her ears and motioned Jack to do the same.
"Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes—"
Ron shakily and slowly pulled the letter from Errol's beak. He put it on the table and flicked it open. Neville had also plugged his ears. A second later Harry knew why and so did Jack. For a moment they thought it had exploded, as a loud sound filled the hall. But then it became clear what it was.
"—STEALING THE CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT WAS GONE—" Mrs. Weasley's yells where so loud that the table wears rattled. People in the hall turned wondering who had gotten the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his set that only his bright red forehead was visible. Eve was holding her ears so tight they turned red and her face was screwed up in pain. This was the one time she wished she didn't have cat hearing.
"—LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED—"
Harry was wondering when his name would make an appearance. He tried hard to ignore the voice that was killing his ears. Jack was in a state of awe and pain as he watched the letter that was forcing him to cover his ears.
"—ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED—YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!"
The ringing silence fell, much to Eve's relief; as she had sagged in her set. She opened her eyes and let go of her ears, leaving crescent moons on them from her finger nails.
The letter had burst in to flames and then curled to ashes. Harry, Ron, and Jack sat stunned, as if a bucket of frigid cold water was dumped on them, well hot water in Jack's case.
Hermione closed her book and looked down at Ron's head. "Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you—"
"Don't tell me I deserved it." Ron snapped at her.
Eve continued to munch on her bacon and toast as did Jack.
Harry pushed his porridge away. He burned with guilt. After all that the Weasleys had done for him over the summer…
He didn't have time to wallow in his thoughts; Professor McGonagall was handing out course schedules to the Gryffindors.
Eve took up hers. She saw that they had Double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs first.
Harry, Ron, Hermine, Eve, and Jack left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses. At least Hermione was being friendly to Harry and Ron, thanks to the Howler.
As they drew near the greenhouses, they saw the rest of the class was standing outside waiting for Professor Sprout. The five had just joined their classmates when Sprout came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Lockhart. Sprout's arms were full of bandages. Eve tilted her head to the side to see that the Whomping Willow tree had several branches in slings.
Eve's eyes widened as she turn to Harry and Ron. "You two crashed into the Willow?"
Harry cringed with guilt. "Yeah we did."
Jack looked at it and cringed at the thought of the crash. "It must have hurt."
Ron nodded. "It attacked us too."
Eve nodded. "Yeah. I read somewhere that they do that when threated."
Hermione beamed at Eve. "I knew I'd like you."
Eve shook her head as Lockhart and Sprout made it over. Sprout's hair was in a lose bun under her hat and defiantly looked the part of a Herbology teacher. Lockhart on the other hand, was immaculate in turquoise robs and hat.
"Oh, hello there!" Lockhart called, beaming at the students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology then she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels…"
"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" Sprout said looking rather irritated.
Everyone was wondering what was inside three. Sprout pulled out a large key from her belt and opened the doors. Eve sneezed the moment the scent of fertilizer and flowers hit her nose. She shook her head and rubbed her nose.
"You okay?" Ron asked.
"She has Allergies." Jack said automatically.
Eve sneezed again. "I hate you." She said to him, but thanked him in her mind for saying that.
"Are you going to be okay in there?" Hermione asked concerned.
"Yeah. I might sneeze a few times, but nothing else will happen." Eve said as she rubbed her nose again.
They walked in, but Harry was pulled back by Lockhart. Eve tuned out the conversation and focused on trying not to sneeze. She sneezed again, but this time she knew why. There where flowers in there the size of trumpets. She looked over and saw about twenty different colored earmuffs laid on a bench. After a few minutes, Harry came in and stood in-between Ron and Hermione.
"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?" Sprout asked.
To no one's surprise Hermione's hand shot into the air, but so had Eve's.
"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," Hermione said, sounding like she had swallowed a textbook the night before. "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."
"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor." Professor Sprout said. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"
Jack was worried that Eve would burst if she didn't say, as her hand climbed higher up and she bounced on her heels. Hermione's hand shot up so fast, she nearly hit Harry's glasses. Sprout nodded to Eve.
"The Mandrake's Cry is deadly to anyone who hears it." Eve said as her and Hermione's hands lowered.
"Precisely. They aren't slaking across the pond, are they? Take another ten points for Gryffindor." Sprout said brightly.
Hermione beamed at Eve, as did a few other Gryffindors.
"Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young." Sprout said and pointed to a row of deep trays, and everyone got closer to see what these plants looked like.
Eve nodded as she sneezed again. They were definitely Mandrakes. Harry and Jack both thought that these purplish green plants looked unremarkable.
'What did Eve mean by Cry?' Jack wondered.
"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs." Sprout said.
At her words everyone was in a mad dash to grab a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy.
"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered." Sprout said as she grabbed the pink fluffy earmuffs. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you a thumbs-up. Right—earmuffs on."
Eve popped the earmuffs on and was happy to find that they blocked out all sound. She turned to Jack to see him pat his once as if making sure they were on right. He felt weird having to wear them. He had seen kids wear them for cold protection, but he never needed them.
They turned to watch as Sprout put her pink ones on and roll up her sleeves. She then grasped a tufty plant firmly and pulled hard.
Jack gasped at the same time as Harry, but no one heard them.
Instead of roots, a small ugly, muddy and creepy baby popped out of the earth. The leaves, that Sprout had a hold of, were growing out of its head like funky hair. It had pale green skin and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.
Professor Sprout took out a large pot from under the table and plugged the Mandrake into it, burying it in the dark compost until only the leaves were visible. She then dusted off her hands, gave a thumbs up, and took off her own muffs.
Eve sneezed again as she took hers off and winced at the sudden sound of the world. Jack slid his on to his shoulders.
"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet." Sprout said as if she had only watered or weeded the garden. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, or first day here," she directed this last bit to Eve and Jack. "Make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up." She paused as if making sure they had listened. "Four to a tray—there is a large supply of pots here—compost in the snacks over there—and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething." She gave a sharp snap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw back it's feelers that had been inching over her shoulder.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione where joined by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy. Eve and Jack joined up with Seamus and Neville.
Eve could hear every conversation in the greenhouse, plus the plants that moved, it was hard to focus on the Mandrakes. She shuddered and sneezed.
"Are you okay, Eve?" Neville asked concerned.
"Allergies. I'll be fine." she said as she rubbed her nose. "It's just the flowers in here." She sneezed again and groaned.
They then popped their muffs on and they needed to focus on the Mandrakes. Eve grasped her Mandrake and junked hard. Hers came right out and she then struggled for a bit trying to get it to go into the bigger pot.
"Get in—you creepy—baby-drake!" she grunted as she struggled and finely did. She poured the compost into the pot and the Drake would grab it, throw it out and at Jack.
Jack was in the same boat, only the moment he touched his Mandrake it flat out refused to come out. He wasn't sure if it was his cold touch or it simply didn't want to leave its dirt. He could really care less at this point, after five minutes he looked around the room to make sure no one was looking and tapped the Mandrake. Frost spared on its leaves and down the steam. Then he pulled out a sleeping baby. That's when dirt, sticks and compost came flying at him. He lifted an arm trying and failing to block the other Mandrakes attacks.
"Stop! It's fine! It's just sleeping!" He yelled, but only the unmuffed Mandrakes could hear him and they didn't care.
Eve had finely managed to bury her Mandrake and turned to laugh as Jack was struggling to put his in the pot and block the attacks of the others at the same time.
By the time the class was over, everyone was sweaty, aching, covered in earth, and (in Jack's case) twigs. They all traipsed back to the castle to have a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration, the class Eve said Jack should excel in.
McGonagall had assigned them the task of turning beetles into buttons. Eve and Hermione where the best, they transformed four beetles into buttons. Jack smiled. Eve was right, he didn't need much improvement in Transfiguration. He managed to turn two into buttons and one half way, so it looked like a button with antenna, legs, and wings.
However, Harry and Ron had no such luck. Over the summer, the information seemed to have leaked out of Harry's head. All he managed to do was give his beetle a lot of exercise as it ran around his desk to avoid his wand. Ron was having even worse luck. He had fixed his wand with Spellotape, but it was clearly unfixable. It kept crackling and sparking at odd times, and every time Ron tried to transfigure his beetle it engulfed him in a thick cloud of gray smoke that smelled of suffer. He was unable to see what he was doing and squished his beetle by accident. McGonagall was not pleased when he asked for another one.
Harry was relieved to hear the lunch bell. They all filed out as Ron whacked his wand on his desk. "Stupid—useless—thing—"
"Write home for another one." Harry suggested as the wand let out a volley of bangs like a firecracker, making Eve jump and her hair rise a bit.
"Oh, yeah, and get another Howler back." Ron said as he shoved the hissing wand into his bag. "'It's your own fault your wand got snapped—'"
"Well, think about it this way, It couldn't get worse." Jack said trying and failing to make Ron feel better.
Eve's Pov
We went down to lunch and Ron's mood hadn't changed. So Hermione and I showed them the perfect set of buttons we had made in Transfiguration. Jack smiled and showed us his.
'I knew it!' I thought happily as I looked at the set of half beetle-half button in his hand.
"What've we got this afternoon?" Harry asked changing the subject.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione and I said, but she sounded excited where I sounded annoyed.
"Why," Ron demanded grabbing Hermione's schedule. "Have you out lined all Lockhart's lessons in little hearts?"
"What?" I asked trying to get a look, but Ron was a bit taller than me so it was hard.
Hermione snatched the schedule back with a bright blush to her cheeks. We finished lunch and headed out to the overcast court yard.
Hermione grabbed my bag and reached in side. "I'm going to make you read a Lockhart book if it's the last thing I do." She said and pulled out the Idiot's Holidays with Hags.
"Hermione, I've read them already and I know I don't like them. Or him for that matter." I said taking the book and bag back.
She sat on the stairs and pulled out her Voyages with Vampires. That's when Harry and Ron started to talk about Quidditch. I shoved the book in my bag and leaped into the conversion, saying how I was a fair flyer myself and then Jack joined in too. Hermione had rolled her eyes at us as she opened her book. We talked for a while, that is until I got the distinct feeling we were being watched.
We looked over to see a mouse haired boy clutching a Muggle camera was looking at us transfixed. The second Harry looked at him, he flushed a bright red.
"All right, Harry? I'm—I'm Colin Creevey." He said taking a tentative step forward like as if he couldn't believe he was in Harry's presents. "I'm in Gryffindor, too. D'you think—would it be all right if—can I have a picture?" Colin said raising the camera hopefully.
"A picture?" Harry repeated blankly.
"So I can prove I've met you." Colin said eagerly. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. About how you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you and how he disappeared and everything and how you've still got a lightning scar on your forehead" (His eyes shot to Harry's hair line.) "And a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures'll move." He drew in a breath since he had not stopped talking long enough to breath. "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got my letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman, he couldn't believe it either. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you" he look earnestly at Harry. "Maybe your friend could take it and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"
I smiled. Colin was so adorable. You could practically read his mind by the look on his face. 'You're my Hero!' was what think he was thinking.
"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?" Malfoy's loud scathing voice echoed into my ears.
My smile dropped and was replaced by a look of annoyance.
Malfoy and his cronies walked right up behind Coin and the urge to pull him to me so I could hit him hit.
"Everyone line up!" Malfoy yelled to the crowd. "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"
"No, I'm not." Harry said angrily as his fist clenched. "Shut up, Malfoy."
"You're just jealous." Colin pipped up and I swear I saw Jack step up behind Colin as if to show that he would keep him safe.
"Jealous?" Malfoy said, he didn't need to shout anymore, the courtyard was listening to every word. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar right a crossed my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."
Crabbe and Goyle laughed.
I stepped forward. "How would you like it if one night someone broke into your home and killed your family then tried to kill you? Huh? You'd be lucky to survive with a scar if Voldemort decided to kill you!" I found myself being held back by both Jack and Ron.
"Do all Americans have bad tempers, or is it just girls?" Malfoy asked mockingly.
I struggled to get at him, my face a bright red. I was pretty sure I looked like a pissed off Tinkerbelle.
"Eat slugs, Malfoy." Ron said as he let go of me.
"Be careful, Weasley." Malfoy sneered. "You don't want to start any trouble or your mummy'll have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill voice that hurt my ears. "If you put anther toe out of line—"
I looked up to see a bunch of Slytherin Fifth years had gathered and where laughing.
"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter." Malfoy smirked. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house—"
I felt like I really wanted to scratch his eyes out with my bare hands.
"Eve, calm down. He's not worth it." Jack whispered in my ear trying to make my anger subside.
Ron had whipped out his broken wand, which made me panic, but before Ron could say a single spell, Hermione shut her book and whispered. "Look out!"
"What's all this, what's all this?" Lockhart's voice called and the calm I had gained was replaced by annoyance. He strode toward us, his robes swirling behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?"
Harry started to speak, but Lockhart wrapped an arm around his shoulders. "Should've asked! We meet again, Harry!"
I turned to see that Malfoy was smirking then I looked back at Harry who looked beyond embarrassed.
"Come on then, Mr. Creevey." Lockhart said beaming at Colin. "A double portrait, can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you."
Colin fumbled with his camera and snapped a photo as the bell rang. I breathed a sigh of relief.
"Off you go, move along." Lockhart called to the crowd and set off back in the castle with Harry still clasped to his side.
"A word to the wise, Harry." Lockhart said as we entered. "I covered up for you back there with young Creevey—if he was Photographing me, too, your classmates won't think you're setting yourself up so much."
Jack, Ron, Hermione and I walked with them so we would get to class on time. I felt really bad for Harry, Lockhart was ignoring all of his stammers to try and tell him what had happened.
"Let me just say that handing out signed pictures at this stage of your career isn't sensible—looks a tad bigheaded, Harry, to be frank." Lockhart said.
I rolled my eyes. 'And you're not at all.' I thought bitterly.
"There may well come a time when, like me, you'll need to keep a stack handy wherever you go, but," Lockhart chortled. "I don't think you're quite there yet."
I looked up and thank the goddess we reached the class, now I just have to sit through Lockhart talking than we are free. He also let go of Harry.
Harry yanked his robes straight and took a set at the very back of the class and put all the Lockhart books in front of himself so he wouldn't have to look at him. I smiled because that's the same thing I was doing. The five of us (Harry, Ron, Hermione, Jack, and I) sat in the back in the same row. Ron and Hermione sat on either side of Harry. Jack sat next to Hermione and I sat next to Ron.
"You could've fried an egg on your face." Ron said. "You'd better hope Creevey doesn't meet Ginny, or they'll be starting a Harry Potter fan club."
"Shup up." Harry snapped.
Once everyone was seated Lockhart cleared his throat and took hold of Neville's copy of Travels with Trolls, held it up for all to see and pointed at the photo of himself.
"Me." He said and winked with the photo. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award—but I don't want to talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"
He waited for laugher, but only got weak smiles. I was shaking my head. 'Please get on with it!' I thought desperately.
"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books—well done. I thought we'd start with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about—just to check how well you've read them, how much you you've taken in—"
He walked around and passed out the papers. When he returned to the front he turned to face us and grabbed an hourglass. "You have thirty minutes—start—now!" he said as he flipped the hourglass over and the sand started running.
I looked down and rubbed my eyes thinking maybe I read them wrong, but I hadn't.
1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?
2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's Secret ambition?
3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?
I flipped through the three pages, front and back finding nothing asking what spells you know or what not. I looked down the row to see Jack having this shocked expression. I turned back to my paper and grabbed a quill and began to guess.
1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color? Whatever color his mood is.
2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's Secret ambition? To be immortalized in as many portraits as possible.
3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date? Order of Merlin, Third Class. That is hard to get. Unless he cheated somehow.
I kept guessing to the end. Half an hour later, Lockhart collected all the papers and rifled through them. "Tut, tut—hardy any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac."
It took all my willpower not to start laughing right there and then.
"I say so in Year with the Yeti. And few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully—I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples—Though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhisky!"
By this point I was shaking with my suppressed laughter. I didn't dare look at my friends incase their faces send me into hysterics.
"…but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions—good girl! In fact," he said as he flipped her paper over. "Full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"
I had finely calmed enough to look over at Hermione, who raised a trembling hand, clearly on the verge of a fangirl attack.
"Excellent!" Lockhart beamed. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so—to business—" He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large red cloth covered cage. He put it on the desk. "Now—be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."
Through the corner of my eye I saw Harry lean over to get a better view of the cage. I could hear tiny voices coming from it, but it was broken English.
Lockhart put a hand on the cover and turned to look at us. Seamus and Dean had stopped laughing. Neville was cowering in his set.
"I must ask you not to scream," Lockhart said in a low voice like what was in the cage was the most terrifying thing in the world and was very dangerous. "It might provoke them."
We all held our breath, then Lockhart whipped off the cover and felt laughter bubbling up.
"Yes," Lockhart said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."
I couldn't hold it in any more. I laughed, well, cackled more like. It was loud and I wasn't the least bit embarrassed when I was given strange looks. Thankfully I wasn't the only one who had laughed. Seamus was laughing too.
Lockhart looked at us both. "Yes?" he asked Seamus first.
"Well, they're not—they're not very—dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.
I calmed down and then a thought struck me. 'Oh please don't let them out. They are a pain!'
"Don't be so sure!" Lockhart said wiggling a finger, me, the cackling American forgotten. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"
I looked at the cage with worry. The little blue pixies looked really creepy and ready to bust out. 'Please don't let them out.' I begged silently.
"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!"
"NO!" I yelled.
Too late, he had opened the cage and all the pixies shot out of the cage and in random directions like rockets. Two grabbed Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. The pixies where doing anything and everything possible to cause damage and be a general pain. I looked up to see Neville swaying from the chandelier.
"Come on now—round them up, round them up, they're only pixies!" Lockhart shouted. He rolled up his sleeves and drew his wand. "Peskipksi Pesernomi!"
'What?! That's not even a real spell!' I thought angrily as a pixie grabbed my hair.
Lockhart's wand was taken way a split second later and he ducked under his desk, like a coward, but he did avoid being crushed by Neville as the chandelier gave way.
The bell rang and there was a mad dash for the door. You'd think since the five of us where in the back row, we'd get out first. Nope.
"Well, I'll ask you five to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." Lockhart said and shoved passed us and shut us in the room with the damn pixies.
"Can you believe him?" Ron roared as pixies bit him on the ear.
"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," Hermione said then pointed her wand at two pixies. "Immobulus." They froze in place she then grabbed them and shoved them back in their cage.
"Hands-on?" Jack asked as he hit one with a book and sent it flying into the cage.
"Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing—" Harry tried to grab a pixie, but it flew out of reach.
"He used a fake spell!" I said then pointed my own wand at some pixies. "Immobulus." They froze and I smacked them back into the cage.
"Rubbish," Hermione said. "You've read his books—look at all those amazing things he's done—"
"He says he's done." Ron muttered.
'Took the words right out of my mouth, Ron.' I thought.