It was the next morning when trouble cobbled onto my plate. Ron, Neville, and I met up with Hermione as we started heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast. There, we saw a certain stuck up, rich brat that we usually called Draco Malfoy entertaining a large group of his Slytherin house. Blaise sat off to the side, sipping his pumpkin juice while watching with a dark scowl. As we went by, Malfoy did a ridiculous swooning fit and there was a roar of laughter.
My brows rose and my lips quirked into an evil smirk when recognition of what was going on as Hermione grabbed my arm and told me to ignore the little shit. Well, not in those exact words, but I know that she secretly wanted to call him that. I nodded as I sat down, watching the group with a grin of dark amusement.
"Hey, Dresden!" Pansy Parkinson, a girl who looked very much like a pug, shrieked while smirking with her fellow house members. "Dresden! The dementors are coming, Dresden! Wooooo!"
Holy immaturity Batman!
I rose from my seat before Hermione could grab hold of me and walked over to the Slytherins with my hands behind my straightened back. I had heard some stories filled with bad gossip during dinner the night before. This was going to be fun. Insert maniacal laughter.
Walking toward them now, it suddenly grew quiet and I know everyone in the Hall watched me as I so calmly walked over with my grin widening into a full smile of cheerfulness. Blaise winked at me and hid a grin behind his goblet as he watched with excited eyes.
"Buenos Dias, my fellow classmates," I greeted with a softened smile. I assuredly had full control over my sincere eyes. I turned to Malfoy. "Dear Mr. Malfoy, I must applaud your skills of acting," I announced loudly enough for everyone to hear. "You've managed to show me how immature I am not. Congratulations on a job well done."
Malfoy's smirk slid into a death glare. I shrugged. I turned to Pansy who visibly shrunk. My smile turned predatorily vicious. I hated doing this to a girl, but I had to stick up for myself. Harry'd kill me if he knew what I was about to do. Thank goodness he isn't here.
"Miss Parkinson, allow me, please, if you will, my commentary in regards of your words."
She nodded and straightened up, "Proceed."
I nodded in reply and beamed at her. "You're too kind. I just hope I do not sound too insincere. Well here it goes…" I cleared my throat dramatically. "Miss Parkinson, you hid in the boy's loo when the dementor thingies came onto the train. Young and ever so clever Mr. Malfoy hid in the compartment of the Weasley twins nearly wetting himself. And here, the faint little me, squared off with something I have never even heard of or seen before and all I did was pass out. Now don't get me wrong if I do imply that you and Mr. Malfoy are both cowards, but at least I faced off with it while you both hid. I may have passed out, but I did not run. Surely, you understand where I'm coming from, don't you? No? Oh, that's too bad. I bid you good day, madam."
I bowed and turned to walk away and back to my house table. I wanted to skip or dance in victory of my bold move. Sure, I should have ignored them, but they opened a bridge and I just had to burn it down. How could I not? It was that simple.
My wicked grin grew more deviant as laughter filled the Hall and whispers traveled a mile a minute. Life was good, but I knew someone upstairs had more up their sleeve. I just hoped it happened one at a time and not all at once. That'd really be bad. I mean, really.
"Mr. Dresden!" McGonagall's voice called from the staff table.
Shit! What now? I didn't do anything negative, did I? No, everything had positive written all over it.
"Yes, Deputy Headmistress?" I asked as I cocked my head in the general direction of where she sat.
She motioned me forward. I pointed at myself innocently. I probably looked like the kid with a mouthful of cookies after raiding the cookie jar. The thought made me mentally chuckle.
She nodded. I noticed both Lupin and Flitwick were paying rapt attention with amused expressions. I grinned. At least I made some of them smile. Honestly, the woman was going to drive me spare if she never cracks even the slightest of smiles at one of my jokes in the near future.
I walked forward and stopped when I was right in front of where she sat at the table. "Yes, ma'am? Is there something amiss, ma'am?"
She seemed to ruffle at my tone of curious innocence. "Yes, there is something amiss, Mr. Dresden."
"Oh, what might that be, my lovely Deputy Headmistress and responsible Head of House?" I asked, laying it on thick as honey. I might get out of this one yet.
She growled. "Is it necessary for you to make false stories about fellow classmates and embarrass them in front of the entire school and hurt their feelings?"
"Oh, they're not false, ma'am," I supplied all too cheerfully with an excited grin. Later I would call that a bad move on my part, but for the moment I thought I could beat it. Kick it and put it in a sack. Hell yeah. "Miss Parkinson ran into the boy's bathroom from what three fifth years, two fourth years, and one seventh and second year told me last night at dinner. And two other eyewitnesses and both the Weasley twins saw Mr. Malfoy running into the compartment that the twins were in. This leads me to believe the stories to be true due to the whole lot had similar stories. I confronted them with the truth as they did me and see: I'm not shedding tears about it. And neither should they. These things happen. I just pointed that out to them."
"He's just like his father," I heard Lupin whisper in a chuckle to Flitwick.
"You may have forgotten, Mr. Dresden, that you implied that both your classmates are cowards," Snape sneered as he watched with raised brows of incredulous.
I turned to see his eyes sparkle with some dark humor. At least he thought it was so-and-so. Although, he'd never admit it, mind you. He's got this reputation as a bigoted ass-wipe. I know mostly since his focal point is me. Aren't I just so lucky at times?
"I didn't imply anything, Mr. Snape," I stated sincerely. "I basically stated it in a subtle manner." I turned to my Head of House. "Ma'am, they were building their bridge trying to embarrass me and put me down, I just returned the favor. I burned the bridge. We're even. Eye for an eye, you know, all that rot. If they couldn't take it, maybe they should think about not dishing it." I heard Snape growl and I flashed a smile at him while I mentally kicked myself due to my idiotic last words.
"Be that as it may, Mr. Dresden," McGonagall stated with a glare, "I'm still taking ten points from Gryffindor."
I frowned and thought quickly. "Ma'am, my house doesn't deserve to be docked by a single member's behavior. How about detention tonight at seven, how's that sound?"
She faltered, "Agreed. You'll have detention with…" she looked around and then at Lupin. He smiled. "…Professor Lupin. I'm sure he'll have a large amount of work for you to do."
I smiled cheerfully. "That sounds lovely." She scowled as I turned to Lupin. "It's a date. See you at seven tonight, sir."
"Until tonight," Lupin agreed while trying not to laugh.
I waved cheerily, making Flitwick burst into a fit of laughter. I turned to walk away, but paused with a wicked smile. I turned to look at Lupin.
"By the way, sweetie, don't bring the wine," I stated with a light voice. "I'm not much for drinking. Straight-edge, you know?" I winked. "Hasta luego." I walked to my house table as I heard Lupin snort and start full out laughing.
"So how many points did we lose this time?" Hermione asked warily as I grabbed two slices of toast and spread blackberry jam on them while saddling the bench.
"No points lost," I replied with an amused smile as Neville passed me my timetable. "I have detention at seven tonight with Mr. Lupin."
"Oh, do we now?" Blaise asked as he took a seat beside me. "I thought we were going to do you-know-what."
"You guys go ahead," I laughed cheerfully and then frowned while reading the schedule I had. "I'm probably a bit farther than all of you or well off enough that I can skip a day. Hermione, are you going to Runes today? Can you pick the work up for me?"
"Yes, Harry, I can do that," she muttered warily and then glanced up with sudden concern. "What's wrong?"
"Does anyone know the fastest way to the North Tower?" I asked with a small worried voice.
"Why?" Ron asked as he stopped glaring at Blaise who smirked back.
"Our class starts in ten minutes," I stated.
Ron cursed loudly and Hermione gathered her stuff quickly and I got up and slung my bag over my shoulder, nearly whacking Blaise in the head as I did so. He glared and I replied with a sheepish grin and bid farewell to him as the three of us hurried off to Divination. Neville and a few others had already left for class.
We asked for directions from a mentally gay portrait and raced after the character as he raced through various portraits until we came to a halt in front of a spiraling staircase. We bid the character farewell and raced up the stairs until we entered a classroom filled with burning incense, cushions and tables, and various things that confirmed my suspicions. The teacher lived through the bohemian life at one point in time.
"Where's the teacher?" Ron asked as he slowly went to one table where Seamus and Dean sat while Hermione and I went to sit to the table closest to the door with Neville.
"Welcome," a woman called in a voice that was gone. "How nice to see you in the physical world at last."
I stilled as I saw the woman and had to turn my face away to hide my suddenly amused smile. She looked old and haggard and her bifocals were thick and huge making her seem bug-like or a maniacal scientist with magnifying glasses. Oh, and looking like a bohemian homeless stereotype in modern day; it was encouraging. I covered my mouth so my laugh would not make itself known.
Professor Trelawney went about announcing herself and welcoming us to her class to which she explained the subject in a manner reminiscent of someone off in la-la-land. My face probably was red from holding my laughter in as I noticed significant signs of stony behavior. She had to be on something.
Murphy had explained to Adam and me the effects of drugs when we had visited her one day at work and noticed an unfamiliar sight of someone acting out of their gourd. She told us to be wary and that if she ever catches us with any type of drug or having some sign of influence from one, she'd kick our asses.
From then on, Adam and I claimed straight-edge as our savior. In X's, we do believe. Amen.
When I recalled that episode, I tried to not laugh and tried to relax and listen carefully. Poor Neville was targeted again and I glared at the woman. Scare him, why don't you! Honestly, they always attack the one that everyone else attacks.
I nudged Neville and rolled my eyes in humor. He looked surprised and then slowly smiled; his eyes nervous. I gave him an encouraging grin and shook my head. Don't worry about it, she's talking nonsense. Everything's all right.
She then assigned us to tea-residue reading or that's how I called it since it described the whole situation perfectly. I was looking at Neville's with a grin and writing down what I found and compared to the book. Hermione read mine while Neville read hers.
Neville looked up, "What does mine look like, Harry?"
"A bunch of soggy brown residue," I replied with a laugh and he returned it with a smile. "Nah, dude. I have noticed a set of grapes which means 'good times with friends' and a horseshoe which represents 'good luck'. So your future looks pretty bright to me."
"Harry, does this look like a dog to you?" Hermione asked as she pointed inside my cup with a frown.
I leaned over and looked. It was a four-legged, but it didn't look like a dog. Perhaps a goat? Yeah... definitely a goat.
I told her so and then asked, "What does that mean?"
"It means 'misfortune'," she replied with a frown. "Your future never is a bright one, is it?"
"It comes with the territory," I snorted. "All because someone up there takes a malevolent amusement in my suffering(1)."
She rolled her eyes, "I'm beginning to believe you're onto something there."
Trelawney whirled around to look at me as I let out a loud laugh. She hurried over and took the cup to peer at it. She gasped.
"My dear child," she said to me in a low voice that everyone listened closely to. "You have the Grim."
Several in the class gasped in fear and I looked about me in surprise. What the hell? Was the Grim a bad thing?
I could tell that several in the class didn't understand as well. Lavender Brown and Dean Thomas gave me raised brows of confusion and shook their heads. Hermione practically pounced onto the book and scanned the page hurriedly. Trelawney eyeballed me with fear and concern. I rolled my eyes.
"What's a Grim?" I asked with a put-out voice. "A sad goat?"
She looked stunned at my confusion. "The Grim, my dear boy, the Grim. It is the ghostly black dog that haunts the graveyards. It is the worst omen, my dear, it means death."
"You're joking," I laughed with a lazy smile as I leaned back into my chair.
"My child, you shouldn't laugh at death!" Trelawney shrieked madly and I stilled slightly.
Good going, Harry. Upset the damn stoner, why don't you!
"I'm not laughing at death, Professor," I replied sincerely. "It's just that I have a black lab mix that looks a lot like what you would call a Grim back home. His name is Sasha and he's an absolute puppy at heart. You're probably mistaken."
"I am not mistaken, child, you have the Grim," she sniffed sorrowfully. "You're fated to die."
"I don't think it looks like the Grim," Hermione stated when she was able to get the cup back.
"My dear girl, forgive me for being so prude, but there is little aura around you," Trelawney replied while looking at Hermione with utter dislike. Then she turned to look away from us students. "I think we can end class now. The spirits are leaving us." She flittered away into another room.
"Well aren't we just utterly on high," I stated angrily as several others looked silently at me. "Would you stop staring? I'm not going to die anytime soon." They hurriedly rushed out of the room.
"Ignore them, Harry," Ron laughed. "They're just being pulled into that crap. They don't realize she's mental."
"Thanks for the encouragement, mate," I laughed darkly but shared an amused smile with him nonetheless.
We hurried down to Transfiguration and I raced to the front with Hermione racing after me. Neville was walking behind us with a worried smile. He joined us a second later. The class, who heard and believed the Grim-nonsense, stared at me with silent gazes.
I growled silently. I really did hate being stared at like a specimen. Hello, I'm not an effing lab rat, I'll have you know!
McGonagall went about explaining Animagi while I twitched and suffered through the staring. The teacher turned herself into her feline form and then popped back into regular with a frown. She swept a glance through the room.
"What on earth is wrong with all of you today?" she asked sternly. "This is the first time that I haven't gotten applause when I transfigure, not that I care."
"Professor, please, we just had our first Divination class," Hermione answered. "We read tea leaves for our first lesson."
McGonagall put a hand up to stop Hermione's explanation. "Say no more." She swept another glance across the room. "Who's dying now?"
"I am, ma'am," I announced with a grin. "Miss Trelawney saw a Grim in my cup of tea-residue. Personally, I think the teacher's been kissing Mary."
"Excuse me, Mr. Dresden?" she asked as her lips grew thinner.
I rolled my eyes and reclined in my seat. "She's been smoking the reefer, ma'am."
"Mr. Dresden, what are you saying?" she asked angrily.
Honestly, does this woman know anything? Talk about responsibility. She didn't even know the slang. That's a shame. I'd have to educate this one.
"Lady, she sounds like she's smoking marijuana," I stated with a loud voice. "There are even similarities to her actions to that of actual smokers."
"Mr. Dresden, would you keep that thought to yourself," she growled with annoyance.
"Oh, okay," I huffed while rolling my eyes. I'll just have to educate her more later.
"Not that I believe in Divination myself, it is a very obscure subject," she explained quickly. "I have heard of similar predictions, though, from other students. Professor Trelawney makes a prediction that someone is going to die every year. They're all still alive so please do not worry about your fellow student."
She then let us go with a homework assignment on Animagi. We left for lunch and met up with Blaise as we grabbed some food and headed outside for lunch in the sun. He laughed when Neville told him what happened in Divination. We sat by the lake and ate our sandwiches.
"That class sounds ridiculous," Blaise laughed.
"Arithmancy class was far more intriguing than Divination," Hermione stated with a smile of agreement.
"I do agree," Blaise stated as he push his curly fringe out of his eyes as he tossed his last piece of sandwich to a nearby bird who swooped down and carried it away.
"Wait, Mione, that's the same time as Divination—"Ron pointed out, but she interrupted him.
"Ron, I can't be in two classes at once," she laughed, catching my attention immediately, "honestly." Blaise looked between them with confusion.
"Mione, you're not doing what I think you're doing?" I asked in a whisper of sudden wariness. She looked up at me with surprise.
"Harry—"she shook her head and mouthed 'later'.
"Hell's bells, Mione!" I breathed.
I couldn't believe I was associated with a time-traveler. She was breaking the seventh law of magic. I-I… I couldn't… I had to move.
I stood up, surprising everybody, and walked away. I couldn't formulate words and I knew I shouldn't have been so rude, but I had never been involved in a situation involving someone I knew. I had my own problems and was on probation due to my first year incident, but to have someone I knew as a friend and practically as a sister… it was inconceivable.
I had only known two others that had broken laws and the first one didn't count since Harry was defending himself when he used magic to kill his former mentor. Molly, on the otherhand, was always being watched as she had a past history with mind control. They're family and they know the laws, but Hermione didn't and I didn't know how to feel about having someone I call a sister secretly breaking any of the laws. Especially right now.
I couldn't form an idea or plan and my thoughts swirled in stunned silence about this new development. My thoughts distracted me as I walked toward the edge of the forest. I stumbled and then realized I was being watched.
"Who's there?" I snarled. "Show your face or suffer from third degree!" My hand was suddenly filled with fire and I peered into the forest. My other hand gripped my wand.
"I'd put that out, Dresden," Morgan growled as he walked out from behind a tree. "You might start a forest fire."
I straightened up and shook my hand free of fire with a dark frown. "How goes it, Morgan?"
"It's just as well as ever," Morgan replied as he glanced about. "I don't know why you associate yourself with these fools who think themselves true wizards and witches." His lip lifted in obvious distaste.
"I'll let them know that you think that," I stated with a wiry smile and rolled my eyes. "What's up? Is there something the Council wants or are you checking up on me?"
"You know you're on probation," he growled.
"Yeah, yeah, I know that," I grumbled. "What of it? You know I'm not looking to break any of the laws."
"I do not know of any such thing," he replied with a glare. "You've broken the first law."
"You say the same thing about Harry," I argued. "But you know in that mind of yours that he, Adam, Molly, and I would never stoop so low if it was anything other than self-preservation. That, and preserving others."
"You're still under suspicion," he replied with a nod.
"Be that as it may, I didn't even try to save myself or even try to kill him," I countered with a dark look that I shot at him. "Injun-Joe shared a gaze with me and told you all what he saw. You all know I haven't any black on me. You know I'm innocent and yet I still suffer through probation. What's up with that?"
"You know the Merlin doesn't like your father or anyone involved with him," Morgan replied.
"Yeah, I know," I replied and turned as I noticed Hagrid leading a line of students into the forest. I turned back. "You know where they're headed?"
"I do," he replied with a smirk.
"Care to show me?" I asked with a conspiring grin.
He looked sternly at me for a minute, but nodded. "All right, but we'd best hurry if we are to beat them to the spot."
I raced after him as we slid into a deeper part of the forest and found a spot where one single large bird-like creature squawk. I skidded to a halt and stared in wonderment. I then looked up at Morgan.
"A hippogriff? I thought they stayed in the Nevernever."
"Occasionally they like to travel outside it," he replied quietly. "I must leave else I'll be seen," he stated suddenly. "Slide into the group without being seen or you'll get into trouble."
"Oh, all right," I breathed as he disappeared into the forest, but the Hippogriff spotted me and walked over and stood five feet from me. I gulped.
Shit. I'm so dead. I guess that prediction was right.
But then I remembered what I had learned a couple of years ago and I slid into a low bow while keeping eye contact with the hippogriff. I stood there for a few seconds, heard gasps as others noticed me, and then saw the big bird bow back.
I reached out slowly and walked forward until I was close enough for the bird to touch and it nuzzled my hand with its extremely sharp looking beak. I let out a sigh and walked forward and ran my hand across its cheek.
"You're so gorgeous," I breathed as the creature leaned into me.
"'ARRY!" Hagrid called with distress as he hurried over and looked down at me. "Buckbeak was supposed to be a surprise!"
"I'm sorry, Professor Hagrid," I apologized with a serious frown. "I somehow was called here by a mysterious force. I apologize for ruining the surprise. I hope that you'll forgive me instead of sitting on me."
He suddenly threw his head back and howled with laughter. "No, no, 'Arry, I won't sit on you. You're forgiven." He then turned serious and looked at me. "Well I can use someone as an example now. Guess it'll be you. Join the others."
I gave one last pet to Buckbeak the hippogriff and joined my classmates. Those in Gryffindor eyed with silent shock while those in Slytherin glared. Blaise just walked over and slung an arm about my shoulders and beamed happily. In doing this, he blocked most of the eyes that were on me.
Hagrid happily lectured and used me as an example. Buckbeak happily bowed to me and I was rubbing the bird's beak and face which made the bird chirp happily at the attention. Hagrid then decided to let me take a ride on Buckbeak and set me atop the towering bird.
The flight was an experience I will never forget. Buckbeak flew over the lake and circled the castle before returned to the area the class was at. I was euphorically dancing in my mind when I got to the ground and I gave the bird a hug around the neck and whispered nice things which made the hippogriff puff up with pride.
"That was wicked, Harry!" Dean called and Seamus followed with something similar.
"Now it's time for you to do what 'Arry's done," Hagrid announced, but while I was rushed by Blaise, Hermione, and Neville, Malfoy decided to take the task unto him.
Malfoy strutted up, did the bowing bit, and then said a single insult I couldn't believe he said. When I turned, Buckbeak had reared and smacked Malfoy's arm and a crack shot into the air. Malfoy crawled back as he yelled in pain. Hagrid calmed down the creature and then turned to Malfoy looking helplessly at the boy.
"Hagrid, take him to the Hospital Wing and explain what happened," Hermione snapped and Hagrid hurriedly did as he was told.
We could hear Malfoy whining something about his father and the other Slytherins looked worriedly after the tall form of Hagrid. I freed myself from my group and walked up to the hippogriff and rubbed its face. I watched as the Slytherins and the Gryffindor's left. I whispered a farewell to the hippogriff and then I followed slowly behind and caught Blaise's eye.
He nodded solemnly. Time for another fun-filled adventure of boy-bonding. Joy.
------
"What made you up and leave at lunch?" Blaise asked as we met up in the library before dinner.
"She's breaking a law," I stated with a low voice as I hid behind a textbook that I grabbed from one of the closest shelves.
"What?" he asked with surprise.
"She's breaking a law," I repeated and scowled at him over the top of the book.
"Hermione?"
"Yes, Mione," I replied with a growl. "She's using time-travel to get to her classes."
"I figured that out, thank you," Blaise stated matter-of-factly. "It took me a few minutes, but I figured it out. I bet Ron's going mental by the whole situation. Bet he hasn't even thought of a time-turner."
My lip curled in distaste at the name. From what I had just gathered in that second, time-travellers weren't at all unusual here. Apparently, our wizards and witches stayed out of these other kind's way. Or so I hoped.
"No doubt," I snorted and then I looked at him seriously. "Blaise, remember what I told you last year when we discussed your family and mine and you asked about my adoptive dad and the family and why they call themselves wizards?"
"Sure, you explained a lot more than I wished to know," he chuckled. "Why?"
"Well remember those laws of magic that I mentioned?"
The spark in his eyes flashed out. "Oh, Merlin."
"Yeah, that's why I left," I stated as I put the book back in the shelf.
"Harry, come on, you know she's not doing anything bad," Blaise growled. "Hermione is the most responsible one in the group."
"With power comes responsibility," I chuckled in dark amusement. "How many politicians have been perfectly clean, huh?"
"But--"
"I know," I sighed with frustration. "I trust Hermione, but it's not helping that I'm the one on probation and if any of the my Council wizards link her to me, I've got a one way ticket to see six feet under. And I may die for my friends, but I'd actually like to live to see if I have children and such." I paused to let it sink in until a thought popped into my head. "Oh, and I always have trouble following me and I have a foreboding feeling about the whole thing."
"Yes, that would worry a normal person," Blaise nodded with understanding. "We shouldn't talk more about this in here. No telling who's listening."
"Agreed," I stated while sweeping a gaze across the area we were in. "Should we go to dinner?"
"I think that'd be best," he replied. "Or they'll all come searching for us and I don't want to be caught in the library with you."
"Love you, too, mate," I growled playfully and started heading out of the library with him.
"So about tonight," Blaise began with a sideway glance at me. "We've decided to get together without you, but we expect to see you at the next session."
"Can't promise you anything, man," I laughed with a rueful grin. "Seriously, I have a feeling that's something nobody can count on from me. Remember, I do have a tendency to screw up everyone's plans."
"You-Know-Who knows a lot about that, huh?" he replied jokingly.
"Damn straight," I snorted and we both laughed our way to the Great Hall for dinner.
-------
"Hello, anybody home?" I called as I peeked into the Defense classroom and was surprised to see it as a classroom should be. Cleaned and properly accented.
Dinner had been a quiet affair and after awhile, I noticed the time. I quickly headed for the tower to change into a pair of baggy blue jeans that Adam had passed to me when he outgrew them and a faded black t-shirt with THE BEATLES written on it. It used to be one of the Carpenter boy's shirts, but they had outgrown it as well. I pulled on black boots and pulled my hair out of its braid and shook it free. I washed my face of the powder on my scar and the kohl around my eyes quickly and when I was done, I raced to where I was having detention.
I stepped through the doorway and felt my instincts rise up and I quickly pulled together my magic. I walked in a tense manner as I went to the teacher's desk and noticed papers neatly stacked and labeled. There was a quill and an opened ink jar waiting to be used.
I relaxed a bit as my instincts grew less and I felt around with my magic for any signs of danger. I felt something primal and I spun around just in time to notice Lupin sitting in one of the desks, watching with an amused smile. The man went to his feet and smiled silently as he went to sit at the desk that was for the teacher, for him.
"Good evening, Mr. Dresden," Lupin greeted with a warm smile and motioned to a chair by the desk. I pulled it up and sat down.
"Evenin', Mr. Lupin," I replied with a nod as I let my magic explore around the primal air around the man. "Is there anything you'd like me to do during detention? Clean? Rearrange desks, perhaps?"
"To tell you the truth, Harry, I have nothing for you to do," Lupin answered with an amused sigh. "I spent the night before cleaning up the classroom."
"Oh?" I asked as I concentrated on the primal while avoiding the man's eyes that were obviously trying to look into mine.
I avoided the soul gaze persistantly. Harry once told me that you don't go looking into a wizard's eyes without a darned good reason. Wizard's see too much (2). I had to agree. I've seen a lot as a young wizard, but I knew that you never go about gazing unless you want one helluva freak-out. I felt this was especially true right at the moment as I felt a zap from the air and I pulled my magic away quickly.
Lupin looked at me with surprise. "What are you up to, Mr. Dresden?"
"Nothing, sir," I answered with a thoughtful frown. "I'm sorry; my control over my magic has been sort of iffy of late. Won't happen again."
Lupin gazed thoughtfully down at me and then smiled. "Don't worry. Sometimes it happens. Your mother use to accidently shatter windows when she was angry. Let's just hope you don't either."
"Why?" I asked as I looked up with surprise.
"I still have scars from the pieces of glass from that one window she accidently shattered," he laughed with amusement, his eyes glazed with the memory. "Your father luckily ended up unscathed."
"Then I will remember to warn you the next time I decide to shatter windows," I chuckled with amusement. Shattering windows; been there, done that. Harry about pummeled me in reply.
"Thank you," Lupin snorted.
It was soon quiet again. Uncomfortably so. I could tell that he didn't find it fun either.
"Can I ask you a question?" I asked.
"You already did, but you can ask another," he replied with an amused smile which I returned with a roll of my eyes.
"You were close to my parents, weren't you?" I asked, looking down with a dark frown.
"Yes, Harry," he replied. "I was very close to your parents."
"So why did I go to the Dursleys instead of you or someone else?" I asked.
Sirius had told me of Lupin, but he never explained much. He seemed pained to do so. Guilty. The dog-man seemed to be holding some kind of secret about the man. I could tell he and Lupin were close friends with my parents, but still... why hadn't Lupin taken me? Was Sirius supposed to take me? These things were confusing, to say the least.
Lupin looked down at me with a long pause. His eyes saddened and he looked somewhat hurt by my bringing up the topic. I didn't realize how upset he might get until now.
"No, no, don't answer that if you don't want to," I stated with sudden panic. "I'd rather not know. It's bad enough that I even said anything. Do I still have detention or should I go to bed?"
"Harry, I--" he began, but I cut him off.
I wanted to kick myself and my curiousity. I did want to know, but it wasn't going to bother me if I never knew the truth. Or so I wished vehemently as I stood up and went for the door.
"I'll just go," I stated and tried to get out the door, but I stopped when he called me back with a choked voice.
"Harry, I did want to, but Dumbledore--" I paused and my anger grew suddenly. "--The Ministry... I wasn't capable of raising a child let alone being around one."
I shook angrily and turned to looked at him. I did something incredibly mean and stupid. I looked him dead in the eye.
Notes:
1. Summer Knight excerpt
2. Fool Moon excerpt
Comments:
Thank you for the comments. I did a quickie before going to psychology tonight so I hope you enjoy it and leave comments. I'll try to update more later, but I might be too busy. Mon Grandpere is on blue code and I don't know if he has died or what. Seriously, this semester seems filled with problems. But I digress. And I don't want to sound mean or stupid and heartless, but I really don't know what to think or feel. Do not feel bad if you want to rush me; I can't tell what I feel, honestly. I think I have a view of: these things happen.
I hope you guys enjoyed and yes, cliff-hanger. I didn't want to, but I had to. Well I better get going. The teacher gives points for not being late all semester. I am the only one who hasn't missed class or been late. YAY!
Te amo, mis amigas y amigos. Buenas Noches y adios.
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