Chapter 10
The next morning was complete and total chaos. While Buffy and Dawn had had the vast majority of their things packed away and ready to go, the same could not be said for the other occupants of the house. As they were checking their room for stray items, they heard two voices competing for dominance floating up from the front hallway.
"-COULD HAVE DONE HER A SERIOUS INJURY, YOU IDIOTS -"
"-FILTHY HALF-BREEDS, BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS-"
"Sounds like the twins woke up Mrs. Black," Dawn said, looking up. "Probably doing something stupid."
"Probably," Buffy agreed. "Come on, let's grab our stuff and get downstairs."
"YOU LOT GET DOWN HERE NOW, PLEASE!" Mrs. Weasley's voice came up from the bottom of the stairs.
"Yeah, before Mrs. Weasley pops a vein or something," Dawn remarked, grabbing her trunk and her school bag, stocked with books for the trip.
Buffy and Dawn ran into Hermione, Ron and Harry on their way to the stairwell, and the five of them manoeuvred themselves, their trunks and their carrying cages with almost no incidents. When they got to the bottom of the stairs, they were greeted by more screaming from the portrait as everyone who was leaving for Hogwarts congregated in the front hall, including a rather large, bear-like dog that Buffy hadn't seen before now.
"That's Sirius," Dawn said to Buffy in a low voice, which caused her to look at her sister in surprise.
"And you know this how?" Buffy asked, wondering how many others knew that Sirius was an animagus. Probably everyone but her, judging by the way everyone wasn't surprised by his appearance, although Mrs. Weasley looked more than annoyed.
"Harry told me," Dawn replied with a shrug. "The whole Order knows, really."
"I didn't know," Buffy said with a huff.
"Well, now you do," Dawn said.
They watched as Mrs. Weasley, Harry and the Sirius-dog left the house, probably to meet up with some of the other members of the Order to take him to the train station. Buffy was left with the rest of the kids and Mad-Eye Moody, whom she hadn't really spoken to since that first night she had arrived.
"'C'mon Summers, help me shrink these trunks, will ya?" he asked, more growled, really, gesturing to the mass of trunks littering the front hallway.
"Let's just hope I remember the spell and, you know, don't set the stuff on fire," Buffy replied with an awkward laugh.
While she had settled into some kind of rhythm with her female friends, things with Quentin-Alastor were a little bit awkward. Strange, even. It was almost as if they were strangers meeting for the first time, and if Buffy were to admit it to herself, they kind of were. Minerva, Augusta and even Poppy had kept their identities, their personalities, and when presented to her Buffy could tell that they were the same people. With Quentin, not so much. She couldn't see much of the sweet boy she'd been friends with, and it saddened her to realize this and made her curious as to why it had happened.
Right now wasn't the time to think about it, however. Alastor was looking at her oddly, maybe a little warily.
"Are you saying you haven't used your wand since you left?" he asked, his normal eye widening in shock.
"Um, no?" Buffy replied, a little uncertainly. "I mean, I put my wand away in the back of a drawer when I got back to Sunnydale and didn't really take it out until the last battle with the First. I had it slipped in my boot because I was pretty sure we wouldn't be going back to the house after that. Turns out I was right. We ended up turning Sunnydale the town to Sunnydale the sinkhole."
"Sunnydale, eh?" Alastor said, stroking his chin. "So, that was you?"
"Well, not just me," Buffy replied. "I mean, closing that Hellmouth for good was definitely a concentrated team effort."
"I'll have to ask you about it sometime," Alastor said.
"Kind of expected you to," Buffy replied. "Could you, maybe, teach me the shrinking spell again?"
Alastor rolled his one good eye and sighed in exasperation, reminding Buffy so much of the boy Alastor had been, before going through the wand motions and incantation with her. All the while, Buffy could feel several sets of eyes on her and Alastor, and it was all Buffy could do not to giggle like crazy when she heard what was being whispered. The kids either didn't know or had forgotten that Buffy had exceptionally good hearing.
"I have a feeling I know what the topic of conversation on the train is going to be," Buffy murmured with a snicker, glancing over at the remaining kids.
"You'll have to ask your sister about it, because you're not going to be on the train," Alastor murmured back.
"Wait, what?" Buffy asked, pouting a little. "Why am I not going to be on the train? I never got to go on the train."
"Dumbledore wants you at the castle as soon as you can make it," Alastor replied. "Something about a meet and greet with everyone before the feast. And, I think, he wanted to run something by you before term started."
"Fine," Buffy replied with a sigh. She'd been looking forward to going to Hogwarts on the train, getting the full experience she should have had when she was a student. However, she also knew that when Dumbledore summoned you, you came, even if it meant missing out on something you'd been looking forward to.
"I'll Apparate you to the grounds after we see this lot off," Alastor said, jerking his thumb at the kids, who were still staring at them. It was a little disconcerting, the amount of attention they were getting from the kids, as if they hadn't seen two people having a semi-pleasant conversation. Then again, they probably weren't used to seeing "Mad-Eye" Moody being halfway pleasant to anyone.
"Sounds like a plan," Buffy replied. "So, are we waiting for anyone else?"
"Sturgis was supposed to be here, but he's late," Alastor grumbled, obviously annoyed. "We're going to have to leave without him. You're still decent with a wand, aren't you?"
"If I get close enough, I'm not going to need a wand," Buffy replied. She knew, from the meetings, that Harry was in constant danger of being attacked and needed to be accompanied by a guard of some kind everywhere he went. Since it was unlikely that the Death Eaters would attack in broad daylight, a couple of Aurors and two other Order members – three if you counted Sirius – Harry was pretty safe.
"Let's move out!" Alastor said to the group in general, snapping the teenagers out of their shock and bringing them back to reality. It wasn't long before they left the house, shutting and locking the door behind them before heading out to King's Cross Station. They'd gone over the plan the night before; it was a short, twenty-minute walk from headquarters to the train station. Buffy checked her watch; they had forty minutes to get there. Good.
The walk was silent for the most part, the kids murmuring amongst themselves. Buffy watched them closely – Dawn seemed to be a little distanced from them, if not physically than emotionally and conversationally. Hermione seemed to try to engage Dawn in whatever she and Ginny were talking about, but it was slow going. Making a mental note to talk to Dawn about it later, Buffy turned to Alastor, who was wearing a rather ridiculous hat pulled over his magical eye.
"You know we're going to have to talk sometime, right?" Buffy asked, glancing at him.
"About what?" Alastor asked as he looked around shiftily. Buffy was pretty sure that he was just practising constant vigilance, but a small part of her was sure that he was just avoiding her gaze.
"About everything," Buffy replied. "What you've been doing since I left, what I've been doing since I left, why you decided to change yourself. All of it. I want to know. You're the only one out of our group who's still alive that I haven't talked to."
"Except that rat bastard," Alastor growled lowly.
"Not so loud," Buffy hissed, shushing him. If he'd been anyone else, she probably would have clapped a hand over his mouth.
"Finally ashamed of him, once you figured out what he was, eh?" Alastor asked with a sneer.
"Not ashamed, just not wanting the kids to know," Buffy replied. "'Cause, you know, Tom's the guy they're supposed to hate, and if they found out their new member dated the guy they're supposed to hate and believe is evil, it'll make them think I'm evil too. And I'm not. I'm the thing evil is afraid of."
"That you are," Alastor said with a chuckle as the group reached the train station. He turned his attention to the kids. "You lot, start going through the barrier. Don't let the Muggles see you go in."
"So, what do we get to do?" Buffy asked.
"Go into one of those storage rooms, bring the luggage back to its normal size and find a trolley," Alastor replied before heading to one of the aforementioned storage rooms. When they got there, they made sure that no one was around and that no one could see them before they pulled out their wands and spelled the luggage back to its normal size. "You stay here, I'll go find us a trolley."
"Sir, yes sir," Buffy grumbled. She didn't remember Quentin being this demanding, but then again, Quentin was now Alastor and Alastor was a much different man than the boy she had known. She would just have to get used to it, she supposed, no matter how much she didn't like it.
The bags were brought back to their original size and loaded on to a trolley before Buffy and Alastor made their way to the barrier. He just walked, relatively casually, towards the barrier and slipped through it without much attention from anyone around. Although, if the people here were anything like the people in Sunnydale, they probably ignored anything out of the ordinary that happened.
Shrugging, Buffy followed Alastor through the barrier and was met by Dawn, bouncing over like a small child who had consumed far too much sugar, almost vibrating with excitement.
"This is so cool," she said, stopping in front of Buffy, a wide grin on her face. "Magic platform leads to magic train that's gonna take me to a magic school!"
"You're going to have to tell me about it when you get to the school," Buffy replied.
"You're not going to be on the train?" Dawn asked. "Why?"
"Alastor just told me Dumbledore wants me at the school as soon as possible," Buffy replied. "Something about a meet-and-greet. And he wanted to run something by me before the feast."
"I hope it's not anything bad," Dawn said, chewing her lip.
"I hope it isn't, either," Buffy agreed, wondering what was so important that Dumbledore couldn't put it in the letter. She shook her head, clearing it, before she turned her attention back to Dawn. "So, got enough money for the snack lady on the train?"
"Yep," Dawn replied, shaking her book bag. Buffy could hear the unmistakable sound of books rattling around in there, but underneath the sound of books banging into each other there was also the jangle of a baggie full of coins. "I'm going to have to get a prettier coin sack, though. A little brown cloth bag tied to my belt just doesn't do it."
"Yeah," Buffy agreed. She wrapped her sister in a hug. "Be good."
"I'll try," Dawn replied. "But if I run into that Malfoy snot, I'm not making any promises."
"Why do I even bother?" Buffy asked, ruffling her sister's hair. Dawn shrieked and ducked out of her sister's grasp before she rushed forward and wrapped her arms around Buffy.
"You'll be there when I get there?" Dawn asked.
"Unless I get kidnapped by Death Eaters on the way," Buffy replied.
"Come on, Dawn, you're going to miss the train!" Harry exclaimed from the door of the train.
"No joking about that crap," Dawn said as she hugged Buffy again before turning and heading to the train, where Harry was hanging out of the train. She passed Alastor and a woman Buffy assumed as Tonks in disguise as she made her way on to the train. Buffy watched as Alastor made his way over to her so that he could stand next to her.
"Ready to go?" he asked, his voice gruff.
"I just want to see the train leave, and then we can go," Buffy replied, watching as the train began to pull out from the station. As it was beginning to gather speed, Buffy couldn't help but laugh when she saw her sister pop out of one of the windows, half hanging out as she waved. She giggled even harder when a hand, probably Harry's gripped her shoulder and yanked her back into the train. It wasn't until the train was well and truly on its way that Buffy turned her attention back to Alastor. "Okay, now I'm ready."
"You've done side-along Apparition before, have you?" he asked.
"Once, with Dumbledore," Buffy replied. "Over the summer. He wanted me and Dawn to come around and see the old place."
"Well, you know the drill then," Alastor replied. Buffy nodded and grabbed on to Alastor's arm before she closed her eyes. After a few moments of feeling like she was being sucked through a straw, Buffy and Alastor landed in almost the exact same place Dumbledore had landed with Buffy and Dawn earlier that summer.
"I can't wait until I learn how to Apparate on my own," Buffy said, shaking herself after she had regained her footing.
"You've really missed a lot, haven't you?" Alastor asked, regarding Buffy with another curious look.
"Yeah," Buffy replied. "Which is why you and me need to sit down and talk. Lunch, next Hogsmeade weekend, you and me. I'll owl you."
"Looking forward to it," Alastor said, although, to Buffy, he sounded like he wasn't looking forward to it at all. "Do you need me to walk you up to the castle?"
"I think I can manage it," Buffy replied. "Here goes nothing."
"You're tough," Alastor said. "If anyone can survive the gauntlet, it's you."
"Thanks," Buffy replied, offering him a slight smile. "Now go. Do whatever it is that you Aurors do. Catch them dark wizards."
"I'll do that," Alastor said, a ghost of a smile on his face. With a small 'pop', he Disapparated, leaving Buffy alone in front of the Hogwarts gates. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, she began walking up the path that led to the school. A sad smile crossed her face when she passed Hagrid's hut, largely unchanged except for the fact that the windows were now cold and dark, instead of warm and bright like she had remembered.
The rest of the walk up to the school was rather uneventful, and before long Buffy was standing in front of the castle doors, wondering what she should do next. Deciding that knocking would be a good idea, Buffy raised her fist and knocked on the door as loudly as she dared, wondering what was going to happen.
Almost immediately, the door swung open, revealing a smiling and twinkling Albus Dumbledore, dressed in purple, silver-trimmed robes.
"Ah, Miss Summers, so nice of you to join us," he said, waving her into the castle. "Or Professor Summers, I suppose it is now."
"Hardly a professor," Buffy replied. "I'm just running an officially-sponsored Defense Against the Dark Arts club to help the kiddies learn a little bit more."
"I would like to speak to you about that," Dumbledore said. "Perhaps a little bit more responsibility on shaping the young minds we are entrusted with."
"What kind of responsibility are you talking about, Professor?" Buffy asked, curious.
"It has come to my attention, rather belatedly, that you acted as a guidance counsellor in Sunnydale before its collapse," Dumbledore replied. "How did you enjoy that work?"
"It was all right," Buffy replied. "I mean, Robin mostly hired me because I was the Slayer and he wanted me to keep an eye on the Hellmouth, which was what the school was built on, but I'd like to think I changed a couple of lives and helped a few kids."
"Is it something you would consider taking up again?" Dumbledore asked.
"Is this your roundabout way of asking if I want to be the Hogwarts guidance counsellor?" Buffy asked, quirking an eye at the old man.
"I am nothing, if not direct," Dumbledore said. "Would you consider being the Hogwarts guidance counsellor?"
"I don't know how much help I can be. I mean, some students probably won't come to me with their issues because of, you know, prejudices and stuff," Buffy replied.
"Are you saying you won't do it?" Dumbledore asked.
"Not saying that at all," Buffy replied. "I just think that my work will be cut out for me."
"That it will," Dumbledore said with a sage nod. "But if you take this position, I'm sure you will be taking a load off of the Heads of House. I'm sure that most of them would rather someone younger handle some of the students' problems."
"Yeah," Buffy replied, snorting a little at the thought of Minerva or Snape talking to their students about sex and contraceptives.
"We'll meet later and work out the details. Perhaps after the feast?" Dumbledore suggested, and Buffy nodded. "But first, let's go meet the rest of the teachers. Shall we?"
"We shall," Buffy replied as she allowed Dumbledore to lead her through the corridors she had known quite well.
"I don't think you know very many of the current professors, besides McGonagall, Flitwick and Madams Pince and Pomfrey," Dumbledore replied. "Professor Sprout may have been a student a few years below yourself and your friends, and she was a Hufflepuff besides, but other than that I can't think of anyone you'd know."
"As long as none of those skeevy Slytherins are around I don't care," Buffy replied.
"Skeevy Slytherins. That's a new one," Dumbledore remarked as he stopped in front of a particular door in the middle of an out of the way corridor. He rapped on it in a certain sequence before it swung open. "I'll have to teach you how to do the secret knock. Much more interesting than a password, wouldn't you agree?"
"Sure," Buffy replied. If she hadn't already known Dumbledore was a little on the odd side, she would have made something more of it.
"And here is the teacher's lounge, a refuge for all faculty here at Hogwarts," Dumbledore said, waving her in. It looked like the rest of the faculty was already there, and they were all looking at Buffy curiously.
"Hello," Buffy greeted, smiling nervously and waving weakly, wondering how long it would be before the novelty of a new teacher wore off. She caught the eye of Minerva and Poppy, who both smiled encouragingly at her. Snape was scowling at her, which was something she wasn't entirely surprised about. Flitwick was looking at her curiously, as if he had seen her somewhere but couldn't quite place where. There was one person whose gaze tried to pierce Buffy, though, and it wasn't difficult to figure out who it was.
Delores Umbridge, the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
"Everyone, I would like you to meet the newest addition to our faculty," Dumbledore said, pushing Buffy forward a little bit. "Miss Summers comes to us from the United States and has extensive experience working with young people. She will be taking on the post of guidance counsellor at the school here. I hope you all make an effort to make her feel welcome. Now, to address the the start of year - "
"Hem, hem."
Everyone in the room slowly turned their attention to the short, pink clad woman, who was looking around at the people in the room with a pleasant smile on her face.
"Yes, Delores?" Dumbledore asked, his voice patient. It sounded to Buffy that he was nearly at the end of his rope.
"What kind of qualifications does she have to be in this position?" Umbridge asked sweetly. "Is she a qualified mind healer?"
"The position is not for a mind healer, Delores," Dumbledore replied. "Miss Summers, Buffy, is here so that the students have an alternate person to listen to their problems and give them advice, rather than their Head of House or another professor, or myself."
"So, you are lessening the workload and burden on the other professors?" Umbridge asked. "Do you feel that the professors here are incapable of handling their own students' problems?"
"Not at all," Dumbledore replied. "I have every confidence that our professors can and will be able to deal with the students' personal problems if and when the need arises, but I felt that the students needed an alternate person to come to who would be more in tune with their issues and problems because she is closer to their age. The students are more than welcome to go to their Head of House if they feel uncomfortable speaking to a relative stranger. Now, may I get on with the meeting so that we can all get settled in before the children arrive?"
Umbridge regarded Buffy for a moment before nodding and waving at Dumbledore to continue with the meeting.
Buffy had a feeling that this was going to be an interesting year.
XOXOXO
"Come on Dawn, you're going to miss the train!" Harry exclaimed from the train doors. After telling her sister not to joke about being kidnapped by Death Eaters, Dawn turned and rushed to the train, joining the stragglers who were boarding along with her. She was able to smile at Tonks, briefly, before being yanked onto the train by Harry.
"Thought you'd have to fly to the school or something," he said with a smile as he pulled her off to the side, away from the crush of students making their way to the various compartments on the train.
"Nah, I would have gotten a ride with Buffy," Dawn replied.
"Why would Buffy be going to Hogwarts?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, um, I guess no one told you guys," Dawn said. "Dumbledore asked Buffy to do a kind of Defence Against the Dark Arts club-type thing."
"But we already have a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," Hermione said with a frown. "Why would we need two?"
"Think," Dawn said. "How good were your Defence Against the Dark Arts classes?"
"Not good," Hermione replied.
"I'm guessing mostly lessons and spells and dark creatures?" Dawn asked. "No demons?"
"Well, yes," Hermione replied. "But demons are so unheard of in the wizarding world that it's probably something the professors and governors of the school decided that it wasn't worth it to be a part of the curriculum."
"And it still isn't," Dawn replied. "Dumbledore wanted a sort of Demonology 101 club at the school, to, you know, supplement what you learn in class. Dumbledore's probably going to make the announcement at dinner tonight."
"Shall we go find a compartment, then?" Harry asked. "Before all of the good ones are taken."
Ron and Hermione exchanged a look.
"We're – well – Ron and I are supposed to go into the prefect carriage," Hermione said awkwardly.
Ron wasn't looking at Harry, looking at his fingernails. Sensing that Harry could potentially blow up soon, she rested a hand on his arm in an attempt to bring him back down to earth.
"Come on, we'll find our own compartment, me, you and Ginny. I'm sure Ron and Hermione can come find us later," Dawn said, offering Harry a warm smile.
"I don't think we have to stay there the whole time," Hermione said quickly, also recognizing Harry's darkening mood.
"And, y'know, we'd rather be with you guys," Ron said, equally quickly. "But, y'know, we have to."
"It's fine," Harry said. "See you guys later."
"Come on," Dawn said, tugging on Harry's arm.
"If we get a move on, we can save them places," Ginny agreed.
"Right,' Harry said, allowing himself to be led away by the two girls.
As they walked down the train, trying to find a compartment, Dawn couldn't help but notice that they were being watched, the people in the compartments nudging and whispering to each other as they passed. All of the compartments seemed to be full, as well, and it wasn't until they reached the last compartment, and Neville Longbottom standing outside of it, that they finally found a place to sit.
"Hi Neville!" Dawn greeted with a grin.
"Hi Harry... Ginny... Dawn," he puffed, pulling his trunk in one hand and keeping a grip on Trevor the toad in the other. "Everywhere else is full... I can't find a seat."
"What are you talking about?" Ginny asked, squeezing by everyone to peek into the nearest compartment. "There's room in this one, there's only Loony Lovegood in here..."
Dawn glanced at Harry and mouthed 'Loony Lovegood' at him. Harry, in turn, just shrugged before following Ginny into the compartment.
"Hi Luna," Ginny greeted. "Is it okay of we take these seats?"
As Dawn entered the compartment after Luna had nodded her permission, she was able to get her first good, long look at the girl seated inside it. She had long, dirty-blonde hair, reaching a length that had Dawn envious. Her eyes were large, grey and wide, making her look like she was permanently surprised. She was dressed in the usual Hogwarts uniform, but her accessories made it easy for Dawn to understand why Ginny had referred to her as Loony.
Grinning, Dawn crossed the compartment and slid the window open before leaning out, grinning and waving as she half hung out the window. Harry moved quickly, grabbing on to Dawn's shoulder and yanking her back into the compartment, causing them to fall on each other in a heap. Laughing, Dawn got to her feet and helped Harry up before they settled in their seats, causing Ginny, Neville and especially Luna, to stare at them.
Luna surveyed the newcomers, her gaze landing on Dawn, finally. She stared at Dawn for a few moments, causing Dawn to shift her weight uncomfortably, unused to being the center of attention, before she spoke.
"I've never seen you before," she said, looking at Dawn curiously. "Did you know that you glow green?"
"Er," Dawn began, wondering how she could explain this remark without sounding like a complete nutbag or revealing her secret. However, she needn't have bothered, because at that moment Luna turned her attention to Harry as Ginny asked her a question.
"Had a good summer, Luna?" she asked as she sat down. Dawn, Harry and Neville followed suit and sat down, the two boys seemingly a little anxious. No one seemed to notice Luna's remark about Dawn glowing green – maybe she said things like that all of the time and no one really noticed it anymore?
"Oh yes," Luna replied dreamily, her eyes never leaving Harry. "Yes, it was quite enjoyable, you know. You're Harry Potter."
"I know I am," Harry replied, causing Dawn to snort in laughter and Neville to chuckle.
"And I don't know who you are," Luna said, her gaze falling on Neville.
"I'm nobody," said Neville hurriedly.
"If I hear you say that about yourself again, Neville, I'm gonna slap you," Dawn said. "I'm not friends with nobodies."
"Yes, er, right then," Ginny said. "Luna, these are Neville Longbottom and Dawn Summers. Luna's in my year, but in Ravenclaw."
"Wit beyond measure is man's greatest treasure," Luna said in a sing-song voice before she hid behind her magazine, which Dawn noticed, now, that she was reading the magazine upside down. Dawn just looked at the two boys she sat between with her eyebrows raised, and the boys mirrored her expression. Ginny just suppressed a giggle.
The train continued to trundle through the countryside, the clouds darkening as they pulled away from the large towns and got closer to the farmland and small villages. Dawn pulled out a book and began to read as Harry and Neville chatted over her head.
"Guess what I got for my birthday?" said Neville.
"Another Rememberall?" Harry asked. Dawn kept half an ear on the conversation and wondered what the hell a Rememberall was.
"No," said Neville. "I could do with one, through. I lost the old one ages ago... no, look at this..."
He dug around in his bag with one hand and kept a firm grip on his toad with the other. Dawn had abandoned her book, wondering what Neville had gotten for his birthday. Neville pulled out what appeared to be a small grey cactus in a pot, except that it was covered with what looked like boils rather than spines.
"Mimbulus mimbletonia," he said proudly.
Dawn stared at the plant. It was throbbing and it looked kind of ugly. She wondered, if what, it did. She knew that lots of plants in both the wizarding world and the Muggle world did things, but since she'd never heard of it, she had no idea what it did.
"It's really, really rare," Neville continued, beaming. "I don't know if there's in one the greenhouse at Hogwarts, even. I can't wait to show it to Professor Sprout. My Great Uncle Algie got it for me from Assyria. I'm going to see if I can breed from it."
"You really like Herbology, don't you?" Dawn asked.
"It's what I'm best at," Neville replied.
"Note to self – get Neville funky plants for presents," Dawn said, causing Neville to smile and blush a little.
"Does it – er – do anything?" Harry asked, ignoring the reaction Neville had to Dawn.
"Loads of stuff!" said Neville proudly. "It's got an amazing defensive mechanism. Here, hold Trevor for me..."
He dumped the toad into Dawn's lap and she tried really hard not to throw the thing across the room. She didn't have a frog or toad phobia like Willow did, but it didn't mean she liked the slimy buggers. She caught Luna peeking out over the top of her magazine to watch what Neville was doing. He held the plant at eye level in one hand and a quill in the other hand.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?" Dawn asked as Neville poked the plant with the quill. Foul-smelling liquid goop squirted everywhere – it hit the ceiling, the windows, spattered on Luna's magazine. Dawn had to keep from shrieking as her hair and face, because of where she was sitting and because she had to keep a hold on the toad, got drenched in the stuff.
"Neville?" Dawn asked, trying to keep her voice calm as she spat the goo from her mouth.
"Yeah, Dawn?" Neville replied, looking more than a little afraid. Ginny, Luna and Harry watched, transfixed, as if they couldn't look away.
"You are so dead."
XOXOXO
In case you hadn't noticed, I borrowed heavily from the chapter Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix in this chapter. I wanted to do the entire chapter, but it was getting a little long and thought that this point would be a good point to stop. That, and I didn't want to keep you guys and gals waiting for very much longer.
As always, feedback is awesome. Hope you enjoyed it.