Disclaimer: I own nothing except my own characters.
Note: Another chapter!
It's All about Love, Baby
Professor McGonagall kept us there until the last second, longer than usual actually. I would've been annoyed had I wanted to say anything aside to my friends but it seemed like we were all going to the same place and we made short conversation all the way there.
Outside of Professor Barrass's room there was a small crowd gathered around, waiting for whatever class inside to empty. I scanned the faces, again, not finding Matt or Draco. Two classes in a row, now it was starting to become a little odd, I told myself as I scanned around again. "Class," we turned to see Professor Barrass poke his head and smile at all of us. "Come on in," he said as we all hurried in, taking seats. Harry and I rejoined Hermione, Ron and Melinda, sitting in a row toward the middle of the classroom. I started to look around again, feeling a little anxious but Professor Barrass's excited expression caught my attention.
"Who believes that even the best people are capable of doing bad things?" he asked looking around the room, his eyes shining. The majority of the class raised their hands, the professor smiled widely and cleared his throat. What a stupid question. I thought to myself not needing to raise my hand. "Why?" He asked looking around. When no one answered he smiled again. "Because, our feelings get in the way, that's why half of these spells were thought of. Someone was mad, someone was happy, someone was sad. Most people believe spells and wands are dangerous. This isn't true; give a wand to a muggle who has no interest in magic and nothing happens. Give a wand to a troubled muggle who thinks the world is out to get him and you will have troubles," he explained as I cautiously looked over at Hermione. Where was he going with this?I wondered. "What is the greatest feeling that can make even the most level headed man act crazy?" Oh! Oh no…that's where he's going with this…I thought as I started slouching down in my chair. Lavender's hand shot up, waving around in the air.
"Yes?" Professor Barrass said quickly moving over toward her desk.
"Love," she said simply. I closed my eyes and rubbed my temples. Not now, not today, not ever really.I mentally said to him as I opened my eyes to see the Professor nod his head and look around.
"Over the next few weeks, we're going to learn about terrible spells, curses, all set out to induce, create, mimic and even take away love," I looked at the others, they all seemed just as shocked as me. Melinda was caught between confusion and excitement, while Hermione kept scanning the pages of the book, 'surely there's nothing love related in this book' I was sure her brain was saying. Ron looked a little pale and apprehensive and Harry's cheeks were pink. I was just shaking my head, wondering what the hell promoted this.
"Really, out of all the lessons you want to teach us, you want to teach us about love?" I asked unable to control myself.
"I think it's a very valuable lesson, every reason, every act is because of love, or lack of" he responded. "Yes we have love potions but there are other ways," he said. "Simple ways; intimidation for one, possession, transformation, altered sense of reality just to name a few, the 'basics'," he cleared his throat again. "Potter, Allen, please," he said motioning us to the front of the room. I slowly removed myself from the chair.
"You couldn't have called on anyone else for this demonstration?" I mumbled to him as I went closer to his desk.
"You know you're my favorite" he mumbled back as he turned me around to face Harry. "Plus, you're talking too much" he added with a smirk. "Alright," he said raising his voice to normal volume. "Move in, that's it," he said pulling Harry closer until he was several inches from my face; I gave him a small smile.
"Hi," he said with a little laugh.
"Hey" I replied as we looked at Professor Barrass for instructions.
"Perfect," Barrass said clapping his hands together. "Now kiss" he said as I laughed, an automatic response.
"Pardon" Harry asked at the same time I asked "him?"
"Yes, yes, you two kiss each other" he said quieting down the class. I looked from Harry to the professor, back to Harry.
"But you're joking, right?" I asked as Harry helpless looked on.
"Sometimes a kiss is all it takes to get the ball rolling, sometimes a kiss can convince the most truthful lie or a falsest sense of the truth. Once you kiss, there's a certain vulnerable point, a point where you can get hurt, a point where your defenses are completely lowered. You're open for attack, for influence," I looked at him, this had never crossed my mind, at any point when I kissed Fred; I always figured we were caught up in the moment.
"Harry, after you kiss her, I want you to say, with complete focus 'momento romo repeato,'" Professor Barrass said moving us closer together. I shook my head as Harry leaned closer.
"You don't have to," I said quietly as he leaned just as I squeezed my eyes shut just as I felt his lips press against mine, a light peck really.
"Memento Romo Repeato," I heard him mumble, but that was all heard. I looked around the room, everyone was fuzzy, I saw a hand waving in front of my face but I couldn't make out whose it was, more like I didn't make the effort to look at the face attached to the hand. Someone moved closer, I heard them talking, but again, I didn't care much to put a face or name to the voice.
"Go stand on a desk," Harry said pointing in the opposite direction. I looked at him, he was vivid, he was clear, it was like I was seeing him for the first time, a weird happy feeling coming over me. Fred who? My mind said as I felt my feet shuffling toward the desk, though somewhere, deep deep down, I wanted to stop moving. I climbed up on the desk and looked back over at Harry. "Er, alright, er, jump off?" he said with uncertainty. I nodded and started walking. A scream tore through my head and it was almost to the point of unbearable, and though it traveled quickly through my whole body, once I opened my eyes everything seemed back to focus.
"What the hell?" I said, turning to look Harry, why was I on a desk? Professor Barrass was standing next to him, a smile still on his face.
"Very good!" He said clapping then motioning us toward our seats. "Tammie, excellent job, Harry, likewise, a little more firm next time, okay? Five points to Gryffindor," he said standing back by his desk. "It's not long lasting, it depends on the other person, the attraction, the power of the wizard, or witch, using the spell, other factors, so many things have to be taken into account when using something this heavy. Although I did except the spell to last a little longer, you two are good friends" he frowned slightly.
"Probably because Tammie's not interested," Hermione said simply.
"Or because she's not single," Harry said gently nudging me in the arm as I recalled the angry screaming voice when Harry suggested I do something. That's what that scream was, Fred's voice saying no.
"Right! All these are factors that one has to take into account. Unless you are a very influential person," he added.
"Is that what happened to you Professor?" someone in the back shouted. We all turned to the person, it looked like Slytherin, he was wearing the proper colors but he didn't look too familiar. I glared at him, but he only smirked back.
"I don't think that's what we're supposed to be talking about today," Hermione said re-organizing her books in the corner of her desk.
"It's alright," Professor Barrass said clearing his throat, his smile only fading a little. "Actually, maybe it would be best to explain what happened, you all have a right to know," he said looking around the room. "My first year here I was going through an awful divorce, my ex-wife wanted the house. Of course that meant I wouldn't have any place to live; but Dumbledore was kind enough to take me under his wing until I could afford a small place near Hogwarts. As I was settling in and making lessons between my muggle school and this school I met a young lady. She said her name was Margret, Margret Burnner. She was a sweet lady, kind, no older than myself. We would have drinks and talk." Melinda and I exchanged looks. "I suggested to the Dumbledore that she get a job here, she was extremely talented but she lacked the education to purse a teaching job. So, I thought she could be like an apprentice. Dumbledore agreed, one thing led to another and we started dating" he paused to let out a heavy sigh. "She had a lot of secrets, a lot I don't remember, she'd kiss me and I'd swoon—or so I thought.
"It wasn't until later, after she, fell off a cliff did I learn about the Sacred Kiss, as it's called," I squirmed in my chair at the mention of the cliff. Melinda and the others looked uncomfortable too. It didn't seem like that long ago when we were fighting for our lives against Burnner, Melinda and I, twice. I never liked her, from start, the way she acted around Professor Barrass, the way he sometimes acted around us, there were other little things I didn't like either but now it just seemed so difficult to piece together.
"She fell off a cliff?" a Hufflepuff to the left asked. "But then, how were you two involved?" she asked looking at me and Melinda.
"For unknown reasons, still, she wanted Allen and Hennings dead. I wish I knew sooner, but, after a great deal of effort and time… she ended up falling off a cliff" he concluded, which was a fancy of way of saying we killed her.
"So, is that what it's like Tammie?" I turned in the direction of my name, doing a double take at the sight of Draco. I thought I hadn't seen him out in the hallway but I could only assume he had sunk in shortly after class started. "When Potter kissed you I mean, fuzzy?" he asked.
"I—it was…." I shrugged, I barely remembered the moment, it was like it was slowly fading from my mind. "I—I don't remember" I admitted trying to grasp the little bits that were slipping away.
"Ah, it's happening. By this time tomorrow you will have absolutely no memory of this ever happening," I frowned and looked at the others.
"It wasn't that bad, he just told you to jump off a desk," Hermione said. I looked at Harry who half smiled.
"Sorry," he said as Ron laughed.
"Before you all leave, I want you to read Powerful Maneuvers chapter. It's not that long, I want each of you to write a full page of parchment on what you've concluded from the chapter," Professor Barrass shouted over the students who were already nosily packing up.
I followed Melinda out of the room, Draco behind us. I wanted to say something to him, but I could hear him mumbling to his friends.
"Draco" I said anyway after a few seconds.
"What, did I embarrass you?" he asked, his tone snotty.
"Don't make me slap me in front of your friends" I said simply as his checked turned pink. "Where's Matt?" I asked.
"Why?" he asked, his defense up.
"Because I assumed he'd be in class with us" I answered.
"Guess you assumed wrong" he said as I tucked a loose strain of hair behind my ear. "I'll be right there" he told his friends who started walking away.
"Where's Matt?" I asked again.
"Sleep, he's not feeling good, this half-vampire thing is kicking his ass. Dumbledore gave him passes this year anyway, you know, because his nearing his final decision" Draco said.
"His what?" I asked.
"Staying or turning. Courtney did it early because she had her mind made up, she had nothing left to think about. But those who wait, you know, it gets bad for them" he said as I looked away. "Though I heard staying human isn't an easy game either" he said.
"I know, okay, I know, but as long as he's willing, I can only try and continue to convince the others to not hate him. Which doesn't help if you and Matt about Melinda behind her back" I said with a harmless glare.
"Why does it matter if I do, she's engaged" he snorted.
"Thank you!" I exclaimed jokingly as I walked off to my friends.
"Who reads before school starts up anyway?" Ron was asking.
"It's not like it's an awful idea" Hermione said as Ron rolled his eyes.
"Yeah, I read some too, the ones I get early anyway" I added as we stared walking off toward our next class.
"Do you hear them? They're both bonkers," Ron said to Harry as Ron shook his head and Harry laughed. "When do you have any time to read anyway, when you were over at our house you certain weren't snogging a book," I felt my face get heated but straightened my shoulders and ignored Ron. "Hermione, don't you do anything other than read?" He asked jokingly as the two of them started off.
"Sorry I tried to make you jump off a desk," Harry said walking alongside.
"Oh Harry, you go from a great date to a psycho" I said swinging my arm around his shoulder as we laughed. "But all is forgiven" I said feeling my cheerfulness come back as he grinned at me.
"Good" he said as we followed Ron and Hermione down the stairs. Ron turned to Harry, stopping for a moment to look at him, then me, then he motioned for Harry to go closer. I looked from one to the other and rolled my eyes, even though I couldn't help but smile.
"Go ahead, I'll be right behind you guys and I'll pretend I can't hear you" I told Ron as he and Harry hurried down the stairs. I started to quickly follow so I could intentionally listen, but I only caught up to Hermione before I heard voices
coming from a nearby room. I slowed down, just enough to let Hermione think I was still following them, but stopped and walked back up a few steps to the room the voices were coming from. I held my breath as I put my ear to the small crack.