Hermione's Logic
Christmas Day dawned bright and clear. David made his way downstairs as usual and was surprised to find a pile of presents before his chair. There was a smaller pile near Severus's chair. David helped himself to breakfast and ate while he waited for Severus to put in an appearance. When Severus did turn up he insisted on turning the Christmas presents into a Zia lesson. He asked David to work out who had sent each present before opening it. David extended out his magic, focusing it with the wooden ring as one would a pair of spectacles, and evaluated the first parcel.
"Mrs Weasley," he said confidently. No doubt it was a Weasley jumper! Unwrapping it David found a scarlet jumper with a golden Gryffindor lion on the front. He put it on immediately put it on instead of his worn out sweatshirt.
"We will have to do something about your clothes," muttered Severus eying the discarded sweatshirt. David looked up in surprise. Severus had not commented on his clothes during the summer. Severus himself was dressed in royal blue robes with a crimson trim, the official colours of the Crimson House.
David turned to a long thin parcel. He reached out to it with his magic and recoiled suddenly as if burnt.
"The Grim!" he shouted.
Severus waved his wand over the package but found no jinxes. He leaned over and took it. Unwrapping it, Severus found a broomstick, not just any broomstick but a Firebolt. The latest model, it was a professional standard broom. He searched around in the wrapping but could not find a card. He tried a summoning charm, but to no avail.
"I think David," said Severus slowly, "that I had better keep this for now. I think it highly likely that…"
"That Sirius Black sent it to me," concluded David quietly his voice shaking slightly with the effort to hide his disappointment. "It's okay Uncle, I understand."
David took refuge in the Quirinus Cella for most of the holiday. He was determined to learn more Zia magic and it was coming more naturally now. He still needed to focus his magic through the ring and trigger it with a gesture, like a wave of the hand, but at least he could do wandless magic fairly reliably. One afternoon, while practicing 'seeing' with his eyes closed by sensing the room with his magic, David tripped and fell against the wall. His hands touched the family tree tapestry. Opening his eyes David gaped at what he saw. All around his right hand the names were unravelling and being replaced by new names, all linked to a large print name, David Roger Severus Godric Antirrhinum.
The name 'James Potter' appeared to one side of David's entry with a linking line. Then 'Lily Evans' appeared and underneath both there were the words 'adoptive parents.' David continued to watch as 'Sirius Black' also appeared. David's heart stood still as the word 'Guardian' appeared under Black's entry. No, it could not be, Black was his legal guardian? David turned immediately and ran out of the room.
David could not believe that Severus had not told him. Guardians of Zias had many rights; in particular they could enforce the obedience of their underage charges through guardianship bonds which David had been researching. Sirius Black could tell him what to do and he would not be able to resist. David reached out his senses to see where the professor was and hurried through the house to tackle him. He caught up with Severus in the library.
"Were you ever going to tell me?" David demanded loudly. Severus took a long look at the angry teenager and sighed.
"Tell you what?" Severus asked.
"Oh, just that Sirius Black is my guardian! Don't you think that I might have wanted to know? He can enforce my obedience through the guardianship bond. That could be extremely dangerous. You had the whole summer to tell me… why?"
"Sit down," said Severus quietly. David sat. "Black cannot use the guardianship bond. Your magic has accepted me as your guardian. You wondered why you were unable to tell your friends about Lions' Den. You could not because of your promise to me."
"So why is Black my guardian. Surely he was one of Vol-You-Know-Who's followers?"
"Black was James Potter's best friend. He was best man at his wedding. James and Lily named him your godfather and guardian if anything happened to them. As I told you before, he was their secret keeper."
David returned to Hogwarts with an uneasy feeling about Sirius Black. He had looked up the man in his photo album, finding him laughing and smiling in a photo from James and Lily's wedding. David boarded the train early and saved a compartment for the trio. Ron and Hermione joined him just before the train left. Once the train was underway, David related to Ron and Hermione what he had learnt about Sirius Black.
"So he was named your guardian and was also your secret keeper?" mused Hermione. "Something's not quite right about that." She sat in silence for a few minutes, her brow furrowed in thought. "Bingo!" she exclaimed. "Listen Harry: Your parents and you go into hiding. The only person who can divulge your location is Sirius Black. So if you are found, Sirius Black had either betrayed you or died protecting you. In neither case would your parents expect him to look after you - they would not have made him your guardian. So either he wasn't your secret keeper or he isn't your guardian."
David and Ron looked at Hermione open mouthed. "That was bloody brilliant," said Ron.
David looked thoughtful. "He is definitely my guardian," he said quietly. "We should tell Dumbledore about this!" All three of them exchanged excited looks.
"So, have you got a new broomstick yet?" Ron asked David.
"Not exactly," replied David. "I mean I got a Firebolt…"
"A Firebolt?"
"Yeah, but S- I mean, the person I was staying with thought that it might be jinxed. You see, there was no card."
"So they think Sirius Black sent it," concluded Hermione.
"Yeah, and unless we are right about him being innocent, the broomstick is probably cursed."
After supper, David, Ron and Hermione made their way to Professor McGonagall's office. She listened in silence to their theory about Sirius Black.
"My, my, Miss Granger," she said at the end. "I do believe you may be right." She threw some floo powder into the fire and called, "Albus? You need to hear this." Moments later the headmaster stepped out of the fire. "Miss Granger, please repeat what you have just told me," Professor McGonagall instructed. Hermione explained her reasoning again.
"Miss Granger," Dumbledore said seriously. "Black was caught in the act of blowing up a street and killing 13 people in the process."
Hermione barely paused. "Couldn't he have been framed? It could have been circumstantial evidence. What happened at the trial? Was he questioned under veritaserum?"
"He didn't have a trial," said Professor McGonagall quietly.
"Minister Fudge said that when he visited Azkaban in July, Black was perfectly sane and logical," said Dumbledore. "Most go mad within weeks. But if he were innocent, that would not be a happy thought so the Dementors could not take it away. Yes, I would believe it were possible that he is innocent, if it were not for the attack on the Fat Lady at Halloween. Shredding a portrait is not the action of an innocent man."
The trio exchanged glances. They had not thought of that. David had been so keen for Black to be innocent, so that his Firebolt would be useable, that he had glossed over the evidence against him. They walked away dispirited.
Professor Lupin was as good as his word and Thursday evening saw David and Lupin in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Lupin heaved a large packing case onto the desk. It wobbled. There was a Boggart inside.
"To be your practice Dementor," explained Lupin. "Now, are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. "It is a very advanced charm. Some qualified wizards still have problems with it."
"Very sure," replied David. "I have to be able to defend myself if they come to another Quidditch game. What if they find me before I find the snitch?"
"Very well. The spell is called the Patronus Charm." David looked up expectantly. He had come across the charm while reading about Dementors over the holiday.
"I think that is a type of shield charm," David said. "Unique to the person who conjures it. It can also be used to send messages."
"Well done," said Lupin smiling. "You have been doing your reading. Now, to cast this charm you need to be thinking about a happy memory, a very happy memory. Now try the incantation without your wand. 'Expecto Patronum.'"
"Expecto Patronum," repeated David.
"Very good. Now concentrate on your happy memory. I'm going to let the Boggart out." He suited the action to the words. David began to feel cold. He stretched his wand arm towards the Boggart, wand in hand, and pushed his happy memory into his ring.
"Expecto Patronum," he cried.
A soft crimson glow flew out of his fingertips and shielded him from the Dementor. He no longer felt cold. Lupin forced the Boggart back into the case and looked at David in astonishment.
"I'd never have expected you to do it first time," he said. "Well, nearly do it. You conjured a shield of mist. A real Patronus will take the form of an object or creature." Lupin handed David a chocolate frog. "Eat that and then we will try again." If Lupin had noticed that the charm had not come out of David's wand he did not say so. David had three more attempts, each time he could hold the Dementor at bay, but not vanquish it.
"Perhaps you need a different memory," Lupin suggested. "What have you been using?"
"What I felt the first time I rode a broom."
"That's not good enough, not nearly good enough," said Lupin. "We'll have another try next week. In the meantime think about what other memories you could use."
Classes started up in earnest and the trio were soon feeling the strain. David had Quidditch practices five times a week. He had one night a week for his homework and then there was his next Dementor lesson.
David walked into the classroom to join Professor Lupin feeling far from confident. He had spent most of his free time over the last week trying to work out which memory to use. He had looked back at his time with the Dursleys and then realised there was not much point in looking through those years. That left his time at Hogwarts and the recent holidays at Lions' Den. Lions' Den; that was a thought. Magic had started to just feel right with the knowledge that he was a Zia. Perhaps the memory of conquering his first Zia spells would be enough.
"Good evening Harry," said Professor Lupin.
"Good evening sir."
"Are you ready for this?" asked Lupin.
"Yes." David took a solid stance. He could do this.
Professor Lupin opened the packing case on the desk and released a Boggart. He watched attentively as a crimson mist appeared separating David from the Boggart Dementor. David suddenly realised that he did not have a wand in his hand and he summoned it out of his pocket. Hopefully, Lupin had not noticed. David wondered why the mist was red when the books he had read had described it as silver. Wait a moment, it was not just red, it was crimson. He needed to learn this, but also he did not want to produce a crimson Patronus in front of Lupin too often. He might work it out.
Lupin forced the Dementor back into the case and looked over at David. The boy was sweating a bit and looked tired, but there was no hint that he had heard the screams this time. Lupin looked carefully at David's hands.
"Very good," said Lupin. "You can hold the Dementor at bay, but your Patronus is not corporeal." He handed over some chocolate. "Have some of this and then we'll try again."
David worked hard for the next hour before Lupin insisted that they stop. "Madam Pomfrey will be out for my blood if we don't," he had said apologetically. David had created the mist with ease, but he could not get a corporeal Patronus.
Back in Gryffindor tower, Hermione always had her nose in a book and ink and parchment on the table. "How is she getting to all her lessons?" wondered Ron. David shrugged, he had his own secrets and that had made him tolerant of other people's.
The whole Gryffindor team knew that David had had a Firebolt for Christmas. The whole house knew somehow. Oliver Wood dragged David down to Professor McGonagall to ask about the broom. David looked uncomfortable, but McGonagall confirmed that the staff had it and were checking it over.
The day before the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw game, Professor McGonagall told David to come with her after supper and once inside her office she presented him with the Firebolt.
"I can have it?" asked David astonished.
"Yes. You have a very good friend out there somewhere, Potter," she said. "Do try it out tonight to get the feel of it, won't you? And Potter, try to win tomorrow!"
David made his way to Quidditch practice with the precious broomstick. His team mates landed around him, looking excitedly at the Firebolt.
"Is that…" began Fred.
"… a Firebolt?" finished George.
David nodded.
"And it's really yours?" asked Angelina Johnson, one of the chasers.
David nodded again.
"Well come on everyone," said Oliver. "Let's practice. Harry, I'm letting out the snitch!"
David swung his leg over the Firebolt and pushed off from the ground. He lapped the pitch a couple of times before spotting the snitch near the bottom of the teachers' stand. He dived and moments later pulled up, golden snitch in hand. Fred and George whooped with excitement and hit a couple of bludgers David's way for good measure. David closed his eyes and released the snitch. Without opening them he could feel the bludgers approaching and he dodged out of the way before starting to look for the snitch once more. Practice went well. No, it went great. Everyone was inspired by the Firebolt in their midst and flew better than ever.
Afterwards, David climbed the stairs up to Gryffindor Tower, tired but elated. He entered the common room to see Ron and Hermione having a stand up row. Ron threw a bed sheet at Hermione. "Look!" he yelled. "Blood. And guess what was on the floor?" he threw something onto her books. "Cat hair, ginger cat hair!"
It appeared to be the end of Ron and Hermione's friendship. Ron was furious that Hermione was defending Crookshanks, and Hermione was furious that Ron had jumped to the conclusion that her cat had eaten Scabbers.
"I need to ask Hermione something," David said that morning to Ron as they were dressing. "Something she said, I think that-"
"You have something to ask Hermione, oh whoop de do. Your friend Ron wouldn't be able to help, too stupid I suppose! I couldn't have said anything interesting!" said Ron with a glare.
"It's not that Ron," said David, "I just think Hermione could help me with this. You can come too."
"No, you go on your own!" said Ron. "I'll just be cheering for you at the match when you finish."
David looked exasperatedly at Ron but Ron just turned his back on David and pulled on his robes.
"Fine!" said David. He finished putting on his robes, picked up a book from his bedside table and left the dormitory. David walked down into the common room and found Hermione reading as usual.
"Hermione?" he said quietly. "I need your help. You know you said that I might be under some kind of," he paused and making sure nobody was watching mouthed, "guardianship bond."
"Yes," said Hermione quietly. "It's the only thing that makes sense. That or a secrecy vow and you'd know if you'd given anyone one of them."
"I need to find out who it's to," said David. "In case we're wrong about Sirius Black."
"You mean in case I'm wrong… but yes, you do need to know who it is… can't you work it out from who told you to keep quiet about… you-know-what?"
"I need to know what type of bond we have," said David. "I think that I might have…"
"You might have a blood relative?" asked Hermione. "A magical blood relative, I mean?"
"Yeah, I think I might."
"Oh Harry," said Hermione. "That's great."
"Don't congratulate me yet. I may be wrong. I've been looking through the library and I came across this charm." He handed Hermione the book and it opened at the relevant page. Hermione looked at him in shock. But David was speaking again and she turned her attention to him. "But I need your help."
"This charm is one of the most complicated ones I've ever seen," said Hermione reading down the page. She turned to the next page. "But you've been doing a lot better in class this year…"
"Thanks!"
"No I mean it Harry, you are doing so much better, I think we will be able to do this. Judging from this it would be easier with three of us."
"I don't think that Ron is going to be much help," said David. "We had a row this morning – he thinks that I'm taking your side."
"And you're not?"
"I'm not taking anybody's side in this."
At the match that day Hermione and Ron sat at opposite ends of the Gryffindor stand. The game against Ravenclaw was exciting from the first. Everyone had heard about the Firebolt and David was handling it like a professional. Lee Jordan was commentating and took it upon himself to give out the Firebolt's pertinent statistics, much to Professor McGonagall's annoyance. She tried to get him to focus on the game.
Katie Bell scored the opening goal for Gryffindor. As he watched her, David noticed the snitch below her, close to the ground. He grinned; dives were his speciality. A bludger came at him and in swerving David lost sight of the snitch. Several dives later, David still had not got within yards of the snitch. He sped off once more towards the ground. Suddenly there in front of him, standing to one side of the pitch, there were three Dementors. Pulling his wand out for the look of the thing, David shouted, "Expecto Patronum" concentrating on what winning the house cup would feel like. Then he looked up and caught the snitch. No screaming or coldness distracted him. Madam Hooch's whistle blew and the game was over. David was jubilant. They had won and his Patronus had been corporeal. The Gryffindor team landed and David was engulfed in hugs.
Professor Lupin approached. "That was some Patronus," he complemented David.
"Was it corporeal? Did it have a shape?" David asked.
"It was a red stag with magnificent antlers."
"I didn't feel the Dementors at all; I just shot out the charm as soon as I saw them."
"Ah, well, perhaps you should look over there," suggested Lupin. David followed Lupin's gaze. There on the ground, struggling to disentangle themselves from some dark Dementor like robes, were Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle. Professor McGonagall was telling them off; incensed at their deliberate attempt at sabotage.