Transfiguration was a different beast than Potions. Jason strolled into the classroom with ten seconds to the tardy bell and was greeted by the sight of a tabby cat on a desk and a bunch of chattering kids. Jason looked around briefly.
'Nope,not here.' Jason thought. Tossing his bag down at the back, Jason strutted to the Teacher's desk and perched on the edge of it. The cat looked at him reproachfully. Smirking, Jason scratched it behind the ears. The cat hissed. Jason carefully picked up the cat, dodging a bit of claws.
"Easy...Girl." He said after checking to make sure of the cat's gender. Jason settled the cat on his lap and pet her gently. She began purring. A few minutes passed in idle silence, very few children even noticing that Jason was petting the teacher's cat.
Then, Ginger burst in, breathing heavily.
"Good thing the professor's late." He said. Jason set down the cat and slid off the desk. 'There has got to be some story behind this… I wonder if he caught some of the older kids going at it… Or, god, some of the teachers. Shit like that's got to happen in a boarding school.' Jason took a step, then flinched as he felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Sit down, Mr. Potter. I will handle Mr. Weasley." Jason peeked out of the corner of his eye. The cat was gone and McGonagall stood in her place. Jason blushed. 'This is the League Christmas Party Fiasco all over again.' Jason thought as he hopped up on the desk in the very back where he'd left his bag.
"Mr. Potter, kindly sit in the chair, that is what it was made for." McGonagall said sternly. She turned back to Ginger.
"Mr. Weasley, next time you decide to be this late, I shall transfigure you into a pocket watch."
"I got lost." Ginger said sheepishly.
"A map, then." McGonagall decided.
Ginger slid into the seat beside Jason as McGonagall began her lecture.
"I think we just made the same enemy," Jason said, "We should ally ourselves to prevent the destruction of our lives." Ginger looked at Jason as though he were crazy.
"How'd you get on McGonagall's bad side?" Ginger asked curiously. Jason shrugged.
"She turns into a cat. I love cats. I see a pretty, little tabby sitting on the desk, I'm going to pet it. I guess I'm lucky I didn't do that baby talk thing people do with their pets… And that she didn't claw my eyes out." Jason said, rather upbeat.
"You pet McGonagall in her animagus form?" Ginger asked, awestruck.
"I don't know what animagus means, but… yes?" Jason said hesitantly.
"What about you?" He asked Ginger, "You didn't really get lost did you?" Ginger shook his head.
"I caught a pair of upper years snogging in the corridor." 'Called it!'
"And stayed to watch?" Jason asked foxily.
"No!" Ginger denied vehemently, "I covered my eyes and ran off. Ended up in the Forbidden Third Floor Corridor. You'll never guess what they're keeping in there."
"What?" Jason asked eagerly. 'Torture devices? Merlin's grave? A crystal formed from the blood of a dragon?'
"A Cerberus." Ginger said in a dramatic whisper. Jason grinned. 'This is better than Merlin's grave.'
"I wonder if it knows any tricks…" Ginger looked alarmed and then contemplative.
"This sounds like an awful idea… What time?"
"Midnight. Bring dog treats, or, you know, someone to use as bait. You just gotta trip them and run, right?" It was silent for a moment. The two boys made eye contact and burst out laughing.
"Weasley, Potter. Detention. I swear, you're as much a troublemaker as your father." McGonagall snapped. Jason stopped laughing. He glanced over at Ginger. The two of them began laughing again.
The end of class saw the two of them separated, with Jason sitting in the front of the class. Jason smiled a farewell to McGonagall, but his mind was racing. 'What does she mean "as much a troublemaker as my father"? She's never met Bruce.'
These thoughts lasted Jason until his next class, Defense Against The Dark Arts. As soon Jason walked in, he made eye contact with the teacher. Quirrell flinched when he met Jason's eyes. Jason hissed as a bolt of white-hot pain seemingly pierced his mind like a laser. He stumbled into a chair, sat down heavily and slung his bag across the table.
"Are you okay?" A girl from Jason's house asked worriedly. She and her blonde friend sat on either side of Jason. Blondie checked Jason's temperature, putting the back of her hand against his forehead.
"Not running a fever." Jason looked drunkenly up at the girl.
"What are you doing?" He slurred. The blonde didn't respond.
"Susan," She said, turning to the dark-haired girl on Jason's other side, "His eyes are unfocused." Susan put her hand on Jason's.
"Harry, can you stand?" Jason's head was spinning. He pushed himself to standing. His vision swam as another bolt of pain lanced through his head. He collapsed.
Jason awoke to humming, and a hand carding through his hair. 'Dick…?' Jason thought sluggishly. His vision was blurry. Jason tried to sit up, but his limbs were so heavy. Jason's eyes fluttered closed.
A sudden panic shot through Jason. He sat straight up, eyes open, alert. Cedric jolted back.
"Are you okay, Harry?" He asked, edging slightly closer, as if Jason were a skittish pony.
"Fine." Jason responded automatically.
"What happened?"
"You don't remember?" Cedric asked, surprised.
"The last thing I remember is walking into defense class." Cedric frowned.
"You don't remember passing out? Susan and Hannah carried you here. If I didn't know better, I'd say you'd somehow gotten a concussion." Jason swung his legs to the edge of the bed.
"How long was I out?"
"A few hours; It's almost dinner time." Jason touched his feet to the floor.
"Harry, I don't think-" Jason stood. He took a step forward and his leg gave out, buckled under his weight.
"Harry!" Cedric cried out in alarm. Jason used the edge of the bed as a handhold to drag himself to standing again.
"M'fine." Jason muttered, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.
"You! What are you doing out of bed‽" A woman shrieked. Madam Pomfrey chivvied Jason back into the hospital bed.
"I'm fine." Jason protested half-heartedly. Cedric tousled Jason's hair.
"Stay. I'll come by after dinner to say goodnight." Jason's throat felt like it was closing up as he nodded. Madam Pomfrey gently, but firmly pushed Jason down, so that he now lay in the bed.
"And if you get out of bed again, young man, there will be consequences." She said sternly.
"Yes, ma'am." Jason replied dutifully.
