Chapter Twenty-Seven: Harry vs. Squid


Harry's POV

Lunch rolled around. Harry started in the direction of the Great Hall before stopping. No, I don't really feel like being subjected to on of the Weasley's plots, thanks, Harry thought sarcastically. I'll pass.

Unable to resist, be poked his head into the Great Hall. Harry could see nothing suspicious, but that was to be expected. Everyone was already at the tables, and Harry scoured the tables quickly for his friends.

He wished he had his old friends to talk to; he didn't have any friends in Slytherin. Ron was definitely too busy- there was a party, or something like it, going on at the Gryffindor table. They were cheering, throwing food. Ron was in the middle with Dean and Seamus, the three appeared to be fast friends. Ron had a huge grin on his face and he looking perfectly happy as he talked excitedly.

Hermione was nowhere to be seen. Where could she possibly be at this time? He thought restlessly. Then it dawned on him. Where else could she possibly be! He wheeled around and emerged into the library several moments later, looking around. There she sat, surrounded by several piles of books at her own table, head deep in wrist thick Volume XI of The Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures. Harry sighed. Everyone else was at lunch.

He went to the bookshelf directly behind her, and looked down the titles to look for anything interesting. He grabbed a random spine and pulled it out. 'Phenomenon's- study of supernatural families and crossbreeding'. Harry blinked. Interesting. I may actually want to read it. Whirling around, he turned to Hermione.

"Mind if I sit here?" he asked. She looked up blinked. Her eyes looked a bit unfocused. "Erm, yeah. Sure."

Harry smiled and sat down. He sat in silence for a minute, finally deciding that the longer he took, the worse it would be. He straightened. "My name's Harry." He held out a hand.

She looked at it. "I know." She reached out and shook hands. "I'm Hermione Granger."

Harry nodded. "Nice to meet you . . . that interesting?"

She nodded, suddenly no longer quiet. "Oh yes!" she said enthusiastically. " Did you know that there's an animal that lives off poisonous mushrooms that can only be seen when doused with lake water called the Echara?"

Harry blinked. "Er, no."

"There's a fantastic section on nymphs, as well." She said, flipping through one of the other volumes. "Look, here- dryads, oreads, naiads, hydriads, meliads, heleads, epimeliads, nereids, oceanids, limonaids, napaea, limniads, heliades, hyades, pegaiai . . ." she droned on.

Harry stared.

" . . . krinaia, potameids, eleionomai, perimelides, aloniads, okemids, nephelai, daphniai, aurai, lampades-" She took a breath. "And more." She added as an afterthought.

"That's a lotta nymphs." Harry said, slightly horrified.

Hermione nodded, agreeing. Suddenly her face contorted, and she coughed. With one big heave, she spit a frog out onto the table. It looked around curiously before hopping away. Hermione watched it.

"Strange side affects indeed." She said with disapproval.

Harry didn't comment.

"So do you like to read?" she asked, turning to him.

"Er . . ." Harry shook himself mentally to her question. "It depends on whether I'm interested or not." He said tactfully.

She smiled. "Hey, for a Slytherin."

Harry noted the way she said Slytherin. "Don't get along well with Slytherins?" he guessed.

She nodded. "Most of them can't appreciate a good book when they read one, and I doubt they do. Extremely prejudiced, as well." She eyed him. "No offense, of course."

"None taken. Haven't gotten along that well with the others yet anyway."

She smiled sympathetically. "I'm sure you'll get along fine after a while." Harry smiled back. "What's that book?" Hermione asked.

Harry looked down. "'Phenomenon's- study of supernatural families and crossbreeding.' It seems kind of interesting."

"Yeah. I'm looking for some information on the dark pact, myself." Harry looked up. Misinterpreting the look, she explained. "It's not very well known, it's a pact between all dark creatures, like vampires and some werewolves."

She opened her mouth to continue, but a huge explosion rocked the floor. They looked around. All fifty seven volumes of Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures came hurting down around them, and they ducked under the table to avoid being hit. Harry looked around, worried, and then realized it must have been from the Great Hall. He resisted the urge to grin.

"What's happened?" Hermione gasped as the floor vibrated.

"I dunno."

They waited until books had stopped falling off the shelves." Oh boy, they've really done it this time.

The door slammed open, and Professor McGonagall strode in. Harry slid out from underneath the table. Her eyes landed on him.

"Harry Potter! Did YOU have something to do with this!" She asked.

Harry didn't answer, he stared. Her colors were all wrong. Her glasses were missing, and she her trademark bun was off center. McGonagall's robes had evidently switched colors with her face and hair . . .

"ANSWER ME!" she bellowed.

Hermione crawled out after him. "He was here with me the whole time, I swear-" she came to a guttural stop. "My god." She gasped. "What happened to YOU?"

McGonagall lost her hard look when seeing Hermione. "Color bomb." She said gruffly and disappeared through the door. The two looked at each other before snorting into their hands. There was a sign on the back of her robe- 'not getting any younger'.

Hermione shook her head sternly. "I'll get back to my reading." She said, turning around.

"Oh. Talk to you later?"

"Sure." She said, smiling.

Harry left, feeling better. He stood, undecided on where to go next. Finally, he went back to the Slytherin dorms, to drop off his book.

"Caliga." He ordered and the common room slid open. He stepped in, and stopped abruptly. The common room wasn't empty, as he had expected it to be, due to an announcement through the castle corridors that the color spells were being undone in the Great Hall.

The Slytherins turned to look at him, eyes flashing. Nobody moved.

"Erm . . . I guess you didn't get hit by the color bombs?"

One of the seventh year Slytherins shook his head. As he stepped forward, Harry recognized him as the seventh year from the other day who had interrupted him and Tracy. Sure enough, Tracy was sitting on the sofa looking on.

"We weren't at lunch." The seventh year said simply.

"Oh." A chill ran up Harry's back from all the eyes staring at him. "I was in the library." He looked over them, trying to recognize their faces. Some were from his year, Tracy, another girl and some guy, then the third year that was nice to him after the sorting, and the rest of them he didn't know.

They shifted under his scrutiny and turned away. What were they up to?

Harry quickly walked away and dropped off his book in the second year rooms. By the time he had gotten back to the common room, most of the people there had cleared off and those remaining had settled into more natural positions.

With a grinding noise, the door slid open, and Draco stalked through, looking disgruntled. He eyed the common room, nobody looked up at him. His eyes fell on Harry.

"Hello Harry."

"Eh."

Draco, ignoring him, walked up. "You weren't in the Great Hall were you?"

"No, library."

"Oh. I don't go in there often. Gives Crabbe and Goyle headaches for some reason. Lucky for you, I must say. Avoided that whole mess all together." He grinded his teeth together. "I bet it was one of those Gryffindors. Keep clear of them Harry. Overzealous brats, every single one of them. Can't STAND Gryffindors."

Harry clenched his teeth.

"I'm going out." Harry tried to distract him.

"Out where? I'll come. They're done upstairs, lets go to the lake." Draco collected Crabbe and Goyle as they came through the door.

Harry sighed, exasperated. He felt eyes on his back, suddenly, and turned his head around, but no one was watching him.

He left the common room accompanied by Draco and his two bodyguards. They walked in relative silence up out of the dungeons.

The Great Hall was a shock- all of the students had had their colors sorted out, but the room was a mismatch of broken, clashing rainbows- even the portraits and the ceiling. Apparently, the sky outside was pale green with reddish- purple clouds. It was slightly disturbing.

"How could someone mess with the enchanted ceiling?" Harry asked Draco, curiosity overcoming him. They teachers were standing around, shooting spells everywhere and setting things right.

Draco snorted. "Doesn't take that much work, actually. No one could damage the actually spells, they've been set there by the founders themselves. What you CAN do is change the way that we can see them. All this person did was go out and buy about a hundred basic color bombs from their local joke shop, and then altered them a bit. Then they enchanted them to be invisible and hovered them throughout the room. Seems a lot of work to me." he said loftily.

Harry nodded.

"Clear out!" Professor Flitwick instructed from the stool he was standing on. "We'll find the culprit later, just watch. Until then, stay away until we're done."

Harry shrugged and left. They emerged into the sunlight, and the thankfully blue sky. Most of the students had gone outside, and were spread out. Harry felt wistful as he realized that the large group by the lake was organizing a Quidditch game, judging by their brooms. Malfoy looked smug. "Crabbe, get my broom." He ordered. He added, "And Harry's too."

"Erm, okay." Harry said as Crabbe lumbered off with a look of vague purpose on his face.

"I'm trying for the seeker position on the house team this year." Draco said. "You play Quidditch?"

"A bit, yes."

"What position?"

"Uh, several. My dad's keen on me being a chaser." Harry didn't add that seeker was his favored position.

"There's a spot open for seeker, and there's always backups for the other positions. Tryouts for seeker in a few weeks."

They headed over to the ruminating Quidditch game. Harry noted quite a few glares in their direction. As they stepped up, the group became a circle around them.

Looking as if something were smelling badly, Ron suddenly stepped out of the crowd, Dean and Seamus right behind him. "What do you want here?" he asked harshly. Draco sneered and pretended he hadn't heard him.

Harry tried to smile. Standing right in front of his best friend again after all this years was great, if only he wasn't glaring in Harry's general direction. "Are you going to play Quidditch? Can I be on a team?"

Ron turned to him. "What makes you think that you can play? Just because you're famous and you're friends with Draco? No one wants you on their team, anyway."

Harry was surprised. The twins were standing behind Ron, and George gave Harry a shrug. "We're choosing teams, Ron." He said.

Ron ignored his brother.

"No, that's not why. Because I enjoy Quidditch." Harry said to his own defense. "And you don't know if I can fly or not."

Ron's eyes narrowed and Harry felt his stomach go icy. "I challenge you then. Across the lake and back, race." He said. "On brooms."

"Obviously." Draco said. "I don't suppose you've learned to walk on water, have you, Weasley?"

Ron glared.

"Okay." Harry agreed. "And if I win?"

"Then you can play. If not, go away and leave us alone." Ron picked up his broom. "Where's your broom, Potter?"

Harry grimaced at this and turned around, where Crabbe was standing with his and Draco's Nimbus 2000s. Harry grabbed his. "Here."

Ron eyed it.

"Here Ron." One of the Hufflepuffs had a Nimbus 2000 as well, and he passed it to Ron, who grinned. "Aye. Fair's fair. Start from here. Go across the lake at a diagonal and loop around that tree there and come back." Harry nodded. The trail didn't go across the lake to where the Forbidden Forest was, but it cut off an edge of the lake and continued on the grounds. Harry coughed when he saw what tree Ron had pointed to- the Whomping Willow.

"Fair's fair." He repeated. Considering you didn't tell of any of the hazards, even though I'm a new student.

They stood next to each other, brooms ready. Lee Jordan emerged from the fray. "I'll count to one." They braced themselves. "Three, two, one- go!"

They kicked off the ground, putting Harry immediately ahead, as he was lighter and he had tons more experience from his time on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. They had practiced shoving off as to get the most advantage.

The wind blew their robes up around them like the wings of some kind of black bird. It cut into their eyes and they shot over the waves. Ron finally managed to catch up with him, and they evened out and sped up. Harry tried pulling ahead, making himself more aerodynamic. Ron seemed cocky, grinning to himself as they neared the large tree.

Ron swerved in a larger arc, moving to the outside to clear the dangerous branches. After a hesitant second, Harry dove close. He could make it through, on his BROOM. . .

THWAP!

A tree branch came at him with a speed that made the air whistle. Harry ducked and it went over his head. Suddenly he was under a barrage of tree branches as they came hurtling at him from all directions.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea . . .

About three hit him at the same time, and he spun off course. One hit his broom, the other his leg and the third, his face. Ouch, that was going to bruise. Everything went black for a moment.

He managed to go around the trunk in the middle of the tree, and seeing as opening through the wall of moving branches he shot through it and turned back, way ahead. Harry glanced over his shoulder, catching the shocked look on Ron's face. Grinning, he continued.

Harry was already half way across the lake when Ron came up behind him. He leaned forward, concentrating on the waiting group of people on the other side.

HUHCRUNCH- Harry brutally slammed against a wall.

He slid down, and then fell freely. Harry heard a yell behind him, and he twisted, shaking himself awake, to see a huge tentacle whip by.

Crap.

The giant squid pulled Ron nearly down to the water before the Gryffindor managed to wrench his way out. Ron flew straight up, veering to the left and then rolled over. Suddenly the tentacle came back for Harry, grabbing at him. Oops. He ducked and it gave another try.

Harry dove straight down, going horizontal near the water and trying to escape out from underneath the tentacle hovering above him. It suddenly came slamming down. His heart stopped beating for a moment at the sight of the massive tentacle plummeting right toward his head.

With a yell, he suddenly realized he had reached the shore, and he shot up the rocks and skimmed over the top.

The squid hit the rocks with a splatting sound.

Harry came to a stop. The students had doubled, and apparently someone had gotten the teachers. They stood, jaws open. "Well, I never . . ." McGonagall said, staring at the squid. Ron had come to a stop as well, and he tumbled off, grabbing his arm in pain. Harry suddenly realized that everything was getting blurry, and his head hurt. He slowly slipped, broom sliding through his fingers . . .


Later, Harry's POV

Slowly everything came into a fuzzy focus. His glasses were on the table.

"Hasn't anyone ever told you not to fall asleep when you have a concussion?" A voice said sharply, and he looked up into Madam Pomfrey's disapproving face.

Harry smiled an innocent smile. He looked around. It was late evening, and Ron was asleep in the next bed, with his arm bandaged. Harry felt his face and winced.

"Drink this." She passed him a cup. Harry eyed it.

"Drink!"

He sighed and swallowed it. There was a flash of pain in his head, and everything got clearer. Slowly he felt himself drift off to sleep. "You can leave in the morning . . ." her faded away.


in the morning...

Harry woke up, to find his clothes on the bedside chair, and the room otherwise empty. Ron's curtains were closed around his bed. Harry put on his robes inside his canopy bed and got up, stopping by a mirror. There was a dark bruise from the Willow across his right cheekbone, and some other relative bruising that looking like it was fading.

He went out, and started down the corridor. He was in trouble undoubtedly. Hopefully Professor-

"Harry!" a voice called, and he turned around, surprised, as Ron jogged up next to him.

They stood quiet for a moment.

"That was some really brilliant flying, yesterday."

Harry nodded, smiling inwardly.

"I'm sorry I didn't warn you about the tree."

"That's alright. I knew, actually."

Ron blinked. "You KNEW? And you dove into it anyway?"

Harry smiled. "I like to fly."

Ron looked impressed. "The twins told me later when you were asleep that you were okay, and you weren't anything like Malfoy. He infuriates me. Everyone's talking about you, you know."

Harry didn't answer. "Why do you hate Malfoy so much?" Harry asked, out of curiosity.

Ron grimaced. "He killed my rat, Scabbers."

Harry choked. "Excuse me?"

The tall redhead nodded. "Had Crabbe step on him."

Ron stopped walking. "Is something wrong?" he asked, looking at Harry's face. Harry shook his head mutely. Ron shrugged. "Anyway, I came to tell you we're supposed to be going to McGonagall's office." He cringed.

Harry nodded.

Right before they got there, Ron turned to him again. "And Harry. Congratulations for winning. I'd be fine with you playing Quidditch with us any time." He grinned. "As long as you're on my team, of course."

Harry grinned back. "Thanks."

They walked in, grinning, and stopped in their tracks, under the accumulated glare of the entire staff.

Suddenly, they all started talking at once.

"Well it started when-"

"How DARE-"

"Extremely dangerous-"

"Never have I been witness to something more-"

"Out of bounds!"

"Into the WHOMPING WILLOW-"

"Aggravate the squid? How on earth-"

"You could have been killed!"

"Should be EXPELLED!"

"Now Severus, I'm sure-"

"You STUPID LITTLE MORONS!"

"Filch!"

"Quiet!" Dumbledore commanded, and they all turned to him. "Sit down."

Harry and Ron grabbed available chairs and shot each other alarmed looks.

They turned to face the onslaught of glares.

"I think Weasley should be expelled." Snape stated loudly.

McGonagall turned her glare to him. "And what about Harry?"

"Detention. And position as seeker on the house Quidditch team."

Harry jaw dropped. Snape just make me seeker . . . ?

"Neither is expelled." Dumbledore said firmly. "Though I hope you two understand- racing like that that really dangerous. You could have been hurt, or you could have hurt anyone on the shore." They nodded. "I trust it won't happen again?" They nodded again. "I will be assigning three hours detention next Friday. Both of you lose ten points. You may leave."

The slunk through back through the door.

"Bloody hell." Ron said.

"I can't believe Snape just made me seeker."

"Harry!" Dumbledore's voice came through the door. "Wait a moment outside while I finish talking to the professors."

Harry sighed and stopped.

"I'll wait for you." Ron said, and they leaned against, the wall. Slowly, the professors' voices wafted to their ears.

"What detention do you suppose, Professor?"

"Replace the stones in the wall that Long bottom combusted in the dungeons before this whole place comes down." Said Snape.

"Send them in the Forbidden Forest."

"Tudor Colin Creevey."

"Dust the Library."

"Build Hagrid a new hut."

"Help the house elves."

"Clean the Prefect bathrooms."

The Professors seemed to be really getting into it.

"Scrub the roof of the Astronomy Tower."

"Wash the First Years' bed linens."

Harry and Ron paled.

The Professors chuckled slowly.

"We'll see." Dumbledore said.

The staff left, passing by the two second years while sending them looks. Harry walked in slowing, sitting back down. "What was it you wanted Professor?"

Dumbledore smiled kindly. "Harry, I advise you to stay away from the lake from now on. The Squid doesn't like those of the Dark Pact, that's why we put them there. Spells tend to get washed away with water but if some dark creature tried to cross without our permission, then the Giant Squid would capture it. Unfortunately, this includes you."

Harry glanced down at his forearm, where a thin birthmark ran across it in precisely the same place it did his mother's. "I understand, Professor Dumbledore."

Dumbledore dismissed him and Harry hurried out.


After lessons that day...

Harry sat on his bed, petting Angel who was purring rather loudly. He was also really into his Phenomenons book, which turned out to be really interesting. The room was empty except for the boy, on the bed next to him, who finally turned around and held out his hand in greeting. "Hi." He said. "I'm Jarren Hawes."

Harry shook the hand. "Harry Potter."

Jarren was about medium height and width, with dark eyes and hair and fairly dark skin. He looked really friendly- he had been quiet so far, not talking much in class like Tracy and Queenie, whom he still hadn't talked to. The first time he had gone to Hogwarts, Jarren hadn't been there either, which meant that something must have happened this time around to change it.

"I heard you're our new seeker." He said. Harry nodded. "I hope you're as good as they say you are. I wasn't there, yesterday, I was in here." Harry remembered seeing Jarren's face among the Slytherins who had been in the common room . . .

"Hey Jarren." Harry said slowly. Jarren looked up. "A lot of the Slytherins are watching me. Do you know why?"

Jarren looked at him, face carefully blank. "You're the new Slytherin." He didn't offer any more, and Harry didn't ask. He had his mind on a letter. A letter he had just written, that was on the way to his parents house, right now . . .


Lunch the next day...

Harry sat at lunch alone eating. Actually, he wasn't alone he was sitting with Jarren on one side, and Draco had taken the other along with Crabbe and Goyle. But neither was much for conversation, and besides, Harry's mind was with others. He, Ron, and Hermione had hung around in the library yesterday, and the two had taken to each other well. He felt like everything was falling into place, his little world was finally righting himself. Draco hadn't talked to Harry much since he started hanging out with Ron and 'the mudblood', but nearly everybody else had, commenting on his flying. Apparently, the whole world had been watching his race with Ron. Colin Creevey squeaked and ran in fear, but what was the harm in that?

He relaxed, leaning back into his chair. Suddenly his stomach cramped in horror as he felt a familiar chill under his skin. No! He was starting to change . . . Harry got up, stumbling, and practically ran out of the Great Hall, door swinging after him. He sprinted down the halls with elven speed. Sure enough by the time he had reached the nearest bathroom and looked in the mirror, he had pointed ears, and wings were folding out of his back. Harry locked the door and leaned against the wall despairingly. He stared as his reflection, willing himself to change back.

Human! He thought, and concentrated intently. Nothing happened. He shut his eyes, and dozed slightly. Something was bothering him, in the background noise. He shook himself awake. Hey! I changed back!

With a happy grin, Harry walked out and down the halls.

"What do you find so amusing, Potter?" An icy voice asked. Harry turned to face one of the older Hufflepuffs. "Nothing." He said. "Why?"

Crowds of students passed. Is lunch over already?

Someone grabbed his sleeve. It was Hermione. She pulled him quickly down one of the adjoining corridors, Ron following. They emerged into the library.

"Did you hear what happened?" She asked.

Harry shook his head. "What's going on?"

"Two first years were found in the third floor bathrooms. Petrified."

Harry froze. Everything went out of lucidity for a moment, and all he could hear were his own thoughts.

It couldn't be.

It just couldn't.

But I prevented Lucius from giving the book to Ginny.

Maybe that hadn't been so smart. At least then I knew where it was. Lucius must have given it to another student . . . but which one?

"Petrified?" he rasped out.

Ron nodded. "Yeah. Stone cold an all."

Hermione grabbed his shoulders again. "Harry, why did you rush out of the Great Hall like that?"

Harry blinked. "Huh?"

"Where were you during the attacks. You ran out like something was chasing you."

Harry shook his head frantically. "No, I know what you're thinking. I swear it wasn't me!"

Ron shook his head. "No, I don't think it was you."

"Hermione?" Harry asked.

She sighed. "No, I don't think it was you either." She had a strange, glazed look in her eyes.

"But Harry." She continued. "If you didn't do it, then where were you and why did you rush out of the Great Hall right before the attacks?"

Harry felt icy. "I . . . just had to leave."

"Why?"

He didn't answer. "You guys know I didn't do it!"

Hermione nodded sadly. "Yes, but that's not what its going to look like to other people."

He couldn't tell anyone about him changing, so he couldn't explain WHY he hadn't been there. Oh damn.


Lily's POV

Lily was in the kitchen when a large snowy white owl came flying through the window, letter attached. With a smile, she detached the leter. Hedwig transferred to her shoulder. She could have sworn the owl had a vague human expression- she looked worried for some reason.

Come on Lily, she reasoned with herself. ALL owls look worried.

Sh

e went into the living room, where James, Sirius and Remus were lounging on the couch.

"We got our first letter from Harry!" she said happily, and she turned abruptly. She opened it and started reading aloud.

"Dear Mum and Dad,

Good news! Two days of term and I'm already on the House Quidditch team. Bad news. It's the Slytherin Quidditch team. That's right . . . I got in Slytherin. I don't know why, I really don't. Please don't be mad.

I have some friends, Ron and Hermione, and Jarren, somewhat.

I also have three-hour detention on Sunday. Erm, I can explain, I swear. I got attacked by the Giant Squid and spent the night in the infirmary. We WERE racing brooms over the lake at the time, but it wasn't dangerous, honest! We just cut off the edge, from the Quidditch Pitch to the Whomping Willow. Which explains why I was in the Infirmary.

She stopped reading, looking up to meet the eyes of her husband.

"Slytherin?" he asked incredulously.

"It goes on," she said. "It talks about his friends, and his professors. Here. At the bottom- PS say hi to Remus and Padfoot for me."

She looked back up again. James just looks stunned, and Remus was maybe slightly amused. Sirius was hit the worst. He just sat and stared.

"How can Harry be in Slytherin?" he asked forlornly. "What happened to our little Gryffindor?"

James shook his head speechlessly.

"Well, that's new." Said Remus.

Lily gave a feeble smile. "Hey, Quidditch team, that's pretty good, isn't it?"

She got no answer.