Chapter 15
Harry heard Ginny's giggling suddenly stop, and he heard her whisper what he thought was, "No way".
He raised his head from his hands and looked forward. Hermione had stood up, and he saw her bend over slightly, but his horrible eyesight made it impossible to see details. Hermione sat back down briefly, then stood up once more, and reached forward quickly. Her hand bumped into his, and he felt soft cloth. Automatically he grabbed it and Hermione sat back down.
"What?" Harry couldn't think of anything else to say, as he realised that Hermione had, indeed, handed over her knickers.
"You, you wanted them, right? Just give them back when you're... done... or put them in the wash," Hermione blurted out.
"No fair, I was first," Luna said, and Harry didn't need to see her face to know she was pouting.
"Luna? No, wait. Hermione, what the hell?" Harry tried to focus on her face, but not only was it all a blur, Hermione seemed to have her head turned. "What the hell?" he repeated, and looked to his side for support.
"Don't look at me! I already told you, you're not getting mine," Ginny said, amusement in her voice.
"Have you gone mad?" Harry blurted out. "Hermione, what the hell? Why would you hand me your... underwear?"
"But... Luna said that..." Hermione started, then trailed off.
"If you don't want hers, can I have them? I don't really see what the appeal of collecting girls' knickers is, but I'm willing to learn," Luna offered.
"No, you're not taking hers!" Harry yelled. At that precise moment, the door to their compartment again slid open. Harry pushed his hands in his pockets, hiding the evidence.
"Well well well. Scar-head, his pet Mudblood, the pauper, and the lunatic," Malfoy's slightly high voice sounded. "Guess I found the loser wagon at last. Were you hiding from me, Pottie?"
"Draco, piss off, I'm not in the mood for you," Harry snapped back at him. Trying to focus his eyes on the blond ponce was giving him a headache.
"Better watch what you say, Potter. I'm a Prefect. I should give you detentions for that," Malfoy sneered.
"You shouldn't abuse your authority like that, Malfoy," Hermione corrected him.
"Shut up, Mudblood, nobody's interested in what you have to say," Malfoy retorted.
"Piss off, Malfoy, didn't you hear me the first time? I'm not in the mood to flirt with you," Harry grumbled.
"Flirt? What are you on about, Potty?" Malfoy turned his head in an aside to Goyle or Crabbe, "See? The Prophet was right, he's delusional!"
His overgrown bodyguard laughed, and feeling more secure now, Malfoy stepped inside the compartment. He focused on his nemesis. "What do you think about the fact they made the Weasel prefect instead of you, scar-head?" He made to step even closer.
"I told you to piss off, poofter!" Harry grabbed Malfoy by the arm with his left hand, and squeezed, hard. Malfoy let out a yell of pain.
Even through his blurry eyesight, Harry recognised one of Malfoy's pet trolls get closer, and in a move he had practised with Tonks over the summer, he had his wand out of the holster and trained at the boy. "Take your boyfriend, and get lost!" Harry yelled.
Crabbe – for Harry recognised him now – blinked stupidly, then took Malfoy by the shoulder, and pulled him away. Malfoy nursed his right arm with his left as he glared at Harry: "You'll pay for that, Potter! I'm a prefect, unlike you!"
"Yeah, and you're also a git who likes to hang around with two boys all the time. I told you, I'm not interested in you that way," said Harry.
Ginny and Hermione laughed. Malfoy glared at them all with hatred.
"Tell me, how does it feel to get passed over, Potter? How does it feel to be less than a Weasley?"
"Last warning, Malfoy," Harry said, moving to stand up.
"Hit a nerve, did I? Well, you'd better watch yourself, Potter," Malfoy said with a smirk, but he let Goyle pull him back out of the compartment, still nursing his arm.
"Bloody git," Harry grumbled as he sat back down.
"You shouldn't let him provoke you like that," Hermione said after a long pause.
"I don't want to hear it," Harry said, irritated. "I've got a headache. Let me rest my eyes a bit. Warn me if something else comes up, okay?"
He didn't wait for a reply as he leant back and shut his eyelids.
Luckily the girls seemed to realise he was in no mood to talk, and went back to their own reading, at least until the train entered a storm front. The weather outside turned to rain, and it grew rather dark. The lights in the train came on, but it was not enough to read by. Luna stared at everyone, Hermione gave Harry a weird look, her hands restless in her lap, and Ginny inspected her nails.
Harry was not fully asleep, but half dozing. Occasionally he opened his eyes hoping to catch a glimpse of where they were, but it was pointless. The storm cloud made it impossible to see anything, not that he could see much more than a foot in front of his face anyway.
"We should change," Hermione spoke up at last. The girls all got up to take their robes from their trunks. Harry gave Ginny a grateful smile as she helped him with his trunk. As he pulled his robes over his head and Ginny helped him get the collar and everything straight, Harry saw the prefect badge on Hermione's chest catch some of the light in the compartment, and his expression darkened again.
Finally, the train slowed down and they heard noise in the corridors as people made to get up. Hermione excused herself to the others, since she had to supervise all of this as a prefect, leaving Harry with Luna and Ginny to look after the grumpy Crookshanks.
Trying to distract the half-Kneazle some, Harry pushed his fingers through the grid on the front of the carrier and stroked Crookshanks' head.
"Hermione will be grateful you're petting her kitty," Luna said. Harry flushed, and tried to look at her critically to see if she was implying something, but it was no use. Luna seemed oblivious to what she said. Ginny on the other hand giggled again.
"Let's go," Harry finally said. "Erm, Gin, can you?" He held out his free hand.
Ginny nodded, and took him by the hand. They slowly moved to the doors, and Harry was expecting to hear Hagrid's familiar booming voice any moment now, but it never came. Instead, the unmistakable nasally voice of Snape was heard: "Out of the way, you dunderheads! First years, report here, now!"
"Where's Hagrid?" Harry asked out loud.
"Come on Harry, move," Ginny pulled on his arm. "We're blocking the door."
"Oh."
They lost Luna as they were jostled by the crowd, and Harry just barely held on to Ginny's hand. Harry looked around in vain for familiar faces, but the combination of the dark and rainy weather and his lost glasses made it impossible for him to see. He also missed the speculative glances thrown his way by several female students as they watched Ginny pull him towards the road outside the station.
Ginny and he walked past one of the horseless carriages, when Harry stopped in his tracks. The horseless carriage, was no longer horseless... even through the darkness and his bad eyesight, it was clear there was a pale vaguely horse-like creature tied to it.
"Come on Harry, let's get inside," Ginny complained. "What are you looking at?"
Hermione emerged from the crowd, her face flushed and panting a little. "Oh, Harry! Have you seen Ron? Malfoy was bullying some second-years and I did my best to make him stop, but he's worse than ever now that he is prefect. Oh, thank you for taking Crookshanks," she blurted out.
"Dunno where he is," Harry said distractedly. He held his hand to the creature, and felt it had leathery skin. It reminded him a bit of a snake's skin.
"What are you doing, Harry? Are you quite all right?" Hermione asked, concern in her voice.
"Oh, I'm good... it's just, have you ever seen these horses before?"
"What horses?" Hermione squinted. "Harry, are you sure you're all right?"
"Come on, the horse pulling the carriage!" Harry turned to look at her. "Wonder if Hagrid found them?"
"Harry, we should really get in before the carriage leaves without us," Hermione huffed. "You can joke later."
Harry wondered if she was joking, she could see it, couldn't she?
"Harry, come on!" Ginny called.
"Yeah, okay..." Harry frowned.
"It's okay Harry, you're not going mad," a dreamy voice said from behind him. "I can see them, too."
"Really?" Harry turned to Luna. Her wide, silvery eyes seemed to stare straight through him at the horses.
"Oh, yes," Luna said. "I've been able to see them since my first year, they've always pulled the carriages. Don't worry, you're as sane as I am," she said, climbing into the carriage.
Harry frowned as he followed her. Somehow that wasn't as reassuring as it should be.
–-
"Wonder why Snape was collecting the firsties? Isn't that usually Hagrid's job?" Ginny asked.
"Professor Snape, Ginny," Hermione corrected her in a bored tone. "I don't know. I hope Hagrid hasn't left."
"I wouldn't mind if he left," Luna spoke. "He's a horrible teacher."
"No, he isn't!" Ginny said angrily. Harry frowned as well, he liked the half Giant.
"Well, he's not good at explaining how to actually care for animals," Luna defended herself. "We Ravenclaws consider him to be easily the third worst teacher."
"Well you Ravenclaws are wrong then," Ginny snapped at the blonde. Luna seemed unperturbed by the hostility.
"I think Hagrid is a great person," Harry said. "Just out of interest, who are the other two, then?"
"Professor Trelawney is second-worst, and the absolute worst is Binns," Luna said. "And I do like Hagrid as a person, but I took Care to learn how to, well, care for magical animals, not to deal with either the most dangerous or the most useless ones. And I am sure those skrewts from last year were easily illegal cross-breds. I hope we get more of Professor Grubbly-Plank this year."
"I don't," Ginny said hotly. Luna just smiled, and stared at the others as she seemed to like to do. As the carriage came close to Hogwarts Harry tried to see if Hagrid's cabin had lights, but it was impossible to tell. Shortly after the carriage stopped at the Great Hall, and they stepped out.
"It was an interesting train ride, Harry Potter," said Luna after they had all gotten out. "I hope you will not ignore me from now on, I rather like having people to talk to."
Harry began to protest he wouldn't, but Luna stopped him by pressing something in his hand. "Here's mine. You can keep those if you want, the other girls would likely hide them from me anyway." And with that, she slipped away into the crowd. Harry didn't need to look down to know he had gotten another set of knickers now. He let out a sigh, and put them in his pocket with the others.
"I don't like her," said Ginny as she walked up to Harry, oblivious to what Luna just said or did. "She shouldn't be so mean about Hagrid."
"Honestly, I can see what she means. I was expecting more from Care as well when I took the class. Luna seems to be a nice person and doesn't mean any harm," Harry defended her.
"Ginny, can you get Harry inside? I need to speak with the upper year prefects and find Ron, we are supposed to help out now" cut in Hermione, and she rushed off.
Harry looked to the front of the carriage and the weird horse again, then took Ginny's hand. They went inside and got into the Great Hall. Ginny led him to a seat, then moved off to sit with some girls from her year. Harry realised no-one he knew was sitting there, and certainly didn't recognise anyone, so he just walked along the table to the High Table where the teachers all sat.
"Professor Dumbledore, when can I hold my speech?" the fat woman in pink was complaining. "The Minister will be very displeased if you do not allow me to!"
"Dolores, as I told you this afternoon when you suddenly arrived, without prior warning I might add, individual teachers never give speeches. You can save it for your first class," Dumbledore answered her.
"Potter! What do you think you're doing here?" Snape blurted out, as he was the first to see Harry walk up.
"I apologize for interrupting," said Harry. "But is Madam Pomfrey here?"
"I am right here Mister Potter," Poppy's voice sounded to his left. "Don't tell me you need my services already?"
"My glasses, madam, they disappeared," Harry said, blushing a little.
"A likely story, Potter! Detention tonight!" Snape blurted out.
"I'm telling the truth! I can't see shit!" Harry protested.
"Another two detentions for foul language in the presence of a teacher," Tonks spoke up. "Snape, do you mind if I take yours as well? I can use some help getting the classroom ready for after the weekend."
Snape almost smiled as another teacher gave 'the Potter brat' a detention. "Of course, take him," he told her.
Harry scowled at Snape, then looked back at where he thought Madam Pomfrey was. "I apologize for my use of foul language, but it's quite true... I am blind without my glasses."
"Oh very well, Mister Potter, I'll take you up to the hospital wing," Madam Pomfrey said as she rose. "Don't worry all, we'll be quick. I'll have him back at the Feast in no time."
"That is fine, Poppy," said Minerva.
"So that is the Potter boy? Troublemaker, I can just tell," Harry heard 'Dolores' say as he was taken by the hand to Madam Pomfrey's domain.
–-
Harry resisted the urge to check out his reflection in every surface as he walked alongside the matron back to the Great Hall. She had given him a pair of contact lenses – magical lenses – that would apparently automatically change to his prescription, and didn't even need to come out. When he asked her why she hadn't offered these before, she responded that he had never asked. He couldn't fault that.
Poppy led him back inside, and from the many small kids sitting at the tables, Harry realised he had missed the Sorting this year: food was already on the tables, and the feast was in full swing. It didn't matter to him, he could get to know some of the new Gryffindors over the weekend. Harry walked to his table and looked for a familiar face.
"Erm, hi," a voice next to him said. Harry looked up, and recognised Katie Bell, his Quidditch team mate.
"Are... are you new here? I see you're wearing Gryffindor colours. Do you want to sit next to me?" she asked. He saw she was blushing slightly.
"I'm not new, but I'll gladly sit next to you," Harry laughed softly.
"Oh my god, Harry?" Katie squeaked out. "I didn't recognise you without your glasses... and wow, you got buff!" She reached out, and touched his muscles.
"Got lenses now," Harry replied. "Erm, mind letting go?" Katie still had her hand on his arm.
Quick as lightning, she pulled it away. "Sorry, Harry, you surprised me, that's all," she said. "You look hot like this, by the way."
Harry smiled, "You don't look half bad yourself, Katie."
"Look at you, all grown up and flirting," Katie said with a slight laugh. "Listen, you can still sit next to me if you want... I'm sitting with Angie and Alicia. They sent me to find out who the hunk standing next to our table was. And Harry? I really like the new look."
"We'll take him from here Katie,"
"We have something to discuss with Mr Potter here," the twins cut in. Katie gave Harry a smile, and left. The twins placed their hands on Harry's shoulder, and more or less forced him into a seat.
"Where were you, Harry?"
"Because we did our part," they said in tandem. Then, the last one said: "Where are your glasses?"
"Got lenses now," Harry said. "Sorry guys, I had to take care of my eyes first. You managed to get it into the teacher's drinks then?"
"Of course we did,"
"We're all ready for the first Marauder Prank in twenty years,"
"Even if Prongs Junior wasn't around for the preparation," the twins agreed.
"I'm sorry guys, I'll be there for next time," Harry apologised. The twins looked mollified.
Out of nowhere, Hermione sat down across from him and the twins, having carried her plate from where she was sitting before. "There you are. Harry, you missed the sorting. What have you been doing?" she demanded, more than asked.
"Hello again to you too, Hermione. Find Ron?" Harry said, a little annoyed.
"Ronald is still sitting with Dean and Seamus," Hermione sounded equally annoyed. "Seamus was saying he believed the Prophet about you being a liar, and Ronald was not bothering to defend you. As soon as I saw you had gotten back, I left them to their rumour-mongering."
"I don't care," Harry said with a shrug. "Let the idiots believe what they want."
"Harry! How can you say that?" Hermione sounded affronted. "And no changing the subject, mister. What have you been doing?"
Harry rolled his eyes. The twins cut in:
"Harry has been flirting with Katie Bell,"
"Lovely, busty, brunette Katie Bell,"
"The dog he is."
"I'm so proud Fred, Harry-kins is growing up," George finished.
Hermione's mouth dropped open, then she snapped it shut and glared at Harry. "So, you are with her now? Harry, how did you two even meet during the summer?"
"Hermione, I'm not. Katie was just being friendly," Harry protested. "But enough of that. Did they say yet where Hagrid was?"
"Oh! Sorry Harry, I thought..." Hermione sounded instantly apologetic. Harry looked straight at her, and he saw the blood flow to her face. Hermione took a deep breath to steady herself, then answered: "Err.. I mean... no, Hagrid's not at the table. Just the usual teachers, and Tonks, and some woman wearing pink."
"Her first name is Dolores, and she has something to do with the Ministry," Harry mused.
"Wonder what the Ministry wants with Hogwarts? They're not usually getting involved," Hermione thought out loud. Harry just went for the food, rather than speculate further. He was a bit hungry by now.
For a while they all just ate, talking about nothing important, until Professor Dumbledore stood up again, and tapped his fork against a glass to get people's attention.
"Baaaaaaa," he bleated. Everyone looked bewildered at the Headmaster, as he spoke again: "Baaaa." Dumbledore frowned.
"Meow?" Professor McGonagall asked her supervisor, then clamped her hands to her mouth as she realised she just mewed.
Snape shot to his feet and glared at the Gryffindor table, but rather than the usual stream of accusations and insults, hissing like a snake came out. A little pale, he dropped back in his seat. The other teachers all were affected as well: Professor Flitwick squeaked like a mouse, Professor Sprout grunted like a pig, and Tonks clucked like a chicken. Throughout the hall, the students were laughing, he and the twins included. Hermione on the other hand looked affronted at the disrespect.
Headmaster Dumbledore stood there watching everyone, a look of amusement on his face. He let it continue a minute more, than raised his wand to his throat, and a light appeared as he wordlessly cast something.
"A most inventive prank," he spoke out loud. "It is not often that the teachers are the ones caught!" He turned to his colleagues and waved his wand over the teacher's table. All went quiet, then Snape was clearly heard:
"Two weeks detention and a hundred Points from Gryffindor!" he yelled.
"Now, now, Severus, we have no proof a Lion was involved," Dumbledore said, a smile still on his face. "No detentions or point loss, but I ask that the guilty party or parties come forward in private later. This prank was impressive, and I am sure Professor Flitwick would like to reward the spell work."
The diminutive part-Goblin stood up so he could be seen, and nodded.
"Now on to business," Dumbledore continued. "We welcome two new teachers this year: we are very pleased to welcome Professor Tonks, formerly an Auror, as our new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. And Professor Umbridge will be taking Care of Magical Creatures."
There was a round of polite applause throughout. Harry forgot to clap for Tonks, as he wondered what the Umbridge woman was doing there... Tonks had warned him about her earlier during the summer.
Dumbledore continued, "Quidditch tryouts will occur on the –"
To everyone's surprise, he was interrupted by Professor Umbridge clearing her throat loudly. She stood up, and was obviously intending to give a speech. Dumbledore glared at her, and continued talking: "As I was saying, Quidditch tryouts will occur on the next weekend. Gryffindor is the reigning champion, from the year before last, and I expect the other Houses are looking forward to taking the cup. Now, the Gobstones Club..." he kept talking, and Umbridge, fuming, sat back down.
"Oh Merlin, it's that Umbridge woman. She's the right-hand woman of the Minister," Harry informed Hermione.
"She is? I don't like the sound of that," said Hermione. "How do you know that? Have you seen her before?"
Harry was spared from answering as the student body en masse got up from their seat, Dumbledore had obviously just dismissed the school. Hermione jumped to her feet, flustered: "Harry, I need to go! Ron and I are supposed to show the first-years where our House is!"
"That's fine," Harry said, but Hermione had already left him to find Ron. Harry made to walk off as well, but a call from the High Table stopped him: "Potter, with me," Tonks was heard.
–-
Tonks led Harry to the DADA classroom. As they walked, she looked him over.
"No glasses, hero?" she said, standing up from her desk.
"Contacts," Harry shot her a smile. "Seems Poppy had them all along... I just had to ask for them! Wish I'd known my first year. I don't even need to take them out at night, it's as if I'm not using anything!"
Tonks embraced him and they kissed. Harry pushed her backwards as they did, and she ended up leaning against her desk. Finally they broke the kiss, and she was left panting for air.
"Merlin, I missed you today," she blurted out.
"I you, too," Harry agreed with her. "Do you know where Hagrid is?"
Tonks frowned, "He is out on Order business somewhere, with Madam Maxime from Beauxbatons, she joined up as well, apparently. Dumbles had gotten Professor Grubbly-Plank to take his place, but something went wrong."
"I guess so, if that Umbridge hag is here now," said Harry. "How did that happen?"
"She showed up two hours before the train arrived, carrying an official Ministry seal. Get this: since Hagrid never took his O.W.L.s, they have declared him unfit to teach, and therefore claim the Care position has been unfilled since your third year. Umbridge demanded Dumbledore bring forth a new teacher on the spot, or she'd take it."
"But he had Professor Grubbly, didn't he?" Harry asked.
"Grubbly-Plank, and sure, but she only can teach three months at most," Tonks explained. "She runs her own business, and isn't willing to teach full-time. So Umbridge demanded she get installed as the Care teacher straight away. Dumbledore had no choice but to ask Grubbly-Plank to go and allow Umbridge to take over."
Harry frowned. "That's not good. They must have something planned." Trying to get his mind off things, he looked at Tonks, and sported a grin, "So, still going commando under there?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Tonks grinned back. Harry didn't answer her: he dropped to his knees before her, and with both hands, pulled open her robes. "Harry, what are you doing–!" Tonks' comment was lost, as he pushed her up on her desk, and flipped her skirt up.
Tonks was indeed still wearing nothing beneath.
–-
Her hair was matted around her face as she lay on her back on her desk, her legs too limp to be able to move. Harry groaned and collapsed forward over her, his head resting on her chest as she felt slowly retreat out of her folds.
"That was so good..." she drowsily said.
"Mmmm... I liked it as well," Harry agreed. He moved off her, and shot her a grin. "Wonder what the Headmaster would say if he could see this... a teacher just dominated by her student?"
"Don't you get a big head Potter. You haven't worn me out yet," Tonks pretended to glare at him.
"Oh no? Well then, wench... we're breaking in that new bed of yours!" Harry lifted her off the desk, and carried her bridal style through the door to her private office and quarters.
'Merlin, I love teenage stamina,' Tonks though as he laid her down on her bed and moved over her.
–-
"Have you any idea what time it is? Young boys should have been in bed hours ago!" The Fat Lady portrait admonished Tonks as she woke the painting to let Harry back in his Common Room.
"I lost track of time a little, said Tonks. "It's the weekend, so it doesn't matter much. Now are you going to let us through?"
The painting huffed, but opened. Tonks followed Harry into the empty common room. "I liked how assertive you were tonight, lover," she whispered to him as she embraced him one last time.
"Well then, wench, just wait until the next time I have you at my mercy," Harry whispered back.
"You just wait until tomorrow, hero. Sleep well."
"Sleep well. Love you," Harry answered. Tonks was smiling wide as she left the Common Room again.
Harry went up the stairs to his dorm room. As he stepped through the door, Ron spoke up: "Harry? Tha' you?" he asked, drowsily.
"Yeah, Ron," Harry said in a soft tone, as he started to undress. "Go back to sleep."
"Merlin, it's nearly three a.m. mate... she was riding you hard. Gnite," Ron slurred, and he drifted back off.
Harry took his robes and shirt off, then kicked off his shoes and went to remove his trousers. As he did, he realised he still had something in his pocket. Harry fished out the three pairs of knickers, and let out a soft groan. It was good thing Tonks hadn't asked for hers back, because he had no idea how he was to explain how he got two other pair.
Harry glanced over at the other beds, and decided that the chance of Ron, Seamus, Dean, or Neville finding them was too big a risk if he kept them in his jeans pocket. Silently he opened his trunk and just threw them in. He'd have to sort that out later.
Luna was probably – he hoped – just joking, but Hermione didn't seem to be content with being 'just a friend' at all. He vowed to bring up the 'Hermione issue' with his girlfriend tomorrow.
–-
On the other side of the tower, Hermione had fallen asleep with her faced pressed in a a stolen towel and both hands under the covers. Her silencing charm had made sure she didn't bother her dorm-mates or vice versa.
A/N: I know in canon the train is on a Monday, but I use a real world calendar. September 1st was a Friday in 1995 and therefore the kids have two days off before school starts on Monday, September 4th, to get reacquainted and all.
Thanks again to stgulik for being my beta!