The next day the entire school was subdued. Even Malfoy had the brains to keep his mouth shut. A national day of mourning had been called for the wizarding world. Shops were closed and classes cancelled, much to Hermione's annoyance.
"He's not even dead," she wailed to Harry and Ron in the Common Room during their break from Potions.
"He might as well be," Harry muttered, staring into the fire,"Don't you remember in third year when those things came after us? Its terrifying, and you know it. They come onto you, all cold and clammy..." Hermione fell silent.
Hedwig suddenly flew in through the window, landing on Harry's shoulder and dropping a letter into his lap.
"Must be from Snuffles," Sirius had ordered Harry not to call him by his actual name when not around him.
Dear Harry, it read,
I'm at Moony's. He says his brother is working at Hogwarts; I knew Romulus at school and he's a spitting image of Moony. You'll like him. I've hooked up with some old schoolmates and friends of mine. Dumbledore's got us on big business, to big to say in case this letter gets in the wrong hands. Buckbeak's doing great, lots of stray rats out here. Say hi to Ron and Hermione for me.
Sirius.
"I wonder what kind of business," said Ron, who had been peering over Harry's shoulder at the letter.
"Dumbledore said something about Snuffles and Lupin getting the old crowd together,"Harry thought out loud. His friends took no notice.
"Harry, can I ask you something about the tournament?" Hermione said.
"Sure."
"In the graveyard, did You-Know-Who say anything about the Dementors?"
Harry could never forget,"He said that the Dementors would join them, that they were their natural allies, and that he would recall the banished giants."
"Recall them?" Hermione muttered and stood up,"I'm going to the library."
Ron gave a faint moan as Hermione exited,"Again. Doesn't she have a life?" Harry shrugged.
"Hullo, Harry!" a familiar voice chirped.
"Hullo, Parvati." Not noticing the annoyance in his voice, Parvati plopped down in the chair besid Harry and began talking nonstop. Harry cast a pleading look to Ron, who laughed.
"I...I've...I'm going to the Owlery," Harry said and stood.
"I'll come, there's nothing to do here," Parvati stood and followed Harry, leaving Ron grinning in amusement by the fire.
At the Owlery, a large, cold, stone room that housed thousands of owls, Harry pulled out a piece of parchment and began scribbling a letter to Sirius. Parvati stared blankly at the rows of owls.
Harry finished it with a flourish and looked around for Hedwig.
"Must be outside, crazy bird," he muttered, jogging around the circular chamber and straining to find his owl.
"You can use mine, Harry," Parvati called,"C'mere, Lakshmi." A large barn owl swooped down and expectantly stuck out her leg. Harry didn't object, and tied his letter to Lakshmi. She flew out the window into the cloudy sky. Parvati left immediatly, saying she was cold. But Harry stayed behind, staring up, hoping for Sirius.
* * *
"Welcome back to Hogwarts, all of you! I presume you are doing well?" Dumbledore leaned over his desk, his eyes twinkling at the group. Mundungus fidgeted, he never felt comfortable under that blue eyed gaze.
"Yes, Professor. Can I see Harry?" Sirius asked.
"I'd rather you not, I've my own reasons. Also, you four will be leaving within an hour or two, I don't think you'd have time anyways," Dumbledore smiled. Sirius sighed.
"Well, Professor, I must admit I'm incredibly interested as to why you've called us here," Arabella said,"And why us, in paticular."
Dumbledore's eyes roamed over each of them. Mundungus shifted in his seat, staring with wide eyes at the hardwood floor.
"You know about the Triwizard Tournament?"
"Yeah. An' about Ye-Know-'ho, too. I still can't believe 'e's back!" cried Mundungus, suddenly speaking up.
"Yes. You all have had experience against Dark Arts?"
"Not much, actually. What happened in our school years, and what Sirius and I have done, of course," Lupin said quietly,"We wouldn't have to deal with...them again?"
"I'm afraid you will be. You dealt well with them in your seventh year, as three great adult wizards and a talented witch, you should have no trouble now. You won't go near the giants, though, we've people on that."
"Good!" exclaimed Mundungus.
"But we'll need Romulus, if we're to deal with the other ones."
"He'll come into play in time, my dear Arabella, he will come into play in time."
* * *
"Why were you looking in the library last night?" Harry said causally to Hermione on their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts the next day. She had a way of finding out things that were increibly important early in the year, and the other two not notice them until last term, when it was usually too late.
"The giants were never with You-Know-Who. He can't recall them."
"So?" muttered Ron.
"So Madame Maxime and Hagrid will have a chance getting the giants on their side."
"Huh?"
"Ron, please! Last year Hagrid said they were going to be on business for Dumbldore! With You-Know-Who back and out to get the giants on his side, what else would they be doing but be keeping them with us!? Honestly, don't you think at all?" Hermione said this all in one breath.
Ron was about to say something back, but they had arrived at the classroom at that time. They jostled in and sat down.
The Ravenclaws, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigin, Lavender Brown, and Parvati Patil were already seated. Dean Thomas rushed in about a minute later, spitting out a string of curses worthy of Ron. Between the words Harry heard 'Peeves' and 'inkbottles'. Harry suddenly realized Dean's hair was speckled with black spots, as were his hands and face.
"Peeves getcha?" chortled Seamus.
"YES HE DID THAT LITTLE...," bellowed Dean. At that moment Romulus Lupin walked in.
"Sorry about that, Professor, Peeves spilled ink all over me and..," gasped Dean, realizing what he had just said.
"I don't blame you at all, when I went to school here Peeves played a similar trick. But I do advise against such language, one of the other professors may hear," Romulus said and set down his breifcase on the desk. Harry felt an odd sense of deja vu jitter down his spine. He could swear Remus Lupin was standing in front of him.
Romulus stood and faced the class,"If you are wondering, I am Remus Lupin's twin. He taught you two years ago, didn't he? Yes. Call me plain Lupin, none of this 'professor' stuff. I will treat you as equals, and I hope you do the same. I'll take roll call, and proceed with the lesson."
"He's almost like the other Lupin! I hope his lessons are as good!" Hermione whispered.
"My brother taught you these," Lupin said, pulling out a piece of parchment and squinting at it,"Boggarts, Red Caps, Hinkypunks, Grindylows, Kappas, and were...werewolves." His voice stumbled and rasped on the last word. The trio exchanged a quick glance.
"And last year you did curses. Well, there's only a bit more that I can teach you," Lupin pulled himself together and continued,"As you know, you've O.W.L.s this year. Most of it will be review, and I'll squeeze some more in between. Now, which of you have heard of Harpies?"
* * *
Several days past by uneventful.
The next Monday at breakfast, the owls flew in, as usual. Laskhmi landed on Parvati's shoulder, brandishing a letter. Forgetting that Laskhmi had just delivered Harry's mail, she opened it and began to read.
Across the table, Harry sat between Ron and Hermione, talking about the new Lupin.
With shaking hands Parvati rolled up the parchment and glanced at Harry. She slowly stood and went over to talk to him.
"Harry, can I have a private word?" Parvarti's tanned skin was pale.
Mystified, Harry agreed and left with her. Once they had passed through the Entrance Hall and gone up the marble staircase into one of the left-hand corridors, Parvati turned to Harry with the parchment.
"Laskhmi brought your letter back, she didn't deliver it," she murmered quietly.
"Please don't tell me you've read it."
"Harry," Parvati looked straight at him with her black eyes,"You've been writing to Sirius Black, haven't you?"
A/N: In the words of a fanfiction author, Mwa!Ha!Ha! What are Sirius & Co talking about? What'll happen now that Parvati knows about Sirius? Don't complain about the fact Parvati wouldn't be able to tell by a single letter that Harry's writing to Sirius, I'll spill in the next chapter.
All characters belong to J.K.Rowling. She made up the names, they're hers. Parvati is a Hindu goddess married to the god Shiva, and Lakshmi is yet another Hindu goddess. So I made her East-Indian. I have lived in India, and my friends there had these names, so I think this is how you spell them.
"He's not even dead," she wailed to Harry and Ron in the Common Room during their break from Potions.
"He might as well be," Harry muttered, staring into the fire,"Don't you remember in third year when those things came after us? Its terrifying, and you know it. They come onto you, all cold and clammy..." Hermione fell silent.
Hedwig suddenly flew in through the window, landing on Harry's shoulder and dropping a letter into his lap.
"Must be from Snuffles," Sirius had ordered Harry not to call him by his actual name when not around him.
Dear Harry, it read,
I'm at Moony's. He says his brother is working at Hogwarts; I knew Romulus at school and he's a spitting image of Moony. You'll like him. I've hooked up with some old schoolmates and friends of mine. Dumbledore's got us on big business, to big to say in case this letter gets in the wrong hands. Buckbeak's doing great, lots of stray rats out here. Say hi to Ron and Hermione for me.
Sirius.
"I wonder what kind of business," said Ron, who had been peering over Harry's shoulder at the letter.
"Dumbledore said something about Snuffles and Lupin getting the old crowd together,"Harry thought out loud. His friends took no notice.
"Harry, can I ask you something about the tournament?" Hermione said.
"Sure."
"In the graveyard, did You-Know-Who say anything about the Dementors?"
Harry could never forget,"He said that the Dementors would join them, that they were their natural allies, and that he would recall the banished giants."
"Recall them?" Hermione muttered and stood up,"I'm going to the library."
Ron gave a faint moan as Hermione exited,"Again. Doesn't she have a life?" Harry shrugged.
"Hullo, Harry!" a familiar voice chirped.
"Hullo, Parvati." Not noticing the annoyance in his voice, Parvati plopped down in the chair besid Harry and began talking nonstop. Harry cast a pleading look to Ron, who laughed.
"I...I've...I'm going to the Owlery," Harry said and stood.
"I'll come, there's nothing to do here," Parvati stood and followed Harry, leaving Ron grinning in amusement by the fire.
At the Owlery, a large, cold, stone room that housed thousands of owls, Harry pulled out a piece of parchment and began scribbling a letter to Sirius. Parvati stared blankly at the rows of owls.
Harry finished it with a flourish and looked around for Hedwig.
"Must be outside, crazy bird," he muttered, jogging around the circular chamber and straining to find his owl.
"You can use mine, Harry," Parvati called,"C'mere, Lakshmi." A large barn owl swooped down and expectantly stuck out her leg. Harry didn't object, and tied his letter to Lakshmi. She flew out the window into the cloudy sky. Parvati left immediatly, saying she was cold. But Harry stayed behind, staring up, hoping for Sirius.
* * *
"Welcome back to Hogwarts, all of you! I presume you are doing well?" Dumbledore leaned over his desk, his eyes twinkling at the group. Mundungus fidgeted, he never felt comfortable under that blue eyed gaze.
"Yes, Professor. Can I see Harry?" Sirius asked.
"I'd rather you not, I've my own reasons. Also, you four will be leaving within an hour or two, I don't think you'd have time anyways," Dumbledore smiled. Sirius sighed.
"Well, Professor, I must admit I'm incredibly interested as to why you've called us here," Arabella said,"And why us, in paticular."
Dumbledore's eyes roamed over each of them. Mundungus shifted in his seat, staring with wide eyes at the hardwood floor.
"You know about the Triwizard Tournament?"
"Yeah. An' about Ye-Know-'ho, too. I still can't believe 'e's back!" cried Mundungus, suddenly speaking up.
"Yes. You all have had experience against Dark Arts?"
"Not much, actually. What happened in our school years, and what Sirius and I have done, of course," Lupin said quietly,"We wouldn't have to deal with...them again?"
"I'm afraid you will be. You dealt well with them in your seventh year, as three great adult wizards and a talented witch, you should have no trouble now. You won't go near the giants, though, we've people on that."
"Good!" exclaimed Mundungus.
"But we'll need Romulus, if we're to deal with the other ones."
"He'll come into play in time, my dear Arabella, he will come into play in time."
* * *
"Why were you looking in the library last night?" Harry said causally to Hermione on their way to Defense Against the Dark Arts the next day. She had a way of finding out things that were increibly important early in the year, and the other two not notice them until last term, when it was usually too late.
"The giants were never with You-Know-Who. He can't recall them."
"So?" muttered Ron.
"So Madame Maxime and Hagrid will have a chance getting the giants on their side."
"Huh?"
"Ron, please! Last year Hagrid said they were going to be on business for Dumbldore! With You-Know-Who back and out to get the giants on his side, what else would they be doing but be keeping them with us!? Honestly, don't you think at all?" Hermione said this all in one breath.
Ron was about to say something back, but they had arrived at the classroom at that time. They jostled in and sat down.
The Ravenclaws, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigin, Lavender Brown, and Parvati Patil were already seated. Dean Thomas rushed in about a minute later, spitting out a string of curses worthy of Ron. Between the words Harry heard 'Peeves' and 'inkbottles'. Harry suddenly realized Dean's hair was speckled with black spots, as were his hands and face.
"Peeves getcha?" chortled Seamus.
"YES HE DID THAT LITTLE...," bellowed Dean. At that moment Romulus Lupin walked in.
"Sorry about that, Professor, Peeves spilled ink all over me and..," gasped Dean, realizing what he had just said.
"I don't blame you at all, when I went to school here Peeves played a similar trick. But I do advise against such language, one of the other professors may hear," Romulus said and set down his breifcase on the desk. Harry felt an odd sense of deja vu jitter down his spine. He could swear Remus Lupin was standing in front of him.
Romulus stood and faced the class,"If you are wondering, I am Remus Lupin's twin. He taught you two years ago, didn't he? Yes. Call me plain Lupin, none of this 'professor' stuff. I will treat you as equals, and I hope you do the same. I'll take roll call, and proceed with the lesson."
"He's almost like the other Lupin! I hope his lessons are as good!" Hermione whispered.
"My brother taught you these," Lupin said, pulling out a piece of parchment and squinting at it,"Boggarts, Red Caps, Hinkypunks, Grindylows, Kappas, and were...werewolves." His voice stumbled and rasped on the last word. The trio exchanged a quick glance.
"And last year you did curses. Well, there's only a bit more that I can teach you," Lupin pulled himself together and continued,"As you know, you've O.W.L.s this year. Most of it will be review, and I'll squeeze some more in between. Now, which of you have heard of Harpies?"
* * *
Several days past by uneventful.
The next Monday at breakfast, the owls flew in, as usual. Laskhmi landed on Parvati's shoulder, brandishing a letter. Forgetting that Laskhmi had just delivered Harry's mail, she opened it and began to read.
Across the table, Harry sat between Ron and Hermione, talking about the new Lupin.
With shaking hands Parvati rolled up the parchment and glanced at Harry. She slowly stood and went over to talk to him.
"Harry, can I have a private word?" Parvarti's tanned skin was pale.
Mystified, Harry agreed and left with her. Once they had passed through the Entrance Hall and gone up the marble staircase into one of the left-hand corridors, Parvati turned to Harry with the parchment.
"Laskhmi brought your letter back, she didn't deliver it," she murmered quietly.
"Please don't tell me you've read it."
"Harry," Parvati looked straight at him with her black eyes,"You've been writing to Sirius Black, haven't you?"
A/N: In the words of a fanfiction author, Mwa!Ha!Ha! What are Sirius & Co talking about? What'll happen now that Parvati knows about Sirius? Don't complain about the fact Parvati wouldn't be able to tell by a single letter that Harry's writing to Sirius, I'll spill in the next chapter.
All characters belong to J.K.Rowling. She made up the names, they're hers. Parvati is a Hindu goddess married to the god Shiva, and Lakshmi is yet another Hindu goddess. So I made her East-Indian. I have lived in India, and my friends there had these names, so I think this is how you spell them.