Chapter One: Astronomical Boo-Boo's
It all started a week ago, at the beginning of the Easter break. No, it was not another Voldemort attack, but rather a pair of tickets to participate in an interactive wizarding infomercial audience, which belonged to Professor McGonagall.
How she came in possession of them was another long and interesting story. Back in February, Professor McGonagall had promised Professor Sinistra to go along with her to the show over the upcoming holiday. It was unknown to the students, but their Astronomy professor had a knack for wizard-style infomercials and telemarketing. During the summers, she would work as a telemarketer, owling possible clients with packets of information on new wizarding products.
Yes. Professor Sinistra had two loves. It was the other one that had landed her in the Hospital Wing for most of the rest of the term. During the new moon and the third week of March, Professor Sinistra had come up to the Astronomy tower to observe the stars, like most nights. She had carelessly forgotten the rare dangers attached to this practice during the new moon and the second week of any month with 'A' as the second letter of its name.
It was a great shame that the poor professor had ended up that way. In essence, she was alive, but nothing more than petrified. The only known cure was a very complicated potion containing a very rare Japanese magical herb. Determined to revive his Astronomy professor, Dumbeldore went to Japan to find an Herbologist who could bring her back.
Her name was Keiko. Her English was limited to a few words before she had taken a language potion. She only wore the most elegant Japanese robes made of silk. They were both simple and eloquently designed, conforming to her figure perfectly. She became known as an Asian Veela at Hogwarts.
The night Keiko arrived was very memorable. Maybe it was because rain was pounding on the castle, or because Fred and George Weasley had played one of the most memorable senior pranks on the poor foreign woman. Hagrid had gone to meet Keiko at Hogsmeade station earlier in the day. It was not until halfway through dinner that a loud knock at the front doors announced his return.
The great hall fell silence as Professors McGonagall and Dumbeldore swept down from the high table and disappeared into the great hall. A hushed whisper buzzed across the student tables.
Professor McGonagall pulled open the doors, immediately being met by a gush of wind and rain. The glowing torches lining the hall behind her dimly lit two figures. One of the figures was no doubt, Hagrid. He was several times the size of his companion.
"Ah, come in," Dumbledore directed.
Hagrid gestured for his companion to enter the castle ahead of him. She gingerly stepped into the hall. Hagrid followed quickly then heaved the door shut. Setting down a suitcase, he shook his body furiously like a dog, sending the rainwater everywhere.
"Hagrid!" cried Professor McGonagall. She looked down at her robes with a severe look of displease.
"Sorry Professor," Hagrid said cheerfully.
The young Japanese woman, Keiko, was as dry as if she had never set foot into the stormy night. She stuck a delicate sallow hand into her cloak, pulling out two small purple beans for Dumbledore to see, explaining how she had stayed dry.
"Ah!" Dumbledore replied.
"She wanted to give 'em to me," Hagrid said, regarding the beans.
"Ah," repeated Dumbledore. "Hydro repelling beans, quite useful for nights such as these," he commented.
"A little rain ne'er killed anyone," Hagrid stated.
"I beg to differ," challenged Professor McGonagall.
"That will do," Dumbeldore said sharply. He turned to Keiko and took her hand.
"Dum-bel-dore," she enunciated, as if she had spent hours in front of a mirror trying to say it.
And then Dumbledore did something rather strange. He began to speak fluently in Keiko's native language, Japanese. Both Hagrid and Professor McGonagall were astounded for a few seconds. There were powerful spells and potions that could enhance one's ability to pick up a foreign language. Dumbeldore has obviously done this on his two-week trip to Japan. Leave it to the most powerful wizard in the world to learn every language—human and magical.
"Sore wa himitsu desu," she laughed.
"What?" questioned Professor McGonagall.
"I was just telling our guest about Professor Sinistra."
"Er, Professor…" McGonagall responded.
Dumbeldore held up a bony, crooked finger, signaling to give them a moment, and then began conversing in rapid Japanese again.
A moment later, Dumbeldore turned to his teachers and spoke in English again. "Minerva, please take Ms. Keiko to the staff table and help her find something to eat. Also, inform Professor Snape that he is to bring the language potion to my office tonight."
"Certainly, headmaster," replied McGonagall.
"And me, sir?" Hagrid asked.
"You have done quite a lot for our guest today, Hagrid," he replied. As they were all turning to go, Dumbledore addressed the half-giant again. "On second thought, Hagrid, would you be kind enough to take Keiko's luggage up to her room?"
"I'd be glad 'ter help," replied Hagrid. He lifted the suitcase as if it were no heavier than a bag of feathers, and ascended up the marble staircase, quickly disappearing into the upper floors of the Hogwarts Castle.
Dumbledore gave a rare smile, something that had been missing since Voldemort's return the previous year. The blue of his eye twinkled as he bid Keiko farewell in Japanese, and promised to see her later on. Having already finished dinner, Dumbledore set out for his office.
"Come this way," Professor McGonagall said, forgetting that the guest spoke practically no English. The small Asian woman shook her head, she didn't understand. Her long silky black hair swayed as she did this. She was really quite a beauty.
Unable to communicate any other way, Professor McGonagall took Keiko's hand and began dragging her toward the great hall. As they entered, the hall became pin-drop silent. There were too many pairs of eyes upon them to try and count.
Minerva supposed that the stares were normal. Keiko reminded her of a part-veela student from France that Hogwarts had played host to for an entire year. Hogwarts students—boys would trip over themselves in the hallways when they saw her. Fleur was her name.
Directing the woman to the high table, Professor McGonagall pointed at Professor Sinistra's empty seat, and sighed heavily. She pulled out her wand to make an announcement to the entire hall.
Keiko looked awkwardly at the English food, not quite sure what to take, or what it would taste like. She had gone to extremes in avoiding the funny looking food on her trip from Britain. Apparating internationally beyond Asia was prohibited in Japan, so Keiko had to travel via a long-distance port key, set up in advance. The other end placed her in the Japanese Wizarding Embassy in London, England. From there, she was put on a train to Hogsmeade Village, and was picked up by the largest man she had ever seen in her life. The Western world was certainly a strange place.
Dumbledore, as he was called, was a powerful Wizard. He offered Keiko an opportunity to work in Britain, something that was very rare for Japanese. Being a woman made Keiko's talents put to waste. All her mother had ever wanted was for her to marry a rich Wizard and take care of a family. Leaving Japan had been one of the hardest things she had ever done. And now she knew that the woman she was going to help revive was obsessed with wizarding telemarketing. What an odd secret.
And then the older woman from the entrance began speaking loudly in English. Keiko did not understand a word of it, but could feel the burn of the young British students looking upon her.
"…And I hope that all of you will find it in you to make our guest as welcome as you made the foreign students feel last year. Ms. Keiko will have very important work to look after this term, and it is essential that you let her do this work, to revive our dear Professor Sinistra. Mark my words… if but one of you does anything to make Ms. Keiko feel unwelcome, they will be in severe trouble. Have I made myself clear?"
Within a few minutes, the great hall was filled with the usual buzz of conversation and clatter of fallen silverware. McGonagall and Snape excused themselves to finish preparing the language potion.
Watching them leave, wearing identical rouge grins, were Fred and George Weasley. They turned their attentions back to Keiko, who was bewilderedly watching the enchanted ceiling.
"I think its time to test the…" George started.
"Say no more, my brother," laughed Fred.
"Would you like the honor?" the other brother asked.
"Only if you perform the…" he whispered something into George's ear. Both boys flushed a little and laughed.
"What are you two up two?" asked Harry Potter, reaching for a basket of rolls, looking quite suspiciously upon his best friend's brothers.
"Nothing," they said simultaneously. Harry knew that 'nothing' was not going on. Perhaps he was hoping for a good laugh, or just knew not to meddle with the twin's twisted gimmicks, but he let it go. He vowed to keep half an eye on them for the rest of the meal, though.
Ten minutes later, Fred nodded his head and pulled his wand from his robes. Under the table, he pointed the wand at the ceiling and began chanting a complicated incantation. For concentration purposes, he closed his eyes.
Making sure no one was looking, George uncovered his wand, and began
whispering another spell, which clearly included the name 'Keiko.'
The Gryffindors were too eagerly discussing the new guest or the upcoming
Gryffindor vs. Slytherin match to notice that their two biggest troublemakers
were casting powerful spells.