Harry Potter and the Wizard's Grandaughter
Disclaimers: I don't own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling and Scholastic do.
I do, however, own Olivia Gardener and Professor Trait.
Harry felt his stomach flip-flop as the train started to flip over, and
down thousands of feet into a valley.
There was a glow of red light outside, and Harry faintly heard someone, above
the screams and yells of fellow students, yell out a spell.
Suddenly, the train righted itself without warning.
The lights all crackled and went out. There was a few moments of silence.
"Is everyone alright?" Harry's voice cracked a bit. He still felt a bit
woozy from the sensation of almost falling. He stood up, and shifted his weight,
trying to see if the car was stable once more.
"I'm Ok," Ron said. "Grabbed onto the chair just in time. Hermione?"
"I think I bruised my arm," she admitted. She still sounded frightened.
"Olivia?"
There was no answer.
After about five minutes, the lights came back on. A second later, the door
to their compartment opened, and Olivia entered, followed by a woman who
looked to be in her thirties.
"Are you all alright?" The woman asked, her hand on Olivia's shoulder.
"We're fine," Harry said, watching Olivia. "Where did you go?"
Olivia bit her lip. "When the lights went out, I tried to find a teacher
or someone to help," she said. Her face was very, very pale, and her wide blue
eyes once again reminded Harry of something, he couldn't remember what.
And even after the woman had left, and the train was moving once more,
Olivia wouldn't explain any more.
As they arrived at the castle, Olivia tapped Harry on the shoulder. "Please,"
she whispered, "please don't... don't talk about the fact that I'm an exchange
student. I don't want to have to answer a lot of questions."
Harry stared at her blue eyes, beggging him. He hadn't really gotten to know
her very well yet. However, she was acting like they were best friends already.
"I won't," Harry found himself saying.
"Good."
The atmosphere around Hogwarts was different that year. It was cold, and a
thick mist rose up over the lake, which did nothing to comfort the nervous first
years climbing into boats. Harry suddenly noticed that Hagrid wasn't leading them;
Professor McGonagall was the one directing them into the boats.
Once they arrived at hte castle, and clambered into the Great Hall, they noticed that
the atmosphere was more than damp; it was gloomy. Even though Harry had begun to feel
that Hogwarts was his home, the cold stone walls looked very foreboding and terrible.
Olivia was hanging onto his sleeve, looking very worried. The four of them sat at the Gryffindor
table.
Harry's eyes traveled down the table, noting the abscence of some of his good friends.
Both of Ron's older brothers were gone, as was Oliver Wood, the Quidditch Captain, and
two of the team's Chasers. Seamus Finnigan was siting next to Olivia; he gave her an
appreciative look, and she cast a helpless glance at Harry.
"This is Olivia Gardener," Harry said, "and that's Seamus Finnigan."
"Nice to meet you, are you a fourth year?" Seamus asked.
"Yes," Olivia said, "but I'm ahead of my class, so I'll probably be taking classes with the
fifth years."
"Oh, good!"
Harry gave her a questioning glance. She shook her head, and bent over.
"Attention students." A voice suddenly cut through the noisy chatter. Everyone looked up,
expecting to see Professor Dumbledore standing on the platform.
A jolt went through Harry as he realized that the man standing there was not Dumbledore;
it was Cornelius Fudge.
"Yes, students," Fudge said nervously. "Welcome back to Hogwarts. The Ministry has seen fit
to make a few changes in the way this school has been run, due to some of the," he cleared his
throat, "suspicious incidents that occurred last year." The Minister of Magic carefully did
not look at Harry. "I shall be taking over as Headmaster. Also, some of your teachers have
been replaced. Professor Grubbly-Plank shall be teaching Care of Magical Creatures. The new
teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts shall be Professor Trait. And Professor Snape shall
share his teaching duties with Professor Bakana." Three teachers, one of which, Grubbly-Plank,
Harry recognized from last year, stood, and nodded to the students. Professor Trait was the lady
from the train, in her mid-thirties, with a pleasant smile. Professor Bakana was an Asian man,
who gave a half-bow to the students.
"But where's Hagrid?" Harry asked his friends in a whisper.
"D'you- d'you think Fudge *fired* them?" Ron asked, also keeping his voice down.
"I dunno," Harry replied, staring up at the Minister.
"Now, the sorting shall begin. Be prepared to welcome your new fellow classmates, houses. I expect
nothing but the best behavior from all of you this year. I hope you will not disappoint me."
As Fudge walked of the stage, Harry noticed Olivia's eyes were narrowed, and she stare after the Minister with hatred. Harry could almost understand how she felt: he, too, was angry.
In the next few days, Harry began to see for the first time just how weird this year at Hogwarts
was going to be.
The new potions teacher didn't really interfere with Snape's lessons. He just sat back and watched.
Snape, however, seemed much less inclined to torture students under Bakana's black glare. In fact,
Snape didn't even take roll call. Olivia seemed a bit nervous as his evil look passed over her, but other
than that, class was normal. This year they seemed to be studying potions that would physically
affect those who drank it. First they started with a potion that would change anything that drank it
into a pig. Apparently, Snape had wanted to test it on some of the students, but Bakana instead held
up a cage of white mice. Soon, there were bright white pigs running all about. Neville's pig still had
round ears and whiskers, but Snape overlooked it. Olivia didn't have any problem with the potions.
Grubbly-Plank's class, though not nearly as interesting as Hagrid's had been, were much safer. They
started out by reading a whole chapter on the Sphinx, and its habitat. Harry, who had encountered a
Sphinx only the previous year, was interested in this, but wished that Hagrid was back.
In a close conference with Hermione and Ron the first night, they had decided that Dumbledore was probably
taking care of things. Even with Fudge's attempts at what he called protecting the school, they would
find a way to get Dumbledore and Hagrid back.
Olivia was annoying, Harry decided the second Saturday after they arrived. Whenever he tried to do anything
with Ron and Hermione, Olivia was always there too. She didn't really have any other friends, and clung
to the three of them.
However, having Olivia with him did have its advantages.
Earlier that day, between classes, he had walked into the common room to find Olivia laying pillows in
different parts of the room. She smiled up at him, and held up her hand for him to stop.
Just seconds later, Neville came into the room, carrying a pile of books, on top of which sat Trevor the
toad. He tripped on his untied shoelaces in the doorway, and fell to the floor, his chin hitting one of
Olivia's conveniently placed pillows. Trevor flew through the air, and also landed on a pillow only ten
feet away.
"I can see about thirty seconds into the future sometimes," Olivia explained later. Harry learned to appreciate
this ability when several times she saved him from being late for class by steering him away from Peeves,
or reminding him of trick stairs that he sometimes missed. Olivia herself seemed to be having fun at Hogwarts,
and even earned some points for Gryffindor before the month was out.
In Professor McGonagall's first class, they started learning how to transfigure people. The professor warned them
that they were not to practice this ability outside of class, and that they would be suspended if they were
caught abusing these spells. Then, she turned Lavendar into a cat.
Lavendar made a very nice cat, lilac colored with light pink stripes. In a few seconds, McGonagall changed her
back, but the class was impressed.
However, they had to study the theory of Human Transfiguration first. While McGonagall was writing on the board,
Harry noticed that Olivia was staring at her book, eyes unfocused. A moment later, she quietly stood up and
left the classroom.
McGonagall turned around just in time to see Olivia's retreating back. The professor bit her lip, then said quietly,
"Students, I have something to tell you."
They all looked up at her at her worried tone. She stared hard at each of them. "This information must never, ever
be repeated outside of this classroom." She sighed, dropped the piece of chalk she had been holding, and sat
on her desk. "You have noticed that things have changed around here quite a bit this year. Well, despite these changes,"
here she looked very hard at each of the students again, before continuing, "there is a saboteur here at Hogwarts. You
all remember the near-disaster on the Hogwarts train?" Everyone nodded, and she continued. "Well, someone here is
trying to hurt some of the students at Hogwarts. We don't yet know who, or why, but be assured that Professor Dumbledore
knows everything that is going on here, and as long as you all keep your eyes open and your mouths shut, no one will
be endagered." She sighed. "You are the only class I have shared this with. I should warn you that if Fudge gets wind
that I told you this, I'll probably be fired as well, and you might be in even more danger than before."
Abruptly, she turned back to the blackboard. "Now, I want a report on what we covered today, three feet long, to be
handed in next week," she said, in her normal tone.
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. They definitely had something to talk about now.
"So, d'you think she was serious?" Ron asked as they walked along the hallway. Hermione, being the shortest of the three,
had to trot to stay abreast with Harry and Ron.
"Of course she was," Hermione snapped, waving a hand. "She wouldn't joke around about something so important."
"Hey guys!" Olivia called out. Harry groaned inwardly as the tiny girl walked towards them. "What's wrong?"
"Where were you during McGonagall's class?" Harry asked, suddenly remembering that she had left just before the teacher's
announcement.
Olivia fidgeted, looking nervous. "I suddenly realized that I had left my books in the library," she said, hesitantly,
"and I ran to get them. By the time I got back, class was over."
"What's our next class?" Hermione asked.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts, with Professor Trait," Ron said immediately. "Can't wait to see what she's like."
"I've got to get my books from the common room," Hermione said.
Olivia started to say something, then decided against it, but Harry saw that she had gone white. Her freckles stood
out against her skin, and her eyes were wide. The four walked over to the common room.
There were bunches of students in the common room, both studying and gathering books. But as soon as Harry and the other
walked into the room, they noticed the terrible smell. It was like something was rotting, only worse.
"What is that stench?" Harry asked, looking around.
"I don't know," Hermione said, pulling her robes up over her face, "but it's terrible!"
Suddenly, there was an ear-piercing shriek from the girl's dormitory, and a frightened Parvati Patil came rushing
down the stairs, screaming. "There's a dead troll in the dormitory!" She shrieked.
Disclaimers: I don't own Harry Potter. J.K. Rowling and Scholastic do.
I do, however, own Olivia Gardener and Professor Trait.
Harry felt his stomach flip-flop as the train started to flip over, and
down thousands of feet into a valley.
There was a glow of red light outside, and Harry faintly heard someone, above
the screams and yells of fellow students, yell out a spell.
Suddenly, the train righted itself without warning.
The lights all crackled and went out. There was a few moments of silence.
"Is everyone alright?" Harry's voice cracked a bit. He still felt a bit
woozy from the sensation of almost falling. He stood up, and shifted his weight,
trying to see if the car was stable once more.
"I'm Ok," Ron said. "Grabbed onto the chair just in time. Hermione?"
"I think I bruised my arm," she admitted. She still sounded frightened.
"Olivia?"
There was no answer.
After about five minutes, the lights came back on. A second later, the door
to their compartment opened, and Olivia entered, followed by a woman who
looked to be in her thirties.
"Are you all alright?" The woman asked, her hand on Olivia's shoulder.
"We're fine," Harry said, watching Olivia. "Where did you go?"
Olivia bit her lip. "When the lights went out, I tried to find a teacher
or someone to help," she said. Her face was very, very pale, and her wide blue
eyes once again reminded Harry of something, he couldn't remember what.
And even after the woman had left, and the train was moving once more,
Olivia wouldn't explain any more.
As they arrived at the castle, Olivia tapped Harry on the shoulder. "Please,"
she whispered, "please don't... don't talk about the fact that I'm an exchange
student. I don't want to have to answer a lot of questions."
Harry stared at her blue eyes, beggging him. He hadn't really gotten to know
her very well yet. However, she was acting like they were best friends already.
"I won't," Harry found himself saying.
"Good."
The atmosphere around Hogwarts was different that year. It was cold, and a
thick mist rose up over the lake, which did nothing to comfort the nervous first
years climbing into boats. Harry suddenly noticed that Hagrid wasn't leading them;
Professor McGonagall was the one directing them into the boats.
Once they arrived at hte castle, and clambered into the Great Hall, they noticed that
the atmosphere was more than damp; it was gloomy. Even though Harry had begun to feel
that Hogwarts was his home, the cold stone walls looked very foreboding and terrible.
Olivia was hanging onto his sleeve, looking very worried. The four of them sat at the Gryffindor
table.
Harry's eyes traveled down the table, noting the abscence of some of his good friends.
Both of Ron's older brothers were gone, as was Oliver Wood, the Quidditch Captain, and
two of the team's Chasers. Seamus Finnigan was siting next to Olivia; he gave her an
appreciative look, and she cast a helpless glance at Harry.
"This is Olivia Gardener," Harry said, "and that's Seamus Finnigan."
"Nice to meet you, are you a fourth year?" Seamus asked.
"Yes," Olivia said, "but I'm ahead of my class, so I'll probably be taking classes with the
fifth years."
"Oh, good!"
Harry gave her a questioning glance. She shook her head, and bent over.
"Attention students." A voice suddenly cut through the noisy chatter. Everyone looked up,
expecting to see Professor Dumbledore standing on the platform.
A jolt went through Harry as he realized that the man standing there was not Dumbledore;
it was Cornelius Fudge.
"Yes, students," Fudge said nervously. "Welcome back to Hogwarts. The Ministry has seen fit
to make a few changes in the way this school has been run, due to some of the," he cleared his
throat, "suspicious incidents that occurred last year." The Minister of Magic carefully did
not look at Harry. "I shall be taking over as Headmaster. Also, some of your teachers have
been replaced. Professor Grubbly-Plank shall be teaching Care of Magical Creatures. The new
teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts shall be Professor Trait. And Professor Snape shall
share his teaching duties with Professor Bakana." Three teachers, one of which, Grubbly-Plank,
Harry recognized from last year, stood, and nodded to the students. Professor Trait was the lady
from the train, in her mid-thirties, with a pleasant smile. Professor Bakana was an Asian man,
who gave a half-bow to the students.
"But where's Hagrid?" Harry asked his friends in a whisper.
"D'you- d'you think Fudge *fired* them?" Ron asked, also keeping his voice down.
"I dunno," Harry replied, staring up at the Minister.
"Now, the sorting shall begin. Be prepared to welcome your new fellow classmates, houses. I expect
nothing but the best behavior from all of you this year. I hope you will not disappoint me."
As Fudge walked of the stage, Harry noticed Olivia's eyes were narrowed, and she stare after the Minister with hatred. Harry could almost understand how she felt: he, too, was angry.
In the next few days, Harry began to see for the first time just how weird this year at Hogwarts
was going to be.
The new potions teacher didn't really interfere with Snape's lessons. He just sat back and watched.
Snape, however, seemed much less inclined to torture students under Bakana's black glare. In fact,
Snape didn't even take roll call. Olivia seemed a bit nervous as his evil look passed over her, but other
than that, class was normal. This year they seemed to be studying potions that would physically
affect those who drank it. First they started with a potion that would change anything that drank it
into a pig. Apparently, Snape had wanted to test it on some of the students, but Bakana instead held
up a cage of white mice. Soon, there were bright white pigs running all about. Neville's pig still had
round ears and whiskers, but Snape overlooked it. Olivia didn't have any problem with the potions.
Grubbly-Plank's class, though not nearly as interesting as Hagrid's had been, were much safer. They
started out by reading a whole chapter on the Sphinx, and its habitat. Harry, who had encountered a
Sphinx only the previous year, was interested in this, but wished that Hagrid was back.
In a close conference with Hermione and Ron the first night, they had decided that Dumbledore was probably
taking care of things. Even with Fudge's attempts at what he called protecting the school, they would
find a way to get Dumbledore and Hagrid back.
Olivia was annoying, Harry decided the second Saturday after they arrived. Whenever he tried to do anything
with Ron and Hermione, Olivia was always there too. She didn't really have any other friends, and clung
to the three of them.
However, having Olivia with him did have its advantages.
Earlier that day, between classes, he had walked into the common room to find Olivia laying pillows in
different parts of the room. She smiled up at him, and held up her hand for him to stop.
Just seconds later, Neville came into the room, carrying a pile of books, on top of which sat Trevor the
toad. He tripped on his untied shoelaces in the doorway, and fell to the floor, his chin hitting one of
Olivia's conveniently placed pillows. Trevor flew through the air, and also landed on a pillow only ten
feet away.
"I can see about thirty seconds into the future sometimes," Olivia explained later. Harry learned to appreciate
this ability when several times she saved him from being late for class by steering him away from Peeves,
or reminding him of trick stairs that he sometimes missed. Olivia herself seemed to be having fun at Hogwarts,
and even earned some points for Gryffindor before the month was out.
In Professor McGonagall's first class, they started learning how to transfigure people. The professor warned them
that they were not to practice this ability outside of class, and that they would be suspended if they were
caught abusing these spells. Then, she turned Lavendar into a cat.
Lavendar made a very nice cat, lilac colored with light pink stripes. In a few seconds, McGonagall changed her
back, but the class was impressed.
However, they had to study the theory of Human Transfiguration first. While McGonagall was writing on the board,
Harry noticed that Olivia was staring at her book, eyes unfocused. A moment later, she quietly stood up and
left the classroom.
McGonagall turned around just in time to see Olivia's retreating back. The professor bit her lip, then said quietly,
"Students, I have something to tell you."
They all looked up at her at her worried tone. She stared hard at each of them. "This information must never, ever
be repeated outside of this classroom." She sighed, dropped the piece of chalk she had been holding, and sat
on her desk. "You have noticed that things have changed around here quite a bit this year. Well, despite these changes,"
here she looked very hard at each of the students again, before continuing, "there is a saboteur here at Hogwarts. You
all remember the near-disaster on the Hogwarts train?" Everyone nodded, and she continued. "Well, someone here is
trying to hurt some of the students at Hogwarts. We don't yet know who, or why, but be assured that Professor Dumbledore
knows everything that is going on here, and as long as you all keep your eyes open and your mouths shut, no one will
be endagered." She sighed. "You are the only class I have shared this with. I should warn you that if Fudge gets wind
that I told you this, I'll probably be fired as well, and you might be in even more danger than before."
Abruptly, she turned back to the blackboard. "Now, I want a report on what we covered today, three feet long, to be
handed in next week," she said, in her normal tone.
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged glances. They definitely had something to talk about now.
"So, d'you think she was serious?" Ron asked as they walked along the hallway. Hermione, being the shortest of the three,
had to trot to stay abreast with Harry and Ron.
"Of course she was," Hermione snapped, waving a hand. "She wouldn't joke around about something so important."
"Hey guys!" Olivia called out. Harry groaned inwardly as the tiny girl walked towards them. "What's wrong?"
"Where were you during McGonagall's class?" Harry asked, suddenly remembering that she had left just before the teacher's
announcement.
Olivia fidgeted, looking nervous. "I suddenly realized that I had left my books in the library," she said, hesitantly,
"and I ran to get them. By the time I got back, class was over."
"What's our next class?" Hermione asked.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts, with Professor Trait," Ron said immediately. "Can't wait to see what she's like."
"I've got to get my books from the common room," Hermione said.
Olivia started to say something, then decided against it, but Harry saw that she had gone white. Her freckles stood
out against her skin, and her eyes were wide. The four walked over to the common room.
There were bunches of students in the common room, both studying and gathering books. But as soon as Harry and the other
walked into the room, they noticed the terrible smell. It was like something was rotting, only worse.
"What is that stench?" Harry asked, looking around.
"I don't know," Hermione said, pulling her robes up over her face, "but it's terrible!"
Suddenly, there was an ear-piercing shriek from the girl's dormitory, and a frightened Parvati Patil came rushing
down the stairs, screaming. "There's a dead troll in the dormitory!" She shrieked.