Chapter Four
Professor Bawer
The day after Angel's arrival, she was sitting at breakfast with Parvati Patil, Hermione, Lavender Brown, Ginny and a new Gryffindor, Lila Marsh. They were talking to each other about what lessons they were going to be having, and when, and Lavender, Hermione, Ginny and Parvati gave Lila and Angel the low down on some of the teachers.
"Professor Snape, the Potions teacher, always favours Slytherins! And looks for anyway to take points off Gryffindor, stay on the good side of him....and Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, he's really nice, despite the fact everyone likes to take the mick about his height." Lavender said.
"Uh-huh. And what about the Transfiguration teacher? That's one of the things I've been looking forward to most!" Lila squeak quietly, and she poured more sugar onto her porridge.
"Transfiguration, that's taught by McGonagall. She's a good teacher and all, but she's really strict! Cross her and you really know about it! And History, that's taught by Professor Binns, our only ghost teacher. History's a good time to get an extra nap in." Parvati grinned.
"Parvati!" Hermione exclaimed, astonished.
"Oh come on Hermione. We all know you're top of every class, but you can't go telling me you've never fallen asleep in one of his lessons." Parvati said in mock exasperation. Hermione blushed slight and said in a quiet voice:
"Maybe I've fallen asleep once or twice....." At this Angel burst out laughing.
"Something funny, Bless?" A cold voice said behind her. Angel turned round and saw Snape looking down at her. His face was hard, but there was something about his eyes that was different, usually they were cold, hard and full of hate, but now they had the smallest hint of fondness and warmth in them.
"No professor Snape. I was just talking to Hermione, Parvati and Lavender about what lessons we've got today. That's all." Angel smiled sweetly and looked at Snape, waiting for a reaction.
"Yes, well. Not so loud, eh?" He said and walked off to the end table. Black robes billowing behind him. Angel turned and looked at her colding bacon, suddenly losing her appetite.
"That, was amazing! Any of the other students had said that, a hundred points would be taken from our house and we'd be put in detention with Filch!" Ginny grinned.
"Huh...yeah." Angel said and shut her eyes.
When she'd looked at Snape, something, a distant memory had drifted into her mind. It was very blurred, but there was a young mans voice, pleading something to take her away and to protect her. Then more voices, and a scuffle as what ever she was on went off, her attached. She was brought out of her thought by the flutter of wings from above. The post had arrived. Fleet Wing fluttered down next to her and landed next to her plate, dropping three letters.
"Thank you Fleet Wing." Angel said fondly, and scratched the barn owl gently on the head, at which he nipped her hand affectionately and began eating the cold bacon. Angel opened the first letter. It was written in an untidy scrawl, in green ink. Angel read.
'Angel, as you're going to be having Care of Magical Creatures with me this afternoon, just after Defence Against the Dark Arts, I was wondering if I could borrow Sliver Mane and the other Unicorns? I may also need to Phoenixes as I'm planning to do a project concerning them. Send us your answer back, either with Harry's owl Hedwig, or Fleet.
Yours, Hagrid.'
Angel smiled as she re-read it. She took a golden eagle quill out of her bag and wrote on the back of the note:
'Sure thing Hagrid. Sliver Mane may not trust you....yet, so I'll bring him along. If that's OK with you. The Unicorns will trust you though. They've been taught to trust both men and women. So no worries there. About the Phoenixes, I'm not to sure. I'll have to ask Charm Master if his flock will agree. But other than that it's fine.
See you later, Angel.'
She refolded it and gave it to Fleet Wing to took off after eating the bacon and took off to Hagrid's hut.
"Who's Charm Master?" Hermione asked, who'd been watching Angel writing the note.
"The leader of my flock of Phoenixes. I'll have to ask him, I'm sure he'll agree though." Angel replied. She looked round at the weird looks she was getting from the four girls surrounding her. "What?"
"You can talk to Phoenixes?" Parvati said in awe.
"Yeah. Being a future ruler I was made to study different languages, so I could communicate with different species. But it turned out I could speak Unicate, Firename and Parsaltounge already." Angel smiled. "Unicate is Unicorn language, Firename if Phoenix language and Parsaltounge is the-"
"Ability to speak to snakes. We know. Harry's one." Ginny pointed out.
"Oh. OK." Angel said untying the other two letters. One from Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, just asking if she got to Hogwarts alright, and to keep him updated with all that was going on there. And the other her daily input of the Daily Prophet which she opened and began reading. Focusing in on the article about her entrance at Hogwarts, and her being there for her coronation.
Later, Angel, Ron, Hermione and Harry were making their way to Defence Against the Dark Arts when they bumped into Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode, who were on the way to the same lesson.
"Watch where you're going!" Ron snapped at Malfoy who looked at them with a look of disgust.
"Us? You ran into us Weasel. What, couldn't see where you were going because of Potters blinding ego?" Malfoy sneered.
"That the best you can come up with?" Angel muttered under her breath, and blocking a jelly legs spell from Millicent at the same time with a wave of her hand.
"Bulstrode!" Malfoy snapped. "Use magic when I say! Not before!" He scowled as Millicent backed off. Surprised, just like Goyle, Crabbe and Pansy.
"Excuse us please Malfoy. We're going to be late for our lesson." Hermione said, politely.
"Aw! Ickle Granger scared she's not going to be top of the class if she's late." Malfoy sniggered as they she stalked passed. "Mudblood." He muttered, thinking no one heard him.
"Malfoy. Could I have a word?" Snape's voice said from behind Angel. Ron's heart sank. He'd seen the whole thing. Even though it wasn't their fault, the Gryffindors would be getting the blame.
"Yes sir?" Malfoy asked.
"You just broke a school rule. No magic in the corridors. Five points from Slytherin thanks to you, and ten points off thanks to Miss Bulstrode. Now, I think that's quite enough damage done by you. All of you, to your lesson!" Snape said. He walked off to his lesson with everyone else staring at him. Ron and Harry's mouth's were open, out of surprise that they hadn't gotten in trouble and that he'd taken points off his own house. Malfoy and his friends mouths were almost on the floor because Snape, their Head of House and favourite teacher had just taken points away.
"I thought he was supposed to hate Gryffindors." Angel said to Harry and Ron.
"Me too!" Ron said still in awe.
"Hi Ron! Hi Harry....hi Angel." A voice said behind them. They all turned and saw Fred, George and their friend, Lee Jordan, smiling behind them.
"What happened?" George asked.
"Snape just took fifteen marks off Slytherin! Off Malfoy!" Ron replied grinning from ear to ear.
"No way!" Lee exclaimed and pushed them to explain. Angel was leaning on the wall, away from them, trying to ignore the questioning expression on Fred's face.
Yep. She hates me! I knew kissing her was pushing my luck! Fred thought. He smiled apologetically, to his surprise, Angel smiled back, shyly, but still, it was a start. She just about to say something when another voice appeared.
"You students! Get to your lessons now!" It was Professor McGonagall.
"Sorry Professor!" The group of them said in their own little way and walked off.
Harry, Ron and Angel appeared in Defence Against the Dark Arts a little late, but not so late that the Professor told them off. They sat at the back of the class next to Hermione and took out their books, quills and pieces of parchment.
"Where have you been?!" Hermione whispered harshly to Harry.
"Tell you later." Harry replied.
"Something to say Miss Granger? Mr Potter?" The teacher asked.
"No sir." Harry relied, looking like a startled bird.
"Good, good. Anything you do want to say, please share with the class." The teacher said and leaned on the desk. "Now, none of you would've met me, I am Professor Bawer, your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Now who can tell me what you have been learning so far." Professor Bawer asked looking at the class. He darted his beetle like eyes around the class and landed on Angel who was smoothing out her quill. "Ah, Miss Bless. Maybe you can tell us what a truly powerful Sorceress, such as your mother, would use to block a....lets start with an easy one first....a rictusempra charm, or better known as the tickling charm." He asked. But Angel was still concentrating on the words: 'a truly powerful Sorceress, such as your mother....' Professor Bawer had said.
"Y-you knew my mother?" Angel blurted out. There was a sniggering from in front of her. It was Malfoy Crabbe and Goyle. Angel shone the palm of her hand on their backs and mutter something under her breath which made the three of them begin itching themselves fiercely.
"Miss Bless! There was no need for you cast an itching charm. Although I do say they deserved it." Professor Bawer said.
"Please, sir. Can we go up to the hospital wing?!" Malfoy said in desperation.
"Yes, alright. Go all together." Professor Bawer said waving a hand to the door. Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle made their to the door, still scratching.
"Now, back to the matter of blocking any type of charm." Professor Bawer said clapping his hands and grinning at the class.
"You still haven't answered me! You said you knew my mother!" Angel blasted out. Everyone stared at her.
"No one would ever yell at a teacher." Lavender said to Seamus.
"Yeah. But she's a Princess isn't she. I guess she's allowed to give them a hard time." Seamus replied still staring. Professor Bawer stared at Angel who glared back. She was standing up and trying not to topple, as most of her weight was going onto her wrists.
"Princess, are you telling me you have never met your mother?" Professor Bawer asked in awe. Angel shook her head. the was a small gasp from a few people around her and someone, most likely Parvati whisper; 'Oh, the poor thing.' quietly. "Your Highness," Professor Bawer said bowing graciously to her, "if you would like to come back to the class room at the end of the day on Friday, I will be honoured to tell you what ever would you like to know about your mother. But for now, may we please get back to the subject of blocking charms." He finished. Angel nodded again and lowered herself into her seat.
By the end of the lesson all the class had written down everything to know about blocking a tickling charm, a jelly legs curse, and the spell which allowed you to conjure up a snake from your wand. The end of the lesson came and everyone packed away their things. Angel packed hers away more slowly and told Harry, Ron and Hermione she'd see them in Care of Magical Creature next. They all agreed and ran out the door. Angel picked up her bag and walked over to Professor Bawer who was swishing his wand back and fourth as the board cleaned itself.
"Err...Professor Bawer?" Angel said timidly.
"Yes Miss Bless?"
"What...how....when..." Angel trailed off.
"You want to know how I knew your mother?" Bawer said. Angel nodded. "I shan't tell you. You'll find out in your own time. All I will tell you, is that she was a very powerful and very well known Sorceress." Bawer told her. "Now go to your next lesson." Angel left and ran off to find Silver Mane.
"Where is she!? I asked 'err ta be 'ere with Silver Mane." Hagrid said to himself as the other students appeared.
"Hi Hagrid." Harry said. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, I asked Angel to bring Silver Mane down. I better tell you all what we're gonna be doin' this year." Hagrid said. "Well, It's gonna be nicer that last year, with the blast ended skwrets. Up to Christmas we'll be learnin' about Unicorns and Unigus. Unicorns crossed with Pegasus. So that's sumthin' that'll keep you all happy. And then, after that we'll be doin' a project on Phoenixes." Hagrid grinned under his shaggy beard. There were excited gasps from the class.
"Er...Hagrid. Where are you getting the animals from?" Hermione asked.
"Angel said she'd lend them to me. Can't pass up a chance like this." Hagrid replied.
"Where are the Unicorns?" Neville asked.
"They should be comin' along with Angel and Silver Mane." Hagrid replied. There was a sudden thunder of hooves and the heard of Unicorns came into sight. "Everyone back 'ere!" Hagrid bellowed, pulling students back against the wall of his hut. Angel passed over head riding on Silver Mane, who hovered in mid air. She whistled and flew on. The Unicorns followed Silver Mane and started a formation around the hut. Finally Silver Mane landed, the Unicorns cantered over and stopped behind him. Angel climbed off Silver Mane's back and patted his neck. She turned round when she heard applause from the students. She smiled and bowed, Silver Mane followed suit by kneeling on one of his front legs and bowing to the ground. The Unicorns copied.
"I knew you wouldn't let me down Angel." Hagrid beamed patting her back and nearly sending her flying. He went to rub Silver Manes nose who flinched back.
"Steady, steady." Angel utter into Silver Mane's ear quietly. Silver Mane calmed himself and allowed people to stroke him and neighed to the rest of the herd to allow the students to pat them as well.
"Well, since we've got Silver Mane 'ere and an expert on the 'ere too, maybe you could tell us a bit about Uniguses and the Unicorns." Hagrid grinned sitting on the ground. Angel smiled embarrassedly and pulled Silver Mane forward.
"I wouldn't say I was an expert, but I'll do my best Hagrid. Now everyone please sit down and I'll begin." Angel said. Everyone did as they were told and listened intently.
