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HARRY POTTER AND THE STAFF OF MERLIN

PART 8

A/N Hi everybody. Sorry for the long absence, but it was the end of term and I had finals I had to study for. They are finished now, so expect these to be up fairly frequently. Please Review when you're finished reading, I'd love to hear some more feedback on this story.

"Professor, could you please drive like a normal person!"

Harry and Hermione were in a blue Ford Taurus currently being driven by Professor Lupin, who looked as if he hadn't driven in years.

"Sorry, but this transmission is just so jumpy I can't help it."

"Ya, sure, it has nothing to do with the fact that you're a horrible driver?"

"Would you rather be with Sirius," Remus asked. "He drives like a crazed maniac! I've never been in a car with him that's been going under fifty. And when he drives his motorcycle!" As he said this, he was looking back at Harry and Hermione in the back seat.

"Dog!" Remus had to swerve of the side of the road to avoid hitting a dog in the middle of the road.

"Dammit! What kind of moron would let their dog run wild through the streets?"

"Maybe the same kind of moron that would have a mailbox next to their driveway?"

"Okay, that's enough Harry. Who's going to win the Quidditch World Cup this year?"

Harry and Professor Lupin started talking about quidditch, and Hermione phased out at once. Being around Harry and Ron so much had trained her well. She started thinking about the trip that they would be on. All she really knew was that they were going to Murmansk for some kind of meeting at a Russian school of magic. She had the distinct feeling that there was something that Professor Dumbledore wasn't telling them, but she had kept her suspicions to herself. If Professor Dumbledore thought it was best that they were in the dark, then he was probably right.

What she didn't quite understand was why they had to go disguised as muggles. Sure, Voldemort was after them, but what else was new? She didn't see how it would be any different than just taking floo powder or teaching them how to apparate.

"Earth to Hermione, anyone home?"

"Shut up Harry, I was thinking. Something that you should try once in a while."

"Personally, I don't really see the point. Its really a lot more fun not thinking, and if I need something done then you're always around to think for me."

"It wouldn't hurt to try once in a while, although in your case it probably would. Its okay Harry, we smart people understand that you have a limited capacity and it hurts you to think."

"At least I can ride a broomstick."

"Is that really something to be proud of?"

"Um, yeah, I think. Is it?"

"Oh, Harry, you get so funny looking when you attempt to think."

Professor Lupin had to jump in. "Hermione, that's enough picking on Harry just because he's not as bright as the rest of us."

"Hey!"

"But Professor, it's so much fun. Not to mention easy."

"Stop it!"

"Now Hermione, just because Harry isn't quite normal-"

"Tree!" Remus swerved the car back onto the road just in time to narrowly miss a large oak, just missing a pickup. The driver flipped him off, bringing a "Go back to New Jersey" from Remus.


"First of all, I'm not stupid. Second, at least I can stay on the road when I drive." Harry was starting to look frustrated.

"Were sorry Harry, were only joking," said Remus. This made Harry feel better, although he thought he heard Hermione mumbling over in her seat.

"So, Professor, can you tell us why we're going over to Russia yet?"

"Sorry Harry, don't know myself. However, you must remember that you two are the premier students at Hogwarts right now, both powerful and smart, although Harry may lack the common sense of the normal human," Remus was completely turned around now, not watching the road. "They may want you to-"

"CAR!" screamed Hermione. Professor Lupin had been driving on the wrong side of the road, and had to go over into a ditch to avoid hitting a large eighteen wheeler.


"God Dammit! Freakin' muggles can't make a car that drives itself!" was Remus' only response to that as he slowly got out of the car. "I mean, gosh darnit. Silly muggles can't make a car that drives it self. Help me get it out."

After much exertion by Harry and Remus, they finally pushed the car out of the ditch and back onto the road.

"Now, Professor, the key to driving is usually to keep your eyes on the road."

"Be quiet."


******************************

Two of the scariest hours of Hermione's life later, all three were ready to board flight 214 of British Airlines. Harry and Professor Remus had never seen an airport before and were taking in the sights. Hermione, having been in airports rather frequently, stood laughing at their antics as they watched a 747 taking off.

When they boarded they found that Professor Dumbledore hadn't exactly gone all out in getting them tickets, as they were in a very crowded coach section. Harry sat next to the window, with Hermione on his left and Professor Lupin on the aisle.

"Hermione, are you sure that this thing is safe?"

"It's perfectly fine Harry. They say that you're more likely to get killed on your way to the airport then when flying."

"Maybe with Professor Lupin driving, but I mean normally."

"Harry, I've been on planes plenty of times and I'm still sitting here next to you, aren't I?"

"Yes, but still-" Harry gave a jump as the plane started. "What the hell was that!"

"That would be the plane's engine starting. Honestly Harry, calm down. What do you want me to do, hold your hand?"

"YES!" Harry grabbed her hand and started squeezing it really hard. "Hermione, I don't like this."

"Easy Harry, we're only taxiing onto the runway. Wait until we take off, then you can be scared."

The plane started slowly down the runway, then picked up speed. Harry was squeezing Hermione's hand so hard it hurt. As they took off, he gave up and buried his head in her sweatshirt, sweating profusely.

"Who would have thought, Harry Potter, scared of flying. Wait until everyone at Hogwarts here's about this."

Harry took his head out of Hermione's sweatshirt long enough to tell her to shut up, then went back in.

"Joking Harry! I won't tell anyone that you're deadly afraid of flying, even though it is very funny. Get your hand away from there!"

It didn't seem as if Harry heard this last part, because he was too busy running towards the bathroom at the back of the plane.

***************************

Half an hour later, Harry was still in the bathroom and Hermione was starting to get worried about him.

"Professor, can you go check on Harry? He's been in there for more than half an hour now."

"Fine, I'll be right back."

A few minutes later he came back shaking his head.

"He says that he's fine except for the fact that he's puking his guts out. And he say's that it's not funny."

Another fifteen minutes went by, and still Harry hadn't returned from the bathroom. Hermione finally gave up and decided to head back and check on him.

Knocking on the door, she received no answer.

"Harry, are you all right?"

"Just fine and dandy, thank you very much. Oh, I wish I hadn't eaten that slice of pizza right about now."

"That's disgusting."

"Well excuse me, I'm a little too sick of my ass to think of a good joke right now."


"Are you sure you're okay."

"NO! How many times are we going to establish this fact?"'

"Open the door!"

"No!"

"Open it!"

"Why?"

"Because I said so!"

"That's not a good reason!"

"Oh yes it is, because I'll beat you if you don't."

"No."

Hermione sighed, giving up. She waited a minute in silence, then looked around to make sure that nobody was watching her. Taking out her wand, she pointed it at the door and whispered "Alomaha". The door swung open, and she went in and closed it again before Harry had a chance to move. She found him sitting on the floor with his shirt off, drenched in sweat.

"Why are you sitting on the floor?"

"Do you have a better place to sit?"

"Maybe you should stand, ever think of that one, Einstein?"

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm NOT EXACTLY IN THE BEST OF HEALTH RIGHT NOW!"

"Sorrrrrrry!"

"I'm sorry Hermione, it's just that I feel like shit."

"Its okay. Why do you have your shirt off?"

"Because it's burning up in here! How the hell can you be wearing a sweatshirt?"

"It's freezing in here!"

"Liar."

"I'm not a-"

She didn't get to finish, because she was knocked up against the wall by a sudden jolt from the plane. There were two more in quick succession, and then the intercom came on.

"Sorry for the interruption, but we seem to have hit a touch of turbulence. Please fasten your seat belts and we should be through this in a minute. That is all."

The plane jerked again.

"WE'RE ALL GOING TO DIE!"

"Shut up Harry, this is normal!"

"Yea, I've heard that one before."

The plane shook violently, knocking Hermione over and on top of Harry.

"Hermione, get off me!"

"Why," she asked, looking a little hurt.

"BECAUSE I'M GONNA PUKE."


"Oh, you could have just said something." Hermione reluctantly got off him and turned the other way while Harry retched into the toilet.

The turbulence halted finally, and Hermione slowly pulled herself up. Harry fell back and lay on the floor of the small bathroom.

"Harry, get up. That can't be very sanitary."

"Does it really look like I care?"

"You should! You get a free vacation to Russia and if you want to spend it sick all the time, then go ahead, keep laying on the floor."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm already sick."

"Do you have any clue how many germs are on that floor?"

"Do you have any clue how much I DON'T CARE!"

"Get up. NOW!"

"Fine, I'm getting up." Very slowly Harry pulled himself up, and, looking worse for wear, stood up and leaned against the wall.

"Now follow me out back to the seats."

*****************************

Five hours later, the plane set down gently in Murmansk, to the delight of Harry. They went through customs as quickly as possible, then picked up their luggage. Not really knowing what to do next, they stood near the terminal and waited. Finally, a large man wearing a suit came up to them.

"Remus, is that really you?"

"Banan, how are you doing, you old dog?"

"Besides this horrible weather, just fine. Stupid Russia has to have cold summers. How about you?"

"I'm great, working on a new project for the group. Here, I'd like you to meet two of my former students, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter."

"Nice to meet you. I used to work with your Professor in Aragon, banishing hags. Hey, did he tell you about that time that he got fired for missing a banshee, so he went back in that night and put a curse on all the dishes so that-"

"No, actually they don't know that one, Banan." Remus gave him a sharp look, which Banan returned with a smile.

"Anyway, Professor Rostov wants me to escort you directly to the castle, so we shouldn't wait long. What's this visit for, anyway? He wouldn't tell me."

"Professor Dumbledore wouldn't tell us anything either, although I think that he really didn't know either."

"Oh well. Sorry, but we're going to have to take a cab, had my license revoked. Can you believe that if you drive on the wrong side of the road they call it reckless driving?"

"I can't believe it. Of course, I wouldn't know because I'm such a good driver." Harry had to stifle a laugh, and Hermione kicked him.

"That's all right. On the way I can tell you some stories about Remus. Did you know that when Sirius came to visit us once, they got bored and jetted off to Granada and-"

"Oh look, there's the cab. Let's go. NOW!" Professor Lupin cut in.

It was a quick car ride, only about fifteen minutes away from the airport. They went out of the city and in to the immediate countryside. Finally, they stopped in front of what looked like a construction site, with no trespassing signs everywhere. To Hermione and Harry's amazement, when they walked through the gate the construction site disappeared. In its place was a large, slightly run down looking castle.

"There you have it, the Russian School of Magic at Murmansk. We have three schools in Russia because we're such a large country, the most of any country in the world. Even the American upstarts only have two schools. The castle was built in the seventh century, and is believed to predate any other by three hundred years. It has been a school since the thirteenth century, when Russian wizards uprooted from the Mongol offensive hid out in the far north and decided to start a school."

Harry and Hermione let all this information sink in as they walked up to the main doors, two large oak constructions with a picture of bear eating a moose.

"Our school symbol," explained Banan. "It shows the resilience of the Russian wizards, even under extreme conditions, along with our ability to fight back."

They were at the doors now and very slowly they opened, revealing a tall, very white wizard with long black hair flanked on either side by a wizard in red robes.

"Hello, I am Professor Rostov."