I heard somewhere that Ron might be playing quidditch.  I also heard that J.K. said that the captain would be someone we would least expect.  I've also been reading somewhere that it would be one of the Weasley twins.  But I'm not sure. So I made Angelina a captain.  These are not spoilers, I might be wrong; so don't believe some of the things that I would write.  They are just the way I write them. Just a reminder, I don't own anything!

Chapter 9

**********

Harry was still trying to convince Ron to try out for quidditch, and to use his broomstick for it.  Even Fred and George joined in to convince him.

  "C'mon, Ron, don't you want to play quidditch?" asked George in the common room where they were playing chess.

  "Yeah, I mean you can be the third Weasley on the field.  Imagine: Spinnet, Bell, Johnson, Potter, Weasley, Weasley, and Weasley! Hey, we'll even ask Lee to put your name first, right, Lee?" said Fred, who was watching them.

  "I don't know.  I mean isn't it tomorrow?  I didn't sign up," replied Ron, taking George's knight away.

  "Oh, that's not a problem, right, Harry?" said George.         

Harry, who looked up from his homework, grinned and nodded.

  "What are you on about?" demanded Ron.

  "Well, we sort of signed you up already," said Harry quickly.  "You weren't doing anything about it, so we did it for you."

  "Oh," Ron hesitated and said, "thanks, I guess I don't know what to say."

  "Just say you'll go tomorrow."

Hermione then came down from the dorms looking a bit anxious.  She was holding her Defense Against the Dark Arts homework.

  "What's wrong, Hermione?" asked Harry over his Charms book.  They have been given a lot of homework as usual.

  "Well, I can't figure out if I should put a background report of this curse Professor Sullivan gave us."

  "You should go and ask her then," replied Ron, who just gotten up from his chess game with George. He won, of course.  "And we'll come with you," he added eagerly.

 

They stopped in front of her office and knocked on the door.  Professor Sullivan answered and beckoned them to come in.  Harry looked around the office.  There was only one office that came close to this one, and that was Dumbledore's office.  Professor Sullivan's office was decorated in neat and organized fashion.  There was a shelf filled with all sorts of books.  Many gadgets stood behind her desk, and her dark detectors that she had bought in Diagon Alley were standing neatly next to the window.

  "Well, what can I do for you three?" asked Professor Sullivan.

  "I have a question to ask you about our homework, Professor," said Hermione.  "Do I have to put a background report on it?"

Professor Sullivan smiled a smile that reached her hazel eyes,  "You sound just like me when I was in Hogwarts.  Well, Hermione, if you feel that it is necessary, then be my guest.  But you don't have to."

Harry noticed what looked like a fish tank by the window.  It had a creature that was asleep in it.

  "Is that a kappa, Professor?" he asked, pointing to the fish tank.

Professor Sullivan turned around,  "Oh, yes, that is a kappa."

  "I know what kappas are!  They strangle unwanted strangers that enter their ponds," piped up Ron, who was obviously trying to impress Professor Sullivan.

  "That's right, Ron.  Now this kappa is a very special kappa," she approached the fish tank.   "This is the same kappa that helped me trap a dark wizard when I was in Norway."

  "But Professor Lupin told us that kappas don't like people," said Hermione, looking confused. She approached the kappa and peered inside it.

  "Professor Lupin?  Yes, he's right.  Normally kappas don't like people.  But this one is quite unusual, because, well, he's quite the opposite.  He loves the attention."

  "Professor, do you know Remus Lupin?" asked Harry, looking up at her.

  "Huh? Oh, yes, we used to go to Hogwarts together. We were in the same year, but different houses," she explained.  "So I hear quidditch try outs are going on.  You're on the Gryffindor team, right, Harry?"

Harry nodded.  The feeling of familiarity came over Harry again as he looked at her.

  "How about you, Ron? Are you in quidditch?"

  "No, but I'm trying out for the keeper position," he answered.

  "Really?  What broomstick do you have?"

  "Er, I'm going to borrow Harry's. He has a Firebolt."

  "Hmm, Harry's, huh? But aren't you using yours during the practices?" she asked Harry.

  "Er, I am. When Ron gets the position, he can use one of the school brooms when we practice."

Professor Sullivan stood there and thought.  She hesitated, then went over to a cupboard and opened it.  She pulled out a very polished broomstick.

  "Ron, do you want to borrow this instead?  I know it looks like favoritism, but just consider this as a thank you from me to your father.  He has done me a lot of favors, and, well, consider this is one returned to his favor.  It's a Nimbus Two Thousand and Two. It just came out three months ago."

Ron gaped open mouthed at it for a long time and then said,  "Er, professor, I'm not sure if I can borrow this."

  "Yes, you can," she smiled.  "Just don't tell anyone about this.  It will be our little secret. Go on. Take it.  I wouldn't need it a lot for now.  I already know how to apparate."

  "B-b-but," stuttered Ron, "I-I-I can't."

  "Well, then, I guess I'll be putting this away then."

  "Oh no, professor, I'll take it."

Professor Sullivan smiled.  They were all silent for a moment.  Ron was looking over the Nimbus as if it was a rare treasure.  It was Hermione who broke the silence.

  "Well, I guess we should be going now," she gestured to Harry and Ron, "Thanks for clearing things up for me, professor."

  "It's my pleasure, Hermione," answered Professor Sullivan.

As they were headed toward the door, Harry had a changed of heart.

  "I'll meet you guys outside.  I just need to ask the professor something," he whispered to Ron and Hermione.  They both looked at each other and shrugged.  They waited for him outside as Harry went back inside the office.

  "Back so soon, Harry?" asked Professor Sullivan, who was feeding the kappa that had just woken up.

  "Er, professor, if you knew Remus Lupin, then you knew my father as well?"

He couldn't see her expression because her back was turned.  But he noticed that she hesitated before she turned around to face him.  She stared at him for a moment and then said,

  "Yes, I did know your father.  We used to play quidditch against each other.  He was a good flyer."

  "And my mum?"

  "Yes, I did. She was the nicest person I have ever known. I'm very sorry," she added, looking up at him with great sorrow in her eyes.  

Harry hesitated and then asked,  "Then you knew Sirius Black too?"

The Professor, who was now at her desk, did something that Harry couldn't explain.  She looked as though Harry had just said something very surprising.  She looked up at him.  Harry noticed that she became very pale.  She opened her mouth several times, as if she was trying to find the right words to answer his question. Then she finally answered,

  "Yes, yes, I did know him too.  He never went anywhere without your father.  Now, it's getting really late, Harry.  I'm sure you would want an early start for your class tomorrow."

Harry knew from the tone of her voice that she didn't want to pursue the subject any longer.  He said good night and went outside to find that Ron and Hermione waiting for him. They asked what he asked the professor.  He lied and said something about the kappa on the fish tank.  As they went back to the common room, Harry thought about how the professor looked like when he mentioned Sirius's name.  He wondered why it was so.  He made sure to ask Sirius about Professor Sullivan the next time they meet.