C H A P T E R F O U R
T H E
S E C R E T
The next day, the Gryffindor fifth years had Defense Against the Dark Arts after breakfast.
"I wonder who the teacher is this year." Ron wondered as he, Harry, Rachel, and Hermione walked down a corridor and turned onto another.
"We'll find out soon." Hermione answered, glancing at a door. They entered the classroom and sat down at the desks closest to the professor's desk. They all loved Defense Against the Dark Arts. Every year, Hogwarts has had a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
In Harry's first year, the teacher, Professor Quirrell, died in the last week of school after Voldemort was done with him.
His second year's Professor was Gilderoy Lockhart, the famous, self- centered, book writer, and 5-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming- Smile-Award, (Not to mention, first-class, grade-A LIAR!). He lost his memory, thanks to Ron's broken wand, in the Chamber of Secrets.
Professor Remus Lupin, the teacher in Harry's third year, was a werewolf. Dumbledore had no choice but to fire him as soon as the news got out. He was Harry, Ron, and Hermione's favorite, and closest, Professor.
And just last year, Professor Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the famous retired auror, took the job. He was the second best Professor, but he wasn't real. He was really Barty Crouch Jr., using a Polyjuice Potion, trying to hand Harry over to Lord Voldemort. He died after telling the truth, thanks to one of Snape's famous Veritaserums.
"Hello, class," came a voice. Everyone jumped, they hadn't seen anyone walk into the room. "I am Professor Stapf, your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year." A short, stout woman walked out of the corner. Her white-blonde hair was piled in curls on top of her head. She had glasses that were perched on the tip of her nose. She looked like she was in her late fifties.
"Now, then. Let's get started!" She said in a perky voice, clapping her hands together. "I believe you've already covered boggarts with Professor Lupin, and the Unforgivable Curses last year. Some of you had also had some outside experience with them." She winked at Harry as she said this. "But I don't think you've learned too much about the time when You-Know-Who ruled." Some students, including Neville, winced because they didn't want to hear the horrors that occurred during that period of time.
"Now, during You-Know-Who's reign, his followers were very secret. Yes, I know. Some of them very well did make themselves known, but now those people are in Azkaban. Except for a certain someone that escaped two years ago." She was obviously referring to Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, who was still thought to be a murderer, even though he didn't do anything; he was framed.
"But," Professor Stapf continued. "Most of You-Know-Who's followers were very secret. Today, I only have time to show you one thing. Let me make it known to you all that nothing I will show you in this semester will be either dangerous or scary." Everyone's faces relaxed considerably when they heard the professor say this. "Or illegal." She added. She was referring to Professor Moody, who, last year, taught the class the illegal Unforgivable Curses.
"Today's lesson," Professor Stapf began. "Is code." She flicked her wand and the letters P and R flew out of it and rearranged themselves with the P over the R. Next, the letters T, O, E, and T appeared. They moved around to spell themselves as T-E-T-O next to the P and the R. "Now, does anyone happen to know what this says?" There was a few moments silence, then Neville's hand slowly rose into the air. "Neville?" Harry was surprised, and so was everyone else, because Neville rarely knew anything. Professor Stapf had also just called Neville by his first name, which was odd, as all the other teachers called students by their last name, except Hagrid.
"It says…" Neville began nervously. "Potter."
"Good! See, everyone? Neville got it right! Now, Neville, if you don't mind my asking, how did you know that?"
Neville obviously did mind, because he shuddered and swallowed hard. "Um… Lucky guess?"
Harry knew that wasn't the reason Neville knew the answer. Before they went insane from the Cruciatus Curse – an Unforgivable Curse that causes intense pain, Neville's parents used to work as aurors – people, like "Mad-Eye" Moody, that capture and prosecute Dark wizards. They probably taught him some tricks of the trade, hoping that he might go into the family business.
"Mmmm." Professor Stapf didn't seem too believing. "See me after class, Mr. Longbottom." She suddenly got very perky again. "Okay, so now I'll teach you how it's done." she waved her wand again, and the letters moved around to spell P-O-T-T-E-R.
"Now, first, you take the first and last letters and write them, first letter over last letter, on a piece of parchment. Go on." There was a scramble for parchment and quills. Once everything quieted down, the P and the R moved into position again.
"Then, you take the last half of the remaining letters – in this case, the second T and the E – and write them, in their order, next to the first and last letters." The T and E floated over and stopped next to the P and R.
"Lastly, you take the remaining half – the first half – and write them backwards after the second half." The O and first T drifted over to the second T and E, and rearranged themselves backwards, so they spelled T-O and stopped after the T-E. Now the whole thing spelled T-E-T-O again.
"Okay? I know it's a little hard to understand at first, but you'll catch on sooner or later.
"I'll take later." Ron whispered to Harry. Harry nodded in agreement.
Hermione's hand flew up. "Yes, Hermione?" Stapf said.
"I was just wondering, what do you do if the middle letters are odd?"
"Good question. I was waiting for somebody to ask that. You do the same thing, but the first half will be one letter bigger than the second half."
"So you put the middle odd letter on the first half?"
"Right."
"Okay."
"Now, any more questions?"
"Yeah," Ron said. "Can we go now?" Everyone, even Professor Stapf laughed slightly at this question.
"Yes, you may go. Class dismissed!" The class filed out of the room, talking and laughing. Neville stayed behind to talk to Professor Stapf.
` $ % ^
Later that day, Harry and Rachel were walking down to Hagrid's hut, hand in hand, on their way to their first Care of Magical Creatures class of the year. Ron and Hermione followed, stumbling a little bit, because Rachel and Harry – who were in front of them – were walking very slowly.
"Go on ahead, we'll catch you up." Harry said to Ron and Hermione. As the two sped up and left, Harry and Rachel stopped. They sat down on the grassy lawn under a big shady tree and looked out to the Lake. They sat there in quiet, with their arms around each other, for five minutes. Then Rachel glanced back towards the castle.
"Uh-oh, here comes trouble." she said as she pointed up to the castle. The Slytherins were walking their way. Gryffindor and Slytherin had Care of Magical Creatures together.
"Let's get a move on." Harry suggested. He didn't want to be caught out here alone with Rachel by the Slytherins. Judging by Rachel's action to stand up, she didn't want to either. They started for Hagrid's little hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, but they were too late.
Draco, Parvati, and the rest of the Slytherin fifth years walked up to them. Draco glanced over at Hagrid, who was fumbling with a large crate. They were safely out of earshot. "So, Potter, thought you'd spend a few moments out here with your girlfriend before you have to put up with that big oaf? Ha! Potter's got a girlfriend! Hear that, everybody? Potter's got a girlfriend! He's a big boy now! Ha!" He sneered. "Do any more kissing?" All of the Slytherin fifth years burst out laughing at the sight of Harry and Rachel, who, by now, have blushed a deep scarlet-red. Obviously, Malfoy and Parvati did not listen to Dumbledore's order.
"Oh, go kiss Patil." Harry snapped at Malfoy. "By the way, nice one at the Start of Term Feast. Better than we've ever done. I guess you finally dumped Parkinson and went for Patil. Knew you would sooner or later." He knew what would happen next. Pansy Parkinson advanced on Malfoy like an angry bull. A really angry bull.
"You dumped me for her? That little goody-two-shoes Gryffindor reject? How could you!" Pansy screamed at Malfoy.
As Harry and Rachel walked away, wide smiles on their faces, they heard Malfoy trying to explain: ("I, I, I didn't! I didn't know you'd be so mad!")
And Parvati trying to correct Pansy: ("I am not a Gryffindor! I'm a Slytherin now! And anyway, little Dracy-poo told me he never liked you in the first place. He's had his eyes on me ever since first year! He had to settle with scum like you just because I was in Gryffindor!") That just made Pansy angrier.
Draco was cowering in fear ("Why'd you tell her that?")
"So it is true!" Pansy squealed.
"No, no, no, it's…" But that was all they heard of the argument. They had to turn their backs. It was too hard to keep from laughing.
"Heard it! Heard the whole thing! Both of us!" Ron exclaimed once Harry and Rachel got to Hagrid's hut.
Hermione nodded in agreement. "You really know what to say to get her mad!"
"Yeah. So, what has Hagrid got for us today?" Harry asked Ron.
"Shush. Don't talk to me." was the reply. Harry gave him a puzzled look. "I'm trying to preserve this in my mind forever: First, Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret, now El Parkinson, the Raging Mexican Bull." At that, everyone burst out laughing.
"Anyway," Harry started once he had stopped laughing. "What're we doing today?"
"I don't know," Hermione answered. "I'll go ask Hagrid." She slowly made her way through the crowd of Gryffindors and Slytherins.
While she was gone, Malfoy came up to Harry. He was very flushed and his sleek hair was all over the place. "I'll get you for this." He threatened in a low whisper. Then he limped away.
Not too long after Malfoy left, Hermione came back with an answer. "He won't tell me. He wants to keep it a surprise."
Suddenly, Hagrid cleared his throat to gather the fifth years' attentions. "Hello, fifth years! Welcome to yer firs' Magical Creatures class 'o fifth year! I figgered I'd start ya off wit' a Magical Creature, of course." He chuckled a little bit, but he cleared his throat again and grunted as he lifted the big crate and rested it on its side on the grass. "Inside this crate're woogs. Strange li'l' thin's." He hummed as he started to open the crate.
"Uh-oh, when Hagrid calls something strange, it's either is really dangerous, or has habits that are really dangerous." Ron warned.
Just then, Hagrid had opened the crate. What looked like a dozen hairy basketballs came rolling out. They stumbled to stand up on their two skinny legs. All the girls started talking about how cute the woogs were. Ron turned to Harry with an exasperated expression on his face. Hermione couldn't hear what they were saying, but she distinctly caught the word "girls" in their conversation.
Hagrid ended the silence by clearing his throat. "Like I said, these're woogs." He began. "Ther not dangerous at all. Too tame to 'ave a danger ratin' in yer books." All the students that had brought their books to class opened them to the entry Woog. Like Hagrid said, there wasn't any rating for how dangerous they can be. "They're real 'ard to domesticate, but when they are tamed, they're like li'l' angels."
Hagrid picked up a woog and started stroking it. The small woog let out a tiny "Woog!" Everyone laughed.
After Hagrid had stopped chuckling, he continued. "Ther's on'y one known word in ther language, an' that's 'woog.' Ther not magical at all, but fun ter 'ave aroun'."
"Yeah, now that we know what they are, what're we going to do with them?" Ron asked Harry. Harry shrugged his shoulders.
"Yer project wit these li'l' beauties is to domesticate 'em an' take care of 'em."
"Like we're their parents?" Rachel asked with excitement.
"Yeah, I guess so. Now git inter pairs an' come git yer woog."
Harry was still holding Rachel's hand, so Ron walked off to get his woog with Hermione. He looked remotely sad that Harry was always with Rachel instead of him. They got their woog and moved as far away from Harry and Rachel as they could.
Harry didn't have the same feelings. In fact, He wasn't even thinking about Ron. All he thought about now was Rachel.
When Rachel and Harry walked up to receive their woog from Hagrid, they saw Ron and Hermione sitting on the grass twenty feet away. They were playing with their woog, laughing together. Harry felt a twang of sadness.
"The runt. Nobody wanted 'im." Hagrid stated as he handed the small woog to Rachel. They headed back to their work area. As they passed Malfoy, who was now sporting a black eye that was given to him as a parting gift from Pansy, they didn't even look up, even though Malfoy was making all the commotion he could to get their attention.
When they got back to their area, a tall girl with short brown hair and blue eyes was sitting there. "Hi, I'm Jill Broomscuttle." She said. "I was wondering if I could work with you. My friend is in the hospital wing. She's allergic to nuts, and I didn't realize that there were nuts in the muffins at breakfast."
Rachel could clearly see that Harry didn't want anyone else in their group. He wanted to work alone with her. But she didn't know what to say in reply to Jill.
"Oi, Jill!" came Ron's voice from across the lawn. "Want to work with us?"
"Sure!" Jill called back. "Sorry, guys, I'm going to go work with Ron and Hermione."
"Go ahead." Harry mumbled, not even looking up at Jill. Jill got up and walked over to Ron and Hermione, leaving Rachel and Harry alone.
"So, what should we name this cute little woog?" Rachel asked, breaking the awkward silence that followed Jill's departure. "How about Fluffy?"
Harry thought of Fluffy, the monstrous three-headed dog, that he had encountered with Ron, Hermione, and Neville in their first year. He didn't want to be reminded of it, but he didn't care. "Okay, whatever." He replied nonchalantly, still staring over at Ron and Hermione.
"Okay, then, it's settled." Rachel stated. "His name is Fluffy." She turned to Fluffy and picked him up in her arms. "Hello, Fluffy!" She cooed to the tiny woog. "I'm your new mommy, and this is your new daddy!" She turned Fluffy toward Harry, expecting his bored face to look back and mumble hello, but Harry's face was stricken in disbelief.
"Rachel," he whispered, so as not to attract too much attention. "Rachel, you're talking to that woog! In woog!"
Rachel herself looked amazed. "I thought I was talking in English! I heard myself, and I could have swore that it was in English!"
By know, a few students were looking over at Rachel, but Harry told everybody off, so they could be unbothered again.
Harry and Rachel sat there, on the grass, until Magical Creatures was over. While everybody had taught his or her woog to do tricks, like roll over, Harry and Rachel's woog was exactly how it was when it fell out of the box.
"I'm ashamed." Hagrid said. "I thought tha' ya would 'ave done somethin'. Well, I guess you'll 'ave to make it up next class."
"Yeah." Harry said as he and Rachel ran off to the library.
` $ % ^
A few minutes later, in the library, Harry and Rachel were deep in conversation.
"I… I… I don't know how I talked to that woog." Rachel lied. She had a good feeling that all of today's happenings had something to do with being an omnimagus.
An omnimagus was a special wizard or witch. They are very rare. Even rarer than animagi. They can sense magic and feel its presence. They can also turn into many animals, like an animagi, but animagi can only turn into one single kind of creature. And they can speak many different languages.
"I can tell when people are lying." Harry replied. "Tell you what. I'll tell you one of my deepest secrets if you tell me one of yours."
"Okay. Don't tell anyone. Not anyone. Not Hermione, not Ron." Harry agreed. "Okay." Rachel continued. "I'm an omnimagus. I don't know why, but I am. That's why I could talk to woogs."
"Like a parselmouth?" was all Harry said to this confession.
"Oh, Harry, don't ever, ever compare me to a parselmouth! They're like, the worst things to be! I don't know what I'd do if I was a parselmouth! I'd lock myself up and never come out, or something! I'd be so embarrassed! Wouldn't you?"
"No." Harry answered flatly.
"Why?"
"Because I am a parselmouth."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I didn't know. I'm so sorry."
"It's all right, Sweetie. Don't worry."
"Harry, look." Rachel pointed outside. The sun was high in the sky, and people were walking out to the Quidditch pitch. "We have to go! Before we're too late!" Harry and Rachel streaked out of the library, getting nasty looks from Madam Pince, the librarian. They ran out the entrance hall and onto the grass.
"Hurry!" Rachel said as she was gasping for breath. "I… Don't want… To miss… Tryouts."
"We're almost there." Harry replied. They skidded to a halt on the smooth grass at the edge of the Quidditch pitch. Almost the whole Gryffindor House was there, except the first years, of course. To Harry's surprise, even Hermione and Neville were there.
"Okay, everyone." came Katie Bell's voice above the jabbering of the Gryffindor students. "You are all here to tryout for the positions of Chaser, Beater, and Keeper on the Gryffindor House team, I suppose?" Everyone nodded. "Now, will all Gryffindors already on the House team please come forward." Harry walked out onto the pitch along with Fred Weasley. Katie hopped down from the podium she was standing on and joined the team of two people. "All right. Mount your brooms everyone!" She called out.
Everyone hopped on his or her broomsticks. Someone had brought down Harry's Firebolt. They all kicked off into the air.
"Anyone trying out for Beater, please fly over there." Katie ordered. A group of students drifted off to a section of the pitch. Among them, Harry saw, were Ron, and to his surprise, Neville.
"Chasers, over there." Rachel flew over to a small gathering of children with Hermione.
"And, Keepers." Ginny flew over to the goal posts. Colin Creevey joined her.
"I know there still is one question on all of your minds." Katie continued. "Who will be Captain? After much debate, the Gryffindor team has come up with a suitable player."
"Why wasn't I told about this 'debate'?" Harry thought. "I'm the best and most important player of them all."
"The new Captain of the Gryffindor House Quidditch team is…" Everyone present moved in closer to hear Katie's answer. "Harry Potter!" Everyone erupted in cheers.
Harry almost fell off his broom in the excitement. He looked over at the group of Gryffindors that were cheering. Rachel, Ron, and Hermione were cheering the loudest. Everyone flew over to give Harry hugs and pats on the back.
"You did it! You did it! Just like my brother!" He heard Ron cheering. That brother was Charlie.
"Now calm down. Calm down! We are about to start examination!" Katie screamed. At once, everyone quieted down and flew back to their positions.
They did two pretend Quidditch matches. The next two hours were filled with many Gryffindors trying to hit Bludgers, throw Quaffles, and defend the goal posts. In Harry's opinion, it was very boring.
Then it was Rachel's turn to shoot for Chaser. She was paired with Hermione and Lavender Brown as 'Chasers'. She didn't miss any Quaffle thrown to her, and she scored every attempt on the goal posts. The Quaffle passed by Colin Creevey every time. It didn't even look like she was trying. Hermione missed the Quaffle a few times, and didn't score on every attempt, but Harry still thought she was doing well.
Ron was the 'Beater', along with Dean Thomas. Dean missed a few Bludgers, but Ron hit every one with so much power that they flew off to the other side of the pitch. Not one player got hurt as long as Ron was there.
There was another 'match' with Seamus Finnigan, Jill, and a big sixth year Harry had never seen before as 'Chasers', Neville and Dennis Creevey as 'Beaters', and Ginny as 'Keeper.' Harry was glad when that was over. After tryouts, the Gryffindors were allowed to go back to their common room instead of classes.
"Great! We don't have any more classes today! I'd hate to be a first year." Ron cheered.
"We'll see the results tomorrow." Rachel reminded them. "I hope I'm on the team."
"Don't worry." Harry comforted her. "You will be. I know it."
` $ % ^
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Rachel and Hermione were chosen for Chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Ron was the Beater, and Ginny got the position of Keeper. Games were postponed until after the Weasley/Spinnet wedding in December.
Before he knew it, Harry was in the middle of October.
"Man, this year is going fast." He said to Ron one chilly autumn morning. Just then, Dumbledore stood up and walked up in front of the students.
"I'd like to make an announcement. This year, in response to the amazing turnout of the Yule Ball last year, we will be having a Harvest Ball on the night of November the 27th. Wear your dress robes and be here, at the Great Hall, at eight o'clock. The Ball will finish at midnight. It will be opened to only fourth years and above, but, if they choose, the older students may take a younger one as their partner. Now that's all said and done, off to classes!"
Harry and Ron stood up, joining Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas in talking about the Ball.
"I'm taking Lavender." Seamus said, very dignified. "We went together last year."
"I don't know who I'll go with, last year I went to the Ball with a Beauxbatons girl." Dean remarked, not sounding at all depressed.
"I'm going to ask…" Ron started, blushing slightly. "Jill."
"Really?" Seamus asked. "She's… nice."
"I don't know who I'm going to ask yet." Harry lied. He and Ron knew very well whom Harry was going to ask to the Ball.
"Well, it's almost time for Herbology." Dean said, looking at his schedule. "I'd better go get my stuff."
"Me, too." Seamus agreed. He left with Dean, still talking about the Ball.
"Are you really going to ask Rachel?" Ron asked Harry eagerly once Seamus and Dean had left.
"Yeah, of course! Who'd you think I'd ask?"
"Oh, I don't know. Hermione. Ginny. Parvati again?"
"Yecch! Parvati? I'm not going with her again. Besides, she's probably going with Malfoy, anyway."
"Yeah, you're right. Hey, why don't you ask Rachel when we get back to Gryffindor Tower? You know, to seal the date?"
"Okay. And it's not a date. Though I wouldn't mind if you called it that."
Harry and Ron walked back up to Gryffindor Tower, laughing as they imagined Parvati and Malfoy at the Ball. When they had finally reached the portrait hole, Harry was ready to ask Rachel out.
"Sure you're ready?" Ron asked, making sure.
"Yes, I'm ready! That's the third time you've asked me! Flobberworm."
"What did you just call me?"
"No, that's the password, remember?"
The Fat Lady swung open, and Ron and Harry stepped inside. Rachel was getting her Herbology supplies ready for the coming class. The Gryffindors always had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.
"There she is." Ron whispered. "Go get 'em!"
"Okay. Here I go. Rachel!" Harry called. Rachel turned to see who had called her. Suddenly, an arm reached out and pulled Harry into a corner. He only had time to tell Rachel to hold on before he fell into the wall.
"Ouch!" Harry yelped as his head hit the wall.
"Harry. Be quiet. I want to ask you something." It was Hermione. "Will you go to the Harvest Ball with me?"
"Well, um… I was going to go with Rachel…"
"Did she ask you yet?"
"Well, no, but."
"So I'm asking you first. Will you go to the Ball with me?"
"Um… I can't really say no, but…"
"Then it's settled! Pick me up in front of the fire on November 27th!"
"But…" Harry couldn't say anymore. Hermione pushed him back into the sunlight. She got up and ran off to get her school things. She brushed by him, muttered "Thanks!" and disappeared.
"What did you want to tell me?" Rachel asked as she walked over to him, the sunlight flashing in her hair. "What was that all about? Where did you go?"
"Um… Nothing, nothing. Just, um… wanted to know, er… if you had a dragon hide glove repair kit. My pair got mangled when we had to feed the Tentaculas last week."
"Uh… Yeah, here." Rachel handed Harry a small box and walked away to finish packing supplies.
"What were you thinking?" Ron exclaimed as he and Harry walked across the grass on their way down to Herbology. "Why didn't you ask her to the Ball?"
"I couldn't. Hermione asked me first."
"Why didn't you say no?"
"Well, she's my best friend." Harry replied. Ron coughed. "After you, of course. But I've known her longer, and I know more about her than Rachel. Anyway, what was I supposed to do? Say 'No, I'm going out with Rachel, even if you asked me first.'"
"Yeah! You two love each other and you know it! Why shouldn't a guy go to a ball with their girlfriend? That's the whole point of even having a ball!!"
"Yeah, but, when Hermione asked me out, I kinda noticed that… I love her too. I mean, I've known her for over four years, and, since she couldn't go with me last year, I guess she wanted to make that up this year, Rachel or no Rachel."
"Okay. I could see that. Hermione was mad when we saw you and Rachel, uh… you know… at my house. But still, you're confusing me. Which one? Rachel or Hermione?"
"Um… I guess… Hermione."
"But you… And her… And… Ahhh! This is sooo confusing!!!!! See you at Herbology." Ron ran off towards the greenhouses.
"We're in Greenhouse Four today!" Harry called after him. Ron had just walked into Greenhouse Three.
"Oh. Right." Ron called back as he walked over to Greenhouse Four. Just then, Rachel and Hermione walked up. Obviously, Hermione hadn't told Rachel about the Harvest Ball.
"Oh, hello Harry." Hermione said softly.
"Why, good morning, Hermione." Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist, Hermione laid her head on Harry's shoulder, and they strolled off down to Greenhouse Four.
Rachel, with a suspicious expression on her face, stayed a few steps behind them, trying to hear if anything romantic came up. She was very confused. "Just yesterday, Harry had spent all day with me; and now, he's walking around with Hermione." She thought to herself. "He thinks he's too good for me. I'll show him. That's exactly how we walked down to Magical Creatures on our first day. Who does he think he is, taking a girl, and then leaving her for another girl one month later? He thinks he's so great, and look at Hermione, she loves it! She knows I love Harry! Fine, she can take him for now, but I won't give up without a fight!"
Once all the Gryffindors were in the greenhouse, Professor Sprout, a dumpy little witch with her tall hat askew over her flyaway gray hair, started class.
"Okay, class. Today you will be continuing taking care of your venomous Tentaculas. But remember, these plants are highly aggressive and will bite without warning. The adult Tentacula's venom can kill things as large as a full-grown cow, but the seedlings, such as the ones you are caring for now, can only kill anything smaller than a mouse. Today you will be re-potting them, because they are growing too large for the pots they are in now. Go get your Tentaculas now."
There was a rush to get over to the long table that held the Tentaculas. They were all marked with a tag that said the person who owned its name. Harry picked up his Tentacula and struggled to bring it over to the table where he worked with Ron, Hermione, Rachel, and Jill. The plant was very aggressive today because it was very cramped in its too-small pot.
"Man, these guys are rough today." Harry complained as he walked over to the table with Ron. They set their plants down and went to get their things.
"Hey, stop that!" Ron yelled at Harry's Tentacula. The plant was biting Ron's specimen's stem. "Sheesh! They're very frisky today." He concluded as he pulled his plant away.
"Hi, guys." Came a voice. It was Jill.
"Hi, Jill." Ron greeted in a misty voice. "Here, have a seat." Jill sat down next to Ron daintily. They fell into conversation immediately. They didn't even notice that their Tentaculas started mauling each other. Twice Harry had to pull them apart.
Harry could guess that it was about the Harvest Ball. Jill obviously agreed to be partners with Ron, because whenever anybody mentioned partners to the Ball, she had a fit of giggles and blushed.
Soon, Hermione came over to the table. She sat down next to Harry and rested her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her waist. They stared dreamily into space in silence until Rachel broke up the quiet.
"Hi, everyone!" She exclaimed loudly on purpose to try to get Harry's attention back on her. She sat on the other side of Harry, nudging him every so often, but he just went back into his trance with Hermione and didn't pay attention to her at all. "Fine!" Rachel thought, and moved over to her own side of the table. "He doesn't care about me anymore. Wait until I see the look on his face when he sees whom I'm bringing to the Ball. I can't wait! Two weeks is too long!"
T H E
S E C R E T
The next day, the Gryffindor fifth years had Defense Against the Dark Arts after breakfast.
"I wonder who the teacher is this year." Ron wondered as he, Harry, Rachel, and Hermione walked down a corridor and turned onto another.
"We'll find out soon." Hermione answered, glancing at a door. They entered the classroom and sat down at the desks closest to the professor's desk. They all loved Defense Against the Dark Arts. Every year, Hogwarts has had a new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
In Harry's first year, the teacher, Professor Quirrell, died in the last week of school after Voldemort was done with him.
His second year's Professor was Gilderoy Lockhart, the famous, self- centered, book writer, and 5-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming- Smile-Award, (Not to mention, first-class, grade-A LIAR!). He lost his memory, thanks to Ron's broken wand, in the Chamber of Secrets.
Professor Remus Lupin, the teacher in Harry's third year, was a werewolf. Dumbledore had no choice but to fire him as soon as the news got out. He was Harry, Ron, and Hermione's favorite, and closest, Professor.
And just last year, Professor Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the famous retired auror, took the job. He was the second best Professor, but he wasn't real. He was really Barty Crouch Jr., using a Polyjuice Potion, trying to hand Harry over to Lord Voldemort. He died after telling the truth, thanks to one of Snape's famous Veritaserums.
"Hello, class," came a voice. Everyone jumped, they hadn't seen anyone walk into the room. "I am Professor Stapf, your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher for this year." A short, stout woman walked out of the corner. Her white-blonde hair was piled in curls on top of her head. She had glasses that were perched on the tip of her nose. She looked like she was in her late fifties.
"Now, then. Let's get started!" She said in a perky voice, clapping her hands together. "I believe you've already covered boggarts with Professor Lupin, and the Unforgivable Curses last year. Some of you had also had some outside experience with them." She winked at Harry as she said this. "But I don't think you've learned too much about the time when You-Know-Who ruled." Some students, including Neville, winced because they didn't want to hear the horrors that occurred during that period of time.
"Now, during You-Know-Who's reign, his followers were very secret. Yes, I know. Some of them very well did make themselves known, but now those people are in Azkaban. Except for a certain someone that escaped two years ago." She was obviously referring to Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, who was still thought to be a murderer, even though he didn't do anything; he was framed.
"But," Professor Stapf continued. "Most of You-Know-Who's followers were very secret. Today, I only have time to show you one thing. Let me make it known to you all that nothing I will show you in this semester will be either dangerous or scary." Everyone's faces relaxed considerably when they heard the professor say this. "Or illegal." She added. She was referring to Professor Moody, who, last year, taught the class the illegal Unforgivable Curses.
"Today's lesson," Professor Stapf began. "Is code." She flicked her wand and the letters P and R flew out of it and rearranged themselves with the P over the R. Next, the letters T, O, E, and T appeared. They moved around to spell themselves as T-E-T-O next to the P and the R. "Now, does anyone happen to know what this says?" There was a few moments silence, then Neville's hand slowly rose into the air. "Neville?" Harry was surprised, and so was everyone else, because Neville rarely knew anything. Professor Stapf had also just called Neville by his first name, which was odd, as all the other teachers called students by their last name, except Hagrid.
"It says…" Neville began nervously. "Potter."
"Good! See, everyone? Neville got it right! Now, Neville, if you don't mind my asking, how did you know that?"
Neville obviously did mind, because he shuddered and swallowed hard. "Um… Lucky guess?"
Harry knew that wasn't the reason Neville knew the answer. Before they went insane from the Cruciatus Curse – an Unforgivable Curse that causes intense pain, Neville's parents used to work as aurors – people, like "Mad-Eye" Moody, that capture and prosecute Dark wizards. They probably taught him some tricks of the trade, hoping that he might go into the family business.
"Mmmm." Professor Stapf didn't seem too believing. "See me after class, Mr. Longbottom." She suddenly got very perky again. "Okay, so now I'll teach you how it's done." she waved her wand again, and the letters moved around to spell P-O-T-T-E-R.
"Now, first, you take the first and last letters and write them, first letter over last letter, on a piece of parchment. Go on." There was a scramble for parchment and quills. Once everything quieted down, the P and the R moved into position again.
"Then, you take the last half of the remaining letters – in this case, the second T and the E – and write them, in their order, next to the first and last letters." The T and E floated over and stopped next to the P and R.
"Lastly, you take the remaining half – the first half – and write them backwards after the second half." The O and first T drifted over to the second T and E, and rearranged themselves backwards, so they spelled T-O and stopped after the T-E. Now the whole thing spelled T-E-T-O again.
"Okay? I know it's a little hard to understand at first, but you'll catch on sooner or later.
"I'll take later." Ron whispered to Harry. Harry nodded in agreement.
Hermione's hand flew up. "Yes, Hermione?" Stapf said.
"I was just wondering, what do you do if the middle letters are odd?"
"Good question. I was waiting for somebody to ask that. You do the same thing, but the first half will be one letter bigger than the second half."
"So you put the middle odd letter on the first half?"
"Right."
"Okay."
"Now, any more questions?"
"Yeah," Ron said. "Can we go now?" Everyone, even Professor Stapf laughed slightly at this question.
"Yes, you may go. Class dismissed!" The class filed out of the room, talking and laughing. Neville stayed behind to talk to Professor Stapf.
` $ % ^
Later that day, Harry and Rachel were walking down to Hagrid's hut, hand in hand, on their way to their first Care of Magical Creatures class of the year. Ron and Hermione followed, stumbling a little bit, because Rachel and Harry – who were in front of them – were walking very slowly.
"Go on ahead, we'll catch you up." Harry said to Ron and Hermione. As the two sped up and left, Harry and Rachel stopped. They sat down on the grassy lawn under a big shady tree and looked out to the Lake. They sat there in quiet, with their arms around each other, for five minutes. Then Rachel glanced back towards the castle.
"Uh-oh, here comes trouble." she said as she pointed up to the castle. The Slytherins were walking their way. Gryffindor and Slytherin had Care of Magical Creatures together.
"Let's get a move on." Harry suggested. He didn't want to be caught out here alone with Rachel by the Slytherins. Judging by Rachel's action to stand up, she didn't want to either. They started for Hagrid's little hut on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, but they were too late.
Draco, Parvati, and the rest of the Slytherin fifth years walked up to them. Draco glanced over at Hagrid, who was fumbling with a large crate. They were safely out of earshot. "So, Potter, thought you'd spend a few moments out here with your girlfriend before you have to put up with that big oaf? Ha! Potter's got a girlfriend! Hear that, everybody? Potter's got a girlfriend! He's a big boy now! Ha!" He sneered. "Do any more kissing?" All of the Slytherin fifth years burst out laughing at the sight of Harry and Rachel, who, by now, have blushed a deep scarlet-red. Obviously, Malfoy and Parvati did not listen to Dumbledore's order.
"Oh, go kiss Patil." Harry snapped at Malfoy. "By the way, nice one at the Start of Term Feast. Better than we've ever done. I guess you finally dumped Parkinson and went for Patil. Knew you would sooner or later." He knew what would happen next. Pansy Parkinson advanced on Malfoy like an angry bull. A really angry bull.
"You dumped me for her? That little goody-two-shoes Gryffindor reject? How could you!" Pansy screamed at Malfoy.
As Harry and Rachel walked away, wide smiles on their faces, they heard Malfoy trying to explain: ("I, I, I didn't! I didn't know you'd be so mad!")
And Parvati trying to correct Pansy: ("I am not a Gryffindor! I'm a Slytherin now! And anyway, little Dracy-poo told me he never liked you in the first place. He's had his eyes on me ever since first year! He had to settle with scum like you just because I was in Gryffindor!") That just made Pansy angrier.
Draco was cowering in fear ("Why'd you tell her that?")
"So it is true!" Pansy squealed.
"No, no, no, it's…" But that was all they heard of the argument. They had to turn their backs. It was too hard to keep from laughing.
"Heard it! Heard the whole thing! Both of us!" Ron exclaimed once Harry and Rachel got to Hagrid's hut.
Hermione nodded in agreement. "You really know what to say to get her mad!"
"Yeah. So, what has Hagrid got for us today?" Harry asked Ron.
"Shush. Don't talk to me." was the reply. Harry gave him a puzzled look. "I'm trying to preserve this in my mind forever: First, Malfoy the Amazing Bouncing Ferret, now El Parkinson, the Raging Mexican Bull." At that, everyone burst out laughing.
"Anyway," Harry started once he had stopped laughing. "What're we doing today?"
"I don't know," Hermione answered. "I'll go ask Hagrid." She slowly made her way through the crowd of Gryffindors and Slytherins.
While she was gone, Malfoy came up to Harry. He was very flushed and his sleek hair was all over the place. "I'll get you for this." He threatened in a low whisper. Then he limped away.
Not too long after Malfoy left, Hermione came back with an answer. "He won't tell me. He wants to keep it a surprise."
Suddenly, Hagrid cleared his throat to gather the fifth years' attentions. "Hello, fifth years! Welcome to yer firs' Magical Creatures class 'o fifth year! I figgered I'd start ya off wit' a Magical Creature, of course." He chuckled a little bit, but he cleared his throat again and grunted as he lifted the big crate and rested it on its side on the grass. "Inside this crate're woogs. Strange li'l' thin's." He hummed as he started to open the crate.
"Uh-oh, when Hagrid calls something strange, it's either is really dangerous, or has habits that are really dangerous." Ron warned.
Just then, Hagrid had opened the crate. What looked like a dozen hairy basketballs came rolling out. They stumbled to stand up on their two skinny legs. All the girls started talking about how cute the woogs were. Ron turned to Harry with an exasperated expression on his face. Hermione couldn't hear what they were saying, but she distinctly caught the word "girls" in their conversation.
Hagrid ended the silence by clearing his throat. "Like I said, these're woogs." He began. "Ther not dangerous at all. Too tame to 'ave a danger ratin' in yer books." All the students that had brought their books to class opened them to the entry Woog. Like Hagrid said, there wasn't any rating for how dangerous they can be. "They're real 'ard to domesticate, but when they are tamed, they're like li'l' angels."
Hagrid picked up a woog and started stroking it. The small woog let out a tiny "Woog!" Everyone laughed.
After Hagrid had stopped chuckling, he continued. "Ther's on'y one known word in ther language, an' that's 'woog.' Ther not magical at all, but fun ter 'ave aroun'."
"Yeah, now that we know what they are, what're we going to do with them?" Ron asked Harry. Harry shrugged his shoulders.
"Yer project wit these li'l' beauties is to domesticate 'em an' take care of 'em."
"Like we're their parents?" Rachel asked with excitement.
"Yeah, I guess so. Now git inter pairs an' come git yer woog."
Harry was still holding Rachel's hand, so Ron walked off to get his woog with Hermione. He looked remotely sad that Harry was always with Rachel instead of him. They got their woog and moved as far away from Harry and Rachel as they could.
Harry didn't have the same feelings. In fact, He wasn't even thinking about Ron. All he thought about now was Rachel.
When Rachel and Harry walked up to receive their woog from Hagrid, they saw Ron and Hermione sitting on the grass twenty feet away. They were playing with their woog, laughing together. Harry felt a twang of sadness.
"The runt. Nobody wanted 'im." Hagrid stated as he handed the small woog to Rachel. They headed back to their work area. As they passed Malfoy, who was now sporting a black eye that was given to him as a parting gift from Pansy, they didn't even look up, even though Malfoy was making all the commotion he could to get their attention.
When they got back to their area, a tall girl with short brown hair and blue eyes was sitting there. "Hi, I'm Jill Broomscuttle." She said. "I was wondering if I could work with you. My friend is in the hospital wing. She's allergic to nuts, and I didn't realize that there were nuts in the muffins at breakfast."
Rachel could clearly see that Harry didn't want anyone else in their group. He wanted to work alone with her. But she didn't know what to say in reply to Jill.
"Oi, Jill!" came Ron's voice from across the lawn. "Want to work with us?"
"Sure!" Jill called back. "Sorry, guys, I'm going to go work with Ron and Hermione."
"Go ahead." Harry mumbled, not even looking up at Jill. Jill got up and walked over to Ron and Hermione, leaving Rachel and Harry alone.
"So, what should we name this cute little woog?" Rachel asked, breaking the awkward silence that followed Jill's departure. "How about Fluffy?"
Harry thought of Fluffy, the monstrous three-headed dog, that he had encountered with Ron, Hermione, and Neville in their first year. He didn't want to be reminded of it, but he didn't care. "Okay, whatever." He replied nonchalantly, still staring over at Ron and Hermione.
"Okay, then, it's settled." Rachel stated. "His name is Fluffy." She turned to Fluffy and picked him up in her arms. "Hello, Fluffy!" She cooed to the tiny woog. "I'm your new mommy, and this is your new daddy!" She turned Fluffy toward Harry, expecting his bored face to look back and mumble hello, but Harry's face was stricken in disbelief.
"Rachel," he whispered, so as not to attract too much attention. "Rachel, you're talking to that woog! In woog!"
Rachel herself looked amazed. "I thought I was talking in English! I heard myself, and I could have swore that it was in English!"
By know, a few students were looking over at Rachel, but Harry told everybody off, so they could be unbothered again.
Harry and Rachel sat there, on the grass, until Magical Creatures was over. While everybody had taught his or her woog to do tricks, like roll over, Harry and Rachel's woog was exactly how it was when it fell out of the box.
"I'm ashamed." Hagrid said. "I thought tha' ya would 'ave done somethin'. Well, I guess you'll 'ave to make it up next class."
"Yeah." Harry said as he and Rachel ran off to the library.
` $ % ^
A few minutes later, in the library, Harry and Rachel were deep in conversation.
"I… I… I don't know how I talked to that woog." Rachel lied. She had a good feeling that all of today's happenings had something to do with being an omnimagus.
An omnimagus was a special wizard or witch. They are very rare. Even rarer than animagi. They can sense magic and feel its presence. They can also turn into many animals, like an animagi, but animagi can only turn into one single kind of creature. And they can speak many different languages.
"I can tell when people are lying." Harry replied. "Tell you what. I'll tell you one of my deepest secrets if you tell me one of yours."
"Okay. Don't tell anyone. Not anyone. Not Hermione, not Ron." Harry agreed. "Okay." Rachel continued. "I'm an omnimagus. I don't know why, but I am. That's why I could talk to woogs."
"Like a parselmouth?" was all Harry said to this confession.
"Oh, Harry, don't ever, ever compare me to a parselmouth! They're like, the worst things to be! I don't know what I'd do if I was a parselmouth! I'd lock myself up and never come out, or something! I'd be so embarrassed! Wouldn't you?"
"No." Harry answered flatly.
"Why?"
"Because I am a parselmouth."
"Oh, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it. I didn't know. I'm so sorry."
"It's all right, Sweetie. Don't worry."
"Harry, look." Rachel pointed outside. The sun was high in the sky, and people were walking out to the Quidditch pitch. "We have to go! Before we're too late!" Harry and Rachel streaked out of the library, getting nasty looks from Madam Pince, the librarian. They ran out the entrance hall and onto the grass.
"Hurry!" Rachel said as she was gasping for breath. "I… Don't want… To miss… Tryouts."
"We're almost there." Harry replied. They skidded to a halt on the smooth grass at the edge of the Quidditch pitch. Almost the whole Gryffindor House was there, except the first years, of course. To Harry's surprise, even Hermione and Neville were there.
"Okay, everyone." came Katie Bell's voice above the jabbering of the Gryffindor students. "You are all here to tryout for the positions of Chaser, Beater, and Keeper on the Gryffindor House team, I suppose?" Everyone nodded. "Now, will all Gryffindors already on the House team please come forward." Harry walked out onto the pitch along with Fred Weasley. Katie hopped down from the podium she was standing on and joined the team of two people. "All right. Mount your brooms everyone!" She called out.
Everyone hopped on his or her broomsticks. Someone had brought down Harry's Firebolt. They all kicked off into the air.
"Anyone trying out for Beater, please fly over there." Katie ordered. A group of students drifted off to a section of the pitch. Among them, Harry saw, were Ron, and to his surprise, Neville.
"Chasers, over there." Rachel flew over to a small gathering of children with Hermione.
"And, Keepers." Ginny flew over to the goal posts. Colin Creevey joined her.
"I know there still is one question on all of your minds." Katie continued. "Who will be Captain? After much debate, the Gryffindor team has come up with a suitable player."
"Why wasn't I told about this 'debate'?" Harry thought. "I'm the best and most important player of them all."
"The new Captain of the Gryffindor House Quidditch team is…" Everyone present moved in closer to hear Katie's answer. "Harry Potter!" Everyone erupted in cheers.
Harry almost fell off his broom in the excitement. He looked over at the group of Gryffindors that were cheering. Rachel, Ron, and Hermione were cheering the loudest. Everyone flew over to give Harry hugs and pats on the back.
"You did it! You did it! Just like my brother!" He heard Ron cheering. That brother was Charlie.
"Now calm down. Calm down! We are about to start examination!" Katie screamed. At once, everyone quieted down and flew back to their positions.
They did two pretend Quidditch matches. The next two hours were filled with many Gryffindors trying to hit Bludgers, throw Quaffles, and defend the goal posts. In Harry's opinion, it was very boring.
Then it was Rachel's turn to shoot for Chaser. She was paired with Hermione and Lavender Brown as 'Chasers'. She didn't miss any Quaffle thrown to her, and she scored every attempt on the goal posts. The Quaffle passed by Colin Creevey every time. It didn't even look like she was trying. Hermione missed the Quaffle a few times, and didn't score on every attempt, but Harry still thought she was doing well.
Ron was the 'Beater', along with Dean Thomas. Dean missed a few Bludgers, but Ron hit every one with so much power that they flew off to the other side of the pitch. Not one player got hurt as long as Ron was there.
There was another 'match' with Seamus Finnigan, Jill, and a big sixth year Harry had never seen before as 'Chasers', Neville and Dennis Creevey as 'Beaters', and Ginny as 'Keeper.' Harry was glad when that was over. After tryouts, the Gryffindors were allowed to go back to their common room instead of classes.
"Great! We don't have any more classes today! I'd hate to be a first year." Ron cheered.
"We'll see the results tomorrow." Rachel reminded them. "I hope I'm on the team."
"Don't worry." Harry comforted her. "You will be. I know it."
` $ % ^
Days turned into weeks, and weeks turned into months. Rachel and Hermione were chosen for Chasers on the Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Ron was the Beater, and Ginny got the position of Keeper. Games were postponed until after the Weasley/Spinnet wedding in December.
Before he knew it, Harry was in the middle of October.
"Man, this year is going fast." He said to Ron one chilly autumn morning. Just then, Dumbledore stood up and walked up in front of the students.
"I'd like to make an announcement. This year, in response to the amazing turnout of the Yule Ball last year, we will be having a Harvest Ball on the night of November the 27th. Wear your dress robes and be here, at the Great Hall, at eight o'clock. The Ball will finish at midnight. It will be opened to only fourth years and above, but, if they choose, the older students may take a younger one as their partner. Now that's all said and done, off to classes!"
Harry and Ron stood up, joining Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas in talking about the Ball.
"I'm taking Lavender." Seamus said, very dignified. "We went together last year."
"I don't know who I'll go with, last year I went to the Ball with a Beauxbatons girl." Dean remarked, not sounding at all depressed.
"I'm going to ask…" Ron started, blushing slightly. "Jill."
"Really?" Seamus asked. "She's… nice."
"I don't know who I'm going to ask yet." Harry lied. He and Ron knew very well whom Harry was going to ask to the Ball.
"Well, it's almost time for Herbology." Dean said, looking at his schedule. "I'd better go get my stuff."
"Me, too." Seamus agreed. He left with Dean, still talking about the Ball.
"Are you really going to ask Rachel?" Ron asked Harry eagerly once Seamus and Dean had left.
"Yeah, of course! Who'd you think I'd ask?"
"Oh, I don't know. Hermione. Ginny. Parvati again?"
"Yecch! Parvati? I'm not going with her again. Besides, she's probably going with Malfoy, anyway."
"Yeah, you're right. Hey, why don't you ask Rachel when we get back to Gryffindor Tower? You know, to seal the date?"
"Okay. And it's not a date. Though I wouldn't mind if you called it that."
Harry and Ron walked back up to Gryffindor Tower, laughing as they imagined Parvati and Malfoy at the Ball. When they had finally reached the portrait hole, Harry was ready to ask Rachel out.
"Sure you're ready?" Ron asked, making sure.
"Yes, I'm ready! That's the third time you've asked me! Flobberworm."
"What did you just call me?"
"No, that's the password, remember?"
The Fat Lady swung open, and Ron and Harry stepped inside. Rachel was getting her Herbology supplies ready for the coming class. The Gryffindors always had Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.
"There she is." Ron whispered. "Go get 'em!"
"Okay. Here I go. Rachel!" Harry called. Rachel turned to see who had called her. Suddenly, an arm reached out and pulled Harry into a corner. He only had time to tell Rachel to hold on before he fell into the wall.
"Ouch!" Harry yelped as his head hit the wall.
"Harry. Be quiet. I want to ask you something." It was Hermione. "Will you go to the Harvest Ball with me?"
"Well, um… I was going to go with Rachel…"
"Did she ask you yet?"
"Well, no, but."
"So I'm asking you first. Will you go to the Ball with me?"
"Um… I can't really say no, but…"
"Then it's settled! Pick me up in front of the fire on November 27th!"
"But…" Harry couldn't say anymore. Hermione pushed him back into the sunlight. She got up and ran off to get her school things. She brushed by him, muttered "Thanks!" and disappeared.
"What did you want to tell me?" Rachel asked as she walked over to him, the sunlight flashing in her hair. "What was that all about? Where did you go?"
"Um… Nothing, nothing. Just, um… wanted to know, er… if you had a dragon hide glove repair kit. My pair got mangled when we had to feed the Tentaculas last week."
"Uh… Yeah, here." Rachel handed Harry a small box and walked away to finish packing supplies.
"What were you thinking?" Ron exclaimed as he and Harry walked across the grass on their way down to Herbology. "Why didn't you ask her to the Ball?"
"I couldn't. Hermione asked me first."
"Why didn't you say no?"
"Well, she's my best friend." Harry replied. Ron coughed. "After you, of course. But I've known her longer, and I know more about her than Rachel. Anyway, what was I supposed to do? Say 'No, I'm going out with Rachel, even if you asked me first.'"
"Yeah! You two love each other and you know it! Why shouldn't a guy go to a ball with their girlfriend? That's the whole point of even having a ball!!"
"Yeah, but, when Hermione asked me out, I kinda noticed that… I love her too. I mean, I've known her for over four years, and, since she couldn't go with me last year, I guess she wanted to make that up this year, Rachel or no Rachel."
"Okay. I could see that. Hermione was mad when we saw you and Rachel, uh… you know… at my house. But still, you're confusing me. Which one? Rachel or Hermione?"
"Um… I guess… Hermione."
"But you… And her… And… Ahhh! This is sooo confusing!!!!! See you at Herbology." Ron ran off towards the greenhouses.
"We're in Greenhouse Four today!" Harry called after him. Ron had just walked into Greenhouse Three.
"Oh. Right." Ron called back as he walked over to Greenhouse Four. Just then, Rachel and Hermione walked up. Obviously, Hermione hadn't told Rachel about the Harvest Ball.
"Oh, hello Harry." Hermione said softly.
"Why, good morning, Hermione." Harry wrapped his arm around Hermione's waist, Hermione laid her head on Harry's shoulder, and they strolled off down to Greenhouse Four.
Rachel, with a suspicious expression on her face, stayed a few steps behind them, trying to hear if anything romantic came up. She was very confused. "Just yesterday, Harry had spent all day with me; and now, he's walking around with Hermione." She thought to herself. "He thinks he's too good for me. I'll show him. That's exactly how we walked down to Magical Creatures on our first day. Who does he think he is, taking a girl, and then leaving her for another girl one month later? He thinks he's so great, and look at Hermione, she loves it! She knows I love Harry! Fine, she can take him for now, but I won't give up without a fight!"
Once all the Gryffindors were in the greenhouse, Professor Sprout, a dumpy little witch with her tall hat askew over her flyaway gray hair, started class.
"Okay, class. Today you will be continuing taking care of your venomous Tentaculas. But remember, these plants are highly aggressive and will bite without warning. The adult Tentacula's venom can kill things as large as a full-grown cow, but the seedlings, such as the ones you are caring for now, can only kill anything smaller than a mouse. Today you will be re-potting them, because they are growing too large for the pots they are in now. Go get your Tentaculas now."
There was a rush to get over to the long table that held the Tentaculas. They were all marked with a tag that said the person who owned its name. Harry picked up his Tentacula and struggled to bring it over to the table where he worked with Ron, Hermione, Rachel, and Jill. The plant was very aggressive today because it was very cramped in its too-small pot.
"Man, these guys are rough today." Harry complained as he walked over to the table with Ron. They set their plants down and went to get their things.
"Hey, stop that!" Ron yelled at Harry's Tentacula. The plant was biting Ron's specimen's stem. "Sheesh! They're very frisky today." He concluded as he pulled his plant away.
"Hi, guys." Came a voice. It was Jill.
"Hi, Jill." Ron greeted in a misty voice. "Here, have a seat." Jill sat down next to Ron daintily. They fell into conversation immediately. They didn't even notice that their Tentaculas started mauling each other. Twice Harry had to pull them apart.
Harry could guess that it was about the Harvest Ball. Jill obviously agreed to be partners with Ron, because whenever anybody mentioned partners to the Ball, she had a fit of giggles and blushed.
Soon, Hermione came over to the table. She sat down next to Harry and rested her head on his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around her waist. They stared dreamily into space in silence until Rachel broke up the quiet.
"Hi, everyone!" She exclaimed loudly on purpose to try to get Harry's attention back on her. She sat on the other side of Harry, nudging him every so often, but he just went back into his trance with Hermione and didn't pay attention to her at all. "Fine!" Rachel thought, and moved over to her own side of the table. "He doesn't care about me anymore. Wait until I see the look on his face when he sees whom I'm bringing to the Ball. I can't wait! Two weeks is too long!"