A/N: The LONG awaited part three. This is the real part three. Enjoy, and
don't forget to r/r at the end, flames welcome. Semi-cliffie at the end.
I Knew I Loved Him Then: Part 3: Chapters 9-13
Chapter 9
"Yes, well," said Hermione stuttering as they broke away. "That can be
a good way of putting it."
"I'm sorry Hermione," said Harry, blushing furiously. "I shouldn't have
done that. Just when Ron let it slip that…"
"Ron?" Hermione asked, furious. "Ron! Ron told you! I'm going to drown
him in a pool of bubotuber pus and hang him out to dry by his toenails, then
I'll hand him over to Fred and George to test all of their new jokes on! He'll
regret the day he was born when I'm through with him!" Hermione's hair had
come undone and Harry was looking at her funny.
"I never knew you could hate with such a passion," he said.
"Interesting. I'll have to try it out on Malfoy." Harry smiled, and Hermione
melted. "Anyway, as I was saying. When Ron let it slip that you and Viktor
weren't together, I was happy. I questioned it, and I figured out that I liked
you. I asked Ron what you would think if I asked you out, and he burst out
laughing. He never told me outright that you liked me." Hermione blushed.
"Well, the cat's out of the bag now," said Hermione, making a mental
note to always hear Harry out first before jumping to conclusions.
"But it's a nice cat," said Harry. Hermione had to sit down. She sank
into an empty chair, her heart beating fast.
"Pinch me," she said, her eyes closed, breathing slowly.
"Why?" asked Harry.
"Because I think I'm dreaming," said Hermione. She got up, faced
Harry, and kissed him again.
Chapter 10
Harry and Hermione were late for their next class, Transfiguration.
Professor McGonagall let it go, noticing that neither were wearing watches
and that, by orders of Madame Pince, you couldn't hear the bell in the
Library. She turned her back on them and resumed writing on the board. Ron
looked at them and winked. Hermione glared at him, and mouthed, "You die
later."
After class, in which they got virtually no homework, Harry, Ron and
Hermione headed down to lunch, with Harry's arm around Hermione's waist.
Hermione wondered if this made Ron uncomfortable to see his two best
friends together, but from the way he was acting, it didn't seem so.
At lunch, their appetite was spoiled when the squeaking ferret was,
yet again, bothering them.
"So, Potter," Malfoy squeaked. "You found yourself someone willing to
be your girlfriend."
"Yeah," said Harry, standing up. Harry, Hermione noticed, had gotten
taller than Malfoy by a few inches and was looking down on him. "So?"
Surprisingly, Malfoy couldn't find a retort to this, so he shrugged, sneered,
and left.
"He was probably suspecting you to deny it," said Ron, cracking a smile.
"But who would be ashamed of this little thing." Ron pinched Hermione's
cheeks, making her very mad.
"Which reminds me Ron," said Harry, seeing Hermione about to burst
with fury at not only having her cheeks pinched, but being called little. "You
might want to duck and cover when you hear what dear old Hermione has in
store for you. I'll say this, it involves Bubotuber Pus, hanging by your
toenails, and being handed over to Fred and George. Use your imagination,
and then run."
"Are you sure she wasn't talking about Malfoy?" asked Ron.
"Please," said Hermione. "You would only be regretting the day you
were born, Malfoy would be dead. What? Do you really think I'm a monster?"
"Just checking," said Ron. "Come on. You know you love me." He
grinned. Hermione pinched his cheeks.
"Yeah. You are just too cute sometimes. By the way, you've got dirt on
your nose," Hermione said. Ron flushed. "I'm just kidding. You don't have
dirt on your nose. Just relax." Ron flushed again, and Harry snorted.
Chapter 11
After lunch was their second Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry,
Ron and Hermione had had a Death Eater as their teacher last year who was
impersonating a retired Auror. He had taught them the Unforgivable curses:
the Imperious Curse, the Cruatious Curse, and Avada Kedavra.
"I wonder what they're going to teach us this year," said Harry.
"We've already learned most of it with the teacher we had last year."
"I don't know either, but I hope we have a cool teacher. Like
Victoria," said Ron.
"It's probably going to be mostly defense, you know like what to do if
you're caught off guard and someone has put you under the Cruatius Curse,"
said Hermione. "Oh, I just remembered. Viktor's getting married this spring,
over the Easter holidays, and he was wondering if you guys could make it.
What do you guys think? You want to go?"
"I'd love to, with you as my date of course," said Harry.
"Didn't I mention?" asked Hermione. "I'm the bride."
"What?" asked Ron. "But you told me that you guys were just friends."
"Then I'm just a last fling before your tied down?" asked Harry.]
"You guys are so gullable! You should have seen your faces, I thought I
would die! No, I'm just kidding. Harry, I'd love to go with you. Ron, you can
find a date. Bring Padma or something," Hermione laughed. Harry cracked a
smile, but looked extremely relieved. Ron was still trying to work out what
had just happened. Then reality dawned and he laughed. Sirius barked from
under the table.
"No begging Snuffles," Harry said. "Bad dog. I'll get you some food
later. Meet me by the kitchens." Hermione could tell Harry was happy to
have Sirius with him. Sirius would be with him all year, too, so Harry never
needed to spend anxious days waiting for a reply. Hermione nudged Ron.
"He's treating Snuffles like a dog," she laughed.
"Harry," Ron said. "What did you do to her? Hermione, you seem like a
different person this year. What happened to good old reliable Hermione
who's every solution was the Library?"
"Who says my every solution isn't the Library? I just grew up a little
over the summer, that's all," said Hermione. The doors opened and an
attractive young woman walked in, joking with Professor Lupin.
"Hello all," she said. "My name is Caitlin Buckley. I'll be teaching you
today, along with my old buddy Remus who was too lazy to contact me over
the years," she punched him. "Meanwhile if you had done this to Lily, you
wouldn't be alive right now," she laughed again. Hermione looked quickly at
Harry, who was just staring at Professor Buckley.
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked. "Professor Buckley?"
"Yes? And please don't call me that, call me Cat or Caitlin, I hate the
whole Professor formality. What's your name by the way?" she asked.
"My name's Hermione, and why is everyone all of the sudden talking
about Harry's parents? I don't get it," said Hermione.
"Harry?" she asked. "Harry, come here honey, let me look at you."
Harry stood up unsurely and walked over to Cat. She hugged him tightly.
"Sorry Harry dear," she said, wiping a tear out of her eye. "You just look
exactly like your father. We all knew that your parents would end up
together, from their first train ride. Sirius told me about it, and, oh I'll tell
you later. Hermione, in answer to your question, I went to school with Lily
and James. Everyone that's teaching here did. Though Arabella and
Mundungus were kind of on their own. Anyway, we were in our first year
when Voldemort first entered the magical community. I know things about
people who are parents of kids in a certain house," she coughed something
that sounded a lot like 'Slytherin', "that would make your head spin. I'm not
here to point the finger of blame. I'm here to teach you how to defend
yourself. Who can tell me the Unforgivable Curses?" Everyone raised their
hand.
"You, big kid with red hair, say your name too," Cat said.
"I'm Ron. There's the Imperious Curse, the Cruatious Curse, and
Avada Kedavra."
"Oh, yeah. You'd be Arthur's son, right? That's right. The reason I
brought Professor Lupin here, is because today, we're going to work on
teaching you how to make a Patronous. They drive down Dementors and
Dementors are the natural allies of Voldemort. Harry, Remus here tells me
that you can make a Patronous too?"
"Yeah, that's right," said Harry.
"Would you make one for us, or will Remus?" asked Cat.
"I'll do it," said Harry. He stood up and walked to the center of the
room. "Expecto Patronum!" A white stag erupted from the end of his wand,
and Cat started to giggle. Hermione knew why. Harry's father had been an
illegal Animagus and his animal was a stag.
"Well done, bye Prongs," Cat said to the Patronous as it vanished.
"How you make a Patronous is you think of a time when you've been very
happy. The incantation is 'Expecto Patronum'. I doubt you all will be able to
get much out of you wands. Harry's been able to do it for two years now, so
that's him. Also, it's harder when there are actually Dementors in front of
you. The more there are, the harder it is to produce a proper Patronous.
Everyone take a second to think of a really happy thought and then we'll call
you up one by one to see if you can do it. The incantation is 'Expecto
Patronum' remember. Nothing will happen if you mix it up, just try to
remember," said Cat.
"Hermione, why don't you try first?" asked Professor Lupin, speaking
for the first time in a while. "Cat, you should take a breather, you've been
talking for a while. Go get yourself something to drink. Do you remember the
way to the kitchens?"
"Remus, how could I forget?" asked Cat. "See you all in a little bit."
She left without anymore coaxing. Aparently she was thirsty, and Hermione
didn't blame her. Hermione was quite thirsty now as her mouth had gone dry
at being picked to demonstrate first. She had her thought, it was when she
kissed Harry, just earlier today.
"Okay Hermione, it's okay if you don't do it on the first try," said
Professor Lupin. "How've you been? Alright? Taking care of Ron and Harry?"
"I've been okay," said Hermione. "Harry doesn't need taking care of,
but Ron is another story. We fight too much, but other than that, I've been
good. How're you though? Not a word since our third year, tisk, tisk
Professor Lupin. I understand why Cat was mad. Here we go." Hermione
thought hard about her kiss. "Expecto Patronum!" A silver ribbon errupted
from her wand. It didn't take any shape, it glided through the air, not
ending. I stopped coming after about seven feet or so, and piled on the
ground. Professor Lupin gave Hermione a strange look, and went over to look
at her Patronus.
"Well, Hermione, you did it, but your Patronous doesn't seem to have a
shape. I've never seen that before. Well done," said Professor Lupin. "Ron,
your next."
"Do I have to Professor?" he asked.
"Oh, no that's okay Ron," said Professor Lupin, voice dripping with
sarcasm. "You can sit out today."
"Thanks," said Ron, ignoring the sarcasm.
"I don't think so, get up here," said Professor Lupin, laughing. Ron
scowled.
"Expecto Partonum!" Ron shouted. A faint wisp of smoke erupted from
his wand.
"That isn't a happy enough thought," said Professor Lupin. "What was
it?"
"When I gave Malfoy a black eye two years ago," said Ron. Everyone
laughed and Professor Lupin looked as though he was trying not to laugh.
"Right then. Why don't you try a different one. Does anyone have any
ideas for Ron?" asked Professor Lupin. A few hands shot in the air.
"Hermione."
"When you helped Harry get the Sorcerer's Stone."
"Dean."
"When you won the 200 points and the special services awards."
"Lavender."
"When you got your sister back from the Chamber of Secrets."
"Harry? Might I ask what's so funny?
"I've got it Ron. One word: ferret," said Harry and then he burst out
laughing. Hermione and Ron started laughing immediately, but it took a while
for the rest of the class to catch on. Soon, they were all rolling on the floor.
Ron was laughing too hard to try to do another, and Cat chose that instant to
walk in.
"What's so funny?" asked Cat.
"Harry said ferret," said Professor Lupin, chuckling a little bit.
"I don't get it," said Cat. Hermione saw Sirius step over her, and
bound over to Cat. "Snuffles! Oh Snuffles, I missed you so much. You left to
find him one day, and you didn't come back and when I heard what
happened…" Sirius barked.
"Come to my office later," said Professor Lupin. "I'm sure he wants to
see you too. Harry, you come too. I'm sure everyone will want to see you and
talk to you."
"What time?" Harry wheezed.
"Seven sound good? We'll walk to dinner together. You and Cat have
fifteen years to catch up on. She couldn't make it to the League meeting,"
said Professor Lupin.
"Okay," wheezed Harry. An odd look came over his face, and he burst
out into new fits of laughter. "Can Ron and Mimi come?"
"I take it you mean Hermione? Yes, they can come. Bring Snuffles,"
said Professor Lupin. The bell rang and they were free for the rest of the
day. Harry, Ron and Hermione leaned on each other for support as they
laughed their way out of the Great Hall.
Chapter 12
At seven o'clock, Harry Ron, Hermione, and Sirius in dog form made
their way to Professor Lupin's office. He had told them it was in a door off
of Professor Dumbledore's office.
"Voldemort," said Harry, and the stone gargoyle sprung aside. They
stepped onto the revolving staircase one by one and it took them to the
great oak door that led to Professor Dumbledore's office. Harry knocked.
"Come in," said Professor Dumbledore. He looked up and saw Harry,
Hermione and Ron enter. "Ah, yes, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley,
and Snuffles. They're waiting in there," he pointed to a door obviously put
there, just for that purpose. "Snuffles, see me after. I found out something
about your case." Hermione looked around. She had never been in the
Headmaster's office. She made a mental note to come back sometime.
Hermione followed Harry and Ron through the side door. Cat jumped up at
the sight of Sirius.
"Sirius!" she shouted. The room was full of people. Sirius transformed
and Ran to hug Cat. "Sirius, I missed you so much." Sirius drew Cat into a
long kiss.
"Honestly, Sirius, you dog," said a woman Hermione had never seen
before. "Not in front of the kids." They broke apart.
"Sorry," said Sirius. "But we haven't seen each other in fourteen
years."
"Mrs. Figg?" shouted Harry in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to teach you defense against Voldemort, like the rest of
these people," replied Mrs. Figg. "So many times I've wanted to tell you how
much you remind me of your father. You look just like him, but with your
mother's eyes. Such a sweet child. Always a pleasure to take care of, unlike
that horrible Dursley child," she shuddered.
"Oh, if Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon ever knew, they'd throw a fit,"
laughed Harry. At the blank looks on Hermione's and Ron's faces he said,
"Mrs. Figg took care of me when the Dursley's wanted me out of the way."
"Oh," said Ron and Hermione.
"So, Harry, how have the past fifteen years been treating you?" asked
Cat, stealing glances at Sirius every now and then.
"Well, for eleven years, I lived with the Dursley's in a Hell of Aunt
Petunia shrieking, Uncle Vernon locking me in my cupboard…"
"Cupboard?" asked Cat.
"Yeah, I lived in the cupboard under the stairs. It's bigger than it
sounds. Anyway, Dudley would taunt me, provoke me, and get me sent to my
cupboard. Then I met Hagrid and he got me prepared for Hogwarts.
Hermione, Ron and I figured out that there was a three headed dog guarding
a Sorcerer's Stone. We went down and kept Voldemort from getting it. End
of year one. I go home to get locked in my room. I'm rescued by Ron here,
something I'm still grateful for. We get back to school and there are a
series of attacks, which everyone blames on me because I'm a Parselmouth,
something I found out halfway through the year. The attacks, Hermione
found out, were caused by a Basalisk in the Chamber of Secrets, but
unfortunately, Hermione was 'frozen' so there goes the brains of the
operation. At the end of the year, Ron's little sister was taken to the
Chamber of Secrets by a memory of Tom Riddle, who set the Basalisk on me.
I killed it and the memory, with a lot help from the Sorting Hat and a
Phoenix named Fawkes. End of year two. I go home…"
"That all happened in two years?" asked Cat. "Wow, busy kid."
"Right year three. I find out that a man named Sirius Black…"
"Harry, you forgot the part about blowing up your aunt," said Ron,
sniggering.
"Yeah, well, I got mad because my 'aunt' Marge was insulting my
parents. I lost control and kind of blew her up. I find out that Sirius here is
'after' me. I didn't know that at the time, Peter Pettigrew was still alive and
my friend Ron's rat. Small world, eh? Anyway, not much happened. School
was going great, although Ron and Hermione were fighting all the time and
Snape hated me more and more. Then Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, 'ate'
Scabbers, Peter Pettigrew in rat form."
"Snape is here?" asked Cat in disgust. "I thought I would only have to
see him at league meetings."
"He's not teaching here now," said Sirius. "He's on assignment,
remember?"
"Anyway, we went down to see Hagrid one night and found out that
Scabbers was alive. We had to leave because we weren't supposed to be
there. Scabbers got away from us and ran. Ron, Hermione and I followed. We
then found the Whomping Willow and how to get by it. There we saw Sirius.
Professor Lupin and he explained everything, about how Peter killed my
parents. Well, just as we were going back up to the school, Peter got away
when Professor Lupin transformed. Make a long story short, we helped Sirius
escape with the help of Hermione's Time Turner. Now in our fourth year, my
name got entered into the Goblet of Fire and I go through two tasks
relatively unscathed. Then we get to the maze. At the end of the maze, it's
me and a boy named Cedric Diggory. We took the cup together and found out
it was a Portkey. Cedric was killed by Wormtail and I was tied to Tom
Riddle's head stone. Wormtail took blood from me and it helped Voldemort
return. I dueled with Voldemort and by some miracle, got away. I came back
here, and we found out that our Defense against the Dark Arts teacher is a
phony and is really a Death Eater in disguise. We also find out that, by
Hermione here, that horrid reporter Rita Skeeter is an unregistered
Animagus. That's about as far as it goes," said Harry, blue in the face from
talking.
"Harry, you forgot kissing Hermione," said Sirius with a grin. Harry
had been blue, but now turned red.
"But that was just today," said Hermione, blushing slightly.
"Just teasing," said Sirius.
"Well then, you need to be taught a lesson Mister," said Cat.
"Children, avert your eyes." She wrapped her arms around Sirius's neck and
kissed him deeply.
"I think we should leave now," said Ron to Hermione and Harry. They
nodded in agreement.
"We'd best be off now, see you around," said Hermione. They ran out
the door, apologized for disturbing the Headmaster and left the office,
laughing hard.
Chapter 13
"So," said Harry, one night at dinner. "Are you going to try out for the
Quidditch team?"
"Me or Ron?" asked Hermione.
"Either of you," Harry replied.
"I might," said Ron, absent mindedly. "Harry? Have you done your
Divination?"
"No, I was going to make it up," Harry said. "What about you
Hermione?"
"No, I like the ground personally. I'll watch though. Who's the new
Captain?" Hermione asked.
"Fred and George are co-captains this year. It was good it was a draw
because I guarantee it would have torn them apart. Will you at least watch?"
asked Harry.
"I might, I'll see if I can make it," said Hermione.
"Hey Harry?" asked Ron. "Are Fred and George early morning practice
people?"
"No, thank God. Oliver was horrible about them. Your brother's will be
good captains," said Harry. "By the way, you owe me a sickle. I'm not
captain."
"Who knew?" asked Ron. "Not I said the fly."
"Not me said the bee," said Hermione. "Shall we go to dinner?"
"You two love birds go," said Ron, with a grin. "I have a little bit of
work I need to do, then I'll join you."
"Alright then. See you in a bit," said Harry. "Shall we?" he asked,
offering Hermione his arm.
"Why thank you, Mr. Potter. Aren't you the gentleman tonight?"
Hermione laughed, taking his arm. Hermione and Harry had just stepped out
of the portrait hole, when Sirius, in human form, came running over to them.
"Harry! Oh, Harry, you won't believe it," said Sirius with tears in his
eyes. "Cornelius Fudge is coming to the school tomorrow to hear evidence in
my defense, without Dementors. Dumbledore found a lot of evidence
supporting my case. The best part is, that if Cornelius Fudge says that there
isn't enough evidence, he's going to turn a blind eye, as if he had never been
here!"
"That's fabulous," shouted Harry. "So, what'd Dumbledore find?"
"Peter sent Dumbledore a letter saying that he was alive. Nothing
else, but that he was alive. With this evidence, my version of events might
make a bit more sense."
"They'll never find him though," said Hermione. "He's on Voldemort's
side. They won't find him."
"But that won't mean I'm not free," said Sirius.
"Let me get Ron, he'll want to hear this," said Harry. Hermione was
left alone with Sirius.
"You know Hermione, the way you and Harry act around each other is
the way his parents acted around each other. They were best friends and
then, in their second year actually, it clicked. Nothing big, they were just
working in the Library and James kissed her. Made me drop everything,
spilling ink everywhere. I knew it would happen though. First day, I knew
they would end up together," said Sirius. He smiled and Hermione smiled
back.
"When's the hearing?" asked Hermione.
"Tomorrow, right before they serve lunch. You three have a free
period then, Dumbledore made sure so you could come to back me up," said
Sirius.
"That'd be fun," said Hermione. "We'll definitely be there."
don't forget to r/r at the end, flames welcome. Semi-cliffie at the end.
I Knew I Loved Him Then: Part 3: Chapters 9-13
Chapter 9
"Yes, well," said Hermione stuttering as they broke away. "That can be
a good way of putting it."
"I'm sorry Hermione," said Harry, blushing furiously. "I shouldn't have
done that. Just when Ron let it slip that…"
"Ron?" Hermione asked, furious. "Ron! Ron told you! I'm going to drown
him in a pool of bubotuber pus and hang him out to dry by his toenails, then
I'll hand him over to Fred and George to test all of their new jokes on! He'll
regret the day he was born when I'm through with him!" Hermione's hair had
come undone and Harry was looking at her funny.
"I never knew you could hate with such a passion," he said.
"Interesting. I'll have to try it out on Malfoy." Harry smiled, and Hermione
melted. "Anyway, as I was saying. When Ron let it slip that you and Viktor
weren't together, I was happy. I questioned it, and I figured out that I liked
you. I asked Ron what you would think if I asked you out, and he burst out
laughing. He never told me outright that you liked me." Hermione blushed.
"Well, the cat's out of the bag now," said Hermione, making a mental
note to always hear Harry out first before jumping to conclusions.
"But it's a nice cat," said Harry. Hermione had to sit down. She sank
into an empty chair, her heart beating fast.
"Pinch me," she said, her eyes closed, breathing slowly.
"Why?" asked Harry.
"Because I think I'm dreaming," said Hermione. She got up, faced
Harry, and kissed him again.
Chapter 10
Harry and Hermione were late for their next class, Transfiguration.
Professor McGonagall let it go, noticing that neither were wearing watches
and that, by orders of Madame Pince, you couldn't hear the bell in the
Library. She turned her back on them and resumed writing on the board. Ron
looked at them and winked. Hermione glared at him, and mouthed, "You die
later."
After class, in which they got virtually no homework, Harry, Ron and
Hermione headed down to lunch, with Harry's arm around Hermione's waist.
Hermione wondered if this made Ron uncomfortable to see his two best
friends together, but from the way he was acting, it didn't seem so.
At lunch, their appetite was spoiled when the squeaking ferret was,
yet again, bothering them.
"So, Potter," Malfoy squeaked. "You found yourself someone willing to
be your girlfriend."
"Yeah," said Harry, standing up. Harry, Hermione noticed, had gotten
taller than Malfoy by a few inches and was looking down on him. "So?"
Surprisingly, Malfoy couldn't find a retort to this, so he shrugged, sneered,
and left.
"He was probably suspecting you to deny it," said Ron, cracking a smile.
"But who would be ashamed of this little thing." Ron pinched Hermione's
cheeks, making her very mad.
"Which reminds me Ron," said Harry, seeing Hermione about to burst
with fury at not only having her cheeks pinched, but being called little. "You
might want to duck and cover when you hear what dear old Hermione has in
store for you. I'll say this, it involves Bubotuber Pus, hanging by your
toenails, and being handed over to Fred and George. Use your imagination,
and then run."
"Are you sure she wasn't talking about Malfoy?" asked Ron.
"Please," said Hermione. "You would only be regretting the day you
were born, Malfoy would be dead. What? Do you really think I'm a monster?"
"Just checking," said Ron. "Come on. You know you love me." He
grinned. Hermione pinched his cheeks.
"Yeah. You are just too cute sometimes. By the way, you've got dirt on
your nose," Hermione said. Ron flushed. "I'm just kidding. You don't have
dirt on your nose. Just relax." Ron flushed again, and Harry snorted.
Chapter 11
After lunch was their second Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry,
Ron and Hermione had had a Death Eater as their teacher last year who was
impersonating a retired Auror. He had taught them the Unforgivable curses:
the Imperious Curse, the Cruatious Curse, and Avada Kedavra.
"I wonder what they're going to teach us this year," said Harry.
"We've already learned most of it with the teacher we had last year."
"I don't know either, but I hope we have a cool teacher. Like
Victoria," said Ron.
"It's probably going to be mostly defense, you know like what to do if
you're caught off guard and someone has put you under the Cruatius Curse,"
said Hermione. "Oh, I just remembered. Viktor's getting married this spring,
over the Easter holidays, and he was wondering if you guys could make it.
What do you guys think? You want to go?"
"I'd love to, with you as my date of course," said Harry.
"Didn't I mention?" asked Hermione. "I'm the bride."
"What?" asked Ron. "But you told me that you guys were just friends."
"Then I'm just a last fling before your tied down?" asked Harry.]
"You guys are so gullable! You should have seen your faces, I thought I
would die! No, I'm just kidding. Harry, I'd love to go with you. Ron, you can
find a date. Bring Padma or something," Hermione laughed. Harry cracked a
smile, but looked extremely relieved. Ron was still trying to work out what
had just happened. Then reality dawned and he laughed. Sirius barked from
under the table.
"No begging Snuffles," Harry said. "Bad dog. I'll get you some food
later. Meet me by the kitchens." Hermione could tell Harry was happy to
have Sirius with him. Sirius would be with him all year, too, so Harry never
needed to spend anxious days waiting for a reply. Hermione nudged Ron.
"He's treating Snuffles like a dog," she laughed.
"Harry," Ron said. "What did you do to her? Hermione, you seem like a
different person this year. What happened to good old reliable Hermione
who's every solution was the Library?"
"Who says my every solution isn't the Library? I just grew up a little
over the summer, that's all," said Hermione. The doors opened and an
attractive young woman walked in, joking with Professor Lupin.
"Hello all," she said. "My name is Caitlin Buckley. I'll be teaching you
today, along with my old buddy Remus who was too lazy to contact me over
the years," she punched him. "Meanwhile if you had done this to Lily, you
wouldn't be alive right now," she laughed again. Hermione looked quickly at
Harry, who was just staring at Professor Buckley.
"Excuse me?" Hermione asked. "Professor Buckley?"
"Yes? And please don't call me that, call me Cat or Caitlin, I hate the
whole Professor formality. What's your name by the way?" she asked.
"My name's Hermione, and why is everyone all of the sudden talking
about Harry's parents? I don't get it," said Hermione.
"Harry?" she asked. "Harry, come here honey, let me look at you."
Harry stood up unsurely and walked over to Cat. She hugged him tightly.
"Sorry Harry dear," she said, wiping a tear out of her eye. "You just look
exactly like your father. We all knew that your parents would end up
together, from their first train ride. Sirius told me about it, and, oh I'll tell
you later. Hermione, in answer to your question, I went to school with Lily
and James. Everyone that's teaching here did. Though Arabella and
Mundungus were kind of on their own. Anyway, we were in our first year
when Voldemort first entered the magical community. I know things about
people who are parents of kids in a certain house," she coughed something
that sounded a lot like 'Slytherin', "that would make your head spin. I'm not
here to point the finger of blame. I'm here to teach you how to defend
yourself. Who can tell me the Unforgivable Curses?" Everyone raised their
hand.
"You, big kid with red hair, say your name too," Cat said.
"I'm Ron. There's the Imperious Curse, the Cruatious Curse, and
Avada Kedavra."
"Oh, yeah. You'd be Arthur's son, right? That's right. The reason I
brought Professor Lupin here, is because today, we're going to work on
teaching you how to make a Patronous. They drive down Dementors and
Dementors are the natural allies of Voldemort. Harry, Remus here tells me
that you can make a Patronous too?"
"Yeah, that's right," said Harry.
"Would you make one for us, or will Remus?" asked Cat.
"I'll do it," said Harry. He stood up and walked to the center of the
room. "Expecto Patronum!" A white stag erupted from the end of his wand,
and Cat started to giggle. Hermione knew why. Harry's father had been an
illegal Animagus and his animal was a stag.
"Well done, bye Prongs," Cat said to the Patronous as it vanished.
"How you make a Patronous is you think of a time when you've been very
happy. The incantation is 'Expecto Patronum'. I doubt you all will be able to
get much out of you wands. Harry's been able to do it for two years now, so
that's him. Also, it's harder when there are actually Dementors in front of
you. The more there are, the harder it is to produce a proper Patronous.
Everyone take a second to think of a really happy thought and then we'll call
you up one by one to see if you can do it. The incantation is 'Expecto
Patronum' remember. Nothing will happen if you mix it up, just try to
remember," said Cat.
"Hermione, why don't you try first?" asked Professor Lupin, speaking
for the first time in a while. "Cat, you should take a breather, you've been
talking for a while. Go get yourself something to drink. Do you remember the
way to the kitchens?"
"Remus, how could I forget?" asked Cat. "See you all in a little bit."
She left without anymore coaxing. Aparently she was thirsty, and Hermione
didn't blame her. Hermione was quite thirsty now as her mouth had gone dry
at being picked to demonstrate first. She had her thought, it was when she
kissed Harry, just earlier today.
"Okay Hermione, it's okay if you don't do it on the first try," said
Professor Lupin. "How've you been? Alright? Taking care of Ron and Harry?"
"I've been okay," said Hermione. "Harry doesn't need taking care of,
but Ron is another story. We fight too much, but other than that, I've been
good. How're you though? Not a word since our third year, tisk, tisk
Professor Lupin. I understand why Cat was mad. Here we go." Hermione
thought hard about her kiss. "Expecto Patronum!" A silver ribbon errupted
from her wand. It didn't take any shape, it glided through the air, not
ending. I stopped coming after about seven feet or so, and piled on the
ground. Professor Lupin gave Hermione a strange look, and went over to look
at her Patronus.
"Well, Hermione, you did it, but your Patronous doesn't seem to have a
shape. I've never seen that before. Well done," said Professor Lupin. "Ron,
your next."
"Do I have to Professor?" he asked.
"Oh, no that's okay Ron," said Professor Lupin, voice dripping with
sarcasm. "You can sit out today."
"Thanks," said Ron, ignoring the sarcasm.
"I don't think so, get up here," said Professor Lupin, laughing. Ron
scowled.
"Expecto Partonum!" Ron shouted. A faint wisp of smoke erupted from
his wand.
"That isn't a happy enough thought," said Professor Lupin. "What was
it?"
"When I gave Malfoy a black eye two years ago," said Ron. Everyone
laughed and Professor Lupin looked as though he was trying not to laugh.
"Right then. Why don't you try a different one. Does anyone have any
ideas for Ron?" asked Professor Lupin. A few hands shot in the air.
"Hermione."
"When you helped Harry get the Sorcerer's Stone."
"Dean."
"When you won the 200 points and the special services awards."
"Lavender."
"When you got your sister back from the Chamber of Secrets."
"Harry? Might I ask what's so funny?
"I've got it Ron. One word: ferret," said Harry and then he burst out
laughing. Hermione and Ron started laughing immediately, but it took a while
for the rest of the class to catch on. Soon, they were all rolling on the floor.
Ron was laughing too hard to try to do another, and Cat chose that instant to
walk in.
"What's so funny?" asked Cat.
"Harry said ferret," said Professor Lupin, chuckling a little bit.
"I don't get it," said Cat. Hermione saw Sirius step over her, and
bound over to Cat. "Snuffles! Oh Snuffles, I missed you so much. You left to
find him one day, and you didn't come back and when I heard what
happened…" Sirius barked.
"Come to my office later," said Professor Lupin. "I'm sure he wants to
see you too. Harry, you come too. I'm sure everyone will want to see you and
talk to you."
"What time?" Harry wheezed.
"Seven sound good? We'll walk to dinner together. You and Cat have
fifteen years to catch up on. She couldn't make it to the League meeting,"
said Professor Lupin.
"Okay," wheezed Harry. An odd look came over his face, and he burst
out into new fits of laughter. "Can Ron and Mimi come?"
"I take it you mean Hermione? Yes, they can come. Bring Snuffles,"
said Professor Lupin. The bell rang and they were free for the rest of the
day. Harry, Ron and Hermione leaned on each other for support as they
laughed their way out of the Great Hall.
Chapter 12
At seven o'clock, Harry Ron, Hermione, and Sirius in dog form made
their way to Professor Lupin's office. He had told them it was in a door off
of Professor Dumbledore's office.
"Voldemort," said Harry, and the stone gargoyle sprung aside. They
stepped onto the revolving staircase one by one and it took them to the
great oak door that led to Professor Dumbledore's office. Harry knocked.
"Come in," said Professor Dumbledore. He looked up and saw Harry,
Hermione and Ron enter. "Ah, yes, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley,
and Snuffles. They're waiting in there," he pointed to a door obviously put
there, just for that purpose. "Snuffles, see me after. I found out something
about your case." Hermione looked around. She had never been in the
Headmaster's office. She made a mental note to come back sometime.
Hermione followed Harry and Ron through the side door. Cat jumped up at
the sight of Sirius.
"Sirius!" she shouted. The room was full of people. Sirius transformed
and Ran to hug Cat. "Sirius, I missed you so much." Sirius drew Cat into a
long kiss.
"Honestly, Sirius, you dog," said a woman Hermione had never seen
before. "Not in front of the kids." They broke apart.
"Sorry," said Sirius. "But we haven't seen each other in fourteen
years."
"Mrs. Figg?" shouted Harry in surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"I'm here to teach you defense against Voldemort, like the rest of
these people," replied Mrs. Figg. "So many times I've wanted to tell you how
much you remind me of your father. You look just like him, but with your
mother's eyes. Such a sweet child. Always a pleasure to take care of, unlike
that horrible Dursley child," she shuddered.
"Oh, if Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon ever knew, they'd throw a fit,"
laughed Harry. At the blank looks on Hermione's and Ron's faces he said,
"Mrs. Figg took care of me when the Dursley's wanted me out of the way."
"Oh," said Ron and Hermione.
"So, Harry, how have the past fifteen years been treating you?" asked
Cat, stealing glances at Sirius every now and then.
"Well, for eleven years, I lived with the Dursley's in a Hell of Aunt
Petunia shrieking, Uncle Vernon locking me in my cupboard…"
"Cupboard?" asked Cat.
"Yeah, I lived in the cupboard under the stairs. It's bigger than it
sounds. Anyway, Dudley would taunt me, provoke me, and get me sent to my
cupboard. Then I met Hagrid and he got me prepared for Hogwarts.
Hermione, Ron and I figured out that there was a three headed dog guarding
a Sorcerer's Stone. We went down and kept Voldemort from getting it. End
of year one. I go home to get locked in my room. I'm rescued by Ron here,
something I'm still grateful for. We get back to school and there are a
series of attacks, which everyone blames on me because I'm a Parselmouth,
something I found out halfway through the year. The attacks, Hermione
found out, were caused by a Basalisk in the Chamber of Secrets, but
unfortunately, Hermione was 'frozen' so there goes the brains of the
operation. At the end of the year, Ron's little sister was taken to the
Chamber of Secrets by a memory of Tom Riddle, who set the Basalisk on me.
I killed it and the memory, with a lot help from the Sorting Hat and a
Phoenix named Fawkes. End of year two. I go home…"
"That all happened in two years?" asked Cat. "Wow, busy kid."
"Right year three. I find out that a man named Sirius Black…"
"Harry, you forgot the part about blowing up your aunt," said Ron,
sniggering.
"Yeah, well, I got mad because my 'aunt' Marge was insulting my
parents. I lost control and kind of blew her up. I find out that Sirius here is
'after' me. I didn't know that at the time, Peter Pettigrew was still alive and
my friend Ron's rat. Small world, eh? Anyway, not much happened. School
was going great, although Ron and Hermione were fighting all the time and
Snape hated me more and more. Then Crookshanks, Hermione's cat, 'ate'
Scabbers, Peter Pettigrew in rat form."
"Snape is here?" asked Cat in disgust. "I thought I would only have to
see him at league meetings."
"He's not teaching here now," said Sirius. "He's on assignment,
remember?"
"Anyway, we went down to see Hagrid one night and found out that
Scabbers was alive. We had to leave because we weren't supposed to be
there. Scabbers got away from us and ran. Ron, Hermione and I followed. We
then found the Whomping Willow and how to get by it. There we saw Sirius.
Professor Lupin and he explained everything, about how Peter killed my
parents. Well, just as we were going back up to the school, Peter got away
when Professor Lupin transformed. Make a long story short, we helped Sirius
escape with the help of Hermione's Time Turner. Now in our fourth year, my
name got entered into the Goblet of Fire and I go through two tasks
relatively unscathed. Then we get to the maze. At the end of the maze, it's
me and a boy named Cedric Diggory. We took the cup together and found out
it was a Portkey. Cedric was killed by Wormtail and I was tied to Tom
Riddle's head stone. Wormtail took blood from me and it helped Voldemort
return. I dueled with Voldemort and by some miracle, got away. I came back
here, and we found out that our Defense against the Dark Arts teacher is a
phony and is really a Death Eater in disguise. We also find out that, by
Hermione here, that horrid reporter Rita Skeeter is an unregistered
Animagus. That's about as far as it goes," said Harry, blue in the face from
talking.
"Harry, you forgot kissing Hermione," said Sirius with a grin. Harry
had been blue, but now turned red.
"But that was just today," said Hermione, blushing slightly.
"Just teasing," said Sirius.
"Well then, you need to be taught a lesson Mister," said Cat.
"Children, avert your eyes." She wrapped her arms around Sirius's neck and
kissed him deeply.
"I think we should leave now," said Ron to Hermione and Harry. They
nodded in agreement.
"We'd best be off now, see you around," said Hermione. They ran out
the door, apologized for disturbing the Headmaster and left the office,
laughing hard.
Chapter 13
"So," said Harry, one night at dinner. "Are you going to try out for the
Quidditch team?"
"Me or Ron?" asked Hermione.
"Either of you," Harry replied.
"I might," said Ron, absent mindedly. "Harry? Have you done your
Divination?"
"No, I was going to make it up," Harry said. "What about you
Hermione?"
"No, I like the ground personally. I'll watch though. Who's the new
Captain?" Hermione asked.
"Fred and George are co-captains this year. It was good it was a draw
because I guarantee it would have torn them apart. Will you at least watch?"
asked Harry.
"I might, I'll see if I can make it," said Hermione.
"Hey Harry?" asked Ron. "Are Fred and George early morning practice
people?"
"No, thank God. Oliver was horrible about them. Your brother's will be
good captains," said Harry. "By the way, you owe me a sickle. I'm not
captain."
"Who knew?" asked Ron. "Not I said the fly."
"Not me said the bee," said Hermione. "Shall we go to dinner?"
"You two love birds go," said Ron, with a grin. "I have a little bit of
work I need to do, then I'll join you."
"Alright then. See you in a bit," said Harry. "Shall we?" he asked,
offering Hermione his arm.
"Why thank you, Mr. Potter. Aren't you the gentleman tonight?"
Hermione laughed, taking his arm. Hermione and Harry had just stepped out
of the portrait hole, when Sirius, in human form, came running over to them.
"Harry! Oh, Harry, you won't believe it," said Sirius with tears in his
eyes. "Cornelius Fudge is coming to the school tomorrow to hear evidence in
my defense, without Dementors. Dumbledore found a lot of evidence
supporting my case. The best part is, that if Cornelius Fudge says that there
isn't enough evidence, he's going to turn a blind eye, as if he had never been
here!"
"That's fabulous," shouted Harry. "So, what'd Dumbledore find?"
"Peter sent Dumbledore a letter saying that he was alive. Nothing
else, but that he was alive. With this evidence, my version of events might
make a bit more sense."
"They'll never find him though," said Hermione. "He's on Voldemort's
side. They won't find him."
"But that won't mean I'm not free," said Sirius.
"Let me get Ron, he'll want to hear this," said Harry. Hermione was
left alone with Sirius.
"You know Hermione, the way you and Harry act around each other is
the way his parents acted around each other. They were best friends and
then, in their second year actually, it clicked. Nothing big, they were just
working in the Library and James kissed her. Made me drop everything,
spilling ink everywhere. I knew it would happen though. First day, I knew
they would end up together," said Sirius. He smiled and Hermione smiled
back.
"When's the hearing?" asked Hermione.
"Tomorrow, right before they serve lunch. You three have a free
period then, Dumbledore made sure so you could come to back me up," said
Sirius.
"That'd be fun," said Hermione. "We'll definitely be there."