It wasn't long before snow coated the ground and ice coated the windows. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Lacci often went down to visit Hagrid. Lacci had come to like Hagrid, he was nice and good-natured, the kind of person Lacci tended to like. The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher was still out. A rumour had started goling around the school that Snape had poisoned the new professor and he was just waiting until they let him have the job. Lacci told no one of the picture she drew. In fact, she had hidden it under her bed. God stayed indoors more often now that there was snow, and Lacci had to borrow a winter cloak from Lara because Lara's rat (whose name turned out to be Brent) had shredded the one Mrs. Weasley had bought. Lacci had become close friends with Vladimir, Amber and Dani, and seemed to spend more time around them than around her Gryffindor friends. She tried to get closer to Ling, but finally gave up when Ling threatened to turn Lacci's whole family into snakes. Lacci had tried to protest that she had no family, but figured it was useless. Ling simply didn't like her.
Lacci had experienced her first quidditch match (watching Slytherin vs Ravenclaw) a month into the first term. Slytherin had won by 10 points, a very narrow scrape. Draco had gloated about how he had just barely caught the Snitch before Cho for weeks, before Slytherin was completely flattened defeated by Gryffindor.
Today was the first day of the holiday break, and almost everyone had gone away. Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed back as usual. All of Lacci's friends, with the exception of Dani, had gone home as well. Hagrid had brought in 12 christmas trees, the same for every year, and depite the lack of students the Great Hall had been decorated beautifully with holly and lights.
Harry woke up and rolled over. It was barely light out. He tried to shut his eyes and go to sleep again, when something extremely cold and wet brushed past his legs. He sat straight up and pulled his legs up to his chest, wide awake. God was staring up at him expectantly from the end of the bed, snow in his fur. In fact, he took up the entire end of the bed, and was getting it wet.
"God..." Harry moaned, and held his head. It was too early for this. God sat, still staring at Harry, as if expecting him to jump up and dance like a coconut. Instead, he swung his legs over the end of the bed and looked over at God. "Well? Come on. You aren't allowed in here. This is for Gryffindors." God, looking disappointed, hopped off the bed. Harry walked him out the door and to the portrait. "Uber Asparagus," Harry said, and the portrait opened. Harry heaved God up and set him outside the portrait hole. "Now go away, shoo." God seemed to roll his eyes, and sauntered off down the hallway. Harry shut the portrait.
Now to awake to go back to bed, Harry sat down in front of the fire. The sun was beginning to come up, and the entire common room was a blue-greyish color. A tapping at the window caused Harry to look up.
Hedwig was fluttering at the window, a letter tied to her leg. Harry got up and let her in, untying the letter. Hedwig made herself comfortable on he arm of Harry's armchair, shaking off some snow. Harry sat down and opened the letter. He reconized the handwriting immediately.
Dear Harry,
How are you? You haven't written in a while, is everything alright? I read in the Daily Prophet about the Vrij girl, are you handling her well? Harry-- I know some things about her you might be interested in. Could I see you next week, at the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, 1 am?
Sincerely,
Snuffles.
Harry had forgotten about writing to Sirius. Information about Lacci? Of course! They were in Azkaban at the same time! He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before! Harry got a quill and started to write back. He told Sirius about Lacci's arrival, her straight jacket, her cat, her language, her strange attack on during the train ride, how she had been put into slytherin, everything. Finally he ended the letter and folded it up. He stuck it in his pocket-- he'd send it later, when Hedwig was up to it.
After what seemed like hours, Harry decided it must be time to eat breakfast. After a moment's thought, he decided Ron would rather sleep in, and then made his way down to the Great Hall.
Dumbledore was already seated at a singular table. All the other tables had been set up along the walls. "There were so few people staying back," he said smiling, "that I figured only one table was needed." Harry smiled back and sat down beside him.
They ate in peace for a while. Harry was thinking about the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Who was he? Why hadn't he showed up at the school? Harry decided to question Dumbledore.
"Sir?"
Dumbledore paused in making a volcano out of his mashed potatoes and gravy. "Yes?"
"Where is our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? It's been months."
Dumbledore smiled. "Ahh, don't worry, Harry. I've got the feeling he's got it all under control. He owled me before the term and told me he had some business to take care of, so dear Ubel is filling in." His eyes twinkled.
Something struck Harry. "Professor Dumbledore, sir, Professor Ubel told us someone put a curse on her when she was 17."
"Yes?" Dumbledore prompted.
"Well, what happened to the boy who put the curse on her? Was he expelled from Hogwarts?"
Dumblesdore chuckled. "Actually, Professor Ubel didn't go to Hogwarts, she went to a school in America called Holmes. The boy would have been expelled, I hear, if she hadn't so firmly disagreed with that happening."
"You mean," said Harry, peicing it together, "You mean the she and the boy were close friends?"
"Well, perhaps a bit more than that." On Dumbledore's plate, Mount Potato erupted with gravy oozing down the side of it. "Now," Dumbledore said, pointing to Harry's food, "You should eat that before it gets cold."
Lacci trudged into the Great Hall. For once she had overslept, and her light green hair was everywhere. God followed closely behind her, making little yowling noises.
Lacci sat down opposite of Harry, God next to her.
"Good morning Miss Vrij, Good morning God," Dumbledore said politely, as bacon, eggs and potatoes appeared on their plates. "Hi," said Lacci. God's head bowed slightly in recognition.
Harry laughed as God tried to eat his sunny side up eggs. God glared at him. "Hey, don't get so offended." Harry put his hands in the air in surrender. He turned to Lacci.
"Good morning Lacci. Looks like you slept well."
Lacci nodded. "Like a coconut," she said, pouring syrup on her bacon. "You know, I had the funniest dream last night," she continued conversationally.
"Oh really?" Harry asked.
"Yes. I dreampt I was running naked through the snow around the Quidditch pitch, throwing a Quod into the air and hitting it with a beaterstick. Then Hedwig flew out to me and turned into a tall man with a blonde mullet and really funky eyebrows. He said his name was Jared, the Go Blinking. He was wearing all white robes and really tight tights, and he gave me a fish. So I went into the Forbidden Forest to wash my clothing, and I stuck the fish up on the clothing line. But the clothing line couldn't holding it's weight, so it fell down, and disappeared into the leaves on the forest floor. Then a centaur with giant horns sticking our of his hooves came charging at me, so I ran, but the clothing line tripped him and he was speared in the fish. Then I woke up, because my window was open."
Harry laughed. "That certainly is an interesting dream."
"One would wonder, however," Dumbledore said, "Why your window was open."
Lacci shrugged. "Maybe the dream horse couldn't walk through the wall so it opened the window."
More like God trying to get outside, Harry thought.
"Perhaps," Dumbledore said doubtfully, but he didn't sound at all concerned about the subject. In fact, he was smiling.
Lacci picked up a piece of her bacon. "Oooo! It's all sticky!" Harry and Dumbledore laughed.
Dani came in a few minutes later, seating himself at the very far end of the table.
"Why don't you sit over here?" Lacci called down the table. Dani shook his head. "Nah," he called back. "I'm fine right here, thanks."
ok then, Lacci thought, mentally shrugging. She noticed that, despitre what Dani had said about lvoing the cold at the start of the year, he was wearing more clothing than everyone else and looked slightly paler than usual.
About the time Harry and Lacci had finished eating, Ron and 6 other people had come down to breakfast, and Dani and Dumbledore had already left.
"Thanks for waking me up," Ron said to Harry, stretching. His red hair was frizzy and there was a bit of it sticking up in the back. "Good morning Lacci."
"G'morning Ronny," Lacci said, waving her fork at him. Someone put their hand on her shoulder. She looked up.
Tentwol looked back down at her. "Hello again, Miss Vrij! I'm afraid I don't look my best to people staring up my nose." He stepped suavely to the right and sat down next to Lacci, putting his elbows on the table and his head sideways on his hands. He smiled at Lacci. "I wasn't aware you were staying back for the hoidays as well."
Lacci grinned. "Hallo Tentwol! These are my friends, Hayee, and Ron. Hayee, Ron, this is my new friend Tentwol."
Tentwol turned and smiled charmingly at Harry and Ron. "Wonderful to meet both of you." He shook their hands over the table.
Harry looked at Ron and mouthed 'Is he one of her Slytherin friends?' Ron shrugged.
"I'm guessing you are all in Gryffindor?" Tentwol asked. Lacci shook her head.
"I'm a Slytherin," she said, a touch of pride. She had come to love Slytherin; it was literally like her home.
Tentwol looked surprised. "You're in Slytherin? I wouldn't have guessed, you're very nice. I'm in Ravenclaw, 7th year."
"We're 5th years," Harry said. "I think I reconize you. Are you on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team?"
Tentwol nodded. "Yes, actually. I play Keeper. And you, of course, play Seeker for Gryffindor, correct?"
"That's right," Harry replied.
Lacci turned to God. There was another first year, nervously looking at him. God was staring glumly back. Lacci smiled. God nudged the girl in the elbow with his head.
"He wants you potatoes," Lacci said happily. The girl fearfully slopped her potatoes towards God and then scooted over two chairs.
"Oh," Tentwol said, noticing the cat. "Is this your cat, Vrij?"
Lacci nodded. "His name is God."
Tentwol raised his eyebrows. "I saw him the other day."
Lacci wondered if she actually had seen God. "Where?"
"Oh, out and about," Tentwol said, smiling again. "Well, I'd love to stay and chit chat, but I've really got to run. Things do to, you know. Ta ta." Lacci waved goodbye to him and, to everyone but his surprise, he bent down and kissed her hand. "And a lovely day to you as well, Miss Vrij." With that, he walked out of the room.
Lacci stared, awed, at her hand.
"Oh Cheese, did he just do what I thought he did?" Ron asked, horrified. Harry nodded. "Unless you thought he just horribly molested the cat, crapped on the floor and sang 'I've got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts' while standing on his head, yes."
"Well," Ron mused, "Not the standing on his head bit."
Harry couldn't help feeling a bit jealous. He wondered why.
***
"Lacci," Dani said professionally, after she had told him about Tentwol. "I believe you have come across a very rare species of beast. Most of them were killed off long ago. I believe you just experienced the common farewell/greeting gesture of.... the Gentleman."
Lacci, who was sitting in an armchair, giggled. Dani had found a chalkboard somewhere and was pointing at a chalk drawing in it with his wand. It was a drawing of a man, holding flowers and wearing a large slime on his face.
"Now," Dani said, strutting about and pointing to the mouth. "All Gentlemen have sparkling, dazzling, charming smiles full of perfectly straight white teeth. That's why Slytherins can't be gentlemen. They are extremely polite, especially to women. You're female, which is close enough. When they are courting a woman, however, they often lavish them in gifts and flowers, and are extremely romantic. They always say the right thing. And they are always much older than the woman they are courting. I believe, if you don't take action now, you might become a victim of their snare, which is called Marriage." He drew a box with a ring in it, and pointed to it.
Dani drew anyother figure. It was another man, shorter, not as perfect, slouching, with a twisted smirk in his face.
"This, is the average man. They are much easier to fall in love with, and much easier to find. I, for example, and am ordinary man *coughcough*. They are often rude, tend to do disgusting things for enjoyment, pick on weaker people and lounge about. They too, have a snare. It's called Love." Dani pointed to the man's crotch. Lacci giggled again.
"But Dani, I don't want to 'court' him, whatever that means. He's my friend. You're my friend."
Dani shrugged. "Well, you're screwed. Speaking of, let's play chess."
Lacci had experienced her first quidditch match (watching Slytherin vs Ravenclaw) a month into the first term. Slytherin had won by 10 points, a very narrow scrape. Draco had gloated about how he had just barely caught the Snitch before Cho for weeks, before Slytherin was completely flattened defeated by Gryffindor.
Today was the first day of the holiday break, and almost everyone had gone away. Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed back as usual. All of Lacci's friends, with the exception of Dani, had gone home as well. Hagrid had brought in 12 christmas trees, the same for every year, and depite the lack of students the Great Hall had been decorated beautifully with holly and lights.
Harry woke up and rolled over. It was barely light out. He tried to shut his eyes and go to sleep again, when something extremely cold and wet brushed past his legs. He sat straight up and pulled his legs up to his chest, wide awake. God was staring up at him expectantly from the end of the bed, snow in his fur. In fact, he took up the entire end of the bed, and was getting it wet.
"God..." Harry moaned, and held his head. It was too early for this. God sat, still staring at Harry, as if expecting him to jump up and dance like a coconut. Instead, he swung his legs over the end of the bed and looked over at God. "Well? Come on. You aren't allowed in here. This is for Gryffindors." God, looking disappointed, hopped off the bed. Harry walked him out the door and to the portrait. "Uber Asparagus," Harry said, and the portrait opened. Harry heaved God up and set him outside the portrait hole. "Now go away, shoo." God seemed to roll his eyes, and sauntered off down the hallway. Harry shut the portrait.
Now to awake to go back to bed, Harry sat down in front of the fire. The sun was beginning to come up, and the entire common room was a blue-greyish color. A tapping at the window caused Harry to look up.
Hedwig was fluttering at the window, a letter tied to her leg. Harry got up and let her in, untying the letter. Hedwig made herself comfortable on he arm of Harry's armchair, shaking off some snow. Harry sat down and opened the letter. He reconized the handwriting immediately.
Dear Harry,
How are you? You haven't written in a while, is everything alright? I read in the Daily Prophet about the Vrij girl, are you handling her well? Harry-- I know some things about her you might be interested in. Could I see you next week, at the fireplace in the Gryffindor common room, 1 am?
Sincerely,
Snuffles.
Harry had forgotten about writing to Sirius. Information about Lacci? Of course! They were in Azkaban at the same time! He didn't know why he hadn't thought of it before! Harry got a quill and started to write back. He told Sirius about Lacci's arrival, her straight jacket, her cat, her language, her strange attack on during the train ride, how she had been put into slytherin, everything. Finally he ended the letter and folded it up. He stuck it in his pocket-- he'd send it later, when Hedwig was up to it.
After what seemed like hours, Harry decided it must be time to eat breakfast. After a moment's thought, he decided Ron would rather sleep in, and then made his way down to the Great Hall.
Dumbledore was already seated at a singular table. All the other tables had been set up along the walls. "There were so few people staying back," he said smiling, "that I figured only one table was needed." Harry smiled back and sat down beside him.
They ate in peace for a while. Harry was thinking about the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Who was he? Why hadn't he showed up at the school? Harry decided to question Dumbledore.
"Sir?"
Dumbledore paused in making a volcano out of his mashed potatoes and gravy. "Yes?"
"Where is our Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher? It's been months."
Dumbledore smiled. "Ahh, don't worry, Harry. I've got the feeling he's got it all under control. He owled me before the term and told me he had some business to take care of, so dear Ubel is filling in." His eyes twinkled.
Something struck Harry. "Professor Dumbledore, sir, Professor Ubel told us someone put a curse on her when she was 17."
"Yes?" Dumbledore prompted.
"Well, what happened to the boy who put the curse on her? Was he expelled from Hogwarts?"
Dumblesdore chuckled. "Actually, Professor Ubel didn't go to Hogwarts, she went to a school in America called Holmes. The boy would have been expelled, I hear, if she hadn't so firmly disagreed with that happening."
"You mean," said Harry, peicing it together, "You mean the she and the boy were close friends?"
"Well, perhaps a bit more than that." On Dumbledore's plate, Mount Potato erupted with gravy oozing down the side of it. "Now," Dumbledore said, pointing to Harry's food, "You should eat that before it gets cold."
Lacci trudged into the Great Hall. For once she had overslept, and her light green hair was everywhere. God followed closely behind her, making little yowling noises.
Lacci sat down opposite of Harry, God next to her.
"Good morning Miss Vrij, Good morning God," Dumbledore said politely, as bacon, eggs and potatoes appeared on their plates. "Hi," said Lacci. God's head bowed slightly in recognition.
Harry laughed as God tried to eat his sunny side up eggs. God glared at him. "Hey, don't get so offended." Harry put his hands in the air in surrender. He turned to Lacci.
"Good morning Lacci. Looks like you slept well."
Lacci nodded. "Like a coconut," she said, pouring syrup on her bacon. "You know, I had the funniest dream last night," she continued conversationally.
"Oh really?" Harry asked.
"Yes. I dreampt I was running naked through the snow around the Quidditch pitch, throwing a Quod into the air and hitting it with a beaterstick. Then Hedwig flew out to me and turned into a tall man with a blonde mullet and really funky eyebrows. He said his name was Jared, the Go Blinking. He was wearing all white robes and really tight tights, and he gave me a fish. So I went into the Forbidden Forest to wash my clothing, and I stuck the fish up on the clothing line. But the clothing line couldn't holding it's weight, so it fell down, and disappeared into the leaves on the forest floor. Then a centaur with giant horns sticking our of his hooves came charging at me, so I ran, but the clothing line tripped him and he was speared in the fish. Then I woke up, because my window was open."
Harry laughed. "That certainly is an interesting dream."
"One would wonder, however," Dumbledore said, "Why your window was open."
Lacci shrugged. "Maybe the dream horse couldn't walk through the wall so it opened the window."
More like God trying to get outside, Harry thought.
"Perhaps," Dumbledore said doubtfully, but he didn't sound at all concerned about the subject. In fact, he was smiling.
Lacci picked up a piece of her bacon. "Oooo! It's all sticky!" Harry and Dumbledore laughed.
Dani came in a few minutes later, seating himself at the very far end of the table.
"Why don't you sit over here?" Lacci called down the table. Dani shook his head. "Nah," he called back. "I'm fine right here, thanks."
ok then, Lacci thought, mentally shrugging. She noticed that, despitre what Dani had said about lvoing the cold at the start of the year, he was wearing more clothing than everyone else and looked slightly paler than usual.
About the time Harry and Lacci had finished eating, Ron and 6 other people had come down to breakfast, and Dani and Dumbledore had already left.
"Thanks for waking me up," Ron said to Harry, stretching. His red hair was frizzy and there was a bit of it sticking up in the back. "Good morning Lacci."
"G'morning Ronny," Lacci said, waving her fork at him. Someone put their hand on her shoulder. She looked up.
Tentwol looked back down at her. "Hello again, Miss Vrij! I'm afraid I don't look my best to people staring up my nose." He stepped suavely to the right and sat down next to Lacci, putting his elbows on the table and his head sideways on his hands. He smiled at Lacci. "I wasn't aware you were staying back for the hoidays as well."
Lacci grinned. "Hallo Tentwol! These are my friends, Hayee, and Ron. Hayee, Ron, this is my new friend Tentwol."
Tentwol turned and smiled charmingly at Harry and Ron. "Wonderful to meet both of you." He shook their hands over the table.
Harry looked at Ron and mouthed 'Is he one of her Slytherin friends?' Ron shrugged.
"I'm guessing you are all in Gryffindor?" Tentwol asked. Lacci shook her head.
"I'm a Slytherin," she said, a touch of pride. She had come to love Slytherin; it was literally like her home.
Tentwol looked surprised. "You're in Slytherin? I wouldn't have guessed, you're very nice. I'm in Ravenclaw, 7th year."
"We're 5th years," Harry said. "I think I reconize you. Are you on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team?"
Tentwol nodded. "Yes, actually. I play Keeper. And you, of course, play Seeker for Gryffindor, correct?"
"That's right," Harry replied.
Lacci turned to God. There was another first year, nervously looking at him. God was staring glumly back. Lacci smiled. God nudged the girl in the elbow with his head.
"He wants you potatoes," Lacci said happily. The girl fearfully slopped her potatoes towards God and then scooted over two chairs.
"Oh," Tentwol said, noticing the cat. "Is this your cat, Vrij?"
Lacci nodded. "His name is God."
Tentwol raised his eyebrows. "I saw him the other day."
Lacci wondered if she actually had seen God. "Where?"
"Oh, out and about," Tentwol said, smiling again. "Well, I'd love to stay and chit chat, but I've really got to run. Things do to, you know. Ta ta." Lacci waved goodbye to him and, to everyone but his surprise, he bent down and kissed her hand. "And a lovely day to you as well, Miss Vrij." With that, he walked out of the room.
Lacci stared, awed, at her hand.
"Oh Cheese, did he just do what I thought he did?" Ron asked, horrified. Harry nodded. "Unless you thought he just horribly molested the cat, crapped on the floor and sang 'I've got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts' while standing on his head, yes."
"Well," Ron mused, "Not the standing on his head bit."
Harry couldn't help feeling a bit jealous. He wondered why.
***
"Lacci," Dani said professionally, after she had told him about Tentwol. "I believe you have come across a very rare species of beast. Most of them were killed off long ago. I believe you just experienced the common farewell/greeting gesture of.... the Gentleman."
Lacci, who was sitting in an armchair, giggled. Dani had found a chalkboard somewhere and was pointing at a chalk drawing in it with his wand. It was a drawing of a man, holding flowers and wearing a large slime on his face.
"Now," Dani said, strutting about and pointing to the mouth. "All Gentlemen have sparkling, dazzling, charming smiles full of perfectly straight white teeth. That's why Slytherins can't be gentlemen. They are extremely polite, especially to women. You're female, which is close enough. When they are courting a woman, however, they often lavish them in gifts and flowers, and are extremely romantic. They always say the right thing. And they are always much older than the woman they are courting. I believe, if you don't take action now, you might become a victim of their snare, which is called Marriage." He drew a box with a ring in it, and pointed to it.
Dani drew anyother figure. It was another man, shorter, not as perfect, slouching, with a twisted smirk in his face.
"This, is the average man. They are much easier to fall in love with, and much easier to find. I, for example, and am ordinary man *coughcough*. They are often rude, tend to do disgusting things for enjoyment, pick on weaker people and lounge about. They too, have a snare. It's called Love." Dani pointed to the man's crotch. Lacci giggled again.
"But Dani, I don't want to 'court' him, whatever that means. He's my friend. You're my friend."
Dani shrugged. "Well, you're screwed. Speaking of, let's play chess."