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The Familiar World – Dances, Potions and Intelligent Books
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The normal buzz of the Great Hall lowered as Dumbledore stood, presumably, to make an announcement.
"Halloween is fast approaching. This year we have decided to include a small, dance as part of the normal party festivities,"
The students erupted into intense conversations. At the head table, Snape was clearly rolling his eyes, but the other teachers seemed to think this was one of the more normal decisions the head master had come up with.
"Dress robes are not required but this function is open to fourth-year students and above. First thru third year students may attend if they have in invitation. The dance will take place at a hall in Hogsmede. Have a good evening," Dumbledore sat and struck up a conversation with professor Flitwick.
"Wicked!" Ron exclaimed, "I didn't know there was going be a dance and I already asked a girl to, you know, hang out at the party with me. Hey, Harry! You better ask Cho fast," Ron nudged his friend. Harry blushed furiously and Hermione stifled a giggle.
"He's right though, Harry. You'd better ask Cho before someone else does," Hermione told Harry.
"Quit it you guys," Harry was sure his cheeks matched Ron's hair by now. Hermione began laughing wildly all of a sudden and Harry was going to yell at her again when he felt a tapping on his shoulder. He turned around and saw what Hermione had been laughing about. It was Cho.
"Hey. D'you want to go to the dance with me?" She asked politely. Harry stared at her. His brain began screaming at him to answer "YES!" but his voice seemed to have gotten caught in his throat.
"Of COURSE he'll go with you!" Ron grinned and smacked Harry on the back hard enough to cause his glasses to slide down his nose a little. Hermione was gasping for breath from laughing so hard at Harry's expense.
"Er," Harry said stupidly.
"I suppose I can take that as a yes?" Cho asked wryly.
"Yeah!" Harry's voice suddenly began working again. His reply came out a little squeaky and he quickly covered his mouth.
"Great!" Cho smiled. And then, just as quickly as she'd come, she was gone.
"Bye…" Harry said a few moments later. Ron and Hermione laughed all the way back to Gryffindor tower.
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Severus Snape was not a happy man. Not in general and especially not now. His new student teacher, Fleur Delacour, was lecturing to the class about herbal infusions. They (well, the boys) were paying rapt attention; rapt attention to her and not the lesson, certainly. Five boys had already asked her to the Halloween dance, and she'd laughed and told them, politely, no she wouldn't be going with a student, but thanks for asking.
It was sickening.
Fleur asked a question and instantly several hands shot up, mostly boys. Snape rolled his eyes. They might seem to know something now, but he doubted any of the students would remember anything five minutes after the class was over.
"Sure they know the answers when a pretty girl asks them," he muttered under his breath. However he couldn't complain that several students who'd been disruptive in class had ceased to be so boisterous. Even Longbottom was showing the slightest bit of improvement, having only melted one and a half cauldrons thus far. Snape's ego was taking a mild bruising more than anything else. What in the world had he done to deserve this? He decided Dumbledore must be getting back at him from being so hard on golden boy Potter and his friends.
"And 'ere we 'ave the 'ope weed. Zis is an important infusion in the 'ealing potions, espezally when dealing with snake bites…"
"It's a wonder they can understand anything she says," Severus thought to himself as he watched the class hang on her every heavily accented word.
"Pop quiz!" Fleur suddenly announced joyously. There were several disbelieving groans from students and a slow smile spread across Snape's face. Not one of the students seemed prepared, and they should have been. Parchment was passed through the room. Several boys looked stricken as they'd paid far much more attention to the teacher instead of what she was teaching
Now this, was teaching!
Fleur began asking difficult questions about herbal infusions, potions components and viscosity. Fleur turned around and winked at Snape, then asked an exceedingly tough question about differing boiling points. Suddenly Severus' day was looking up.
Ginny spared a glance across the workbench at Lisa. Green was thinking very hard about the question Mademoiselle Delacour (as she had instructed them to call her) had just asked. Ginnyhad quietly observed her newest friend all day. Lisa seemed to be ok so far. She's dozed off in History, but then so had most of the class. Binns had gone on at some length about Orcs streaming over some mountain range or something and killing lots of people. But Binn's class being what it was, even the boys were bored by the exceedingly dry account of blood and mayhem.
Ginny finished writing and turned her parchment over to indicate she was done. A few other students hesitantly turned their own papers over and sat back to watch the rest of their classmates finish. Ginny spotted Snape's barely hidden expression of pleasure. Ginny sighed. Fleur was the worst kind of teacher, really. She was knowledgeable, and didn't frighten everyone out of their skins, but she was a bitch when it came to actually testing what you were supposed to have learned. Ginny had yet to find someone able to resent her. Nothing was worse then being unable to resent a teacher for giving out hard homework and tests. It was really unfair. Lisa turned her parchment over and gave Ginny a feeble smile. Ginny rested her chin in her hand and awaited the end of the pop quiz.
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"There!" Ron sat back and sighed with the contentment of one who has undertaken a Herculean task and survived. Hermione and Harry looked up from their homework. Hermione blinked a few times and looked from Ron to the book a few times.
"You're finished?" She questioned disbelief clearly evident by her tone.
"Yep," Ron said, obviously pleased with himself, "now I have to decide what I want to transfigure into. And professor McGonagall said that was the hard bit,"
"Can I look at the book?" Hermione asked, eyeing the tome.
"Uhm, I suppose," Ron said hesitantly, "maybe you should ask her permission first or something though,"
"Oh, I think she'll be ok with it," Hermione grinned as she drew the book towards her with one hand and moved her work aside with the other.
"But don't you have Arithremancy homework to be doing?" Harry looked pointedly at the abandoned quill, parchment, and book she'd shoved to the side.
"Oh, that's next week's homework," she told him matter-of-factly. Harry just shook his head.
"The pages are blank," Hermione said as she flipped through the back of the book.
"Yeah. You have to read the entire thing, and no skipping ahead," Ron was just a tad superior sounding Harry thought. He covered a laugh with a cough and tried to look innocent when Ron gave him a dirty look.
"But the front of the book is blank too," Hermione sounded disappointed a little confused, "Why can't I read this book?" She wondered aloud. Surprisingly the book answered.
"Because Minerva hasn't said you can read me yet," the book wrote in neat script.
"Ahh! Not another possessed book!" Ron exclaimed, jumping back in his seat and nearly tipping the chair over. A few students in the common room stopped what they were doing and looked at Ron.
"Don't make such a commotion!" Hermione hissed. She frowned at Ron then at the book. Hermione had yet to find a book she couldn't read. Well, other than books in the restricted section of the library. Thus, a book telling her that she couldn't read it, quite simply didn't compute in her mind.
"Can't I even read the preface?" Hermione asked, somewhat lost.
"Nope. Sorry about that. You have to clear everything with Minerva first, just like Ron did," The book wrote to her.
"Well, at least it's a polite book," Ron pointed out, trying to brighten Hermione up.
"Thank you, Ron," the book wrote.
"Quite welcome!" Rom told it cheerily. Hermione glared at him.
"How does a book know who can read it anyway?" Hermione grumped.
"Quite simple really. Minerva owns me. She says who can read me and I am quite sorry to say your name isn't on the list,"
"So," Hermione said, her eyes began to gleam as she worked out the problem, "if I bought a copy of you, I could read you then?"
"You aren't certified to teach Animagus transformations, so you can't buy me I'm afraid. Just ask Minerva. I'm sure she'd let you read me. She's quite easy to talk to, she's an excellent teacher and she has a lot of insight. Her tabby cat transformation is quite impressive, actually. It's very hard to tell that she's an Animagus and not a real cat. She even has the purring down cold."
"I don't believe this!" Hermione hissed under her breath. Aloud she said: "There has to be a way to trick the book into letting me read it!"
"No, I'm sorry there isn't. Well, not anymore. But I'm not allowed to talk about that. Good Luck Ron! See you if Minerva has you read any of my additional notes or re-read my chapters! Goodnight!"
"Hey thanks!" Ron said cheerfully. Hermione glowered.
"What do you mean 'not anymore'! Well? Come on! Come ON!" Hermione went so far as to shake the book. The pages flopped in the air and she held the open book spine up shook the offending text. She stopped and hurriedly put the book down when she saw the astonished looks Ron and Harry were giving her. She blushed and the boys immediately burst into gales of laugher.
"Well, I am going to talk with McGonagall," Ron said after her recovered from laughing at Hermione. Hermione sniffed and resumed her Arithremancy homework. Ron shoved his homework into something which resembled a stack as he stood.
"What, you're going now?" Harry asked him.
"Er, Yeah." Ron looked slightly sheepish, but no less serious, "I mean it's only 4:30. Dinner isn't for another half an hour, and I thought I could catch her in her office."
"Have you finished your homework?" Hermione asked sourly, sure he hadn't.
"Yeah actually. All I had today was transfiguration and I did that yesterday. I'd finished the chapter on sounds and I was reading the chapter on coloration and I thought I'd try to turn my stone into a song bird,"
"Let's see then," Harry said before Hermione could say anything.
"Right. Uhm," Ron rummaged around in his sack for the rock McGonagall had given him, "here we are. Pennipotenti Canto!" The rock turned into a little yellow canary. The bird looked around, trilled once and then took off.
"Oh, bugger," Ron said and took off after the bird.
"Watch your language!" Hermione snapped, but she still helped chase after the little bird.
After a wild scramble which disturbed all the students in the common room, sent a great many essays into the air, and resulted in several shrieking third years, they gave up trying to catch the bird and Ron tried turning it back into a rock from a distance. The rock fell onto a table with a resounding thump and woke up the first year who'd been snoozing there.
"S'it dinner time yet?" he asked before his head fell back onto the table.
"Well, I'll see you at dinner then," Ron retrieved his rock and after stowing it in his sack, picked up his copy of Animagus, and headed out of the tower.
"I can leave my homework for a few minutes," Hermione hurried up to catch him. Ron shrugged and pushed aside the picture.
"Oh, that's going to hurt in the morning," Minerva thought to herself as she watched a Slytherin beater fly at full speed into one of the Slytherin chasers. The chaser had been dodging one bludger and the beater had just gotten the second bludger, but neither had seen his teammate. She watched as both boys collided and made a rough landing. Their teammates and Madame Hooch were quick in crowding around them to survey the damage.
Minerva mentally chucked and flicked the end of her tail. She wondered what Severus would say. Well, so she knew what he'd say. But really, it wasn't as if she was spying on the Slytherins. She was just enjoying both the amazing view from her office and the more accurate sight of her Animagus form. Besides, Katie Bell had sent Angelina to spy on the Slytherin team. Of course Minerva wasn't so sure Katie was getting terribly accurate information. The Slytherins had sent their keeper to do the same thing and Minerva had noticed the two spies getting awfully cozy as of late. Both captains would have a fit if they found out one of their own fancied one of the enemy. She hoped she'd be present to see it fall out. It'd be interesting to say the least, and good inter-house romance always did wonders for good relations within the school. Sometimes the houses were a tad too insular, in her opinion.
Her ears pricked as she heard footfalls in the hallway just before her doorway. Turning her head, she saw Ron Weasley carrying her copy of Animagus. He was being followed closely by Hermione Granger.
From the way Ron had apparently been buried in that book, she suspected he was now done. Flitwick and Binns had commented on Ron's reading it at every available moment, and she'd remarked how pleased she was that he'd taken an interest in something academic. Minerva was just very glad that Ron had been smart enough not to try and read it during potions. Severus would definitely not be as accommodating or even pleased that Ron had taken real interest in something, as the other teachers seemed to be. Minerva shot a quick look at the fallen Slytherins on the practice field. They were being magically floated to the infirmary by Hooch and Pomfrey. Seeing things were under control there, Minerva stretched on the cushions of the window seat to get the kinks out from sitting so long, then turned into her normal form.
"Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley," She greeted as she walked over to her desk.
"I finished!" Ron exclaimed, holding the book aloft like some sort of trophy. Minerva couldn't help but smile.
"I thought you might finish quickly," she told him. "Have you given any thought on your transformation?" She asked.
"Yeah. The Manticore is definitely out. I don't want something too big, but not too small and I think it'd be wicked cool to fly," Ron took the seat across from her, grinning from ear to ear.
"Hm, have you considered a hawk or owl?"
"Yeah. I know I don't want to be an owl. I mean what if someone tries to get me to carry mail?" he shook his head, "I know I don't want that. A hawk might be interesting. The book mentioned that you actually have to learn to fly a little, but I don't think that'd be too bad. I still don't like the idea of not having hands. Say, professor, There was a brief bit about people who can change part way. Now are they just not good or are they doing it purposefully?"
"There are people who just can't seem to get the hang of changing fully, but then others have gotten so good, they can change parts of themselves or find a comfortable change halfway. It's very difficult to be able to stop halfway, and I personally don't see the point of walking around with a tail or cat ears, so I don't know why some people even try. Amus Shannon had a halfway between his wolf and his normal self. It was terribly eerie. He looked like a werewolf."
"Wicked!"
"He certainly thought so, until an angry mob of Muggles tried to hunt him down with silver bullets, that is."
"Oh. That's not so good."
"No. But I wouldn't worry so much about not having opposable thumbs, Mr. Weasley. I get by, and I know you know others who do as well," She arched an eyebrow. Ron nodded.
"I was wondering when we could begin practice," he asked.
"As soon as you decide on what you want to be, then we can begin practice. I've been working with Lisa Green every other after noon. You're welcome to join us,"
"Fantastic! When is your next meeting?"
"Tomorrow at four,"
"Excellent. I'll be there,"
"Don't rush into anything. You have plenty of time to decide and think about what you want to transform into," McGonagall advised. Ron nodded. "Any other questions?" she asked him. He didn't have any so McGonagall turned her attention to Hermione, who was fidgeting by the door.
"I was wondering, could I read the Animagus book?"
"Hermione that book is not for light reading," McGonagall shook her head, "You should only read it if you wish to actually become an Animagus. I can give you plenty of books on the more abstract theories of Animagi transformations or books on the history of Animagi, but I cannot in good conscious give you that book so you can satisfy your curiosity," Hermione's face fell as McGonagall denied her request.
"If you seriously wish to become an Animagus, then I can let you read it. But the information in that book is usually given out only to students who are serious about becoming Animagi. This is done so every one is kept safe."
"I understand," Hermione said, a little disappointed. A slightly awkward moment passed.
"So, uhm professor, what would you think about a Jhereg?" Ron asked. He was going over the list of (known) attempted and successful Animagus transformations of the last 300 years or so and checking the animals against a mental list of creatures he'd compiled through research.
"Interesting creature. I have to admit I haven't ever seen a live one. They're native to the Mediterranean and middle east. They're winged lizards of some sort I believe?"
"Yeah. Warm-blooded and telepathic. Carron eaters. I don't like that part too much, but what can you do? No one seems to have attempted one before. They're poisonous, but fairly even tempered. They look a little bit like miniature dragons but they don't have the super tough hide and they don't breathe fire," Ron said. McGonagall nodded to herself as if this information seemed to be correct with what little information she knew.
"I suggest you do some research before our meeting tomorrow if you are serious about your animal form."
"The more I think about it, the better it sounds, professor," Ron was grinning from ear to ear now. The tower bell rang, indicating that dinner was imminent.
"Well, I suppose we should head down to the great hall for dinner then," McGonagall said as she rose. Ron nodded and he, Hermione and McGonagall left for dinner.
"Hey!" Harry said as he sat across from Ron at the dinner table, "Did you see McGonagall?"
"Yeah. I start practice tomorrow. I'm gonna try for the Jhereg," Ron informed his friend.
"Try for a what?" Ginny asked as she sat at the table. She'd only heard the last bit of conversation.
"Your brother is hell bent on becoming an Animagus. So he's going to try and become a flying, poisonous lizard that vaguely resembles a dragon," Hermione told her before Ron had a chance to say anything,
"Wicked," Lee Jordan said and gave Ron a smile and a wink. No doubt he was thinking of a hundred or more mischievous things a flying Animagus could help he and the twins do their last year at Hogwarts.
"Hey! And we can go fly!" Harry said. Ron nodded excitedly.
"Definitely! I won't need a broom!"
"I think you should become a weasel. You'd probably be flaming orange one. Your parents could sell you to a circus and finally make some money off little toy copies of you," A cold voice said. They turned and saw, who else, Draco Malfoy smirking at the Gryffindors. His normal bodyguards were absent, so, having made his comment, Malfoy made an elegant retreat back to the Slytherin table before the angered Gryffindors could beat the crud out of him.
"I really don't like that kid," Lee said, glaring at Malfoy's back.
"What is his problem anyway?" Ginny asked. She wasn't sure if she really cared all that much what the answer was, though. She'd gotten into a lot of trouble because of Lucious Malfoy's deep and personal hatred for her father and her family and the malfoys could honestly all fall of a tall cliff and the world would be far better off..
"I think he has a pole rammed up his…"
"Ron!" Hermione warned. Ron glowered and muttered.
"Think I'd get in trouble for oh, accidentally biting him as a Jhereg?"
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Whoo! Thanks soo much to the peeps who reviewed and gave me good comments! (Nia, dash thankies!) I am gonna attempt to redo chapter 6 at some point, but right now I want to work forward on the story. Bunches of thanks to Silver Arrow for the multiple reviews! Telling me what specific bits you like is really helpful. Seeing all the reviews gives me a warm fuzzy feeling ^_^. Go read Silver's terribly cute story "By George, I think she's got it!" yay! Fred/ Angelina, George/Alica fluffy-ness! *poke poke* go see!
Jhereg's are Animals from Stephen Brust's Vlad Taltos Series. So far I haven't found any other work of fiction or myth that includes them so I guess they're his creation. Here's a link to a picture of the third book's cover (shows a pair o' the beasties)
http://www.math.ttu.edu/~kesinger/brust/teckla.jpg