Chapter Six
Jelly Beans, Veela and Authors

'Those damned Early Riser Charms are gonna drive me insane!'

Raine was fuming, sitting on his bed. He had woken up at six thirty with the urge to do early morning exercises. He knew instantly that, unlike the Capilano School of Magic, Hogwarts used new charms that would wake up students early and begin exercises, unless they were already awake.

Unfortunately, Raine was a very heavy sleeper.

'I did two hundred sit-ups! Then one hundred pushups, chin-ups and squats! And then it made me run laps of the Quidditch pitch five times! What the hell is wrong with this school?'

Harry laughed and Raine shot him a cold look. But he couldn't hold himself from laughing as well.

While Raine had gone for his shower, Harry told Hermione and Ron about Sirius's gifts.

'Why did he snatch the map up?' Ron asked, receiving a shrug from Harry.

The spectacles especially intrigued Hermione.

'These are extremely rare!' she said, examining them. 'Only a few people have owned them!'

'Can't you just bewitch them?' Ron asked through a yawn.

'No, it's not as simple as that. They require very complex spells to work properly. They used to be banned by the Ministry of Magic until 1948. Even after that, only a few people ever manufactured them. Mostly Aurors used them.' She flipped them over in her hands. 'But where did your dad get them?'

'I don't know,' Harry replied. He sat down again. 'I'll ask Sirius when I owl him.'

So he unrolled some parchment paper, dipped his eagle quill into his scarlet ink and scrawled out a letter.

Dear Sirius,

Thank you very much for the gifts. I especially like the glasses. I haven't had a chance to try them out yet, but I can in Transfiguration class, I do believe.

I have a question. Where did my father get the glasses? Hermione said that they're extremely rare.

Meanwhile, we have had a great first day of school. The fourth prefect, a Canadian boy named Raine Lionheart, has a massive collection of Muggle music. It's even better than wizard music! He also has a thing against Draco Malfoy and his father. He hasn't told me yet, but he will soon, he says.

As well, Hagrid is an author! I didn't know! I've read a few poems and a short story already and find them amazing.

Well, I had better be going. Thank you again for the gifts.

Harry

Harry tied the note to Hedwig's leg and let her out the window just as Raine returned. He turned back to his friends and they talked about the upcoming day.

'We have Herbology first thing,' Harry said, 'then Potions, History of Magic and,' he wrinkled his nose, 'Defence Against the Darks Arts.'

'Well, sounds better than Divination.' Raine panted.

'Not when Severus Snape is the professor,' Ron retorted.

'Ha!' Raine barked with laughter.

'You've heard of him?' Ron asked.

'Yeah, I saved his life one time. I was on vacation in France… he had been chased by a group of Christians who were convinced that he was a vampire…'

Harry, Ron and Hermione burst out laughing.

'Hmmm… well, I'm in your class. I'll see if he remembers me.' He grinned evilly at this.

'At least we have him last,' Hermione reminded the four of them.

'Yeah, but I could still have nightmares anyway,' Ron muttered.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Raine marched out of the prefect room into the common room, where a few students sat, trying to finish up their homework or figuring out how to work their new supplies. Harry unconsciously patted his pocket where the Compass of Salvation was tucked away.

'Okay everyone, let's go!' Ron called as the students filed in.

They were the first house to the Great Hall. Professor Dumbledore, Hagrid, Professor Sinistra and Professor Vector were the only teachers there at the time.

Harry and the other prefects found themselves closest to the staff table. The other houses filled the other three tables, as teachers sat at the massive staff table. Professor Flitwick and Professor Arwek, the new Potions teacher, were speaking quietly.

'Well, at least we have a nice looking Potions teacher,' Harry said, while thinking of cutting off his foot and handing it to her.

Ron glanced at Professor Arwek, then did a double take. 'She's hot!'

Hermione smacked him upside the head. 'So now you start to act like a pig!'

'Sorry!' he retorted

Hermione rolled her eyes.

'So what happens in Herbology usually?' Raine asked Hermione.

'Our teacher, Professor Sprout, takes us to a greenhouse and we usually work with exotic and rare plants.'

'Or boring and old plants,' Ron added with a grin.

'Ah… sounds like Eck,' he told them.

After breakfast, the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs filed out of the castle towards the Greenhouses, where Professor Sprout awaited them. She smiled proudly at the mixed group.

'Onto Greenhouse four chaps!' she announced cheerfully.

There was a murmur.

'Greenhouse four?'

'But we've never been there…'

'I heard that they have a giant Tantra Bloodflower living there!'

Raine nudged Harry. 'What's the big deal about some greenhouse?'

'Professor Dumbledore told us that there were secret plants in there.'

'I bet you anything that there's a Madagascar Wild Ogipal Plant in there!' Ron told them.

'Two Galleons says a Veetle plant,' Hermione challenged.

Ron shook her hand.

'No way a Veetle could fit in that.'

'You'd be surprised,' Hermione drawled.

Professor Sprout made her way through the crowd to the door and said, 'Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans.' The door swung open.

A wave of humidity and pollen sailed through Harry, Ron, Hermione and Raine. They sputtered and coughed, as did others. Hermione sneezed and Ron's eyes began to water.

The class nervously entered the greenhouse, and found a massive room, far larger than it appeared from outside. Thousands of plants of every shape and size lined the walls, while others hung from the ceilings or sat in the interior.

But in the exact center of the room was a giant plant. It looked like an orb with tentacles, each having a smaller orb attached at the end. The sounds of nervous voices made its tentacles shudder.

Hermione turned and faced Ron.

'That'll be two Galleons please.' She smiled smugly.

Ron grumbled as Harry and Raine laughed. Ron fished out his money pouch and pulled out two gold coins. But Harry noticed her wink at Ron, whom blushed.

Professor Sprout moved to stand in front of the Veetle. She cleared her throat and said, 'This year, Bertie Bott has asked Hogwarts to assist him in the manufacturing of his Every Flavor Beans. The plant we will work with in this first month, the Veetle, carries a gel used in the beans in each of its pods, which we must harvest. We shall care for the plant and harvest the ingredients from each tentacle pod.'

The room was in an excited uproar. They were going to help make one of the most famous snacks in the wizard world!

'Now, groups of three please!' she called across the crowd.

Harry turned to ask Raine if it was all right for him, Ron and Hermione to work in a group, but saw that he, Seamus and Neville were already talking.

Neville was gifted in Herbology. Professor Sprout told the whole class that once, and it was true. His worst subject was still potions, but he seemed more confident with Professor Arwek as the new teacher. She couldn't be too much like Snape, could she?

Harry, Ron and Hermione, all of who were already perspiring, sat at the table nearest the Veetle, which swayed contently. Professor Sprout was consulting a tiny and scrawny man wearing expensive clothes and some jewelry.

Harry glanced at Ron. 'Is that...'

'…Yeah! It is!' he replied with raw excitement.

It was Bertie Bott himself. He was a tiny man, almost as small as Professor Flitwick was, with an equally tiny face. He had a strange smile and glowing purple eyes. But still, he seemed very kind.

He seemed to notice the gang watching him because he walked over to their table.

'Think you know who I am, eh?' he asked in a squeaky voice, 'Yep, I'm Bertie Bott, candy-man king!'

He shook hands with Ron and Hermione, but saw Harry's scar and grinned.

'Well hullo Mr. Potter! It is a pleasure, if I do say so myself.' He gestured to the Veetle. 'I guess that you are excited to work on such an… honorary task this term, hmm?'

Harry was just about speechless, but said, 'Yes sir, quite!' he smiled at the tiny man.

'Oh good! Well, I just hope that you work harder than you did against You-Know-Who!' With a chuckle and a grin, he left to greet the other tables, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione to chatter a little before Professor Sprout handed out the Veetle pods.

'The first thing you must do to sustain and grow a Veetle pod,' she said, 'is to place it slowly into the flask of water I will pass out. But you must do it slowly or it will burst! And I don't mind telling you that you'll lose yourselves a few points there! One pod can make a package of beans. Don't waste them!'

The pods were placed on their desks. They were the shape of eggs the size of Harry's fist. They had a rubbery exterior and if squeezed slightly, felt like jelly. They had an earthy, compost-like odor.

The flask of water was then put on the table. They stared at it, trying to find a way to lower it in slowly. Then an idea struck Harry.

He whipped out his wand and said, 'Wingardium Leviosa!' swishing and flicking his wrist. The pod slowly hovered above the table.

Hermione and Ron watched as he did this. He slowly lifted the pod over the mouth of the flask and dipped the bottom end into the water. Then, the pod seemed to shudder. He continued to slowly lower it. After two minutes, the pod sat calmly at the bottom of the flask. Harry wiped his brow and grinned at his friends.

The rest of the room had turned to watch them do this. Ron glanced around, grinning.

Professor Sprout came to examine the pod in the flask. She was smiling widely.

'Well done! And very nice use of Charms magic. Twenty points to Gryffindor!'

Harry flushed crimson. Hermione and Ron were smiling at Harry.

After the other tables had done the same thing with their pods, Professor Sprout announced, 'Now, I want you to take your flask, with pod, and put it on the heaters. The natural home of the Veetle is very warm, and during the time of extraction, the temperature can reach seventy-three degrees Celsius. We will heat the pods for a few days at a progressive rate. Next Monday, we will extract the fluid and continue to care for it.' With a smile, she added, 'At the end of the month, the first group of three to bottle the most fluid will win fifty points for their house and a crate of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans!' She turned to Mr. Bott. He flashed a warm smile to the students.

'On behalf of my workers, I would like to thank you for doing us such a favor. We are currently in outrageous demand and have been in need of help.' He clapped his hands together, 'Now, I must go! Best of luck to you all! I will see you all at the end of the month!'

Before he left, Mr. Bott spoke with a beaming Professor Sprout, telling her something that sounded like, 'I'm going to visit my young cousin. That rascal, Flitwick, a professor!'

For the next half-hour, the class began to study the Veetle itself. The life cycle was extremely complex, but with Professor Sprout's help, Harry felt confident that he could probably take the exam three times over.

At last, the bell rang. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Raine met up in the dungeon for potions. They were all tense, not knowing what to expect. They took deep breaths and stepped into the room.

The chamber was still dank, but the added candles seemed to lighten up the place. It even seemed a tad bit warmer. Professor Arwek's gentle smile greeted the Gryffindors and Slytherins.

'Hello and welcome!' she said in a voice like no other woman's could beat, with a Canadian accent as well. 'I'm Professor Danya Arwek.'

Harry and Ron were entranced by the voice, while Raine seemed unaffected. Hermione and a few other girls tsk'd them in disgust, but it was useless. The other boys in the room were also goggling her.

But she seemed to understand.

'I'm sorry. I'm part Veela, and unfortunately, I give off pheromones. As well, my voice has an ultra sonic value in it…' she smiled, 'I forgot to take my Counter Potion.'

She slid open a drawer in her desk and fished out a bottle that contained a rich red fluid. He uncorked it and took a quick swig.

A few moments later, the boys in the class were blushing furiously. Just as Harry was contemplating shoving his head into his cauldron and starting the fire.

'Now… for the first few months, we will be focusing on Counter potions, such as a Flame Freezers, Greater Bezel Draughts and Counter-Transformation potions. Afterwards, we will brew our own Transfiguration potions.' She grinned mischievously, 'And maybe on Valentine's Day, Love Potions, which do exist, will be in order.'

She started to take attendance when she came across Raine's name.

'Hello Raine. I'm glad to see you again.'

Raine smiled and said, 'I was surprised to see you at the Sorting Ceremony. I'm glad you got the job.'

She nodded. She continued on and Harry leaned over. 'You know her?'

'She taught at Cap. Potions teacher there.'

'Harry Potter?'

Ron and Raine glared daggers at Draco and his goons, who sniggered as Professor Arwek stared at the name and blinked.

'Harry Potter is in this class?'

Harry cleared his throat. She looked up.

'I heard about what happened your family this summer. I'm sorry.'

Harry had a blank look. Arwek continued roll call.

Raine whispered, 'What happened?'

He was going to say, but Hermione shook her head. Raine picked up the clue and turned away, causing Harry to frown.

The class started with Professor Arwek explaining the uses of Counter Potions. They took some notes, then began to brew the most common Counter Potion that they'd been brewing since first year: the Poison Draught.

Harry added a few more drops of phoenix tears to the mixture, relieved that Professor Arwek had used her Counter Potion, so that the males could concentrate. He glanced over to Ron and Hermione and saw her apologizing for calling him a pig. He smiled warmly, but saw Harry out of the corner of his eye and quickly turned back to his cauldron.

As the bell rang, Professor Arwek assigned a foot long essay on Counter Potions. Harry glanced at Hermione, who grinned. She'd hand in at least three feet.

They wandered to the Great Hall for lunch, where Ron suddenly started to beg Raine to let them listen to more music. He seemed a little bit distracted and shook his head.

Now, they had the most boring subject of all: History of Magic. They sat, waiting for Professor Binns, the ghost teacher. He walked through the wall (to Raine's shock) and took attendance. Then, he began his lethally monotonous lecture on the Ministry of Magic's first leaders during Voldemort's uprising. He turned around to write on the blackboard and Lee Jordan pulled out his wand.

'Accio chalk!' He whispered. The chalk flew from Professor Binns's hand to Lee's, who threw out the window.

Professor Binns whirled around just as Lee and the others were facing the front again.

'Who did that?' he demanded. Nobody spoke.

Grumbling, he stepped out of the classroom and went to retrieve the chalk. Immediately, everyone started talking. Lee Jordan tapped Harry on the shoulder.

'Quidditch try outs and practice on Sunday. Pass it along.'

Harry told his friends. Then Seamus, whom, was watching outside for Professor Binns, told them that he had entered the building.

When he got back, he threatened to deduct five points from Gryffindor if it happened again.

They worked through, starting on their essay about Amidagus Finch, the Minister of Magic during the Voldemort's uprising. Hermione was already on the fifth inch when the bell rang. All the Gryffindors moaned in fear: Defence Against the Dark Arts was next.

They made their way to the Classroom where the lesson would be. Snape was waiting for them, lounging behind his new desk.

The Slytherins were already seated, Draco sitting closest to Snape. He and his cronies pointed to the nervous expressions of the Gryffindors. Neville looked almost ready to pass out. His greatest fear was Snape himself, and now that he was the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, things were worse.

Snape smiled evilly as they group sat down, but his expression quickly changed to that of uncertainty. Raine eyed him suspiciously.

Snape walked to their table and spoke to them.

'I will not have any ruckus this year from any of you. That includes you Lionheart.'

Raine grinned, 'Just as long as you're fair this year Severus. Remember, you owe me.'

Snape grumbled as he went to torment others.

'If he bugs Neville too much,' Hermione asked Raine, 'please talk to him.'

'Why would he bug Neville any more than you guys?'

They told him about the Boggart situation in the Third Year, when Lupin had suggested that Neville put Boggart Snape into his grandmother's clothes.

'This year,' Snape began, 'will be no different than those few occasions that I taught two years ago. I trust that you will remember; I will be strict, thorough and demanding. If you have a problem, you might as well leave now, because it will only get worse.'

He began the lesson by explaining that the main focus of this year would be the history of Voldemort and the system of the Death Eaters. Because he was out there somewhere, ready to strike again, Snape told them, any 'childish replacement of his name' would result in five points taken off from the house's score. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Raine would have no problems, seeing in how they already said the name anyway, as did others like Lee Jordan or Dean Thomas.

He told them a bit of what he knew about the Dark Lord. The story of Tom Riddle, the rise of his powers, Hagrid's punishment, the Death Eaters (at this point, he even confessed to being one before becoming a teacher, showing them the tattoo of the Dark Mark).

The bell rang at last. They stood to leave when Snape asked Raine to stay behind. He gave them a reassuring look and told them that he'd see them in the Common Room.

When they were out in the hallway, Ron said, 'For once, he didn't take points off!'

'Raine must really scare him!' Hermione remarked the obvious.

They reached the Common Room and sat at a table far from the fire. They spread out their homework and began. They were half way through their Potions homework when Fred and George Weasley bounded over to them to remind Harry about Sunday. Ron seemed very enthused by this.

***

Harry made it through to the end of the week with only a few problems, most with Snape, others with Raine complaining about Malfoy. It got rather tiresome at some points.

But finally, Saturday had come. Harry and the others made their way down to Hagrid's hut after lunch. Raine was still in awe over the fact that he was becoming a close friend with one of his favorite authors. He enjoyed Care of Magical Creatures very much.

So on Saturday, they spent the day talking about Hagrid's stories. Harry had read a few, as had Ron and Hermione. Raine had almost memorized them all.

'Was it based on Madam Maxine Hagrid?'

It was the same question Hermione had asked Hagrid for the past few days, and always, Hagrid had changed the subject.

But now, he had nothing to change the subject to.

'Uh… er… Hermione, that's really…'

'Hagrid,' Ron said, 'don't worry. We're your friends. We wouldn't laugh.'

Hermione had finished reading the story that Raine had showed them and had kept asking Hagrid the question.

Hagrid 'hmph'd' then said, 'Yes. Yes, it's about her. I dunno why I did it. Jus' felt right, yeh know?'

'I've done the same,' Raine said quietly.

'Hagrid, that's sweet,' Hermione told him.

He flushed an even brighter crimson than Ron had ever.

Harry stood and said, 'Well, we'd better check with the team. I reckon the pitch is going to be packed tomorrow.'

'No doubt about it,' Ron muttered.

So they said goodbye to Hagrid and went to round up the Gryffindor team.

***

After a quick stop to the Tower to pick up Harry, Ron and Raine's brooms (Ron and Raine wanted to play as well), they found George and Fred, with Lee Jordan, who were flirting energetically with two sixth year Ravenclaws when Ron punched his brothers each in the arm.

'C'mon Casanovas One, Two and Three. We need some Quidditch time.'

Fred was still grumbling when they got Alicia and Katie. They headed out to the Quidditch pitch, which was deserted.

'Okay,' Harry said, 'we need to practice so we can give them our all tomorrow. We'll do a few quick games. Fred, Alicia, Raine and I will take on George, Katie, Lee and Ron.'

'Who graduated and made you captain?' Fred teased.

So they practiced for a while. Ron was Keeper while George and Lee were Chasers and Katie was Seeker. Alicia did the Keeper duties while Fred and Raine were Chasers and Harry was still Seeker.

During the course of the practice, in which they used a gold golf ball as Snitch (Hermione used her Levitation Charm to make it fly crazily) and an emptied pumpkin Hagrid didn't need as a Quaffle. They didn't even consider using Bludgers, without enough players.

They played for two hours, until they were all extremely exhausted. They all floated down to the ground, Harry glaring but grinning at Katie, who had Hermione's golf ball.

'I was forty feet away and she got it?' They all laughed.

***

It was dinner when they had finished in the Common room.

'You will absolutely love the dinner I requested from Dobby,' Hermione told her friends.

Indeed they would. They all headed down and had a giant French dinner of Poulet Chausseur, rice with wild mushrooms, a lettuce salad with tarragon vinaigrette and a desert of crème caramel. Ron had gaped at the food in front of him and engorged himself.

Raine, on the other hand, had complemented Hermione on such a good choice of a meal request.

'My family's European, so I ate a lot of French stuff. This was my absolute favorite!'

Hermione had spent a summer in France and came back a month later with a few extra pounds. The food there was 'amazing, like art' they were told. So she had requested a French meal at least once a year now. Last years had been just as good. And the house elves enjoyed making it just as much.

Afterwards, they dragged themselves up to the tower, where they chatted about tomorrow, when the Gryffindors would gain two new players, seeing as Oliver Wood and Angelina Johnson were gone. And a new captain as well…

'I bet you anything that Harry will be nominated for captain,' Ron said, 'I mean, who else could do a better job?'

'Ron…'

'I'm serious Harry, I know that my brothers are voting for you. And the new players most likely will too.'

So Harry lay in bed that night with the thoughts of being chosen for Quidditch team captain running through his mind.

It would be nice, he thought as he fell asleep.