Final Year: Dragons, Snakes, and Lions
Chapter Two: Assistants
Japanese
{} Chinese
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[[WARNING: This chapter probably will contain spoilers for the third book.
I suggest to all that you finish the third book before continuing—unless you want some of the good parts spoiled.
It's all up to you.]]
* * *
A myriad of students piled into the Great Hall and went to their respective tables. The first years had yet to arrive and the teachers all waited patiently at their table in the front of the hall. The only odd thing was that Dumbledore was not there to greet the students as he usually was. Instead, his and five other chairs were empty; including Hagrid's who was most likely getting the first years across the lake. Most of the older students knew that one was probably reserved for the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. It had become tradition, since there was a new DADA teacher every year that he or she took the last seat. Some upperclassmen were even taking bets on what the teacher would be like—odds were that he or she would be like Snape.
Students greeted their friends whom they haven't seen since their summers started. The seventh year Gryffindors greeted each other happily and chattered away, save Hermione, Harry and Ron, who each have been unusually quiet since the train ride in.
- - -
Draco too was oddly quiet and just sulked at his table while Pansy bubbled around him trying to cheer him up. The twins had to go to Dumbledore's office so he had to go to the Great Hall with out them. Now he was grumpier than ever and Pansy was not helping. His lackeys, Crabbe and Goyle, sat next to him, each stone faced, and waiting for the great feast to begin.
"Come on Drakey! Why are you like that? Cheer up!" Pansy said in a way to happy kind of voice.
Draco was leaning on the table with his head in his arms. He mumbled something that Pansy could not hear, but it was clearly angry and clearly not words that should be used in front of children. Pansy, oblivious, kept pestering him.
"Drakey!" Pansy whined, "Why are you ignoring me? Is it about those—those two people you were with? That girl, a tramp she is, no sense of fashion what so ever--socks with sandals? (A/n: Like she has any fashion sense—that's a laugh)" She snorted in a disapproving tone; Draco was seething "And that boy, handsome though, but so untidy; not like you Draco—you're always well done. But him? His tie and cuffs undone, and neither of them had robes! I thought they were supposed to be rich truebloods!"
Draco finally snapped.
"PANSY! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU? I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!" he screamed standing up in the process, "AND DON'T YOU DARE THINK OR SPEAK OF THEM IN THAT MANNER AGAIN! THEY ARE MY FRIENDS THANK YOU VERY MUCH! YOU—YOU SQUIB!"
- - -
Everyone—including the "Dream Team" turned to Draco who was screaming at Pansy, who was now whimpering and clutching her robes as if they were actually going to protect her. Crabbe and Goyle had jumped up and grabbed Draco before he could strangle the poor girl. They watched as Draco shook them off and just stood his ground, glaring at Pansy; Pansy was now on the verge of crying. Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape were now nearing the two.
"Ooh, now they're in trouble!" Ron mumbled quite amused by the scene. However, Hermione did not think it was so comical.
"Shut up, Ron," Hermione spat, "didn't you hear what they were fighting about?"
"Err, no?" Harry grinned, he to thought it was funny, but it was even funnier seeing Ron yelled at by Hermione; he missed the fights.
"Idiot…They were talking about—I mean screaming, sort of, about the twins…It was blatantly obvious…" she said sharply before turning around to watch the rest of the scene.
Ron mimicked her behind her back making faces and mouthing 'It was blatantly obvious' and pretended to flick his hair and bat his eyes. Harry was trying incredibly hard not to laugh so he stuffed his face in his arms so it would come out all muffled. Hermione turned around just in time to see the end of Ron's mockery and was about to yell at him but Professor McGonagall's stern voice interrupted her. The whole hall was quite as she spoke.
- - -
"Mister Malfoy! I expected better from the head boy!" she started "You're suppose to be a role model to the underclassmen!"
There were a few gasps and murmurs around the room. As she ranted, Snape walked over the Pansy and whispered something in her ear; she ran off quickly. Harry watched her exit the Great Hall and heard the end of McGonagall's speech.
"…FIFTY POINTS OFF OF SLYTHERIN HOUSE!"
Everyone in the other three houses grinned—especially the Gryffindors.
Draco was about to protest but decided it would only get worse. Instead, he apologized, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be that loud but she was being obnoxious and she was making rude comments about my friends that she hasn't even met. I'm really sorry, and I accept my punishment."
Aback by his nonchalant attitude, the two Professors looked at each other confused but then quickly wiped the looks off their faces.
"Very good, Mr. Malfoy, I expect no more outbursts from you, understand?" Professor McGonagall said in her usual tone of voice before walking back to the table. Snape grumbled a bit, glared at Draco, and stalked off after Minerva.
- - -
Hermione suddenly stood up roughly and slammed her hands on the table. The thought of Malfoy—the bastard—being Head boy made Hermione sick. The fact that he was head boy meant that he would be in the same tower…together; she shivered at the thought.
"Oh...my…god…" she mumbled.
"What?" Ron asked…he was still completely oblivious to the shiny silver badge on her robes that actually said 'Head girl.'
She ignored Ron, looked across the hall, and glared at Draco. Without thinking, she got up and stomped over to Draco.
"MALFOY!" she screamed as she neared him. He turned around and looked straight at her.
"What do you want, Granger?" he answered back sharply.
"Are you Head boy?" she asked in the same tone.
"Well, yes, I am Mudblood. What are you going to do about it?" he smirked. Crabbe and Goyle stood behind him trying to intimidate her; it didn't work.
"You stupid fuck! I told you not to call me that!"
"Ha-ha, well I did. There's nothing you can do about it or you just might ruin your perfect record."
She walked right up in front of him and stared straight into his gray eyes. They stayed stone cold but in the back of his mind, he wanted to flinch at the intensity of her stare. She was about to pull out her wand when the doors leading out into the hall suddenly slammed open. Dumbledore was walking in with a multitude of people behind him.
She glared one last time at Draco and whispered something sharply under her breath so only he could hear. "Oh, and Draco…since we live in the same tower now I suggest you do stop calling me Mudblood. You know why? Cause I have easy access to your room…I could kill you if I wanted."
With that, she left him, slightly stunned, and walked back to her table where Ron and Harry were confused as ever.
- - -
"Hermione, what has gotten into you?" Harry asked as he watched Dumbledore, Hagrid, and the first years walk towards the front of the hall.
"Yeah, yelling at Malfoy. Though, it was a bit funny. What'd' you tell him right before you came here?" Ron asked.
- - -
Draco plopped down in his seat and glared at anyone who dared look at him. His eyes lingered on Hermione; she wasn't facing him so it didn't matter. His ever-loyal dunces sat down next to him but did not say a word, instead, like everyone else, watched the line of first years walk in.
- - -
"Nothing," she muttered. Ron was about to open his mouth to oppose but Harry stopped him.
"Why didn't you tell us you were Head Girl?" he asked. They had begun sorting, so they kept their voices down.
Her eyes softened a bit, "I wanted it to be a surprise, but you guys didn't notice the patch at all!"
"Well, you should know that we aren't the sharpest tacks," Ron sighed, "…sorry…"
"…Yeah, sorry…" Harry added. Hermione stuffed her head in her hands and groaned.
"…All right, all right! How can I not forgive my two best friends—even if they are air-heads."
The three friends just continued conversing about the New Year and how they haven't seen one another since the last.
"Hey, the sorting's done already," Ron said, "But look, why are there still four seats open at the front?"
The three looked up, and indeed, there were still four seats open. Hagrid and Dumbledore took their respective seats. The seats on each side of Dumbledore, though, were each unoccupied (two on his left and two on his right.) Harry looked at the line up—most of the teachers were there…except…
"Where's Madam Hooch?" he thought aloud.
"Oh! That's who's missing!" Ron exclaimed.
"I'm not sure, that's peculiar."
- - -
Dumbledore stood up from his seat and raised one hand, which silenced the hall immediately.
"Students! Welcome back to a new year at Hogwarts, some your first and some your last!" he began looking around the room. "As you may have noticed, there are some seats open at the staff table. In addition, you may have noticed that Madam Hooch is not here either. She decided to retire and a recent graduate will replace her in fact."
Murmurs filled the room; he began again, which stopped the side conversations.
"I expect that each and every one of you will treat each of the new staff with the proper respect. Some of you may know some of the new staff but probably only the fifth through seventh years."
Dumbledore then motioned for Hagrid to open the side door. Hagrid had gotten up to do so when the door slammed violently open.
- - -
"Is that who I think it is?" Hermione asked.
Her two friends nodded, "Yea it's--"
- - -
"WOOD, what's wrong?" Dumbledore asked. Wood was panting and it looked like some of his cloths were torn. He staggered up to the staff table collapsed on the seat next to Prof. McGonagall.
It was none other than Oliver Wood; he graduated from Hogwarts Harry's third year.
"…thre-three of 'em got 'im under control…I-I think…he-he…"
Before he could continue; four large black blurs bounded into the Great Hall. There were a few screams and shouts—especially from the first years. Three of the blurs raced around the hall, it seemed two of them were trying to get the other. The fourth blur stopped in front of the staff table—Padfoot.
- - -
"It's Siri—er, I mean--Padfoot!" Ron corrected himself.
The other two were just as confused as he was. Harry glanced nervously around and one thought raced through his mind: "Why is he here?"
"He's exposing himself…" Hermione said with a concerned tone.
- - -
"Winguardium Leviosa!" Dumbledore's voice boomed. The three blurs froze in mid-air revealing three decent sized wolves. There were two jet black ones and one larger gray. One of the black wolves and the gray one were squirming and growling trying to get out of Dumbledore's magnetic pull. After a few moments, the three wolves each hovered over each of the remaining chairs next to Dumbledore. Dumbledore snapped his fingers and two teapots filled with hot water appeared over the two black wolves. The one who was thrashing stopped as each of them got the hot liquid poured over them.
The Hall was already quiet, so when the teapots disappeared the gasps around the room were louder than normal. Even the teachers were a bit shocked.
"LIANG!" screamed a voice, it echoed around the room.
The twins grinned as they saw Draco; Sachi stuck her tongue out and Shino nodded in his direction. Dumbledore cleared his throat, "I take it, Mr. Malfoy that you know these two then. Please do sit down though."
Draco obliged and sat down grumbling.
The twins were each in robes of their respective color but in darker hues. They were damp from the water poured on them and Sachi was ringing out her hair. Padfoot was now behind the gray wolf and was pulling its tail. Dumbledore looked over and placed the wolf, who was still growling, down on the chair softly. "Accio Wolf bane!"
A goblet appeared in his hand filled with a disgusting substance (no more gross than the polyjuice potion.) Dumbledore handed it to Sachi, which she accepted glumly, and she poured the substance down the gray wolf's throat. It wiggled a bit but then began to metamorphose—into a human. It was not as instant as the twins' transformation and it looked a lot more painful. Padfoot barked and pushed the mutating animal down under the table so the students could not see. Shino grabbed the dog, pulled him away, and dragged him to the side room. He locked the door behind him and took his spot at the table.
He looked around the giant room, the students, especially the younger ones, were scared. He wasn't so sure why, probably because he was use to unusual things happening. He looked around the staff table, Hagrid, who he had met earlier, sat in his chair and looked a bit nervous. So did most of the staff, especially Madam Pomfrey. Professor McGonagall had gotten new robes for Wood and he was a lot calmer now. Wood cringed slightly though, when he saw the changing wolf.
After a few tense moments, Shino kneeled down and helped the newly transformed human up. The man had shaggy light brown and gray speckled hair. His robes were tattered; he looked tired and held his arm in pain. He looked to Dumbledore apologetically who just nodded in return. He took his seat next in between Shino and Dumbledore and looked around the room. Recognition came over his and some of the students faces.
- - -
Shocked comments went around the room…
"It's him!"
"---a werewolf?"
"Who's he?"
"Didn't he work here?"
"He must be the new DADA teacher."
"Look's nice enough."
"Is he an animagus?"
"What about the other two?"
- - -
Dumbledore spoke before anyone else could comment, "I would like you all to meet--"
- - -
"--your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor R. J. Lupin."
[A/N: Aren't you people lucky? I was going to leave it off here!]
"It is him!" Hermione said happily.
"Oh thank god, I didn't lose the bet!" Ron said just as excited.
"Bet?" Hermione questioned suspiciously.
Harry laughed, "Ha-ha, Ron made a bet that the new teacher would be like Lupin or he'd pay me Ten Galleons and give up Chocolate Frogs."
"Ron! You know you don't have ten Galleons to bet! AND you shouldn't be even betting! You're underage!" she said like a mother lecturing a child who just stole a cookie.
"Thank you so much, mother, I didn't even lose. So why are you lecturing me?"
"Well, technically you did lose, Ron."
"She's right Ron! Hah! You owe me ten Galleons!"
"Wait! What? I didn't lose!"
"Yes you did Ron, see you said 'the new teacher would be like Lupin' well he isn't like Lupin, he is Lupin." Hermione explained.
Harry patted Ron on the back, "Don't worry, I won't make you pay ten Galleons." Ron let out a relieved sigh, "but, you do have to give up Chocolate Frogs."
"Damned."
- - -
Draco looked up at the staff table. "What are those two doing here?" he thought, "and what are they doing up there?"
The feast had begun but he didn't even notice. He was lost in his thoughts and no one could shake him out of it. Students chattered away about what just happened; he ignored everything.
* * *
Two hours passed and everything was relatively normal. Dumbledore stood up as soon as the feast was over, "Students, I know this has been a tad hectic and the teachers apologize for scaring you. However, I should say to the first years to expect the odd and you will get use to it. Now the prefects will leave for the towers and I expect everyone to stay with them. In addition, for some final announcements that I have forgot to mention, the Head Girl this year is Miss Hermione Granger from Gryffindor and the Head Boy is Mister Draco Malfoy from Slytherin."
The two houses applauded for theirs respectively, and glared at one another from across the hall. There always was tension between the two houses.
"I also forgot to mention about Mister and Miss Liang…"
A few groans and gasps went around the room [A/N: god they gasp at everything…u.u…]
"…I said MISS not MRS…"
Shino held back a laugh and Sachi glared at him.
"…Though they are the same age as the seventh years, they will not be students as some of you may have thought. Instead, they will assist some of the teachers. Miss Liang will assist Mister Wood and Mister Liang will assist Professor Lupin and Professor McGonagall. They will be treated with the same respect as any other teacher and will not be referred to by their first names--even if they are the same age as you. Now, if you all find your house prefect, you may leave. You will find your luggage placed in your dormitories. Good night and I'll see you all tomorrow morning!"
- - -
"Come on Hermione, we have to leave," Ron said while pointing towards the doors. The other students were already filing out.
"Remember, I'm Head Girl, I don't stay in the same tower as you guys."
"Oh, right. Then why aren't you getting up to go to your new dormitory?"
"Because I don't know where it is yet."
"Oh, right again."
"We'll wait for you outside, Hermione, please ask Dumbledore about Padfoot for me," Harry said while pushing Ron out the door.
"But--"
"Go along Ron, I'm a big girl."
- - -
Draco hadn't eaten much during the feast and as soon as it was over he got up and walked towards the front. He shooed his lackeys and looked toward the Gryffindor table. He saw Hermione doing the same and was about to walk towards the front. He ignored her and walked up to his two friends who smirked as soon as he neared. Most of the staff had left. Only Snape, McGonagall, Wood, Lupin, and Dumbledore remained.
- - -
Sachi, instead of walking around the whole table, just jumped over and walked towards the side room. She heard Snape mumble something like 'improper behavior from the staff' and 'crazy foreigner.' She just smiled and blew a kiss at him as she past by which made him growl more. She grinned happily and went to open the side door letting Padfoot out. Dumbledore had put a memory charm on Snape so he didn't remember much about the incident that happened five years before--the incident where he sought revenge on Sirius Black a.k.a. Padfoot and Lupin for embarrassing him when he went to school with them.
Sachi opened the door and Padfoot trotted out. He spotted Hermione across the hall. He bounded over to her and barked; she patted him on the head and kneeled down.
- - -
"Hello Sirius, what are you doing here? You shouldn't be near the school…"
He just let out a dog sigh and nudged her to follow him. He started to walk to the front and she followed.
- - -
"Shen Hui! Why didn't you tell me you were on the staff?" Draco asked ignoring Dumbledore's announcement about not calling the staff by their first names.
"Cause I it was a lot more fun like this, you shoulda seen yourself."
Wood who was sitting next to Shino spoke up. "Wait, so you really know each other…but you're friends? My god, Malfoy! You have friends!" he said sarcastically.
"Ha-ha, last time I checked you weren't a student so you can't really make those types of comments, now can you?" Draco responded.
"Come now kids! Let's all play nice, shall we?" Sachi grinned and slapped Malfoy on the back.
"Oof—god you know your slap hurts, I don't want to see your punches. Now would you be so kind and try not to do that again?"
"You whine so much!"
The four Professors (and Padfoot) looked over at the group.
"What?" the twins', Malfoy, and Wood all asked at the same time.
Hermione walked up behind Sachi and Draco, "What have you done now, Malfoy?"
"Nothing that concerns you," he said back but under his breath, he mumbled 'Mudblood.'
Sachi kicked him (lightly) in the shin.
Draco bit his lip so he wouldn't be screaming profanities while Shino and Wood were practically on the floor laughing. Hermione snubbed them all and walked over to the professors.
"Oi, I believe we've been insulted. What's up with her?" Sachi says while pointing to Hermione.
The three others shrugged. Malfoy for some reason was begging to warm up. He wasn't being his usually cold self, just sarcastic. Wood noticed this immediately but said nothing. They were actually having a semi-intelligent, non-hazardous for your health conversation (well maybe hazardous for Draco.) Suddenly amidst the laughing, Hermione had to spoil it all…
She stomped over the group and looked peeved. "Apparently, we all must share the same tower. Now I already knew I had to share a tower with Malfoy and that's my main concern. BUT…We all must share a tower…and I mean each of the five people standing here."
"We all know that…why are you complaining?" Sachi asked.
"Yeah, I thought you liked us!" Shino said with slight-faked hurt in his voice.
Wood had the same kind of expression as Shino, "Sheesh, Hermione, what they said."
"Oh, I'm insulted, Granger, not wanting to share a tower with me, eh?"
She seemed a bit caught off guard by their lack of concern. "Erm—well, you guys don't care? I mean you are teachers or assistants and all…"
"Dude, we're basically all the same age, 'sept Wood but he's close enough," Sachi pointed out. "Come on, can we sleep now? The time zone switch is wiping me out."
The three young men agreed and got up from their spots and began walking towards the door while Hermione stood her ground and watched. She finally realized they were leaving her behind and jumped down from the platform after them. Dumbledore looked over at the exiting group and smiled.
- - -
"Ey, look it, Mudblood has finally decided to join us…"
Wood gave a disapproving look at Draco, "Don't say Mudblood, you know it's totally inappropriate."
"Fine, teacher," Draco responded, "and here I thought you'd be nicer to me!"
"Oh, give me a break! Your friends', right here, have the same amount of power as me. Except they could probably could break your neck as punishment instead or one slap from Sachi could do the job quite nicely."
The four of them laughed, Hermione seemed to be in a huff. She walked ahead of them and slammed the doors open.
- - -
Harry and Ron each stood up as doors crashed open. They were waiting the whole time for Hermione. They also immediately noticed her bad temper; she seemed to be having many mood swings.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked.
"I can't stand it anymore! I've let it slide before but now since I have to live in the same tower and share the same position as him I just got to me…"
"Why I'll kill him! He keep's calling you Mudblood, hasn't he?"
"I can't believe he hasn't stopped that yet.
They didn't notice the others walk up behind them.
"Well, Mudblood, see you in the tower. As for you two, I'll deal with you later."
Sachi and Shino looked at her in a sympathetic sort of way and followed Draco down the hall towards the tower.
"Hermione, I'm in your tower so don't worry about Draco bothering you much there. He knows I can give him detention if I wanted," Wood said in a caring voice. She smiled a bit, but her two friends looked confused.
"We're all sharing a tower…"
"Ooh…"
"Well, we have to get some shut eye. Don't kill Draco and we'll see you tomarrow morning 'mione. Night Wood," Harry said before starting down the hall.
"Yeah, if he gives you any trouble you know where to find us…night!" With that, Ron trekked down the hall after Harry.
* * *
Wood and Hermione stop in front of the portrait door that leads up to their tower. In the portrait, was a goblin like creature; it was rather short in stature and covered in wrinkled green skin. He looked mad and grouchy, his eyes narrowed as the two neared him.
"Password?" the goblin said in a scratchy deep voice.
"What was the password, Hermione?"
"It's 'Sony' I think…yeah it is...like the electronic company…"
"Electronic company? Muggle terms right?"
"Yeah…" she said before turning towards the goblin. "The password is 'Sony'"
He looked a bit mad that they got the password right but swung open anyways. The two walked up the flight of stairs and into a huge common room. It was wall-to-wall books and in the center was a fireplace surrounded by different colored couches. There were four couches representing each house; there was a blue one, a red, a green and a yellow. Sachi was laying down on the red one, Shino on the blue, and Draco and the green (no surprise.) To the left and right of the main staircase are two other spiraled staircases—one leading to the girls dorms and one to the boys.
The three were talking quietly when Hermione and Wood entered. They tried to slip by with out him noticing, but ended up caught.
"Thought you could slip by me, eh, Mudblood and Goody-two-shoes?" Draco said before getting up. He stood in front of Hermione and did not blink or move. But then…
"--DRACO!"
He suddenly grabbed her into a fierce hug…
"GET THE FUCK OFF ME!"
Wood pulled her out of Draco's grasp and she ran up the stairs, which lead to her room. She seemed scared out of her mind from what just occurred. Wood stared at Draco for a second and then ran after Hermione.
"Draco, what did you just do?" Sachi asked while pushing herself into a sitting position.
"Yeah, Dude, what just happened?" Shino asked confused.
"I'm not sure…It was like an out of body experience…"
"So you're telling us that--"
"—you had no idea--"
"—what you were doing?"
"Basically…"
"Ooh," the twins mumbled before plopping back down on the couches.
"But you know what?"
"What?" the twins' asked at the same time.
"I kind of liked it."
- - -
Hermione slammed her door open, ignoring how luxurious the room was, and jumped on her bed and stuffed her face in the pillows. The room was far larger than she had at home and decorated in red and gold. In the center of the room, draped with red sheets and gold pillows with the Gryffindor insignia, stood a huge four-posted (A/n: four-poster…same thing) bed. Like the common room, there were books everywhere. On the wall opposite the door she just went through, was a huge oak desk with floating candles and two paintings of the Gryffindor lion on each side. The wall to the left of the bed was the door leading to the bathroom she shared with Sachi and another door to her walk in closet. Any remaining spaces in the room were covered with shelves of books or chairs.
There was a knock on the door but she didn't bother to get up or call out to who ever was there. The door swung open anyways.
"Hermione…"
"Oh, it's only you Wood."
"Only me? Well that does a load of good for my self confidence."
"…err, sorry…"
He pulled up a chair next to the bed.
"Did…did he just do what I think he did?"
"Unfortunately…yes…"
Hermione groaned and pushed her face farther into the pillows.
"Oh, just forget it Hermione. Go to bed before you burn your arms," he said jokingly while standing up.
"Yeah, I guess…thanks Wood," she mumbled.
"No problem. Night 'mione, sleep well."
"Night…"
* * *
[[Authors Rants:
Alley: so how was it? well i give full credit to my friend mel for the idea and i hope you guys liked the fight scenes and dialogs and the whole story any questions or comments e-mail me or mel..enjoy...firstmateal@aol.com
Mel: Yeah, ok did'ja like it? I know it's pretty long…'bout 5,000 words...any ways, the next chapter'll be up soon enough…]]