Chapter 5
"Everyone, quiet please. Now as many of you know this is our new Defense professor Miranda Flairgold. She'll be here for the rest of the year, substituting in classes and working with the Order of the Phoenix. Now eat!" He sat down and the food appeared.
"Poor thing, I pity anyone sitting next to Snape. I wonder if she's an Order member." Ron said. Hermione seemed to be examining the new Professor.
"She looks like she knows what she's doing, I think I've heard her name before, yes, she was one of the best Aurors. I'll bet she's in the Order." Hermione said, Ron looked shocked and awed.
"Hermione, Harry? Don't you have any idea who she is?" They both shook their heads in confusion. "Her full name is Miranda Flairgold Roseyes, she's the most powerful witch or wizard in two centuries!" Harry and Hermione stared at him in shock. "Four decades ago the entire world was in danger, a huge asteroid was coming at the planet, Voldemort had accidentally called it, when it hit only those who didn't follow him would die. She used all her power to turn it and the spell on it away. She was locked in a battle with that spell and asteroid for nearly five years, never moved in fives whole years. The spell on it was the strongest known spell, Voldemort killed ninety death eaters, twenty prisoners and fifty dementors, and used their life forces to build it. And she beat it! On her own! She really hates being famous so her name isn't often mentioned, she lost nearly half her powers in that fight. But she'll have them all back in another three centuries or so, if she lives that long. She's still almost as powerful as the Phoenix himself!" Hermione gasped, her eyes wide, Harry was astonished and awed. They didn't speak again until dessert appeared, then Harry looked around Hermione to Ron and winked. They both took their wands out and flicked them under the table.
At the Slytherin table the food started to erupt, Fireworks blasted out of chicken, salads, pitchers, goblets, pies, and large plates of pork. A Brilliant display of red, green, silver and gold flashed skywards, forming, once it was all up, the Gryffindor Lion stepping on the Slytherin serpent. Laughter filled the hall, and cheers from the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. The food fixed itself and everything slowly became normal.
"Ron, Harry! Did you do that?" George called down the table.
"Yep, good eh?" Harry replied, Gryffindors cheered.
"Superb! Are you two going to challenge us as chief Pranksters?" Fred yelled.
"Na, we'll let you have your last year of fun, maybe we'll challenge you to a prank war, but not for your title.
"Now, to start off, I have to tell you that the Saturday after the Christmas party, before the holiday, the students from each year will each be tested by the professors in Defense magic." Prof. Flairgold said to start off her first class. "Fifth years will be tested by Professor Snape, and I." She stopped for groans and then cheers. "I see you don't really like professor Snape? Well that's to be expected, he certainly isn't friendly. To prepare you for the test we'll be starting with the Patronus." She conjured the desks out of the way and told them to line up on a wall. Then she conjured up a dementor. Each students attempted to make a Patronus, as Harry already knew this he didn't have to. Instead he took this time to examine the class room. Sirius had basically redone it, the desks were the same, but the room seemed bigger. Along the wall across from the door were two shelves running the length of the wall. On the top shelf was the symbol of the Order of the Phoenix, made entirely from gems, silver and gold. Next to it were three stones, Harry had no idea what they were and couldn't find anything like them in any book. There was also a gigantic fang, On the lower shelf there were about forty books, some appeared to have blood stains on them and were a little burnt.
"Damn! Why is this so hard?" Hermione said in anguish after her seventh unsuccessful attempt at it. Ron was doing no better, in fact no one was.
By the end of the class and about fifty tries each about a fourth of the class was producing mist, and Harry was thoroughly bored.
The next day Harry and Ron challenged Fred and George to a prank war. Harry and Ron were one team, they started at lunch. Causing all the Slytherins to grow ostrich heads to replace their own due to enchanted food.
"Well done Ron, Harry! You're good, but not good enough!" George and Fred called to them in the hallway. At lunch whipped cream cans covered everyone with whipped cream, only it turned your hair orange.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
"Is this going to work? It's dangerous! What if we get caught?" Ron hissed to Harry.
"I know, but won't it be spectacular?" Harry whispered back. They were planning to blow up the Slytherin common room. Thirty dungbombs filled the common room and corridor, fireworks sat, ready behind chairs. They had taken precautions so none of it would hurt anyone. "Ready, set, go!" Harry yelled, they ran from the room just as everything blew. The bangs and booms almost shook the castle. Harry and Ron made it to the Gryffindor common room and fell through the Portrait hole laughing themselves sick.
"What did you do?" Fred called over.
"We… just…totally…blew…up…the Slytherin…common room!" Harry gasped out as he lay here, roaring with laughter that quickly spread to the rest of the house. Even more amusing were the roars of rage coming from the Slytherin corridor as the common room blew up repeatedly the next day just as soon as it was fixed.
The next morning at breakfast Harry and Ron enchanted paper airplanes full of itch powder to fly around dumping it on the Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and staff. Gryffindor got a good laugh. Fred and George weren't as happy as the rest, they were being defeated.
At dinner Fred and George started off with a bang, fake Santa's started throwing snowballs at everyone, snowballs that smelled heavily of different disgusting perfumes.
"We've got to do something good. Something spectacular, and not just during a meal." Harry said as he moved his sword about Rons' and flicked it out of his hand. Ron groaned and tried to kick Harry. Harry tossed his sword away and aimed a punch at the other.
"Well we could enchant the pictures with something. But what?" Ron gasped, frantically rolling to avoid Harry, he came to his feet and Harry flew at him, a blur of fists and feet. He got Ron in the jaw and tumbled the other across the ground, a good kick sent Ron flying into a wall. Ron went down hard and stayed down. "Enough, enough, you win." Harry helped him up and used wandless magic to heal his bruises.
"Brilliant idea, we can, oh, make them throw green goo on people?" And make door handles bite, cover railings in glue? Yes this does sound good." Harry murmured, Ron grabbed a towel and wiped his face, the threesome had been practicing for five hours straight. Harry was by far the best, Hermione was better with a slingshot and Ron was better with darts, but beyond that Harry easily beat them. As a result they fought with him often to get better.
"Enough practicing, Harry, lets shower then put that plan into action!" Ron said, putting his sword away and heading from the room. Harry fixed a rip in the mats along the floor and followed, it was really cold out but the castle had been heated with spells. All the same he'd spent a few hours discovering the trick to never sweating, Ron and Hermione just didn't seem to get it very well though.
The next day chaos reigned, the teachers finally managed to undo the enchantments around dinner. The whole school was wary and alert for hidden traps. Ron and Harry fell over laughing when a picture of Godric Gryffindor drenched Malfoy with green goo. Malfoy grabbed onto a railing along the stairway to keep from falling and got stuck there. Once he was free he headed to the bathroom and got bitten twice by the door handle.
The next day sudden rain showers started at odd points all over the school and were gone as quickly as they had started, it took the teachers hours to track down each individual spell and undo it. Harry and Ron were nervous. With this Fred and George proved they could match almost anything Harry and Ron did.
"So we'll just have to outdo ourselves with something spectacular." Ron said when Harry voiced this thought. They were up till midnight working.
The next day the Slytherins were very late for breakfast, glue had been spread over the floor of the dungeon corridor. Ice had trapped the Professors in their rooms. Bushes hopped about the school signing rude songs about Slytherin. All the black boards in the school were found stacked one atop the other floating in the middle of the lake in a huge pile. Every Arithmancy book in the school had been enchanted to act like a Bludger. Owls dropped dungbombs on students all day long. The great hall was so full of mist you couldn't see anything two feet ahead. Chairs in class rooms turned into water filled caldrons just as you sat down. At dinner the Spoons floated into the hall flinging eggs at people, chairs started dancing, knives turned into worms, forks disintegrated. Suits of armor started throwing water balloons at people passing by. Peeves was found frozen like a statue on the teachers table, covered in ice. Many people started singing the school anthem, unable to stop because of a nasty singing charm on the orange juice. Students were transformed into gigantic, four foot tall rabbits hopped about for a few minutes at lunch. School was cancelled for the day, Harry and Ron took refuge in Harry's rooms, the Gryffindors hadn't really been affected too much, it was mostly aimed at the Slytherins, but no one who knew it was them was happy.
Fred and George stood up at the next dinner and announced that Harry and Ron had defeated them.
"These most notable pranksters have defeated us in this prank war. Yesterday proved them better pranksters then we. Though we hope they shan't take it into their heads to do that to often. We name them the Ultimate pranksters, though we request permission to continue our pranks until the end of the year." Fred finished with a grimace. Harry and Ron stood and bowed.
"Permission granted, terrorize the school if you like."
"Thank you all for being such wonderful subjects for us to work with."
"Now, any detentions given out by the Professors are to be fulfilled by Gred and Forge, following the rules set out when the rank war started."
(AN: Since you can't tell it goes Harry, Ron, Harry)
They both bowed again and sat, almost cringing, surely they would be given more detentions then any students ever. The teachers held a huddled conversation, there seemed to be a great argument that ended in Prof. Flairgold stepping forward and slapped Prof. Snape across the face, snapping something at him angrily that they couldn't really hear well enough to know what she'd said. She looked spitting mad. Snape retreated, looking shocked. Eventually they all took their seats and the Headmaster stood to speak.
"Well, four detentions each for Harry and Ron, three each for Fred and George! It would be more, but some of the Professors" he shot a look at McGonagal, Lupin, and Flairgold, who looked back innocently. "Say that you must have studied hard to learn those spells and it must have taken you hours, plus you managed to turn in all your homework. Don't think we'll be so lenient in the future." He sat down, Lupin winked at them, Harry and Ron relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't say it wasn't enough detentions Hermione!" Ron said firmly as she opened her mouth, she still looked disapproving.
"Alright, I wasn't going to anyway. I just wanted to know if you'd seen the notice about Christmas." She replied, Harry and Ron exchanged startled glances.
"Nooo, is it important?" Harry asked, keeping an eye on the staff table, surely it would be announced if it was important?" Dumbledore suddenly stood up and called for quiet, Harry turned his full attention to him.
"Students, for those of you who didn't see the notice the tests you were informed of start tomorrow and will continue throughout the week. You'll each be given a schedule of what you're doing when." A sheet of parchment appeared in every hand. "Please don't share these with anyone, everyone is being tested differently depending on what they are best and worst at. The schedules indicate exactly what to do each day." He sat back down and the noise level dropped as everyone looked at their schedule, Harry glanced down at his.
Sunday: Report to the gamekeeper's hut at 7:00 with your wand, cloak, wear your muggle clothes, no hat.
What kind of directions were those? Harry wondered, muggle clothes, what were they good for? Travel, sports, and, yes! Dueling in muggle clothes was easier then in robes. Maybe it was some event like the maze last year, he hoped not.
On Sunday Harry went down to Hagrid's Hut, and was not really surprised to see all the fifth years there. He went over to Ron and Hermione, who were sitting with Sam and Ira talking quietly.
"Hey Harry, muggle clothes are so weird!" Ron said as Harry sat down beside him.
"Yes but by telling us to wear these they give us some idea of what we're doing. Muggle clothes are good for fighting, traveling, running, swimming, it must be one, or all, of those." Harry responded, personally he like muggle clothes better then robes. When Madam Malkin had heard he wanted green muggle clothes and was in fifth year he had been very surprised to get these. They were very light, flexible, but almost untearable, not cotton. There was a gold band at the sleeves, collar, and bottom. And they went well with his cloak, black with a gold underside. Finally Professors, Flairgold, and Snape came over. Snape began, calling for quiet and explained the day to them.
"What we have is an obstacle course to test you. It goes through the forest but is safe. It tests your ability to cope with danger, fear, perilous situations, your leadership, strengths and abilities." The Professors then led them to two paths staked out going into the woods. The students then lined up at each, Harry was first in his line. "When I shout go run, you are timed, we'll be observing you at all times. Ready, Set, GO!" Harry ran off along his path, following the markers.
Harry ran along lightly, it would be a long run so he was pacing himself. He jumped a couple of hurdles and dodged a patch in the path he thought might have had a pit under a thin covering of branches and dirt. The path was by no means smooth, he jumped fallen logs and had to be careful of branches and roots. Finally he came to the first real obstacle, the bank of a lake. There was a light purple kayak on the bank with a paddle and life vest. Harry put on the vest, grabbed the paddle and jumped into the kayak. He knew how to paddle from a short group of lessons. The one time he and Dudley had gone to summer camp Harry had spent as much time away from Dudley as possible. He'd learned a lot about water sports and found he had a knack for most boating.
Harry reached the far side and dragged the kayak up a bit onto the land. He had had to battle with a few Grindylows but he'd made it over. He took off the vest and ran off again along the path. Suddenly a gigantic spider leaped at him from its hiding spot beside the path. Harry dove and rolled under it, without thinking he changed his wand into a sword. Harry gripped it in his right hand, found his inner calm, becoming one with the sword, a single living weapon and began to fight. The blade whistled in the air, moving to fast to
see, chopping in and finally beheading the spider. Harry backed away from the dead thing and began running again, changing the sword back into a wand as he did.
Harry had only run for a bit when he saw something odd ahead, he ran up and stopped. A plant lay in the path, Devil's Snare. Harry flicked his hand at the plant as it reach tentacles for him and fire erupted around it, Harry ran on as it cringed back quickly, leaving a wide path clear.
Eventually Harry reached another body of water, he'd climbed up a fifteen foot rock wall, levitated himself over a ravine, crossed a raging river by enchanting a path through it, fought and beaten a fire lizard (fifty foot long lizards that breathed fire, and fire shot from their tails, they could also conjure and throw fire balls with their claws.) Now he appeared to have to sail across. Harry jumped in the boat, fixed a hole in the bottom, called up a good wind in the right direction and added on a spell to move him across faster.
Everything was going fine until a long tentacle shot out of the water beside the boat. Harry reacted by burning it quickly. He'd been expecting something, but not this. The kraken slapped at him with another tentacle, Harry stuck his wand in the water and called up the strongest banishing charm he could. The tentacle didn't even flinch away, he tried again, same result. Another tentacle rose from the water, soon followed by what looked like the kraken's dark brown back. The entire beast turned until one huge gray and black eye looked up at Harry. "Hello there, I mean you no harm." It blinked once and stirred its tentacles. "Please let me pass." Harry said hoping it would let him alone. The kraken rolled again, now the other eye peered at him. Then Harry noticed a great slash near the eye, and what looked like a mer-warrior's spear in it. Harry understood instantly what the kraken wanted. He raised his wand and flicked it, the spear rose out of the cut and dropped down into the water, a healing charm covered the gash with a pinkish scar. The kraken shifted again and slowly a tentacle curled around the boat. Harry held on tight as he and the sailboat were raised high above the water and lifted across the lak where they were set down again on the shore. "Thank you!" Harry called and the tip of a tentacle waved idly and Harry waved back before hurrying on.
It was dark; the treetops formed a canopy blocking out most of the sun. The trail was narrow and rough, just when he was beginning to wonder if he'd missed the next obstacle Harry saw a small clearing up ahead. He sprinted towards it but didn't enter, he cautiously looked around and a glimmer of gold to his left caught his eye. Looking closely Harry could make out the form of a horse in the trees, no, horses didn't grow that big, it could only be a War Unicorn. Smiling grimly Harry ran into the sunlight, keeping to the left side of the clearing. Just as he reached the center the Unicorn leaped out from hiding with a shrill neigh. A jet of light shot from its horn, Harry ducked and the blast knocked over the tree behind him. The Unicorn turned and kicked, flicking out its tail of flames. A hoof struck out, Harry dived and rolled, and coming to his feet he saw the unicorn rear, screaming angrily it tilted its head down and dove at him, intending to spear him on its horn. Harry dodged again and jumped away from its flying mane of golden fire. The unicorn pivoted with amazing speed and kicked with both hind legs, turning its neck and an angle to shoot another jet of power at him. Harry dodged the kick and pointed his wand at the ground under the Unicorn, "whirya" the ground beneath its hooves turned to quicksand, in moments the Unicorn was up to its neck in the stuff. Harry stopped it from going farther under but left it in the quicksand. A strong shield covered its horn, he let the unicorn thrash itself to exhaustion. Harry waited calmly, catching his breath, knowing that it would take a long time to tire it. Realizing that the unicorn would reach a point of desperation and start to expend huge amounts of energy levitating itself out. There was nothing he could do when it started that. He raised his wand and began to lift it out. Slowly the unicorn rose up as the quicksand vanished. Finally it was standing again, panting, exhausted from fighting the quicksand. Harry waited, wand held casually in his hand. Finally it lifted its head a bit, looked at him for a moment, then charged.
Harry waited until it was a few feet away then he brought up his right hand, palm forward, transferring his wand to his left. The unicorn stopped in a shower of dried leaves, dirt, and hot breath and sank the tip of its horn deep into his hand his hand. Harry gasped in pain but forced himself to stay still. For what seemed like hours but was really just minutes Harry waited, scarcely daring to breathe, time seemed to stand still. How long they stood like that Harry didn't know, but suddenly the unicorn stepped back and lifted its head to look him right in the eye. As the horn slid out of his palm the cut healed, leaving only a tiny scar so small Harry couldn't see what it really looked like in his palm. All he could se was a small white dot, no bigger then the tip of a quill.
"I won't hurt you, I just want to pass." Harry said softly, now that he really got a good look at it he could see that it was a very young War Unicorn, though it was very large for its age. It couldn't have been long away from its mother. The fact that it was alone probably meant it was a stallion, chased away from its herd by a stronger, older, stallion. Harry continued to murmur encouraging things to it as he walked forward and petted it lightly on the shoulder. He could feel the unicorn tense under his hand, ready to kill him in a second. Harry gave it a last rub and walked on, he knew if he ran it might chase him and it could run a lot faster then he. He left the clearing and walked on through the woods, suddenly he heard hoof beats and the unicorn trotted up beside him. Harry sped up a bit, so did the unicorn, he reached out and rested a hand on its shoulder and broke into a run. They ran along the dark path for nearly twenty minutes, sliding down steep slopes and jumping logs and wading across small streams. Harry slowed down as he saw another clearing ahead. Only no light penetrated this one so he couldn't really see what might be lurking about. The unicorn stopped and moved off the trail, hiding itself in the bushes, stamping about nervously. Harry looked around carefully, if the unicorn was nervous it meant something bad was here.
Harry touched his nose with his wand, and then his eyes and ears, giving himself more advanced senses. A smell of humans came to him, looking around Harry found he could see three people, dressed in black and clustered around something on the ground. A sudden yelp, from the animal told Harry it was a young dog. He could hear them whispering. Harry stopped the spells and walked forward. Immediately three masked figures ran into the clearing, pulling out their wands. Harry attacked first, recognizing their masks as death eaters; he had one stunned before the wizard had his wand out. The other two attacked together, Harry whirled as one ran around behind him, the unicorn kicked the man as he ran passed it, the wizard screamed in pain as the burning hoof hit him and fell over. Harry shot a full body bind and a disarming curse at the other and put a shield around the unicorn as the injured wizard flung a stream of acid at it. Harry stunned the man and grabbed his wand. The other had dodged the first of Harry's curses but had been disarmed. Harry stunned him to, and they all vanished. Harry stood there a moment in shock, all three had just been part of the test, and then another yelp brought him out of it. He ran over to where they had been and saw a young Dire wolf pup, collared and tied to a tree. The pup was gray with a white chest and belly; its eyes were yellow-gold and very bright. The backs of its ears were a copper color and its face dark. The fur on its back was a very dark gray; its tail was mostly dark gray and white with a black tip and a wide black line down its back and tail. It whined and looked up at him. It had been injured when it was captured for it had a bad burn on one shoulder and a gash on its right thigh. Harry examined the ground a few glints of metal told him that the there was a ring of hidden wolf traps around the pup. Hot anger coursed through him as he realized why. If Voldemort attacked the castle while the Phoenix was there Sirius could call on any of the Order animals for help. So Voldemort was having his death eaters exterminate all such animals near Hogwarts. Harry untied the pup and healed its injuries, he gathered all the traps and piled them in the middle of the clearing. They too vanished. Harry examined the pup for any more injuries then walked on. The unicorn appeared out of the forest beside him and the pup trotted along at his heels. Great, now I've got a Dire Wolf and War Unicorn following me, and they don't seem to be creatures conjured up to test me, they're real. What on earth do I do with them? He left the forest and walked across a field, dodging a rattlesnake that attacked him and almost failing to see a pit covered in grass in time to jump it. As he neared the other side Harry jumped another hidden pit and carefully stepped around a rope trap hanging from the only tree near the path. Suddenly the pup yelped and ran forward Harry caught it and looked at the Unicorn which was backing up quickly.
Peering through the underbrush Harry saw a large cave, the path led right in. The large amount of gigantic paw prints around told him that this cave was the Dire Wolf pack's den. He picked the pup up and nervously walked in. Instantly three of the wolves came a round behind him. Harry could tell that the rest were hiding in the shadows, not approaching him in the light because he could see them. He knelt at the end of the pool of light, right where it met the shadows and put the pup down. It ran off, Harry let his eyes adjust and saw its mother licking it as the pup whined and yelped. Harry looked around, besides the pup and its mother there were nine adult wolves and four other pups. Harry waited, slowly the mother rose and approached him, she sat down a few feet in front of him. The pup ran around her and sat just in front of her on her front paws. Copying its mother. A large light gray wolf rose from its position lying in the back. It came up to Harry sniffed his hand when Harry held it out. The other adults slowly came forward to do the same, tails slowly began to wag, Harry reached out and stroked the large gray. This was the pack leader and he wanted to be friendly to him. The pups ran forwards and jumped about their elders' feet, yipping at Harry.
Harry finally stood and walked towards the back of the cave, four of the wolves followed, the leader, the pup he'd saved, its mother and another, a small black wolf, well, as small as an adult Dire Wolf got. Certainly a bit bigger than any normal wolf. Harry lit up his wand and made his way through the cave. Following a trail of small red flags that glowed. He had to squeeze through small spaces and get across a river all the while the wolves followed him. But they stopped once they entered the chamber that the river ran through, and they refused to go farther. Harry glanced at the river, it was about twenty feet wide, the water looked black and Harry had no idea how deep. He conjured up a long pole, ten feet long, and leaning out over the river, dipped it in. The whole thing went under. Harry jerked back as he felt the pole shake and jump in his grip, as if something had grabbed it. He tossed in a leaf that was swept away in seconds. The current on the surface was about ten-mph, to fast for him to swim, and probably faster deeper down. Harry looked up and down the river, edging back nervously. Some creature in there had ripped off the bottom foot of his pole. No bang from a underwater rock left teeth marks and could have splintered the wood that well. "What do I do? What's in there?" He asked the wolves, kneeling beside them. The black wolf lay down and dragged itself along the floor on its belly. Then it stood and came back. Harry thought hard, what animal dragged itself with its front paws? He looked hard at the track in the mud the wolf had made. Then it hit him, a snake; a large water snake could make a track like that. The wolf had been imitating a water snake as best it knew how. He examined the pole and found that near the bite mark the wood looked like it had been sprinkled with acid, it was greenish and flimsy, pitted in places. Harry's mind jumped to a Basilisk, they're poison was known to do this to wood, his stomach churned with fear and cold dread. He thanked the wolves, and they turned back the way they had come. The pup he had saved stopped to lick his hand before following its mother. Leaving Harry to deal with this dilemma on his own.
Finally Harry stood and waved his wand "freezius!" the water froze and Harry considered it and thought hard, ice was not enough. He put his wand back un his sleeve and placed a hand on the ice, slowly he reached out with his mind, forcing what he wanted to happen but willpower, soon a rock surface soon covered it. Harry stepped out on the rock, it stayed firm, he ran across quickly. Suddenly the rock behind him exploded as the Basilisk forced a coil up through, then the head rose out. Harry landed on the other side and turned to face it, removing the ice and rock as he did. The gigantic head towered over him; Harry glared right into its eyes. A feeling of icy shock passed over him and he covered his eyes, remembering it could kill him with a stare. The Basilisk hissed angrily, then was silent, Harry stood still, then slowly peeked out. Something nudged his foot. Harry yelped and jumped backwards. The snake regarded him with one eye, waiting. Harry edged toward the trail, the snake followed. Through the twisting turns along the tunnel Harry led the snake, finally he saw daylight and ran towards it. He ran out of the cave and the snake followed. It turned to Harry again, who found he could look at its eyes without trouble. The snake was beautiful, emerald green slowly shifting to a deep sapphire blue with a line of gold scales down its back. Thank you Ssspeaker. I have been trapped down there for nearly two weeksss. I couldn't find my way out. Harry stared, then recovered from his shock, he had forgotten he could speak Parseltounge. You're welcome, and thank you for not trying to eat me, I have had some bad dealings with Basilisks. The snake looked a little unhappy. I wouldn't eat you, we Basilisksss don't like human, contrary to what your kind believe. We all know of the Dark Basilisk in the Chamber of Sssecrets. By the way, all usss sssnakes have chosssen, you or the dark Ssspeaker you call Voldemort. 99.8% have chosssen you, all except Nagini'sss kind. Jussst call, and we'll come to help you fight that monsssster. Good by Harry Emrys James Gryffindor Ambrosius Potter, and good luck to you. It slithered off into the woods, leaving Harry staring after it, what had it just called him? He hadn't been able to understand it all, besides Harry - James - - Potter, what else had it called him? He shrugged it off and continued.
Thirty minutes, one sword fight with a faceless figure and an archery contest with the same figure, a walk across a bridge made with one rope for his feet and one for each hand, a climb down a tree, for the cliff face was made of smooth ice and no magic seemed to work here. And parachute drop off another cliff to land in a field, Harry saw the end of the test. The red flags abruptly ended not to far ahead. Then a misted figure appeared ten feet ahead and solidified into Voldemort. Harry reacted without thinking. Knowing his wand and Voldemort's didn't function against each other Harry didn't use his. He held up his hands and called all the power he could to him. But it just wasn't enough, Harry searched frantically and finally found something to make him angry, visions of all those who had died and their deaths were scene from many of his dreams. Rage boiled inside Harry at this thing that had done this to so many. Lightning crackled down in three huge bolts, fire roared from his hands, the ground heaved and shook, splitting open beneath the Dark Lord's feet. The lightning hit and Voldemort screamed in agony, the fire hit and he screamed louder, beating at the flames while shaking madly from the lethal amounts of electricity flowing through him. He toppled into the abyss Harry had opened as dirt spurted out. Harry closed it quickly, he hadn't meant tear the place apart. He called up more soil and the ground settled he ran on to the end of the flags. Harry glanced around; a red line ran cross the ground, he'd emerged at a right angle to where he'd started, along the edge of the Forest. He ran towards the people cheering and across the line.
"Yeah! Great job Harry!" Ron shouted enthusiastically, pounding his panting friend on the back, Harry gasped and smiled, turning to Prof. Flairgold who'd been watching his run.
"Well done Harry, fastest run in History, fifth years have been taking this test at all schools since 1781, and you've done best by far." She nodded to Ron who saluted and sprinted into the forest. Harry sat down on the grass beside Sam and Ira. "Is Hermione in there?" He asked, looking about.
"Yeah, she was second for the other course. People are going in at odd times, I think it's when they're passed a certain point. Neville went in about ten minutes after you, where were you then? What happened in there?" Morgan asked eagerly, tossing Harry a water bottle from a large bin and sitting down.
"Um, well I think I was on one of the long running pieces then. Sorry I don't think I'm allowed to say anything else. Can you see anything from out here? There aren't any walls." Harry opened the bottle and poured some over his head before drinking the rest. Sam shook his head,
"No, there are walls, just invisible to the person in the course. They told us we would encounter a few odd creatures, and duel a bit. No ones listening, what else is there?" He asked.
Harry checked the two teachers, they were both sitting about twenty feet back, each looking into a bunch of bowls. That must be how they observed the students.
"Well there are animals, I'm not going to name them. There's a lot of running, the obstacles are at intervals, you run along the path between them. There's hidden pits you have to watch out for, lakes to cross a cave to get through, be really careful at the river in the cave. You could seriously get killed by that creature. You just have to win over some of the animals, and they'll help you a bit. You have to do a variety of muggle boating, and outdoor sports. I feel sorry for any of you who are afraid of heights." Harry went quiet as Crabbe entered, there were only five students left who hadn't gone, and only he had come out so far.
Harry sat there, not talking to anyone really, they were already nervous enough, eventually he got bored and stood up, there was only Morgan left to go in, and walked over to where the professors were sitting.
"Could I watch?" He asked, they both nodded, not looking up from their work. Each held a clipboard on which they were making notes and checking things off. Harry sat down and looked around. Snape was watching the blue bowls and Flairgold the red. He looked through the red until he found Hermione's. She was about halfway through, battling the unicorn. Harry winced, she was doing really bad and looked exhausted. He glanced at the one next to hers and grinned. Malfoy had fallen in a pit in the field, where you couldn't use magic, and looked to be having great difficulty getting out. He moved around, studying others strategies of getting through. Ron was having great difficulty scaling a cliff without magic. Ira almost lost the battle with the spider. None were even close to coming out.
"Harry where did you learn to fence like that? Prof. Flairgold asked rather absently, not looking up from Sam's as he fought off the kraken in the lake.
"I taught myself, from books mostly. It really isn't that hard if you find the right books." Harry replied, grimacing as Ira's kayak flipped on a rock just as she reached the opposite shore. Ron was past the cliff and had entered the longest running section. Here the trail was very narrow and it went over all types of terrain.
"And what was that lightning and fire? Why didn't you tell anyone you were so adept in wandless magic?" Prof. Fairgold said, now studying Morgan who was reading the directions on how to use a muggle bicycle. Harry didn't answer, grinning happily at Goyle, who had allowed a hinkypunk to confuse him and was waste deep in green mud, trying to find the trail again where it ran through a bog. He had no idea of how to walk in a bog, fortunately if someone got lost a trail of purple flags would, after about twenty minutes, lead them back to the main trail.
Harry had entered the obstacle course at 7:20, and gotten out at 9:30. Tanya had entered at the same time he did but didn't get out until 11:03. Harry now held the record for the fastest time, beating the previous winner(s) (they had been tied) Sirius and Albus, by twenty seven minutes. When Tanya came out she was injured from a bunch of the obstacles. Prof. Flairgold had called over an order healer to bandage her. It was then that Harry learned of the real scoring, done by injuries, skill, level of magic used, abilities, time, and how many points you earned on each obstacle.
"For example, the maximum number of points for each obstacle is fifteen. If you don't do perfectly you can't get all fifteen. Speed only accounts for four of those fifteen." Prof. Flairgold explained to Harry. "Other things that count are how many spells used, were they advanced, intermediate, or beginner, did you panic, how well you worked with the animals, extra talents, like your fencing. Reflexes, reactions to different forms of danger, yata yata yata. The person watching gives you and overall grade on each obstacle, added with your over all time, subtract for injuries and mess ups. The highest possible is 1500, you got 1515. Extra for your astonishing abilities with extreme magic, and speed that battle with Voldemort was spectacular. Sirius and Albus each got 1500, a perfect score. Each run is recorded and both teachers judge each, if they don't come to the same conclusion then a third judges. Both judges have a spell on them so they are absolutely fair. This evening after dinner we'll switch and grade the other half of the class, the bowls save the entire run for us to view as many times as needed. " Harry, his head spinning a bit, spent the rest of the afternoon watching his class mates struggle through. Finally the last emerged at 6:26, four minutes before dinner.
"Good Gryffindor! That was something wasn't it?" Ron said as the Gryffindor fifth years sat down at the table near each other. In general this evening everyone was sitting near the others of their age group, chatting about what had happened that day.
"I still can't believe you got the best run in history Harry. I didn't know all fifth years took that! It didn't say anything about it in Hogwarts a History." Hermione said, making herself a salad. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at each other.
"Not everyone worships that book Hermione, and every little fact about the school isn't in it. What did you get Sam?" Ron asked, turning to Sam on his right.
"I got 1264, not too bad, a little disappointing, but I'm not that fast a runner." The other boy replied, Ron was about to say something but stopped when Dumbledore raised a hand for silence.
"Now you've all finished your first day of the tests, now these aren't going to become a yearly thing, fifth years always take the one they took today, and so do sixth and seventh years. It will become something all first years take along with their exams. For the rest of you this is only to gather information. So we can see how much you've come when you reach fifth year. Your schedules will now include tomorrow's activity. Thank you." He sat down and Ron pulled out his schedule, Harry looked over at it, his was in his dorm.
Monday: Report to Defense class room at 7:30.
"I wonder what is next? Another obstacle course?" Ron asked.
"No, maybe a test, written, of some sort. Ugh! I hate exams, maybe it'll be something fun." Harry said, trying to imagine what sort of test they could possibly give.
The next morning Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to the Defense room after breakfast. They took three desks in a row and waited with the rest of the class.
"I wonder where they are?" Ira asked after three minutes had passed without any sign of the professors, the class was getting restless. Eventually the two Professors came, they could hear them arguing very loudly as they approached the class room.
"Severus I am NOT having any of your biased attitude! I will not stand for it! Any more of it and I'll just judge the students on my own, you are less then a useless flobber worm at being helpful. Just because you are head of Slytherin house does NOT mean you rule the world! Got that?" Prof. Flairgold was shouting angrily, the students exchanged worried looks.
"It is only fair! Everything gets counted against them!" Snape roared back.
"FAIR! You wouldn't know the meaning of the word if it walked up and kicked you in the face! Call yourself a teacher? I've seen TROLLS with a higher IQ! You raving mad son of a b****!." The class shifted nervously, everyone knew Prof. Flairgold had a temper, she'd turned Miss Noris to ice for making her trip twice in a row.
"I believe that I have more authority in this then you, and I say I will judge that way!" Snape's response sounded a little nervous, like he hadn't meant to bring up authority, he opened the door just as Prof. Flairgold raised her hand and shot a blue bolt of light at him from her finger tips. There was a bang and Snape the flobberworm writhed on the floor.
"Has the conversation turned to authority Severus? Let me tell you a little bit about the authority I wield." She spoke calmly and coldly as a collar appeared around Snape's neck and he was dragged from the room. There was a short quiet as the students sat nervously, wondering what would happen. A man's scream of agony echoed suddenly up the corridor, it was cut off abruptly. A moment later Prof. Flairgold was back, alone.
"Most sorry, though I truly hate to have to apologize for that sorry excuse for a teacher. Prof. Snape will not be judging your tests today, in view of his unfairness I have removed him for the day. I had to make him drink many truth potions then rejudge yesterday's test before giving you your scores. He is most unfair, but you know that. Now today we have logic and problem solving tests." A sheet with logic problems appeared before everyone. The class set to work, not making a sound, not wanting to anger her further.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Remus Lupin and Mundungus Fletcher were patrolling the halls (Remus's class didn't start for another half hour) they were down in the dungeons, passing a locked cell, when Remus noticed something odd inside. He opened the door and looked in.
Severus Snape was collared and chained to the wall by his neck, wrists, and ankles. Only he was now Severus Snape the half/troll. Both of his eyes were a bluish black and he had a large purple bruise on the side of his head. Remus gasped and fell over laughing, a half-human half-troll dressed in a frilly pink medieval festival dress was hilarious. Mentally he sent Sirius the image, knowing he'd find it very funny. You should really be here, this is the funniest thing I every saw (Image) Miranda did it, she lost her temper with his biasedness I guess. Poor thing was supposed to oversee the fifth year tests with him. He heard Sirius howling with laughter, and hoped the other didn't break a rib. Na, don't worry about that, give my congratulations to Miranda for such a wonderful prank. And do take a picture, it will go nicely on the wall in the great hall. Mundungus and Remus sent the image out to every order member, soon it was a common thing to see Order members laughing as they walked through the hallway.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Harry, Ron, and Hermione finished their tests and went off to look at what Prof. Flairgold had done to Snape. They had finished their tests easily, Harry ending with an above perfect score 185, Ron with 163, and Hermione with 171. (180 was perfect) They found a long line of students, they were being allowed to pass by the cell in a long line. The line was slowly moving forward as there was a long piece of carpet that carried them along.
"Oh my! What luck! We get a teacher with a real sense of humor! We should start taking lessons from her Harry!" Ron gasped out between laughs as their ride ended, Harry couldn't answer, he felt like he'd cracked most of his ribs from laughing too much.
Snape didn't come to dinner that evening, he was to embarrassed. At breakfast the next day when he finally emerged students were shouting out jokes about the event loudly across the hall. The picture on the wall did nothing to help, even Dumbledore was laughing his head off.
The week passed quickly, the rest of the tests were relatively easy. Fencing, archery, general spells, and a test in which they had to do the right spell or make the right potion to get through a barrier. Harry scored higher then the best possible in everything and Ron and Hermione did very well. The entire school noticed that Snape avoided Prof. Flairgold whenever possible. There was another row about his being biased on the last day that ended with Prof. Flairgold breaking Snape's nose, jaw, and collarbone, giving him two more black eyes, and hanging him by his wrists from the great hall ceiling. Snape didn't come out of his rooms or the hospital wing for a full day and a half. Strangely Dumbledore, who would normally have fired a teacher for practically mauling another, was silent about it.
"Everyone, quiet please. Now as many of you know this is our new Defense professor Miranda Flairgold. She'll be here for the rest of the year, substituting in classes and working with the Order of the Phoenix. Now eat!" He sat down and the food appeared.
"Poor thing, I pity anyone sitting next to Snape. I wonder if she's an Order member." Ron said. Hermione seemed to be examining the new Professor.
"She looks like she knows what she's doing, I think I've heard her name before, yes, she was one of the best Aurors. I'll bet she's in the Order." Hermione said, Ron looked shocked and awed.
"Hermione, Harry? Don't you have any idea who she is?" They both shook their heads in confusion. "Her full name is Miranda Flairgold Roseyes, she's the most powerful witch or wizard in two centuries!" Harry and Hermione stared at him in shock. "Four decades ago the entire world was in danger, a huge asteroid was coming at the planet, Voldemort had accidentally called it, when it hit only those who didn't follow him would die. She used all her power to turn it and the spell on it away. She was locked in a battle with that spell and asteroid for nearly five years, never moved in fives whole years. The spell on it was the strongest known spell, Voldemort killed ninety death eaters, twenty prisoners and fifty dementors, and used their life forces to build it. And she beat it! On her own! She really hates being famous so her name isn't often mentioned, she lost nearly half her powers in that fight. But she'll have them all back in another three centuries or so, if she lives that long. She's still almost as powerful as the Phoenix himself!" Hermione gasped, her eyes wide, Harry was astonished and awed. They didn't speak again until dessert appeared, then Harry looked around Hermione to Ron and winked. They both took their wands out and flicked them under the table.
At the Slytherin table the food started to erupt, Fireworks blasted out of chicken, salads, pitchers, goblets, pies, and large plates of pork. A Brilliant display of red, green, silver and gold flashed skywards, forming, once it was all up, the Gryffindor Lion stepping on the Slytherin serpent. Laughter filled the hall, and cheers from the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs. The food fixed itself and everything slowly became normal.
"Ron, Harry! Did you do that?" George called down the table.
"Yep, good eh?" Harry replied, Gryffindors cheered.
"Superb! Are you two going to challenge us as chief Pranksters?" Fred yelled.
"Na, we'll let you have your last year of fun, maybe we'll challenge you to a prank war, but not for your title.
"Now, to start off, I have to tell you that the Saturday after the Christmas party, before the holiday, the students from each year will each be tested by the professors in Defense magic." Prof. Flairgold said to start off her first class. "Fifth years will be tested by Professor Snape, and I." She stopped for groans and then cheers. "I see you don't really like professor Snape? Well that's to be expected, he certainly isn't friendly. To prepare you for the test we'll be starting with the Patronus." She conjured the desks out of the way and told them to line up on a wall. Then she conjured up a dementor. Each students attempted to make a Patronus, as Harry already knew this he didn't have to. Instead he took this time to examine the class room. Sirius had basically redone it, the desks were the same, but the room seemed bigger. Along the wall across from the door were two shelves running the length of the wall. On the top shelf was the symbol of the Order of the Phoenix, made entirely from gems, silver and gold. Next to it were three stones, Harry had no idea what they were and couldn't find anything like them in any book. There was also a gigantic fang, On the lower shelf there were about forty books, some appeared to have blood stains on them and were a little burnt.
"Damn! Why is this so hard?" Hermione said in anguish after her seventh unsuccessful attempt at it. Ron was doing no better, in fact no one was.
By the end of the class and about fifty tries each about a fourth of the class was producing mist, and Harry was thoroughly bored.
The next day Harry and Ron challenged Fred and George to a prank war. Harry and Ron were one team, they started at lunch. Causing all the Slytherins to grow ostrich heads to replace their own due to enchanted food.
"Well done Ron, Harry! You're good, but not good enough!" George and Fred called to them in the hallway. At lunch whipped cream cans covered everyone with whipped cream, only it turned your hair orange.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
"Is this going to work? It's dangerous! What if we get caught?" Ron hissed to Harry.
"I know, but won't it be spectacular?" Harry whispered back. They were planning to blow up the Slytherin common room. Thirty dungbombs filled the common room and corridor, fireworks sat, ready behind chairs. They had taken precautions so none of it would hurt anyone. "Ready, set, go!" Harry yelled, they ran from the room just as everything blew. The bangs and booms almost shook the castle. Harry and Ron made it to the Gryffindor common room and fell through the Portrait hole laughing themselves sick.
"What did you do?" Fred called over.
"We… just…totally…blew…up…the Slytherin…common room!" Harry gasped out as he lay here, roaring with laughter that quickly spread to the rest of the house. Even more amusing were the roars of rage coming from the Slytherin corridor as the common room blew up repeatedly the next day just as soon as it was fixed.
The next morning at breakfast Harry and Ron enchanted paper airplanes full of itch powder to fly around dumping it on the Slytherins, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws, and staff. Gryffindor got a good laugh. Fred and George weren't as happy as the rest, they were being defeated.
At dinner Fred and George started off with a bang, fake Santa's started throwing snowballs at everyone, snowballs that smelled heavily of different disgusting perfumes.
"We've got to do something good. Something spectacular, and not just during a meal." Harry said as he moved his sword about Rons' and flicked it out of his hand. Ron groaned and tried to kick Harry. Harry tossed his sword away and aimed a punch at the other.
"Well we could enchant the pictures with something. But what?" Ron gasped, frantically rolling to avoid Harry, he came to his feet and Harry flew at him, a blur of fists and feet. He got Ron in the jaw and tumbled the other across the ground, a good kick sent Ron flying into a wall. Ron went down hard and stayed down. "Enough, enough, you win." Harry helped him up and used wandless magic to heal his bruises.
"Brilliant idea, we can, oh, make them throw green goo on people?" And make door handles bite, cover railings in glue? Yes this does sound good." Harry murmured, Ron grabbed a towel and wiped his face, the threesome had been practicing for five hours straight. Harry was by far the best, Hermione was better with a slingshot and Ron was better with darts, but beyond that Harry easily beat them. As a result they fought with him often to get better.
"Enough practicing, Harry, lets shower then put that plan into action!" Ron said, putting his sword away and heading from the room. Harry fixed a rip in the mats along the floor and followed, it was really cold out but the castle had been heated with spells. All the same he'd spent a few hours discovering the trick to never sweating, Ron and Hermione just didn't seem to get it very well though.
The next day chaos reigned, the teachers finally managed to undo the enchantments around dinner. The whole school was wary and alert for hidden traps. Ron and Harry fell over laughing when a picture of Godric Gryffindor drenched Malfoy with green goo. Malfoy grabbed onto a railing along the stairway to keep from falling and got stuck there. Once he was free he headed to the bathroom and got bitten twice by the door handle.
The next day sudden rain showers started at odd points all over the school and were gone as quickly as they had started, it took the teachers hours to track down each individual spell and undo it. Harry and Ron were nervous. With this Fred and George proved they could match almost anything Harry and Ron did.
"So we'll just have to outdo ourselves with something spectacular." Ron said when Harry voiced this thought. They were up till midnight working.
The next day the Slytherins were very late for breakfast, glue had been spread over the floor of the dungeon corridor. Ice had trapped the Professors in their rooms. Bushes hopped about the school signing rude songs about Slytherin. All the black boards in the school were found stacked one atop the other floating in the middle of the lake in a huge pile. Every Arithmancy book in the school had been enchanted to act like a Bludger. Owls dropped dungbombs on students all day long. The great hall was so full of mist you couldn't see anything two feet ahead. Chairs in class rooms turned into water filled caldrons just as you sat down. At dinner the Spoons floated into the hall flinging eggs at people, chairs started dancing, knives turned into worms, forks disintegrated. Suits of armor started throwing water balloons at people passing by. Peeves was found frozen like a statue on the teachers table, covered in ice. Many people started singing the school anthem, unable to stop because of a nasty singing charm on the orange juice. Students were transformed into gigantic, four foot tall rabbits hopped about for a few minutes at lunch. School was cancelled for the day, Harry and Ron took refuge in Harry's rooms, the Gryffindors hadn't really been affected too much, it was mostly aimed at the Slytherins, but no one who knew it was them was happy.
Fred and George stood up at the next dinner and announced that Harry and Ron had defeated them.
"These most notable pranksters have defeated us in this prank war. Yesterday proved them better pranksters then we. Though we hope they shan't take it into their heads to do that to often. We name them the Ultimate pranksters, though we request permission to continue our pranks until the end of the year." Fred finished with a grimace. Harry and Ron stood and bowed.
"Permission granted, terrorize the school if you like."
"Thank you all for being such wonderful subjects for us to work with."
"Now, any detentions given out by the Professors are to be fulfilled by Gred and Forge, following the rules set out when the rank war started."
(AN: Since you can't tell it goes Harry, Ron, Harry)
They both bowed again and sat, almost cringing, surely they would be given more detentions then any students ever. The teachers held a huddled conversation, there seemed to be a great argument that ended in Prof. Flairgold stepping forward and slapped Prof. Snape across the face, snapping something at him angrily that they couldn't really hear well enough to know what she'd said. She looked spitting mad. Snape retreated, looking shocked. Eventually they all took their seats and the Headmaster stood to speak.
"Well, four detentions each for Harry and Ron, three each for Fred and George! It would be more, but some of the Professors" he shot a look at McGonagal, Lupin, and Flairgold, who looked back innocently. "Say that you must have studied hard to learn those spells and it must have taken you hours, plus you managed to turn in all your homework. Don't think we'll be so lenient in the future." He sat down, Lupin winked at them, Harry and Ron relaxed and breathed a sigh of relief.
"Don't say it wasn't enough detentions Hermione!" Ron said firmly as she opened her mouth, she still looked disapproving.
"Alright, I wasn't going to anyway. I just wanted to know if you'd seen the notice about Christmas." She replied, Harry and Ron exchanged startled glances.
"Nooo, is it important?" Harry asked, keeping an eye on the staff table, surely it would be announced if it was important?" Dumbledore suddenly stood up and called for quiet, Harry turned his full attention to him.
"Students, for those of you who didn't see the notice the tests you were informed of start tomorrow and will continue throughout the week. You'll each be given a schedule of what you're doing when." A sheet of parchment appeared in every hand. "Please don't share these with anyone, everyone is being tested differently depending on what they are best and worst at. The schedules indicate exactly what to do each day." He sat back down and the noise level dropped as everyone looked at their schedule, Harry glanced down at his.
Sunday: Report to the gamekeeper's hut at 7:00 with your wand, cloak, wear your muggle clothes, no hat.
What kind of directions were those? Harry wondered, muggle clothes, what were they good for? Travel, sports, and, yes! Dueling in muggle clothes was easier then in robes. Maybe it was some event like the maze last year, he hoped not.
On Sunday Harry went down to Hagrid's Hut, and was not really surprised to see all the fifth years there. He went over to Ron and Hermione, who were sitting with Sam and Ira talking quietly.
"Hey Harry, muggle clothes are so weird!" Ron said as Harry sat down beside him.
"Yes but by telling us to wear these they give us some idea of what we're doing. Muggle clothes are good for fighting, traveling, running, swimming, it must be one, or all, of those." Harry responded, personally he like muggle clothes better then robes. When Madam Malkin had heard he wanted green muggle clothes and was in fifth year he had been very surprised to get these. They were very light, flexible, but almost untearable, not cotton. There was a gold band at the sleeves, collar, and bottom. And they went well with his cloak, black with a gold underside. Finally Professors, Flairgold, and Snape came over. Snape began, calling for quiet and explained the day to them.
"What we have is an obstacle course to test you. It goes through the forest but is safe. It tests your ability to cope with danger, fear, perilous situations, your leadership, strengths and abilities." The Professors then led them to two paths staked out going into the woods. The students then lined up at each, Harry was first in his line. "When I shout go run, you are timed, we'll be observing you at all times. Ready, Set, GO!" Harry ran off along his path, following the markers.
Harry ran along lightly, it would be a long run so he was pacing himself. He jumped a couple of hurdles and dodged a patch in the path he thought might have had a pit under a thin covering of branches and dirt. The path was by no means smooth, he jumped fallen logs and had to be careful of branches and roots. Finally he came to the first real obstacle, the bank of a lake. There was a light purple kayak on the bank with a paddle and life vest. Harry put on the vest, grabbed the paddle and jumped into the kayak. He knew how to paddle from a short group of lessons. The one time he and Dudley had gone to summer camp Harry had spent as much time away from Dudley as possible. He'd learned a lot about water sports and found he had a knack for most boating.
Harry reached the far side and dragged the kayak up a bit onto the land. He had had to battle with a few Grindylows but he'd made it over. He took off the vest and ran off again along the path. Suddenly a gigantic spider leaped at him from its hiding spot beside the path. Harry dove and rolled under it, without thinking he changed his wand into a sword. Harry gripped it in his right hand, found his inner calm, becoming one with the sword, a single living weapon and began to fight. The blade whistled in the air, moving to fast to
see, chopping in and finally beheading the spider. Harry backed away from the dead thing and began running again, changing the sword back into a wand as he did.
Harry had only run for a bit when he saw something odd ahead, he ran up and stopped. A plant lay in the path, Devil's Snare. Harry flicked his hand at the plant as it reach tentacles for him and fire erupted around it, Harry ran on as it cringed back quickly, leaving a wide path clear.
Eventually Harry reached another body of water, he'd climbed up a fifteen foot rock wall, levitated himself over a ravine, crossed a raging river by enchanting a path through it, fought and beaten a fire lizard (fifty foot long lizards that breathed fire, and fire shot from their tails, they could also conjure and throw fire balls with their claws.) Now he appeared to have to sail across. Harry jumped in the boat, fixed a hole in the bottom, called up a good wind in the right direction and added on a spell to move him across faster.
Everything was going fine until a long tentacle shot out of the water beside the boat. Harry reacted by burning it quickly. He'd been expecting something, but not this. The kraken slapped at him with another tentacle, Harry stuck his wand in the water and called up the strongest banishing charm he could. The tentacle didn't even flinch away, he tried again, same result. Another tentacle rose from the water, soon followed by what looked like the kraken's dark brown back. The entire beast turned until one huge gray and black eye looked up at Harry. "Hello there, I mean you no harm." It blinked once and stirred its tentacles. "Please let me pass." Harry said hoping it would let him alone. The kraken rolled again, now the other eye peered at him. Then Harry noticed a great slash near the eye, and what looked like a mer-warrior's spear in it. Harry understood instantly what the kraken wanted. He raised his wand and flicked it, the spear rose out of the cut and dropped down into the water, a healing charm covered the gash with a pinkish scar. The kraken shifted again and slowly a tentacle curled around the boat. Harry held on tight as he and the sailboat were raised high above the water and lifted across the lak where they were set down again on the shore. "Thank you!" Harry called and the tip of a tentacle waved idly and Harry waved back before hurrying on.
It was dark; the treetops formed a canopy blocking out most of the sun. The trail was narrow and rough, just when he was beginning to wonder if he'd missed the next obstacle Harry saw a small clearing up ahead. He sprinted towards it but didn't enter, he cautiously looked around and a glimmer of gold to his left caught his eye. Looking closely Harry could make out the form of a horse in the trees, no, horses didn't grow that big, it could only be a War Unicorn. Smiling grimly Harry ran into the sunlight, keeping to the left side of the clearing. Just as he reached the center the Unicorn leaped out from hiding with a shrill neigh. A jet of light shot from its horn, Harry ducked and the blast knocked over the tree behind him. The Unicorn turned and kicked, flicking out its tail of flames. A hoof struck out, Harry dived and rolled, and coming to his feet he saw the unicorn rear, screaming angrily it tilted its head down and dove at him, intending to spear him on its horn. Harry dodged again and jumped away from its flying mane of golden fire. The unicorn pivoted with amazing speed and kicked with both hind legs, turning its neck and an angle to shoot another jet of power at him. Harry dodged the kick and pointed his wand at the ground under the Unicorn, "whirya" the ground beneath its hooves turned to quicksand, in moments the Unicorn was up to its neck in the stuff. Harry stopped it from going farther under but left it in the quicksand. A strong shield covered its horn, he let the unicorn thrash itself to exhaustion. Harry waited calmly, catching his breath, knowing that it would take a long time to tire it. Realizing that the unicorn would reach a point of desperation and start to expend huge amounts of energy levitating itself out. There was nothing he could do when it started that. He raised his wand and began to lift it out. Slowly the unicorn rose up as the quicksand vanished. Finally it was standing again, panting, exhausted from fighting the quicksand. Harry waited, wand held casually in his hand. Finally it lifted its head a bit, looked at him for a moment, then charged.
Harry waited until it was a few feet away then he brought up his right hand, palm forward, transferring his wand to his left. The unicorn stopped in a shower of dried leaves, dirt, and hot breath and sank the tip of its horn deep into his hand his hand. Harry gasped in pain but forced himself to stay still. For what seemed like hours but was really just minutes Harry waited, scarcely daring to breathe, time seemed to stand still. How long they stood like that Harry didn't know, but suddenly the unicorn stepped back and lifted its head to look him right in the eye. As the horn slid out of his palm the cut healed, leaving only a tiny scar so small Harry couldn't see what it really looked like in his palm. All he could se was a small white dot, no bigger then the tip of a quill.
"I won't hurt you, I just want to pass." Harry said softly, now that he really got a good look at it he could see that it was a very young War Unicorn, though it was very large for its age. It couldn't have been long away from its mother. The fact that it was alone probably meant it was a stallion, chased away from its herd by a stronger, older, stallion. Harry continued to murmur encouraging things to it as he walked forward and petted it lightly on the shoulder. He could feel the unicorn tense under his hand, ready to kill him in a second. Harry gave it a last rub and walked on, he knew if he ran it might chase him and it could run a lot faster then he. He left the clearing and walked on through the woods, suddenly he heard hoof beats and the unicorn trotted up beside him. Harry sped up a bit, so did the unicorn, he reached out and rested a hand on its shoulder and broke into a run. They ran along the dark path for nearly twenty minutes, sliding down steep slopes and jumping logs and wading across small streams. Harry slowed down as he saw another clearing ahead. Only no light penetrated this one so he couldn't really see what might be lurking about. The unicorn stopped and moved off the trail, hiding itself in the bushes, stamping about nervously. Harry looked around carefully, if the unicorn was nervous it meant something bad was here.
Harry touched his nose with his wand, and then his eyes and ears, giving himself more advanced senses. A smell of humans came to him, looking around Harry found he could see three people, dressed in black and clustered around something on the ground. A sudden yelp, from the animal told Harry it was a young dog. He could hear them whispering. Harry stopped the spells and walked forward. Immediately three masked figures ran into the clearing, pulling out their wands. Harry attacked first, recognizing their masks as death eaters; he had one stunned before the wizard had his wand out. The other two attacked together, Harry whirled as one ran around behind him, the unicorn kicked the man as he ran passed it, the wizard screamed in pain as the burning hoof hit him and fell over. Harry shot a full body bind and a disarming curse at the other and put a shield around the unicorn as the injured wizard flung a stream of acid at it. Harry stunned the man and grabbed his wand. The other had dodged the first of Harry's curses but had been disarmed. Harry stunned him to, and they all vanished. Harry stood there a moment in shock, all three had just been part of the test, and then another yelp brought him out of it. He ran over to where they had been and saw a young Dire wolf pup, collared and tied to a tree. The pup was gray with a white chest and belly; its eyes were yellow-gold and very bright. The backs of its ears were a copper color and its face dark. The fur on its back was a very dark gray; its tail was mostly dark gray and white with a black tip and a wide black line down its back and tail. It whined and looked up at him. It had been injured when it was captured for it had a bad burn on one shoulder and a gash on its right thigh. Harry examined the ground a few glints of metal told him that the there was a ring of hidden wolf traps around the pup. Hot anger coursed through him as he realized why. If Voldemort attacked the castle while the Phoenix was there Sirius could call on any of the Order animals for help. So Voldemort was having his death eaters exterminate all such animals near Hogwarts. Harry untied the pup and healed its injuries, he gathered all the traps and piled them in the middle of the clearing. They too vanished. Harry examined the pup for any more injuries then walked on. The unicorn appeared out of the forest beside him and the pup trotted along at his heels. Great, now I've got a Dire Wolf and War Unicorn following me, and they don't seem to be creatures conjured up to test me, they're real. What on earth do I do with them? He left the forest and walked across a field, dodging a rattlesnake that attacked him and almost failing to see a pit covered in grass in time to jump it. As he neared the other side Harry jumped another hidden pit and carefully stepped around a rope trap hanging from the only tree near the path. Suddenly the pup yelped and ran forward Harry caught it and looked at the Unicorn which was backing up quickly.
Peering through the underbrush Harry saw a large cave, the path led right in. The large amount of gigantic paw prints around told him that this cave was the Dire Wolf pack's den. He picked the pup up and nervously walked in. Instantly three of the wolves came a round behind him. Harry could tell that the rest were hiding in the shadows, not approaching him in the light because he could see them. He knelt at the end of the pool of light, right where it met the shadows and put the pup down. It ran off, Harry let his eyes adjust and saw its mother licking it as the pup whined and yelped. Harry looked around, besides the pup and its mother there were nine adult wolves and four other pups. Harry waited, slowly the mother rose and approached him, she sat down a few feet in front of him. The pup ran around her and sat just in front of her on her front paws. Copying its mother. A large light gray wolf rose from its position lying in the back. It came up to Harry sniffed his hand when Harry held it out. The other adults slowly came forward to do the same, tails slowly began to wag, Harry reached out and stroked the large gray. This was the pack leader and he wanted to be friendly to him. The pups ran forwards and jumped about their elders' feet, yipping at Harry.
Harry finally stood and walked towards the back of the cave, four of the wolves followed, the leader, the pup he'd saved, its mother and another, a small black wolf, well, as small as an adult Dire Wolf got. Certainly a bit bigger than any normal wolf. Harry lit up his wand and made his way through the cave. Following a trail of small red flags that glowed. He had to squeeze through small spaces and get across a river all the while the wolves followed him. But they stopped once they entered the chamber that the river ran through, and they refused to go farther. Harry glanced at the river, it was about twenty feet wide, the water looked black and Harry had no idea how deep. He conjured up a long pole, ten feet long, and leaning out over the river, dipped it in. The whole thing went under. Harry jerked back as he felt the pole shake and jump in his grip, as if something had grabbed it. He tossed in a leaf that was swept away in seconds. The current on the surface was about ten-mph, to fast for him to swim, and probably faster deeper down. Harry looked up and down the river, edging back nervously. Some creature in there had ripped off the bottom foot of his pole. No bang from a underwater rock left teeth marks and could have splintered the wood that well. "What do I do? What's in there?" He asked the wolves, kneeling beside them. The black wolf lay down and dragged itself along the floor on its belly. Then it stood and came back. Harry thought hard, what animal dragged itself with its front paws? He looked hard at the track in the mud the wolf had made. Then it hit him, a snake; a large water snake could make a track like that. The wolf had been imitating a water snake as best it knew how. He examined the pole and found that near the bite mark the wood looked like it had been sprinkled with acid, it was greenish and flimsy, pitted in places. Harry's mind jumped to a Basilisk, they're poison was known to do this to wood, his stomach churned with fear and cold dread. He thanked the wolves, and they turned back the way they had come. The pup he had saved stopped to lick his hand before following its mother. Leaving Harry to deal with this dilemma on his own.
Finally Harry stood and waved his wand "freezius!" the water froze and Harry considered it and thought hard, ice was not enough. He put his wand back un his sleeve and placed a hand on the ice, slowly he reached out with his mind, forcing what he wanted to happen but willpower, soon a rock surface soon covered it. Harry stepped out on the rock, it stayed firm, he ran across quickly. Suddenly the rock behind him exploded as the Basilisk forced a coil up through, then the head rose out. Harry landed on the other side and turned to face it, removing the ice and rock as he did. The gigantic head towered over him; Harry glared right into its eyes. A feeling of icy shock passed over him and he covered his eyes, remembering it could kill him with a stare. The Basilisk hissed angrily, then was silent, Harry stood still, then slowly peeked out. Something nudged his foot. Harry yelped and jumped backwards. The snake regarded him with one eye, waiting. Harry edged toward the trail, the snake followed. Through the twisting turns along the tunnel Harry led the snake, finally he saw daylight and ran towards it. He ran out of the cave and the snake followed. It turned to Harry again, who found he could look at its eyes without trouble. The snake was beautiful, emerald green slowly shifting to a deep sapphire blue with a line of gold scales down its back. Thank you Ssspeaker. I have been trapped down there for nearly two weeksss. I couldn't find my way out. Harry stared, then recovered from his shock, he had forgotten he could speak Parseltounge. You're welcome, and thank you for not trying to eat me, I have had some bad dealings with Basilisks. The snake looked a little unhappy. I wouldn't eat you, we Basilisksss don't like human, contrary to what your kind believe. We all know of the Dark Basilisk in the Chamber of Sssecrets. By the way, all usss sssnakes have chosssen, you or the dark Ssspeaker you call Voldemort. 99.8% have chosssen you, all except Nagini'sss kind. Jussst call, and we'll come to help you fight that monsssster. Good by Harry Emrys James Gryffindor Ambrosius Potter, and good luck to you. It slithered off into the woods, leaving Harry staring after it, what had it just called him? He hadn't been able to understand it all, besides Harry - James - - Potter, what else had it called him? He shrugged it off and continued.
Thirty minutes, one sword fight with a faceless figure and an archery contest with the same figure, a walk across a bridge made with one rope for his feet and one for each hand, a climb down a tree, for the cliff face was made of smooth ice and no magic seemed to work here. And parachute drop off another cliff to land in a field, Harry saw the end of the test. The red flags abruptly ended not to far ahead. Then a misted figure appeared ten feet ahead and solidified into Voldemort. Harry reacted without thinking. Knowing his wand and Voldemort's didn't function against each other Harry didn't use his. He held up his hands and called all the power he could to him. But it just wasn't enough, Harry searched frantically and finally found something to make him angry, visions of all those who had died and their deaths were scene from many of his dreams. Rage boiled inside Harry at this thing that had done this to so many. Lightning crackled down in three huge bolts, fire roared from his hands, the ground heaved and shook, splitting open beneath the Dark Lord's feet. The lightning hit and Voldemort screamed in agony, the fire hit and he screamed louder, beating at the flames while shaking madly from the lethal amounts of electricity flowing through him. He toppled into the abyss Harry had opened as dirt spurted out. Harry closed it quickly, he hadn't meant tear the place apart. He called up more soil and the ground settled he ran on to the end of the flags. Harry glanced around; a red line ran cross the ground, he'd emerged at a right angle to where he'd started, along the edge of the Forest. He ran towards the people cheering and across the line.
"Yeah! Great job Harry!" Ron shouted enthusiastically, pounding his panting friend on the back, Harry gasped and smiled, turning to Prof. Flairgold who'd been watching his run.
"Well done Harry, fastest run in History, fifth years have been taking this test at all schools since 1781, and you've done best by far." She nodded to Ron who saluted and sprinted into the forest. Harry sat down on the grass beside Sam and Ira. "Is Hermione in there?" He asked, looking about.
"Yeah, she was second for the other course. People are going in at odd times, I think it's when they're passed a certain point. Neville went in about ten minutes after you, where were you then? What happened in there?" Morgan asked eagerly, tossing Harry a water bottle from a large bin and sitting down.
"Um, well I think I was on one of the long running pieces then. Sorry I don't think I'm allowed to say anything else. Can you see anything from out here? There aren't any walls." Harry opened the bottle and poured some over his head before drinking the rest. Sam shook his head,
"No, there are walls, just invisible to the person in the course. They told us we would encounter a few odd creatures, and duel a bit. No ones listening, what else is there?" He asked.
Harry checked the two teachers, they were both sitting about twenty feet back, each looking into a bunch of bowls. That must be how they observed the students.
"Well there are animals, I'm not going to name them. There's a lot of running, the obstacles are at intervals, you run along the path between them. There's hidden pits you have to watch out for, lakes to cross a cave to get through, be really careful at the river in the cave. You could seriously get killed by that creature. You just have to win over some of the animals, and they'll help you a bit. You have to do a variety of muggle boating, and outdoor sports. I feel sorry for any of you who are afraid of heights." Harry went quiet as Crabbe entered, there were only five students left who hadn't gone, and only he had come out so far.
Harry sat there, not talking to anyone really, they were already nervous enough, eventually he got bored and stood up, there was only Morgan left to go in, and walked over to where the professors were sitting.
"Could I watch?" He asked, they both nodded, not looking up from their work. Each held a clipboard on which they were making notes and checking things off. Harry sat down and looked around. Snape was watching the blue bowls and Flairgold the red. He looked through the red until he found Hermione's. She was about halfway through, battling the unicorn. Harry winced, she was doing really bad and looked exhausted. He glanced at the one next to hers and grinned. Malfoy had fallen in a pit in the field, where you couldn't use magic, and looked to be having great difficulty getting out. He moved around, studying others strategies of getting through. Ron was having great difficulty scaling a cliff without magic. Ira almost lost the battle with the spider. None were even close to coming out.
"Harry where did you learn to fence like that? Prof. Flairgold asked rather absently, not looking up from Sam's as he fought off the kraken in the lake.
"I taught myself, from books mostly. It really isn't that hard if you find the right books." Harry replied, grimacing as Ira's kayak flipped on a rock just as she reached the opposite shore. Ron was past the cliff and had entered the longest running section. Here the trail was very narrow and it went over all types of terrain.
"And what was that lightning and fire? Why didn't you tell anyone you were so adept in wandless magic?" Prof. Fairgold said, now studying Morgan who was reading the directions on how to use a muggle bicycle. Harry didn't answer, grinning happily at Goyle, who had allowed a hinkypunk to confuse him and was waste deep in green mud, trying to find the trail again where it ran through a bog. He had no idea of how to walk in a bog, fortunately if someone got lost a trail of purple flags would, after about twenty minutes, lead them back to the main trail.
Harry had entered the obstacle course at 7:20, and gotten out at 9:30. Tanya had entered at the same time he did but didn't get out until 11:03. Harry now held the record for the fastest time, beating the previous winner(s) (they had been tied) Sirius and Albus, by twenty seven minutes. When Tanya came out she was injured from a bunch of the obstacles. Prof. Flairgold had called over an order healer to bandage her. It was then that Harry learned of the real scoring, done by injuries, skill, level of magic used, abilities, time, and how many points you earned on each obstacle.
"For example, the maximum number of points for each obstacle is fifteen. If you don't do perfectly you can't get all fifteen. Speed only accounts for four of those fifteen." Prof. Flairgold explained to Harry. "Other things that count are how many spells used, were they advanced, intermediate, or beginner, did you panic, how well you worked with the animals, extra talents, like your fencing. Reflexes, reactions to different forms of danger, yata yata yata. The person watching gives you and overall grade on each obstacle, added with your over all time, subtract for injuries and mess ups. The highest possible is 1500, you got 1515. Extra for your astonishing abilities with extreme magic, and speed that battle with Voldemort was spectacular. Sirius and Albus each got 1500, a perfect score. Each run is recorded and both teachers judge each, if they don't come to the same conclusion then a third judges. Both judges have a spell on them so they are absolutely fair. This evening after dinner we'll switch and grade the other half of the class, the bowls save the entire run for us to view as many times as needed. " Harry, his head spinning a bit, spent the rest of the afternoon watching his class mates struggle through. Finally the last emerged at 6:26, four minutes before dinner.
"Good Gryffindor! That was something wasn't it?" Ron said as the Gryffindor fifth years sat down at the table near each other. In general this evening everyone was sitting near the others of their age group, chatting about what had happened that day.
"I still can't believe you got the best run in history Harry. I didn't know all fifth years took that! It didn't say anything about it in Hogwarts a History." Hermione said, making herself a salad. Harry and Ron rolled their eyes at each other.
"Not everyone worships that book Hermione, and every little fact about the school isn't in it. What did you get Sam?" Ron asked, turning to Sam on his right.
"I got 1264, not too bad, a little disappointing, but I'm not that fast a runner." The other boy replied, Ron was about to say something but stopped when Dumbledore raised a hand for silence.
"Now you've all finished your first day of the tests, now these aren't going to become a yearly thing, fifth years always take the one they took today, and so do sixth and seventh years. It will become something all first years take along with their exams. For the rest of you this is only to gather information. So we can see how much you've come when you reach fifth year. Your schedules will now include tomorrow's activity. Thank you." He sat down and Ron pulled out his schedule, Harry looked over at it, his was in his dorm.
Monday: Report to Defense class room at 7:30.
"I wonder what is next? Another obstacle course?" Ron asked.
"No, maybe a test, written, of some sort. Ugh! I hate exams, maybe it'll be something fun." Harry said, trying to imagine what sort of test they could possibly give.
The next morning Harry, Ron, and Hermione went to the Defense room after breakfast. They took three desks in a row and waited with the rest of the class.
"I wonder where they are?" Ira asked after three minutes had passed without any sign of the professors, the class was getting restless. Eventually the two Professors came, they could hear them arguing very loudly as they approached the class room.
"Severus I am NOT having any of your biased attitude! I will not stand for it! Any more of it and I'll just judge the students on my own, you are less then a useless flobber worm at being helpful. Just because you are head of Slytherin house does NOT mean you rule the world! Got that?" Prof. Flairgold was shouting angrily, the students exchanged worried looks.
"It is only fair! Everything gets counted against them!" Snape roared back.
"FAIR! You wouldn't know the meaning of the word if it walked up and kicked you in the face! Call yourself a teacher? I've seen TROLLS with a higher IQ! You raving mad son of a b****!." The class shifted nervously, everyone knew Prof. Flairgold had a temper, she'd turned Miss Noris to ice for making her trip twice in a row.
"I believe that I have more authority in this then you, and I say I will judge that way!" Snape's response sounded a little nervous, like he hadn't meant to bring up authority, he opened the door just as Prof. Flairgold raised her hand and shot a blue bolt of light at him from her finger tips. There was a bang and Snape the flobberworm writhed on the floor.
"Has the conversation turned to authority Severus? Let me tell you a little bit about the authority I wield." She spoke calmly and coldly as a collar appeared around Snape's neck and he was dragged from the room. There was a short quiet as the students sat nervously, wondering what would happen. A man's scream of agony echoed suddenly up the corridor, it was cut off abruptly. A moment later Prof. Flairgold was back, alone.
"Most sorry, though I truly hate to have to apologize for that sorry excuse for a teacher. Prof. Snape will not be judging your tests today, in view of his unfairness I have removed him for the day. I had to make him drink many truth potions then rejudge yesterday's test before giving you your scores. He is most unfair, but you know that. Now today we have logic and problem solving tests." A sheet with logic problems appeared before everyone. The class set to work, not making a sound, not wanting to anger her further.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Remus Lupin and Mundungus Fletcher were patrolling the halls (Remus's class didn't start for another half hour) they were down in the dungeons, passing a locked cell, when Remus noticed something odd inside. He opened the door and looked in.
Severus Snape was collared and chained to the wall by his neck, wrists, and ankles. Only he was now Severus Snape the half/troll. Both of his eyes were a bluish black and he had a large purple bruise on the side of his head. Remus gasped and fell over laughing, a half-human half-troll dressed in a frilly pink medieval festival dress was hilarious. Mentally he sent Sirius the image, knowing he'd find it very funny. You should really be here, this is the funniest thing I every saw (Image) Miranda did it, she lost her temper with his biasedness I guess. Poor thing was supposed to oversee the fifth year tests with him. He heard Sirius howling with laughter, and hoped the other didn't break a rib. Na, don't worry about that, give my congratulations to Miranda for such a wonderful prank. And do take a picture, it will go nicely on the wall in the great hall. Mundungus and Remus sent the image out to every order member, soon it was a common thing to see Order members laughing as they walked through the hallway.
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Harry, Ron, and Hermione finished their tests and went off to look at what Prof. Flairgold had done to Snape. They had finished their tests easily, Harry ending with an above perfect score 185, Ron with 163, and Hermione with 171. (180 was perfect) They found a long line of students, they were being allowed to pass by the cell in a long line. The line was slowly moving forward as there was a long piece of carpet that carried them along.
"Oh my! What luck! We get a teacher with a real sense of humor! We should start taking lessons from her Harry!" Ron gasped out between laughs as their ride ended, Harry couldn't answer, he felt like he'd cracked most of his ribs from laughing too much.
Snape didn't come to dinner that evening, he was to embarrassed. At breakfast the next day when he finally emerged students were shouting out jokes about the event loudly across the hall. The picture on the wall did nothing to help, even Dumbledore was laughing his head off.
The week passed quickly, the rest of the tests were relatively easy. Fencing, archery, general spells, and a test in which they had to do the right spell or make the right potion to get through a barrier. Harry scored higher then the best possible in everything and Ron and Hermione did very well. The entire school noticed that Snape avoided Prof. Flairgold whenever possible. There was another row about his being biased on the last day that ended with Prof. Flairgold breaking Snape's nose, jaw, and collarbone, giving him two more black eyes, and hanging him by his wrists from the great hall ceiling. Snape didn't come out of his rooms or the hospital wing for a full day and a half. Strangely Dumbledore, who would normally have fired a teacher for practically mauling another, was silent about it.