Chapter 4: A Revelation
After lunch, the three of them headed out to Care of Magical Creatures at Hagrid's hut. As the rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins arrived, Hagrid began to pull out various colorful birds. Harry looked at them and realized what they were Phoenixes.
"Okay, gather 'round here. We'll be lookin' at the care of Phoenixes today. Anyone know what some of the magical properties a phoenix has?"
To nobody's surprise, Hermione raised her hand.
"A phoenix is immortal and periodically catches fire and burns down to ashes, only to rise again even better than before. The tears of a phoenix have magical healing properties, its feathers are often used in wands and they are known for their extreme loyalty."
"Thank yeh, Hermione," Hagrid said with a smile. "Now, do any of yeh know how to care for a phoenix?"
Nobody raised a hand and Hagrid smiled again. "I thought not an' that's why yeh'll be studyin' them for the next week. I know they're not as interestin' as other creatures, but they'll have to do." Malfoy muttered something under his breath to Goyle, presumably about Hagrid's definition of 'interestin' creatures'. "An' yeh best pay attention, too, Malfoy, 'cause this'll be on your O.W.L's." Everyone winced at the mention of their end of the year test, except for Hermione that is. She simply nodded as though this was nothing unexpected.
Hagrid went on explaining the specifics of caring for a phoenix and finally told them to split up into groups of no more than three and take a phoenix to care for the rest of the hour.
Harry took a golden colored phoenix and set it down on the wooden fence surrounding Hagrid's garden. Hermione took out a soda cracker (a phoenix's favorite food) and stuck it into his mouth as Harry adjusted the heavy, leather gloves he wore for protection against its talons.
As Harry bent down, he whispered to Ron and Hermione, "I think I've found a boat we can use." Ron looked surprised. "Where?"
"Well, that's the catch. Dobby came and visited me last night. He told me I could find a canoe, the only one that would help me beat Lord Voldemort." Ron cringed. "It's being guarded by someone deep in the Forbidden Forest."
"Well, that's out of the question, then," said Hermione.
"And why's that? If it's a good boat then we ought to consider it," protested Ron.
"It's in the FORBIDDEN FOREST, Ron, and we can't go in there because it's forbidden. Besides, I'm a prefect and I can't just go around breaking rules all the time. If I were caught I could lose my prefect badge."
"Yeah, and who else could the make prefect if you lost your badge? Neville?" Ron asked sarcastically.
"Maybe. You never know," Hermione retorted.
"Hermione, you didn't hear all of what Dobby said," Harry said quietly. If they were going to be a team, they would need to work together. "He told me that it was the best canoe and the only one that will let us beat Vol-sorry, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and only the person meant to use the canoe will be able to use it to defeat the Dark Lord." He stopped and looked at Ron and Hermione.
Hermione took a deep breath and said, "Well, I guess we could speak to the other members of our team about it and see what they say. I don't know." She looked a bit uncertain about the whole prospect of going to the Forest and Ron grinned. "You've never been in the Forbidden Forest, have you Hermione?" She nodded. "First year. I got a detention from Professor McGonagall for being out of class. "Well, then you should already know that with the twins on our team, it's more likely than not that we'll be going into the Forest.
Sure enough, when Ron, Hermione, and Harry approached the other half of their team, Fred and George's faces light up instantly. "We'll go Sunday night," George decided. Hermione frowned at him. "Why Sunday and not tonight if you're so eager to go?" "Because," Fred explained patiently, "if we don't come back we'll miss school instead of the weekend."
Hermione opened her mouth to argue but Ron stopped her. "Look, Hermione, they're right. You just can't argue with that kind of logic. I say we just enjoy this weekend for all it's worth."
Harry nodded in agreement. "Sunday night it is, then? And everyone's going, no exceptions.
They all nodded in agreement. "Anyone up for a game of Chess?" Ron asked them.
"Eh, why not," Harry said, "I might even win this time."
Ron laughed. "No, sorry, but nobody beats me at chess."
After lunch, the three of them headed out to Care of Magical Creatures at Hagrid's hut. As the rest of the Gryffindors and Slytherins arrived, Hagrid began to pull out various colorful birds. Harry looked at them and realized what they were Phoenixes.
"Okay, gather 'round here. We'll be lookin' at the care of Phoenixes today. Anyone know what some of the magical properties a phoenix has?"
To nobody's surprise, Hermione raised her hand.
"A phoenix is immortal and periodically catches fire and burns down to ashes, only to rise again even better than before. The tears of a phoenix have magical healing properties, its feathers are often used in wands and they are known for their extreme loyalty."
"Thank yeh, Hermione," Hagrid said with a smile. "Now, do any of yeh know how to care for a phoenix?"
Nobody raised a hand and Hagrid smiled again. "I thought not an' that's why yeh'll be studyin' them for the next week. I know they're not as interestin' as other creatures, but they'll have to do." Malfoy muttered something under his breath to Goyle, presumably about Hagrid's definition of 'interestin' creatures'. "An' yeh best pay attention, too, Malfoy, 'cause this'll be on your O.W.L's." Everyone winced at the mention of their end of the year test, except for Hermione that is. She simply nodded as though this was nothing unexpected.
Hagrid went on explaining the specifics of caring for a phoenix and finally told them to split up into groups of no more than three and take a phoenix to care for the rest of the hour.
Harry took a golden colored phoenix and set it down on the wooden fence surrounding Hagrid's garden. Hermione took out a soda cracker (a phoenix's favorite food) and stuck it into his mouth as Harry adjusted the heavy, leather gloves he wore for protection against its talons.
As Harry bent down, he whispered to Ron and Hermione, "I think I've found a boat we can use." Ron looked surprised. "Where?"
"Well, that's the catch. Dobby came and visited me last night. He told me I could find a canoe, the only one that would help me beat Lord Voldemort." Ron cringed. "It's being guarded by someone deep in the Forbidden Forest."
"Well, that's out of the question, then," said Hermione.
"And why's that? If it's a good boat then we ought to consider it," protested Ron.
"It's in the FORBIDDEN FOREST, Ron, and we can't go in there because it's forbidden. Besides, I'm a prefect and I can't just go around breaking rules all the time. If I were caught I could lose my prefect badge."
"Yeah, and who else could the make prefect if you lost your badge? Neville?" Ron asked sarcastically.
"Maybe. You never know," Hermione retorted.
"Hermione, you didn't hear all of what Dobby said," Harry said quietly. If they were going to be a team, they would need to work together. "He told me that it was the best canoe and the only one that will let us beat Vol-sorry, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and only the person meant to use the canoe will be able to use it to defeat the Dark Lord." He stopped and looked at Ron and Hermione.
Hermione took a deep breath and said, "Well, I guess we could speak to the other members of our team about it and see what they say. I don't know." She looked a bit uncertain about the whole prospect of going to the Forest and Ron grinned. "You've never been in the Forbidden Forest, have you Hermione?" She nodded. "First year. I got a detention from Professor McGonagall for being out of class. "Well, then you should already know that with the twins on our team, it's more likely than not that we'll be going into the Forest.
Sure enough, when Ron, Hermione, and Harry approached the other half of their team, Fred and George's faces light up instantly. "We'll go Sunday night," George decided. Hermione frowned at him. "Why Sunday and not tonight if you're so eager to go?" "Because," Fred explained patiently, "if we don't come back we'll miss school instead of the weekend."
Hermione opened her mouth to argue but Ron stopped her. "Look, Hermione, they're right. You just can't argue with that kind of logic. I say we just enjoy this weekend for all it's worth."
Harry nodded in agreement. "Sunday night it is, then? And everyone's going, no exceptions.
They all nodded in agreement. "Anyone up for a game of Chess?" Ron asked them.
"Eh, why not," Harry said, "I might even win this time."
Ron laughed. "No, sorry, but nobody beats me at chess."