Harry Potter and the Curse of the Gypsy
Author's Note: How is everybody? Just a quick little plea to please come and read some of my other stories, they are coming along well and I would appreciate any opinions you might have to offer! They are all on fanfiction.net and fictionpress.net and under the pen name Megx, or e-mail me at megx87@yahoo.com, with questions or suggestions.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry......
Chapter Eight
"What...you know each other?" Ron said with eyes wide.
Harry blushed in embarrassment. "Yeah...Mrs. Figg, well, Professor Figg now, I guess..." she smiled at him when he said this, "has lived near me for as long as I can remember."
"What, on Privet Drive? With the muggles?" Professor Figg gave Ron a congenial smile. "Of course, dear. Please, though...take your seats. All of you!" she said loudly. The class went to their chairs, most shooting Harry amused looks.
"No, everybody..." she began, going to her seat. Harry still couldn't get over his shock. Knowing as a fact that Professor Figg was a witch was one thing. Actually seeing her in a witches robes was another entirely. "I would like to introduce myself for those of you that do not know me. I am Arabella Figg, and I will be your DADA teacher for the year. As you already have an extensive knowledge of various dark creatures and curses, including the Unforgivables, I see, this year will be devoted almost entirely to actual defenses. Can anybody name a common shield charm?"
Not surprisingly, Hermione's hand shot up into the air. Professor Figg smiled at her. "All right, you seem eager enough young lady. Tell me, what is one that you know of?"
"Fortificatum, Professor." Professor Figg smiled at Hermione warmly.
"Yes, dear, that is correct. It is quite the common shield, indeed. It does not protect against many of the more difficult curses, though in a duel it can prove quite effective for gaining one's senses. Another?"
This time, surprisingly, Ron raised his hand. She nodded at him, and he blushed when Hermione shot him a shocked look. "Erm...Resistus." She nodded.
"Also a common one, though a physical barrier, which prevents any objects, weapons and such, from being used against you. It was invented during the Middle Ages, when quite a few witches and wizards found they needed a little protection against that annoying habit of muggles to try and spear people."
"Oh, yes..." Mrs. Figg glanced one more time around the room. "Now, there is one more shield charm that I would like to speak about today...perhaps you know what that might be, Miss Johnson."
Cory looked up quickly, squirming uncomfortably in her seat. "Professor, I don't..."
"You don't know of one?" Professor Figg said, raising a brow. "Of any?"
"Well, I know of one, but...well it certainly isn't common, and I don't believe it to be the one you are looking for..."
"Speak up anyway, Miss Johnson. I would like to hear what you have to say." Cory shrugged slightly, looking down at her hands.
"Aspperatisom." A few people glanced at Cory in confusion. Parvati was grinning eagerly, certain that Cory had either made something up or gotten the spell entirely wrong. Hermione even had a puzzled expression on her face, as if she had heard the spell somewhere before but could not quite remember where it had come from.
"Aspperatisom?" Professor Figg looked at Cory with a thoughtful expression on her face. "You know that spell?"
"My...my mother told me about it, once. She said...well, it's rumored to be one of the strongest shields."
"Yes." Professor Figg muttered. "And very rarely performed. I have only ever seen it done once...by an old gypsy woman."
Cory shrugged. "Well, so it isn't the common one. At least I got one, anyway."
"Yes, dear." Professor Figg smiled warily. "Of course you did. But you were also right, that isn't what I was searching for. No, the third shield is Reflectum, which will send any hexes or curses sent your way back to the original sender. Today, I would like to begin you on the first, Fortificatum. It is relatively simple, please repeat after me..."
She spoke the spell and within moments she was bathed in a light purplish glow. "There, you see? You girl, who knew what this spell was...send a simple jelly legs curse in my direction."
"Wh..." Hermione jumped.
"Come on, you won't hurt me." She smiled at Hermione who, despite her knowledge that it was doubtful anything would actually happen to Mrs. Figg, still could not fathom performing any magic against a teacher. The closest she had come was in third year, when she had performed Expelliarmus on Snape, though later she had admitted it was for the best, as they had saved the life of Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, on that occasion.
She reluctantly took her wand and squeezed her eyes shut as she sent the curse at Professor Figg. It shot at her, shattering into thousands of sparks as it collided with the purplish glow. The class cheered; Hermione looked intensely relieved.
"All right, you see? It's that simple. Now, partner up, and you try." She glanced at all of them. "Harry, you partner with this girl, what's your name...Hermione, is it? And you, the redheaded boy, you can partner with Miss Johnson."
Ron reluctantly switched places with Hermione, obviously nervous that Cory would be testing any shield charm that he attempted to make.
"Well, Hermione...so how does this go?"
"Fortificatum...like this..." she demonstrated it for Harry, producing a faint glow, which, though not as bright as Professor Figgs, was visible, which was more than Harry could say. He made several attempts, but could produce nothing more than a few little bursts of wind.
"Why can't we be learning the one I practiced last year, for the Triwizard Tournament?" he murmured angrily after yet another failed attempt. "I mean, after a while I got the hang of that one...why are we doing this one?"
"Well, the one last year was for just hexes, you know...not curses in general. This one deals with complex charms, not just a jelly leg curse. Don't worry, you'll get in soon enough. And it isn't like you are the only one having problems."
Harry glanced around and saw that this was very true. Neville had sprouted small, but rather unattractive boils around his face, and was moaning in irritation as Dean Thomas tried to quickly remember the counter curse. Lavender Brown was desperately trying to hide her face behind her hands, which was quite hard as her nose had grown to three times it's average length. And Ron...
"Why did you have to choose that curse?" he said loudly, his hands clenched on the table. Cory snorted with amusement.
"Sorry...I guess I was getting tired of turning everybody different colors. And you know, it isn't that bad of a look, they should shrink away in ten minutes, if I remember correctly..." Ron growled at her. From the top of his head, two large, white ears were protruding, and his nose seemed to have gone scrunched up and pink.
"When it's your turn to..."
Cory shrugged. "Go ahead, let's try it. I'm ready." She concentrated for a moment before uttering the incantation. A shiny purplish glow surrounded her. "Okay...go on...give it your best shot..."
Ron thought for a moment before grinning evilly. "Slumbersium!" Cory looked at him for a moment before snorting loudly.
"Ha. You didn't..." but suddenly her eyes glazed over. She froze for a moment, mouth gaping, before her eyelids fluttered closed, and she slumped wordlessly to the floor.
Hermione glanced over at her. "Oh, a sleeping curse. I'm impressed Ron, I never would have expected it of you."
Harry looked down at Cory, who despite all odds actually appeared cozy, curled up on the floor as she was. "Well. At least I don't think she can get on your nerves this way." He muttered, making Ron snort.
"Yeah. Really."
"Erm...Ron?" Hermione said casually. He glanced over still grinning.
"Yes, Hermione?"
"If Cory's asleep, who's going to get those rabbit ears off of your head?" Ron's smiled faded as he reached up to feel the fuzzy ears.
"Oh, no..." He glanced at Cory, who had begun slightly snoring. "Erm, Hermione...do you happen to know the counter spell? I kind of...forgot it."
"Ron!" Hermione stood up quickly, glaring at him in disbelief. "Do you mean to tell me that you used a curse without first making sure you knew how to undo it? Why, I..."
"Is there a problem?" Mrs. Figg walked over quickly, sensing the trouble. "Why aren't you with your part...oh, my..." Cory yawned widely, still asleep. Ron prodded her in the leg with his foot.
"Do you know how to wake her up, professor?" Said Ron reluctantly. "I sort of forgot the counter curse."
"Well, sure, I guess. I'll have her awake in a jiffy."
"Oh...great." Ron looked down her. He seemed a little more worried than relieved.
Professor Figg knelt beside her and muttered a quick charm. She stirred, leaning up on her elbow as she rubbed her eyes. Most of the room by this time had ceased their own attempts at the charm to watch the spectacle.
"Dear...dear, are you awake?"
Cory yawned as she peeked open her eyes. "Where am I? What..." Suddenly her eyes widened. "RON WEASLEY! YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!"
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They left the DADA room a little worse for the wear. Hermione seemed to be the only person in the entire group that remained unscathed. All the others were tired and sore. Harry, with Hermione as his partner, had escaped with only a few minor curses, wobbly knees from the jelly legs curse and giggling fits from a mad laughing charm.
However, Ron and Cory had seemed quite intent on showing the other up with their charms. Ron had had the ears removed, only to develop an itch over his entire left side, the sudden urge to speak only in rhyme, and a greenish tinge to his hair. Cory, who actually looked quite relaxed from her nap, had reddish skin where Ron had grown greenish scales all over her.
"Hey, have you met Hagrid?" Harry asked Cory as they walked down the hall. "He's Care of Magical Creatures teacher, and gamekeeper. You'll really like him."
"No..." she glanced at her watch. "I have some things I need to take care of. You go on, I'll talk with you later." She waved at them, walking off in the direction of the library.
"See you." Harry muttered. Ron looked relieved. He still hadn't gotten over the fear that at any second Cory had been about to retaliate for the matter in DADA with a few select curses of her own choosing.
They quickly went down to Hagrid's hut. CoMC classes had not yet started for the year. The first class had been set for the day before, but canceled. When asked, Hagrid had simply stated that he was 'still waiting' for the magical creatures to arrive---something that did not seem to bode well for Harry.
The first thing that they noticed when they arrived told them all they needed to know. "I reckon he did get dragons," Ron muttered. Various scorch marks stood all over the small wood hut.
"But they aren't allowed!" Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "And even though Dumbledore might...bend the rules, on occasion, I doubt very much that he would have his students tackling dragons."
Harry shrugged. He would never say it aloud to his friends, for fear of being met with disbelief, but he didn't feel as bad about dragons, considering his last encounter with one. In fact, he had begun to see what Hagrid meant, about some things. They were fascinating creatures, and in an odd way cute---if one could get over the fact that they were enormous and breathed fire.
He knocked at the door. Hagrid called out from inside. "Who's there?" he said gruffly.
"Erm...it's me." Harry said quickly. Hagrid opened the door and stuck his head out, squinting at Harry, Ron and Hermione. "So...just you three then? Come in, come in...be quick about it."
Harry shot his friends an exasperated look---he didn't know what it was all about either. He stepped in through the crack, the humor Hagrid. Ron and Hermione followed suit. When they were all inside, Hagrid slammed the door closed and locked it.
"All's safe, Sirius." Harry's eyes widened, and he felt a large weight drop into his stomach. Had Hagrid said...Sirius?
The shaggy black dog trotted out from behind Hagrid's table and shook its fur, before quickly transforming into a tall man with now tidy black hair that hung to his shoulders. Hagrid slipped quietly out the door. Sirius smiled eagerly when he saw his godson. "Harry! You look well!"
He strode over quickly and gave him a quick hug, keeping his hand around Harry's shoulder when he pulled away. "Are you doing well?"
"I am." He smiled. "When did you get here?"
"Remus and I arrived only about three days ago. We're looking for a small house on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, as Remus must have told you. I want to stay close by, of course. In case...well, we just don't want anything else happening to you, Harry."
"Yeah, of course." His smile faded a little. Though he was happy to have his only true family around, it made his stomach turn to think that Remus and Sirius were putting their own safety at risk to make sure he didn't...disappear, and turn up with Lord Voldemort again. As he usually did.
"Has anything happened here, lately?" Sirius said darkly, looking at Harry. "Nothing...odd?"
"Actually, no, for a change." He sighed. "Well, no stranger than usual, I mean."
"Except that shrew that's been with us since term started." Ron shuddered, and Hermione shouted at him shrilly in irritation.
"What?" Sirius said in a puzzled tone. Harry blushed.
"This singer. She's popular, and she's been home tutored until now. She's a bit...high maintenance, I guess you could say..."
"High maintenance?" Ron snorted. "That's an understatement. She's nice enough I guess...when she's tormenting the Slytherins, I mean."
Sirius chuckled. "That sounds very much like something I said about somebody long ago." He sighed. "What times I had back then..."
"What do you mean?" asked Hermione.
"Well," he shrugged, a faint grin on his face. "Your mother, Harry. She was...well, a bit of a...I don't know, when we started out, James and I didn't exactly get along with your mother on the best terms." He laughed, raking a hand through his hair. "In fact, she downright hated us."
"What?" Harry said, raising a brow.
"Well, she didn't exactly get the best impression of us at first. As we were tormenting Remus at the time as well..."
"What?!" This time Ron and Hermione joined in as well, looking at Sirius in shock.
"There was an incident with a luggage cart, and another redheaded girl with a temper worse than mine...I must tell you the entire story sometime. But first...tell me more about this girl. I heard about her in the paper, her name is Cory Johnson? And she's related to the minister of magic."
Harry nodded. "Yeah. She's not that bad, really..."
"That isn't the point." Sirius said dryly. "Harry, you can't trust anybody right now, especially somebody whose just showed up, out of nowhere. I don't want you getting in any more trouble this year."
"I know but...do you really think there is something wrong with her?"
"Possibly." He sighed. "Listen, what do you know about her?"
"Not much." Hermione said this, frowning. "She's our age, I think born sometime right after Harry. Related to Fudge, been singing for the past year. And she's a gyspy..." Hemione said this nonchalantly, as though it didn't mean anything. Sirius took this another way.
"A gypsy?" he snarled. "That just goes to prove my point."
Hermione glared at him with wide eyes. "You mean...after all the things that happened with the gypsies, You-Know-Who fighting against all of them, you mean..."
"The gypsies were on Voldemort's side. Saying they fought against him would be like saying Lucius Malfoy was honestly under a spell when he worked for Voldemort."
"But...but..." she sputtered, taken aback. Sirius sighed.
"I'm sorry, if I've shocked you but...listen, I can't trust them. It was a gypsy who murdered my brother. She was the love of his life. Be wary of this Johnson girl...whoever she is."
Harry looked at Sirius, shaking his head in disbelief. "Your brother?" he said finally, raising a brow.
"Yes. Donovan. He was six years older than me." His eyes, which were always filled with the hollow look Azkaban had given him, went dark. "Listen, you kids go on back to the castle. Be careful. It was good to see you, Harry. Be safe."
Harry nodded and watched Sirius transform into a dog. He watched them all as they made their way back to the castle. Hagrid was waving at them, smiling cheerfully at Sirius, who sat beside him and wagged his tail.
"What do you reckon that was all about?" Harry yawned, as they climbed into the common room, which was empty save for the Weasley twins, who grinned at Harry before a small explosion rocked the table in front of them.
"I dunno. But...listen, I know Cory gets on my nerves, but I really don't think she's bad. There's just..." he paused. "Well, whatever. We'll all be careful, right?"
"Right." They all shook hands as they made their way to their beds.
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'You are trying my patience.' The woman whispered angrily. 'The master is becoming most displeased.
'Please understand,' the other voice gasped, 'It is going to be impossible to draw Potter to the crypt, and I fear that soon the girl will reveal to him her secrets. Please understand, I am trying my hardest...'
'Your hardest is not good enough.' The other sneered. 'You must be punished..."
'No, please...'
'No, not this time...' the voice was amused. 'It will wait...but yes, it will be your fate if you are unable to complete this simple task the master sends you on. Rest assured, you will be killed if you should fail.'
The other voice began sobbing, a throaty sound. Harry woke from his dream, sweat clinging to his face, feeling not pain but a soft tingle, as if of electricity in his scar. He lay awake in bed until falling back into fitful sleep. In the morning, it would all be forgotten.
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Oh, wow! I am so tired! I worked on this chapter for a few hours, and it is nearly three in the morning. Plus I have school tomorrow! Yeah, that shows you where my priorities are. Thank you so much for all the terrific reviews, I love hearing what my readers have to say!
Sorry to those of you that hate cliffies...more are coming, I guarantee. Be prepared! Be very prepared!
LOL! Thanks! I leave Wednesday for a trip to Orlando, Florida, and won't be back until Monday. I won't be updating until Tuesday or so, so be patient! Sorry for the delay! See you soon!
~~Megx~~
Author's Note: How is everybody? Just a quick little plea to please come and read some of my other stories, they are coming along well and I would appreciate any opinions you might have to offer! They are all on fanfiction.net and fictionpress.net and under the pen name Megx, or e-mail me at megx87@yahoo.com, with questions or suggestions.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry Potter. I do not own Harry......
Chapter Eight
"What...you know each other?" Ron said with eyes wide.
Harry blushed in embarrassment. "Yeah...Mrs. Figg, well, Professor Figg now, I guess..." she smiled at him when he said this, "has lived near me for as long as I can remember."
"What, on Privet Drive? With the muggles?" Professor Figg gave Ron a congenial smile. "Of course, dear. Please, though...take your seats. All of you!" she said loudly. The class went to their chairs, most shooting Harry amused looks.
"No, everybody..." she began, going to her seat. Harry still couldn't get over his shock. Knowing as a fact that Professor Figg was a witch was one thing. Actually seeing her in a witches robes was another entirely. "I would like to introduce myself for those of you that do not know me. I am Arabella Figg, and I will be your DADA teacher for the year. As you already have an extensive knowledge of various dark creatures and curses, including the Unforgivables, I see, this year will be devoted almost entirely to actual defenses. Can anybody name a common shield charm?"
Not surprisingly, Hermione's hand shot up into the air. Professor Figg smiled at her. "All right, you seem eager enough young lady. Tell me, what is one that you know of?"
"Fortificatum, Professor." Professor Figg smiled at Hermione warmly.
"Yes, dear, that is correct. It is quite the common shield, indeed. It does not protect against many of the more difficult curses, though in a duel it can prove quite effective for gaining one's senses. Another?"
This time, surprisingly, Ron raised his hand. She nodded at him, and he blushed when Hermione shot him a shocked look. "Erm...Resistus." She nodded.
"Also a common one, though a physical barrier, which prevents any objects, weapons and such, from being used against you. It was invented during the Middle Ages, when quite a few witches and wizards found they needed a little protection against that annoying habit of muggles to try and spear people."
"Oh, yes..." Mrs. Figg glanced one more time around the room. "Now, there is one more shield charm that I would like to speak about today...perhaps you know what that might be, Miss Johnson."
Cory looked up quickly, squirming uncomfortably in her seat. "Professor, I don't..."
"You don't know of one?" Professor Figg said, raising a brow. "Of any?"
"Well, I know of one, but...well it certainly isn't common, and I don't believe it to be the one you are looking for..."
"Speak up anyway, Miss Johnson. I would like to hear what you have to say." Cory shrugged slightly, looking down at her hands.
"Aspperatisom." A few people glanced at Cory in confusion. Parvati was grinning eagerly, certain that Cory had either made something up or gotten the spell entirely wrong. Hermione even had a puzzled expression on her face, as if she had heard the spell somewhere before but could not quite remember where it had come from.
"Aspperatisom?" Professor Figg looked at Cory with a thoughtful expression on her face. "You know that spell?"
"My...my mother told me about it, once. She said...well, it's rumored to be one of the strongest shields."
"Yes." Professor Figg muttered. "And very rarely performed. I have only ever seen it done once...by an old gypsy woman."
Cory shrugged. "Well, so it isn't the common one. At least I got one, anyway."
"Yes, dear." Professor Figg smiled warily. "Of course you did. But you were also right, that isn't what I was searching for. No, the third shield is Reflectum, which will send any hexes or curses sent your way back to the original sender. Today, I would like to begin you on the first, Fortificatum. It is relatively simple, please repeat after me..."
She spoke the spell and within moments she was bathed in a light purplish glow. "There, you see? You girl, who knew what this spell was...send a simple jelly legs curse in my direction."
"Wh..." Hermione jumped.
"Come on, you won't hurt me." She smiled at Hermione who, despite her knowledge that it was doubtful anything would actually happen to Mrs. Figg, still could not fathom performing any magic against a teacher. The closest she had come was in third year, when she had performed Expelliarmus on Snape, though later she had admitted it was for the best, as they had saved the life of Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, on that occasion.
She reluctantly took her wand and squeezed her eyes shut as she sent the curse at Professor Figg. It shot at her, shattering into thousands of sparks as it collided with the purplish glow. The class cheered; Hermione looked intensely relieved.
"All right, you see? It's that simple. Now, partner up, and you try." She glanced at all of them. "Harry, you partner with this girl, what's your name...Hermione, is it? And you, the redheaded boy, you can partner with Miss Johnson."
Ron reluctantly switched places with Hermione, obviously nervous that Cory would be testing any shield charm that he attempted to make.
"Well, Hermione...so how does this go?"
"Fortificatum...like this..." she demonstrated it for Harry, producing a faint glow, which, though not as bright as Professor Figgs, was visible, which was more than Harry could say. He made several attempts, but could produce nothing more than a few little bursts of wind.
"Why can't we be learning the one I practiced last year, for the Triwizard Tournament?" he murmured angrily after yet another failed attempt. "I mean, after a while I got the hang of that one...why are we doing this one?"
"Well, the one last year was for just hexes, you know...not curses in general. This one deals with complex charms, not just a jelly leg curse. Don't worry, you'll get in soon enough. And it isn't like you are the only one having problems."
Harry glanced around and saw that this was very true. Neville had sprouted small, but rather unattractive boils around his face, and was moaning in irritation as Dean Thomas tried to quickly remember the counter curse. Lavender Brown was desperately trying to hide her face behind her hands, which was quite hard as her nose had grown to three times it's average length. And Ron...
"Why did you have to choose that curse?" he said loudly, his hands clenched on the table. Cory snorted with amusement.
"Sorry...I guess I was getting tired of turning everybody different colors. And you know, it isn't that bad of a look, they should shrink away in ten minutes, if I remember correctly..." Ron growled at her. From the top of his head, two large, white ears were protruding, and his nose seemed to have gone scrunched up and pink.
"When it's your turn to..."
Cory shrugged. "Go ahead, let's try it. I'm ready." She concentrated for a moment before uttering the incantation. A shiny purplish glow surrounded her. "Okay...go on...give it your best shot..."
Ron thought for a moment before grinning evilly. "Slumbersium!" Cory looked at him for a moment before snorting loudly.
"Ha. You didn't..." but suddenly her eyes glazed over. She froze for a moment, mouth gaping, before her eyelids fluttered closed, and she slumped wordlessly to the floor.
Hermione glanced over at her. "Oh, a sleeping curse. I'm impressed Ron, I never would have expected it of you."
Harry looked down at Cory, who despite all odds actually appeared cozy, curled up on the floor as she was. "Well. At least I don't think she can get on your nerves this way." He muttered, making Ron snort.
"Yeah. Really."
"Erm...Ron?" Hermione said casually. He glanced over still grinning.
"Yes, Hermione?"
"If Cory's asleep, who's going to get those rabbit ears off of your head?" Ron's smiled faded as he reached up to feel the fuzzy ears.
"Oh, no..." He glanced at Cory, who had begun slightly snoring. "Erm, Hermione...do you happen to know the counter spell? I kind of...forgot it."
"Ron!" Hermione stood up quickly, glaring at him in disbelief. "Do you mean to tell me that you used a curse without first making sure you knew how to undo it? Why, I..."
"Is there a problem?" Mrs. Figg walked over quickly, sensing the trouble. "Why aren't you with your part...oh, my..." Cory yawned widely, still asleep. Ron prodded her in the leg with his foot.
"Do you know how to wake her up, professor?" Said Ron reluctantly. "I sort of forgot the counter curse."
"Well, sure, I guess. I'll have her awake in a jiffy."
"Oh...great." Ron looked down her. He seemed a little more worried than relieved.
Professor Figg knelt beside her and muttered a quick charm. She stirred, leaning up on her elbow as she rubbed her eyes. Most of the room by this time had ceased their own attempts at the charm to watch the spectacle.
"Dear...dear, are you awake?"
Cory yawned as she peeked open her eyes. "Where am I? What..." Suddenly her eyes widened. "RON WEASLEY! YOU HAVE A LOT OF EXPLAINING TO DO!"
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They left the DADA room a little worse for the wear. Hermione seemed to be the only person in the entire group that remained unscathed. All the others were tired and sore. Harry, with Hermione as his partner, had escaped with only a few minor curses, wobbly knees from the jelly legs curse and giggling fits from a mad laughing charm.
However, Ron and Cory had seemed quite intent on showing the other up with their charms. Ron had had the ears removed, only to develop an itch over his entire left side, the sudden urge to speak only in rhyme, and a greenish tinge to his hair. Cory, who actually looked quite relaxed from her nap, had reddish skin where Ron had grown greenish scales all over her.
"Hey, have you met Hagrid?" Harry asked Cory as they walked down the hall. "He's Care of Magical Creatures teacher, and gamekeeper. You'll really like him."
"No..." she glanced at her watch. "I have some things I need to take care of. You go on, I'll talk with you later." She waved at them, walking off in the direction of the library.
"See you." Harry muttered. Ron looked relieved. He still hadn't gotten over the fear that at any second Cory had been about to retaliate for the matter in DADA with a few select curses of her own choosing.
They quickly went down to Hagrid's hut. CoMC classes had not yet started for the year. The first class had been set for the day before, but canceled. When asked, Hagrid had simply stated that he was 'still waiting' for the magical creatures to arrive---something that did not seem to bode well for Harry.
The first thing that they noticed when they arrived told them all they needed to know. "I reckon he did get dragons," Ron muttered. Various scorch marks stood all over the small wood hut.
"But they aren't allowed!" Hermione said, rolling her eyes. "And even though Dumbledore might...bend the rules, on occasion, I doubt very much that he would have his students tackling dragons."
Harry shrugged. He would never say it aloud to his friends, for fear of being met with disbelief, but he didn't feel as bad about dragons, considering his last encounter with one. In fact, he had begun to see what Hagrid meant, about some things. They were fascinating creatures, and in an odd way cute---if one could get over the fact that they were enormous and breathed fire.
He knocked at the door. Hagrid called out from inside. "Who's there?" he said gruffly.
"Erm...it's me." Harry said quickly. Hagrid opened the door and stuck his head out, squinting at Harry, Ron and Hermione. "So...just you three then? Come in, come in...be quick about it."
Harry shot his friends an exasperated look---he didn't know what it was all about either. He stepped in through the crack, the humor Hagrid. Ron and Hermione followed suit. When they were all inside, Hagrid slammed the door closed and locked it.
"All's safe, Sirius." Harry's eyes widened, and he felt a large weight drop into his stomach. Had Hagrid said...Sirius?
The shaggy black dog trotted out from behind Hagrid's table and shook its fur, before quickly transforming into a tall man with now tidy black hair that hung to his shoulders. Hagrid slipped quietly out the door. Sirius smiled eagerly when he saw his godson. "Harry! You look well!"
He strode over quickly and gave him a quick hug, keeping his hand around Harry's shoulder when he pulled away. "Are you doing well?"
"I am." He smiled. "When did you get here?"
"Remus and I arrived only about three days ago. We're looking for a small house on the outskirts of Hogsmeade, as Remus must have told you. I want to stay close by, of course. In case...well, we just don't want anything else happening to you, Harry."
"Yeah, of course." His smile faded a little. Though he was happy to have his only true family around, it made his stomach turn to think that Remus and Sirius were putting their own safety at risk to make sure he didn't...disappear, and turn up with Lord Voldemort again. As he usually did.
"Has anything happened here, lately?" Sirius said darkly, looking at Harry. "Nothing...odd?"
"Actually, no, for a change." He sighed. "Well, no stranger than usual, I mean."
"Except that shrew that's been with us since term started." Ron shuddered, and Hermione shouted at him shrilly in irritation.
"What?" Sirius said in a puzzled tone. Harry blushed.
"This singer. She's popular, and she's been home tutored until now. She's a bit...high maintenance, I guess you could say..."
"High maintenance?" Ron snorted. "That's an understatement. She's nice enough I guess...when she's tormenting the Slytherins, I mean."
Sirius chuckled. "That sounds very much like something I said about somebody long ago." He sighed. "What times I had back then..."
"What do you mean?" asked Hermione.
"Well," he shrugged, a faint grin on his face. "Your mother, Harry. She was...well, a bit of a...I don't know, when we started out, James and I didn't exactly get along with your mother on the best terms." He laughed, raking a hand through his hair. "In fact, she downright hated us."
"What?" Harry said, raising a brow.
"Well, she didn't exactly get the best impression of us at first. As we were tormenting Remus at the time as well..."
"What?!" This time Ron and Hermione joined in as well, looking at Sirius in shock.
"There was an incident with a luggage cart, and another redheaded girl with a temper worse than mine...I must tell you the entire story sometime. But first...tell me more about this girl. I heard about her in the paper, her name is Cory Johnson? And she's related to the minister of magic."
Harry nodded. "Yeah. She's not that bad, really..."
"That isn't the point." Sirius said dryly. "Harry, you can't trust anybody right now, especially somebody whose just showed up, out of nowhere. I don't want you getting in any more trouble this year."
"I know but...do you really think there is something wrong with her?"
"Possibly." He sighed. "Listen, what do you know about her?"
"Not much." Hermione said this, frowning. "She's our age, I think born sometime right after Harry. Related to Fudge, been singing for the past year. And she's a gyspy..." Hemione said this nonchalantly, as though it didn't mean anything. Sirius took this another way.
"A gypsy?" he snarled. "That just goes to prove my point."
Hermione glared at him with wide eyes. "You mean...after all the things that happened with the gypsies, You-Know-Who fighting against all of them, you mean..."
"The gypsies were on Voldemort's side. Saying they fought against him would be like saying Lucius Malfoy was honestly under a spell when he worked for Voldemort."
"But...but..." she sputtered, taken aback. Sirius sighed.
"I'm sorry, if I've shocked you but...listen, I can't trust them. It was a gypsy who murdered my brother. She was the love of his life. Be wary of this Johnson girl...whoever she is."
Harry looked at Sirius, shaking his head in disbelief. "Your brother?" he said finally, raising a brow.
"Yes. Donovan. He was six years older than me." His eyes, which were always filled with the hollow look Azkaban had given him, went dark. "Listen, you kids go on back to the castle. Be careful. It was good to see you, Harry. Be safe."
Harry nodded and watched Sirius transform into a dog. He watched them all as they made their way back to the castle. Hagrid was waving at them, smiling cheerfully at Sirius, who sat beside him and wagged his tail.
"What do you reckon that was all about?" Harry yawned, as they climbed into the common room, which was empty save for the Weasley twins, who grinned at Harry before a small explosion rocked the table in front of them.
"I dunno. But...listen, I know Cory gets on my nerves, but I really don't think she's bad. There's just..." he paused. "Well, whatever. We'll all be careful, right?"
"Right." They all shook hands as they made their way to their beds.
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'You are trying my patience.' The woman whispered angrily. 'The master is becoming most displeased.
'Please understand,' the other voice gasped, 'It is going to be impossible to draw Potter to the crypt, and I fear that soon the girl will reveal to him her secrets. Please understand, I am trying my hardest...'
'Your hardest is not good enough.' The other sneered. 'You must be punished..."
'No, please...'
'No, not this time...' the voice was amused. 'It will wait...but yes, it will be your fate if you are unable to complete this simple task the master sends you on. Rest assured, you will be killed if you should fail.'
The other voice began sobbing, a throaty sound. Harry woke from his dream, sweat clinging to his face, feeling not pain but a soft tingle, as if of electricity in his scar. He lay awake in bed until falling back into fitful sleep. In the morning, it would all be forgotten.
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Oh, wow! I am so tired! I worked on this chapter for a few hours, and it is nearly three in the morning. Plus I have school tomorrow! Yeah, that shows you where my priorities are. Thank you so much for all the terrific reviews, I love hearing what my readers have to say!
Sorry to those of you that hate cliffies...more are coming, I guarantee. Be prepared! Be very prepared!
LOL! Thanks! I leave Wednesday for a trip to Orlando, Florida, and won't be back until Monday. I won't be updating until Tuesday or so, so be patient! Sorry for the delay! See you soon!
~~Megx~~
