February fifth came and went and the club sign-ups remained quite
empty. On the tenth they were still quite empty. Because of this Professor
McGonagall made an announcement that day at breakfast. "Since so few of you
decided to sign up for a club, the choices were Muggle Appreciation or
Medicinal Magic, another club choice has been added. It will be a Dueling
Class club. If you wish to join any of these clubs and are a fifth year or
older you must cast your choice by February 15. Thank you."
Renata paused, her fork halfway to her mouth, "So which class will you three sign up for? I assume you are all taking the same one?"
"I dunno yet," Harry splattered ketchup on his eggs. "What will you take?"
"I'm not sure yet. I could probably do pretty well in Muggle Appreciation. I spent my summers mostly in Muggle places. My mom's dad was a Muggle."
"I didn't know you had any Muggle relatives," remarked Hermione. "I'm a Muggle-born myself though."
A loud drawl made them all turn around, "Granger, you and that other Mudblood should not even be here. When that windbag Dumbledore is gone, Father is going to make sure they keep the trash out of here."
Harry and Ron jumped up. "What did you say Malfoy?"
"You heard me, Weasly. You too, Potter. Weasly, you'll never be anything. Potter, you had your chance and you blew it."
Renata stood up. "Malfoy, I turned you into a ferret once, I can do it again."
Draco took only the slightest of steps back before sneering at them once more. "With a whole table of teachers here? I doubt it."
Renata leaned forward and whispered, "Or an earthworm perhaps. Squishy. Blind. Having no defense. Helpless and unable to save yourself from being squished under my shoe. How about that? Or there are alternatives."
Draco looked panic stricken now.
"The alternative is staying away from us. Got that?"
His pale face grew paler. "Don't threaten me, you'll pay for these insults."
"You are nothing but talk, Malfoy. Money and talk. No wits or guts."
"You're just talk, don't even have money took back it up." He spoke and his words were barely heard.
"Are you sure?"
"You and the others are weak and you always have been." He jerked his head at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that."
"Prove it. I bet none of you would go down to the forest at night."
"I will," Renata said easily.
Ron and Harry seemed to have regained the ability of speech and said, "Not alone. You can't go to the forest by yourself, we'll come too."
"Hmmm? You need an escort, Delano? Two of them? How sad."
"Draco Balthazar Malfoy," Renata said slowly, "If I were you I would quit while I was ahead. But, since in this debate you stupidly kept opening your mouth and you are obviously far behind and not going to redeem yourself, just save yourself at least some embarrassment and go sit back down at your own table. Those henchmen of yours are waiting." Without another word or glance at Malfoy she sat down once more and began to eat her sausage, which had now gone cold. Unfortunately she missed seeing Malfoy turn pink as he stalked off.
Hermione turned to her, amazed.
Ron spoke first. "What did you say to Malfoy to make him that upset?"
"I told him that being turned into a ferret isn't the worst thing. Earthworms are always a nice option too."
Harry laughed as he asked, "Could you really do that, and is Balthazar really his middle name?"
"Of course I could, Harry James Potter."
"Hey, I'm proud to be named after my dad."
"And why wouldn't you be?" asked Hermione. "After all he was a great wizard. I read about him in some research I was doing. For a time he worked as-"
"Hiya Harry!"
Harry turned to see two mouse-haired boys looking at him. "Hullo Colin. Hullo Dennis."
"So Harry which club are you going to sign up for?" Colin piped.
"We want to be in the dueling club but we're too young," added Dennis.
"Er- I don't know yet."
"Okay, bye Harry! We have to go to class now."
Harry turned to the others. "I guess we should go too."
"Yeah," said Ron, standing. "It's a long walk too Divination."
"See you later Hermione," called Ron.
Renata and Hermione were already starting to walk away in the direction of where the Arithmacy room was. But Harry called anyway, feeling a bit foolish after. "Bye Hermione. Bye Renata see you in Transfiguration!" He felt as though the whole castle had heard him; though it was only a few people at the Gryffindor table who had.
On the way to Divination Seamus and Dean gave him the strangest looks. Lavender and Parvati seemed to have a fit of the giggles. By the time Harry and Ron reached the North Tower Harry was in an extremely bad temper.
"Good morning, class. We shall be starting memories now. You will go into the mind of your partner, choose a memory and you will be inside of it. Has anyone here ever been inside the memory of another?"
No hands went up.
Harry had been inside memories before. Once it was Voldemort's, through an enchanted diary. He had been in Dumbledore's memory as well, using a Pensieve. He still did not raise his hand.
With a disappointed look in her large eyes Professor Trelawny continued speaking. "Well, this will be harder for you then. I shall place you in pairs." She went around the room pairing up students; unfortunately for Harry he was paired with Neville. "Now I want one of you to focus on a memory and the other to read the mind of the one focusing on the memory. Then move your wand in a counter -clockwise circle three times and say pictura memoris."
Neville looked at Harry, "You can go first." He looked rather like a frightened rabbit, but he closed his eyes.
"All right Neville, clear your mind of most of your thoughts. I'm going to point my wand at your head and say the spell. Are you concentrating?"
Neville nodded. Harry closed his eyes, pointed his wand, and began to recite. Suddenly he was lost and Neville's voice was in his head. Before he could listen to it he spun his wand three times in a counter-clockwise direction and called again, "Pictura memoris!" Suddenly Harry felt himself being pulled forward. He was in a house that he didn't recognize. He saw several figures in dark robes wearing masks. Death Eaters. They seemed angry, but at the same time they were laughing. He was glad they couldn't see him. He looked over and saw the limp figure of a woman. One of the masked figures raised a wand and shouted "Crucio!"
The woman's body began to twitch horribly and she screamed until Harry was sure his lungs would burst. Harry heard another sound and turned. A wardrobe door stood slightly ajar and Harry could hear a whimpering sound coming from it. Before he could go investigate, the door across the room opened. And an angry looking man came in. He appeared to be a Ministry official. Several other Ministry officials followed the man into the room. They quickly disarmed the four people in masks and magically bound them taking them out of the room. One of the ministry women remained in the room and she went over to the wardrobe. Harry followed her closely, partly curious because of the noise coming from it, partly because the woman seemed familiar. She opened the door and inside was a small boy no more than a year old. The woman picked him up and muttered, "Poor thing, first his dad is taken now this with his mum." She allowed a solitary tear to trickle down her face.
One of the Ministry men returned, "Bella?" He saw what she was holding in her arms and sighed. "Even after his destruction he's stilling destroying lives. First the Potter boy, and the other kid, and now this one. Bella, you can Neville to his grandmother's house. With what has happened to Frank and now his mum too, his grandmother is the only one left to take care of him." As he had been speaking medi-wizards had come in and taken the limp woman away.
"Yes, Toby. I'll see you back at the office." She held the child in her arms a moment longer and then Disapperated with him. Harry felt a small tear in his own eye as he was whirled back into the Divination room, although, he had never really left it. The tear he had felt was still there but he leaned over on his robes and began to inconspicuously wipe his eye while pretending to tie his shoe.
When his eye was dry he looked at Neville. He whispered, "Do you know what memory I was in?"
Neville could only nod and say, "Don't say anything to anyone."
"I won't." Harry had made this same promise to Dumbledore the year before. Harry had found out through Dumbledore's Pensieve about what happened to Neville's parents and since Neville had told none of them he wasn't supposed to say anything about it. He had not been told so vividly, Harry had only known that Neville's parents had been tortured for information on Voldemort's whereabouts after his downfall. Four of Voldemort's supporters had tortured them with the Cruciatus Curse; they were currently insane and they resided at St. Mungo's Cures for Magical Maladies, not even able to recognize their son when he visited over the holidays.
"Standing against You-Know-Who, is fine, as long as you don't get caught by him. Harry, one these days you're going to get caught again. You are not careful enough."
This wasn't like Neville. Neville was a scared, forgetful boy. He was never really brave or anything. Now, as Harry looked at his grim expression Harry realized that Neville wasn't a coward.
"You're brave Harry but don't be stupid."
Professor Trelawny spoke again. "Now trade and your partner will receive the vision."
Harry desperately looked his mind for something happy to think about. Without even thinking he chose Sirius. What was happier than someone who might be able to take him away from the Dursleys? He closed his eyes.
Nervously, Neville pointed his wand at him and recited the spell. When Neville was done he was pale. "The.murderer.is your godfather?"
"Keep it down. I'll tell you the whole story some other time but for now, just know that he's innocent."
"Class, now that you are all finished class dismissed. Next Monday I want an essay two rolls of parchment long about what you saw in the other person's memory and how you felt inside their thoughts."
When they were at the landing at the bottom of the rope ladder Ron met up with Harry. Harry looked back at Neville. "Er- Ron I'll catch up with you down stairs."
"Okay."
Harry helped Neville get up, he had fallen trying to climb down the silvery rope ladder. "Neville, could you do me a favor?"
"Yeah."
"Don't write about Sirius for the Divination homework. Could you write about me playing a Quiditch game or something?"
"As long as you don't write about my parents. I want you to write about me getting my Hogwarts letter."
"Okay but maybe we should do the assignment again so that it will be easier to write."
"Yeah. Tonight?"
"Sure."
"And Harry," Neville added before turning away, "Please don't tell anyone. Not even Ron and Hermione. I know you tell them everything but."
"I understand." They walked down the many corridors and stairs leading down to the Great Hall. They were almost there when they ran into Hermione and Renata. "Hi!"
"Arithmacy was so fascinating."
"And Professor Vector didn't give us any homework."
"At least you guys had a good morning, Divination is depressing," said Harry. Neville had left very quickly after muttering a hello to the girls.
"She isn't still predicting your death, is she Harry?" asked Hermione.
"Not in the past couple weeks she hasn't. But I'm sure she will be as soon as we're done with this going into memories stuff."
"Actually," Renata said as they began walking again, "mind reading seems like an interesting branch of Divination."
"Renata!" Hermione seemed genuinely shocked. "It's invading someone's private thoughts. It just is not right."
Harry said, "Some people would say that." He was thinking of what he had overheard in Ron's thoughts when he had read his mind.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione questioned indignantly.
"Nothing," Harry lied.
"Can I borrow your Divination book, Harry? It sounds interesting," Renata asked.
"I'll think about it. C'mon Ron's waiting for us." They continued down to lunch. They all had a rather enjoyable lunch and then the Gryffindor fifth years went to Transfiguration. The class waited for the arrival of Professor McGonagall. As soon as she did the class sat down.
"I want all of you to open your books and read the theory of human transfiguration. You will not be working much with this until next year but I would like to get you familiar with the material now." About halfway through class Professor McGonagall spoke again, "When you are done reading the lesson come up and grab a copy of the instructions for transfiguring your foot into a paw." Nearly fifteen minutes later things did not seem to be going too well. Renata and Hermione had managed the transformation of their feet beautifully but no one else seemed as lucky. Neville's foot looked a bit like a large slug. The rest of the class seemed to have no results at all. With only ten minutes left until class was over there was a knock on the door and tiny Professor Flitwick who taught Charms came in. He rushed over to have a quiet word with Professor McGonagall.
Flitwick whispered quietly for a moment to McGonagall. She looked up, "I realize this is a few minutes early but class dismissed."
As everyone picked up their bags and left Harry knocked his over. He turned to Ron and Hermione, "I'll be along in a minute." He slowly picked up his notes and books to put them in his books. He strained his ears to listen to what the two professors were saying.
"The Dementors have left Azkaban, Minerva. Those vile soul-suckers are out and about somewhere," he squeaked.
"Does the Headmaster know?"
"Yes, Albus was the one who asked me to inform you. He is notifying the staff now and he plans on telling the students at dinner tonight."
"This is awful."
"Yes, Minerva, I'll see you later. Albus asked me to inform Sybil as well. She is all the way up in the North Tower so I should really be going now."
Professor Flitwick left the room, and as soon as McGonagall's back was turned Harry picked up his bag again and dashed out of the classroom.
He rushed down the stairs to lunch, eager to tell Ron and Hermione of what he had just heard. He saw Ron waiting with Hermione and Renata at the top of the stairs.
"We tried to wait outside McGonagall's room but when Flitwick came out he told us to go down to lunch."
"You aren't going to believe this," Harry told them. He motioned to an empty classroom. He told them about what he had heard.
"Harry." Hermione said shaking her head.
"What about Siri-."Ron began but was silenced with a look from Harry and Hermione as they glanced at Renata then stared at him.
Renata chuckled. "Hello? Did you guys forget that I've already met Sirius?"
Harry blushed a bit. He never liked being wrong. "Yeah, well.I have to write to Sirius. Those things are still looking for him. If they find him they'll." It was a fate worse than death. A Dementor could suck out a person's soul leaving them to be an empty shell. Harry couldn't let that happen to Sirius. "I'm going to go write to him now."
"Harry stop just a minute and be reasonable," Renata said coming to stand in front of him.
"What do you mean?"
"People might notice if you aren't at lunch. Right?"
"I guess. You could say I'm in the Hospital Wing or something."
"Hello? As usual as it is for you to end up there, if we said that you were there people might try to find out what's wrong. So, go to lunch, don't draw attention to yourself, and slip out early. Easy as that." She turned and strode out of the room. The others followed her to the Great Hall.
Harry impatiently wolfed down his lunch, hardly aware of what he was eating. He leaned over and said to Ron, "I'll be in the Owlery." He hustled up the stairs. He continued on his way until he reached the Owlery. He took out a bottle of ink, a quill, and parchment. Harry wrote his letter. When he was done he read it through once more.
Dear Sirius,
I want to put you on your guard. The Dementors have left Azkaban
and you know what that means. Be careful and write back soon. How have
things been going with all the work you guys are doing? I am staying
out of trouble.
Harry
Harry got up and went over to the perch where Hedwig was. He stroked her feathers for a moment and then tied the letter to her leg. "Would you take this to Sirius for me?" She gently nipped his finger and flew out the window. He watched her soar until he could no longer see her. A hand fell on his shoulder and a familiar voice spoke behind him.
"Harry, shouldn't you be in class?"
Harry spun around. "Professor Lupin, what are you doing here?"
"I came to meet with Professor Dumbledore and I decided to send a letter before leaving. I think you and I should have a little chat."
"But I'm missing class."
"Whose? Not Potions, right?"
Harry shook his head.
"Good. I'm not much up for talking to Severus today. So, what class are you missing?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Really? I wouldn't mind speaking to Jenny. Let's you and I have a little chat and then I will go and explain to your professor why you are late." Professor Lupin led Harry down the way to Professor Delano's study. "So Harry, how have you been?"
"Fine."
"You haven't been in any trouble have you?"
"No."
"No unwelcome visitors? No unsigned letters?"
"No." Harry thought guiltily about the snakes and the "Friend of a Friend" letters from Renata and Vanessa.
"Really now, you wouldn't count those snakes from earlier this year as unwelcome visitors?"
"Er." He hadn't been counting on Lupin knowing that. "Professor how much do you know about the Book of Ever?"
The question seemed to startle him. "Well, Harry except for an extremely select few no one really knows much about it."
"Yes. I figured so judging by that all three books in the library with information about the book in them had the information someway removed."
"Really? Then how much do you know?"
"The book will come to an end when all the Phoenixes are gone. A Phoenix was killed in September, you know."
"I didn't know. How do you know this?"
"A friend of a friend. Dumbledore's Phoenix is the only domesticated one left. The other domesticated one was killed and his owner Kennilworthy Whisp is missing. The only clue is a vortex that was left open in the attic. He went missing on the fourth of September."
"Whisp.sounds familiar. He was a year or so below me and your dad."
"He wrote Quiditch Through the Ages."
"He also writes a Quiditch magazine, the issues come out every three months. I know the September issue came. I'm not sure what happened to the December issue. I don't know if it came out or not. I'll have to check. Come on now, I will take you down to class." They left and went down to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
".are dangerous creatures. They are most commonly found in the jungles of-Harry would you care to give an explanation of why you are late for class? Remus!" Professor strode over to where Harry and Professor Lupin were standing by the door.
"Good afternoon Jenny," he said smiling. "Sorry Harry is late, we were talking. I hope it was alright that we used your study."
"That's just fine. Harry, please go sit down."
"Jenny, could I talk to you?"
"I'm in the middle of class, Remus."
"The Headmaster asked me to speak with you. You didn't get the message earlier when the other teachers did and Dumbledore asked me to tell you if I saw you."
"Just a minute then." She turned. "Class, I am going to step out for a moment please behave while I'm gone." The two professors stepped out into the hall.
The door was left slightly ajar and because he was sitting on the end of the row Harry could see the two Professors talking. Lupin was saying something. Professor Delano seemed to gasp and pale slightly.
Ron nudged Harry in the shoulder, "Harry."
"Ssh!" He was still watching the professors. Lupin seemed to talk a bit more and point down the corridor. Delano, with a worried look on her face, gave him a hug and turned away as the other professor strode down the hall vanishing from sight.
As Professor Delano walked into class she seemed to have regained her composure. "Class, there has been a change in our immediate lesson plan. In light of recent events, which you will all be informed of tonight at dinner, we will be working on something called a Patronus. It helps to keep Dementors away. This is a very difficult charm and I am sure many of you will have difficulty with it but I am going to attempt teaching it to all of you rather soon.
"Now to start with you need to understand a few things. You need to know what a Dementor is and what its powers are. Can anyone tell me what it does?"
Only four hands went up. They were Harry, Ron, Renata, and Hermione.
"Hermione?"
"A Dementor feeds itself on the happy feelings of others. When you're around them you are forced to experience the worse things in your life over and over again. Some experiences like that are bad enough to make you cry or pass out in some cases."
"Excellent. Does anyone know the best remedy after meeting a Dementor?" This time Neville's hand went up as well. "Yes, Neville?"
"I think chocolate helps."
"Correct. Now does anyone know what a Patronus is?"
Hermione and Ron glanced at Harry and put their hands down.
"Well, Harry?" asked the Professor.
He considered a moment before answering. He spoke slowly, "A Patronus is like a shield against Dementors." He closed his eyes and began to speak much quicker. "By summoning the happiest thought possible when you make a Patronus you deflect the Dementor's powers. Your Patronus will stand against the Dementor and the Dementor will either just absorb the happiness from or it will cause the Dementor to back away and most likely leave you alone and unaffected."
"Very good answer, Harry. Class, you may leave. I want everyone to think of something very happy to help with the Patronus that they will be attempting to make." The class began to pack up their bags. "Harry would you mind staying a moment?"
"No problem." He turned to Ron, Hermione, and Renata. "I'll be down in a minute." They left.
"Harry, I understand you have experience in warding off Dementors."
"If you knew what I hear when they come near me, you have to be able to get rid of them." Harry always passed out if he didn't have his wand when they were near him.
"I know.
"No. You don't know what I hear."
"Harry, no, I don't know, but it isn't my place to force you to discuss it. Harry, I need your help. You know that a Patronus is extremely advanced magic. Not many people in the class will be able to make one. Remus, I mean, Professor Lupin, was quite impressed that you were able to accomplish one in your third year. I want you to help the other students."
"Okay." He turned to leave just before he reached the door he turned back. "I was only able to do it because I had the right motivation. I'm not sure how many more times I can stand hearing my parents get murdered."
Harry went down to the Great Hall and found that Ron had saved him a seat.
"So?"
"Lupin told her that I know how to do a Patronus and Delano wants me to help out the class. Did Dumbledore make his announcement yet that Delano was talking about?"
"Not yet."
"But it isn't really that difficult to put two and two together," added Renata seated across from Harry. "We know that the Dementors have left Azkaban and we know that Lupin delivered a message that the other teachers already got. Now, my mom just changed her lesson plan to include battling Dementors. It's not that hard to figure out."
"Well, Dumbledore just stood up so we might as well listen politely," Hermione whispered as the Great Hall grew silent.
"Good evening students! I have a few announcements to make tonight. I believe in keeping my students informed about what goes on in the wizarding world outside of Hogwarts. I therefore am informing you that the Dementors that guard Azkaban have left the fortress. I must also add that no one knows where they are. Because of this, some of you will be working with something new in your Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
"I do have something of a lighter note to add. Each of the remaining Quiditch matches for the year will be moved up by one week. This is so that once the Quiditch cup is awarded the winning team will be playing against another school. The school the winning house will be playing is the Angels Magical Academy of California. Although, I must say I do not yet know whether they are coming to Hogwarts or we are going to the Angels Academy. When more is known you will be informed. Enjoy your dinner!"
Once the Headmaster had seated himself noise broke out among every table regarding his comments. Fred and George came over to stand on either side of Renata.
"Hi, pal."
"Good to see you."
"Okay what do you want?" She asked turning from one to the other.
"Were the members of your Quiditch team last year by any chance good looking?"
"And preferably our age?"
Renata seemed to be considering a moment. "Yes they were. A couple of them were are the same age as you two actually."
Fred and George grinned. "Thanks." And they walked off.
Hermione noticed Renata was hiding a giggle. "What is it? Weren't you telling the truth?"
"Yeah, but I'm afraid they'll still be disappointed."
"Why's that?"
"They were good by my standards, they were guys. Trust me they'll be disappointed, as of last year there was only one other girl on the team. It was the two of us, and five rather attractive guys, although I wouldn't go so far as to call them all hot, just a couple of them." She broke into an evil looking grin before laughing again. "Two of the guys on the team are Fred and George's age. That was my sad little joke: good looking members of the team, just not girls; Fred and George will be awfully disappointed. Although some of the guys on the team rather fancied Elizabeth, she was the other girl. Good ol' Ellie, I miss her. And Rory, and the rest of them."
"So, do you think the match will be here or at your old school?"
"I'm not sure. Either way I hope we win the Quiditch Cup so we can go play."
"The only match we have left this year is the one against Slytherin."
"They aren't so tough. They just think they are."
They finished up with dinner and went upstairs. "Harry, do you want to work on our Transfiguration homework?" asked Ron as they marched up the steps.
Harry caught sight of Neville, "Neville and I have to redo our Divination thing from class so I've got to work on that with him right now."
"Okay."
When they got to the tower Neville and Harry sat in some chairs in the corner. Harry focused on when he and the Gryffindor team won the Quiditch cup the year before last.
When it was Neville's turn, Neville thought about when he got his acceptance letter to Hogwarts. When they were done they each wrote the essay that went with the assignment.
After that Neville went somewhere, possibly the library, and Harry moved over to where Ron, Hermione, and Renata were working on their homework for Transfiguration. Hermione would never give them the answers (she wanted them to learn) but by having her help them and then check the assignments over for them they got the correct answers anyway.
After half an hour Ron threw down his quill, "I don't feel like writing." He lay back in his chair. There was a loud tapping on the window. Ron, startled, opened his eyes. "Its Hedwig!" He rushed over to open the window. "Read it, Harry."
Slowly Harry untied the letter from Hedwig's leg. He opened it, and found it was from Sirius, he had nor expected such an early reply.
Harry, thanks for the warning. I want you to be careful. I can't say
everything I would like to in a letter in case it gets intercepted. I
cleared it with Dumbledore and Friday night at 8 o'clock, be in his
study. Until then be on you guard.
Concerned,
Sirius
After reading it Harry passed it to Ron who passed it to Hermione and then Renata.
"I wonder what he knows."
Harry gave Renata a sharp look. "What do you mean?"
"Its obvious he heard something, otherwise he wouldn't come here. After all, coming is a plenty big risk for him."
The days seemed to pass slowly and dully until Friday finally came. But at last it did.
"Ugh, we've got Potions again today," Ron complained as they sat down to breakfast."
Snape had been in a particularly bad mood of late and he was taking it out on just about everyone, especially the Gryffindors.
"If this next potion smells anything like that last one I'm likely to vomit," Renata said.
"Oh that's nice, don't sit by me then," Harry said with a bit of a laugh.
"Seriously, that last one smelled a bit like dragon dung," Renata said this, piling eggs onto her plate and everyone laughed. "What? I'm serious."
"So am I," retorted Harry.
Hermione snorted. "I think it's a bad idea to have Potions right after eating."
Ron said, "I think it's a bad idea to have Potions at all."
When they were finished they made their way down the cold corridor to the dungeon where Potion class was held.
Snape arrived about a minute and a half later and barked at them all. "What are you all waiting for? Get inside! Now!" He stalked off angrily to the front of the room.
Renata made a point of sitting right next to Harry. She whispered, "Just a precaution in case I throw-up." She had to stifle a giggle a Snape began to speak once more.
He walked around as he spoke, barely above a whisper. "Today we will be working on a Potion I doubt many of you will find easy. We shall be brewing glory." He stopped in front of Harry's desk. "I doubt you need any help with glory, Potter. Longbottom, on the other hand," Snape said moving on to where Neville sat. "I suspect when you attempt this potion you will end up with a shame potion. But I seriously doubt you can get in any deeper shame than that botched job you did on your healing draught last week that ended up giving you chicken pox."
To Harry's surprise, Neville was hardly shaking at all; he often went to pieces in Snape's class.
About halfway through the class, when the Potions were simmering Harry leaned over and whispered to Renata while Snape's back was turned. "So does the potion smell too much like dragon dung?"
"No. More like pickled toads." They both head to stifle their laughter behind their hands.
"Ten points from Gryffindor!" spat Snape. "No talking." Snape had such a foul disposition this day that as he moved on to where Draco Malfoy was stirring his potion and talking loudly about how Dumbledore should be fired that he barked to Draco, "With a potion that thick you'll be strutting around all day with an even larger ego than the one you have, add another bat wing!"
Malfoy seemed stupefied. He was Snape's favorite student and therefore had never been criticized by him, only praised. "You can't talk to me like that."
"Do you want detention?"
Draco slumped down into his seat, his cheeks turning ever so slightly pink.
Ron was in very high spirits when they left class, despite the fact that Gryffindor had lost ten points. "Ha! Wasn't it great watching Snape tell off Malfoy? I mean I think he insulted you, too a but still it was still great."
Harry, much as he had enjoyed seeing Malfoy told off, was having some troubling thoughts.
Hermione noticed Harry and his troubled expression and went to stand by him. "What's the matter Harry?"
"Nothing really," he lied.
"Harry, haven't you figured it out yet? You can't lie to us. You can fool teachers, but we know when something's on your mind," Hermione chided him.
Harry gave in, "Alright. There's got to be a reason for Snape's bad mood. I mean he's always awful but he's been worse lately. He's up to something."
Ron came over too, "Personally I think just being Snape would put him in a bad mood."
"But I was serious, Ron."
Renata sped up her pace a bit to join them. "Well, you all better cheer up soon."
"Why?"
"Especially you, Harry. We've got Defense Against the Dark Arts for our next class and you all need happy thoughts to make a Patronus."
They all agreed to change the subject. "None of you ever finished telling me which club you signed up for." Renata told them. "Hermione started to say something and then Malfoy came over. Remember?"
"Yeah."
"We're already signed up."
"Really, now? And what did you choose?"
"We're all in the Dueling Club. Although, I've no idea when the first meeting is."
Renata chuckled. "What a surprise. More fighting."
"We were in a Dueling Club once. It just wasn't too helpful," Hermione told her.
"All we learned was this. Expelliarmus!" Harry pointed his wand at Renata and as her wand flew out of her hand he caught it. "Hey it was useful."
"Yeah, we learned something else too that day. We learned, like you said, this, Expelliarmus!" Ron caught Harry's wand and Renata's wand that Harry had been holding. "And we learned that you, Harry, are a Parseltongue."
"I don't care what anyone says Ron, I did not tell that snake to attack Justin."
They all began to laugh almost uncontrollably. By the time they caught their breath it was almost time for their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. When they reached the classroom Professor Delano wasn't there yet, but Dean and Seamus were looking over the Daily Prophet.
"Its not fair. They can't do this," muttered Seamus.
"What's the matter?" asked Harry.
"Quiditch Today is being stopped for a while and they won't tell us why. And this month it was supposed to be a double issue because the last issue never came," explained Dean.
Hermione thought for a moment before replying. "Isn't Quiditch Today that magazine written by Kennilworthy Whisp?"
"Yes."
A swift glance passed between Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Renata. It was the kind of look that said this isn't good news.
Just then Professor Delano came with a large crate under her arm. "Come in everyone, sorry I am late."
The students went inside and Ron gave Harry and Renata back their wands.
"Students, listen well. First we will have a demonstration of what a proper Patronus should be like, and then I will teach all of you. Harry, please come here."
Harry got up and walked to the front of the room.
She whispered to him, "There is a boggart in this crate. Professor Lupin recommended it as my best way for a demonstration. Are you ready?"
He nodded.
"One.two.three!" She opened the crate.
Harry was ready. He had been thinking of the day when the charges against Sirius would be dropped and he could leave the Dursleys. Harry shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" A silver stag shot out of Harry's wand and charged the boggart Dementor. It began to back away and the Professor closed the crate. Harry's Patronus came back to him for an instant before it vanished.
The whole class applauded. Harry went back to his seat.
As the clapping died down Professor Delano spoke, "Some of you may have realized that Dementor was actually a boggart. Who remembers what a boggart is? Yes, Hermione?"
"A boggart is a shape shifter and as soon as you see it, it turns into what your most afraid of. That's why no one knows it's true form."
"Excellent. Five points to Gryffindor. We used a boggart because obviously a real Dementor could not be brought in, but had this boggart Dementor not been attacked by the Patronus the Dementor powers it was mimicking would have affected you all. Now let us go into understanding what exactly a Dementor is and what a Patronus is. A Dementor brings out every bad thing that ever happened to you and make you relive it in your mind. The effect is awful. Sometimes you'll shake or cry, but you always feel awful. Now a Patronus counteracts this. When Harry made his Patronus he was thinking of something happy, maybe winning a Quiditch match. But whatever it was it was a positive thought. Now, with the help of the spell, the positive thought was able to take a semisolid form and charge the Dementor. A Patronus is able to act as a shield. Any question thus far?"
Lavender raised a hand. "Does the Patronus work against anything else?"
"Well, I've never tested it on anything but Dementors although there is an eyewitness account of a wizard who successfully drove away a Lethifold with a Patronus. Harry?"
"Well, it worked against some Slytherins pretending to be Dementors."
"There is your answer Lavender. I guess it works against enemies." The class passed on as the Professor explained various facts about Dementors and the class dutifully copied down the notes. The Professor seemed to notice the class was looking rather bored. "Would anyone care to attempt a Patronus?"
Hermione raised her hand and the professor looked rather pleased until Hermione spoke. "Professor Delano you never told us what the spell was."
"Oh. The spell is Expecto Patronum. Say it with me class, Expecto Patronum. Very good. Would anyone like to attempt a Patronus?"
No hands went up. At last Harry got up and went to the front of the room again.
The Professor took Harry aside. "Thank you. When the Dementor comes out hold off on the Patronus as long as possible so the class can understand what it is that they'll be dealing with."
"Okay." His stomach felt like it flip-flopped. Harry noticed that Professor Delano didn't look too happy either.
"Three.two.one." The crate was opened.
It began immediately. Harry heard is father's voice telling Lily to take Harry and run while he tried to hold off Voldemort. Harry couldn't take it anymore. "Expecto Patronum!" The silver stag shot out of his wand, his mother's screaming stopped, and the boggart-Dementor backed away and Harry shut it in the crate. He looked around the room. Some of the students were worse off than others.
Neville appeared near to a nervous breakdown, and Harry could easily guess why. Only two other people seemed that badly off. Harry was surprised to see Renata's face wet with tears and her mom looked to be near tears herself. Hermione looked pale but brought a Chocolate Frog out of her pocket and gave it to Renata. It seemed to help a bit. Chocolate converted the cold feeling left by a Dementor to a warmth.
Professor Delano fumbled with a package on her desk. Harry saw that it contained enough bars of Honeyduke's Chocolate for the whole class. Professor Delano still seemed quite shaken as she lifted the box of chocolate. Harry took one of the chocolates out of the box and put it on her desk then passed the rest of them out to the class.
In a moment everyone seemed much better off. Professor Delano was able to talk to the class again.
"I am quite sorry that was necessary. I told Harry not to perform the Patronus charm right away so that all of you would feel the affects of a Dementor. I'm sorry I didn't warn you. I would like you to add to your notes that after encountering a Dementor, chocolate is a very good remedy. Your homework is a roll of parchment on what a Dementor is and why a Patronus works against them. You may leave now."
On their way down to lunch Renata was still in a gloomy mood but she wouldn't say why. The Dementor effects had worn off but she was still upset.
"What is it, Renata?" asked Hermione.
"Nothing." Renata replied.
"Something is wrong," Ron agreed.
"No."
"Yes." Ron said.
"No," was again Renata's reply.
Quietly Harry spoke so only Renata would hear. "It was the Dementor, wasn't it?"
Renata didn't answer.
Hermione put her arm around Renata. "It isn't a big deal that you cried back there."
"Yeah," put in Ron. "The first time Harry met a Dementor he passed out."
Harry felt his cheeks burn, but he remained silent.
"Come on Renata," Ron wheedled. "What did you hear before the Dementor got shut back in the box?"
"I don't want to say," after that she barely talked the rest of lunch.
Ron grumbled, "I don't see any reason not to say anything."
Harry caught the muttered words. "Ron, maybe she has her reasons for not telling us. I certainly wouldn't say anything about what I hear."
Renata looked up at Harry with a thankful smile.
Hermione changed the subject. "I want to know more about that disappearance. Maybe there was something in the Daily Prophet." She turned to Dean and Seamus. "Do either of you still have your copies of the paper on you?"
Seamus handed his over.
Hermione opened it. The article concerning the Quiditch Today and Kennilworthy Whisp was incredibly short and held no more information than what Dean and Seamus had told them. Hermione however spotted something else.
"Look!" she whispered. Quietly she read her friends the article. Then, she sat back to watch the reaction.
"Phoenixes? Disappearing? This can't be good."
"Don't they have the power to disappear and reappear somewhere else?"
"Yes but they aren't doing it! They're disappearing and not coming back."
There wasn't really much else they could say. There were questions, yes, but no answers. At last they all went out onto the grounds for their Care of Magical Creatures class.
When he saw Malfoy on the field with the Slytherins Harry remembered Snape's foul mood with no apparent reason behind it and Malfoy's humiliation at Snape telling him off, he realized this was going to be a long class.
Hagrid saw the Gryffindors approaching. "Hello Harry! Alrigh' there Ron? Hermione? Renata?" He turned to the rest of the class. "Got a real treat fer yeh all today. Yeh get to take care of Scallywoggles. They're a right tricky bunch. Make no mistake abou' that. Scallywoggles live in the water. Bu' the odd thing is they breathe fire while they're under there. I'n't that funny? Bu' they are real 'elpful too. They eat Sea Slugs. Them Sea Slugs can be pesky when they start eatin' the vegetation. Anyway yeh all get ter come see some Scallywoggles I caught this mornin'. They usually on'y come ou' at dawn an' dusk but where I got 'em yeh can seem 'em jus' fine. C'mon." Hagrid looked like he couldn't be happier, the students on the other hand were apprehensive.
The Scallywoggles were thin creatures less than a foot long with an eerie iridescent color to them. Hagrid reached down and pulled one up by the tail. "Now none of yeh shou' try this without yer dragon 'ide gloves on. 'Cause these little suckers got energy bolts in their tails in addition ter their fire breathin'. Anyone wan' a closer look at this one?"
No one seemed to. Poor Hagrid looked crestfallen and the next thing he heard didn't make him any happier.
"Why would anyone want to touch or even look at a slimy thing like that? Who wouldn't want something that could burn them and electrocute them at the same time?" came Malfoy's drawl.
"Malfoy, shut up!" Harry and Ron said at the same time.
"Go ahead, Hagrid," Hermione said once Malfoy had been silenced.
"Alrigh' then now. I wan' everyone ter put their gloves on so they can come look at the Scallywoggles. This one here is called Lear. C'mon yeh can each hold one I got enough of 'em here. Yeh can feed 'em too, the buckets over there 'ave got some nice slugs in them. Who wants to hold one?"
No one appeared to want to so Harry, Ron, and Hermione and even Renata too pulled on their dragon hide gloves and walked over to the water's edge.
"What do we do?"
"Yeh've got yer gloves on, jus' pluck one outta the water."
Renata looked at the water and as soon as one of the twenty or so Scallywoggles came near the edge her hand shot down and grabbed it by the tail. After that Harry caught one, and with some hesitation so did Ron and Hermione.
"Grea' job! Now come over here ter the buckets and get some slugs. Yeh gotta put them on leaves, see? 'Cause the Scallywoggles don' like to eat off the ground. Set 'im down nice and easy. Good. Put the slug over by 'im. Good!" The odd creatures were now circling the slugs. Suddenly they opened their mouths and shot out fire on the slugs, which of course the flame soon caught. The Scallywoggles then jabbed at the charred slugs with their tails and moved them to their mouths where the slugs vanished.
"Cool!" said Dean, who then went over to get one of the Scallywoggles from the section of lake Hagrid had marked off. Eventually the rest of the class joined in.
Malfoy dropped his three times. The final time it shocked his foot when it landed. The Gryffindors laughed but the Slytherins were concerned. "Draco, Draco are you alright?" came Pansy Parkinson's screeching voice.
Hagrid brought out an orange bottle that immediately numbed the pain giving him no excuse to moan in agony.
When the class ended at last Harry heard Malfoy talking to Crabbe and Goyle. "Father is not going to be pleased. How dare Professor Snape speak to me like that this morning! That oaf Hagrid shouldn't even be teaching. Father will not be happy that another of his creatures attacked me. He'll probably get the school governors involved. This time Hagrid will be gone for sure."
Harry sped to catch up to the others. "Malfoy is going to try to get rid of Hagrid."
"Again?"
"Didn't he already try once?"
"Yeah. But."
"Harry stop worrying, it could lead warts. And not the kind that can be removed like regular ones that can be gotten rid of by magic but warts that come from stress only go away when you relax. I know, my friend, Nicole had three on her face in our third year, poor thing. She spent hours crying. That is, when she wasn't constantly studying." Renata told them. "Now what's all this about that Malfoy kid getting rid of Hagrid?"
Quickly Harry explained Malfoy's past attempts to get Hagrid sacked, even before he was teaching. "He really isn't nice. Nothing we can do at the minute, though," questioned Renata.
"Where did Hagrid get those things from class?" asked Ron.
"I'm not sure I want to know. I just hope it was too illegal. I bet they're hybrids. Too much trouble to think about right now, though."
"I'm in no move to think. Let's go down to the kitchen and see the house-elves. Maybe they'll give us some of those chocolate éclairs."
Hermione moaned. "Do you ever think without stomach, Ron?"
"Yeah, I do," he cried indignantly.
"Let's just go inside."
At quarter to eight Harry said goodbye and he left the Tower. On the way to Dumbledore's office Harry heard muffled voice coming from a room with the door slightly opened. Harry crept closer to hear better.
"Igor," a cold voice was saying. "This is your last chance. Answer my question!"
"Severus."
"Igor, I am losing my temper. Would you like me to call in Dumbledore?"
"No, I."
"Answer me!" There was the sound of something heavy falling to the ground as if Snape had pushed Igor Karkaroff to the ground.
"I'm not working for him anymore! I swear!"
"Then where have you been spending your days? No one has seen hide nor hair of you since July."
"I've been busy. They keep coming after me."
"Who? The Death Eaters? The ones who are leaving Azkaban now that the Dementors are gone?"
Karkaroff must have nodded.
"Why shouldn't they come after you? After all the things you told the Ministry to keep yourself out of Azkaban they've got every reason to come after you. You sold them out Igor, and they want your blood, your shrieks, your pain. And you aren't the only one they are after, Igor. You should be afraid. He doesn't look kindly on those who betrayed him. Yes, he'll be after you. With the ones who have now left Azkaban and the ones who managed to keep from going there in the first place. You aren't the only one they want. They're after me, too, you know."
"Severus, do you think they'll find us?"
"I don't doubt it, Igor, but when they do you are on your own. I am not on his side. You just need to stay out of my way. Leave."
Harry heard footsteps coming toward the hall he backed away and resumed walking in the direction of Dumbledore's office. Harry wasn't more than three yards from the door when he heard Snape's voice.
"Potter! What are you doing here?"
Harry guessed Karkaroff must have flown out the window or gone out another door since he hadn't emerged from the room. "I'm just going to the Headmaster's office. He wants to see me."
"Well, Potter, then I think you should be escorted there so you don't get lost."
"I know the way there, Professor."
"I think you and I need to talk a moment, Potter."
"I've got to meet Dumbledore in five minutes or I'll be late."
"Then we should talk while I take you there. Potter, I heard your footsteps in the hall and then you stopped. What did you hear?"
"Nothing at all. I only stopped a minute to tie my shoe."
"A likely story! You were eavesdropping, weren't you?"
"No, I wasn't." If only he could stop Snape from giving him detention long enough to reach Dumbledore's study.
"Why would the Headmaster want to see you?"
"I don't know, sir. I received a message saying he wanted to see me, so I'm going."
They had just come to the statue hiding the staircase to Dumbledore's study but before either of them could speak the password Professor Dumbledore came out.
"Good evening, Severus, ah hello, Harry I was just looking for you."
"Hello, Professor," Harry said.
"Harry, you may go up to my office, now. Severus, why don't you come with me? I've a craving for some chocolate chip cookies and milk. Let's go see if the house-elves have any."
As Harry began to climb up the stairs Snape whispered fiercely to him. "Liar!"
Harry ignored him and went up the stairs to where the study was.
"Harry!"
"Hi, Sirius. How're things going?"
"Fine for me but the rest of the wizarding world could be in trouble."
"I know I just heard Snape talking to Karkaroff."
"Really now? What were they saying?"
Harry briefly told Sirius of the discussion. "And Snape has been in a really bad mood lately."
"That git always is," Sirius growled.
Harry chuckled. "Well, he's been worse than usual. But as I recall Mr. Padfoot according to you he is an idiot who never should have become a professor. I agree."
"Now where did you hear that?"
"Third year Snape found the Marauder's Map in my pocket."
Sirius laughed for a moment, "I wish I could have been there," he said, before becoming solemn again. "Harry, Voldemort is going to make his move soon. He has the Dementors, his faithful Death Eaters who went to Azkaban, the Death Eaters who walked free, and the Ministry of Magic is against us."
"How much time do you think we have?"
"Not long. Voldemort isn't one to delay. When he has the means to do something big he'll strike. Other than the death threats from the snakes earlier this year, has anything happened? Do you have any leads?"
"We had a hunch earlier this year. Something called the Book of Ever."
Sirius's face clouded over.
"What is it Sirius?"
"How much do you know?"
"Not too much. We, the four of us, did some research. We only found information from the library in three books. But in all three just as the information was getting important you couldn't read the words anymore. Torn out. Blotted out with ink. Not there at all. We checked and the books were there since the founders but apparently the first Headmaster after the founders were gone had the information removed. Supposedly to protect the students. They say the book is about prophecies but that it will somehow end when the final Phoenix is dead. Sirius, the Phoenix on the perch over there is the only domesticated one left, and the ones on the reservations are disappearing, and not coming back."
Sirius turned to look at Fawkes.
"There was another one. Kennilworthy Whisp had one and this summer he disappeared. His Phoenix was killed and Kennilworthy Whisp, well he was not found. But there was a vortex that someone left open in the attic. This was September."
"How much did the Ministry print in the paper?"
"Nothing until recently. The last two issues of his Quiditch magazine haven't gotten published or printed so the Prophet had to write saying that he was indisposed now and the magazine would be postponed."
"I knew Ken back in school. He was a real Quiditch fanatic. Why would anyone go after him? He was always harmless enough. Who was notified? Who found the scene?"
"A friend of his found the house on September 4 like I told you it was like. He immediately notified Dumbledore. I don't know who else he told."
"Hmmm.I'll have to think on that. The friend was probably Matthias Greenfield. Matt and Ken were always good friends."
"I know more about the Book. Voldemort tried to take the Book. He saw something in it so that's why he came after me. It's why my parents are dead. It's because of me that they aren't alive, isn't it? Isn't it, Sirius?"
Sirius seemed hardly able to speak. At last he choked out, "Its not your fault Harry."
"Yes it is."
"No its not." Sirius had bowed his head and now looked up and placed his hands on Harry's shoulders, looking him straight in the eye. "And if anyone ever said that to you they are lying because in no way is this your fault. It never was your fault Harry. Their deaths weren't and neither was Cedric's."
How could he have known, wondered Harry.
For almost a full minute neither spoke a word.
"When is Voldemort going to attack?"
"I can't even guess, Harry. But you know it will be somewhere important where something big is happening. I've got to leave soon, Harry."
"Sirius, don't trust any of the Ministry Officials accused of being Death Eaters. They're guilty. Well, except Bagman. But don't trust him with money, he is sort of addicted to gambling."
"I'll remember that. Harry, I have to leave."
"Can't I at least walk with you back across the grounds?"
"Best not, Harry."
Sirius got up and walked to the door. "Bye Harry."
"Sirius?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for coming to that last Quiditch game."
"I'll come again whenever I can, Harry."
Sirius transformed himself into a dog and he left the room. Harry followed and watched him leave. Then he turned for the long trek back to Gryffindor Tower. When he reached the common room he sought out Ron, Hermione, and Renata who were doing their homework.
"Hey, you guys will not believe this." He told them about everything he had heard from Sirius that and the conversation he'd witnessed between Snape and Karkaroff."
"Now we know why Snape was so edgy. He was obviously stressed out about meeting and talking to Karkaroff tonight," Renata said when the story was done.
"Yes, but why did he want to meet with Karkaroff?"
"Because he wanted to know whether he could trust him or not."
"Well, one way and another we know Snape and Karkaroff are both traitors," Renata commented.
"How do you figure?" asked Ron.
"Well, we know Snape was at one point or another a Death Eater. Now we also know that he turned spy for Dumbledore. But if he was still on the dark side then or is on the dark side now he was betraying someone either way. Same thing with Karkaroff. But of course we'd never get either of them to admit it. You know what they say: the treacherous are ever distrustful," said Renata.
Harry grinned. "That's Gandalf isn't it?"
"Sure is. Professor Tolkien was pretty bright you know."
"Hey are there anymore books after that last one I read? I have to find out what happens to Sam. Pippin and Merry too."
"No. But did you read the Appendixes at the end of The Return of the King? It goes into stuff that happens after."
"I'll have to go back to those. I can't believe what happened to Gollum. You know, for a Muggle his descriptions were pretty accurate, for the most part, on some things." Harry said thoughtfully.
"He wasn't really a Muggle. His father was a wizard. Tolkien was a half-blood and a Squib and then his dad died when he was young. So Tolkien lived with his mom. Then, his magical relatives decided that he shouldn't completely be deprived of magic. So even though he didn't have powers they took him places. He got to meet dragons, dwarves, he got tons of inspiration from them. Although when ever they took him anywhere they made him think it was a dream afterwards."
"I never knew that. So was Gollum based on anything?"
"I'm not quite sure on that. The reference book about Tolkien that I got didn't go into great detail you know."
"How about the hobbits?"
Harry heard Ron whisper to Hermione, "They're obviously speaking another language."
Harry laughed out loud. "Okay. Back now to what we were saying about Karkaroff and Snape. So, which way do you think it is?"
"Karkaroff and Snape are both extremely unfair. He definitely shows favoritism. We know that from the tournament last year," said Hermione.
"We know he's a coward. When Voldemort summoned the Death Eaters after the tournament Karkaroff left Hogwarts but he didn't go with the other Death Eaters," Harry was bitter at the memory of what happened that night. Voldemort had been reborn and he had killed Cedric. Harry bit his lip then continued speaking. "Snape said he hadn't been seen since July, it was June when he disappeared from Hogwarts. What we need to know is when in July someone found Karkaroff and where."
"Most importantly we need to know why."
"I'll write to Vanessa. See if she can dig up anything from the Daily Prophet from this summer. But the Ministry and the reporters seem to be staying pretty far out of this whole thing."
"Of course they are. Fudge doesn't believe that everyone is in trouble and he doesn't want everyone to know that."
"True. So how are we going to find out about Karkaroff?"
"I don't know. I definitely don't relish the idea about saying anything to Snape."
"Neither do I."
"We've got to think of something."
Hermione yawned. "It's getting really late I think we should go upstairs now and wait until morning to finish thinking."
"Good idea." The four of them, the last to leave the common room, trudged up the staircases.
Harry had the feeling that he was forgetting something, but as he couldn't possibly figure out what it could possibly be he was asleep.
Renata paused, her fork halfway to her mouth, "So which class will you three sign up for? I assume you are all taking the same one?"
"I dunno yet," Harry splattered ketchup on his eggs. "What will you take?"
"I'm not sure yet. I could probably do pretty well in Muggle Appreciation. I spent my summers mostly in Muggle places. My mom's dad was a Muggle."
"I didn't know you had any Muggle relatives," remarked Hermione. "I'm a Muggle-born myself though."
A loud drawl made them all turn around, "Granger, you and that other Mudblood should not even be here. When that windbag Dumbledore is gone, Father is going to make sure they keep the trash out of here."
Harry and Ron jumped up. "What did you say Malfoy?"
"You heard me, Weasly. You too, Potter. Weasly, you'll never be anything. Potter, you had your chance and you blew it."
Renata stood up. "Malfoy, I turned you into a ferret once, I can do it again."
Draco took only the slightest of steps back before sneering at them once more. "With a whole table of teachers here? I doubt it."
Renata leaned forward and whispered, "Or an earthworm perhaps. Squishy. Blind. Having no defense. Helpless and unable to save yourself from being squished under my shoe. How about that? Or there are alternatives."
Draco looked panic stricken now.
"The alternative is staying away from us. Got that?"
His pale face grew paler. "Don't threaten me, you'll pay for these insults."
"You are nothing but talk, Malfoy. Money and talk. No wits or guts."
"You're just talk, don't even have money took back it up." He spoke and his words were barely heard.
"Are you sure?"
"You and the others are weak and you always have been." He jerked his head at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.
"I wouldn't be too sure of that."
"Prove it. I bet none of you would go down to the forest at night."
"I will," Renata said easily.
Ron and Harry seemed to have regained the ability of speech and said, "Not alone. You can't go to the forest by yourself, we'll come too."
"Hmmm? You need an escort, Delano? Two of them? How sad."
"Draco Balthazar Malfoy," Renata said slowly, "If I were you I would quit while I was ahead. But, since in this debate you stupidly kept opening your mouth and you are obviously far behind and not going to redeem yourself, just save yourself at least some embarrassment and go sit back down at your own table. Those henchmen of yours are waiting." Without another word or glance at Malfoy she sat down once more and began to eat her sausage, which had now gone cold. Unfortunately she missed seeing Malfoy turn pink as he stalked off.
Hermione turned to her, amazed.
Ron spoke first. "What did you say to Malfoy to make him that upset?"
"I told him that being turned into a ferret isn't the worst thing. Earthworms are always a nice option too."
Harry laughed as he asked, "Could you really do that, and is Balthazar really his middle name?"
"Of course I could, Harry James Potter."
"Hey, I'm proud to be named after my dad."
"And why wouldn't you be?" asked Hermione. "After all he was a great wizard. I read about him in some research I was doing. For a time he worked as-"
"Hiya Harry!"
Harry turned to see two mouse-haired boys looking at him. "Hullo Colin. Hullo Dennis."
"So Harry which club are you going to sign up for?" Colin piped.
"We want to be in the dueling club but we're too young," added Dennis.
"Er- I don't know yet."
"Okay, bye Harry! We have to go to class now."
Harry turned to the others. "I guess we should go too."
"Yeah," said Ron, standing. "It's a long walk too Divination."
"See you later Hermione," called Ron.
Renata and Hermione were already starting to walk away in the direction of where the Arithmacy room was. But Harry called anyway, feeling a bit foolish after. "Bye Hermione. Bye Renata see you in Transfiguration!" He felt as though the whole castle had heard him; though it was only a few people at the Gryffindor table who had.
On the way to Divination Seamus and Dean gave him the strangest looks. Lavender and Parvati seemed to have a fit of the giggles. By the time Harry and Ron reached the North Tower Harry was in an extremely bad temper.
"Good morning, class. We shall be starting memories now. You will go into the mind of your partner, choose a memory and you will be inside of it. Has anyone here ever been inside the memory of another?"
No hands went up.
Harry had been inside memories before. Once it was Voldemort's, through an enchanted diary. He had been in Dumbledore's memory as well, using a Pensieve. He still did not raise his hand.
With a disappointed look in her large eyes Professor Trelawny continued speaking. "Well, this will be harder for you then. I shall place you in pairs." She went around the room pairing up students; unfortunately for Harry he was paired with Neville. "Now I want one of you to focus on a memory and the other to read the mind of the one focusing on the memory. Then move your wand in a counter -clockwise circle three times and say pictura memoris."
Neville looked at Harry, "You can go first." He looked rather like a frightened rabbit, but he closed his eyes.
"All right Neville, clear your mind of most of your thoughts. I'm going to point my wand at your head and say the spell. Are you concentrating?"
Neville nodded. Harry closed his eyes, pointed his wand, and began to recite. Suddenly he was lost and Neville's voice was in his head. Before he could listen to it he spun his wand three times in a counter-clockwise direction and called again, "Pictura memoris!" Suddenly Harry felt himself being pulled forward. He was in a house that he didn't recognize. He saw several figures in dark robes wearing masks. Death Eaters. They seemed angry, but at the same time they were laughing. He was glad they couldn't see him. He looked over and saw the limp figure of a woman. One of the masked figures raised a wand and shouted "Crucio!"
The woman's body began to twitch horribly and she screamed until Harry was sure his lungs would burst. Harry heard another sound and turned. A wardrobe door stood slightly ajar and Harry could hear a whimpering sound coming from it. Before he could go investigate, the door across the room opened. And an angry looking man came in. He appeared to be a Ministry official. Several other Ministry officials followed the man into the room. They quickly disarmed the four people in masks and magically bound them taking them out of the room. One of the ministry women remained in the room and she went over to the wardrobe. Harry followed her closely, partly curious because of the noise coming from it, partly because the woman seemed familiar. She opened the door and inside was a small boy no more than a year old. The woman picked him up and muttered, "Poor thing, first his dad is taken now this with his mum." She allowed a solitary tear to trickle down her face.
One of the Ministry men returned, "Bella?" He saw what she was holding in her arms and sighed. "Even after his destruction he's stilling destroying lives. First the Potter boy, and the other kid, and now this one. Bella, you can Neville to his grandmother's house. With what has happened to Frank and now his mum too, his grandmother is the only one left to take care of him." As he had been speaking medi-wizards had come in and taken the limp woman away.
"Yes, Toby. I'll see you back at the office." She held the child in her arms a moment longer and then Disapperated with him. Harry felt a small tear in his own eye as he was whirled back into the Divination room, although, he had never really left it. The tear he had felt was still there but he leaned over on his robes and began to inconspicuously wipe his eye while pretending to tie his shoe.
When his eye was dry he looked at Neville. He whispered, "Do you know what memory I was in?"
Neville could only nod and say, "Don't say anything to anyone."
"I won't." Harry had made this same promise to Dumbledore the year before. Harry had found out through Dumbledore's Pensieve about what happened to Neville's parents and since Neville had told none of them he wasn't supposed to say anything about it. He had not been told so vividly, Harry had only known that Neville's parents had been tortured for information on Voldemort's whereabouts after his downfall. Four of Voldemort's supporters had tortured them with the Cruciatus Curse; they were currently insane and they resided at St. Mungo's Cures for Magical Maladies, not even able to recognize their son when he visited over the holidays.
"Standing against You-Know-Who, is fine, as long as you don't get caught by him. Harry, one these days you're going to get caught again. You are not careful enough."
This wasn't like Neville. Neville was a scared, forgetful boy. He was never really brave or anything. Now, as Harry looked at his grim expression Harry realized that Neville wasn't a coward.
"You're brave Harry but don't be stupid."
Professor Trelawny spoke again. "Now trade and your partner will receive the vision."
Harry desperately looked his mind for something happy to think about. Without even thinking he chose Sirius. What was happier than someone who might be able to take him away from the Dursleys? He closed his eyes.
Nervously, Neville pointed his wand at him and recited the spell. When Neville was done he was pale. "The.murderer.is your godfather?"
"Keep it down. I'll tell you the whole story some other time but for now, just know that he's innocent."
"Class, now that you are all finished class dismissed. Next Monday I want an essay two rolls of parchment long about what you saw in the other person's memory and how you felt inside their thoughts."
When they were at the landing at the bottom of the rope ladder Ron met up with Harry. Harry looked back at Neville. "Er- Ron I'll catch up with you down stairs."
"Okay."
Harry helped Neville get up, he had fallen trying to climb down the silvery rope ladder. "Neville, could you do me a favor?"
"Yeah."
"Don't write about Sirius for the Divination homework. Could you write about me playing a Quiditch game or something?"
"As long as you don't write about my parents. I want you to write about me getting my Hogwarts letter."
"Okay but maybe we should do the assignment again so that it will be easier to write."
"Yeah. Tonight?"
"Sure."
"And Harry," Neville added before turning away, "Please don't tell anyone. Not even Ron and Hermione. I know you tell them everything but."
"I understand." They walked down the many corridors and stairs leading down to the Great Hall. They were almost there when they ran into Hermione and Renata. "Hi!"
"Arithmacy was so fascinating."
"And Professor Vector didn't give us any homework."
"At least you guys had a good morning, Divination is depressing," said Harry. Neville had left very quickly after muttering a hello to the girls.
"She isn't still predicting your death, is she Harry?" asked Hermione.
"Not in the past couple weeks she hasn't. But I'm sure she will be as soon as we're done with this going into memories stuff."
"Actually," Renata said as they began walking again, "mind reading seems like an interesting branch of Divination."
"Renata!" Hermione seemed genuinely shocked. "It's invading someone's private thoughts. It just is not right."
Harry said, "Some people would say that." He was thinking of what he had overheard in Ron's thoughts when he had read his mind.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione questioned indignantly.
"Nothing," Harry lied.
"Can I borrow your Divination book, Harry? It sounds interesting," Renata asked.
"I'll think about it. C'mon Ron's waiting for us." They continued down to lunch. They all had a rather enjoyable lunch and then the Gryffindor fifth years went to Transfiguration. The class waited for the arrival of Professor McGonagall. As soon as she did the class sat down.
"I want all of you to open your books and read the theory of human transfiguration. You will not be working much with this until next year but I would like to get you familiar with the material now." About halfway through class Professor McGonagall spoke again, "When you are done reading the lesson come up and grab a copy of the instructions for transfiguring your foot into a paw." Nearly fifteen minutes later things did not seem to be going too well. Renata and Hermione had managed the transformation of their feet beautifully but no one else seemed as lucky. Neville's foot looked a bit like a large slug. The rest of the class seemed to have no results at all. With only ten minutes left until class was over there was a knock on the door and tiny Professor Flitwick who taught Charms came in. He rushed over to have a quiet word with Professor McGonagall.
Flitwick whispered quietly for a moment to McGonagall. She looked up, "I realize this is a few minutes early but class dismissed."
As everyone picked up their bags and left Harry knocked his over. He turned to Ron and Hermione, "I'll be along in a minute." He slowly picked up his notes and books to put them in his books. He strained his ears to listen to what the two professors were saying.
"The Dementors have left Azkaban, Minerva. Those vile soul-suckers are out and about somewhere," he squeaked.
"Does the Headmaster know?"
"Yes, Albus was the one who asked me to inform you. He is notifying the staff now and he plans on telling the students at dinner tonight."
"This is awful."
"Yes, Minerva, I'll see you later. Albus asked me to inform Sybil as well. She is all the way up in the North Tower so I should really be going now."
Professor Flitwick left the room, and as soon as McGonagall's back was turned Harry picked up his bag again and dashed out of the classroom.
He rushed down the stairs to lunch, eager to tell Ron and Hermione of what he had just heard. He saw Ron waiting with Hermione and Renata at the top of the stairs.
"We tried to wait outside McGonagall's room but when Flitwick came out he told us to go down to lunch."
"You aren't going to believe this," Harry told them. He motioned to an empty classroom. He told them about what he had heard.
"Harry." Hermione said shaking her head.
"What about Siri-."Ron began but was silenced with a look from Harry and Hermione as they glanced at Renata then stared at him.
Renata chuckled. "Hello? Did you guys forget that I've already met Sirius?"
Harry blushed a bit. He never liked being wrong. "Yeah, well.I have to write to Sirius. Those things are still looking for him. If they find him they'll." It was a fate worse than death. A Dementor could suck out a person's soul leaving them to be an empty shell. Harry couldn't let that happen to Sirius. "I'm going to go write to him now."
"Harry stop just a minute and be reasonable," Renata said coming to stand in front of him.
"What do you mean?"
"People might notice if you aren't at lunch. Right?"
"I guess. You could say I'm in the Hospital Wing or something."
"Hello? As usual as it is for you to end up there, if we said that you were there people might try to find out what's wrong. So, go to lunch, don't draw attention to yourself, and slip out early. Easy as that." She turned and strode out of the room. The others followed her to the Great Hall.
Harry impatiently wolfed down his lunch, hardly aware of what he was eating. He leaned over and said to Ron, "I'll be in the Owlery." He hustled up the stairs. He continued on his way until he reached the Owlery. He took out a bottle of ink, a quill, and parchment. Harry wrote his letter. When he was done he read it through once more.
Dear Sirius,
I want to put you on your guard. The Dementors have left Azkaban
and you know what that means. Be careful and write back soon. How have
things been going with all the work you guys are doing? I am staying
out of trouble.
Harry
Harry got up and went over to the perch where Hedwig was. He stroked her feathers for a moment and then tied the letter to her leg. "Would you take this to Sirius for me?" She gently nipped his finger and flew out the window. He watched her soar until he could no longer see her. A hand fell on his shoulder and a familiar voice spoke behind him.
"Harry, shouldn't you be in class?"
Harry spun around. "Professor Lupin, what are you doing here?"
"I came to meet with Professor Dumbledore and I decided to send a letter before leaving. I think you and I should have a little chat."
"But I'm missing class."
"Whose? Not Potions, right?"
Harry shook his head.
"Good. I'm not much up for talking to Severus today. So, what class are you missing?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts."
"Really? I wouldn't mind speaking to Jenny. Let's you and I have a little chat and then I will go and explain to your professor why you are late." Professor Lupin led Harry down the way to Professor Delano's study. "So Harry, how have you been?"
"Fine."
"You haven't been in any trouble have you?"
"No."
"No unwelcome visitors? No unsigned letters?"
"No." Harry thought guiltily about the snakes and the "Friend of a Friend" letters from Renata and Vanessa.
"Really now, you wouldn't count those snakes from earlier this year as unwelcome visitors?"
"Er." He hadn't been counting on Lupin knowing that. "Professor how much do you know about the Book of Ever?"
The question seemed to startle him. "Well, Harry except for an extremely select few no one really knows much about it."
"Yes. I figured so judging by that all three books in the library with information about the book in them had the information someway removed."
"Really? Then how much do you know?"
"The book will come to an end when all the Phoenixes are gone. A Phoenix was killed in September, you know."
"I didn't know. How do you know this?"
"A friend of a friend. Dumbledore's Phoenix is the only domesticated one left. The other domesticated one was killed and his owner Kennilworthy Whisp is missing. The only clue is a vortex that was left open in the attic. He went missing on the fourth of September."
"Whisp.sounds familiar. He was a year or so below me and your dad."
"He wrote Quiditch Through the Ages."
"He also writes a Quiditch magazine, the issues come out every three months. I know the September issue came. I'm not sure what happened to the December issue. I don't know if it came out or not. I'll have to check. Come on now, I will take you down to class." They left and went down to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
".are dangerous creatures. They are most commonly found in the jungles of-Harry would you care to give an explanation of why you are late for class? Remus!" Professor strode over to where Harry and Professor Lupin were standing by the door.
"Good afternoon Jenny," he said smiling. "Sorry Harry is late, we were talking. I hope it was alright that we used your study."
"That's just fine. Harry, please go sit down."
"Jenny, could I talk to you?"
"I'm in the middle of class, Remus."
"The Headmaster asked me to speak with you. You didn't get the message earlier when the other teachers did and Dumbledore asked me to tell you if I saw you."
"Just a minute then." She turned. "Class, I am going to step out for a moment please behave while I'm gone." The two professors stepped out into the hall.
The door was left slightly ajar and because he was sitting on the end of the row Harry could see the two Professors talking. Lupin was saying something. Professor Delano seemed to gasp and pale slightly.
Ron nudged Harry in the shoulder, "Harry."
"Ssh!" He was still watching the professors. Lupin seemed to talk a bit more and point down the corridor. Delano, with a worried look on her face, gave him a hug and turned away as the other professor strode down the hall vanishing from sight.
As Professor Delano walked into class she seemed to have regained her composure. "Class, there has been a change in our immediate lesson plan. In light of recent events, which you will all be informed of tonight at dinner, we will be working on something called a Patronus. It helps to keep Dementors away. This is a very difficult charm and I am sure many of you will have difficulty with it but I am going to attempt teaching it to all of you rather soon.
"Now to start with you need to understand a few things. You need to know what a Dementor is and what its powers are. Can anyone tell me what it does?"
Only four hands went up. They were Harry, Ron, Renata, and Hermione.
"Hermione?"
"A Dementor feeds itself on the happy feelings of others. When you're around them you are forced to experience the worse things in your life over and over again. Some experiences like that are bad enough to make you cry or pass out in some cases."
"Excellent. Does anyone know the best remedy after meeting a Dementor?" This time Neville's hand went up as well. "Yes, Neville?"
"I think chocolate helps."
"Correct. Now does anyone know what a Patronus is?"
Hermione and Ron glanced at Harry and put their hands down.
"Well, Harry?" asked the Professor.
He considered a moment before answering. He spoke slowly, "A Patronus is like a shield against Dementors." He closed his eyes and began to speak much quicker. "By summoning the happiest thought possible when you make a Patronus you deflect the Dementor's powers. Your Patronus will stand against the Dementor and the Dementor will either just absorb the happiness from or it will cause the Dementor to back away and most likely leave you alone and unaffected."
"Very good answer, Harry. Class, you may leave. I want everyone to think of something very happy to help with the Patronus that they will be attempting to make." The class began to pack up their bags. "Harry would you mind staying a moment?"
"No problem." He turned to Ron, Hermione, and Renata. "I'll be down in a minute." They left.
"Harry, I understand you have experience in warding off Dementors."
"If you knew what I hear when they come near me, you have to be able to get rid of them." Harry always passed out if he didn't have his wand when they were near him.
"I know.
"No. You don't know what I hear."
"Harry, no, I don't know, but it isn't my place to force you to discuss it. Harry, I need your help. You know that a Patronus is extremely advanced magic. Not many people in the class will be able to make one. Remus, I mean, Professor Lupin, was quite impressed that you were able to accomplish one in your third year. I want you to help the other students."
"Okay." He turned to leave just before he reached the door he turned back. "I was only able to do it because I had the right motivation. I'm not sure how many more times I can stand hearing my parents get murdered."
Harry went down to the Great Hall and found that Ron had saved him a seat.
"So?"
"Lupin told her that I know how to do a Patronus and Delano wants me to help out the class. Did Dumbledore make his announcement yet that Delano was talking about?"
"Not yet."
"But it isn't really that difficult to put two and two together," added Renata seated across from Harry. "We know that the Dementors have left Azkaban and we know that Lupin delivered a message that the other teachers already got. Now, my mom just changed her lesson plan to include battling Dementors. It's not that hard to figure out."
"Well, Dumbledore just stood up so we might as well listen politely," Hermione whispered as the Great Hall grew silent.
"Good evening students! I have a few announcements to make tonight. I believe in keeping my students informed about what goes on in the wizarding world outside of Hogwarts. I therefore am informing you that the Dementors that guard Azkaban have left the fortress. I must also add that no one knows where they are. Because of this, some of you will be working with something new in your Defense Against the Dark Arts class.
"I do have something of a lighter note to add. Each of the remaining Quiditch matches for the year will be moved up by one week. This is so that once the Quiditch cup is awarded the winning team will be playing against another school. The school the winning house will be playing is the Angels Magical Academy of California. Although, I must say I do not yet know whether they are coming to Hogwarts or we are going to the Angels Academy. When more is known you will be informed. Enjoy your dinner!"
Once the Headmaster had seated himself noise broke out among every table regarding his comments. Fred and George came over to stand on either side of Renata.
"Hi, pal."
"Good to see you."
"Okay what do you want?" She asked turning from one to the other.
"Were the members of your Quiditch team last year by any chance good looking?"
"And preferably our age?"
Renata seemed to be considering a moment. "Yes they were. A couple of them were are the same age as you two actually."
Fred and George grinned. "Thanks." And they walked off.
Hermione noticed Renata was hiding a giggle. "What is it? Weren't you telling the truth?"
"Yeah, but I'm afraid they'll still be disappointed."
"Why's that?"
"They were good by my standards, they were guys. Trust me they'll be disappointed, as of last year there was only one other girl on the team. It was the two of us, and five rather attractive guys, although I wouldn't go so far as to call them all hot, just a couple of them." She broke into an evil looking grin before laughing again. "Two of the guys on the team are Fred and George's age. That was my sad little joke: good looking members of the team, just not girls; Fred and George will be awfully disappointed. Although some of the guys on the team rather fancied Elizabeth, she was the other girl. Good ol' Ellie, I miss her. And Rory, and the rest of them."
"So, do you think the match will be here or at your old school?"
"I'm not sure. Either way I hope we win the Quiditch Cup so we can go play."
"The only match we have left this year is the one against Slytherin."
"They aren't so tough. They just think they are."
They finished up with dinner and went upstairs. "Harry, do you want to work on our Transfiguration homework?" asked Ron as they marched up the steps.
Harry caught sight of Neville, "Neville and I have to redo our Divination thing from class so I've got to work on that with him right now."
"Okay."
When they got to the tower Neville and Harry sat in some chairs in the corner. Harry focused on when he and the Gryffindor team won the Quiditch cup the year before last.
When it was Neville's turn, Neville thought about when he got his acceptance letter to Hogwarts. When they were done they each wrote the essay that went with the assignment.
After that Neville went somewhere, possibly the library, and Harry moved over to where Ron, Hermione, and Renata were working on their homework for Transfiguration. Hermione would never give them the answers (she wanted them to learn) but by having her help them and then check the assignments over for them they got the correct answers anyway.
After half an hour Ron threw down his quill, "I don't feel like writing." He lay back in his chair. There was a loud tapping on the window. Ron, startled, opened his eyes. "Its Hedwig!" He rushed over to open the window. "Read it, Harry."
Slowly Harry untied the letter from Hedwig's leg. He opened it, and found it was from Sirius, he had nor expected such an early reply.
Harry, thanks for the warning. I want you to be careful. I can't say
everything I would like to in a letter in case it gets intercepted. I
cleared it with Dumbledore and Friday night at 8 o'clock, be in his
study. Until then be on you guard.
Concerned,
Sirius
After reading it Harry passed it to Ron who passed it to Hermione and then Renata.
"I wonder what he knows."
Harry gave Renata a sharp look. "What do you mean?"
"Its obvious he heard something, otherwise he wouldn't come here. After all, coming is a plenty big risk for him."
The days seemed to pass slowly and dully until Friday finally came. But at last it did.
"Ugh, we've got Potions again today," Ron complained as they sat down to breakfast."
Snape had been in a particularly bad mood of late and he was taking it out on just about everyone, especially the Gryffindors.
"If this next potion smells anything like that last one I'm likely to vomit," Renata said.
"Oh that's nice, don't sit by me then," Harry said with a bit of a laugh.
"Seriously, that last one smelled a bit like dragon dung," Renata said this, piling eggs onto her plate and everyone laughed. "What? I'm serious."
"So am I," retorted Harry.
Hermione snorted. "I think it's a bad idea to have Potions right after eating."
Ron said, "I think it's a bad idea to have Potions at all."
When they were finished they made their way down the cold corridor to the dungeon where Potion class was held.
Snape arrived about a minute and a half later and barked at them all. "What are you all waiting for? Get inside! Now!" He stalked off angrily to the front of the room.
Renata made a point of sitting right next to Harry. She whispered, "Just a precaution in case I throw-up." She had to stifle a giggle a Snape began to speak once more.
He walked around as he spoke, barely above a whisper. "Today we will be working on a Potion I doubt many of you will find easy. We shall be brewing glory." He stopped in front of Harry's desk. "I doubt you need any help with glory, Potter. Longbottom, on the other hand," Snape said moving on to where Neville sat. "I suspect when you attempt this potion you will end up with a shame potion. But I seriously doubt you can get in any deeper shame than that botched job you did on your healing draught last week that ended up giving you chicken pox."
To Harry's surprise, Neville was hardly shaking at all; he often went to pieces in Snape's class.
About halfway through the class, when the Potions were simmering Harry leaned over and whispered to Renata while Snape's back was turned. "So does the potion smell too much like dragon dung?"
"No. More like pickled toads." They both head to stifle their laughter behind their hands.
"Ten points from Gryffindor!" spat Snape. "No talking." Snape had such a foul disposition this day that as he moved on to where Draco Malfoy was stirring his potion and talking loudly about how Dumbledore should be fired that he barked to Draco, "With a potion that thick you'll be strutting around all day with an even larger ego than the one you have, add another bat wing!"
Malfoy seemed stupefied. He was Snape's favorite student and therefore had never been criticized by him, only praised. "You can't talk to me like that."
"Do you want detention?"
Draco slumped down into his seat, his cheeks turning ever so slightly pink.
Ron was in very high spirits when they left class, despite the fact that Gryffindor had lost ten points. "Ha! Wasn't it great watching Snape tell off Malfoy? I mean I think he insulted you, too a but still it was still great."
Harry, much as he had enjoyed seeing Malfoy told off, was having some troubling thoughts.
Hermione noticed Harry and his troubled expression and went to stand by him. "What's the matter Harry?"
"Nothing really," he lied.
"Harry, haven't you figured it out yet? You can't lie to us. You can fool teachers, but we know when something's on your mind," Hermione chided him.
Harry gave in, "Alright. There's got to be a reason for Snape's bad mood. I mean he's always awful but he's been worse lately. He's up to something."
Ron came over too, "Personally I think just being Snape would put him in a bad mood."
"But I was serious, Ron."
Renata sped up her pace a bit to join them. "Well, you all better cheer up soon."
"Why?"
"Especially you, Harry. We've got Defense Against the Dark Arts for our next class and you all need happy thoughts to make a Patronus."
They all agreed to change the subject. "None of you ever finished telling me which club you signed up for." Renata told them. "Hermione started to say something and then Malfoy came over. Remember?"
"Yeah."
"We're already signed up."
"Really, now? And what did you choose?"
"We're all in the Dueling Club. Although, I've no idea when the first meeting is."
Renata chuckled. "What a surprise. More fighting."
"We were in a Dueling Club once. It just wasn't too helpful," Hermione told her.
"All we learned was this. Expelliarmus!" Harry pointed his wand at Renata and as her wand flew out of her hand he caught it. "Hey it was useful."
"Yeah, we learned something else too that day. We learned, like you said, this, Expelliarmus!" Ron caught Harry's wand and Renata's wand that Harry had been holding. "And we learned that you, Harry, are a Parseltongue."
"I don't care what anyone says Ron, I did not tell that snake to attack Justin."
They all began to laugh almost uncontrollably. By the time they caught their breath it was almost time for their Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. When they reached the classroom Professor Delano wasn't there yet, but Dean and Seamus were looking over the Daily Prophet.
"Its not fair. They can't do this," muttered Seamus.
"What's the matter?" asked Harry.
"Quiditch Today is being stopped for a while and they won't tell us why. And this month it was supposed to be a double issue because the last issue never came," explained Dean.
Hermione thought for a moment before replying. "Isn't Quiditch Today that magazine written by Kennilworthy Whisp?"
"Yes."
A swift glance passed between Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Renata. It was the kind of look that said this isn't good news.
Just then Professor Delano came with a large crate under her arm. "Come in everyone, sorry I am late."
The students went inside and Ron gave Harry and Renata back their wands.
"Students, listen well. First we will have a demonstration of what a proper Patronus should be like, and then I will teach all of you. Harry, please come here."
Harry got up and walked to the front of the room.
She whispered to him, "There is a boggart in this crate. Professor Lupin recommended it as my best way for a demonstration. Are you ready?"
He nodded.
"One.two.three!" She opened the crate.
Harry was ready. He had been thinking of the day when the charges against Sirius would be dropped and he could leave the Dursleys. Harry shouted, "Expecto Patronum!" A silver stag shot out of Harry's wand and charged the boggart Dementor. It began to back away and the Professor closed the crate. Harry's Patronus came back to him for an instant before it vanished.
The whole class applauded. Harry went back to his seat.
As the clapping died down Professor Delano spoke, "Some of you may have realized that Dementor was actually a boggart. Who remembers what a boggart is? Yes, Hermione?"
"A boggart is a shape shifter and as soon as you see it, it turns into what your most afraid of. That's why no one knows it's true form."
"Excellent. Five points to Gryffindor. We used a boggart because obviously a real Dementor could not be brought in, but had this boggart Dementor not been attacked by the Patronus the Dementor powers it was mimicking would have affected you all. Now let us go into understanding what exactly a Dementor is and what a Patronus is. A Dementor brings out every bad thing that ever happened to you and make you relive it in your mind. The effect is awful. Sometimes you'll shake or cry, but you always feel awful. Now a Patronus counteracts this. When Harry made his Patronus he was thinking of something happy, maybe winning a Quiditch match. But whatever it was it was a positive thought. Now, with the help of the spell, the positive thought was able to take a semisolid form and charge the Dementor. A Patronus is able to act as a shield. Any question thus far?"
Lavender raised a hand. "Does the Patronus work against anything else?"
"Well, I've never tested it on anything but Dementors although there is an eyewitness account of a wizard who successfully drove away a Lethifold with a Patronus. Harry?"
"Well, it worked against some Slytherins pretending to be Dementors."
"There is your answer Lavender. I guess it works against enemies." The class passed on as the Professor explained various facts about Dementors and the class dutifully copied down the notes. The Professor seemed to notice the class was looking rather bored. "Would anyone care to attempt a Patronus?"
Hermione raised her hand and the professor looked rather pleased until Hermione spoke. "Professor Delano you never told us what the spell was."
"Oh. The spell is Expecto Patronum. Say it with me class, Expecto Patronum. Very good. Would anyone like to attempt a Patronus?"
No hands went up. At last Harry got up and went to the front of the room again.
The Professor took Harry aside. "Thank you. When the Dementor comes out hold off on the Patronus as long as possible so the class can understand what it is that they'll be dealing with."
"Okay." His stomach felt like it flip-flopped. Harry noticed that Professor Delano didn't look too happy either.
"Three.two.one." The crate was opened.
It began immediately. Harry heard is father's voice telling Lily to take Harry and run while he tried to hold off Voldemort. Harry couldn't take it anymore. "Expecto Patronum!" The silver stag shot out of his wand, his mother's screaming stopped, and the boggart-Dementor backed away and Harry shut it in the crate. He looked around the room. Some of the students were worse off than others.
Neville appeared near to a nervous breakdown, and Harry could easily guess why. Only two other people seemed that badly off. Harry was surprised to see Renata's face wet with tears and her mom looked to be near tears herself. Hermione looked pale but brought a Chocolate Frog out of her pocket and gave it to Renata. It seemed to help a bit. Chocolate converted the cold feeling left by a Dementor to a warmth.
Professor Delano fumbled with a package on her desk. Harry saw that it contained enough bars of Honeyduke's Chocolate for the whole class. Professor Delano still seemed quite shaken as she lifted the box of chocolate. Harry took one of the chocolates out of the box and put it on her desk then passed the rest of them out to the class.
In a moment everyone seemed much better off. Professor Delano was able to talk to the class again.
"I am quite sorry that was necessary. I told Harry not to perform the Patronus charm right away so that all of you would feel the affects of a Dementor. I'm sorry I didn't warn you. I would like you to add to your notes that after encountering a Dementor, chocolate is a very good remedy. Your homework is a roll of parchment on what a Dementor is and why a Patronus works against them. You may leave now."
On their way down to lunch Renata was still in a gloomy mood but she wouldn't say why. The Dementor effects had worn off but she was still upset.
"What is it, Renata?" asked Hermione.
"Nothing." Renata replied.
"Something is wrong," Ron agreed.
"No."
"Yes." Ron said.
"No," was again Renata's reply.
Quietly Harry spoke so only Renata would hear. "It was the Dementor, wasn't it?"
Renata didn't answer.
Hermione put her arm around Renata. "It isn't a big deal that you cried back there."
"Yeah," put in Ron. "The first time Harry met a Dementor he passed out."
Harry felt his cheeks burn, but he remained silent.
"Come on Renata," Ron wheedled. "What did you hear before the Dementor got shut back in the box?"
"I don't want to say," after that she barely talked the rest of lunch.
Ron grumbled, "I don't see any reason not to say anything."
Harry caught the muttered words. "Ron, maybe she has her reasons for not telling us. I certainly wouldn't say anything about what I hear."
Renata looked up at Harry with a thankful smile.
Hermione changed the subject. "I want to know more about that disappearance. Maybe there was something in the Daily Prophet." She turned to Dean and Seamus. "Do either of you still have your copies of the paper on you?"
Seamus handed his over.
Hermione opened it. The article concerning the Quiditch Today and Kennilworthy Whisp was incredibly short and held no more information than what Dean and Seamus had told them. Hermione however spotted something else.
"Look!" she whispered. Quietly she read her friends the article. Then, she sat back to watch the reaction.
"Phoenixes? Disappearing? This can't be good."
"Don't they have the power to disappear and reappear somewhere else?"
"Yes but they aren't doing it! They're disappearing and not coming back."
There wasn't really much else they could say. There were questions, yes, but no answers. At last they all went out onto the grounds for their Care of Magical Creatures class.
When he saw Malfoy on the field with the Slytherins Harry remembered Snape's foul mood with no apparent reason behind it and Malfoy's humiliation at Snape telling him off, he realized this was going to be a long class.
Hagrid saw the Gryffindors approaching. "Hello Harry! Alrigh' there Ron? Hermione? Renata?" He turned to the rest of the class. "Got a real treat fer yeh all today. Yeh get to take care of Scallywoggles. They're a right tricky bunch. Make no mistake abou' that. Scallywoggles live in the water. Bu' the odd thing is they breathe fire while they're under there. I'n't that funny? Bu' they are real 'elpful too. They eat Sea Slugs. Them Sea Slugs can be pesky when they start eatin' the vegetation. Anyway yeh all get ter come see some Scallywoggles I caught this mornin'. They usually on'y come ou' at dawn an' dusk but where I got 'em yeh can seem 'em jus' fine. C'mon." Hagrid looked like he couldn't be happier, the students on the other hand were apprehensive.
The Scallywoggles were thin creatures less than a foot long with an eerie iridescent color to them. Hagrid reached down and pulled one up by the tail. "Now none of yeh shou' try this without yer dragon 'ide gloves on. 'Cause these little suckers got energy bolts in their tails in addition ter their fire breathin'. Anyone wan' a closer look at this one?"
No one seemed to. Poor Hagrid looked crestfallen and the next thing he heard didn't make him any happier.
"Why would anyone want to touch or even look at a slimy thing like that? Who wouldn't want something that could burn them and electrocute them at the same time?" came Malfoy's drawl.
"Malfoy, shut up!" Harry and Ron said at the same time.
"Go ahead, Hagrid," Hermione said once Malfoy had been silenced.
"Alrigh' then now. I wan' everyone ter put their gloves on so they can come look at the Scallywoggles. This one here is called Lear. C'mon yeh can each hold one I got enough of 'em here. Yeh can feed 'em too, the buckets over there 'ave got some nice slugs in them. Who wants to hold one?"
No one appeared to want to so Harry, Ron, and Hermione and even Renata too pulled on their dragon hide gloves and walked over to the water's edge.
"What do we do?"
"Yeh've got yer gloves on, jus' pluck one outta the water."
Renata looked at the water and as soon as one of the twenty or so Scallywoggles came near the edge her hand shot down and grabbed it by the tail. After that Harry caught one, and with some hesitation so did Ron and Hermione.
"Grea' job! Now come over here ter the buckets and get some slugs. Yeh gotta put them on leaves, see? 'Cause the Scallywoggles don' like to eat off the ground. Set 'im down nice and easy. Good. Put the slug over by 'im. Good!" The odd creatures were now circling the slugs. Suddenly they opened their mouths and shot out fire on the slugs, which of course the flame soon caught. The Scallywoggles then jabbed at the charred slugs with their tails and moved them to their mouths where the slugs vanished.
"Cool!" said Dean, who then went over to get one of the Scallywoggles from the section of lake Hagrid had marked off. Eventually the rest of the class joined in.
Malfoy dropped his three times. The final time it shocked his foot when it landed. The Gryffindors laughed but the Slytherins were concerned. "Draco, Draco are you alright?" came Pansy Parkinson's screeching voice.
Hagrid brought out an orange bottle that immediately numbed the pain giving him no excuse to moan in agony.
When the class ended at last Harry heard Malfoy talking to Crabbe and Goyle. "Father is not going to be pleased. How dare Professor Snape speak to me like that this morning! That oaf Hagrid shouldn't even be teaching. Father will not be happy that another of his creatures attacked me. He'll probably get the school governors involved. This time Hagrid will be gone for sure."
Harry sped to catch up to the others. "Malfoy is going to try to get rid of Hagrid."
"Again?"
"Didn't he already try once?"
"Yeah. But."
"Harry stop worrying, it could lead warts. And not the kind that can be removed like regular ones that can be gotten rid of by magic but warts that come from stress only go away when you relax. I know, my friend, Nicole had three on her face in our third year, poor thing. She spent hours crying. That is, when she wasn't constantly studying." Renata told them. "Now what's all this about that Malfoy kid getting rid of Hagrid?"
Quickly Harry explained Malfoy's past attempts to get Hagrid sacked, even before he was teaching. "He really isn't nice. Nothing we can do at the minute, though," questioned Renata.
"Where did Hagrid get those things from class?" asked Ron.
"I'm not sure I want to know. I just hope it was too illegal. I bet they're hybrids. Too much trouble to think about right now, though."
"I'm in no move to think. Let's go down to the kitchen and see the house-elves. Maybe they'll give us some of those chocolate éclairs."
Hermione moaned. "Do you ever think without stomach, Ron?"
"Yeah, I do," he cried indignantly.
"Let's just go inside."
At quarter to eight Harry said goodbye and he left the Tower. On the way to Dumbledore's office Harry heard muffled voice coming from a room with the door slightly opened. Harry crept closer to hear better.
"Igor," a cold voice was saying. "This is your last chance. Answer my question!"
"Severus."
"Igor, I am losing my temper. Would you like me to call in Dumbledore?"
"No, I."
"Answer me!" There was the sound of something heavy falling to the ground as if Snape had pushed Igor Karkaroff to the ground.
"I'm not working for him anymore! I swear!"
"Then where have you been spending your days? No one has seen hide nor hair of you since July."
"I've been busy. They keep coming after me."
"Who? The Death Eaters? The ones who are leaving Azkaban now that the Dementors are gone?"
Karkaroff must have nodded.
"Why shouldn't they come after you? After all the things you told the Ministry to keep yourself out of Azkaban they've got every reason to come after you. You sold them out Igor, and they want your blood, your shrieks, your pain. And you aren't the only one they are after, Igor. You should be afraid. He doesn't look kindly on those who betrayed him. Yes, he'll be after you. With the ones who have now left Azkaban and the ones who managed to keep from going there in the first place. You aren't the only one they want. They're after me, too, you know."
"Severus, do you think they'll find us?"
"I don't doubt it, Igor, but when they do you are on your own. I am not on his side. You just need to stay out of my way. Leave."
Harry heard footsteps coming toward the hall he backed away and resumed walking in the direction of Dumbledore's office. Harry wasn't more than three yards from the door when he heard Snape's voice.
"Potter! What are you doing here?"
Harry guessed Karkaroff must have flown out the window or gone out another door since he hadn't emerged from the room. "I'm just going to the Headmaster's office. He wants to see me."
"Well, Potter, then I think you should be escorted there so you don't get lost."
"I know the way there, Professor."
"I think you and I need to talk a moment, Potter."
"I've got to meet Dumbledore in five minutes or I'll be late."
"Then we should talk while I take you there. Potter, I heard your footsteps in the hall and then you stopped. What did you hear?"
"Nothing at all. I only stopped a minute to tie my shoe."
"A likely story! You were eavesdropping, weren't you?"
"No, I wasn't." If only he could stop Snape from giving him detention long enough to reach Dumbledore's study.
"Why would the Headmaster want to see you?"
"I don't know, sir. I received a message saying he wanted to see me, so I'm going."
They had just come to the statue hiding the staircase to Dumbledore's study but before either of them could speak the password Professor Dumbledore came out.
"Good evening, Severus, ah hello, Harry I was just looking for you."
"Hello, Professor," Harry said.
"Harry, you may go up to my office, now. Severus, why don't you come with me? I've a craving for some chocolate chip cookies and milk. Let's go see if the house-elves have any."
As Harry began to climb up the stairs Snape whispered fiercely to him. "Liar!"
Harry ignored him and went up the stairs to where the study was.
"Harry!"
"Hi, Sirius. How're things going?"
"Fine for me but the rest of the wizarding world could be in trouble."
"I know I just heard Snape talking to Karkaroff."
"Really now? What were they saying?"
Harry briefly told Sirius of the discussion. "And Snape has been in a really bad mood lately."
"That git always is," Sirius growled.
Harry chuckled. "Well, he's been worse than usual. But as I recall Mr. Padfoot according to you he is an idiot who never should have become a professor. I agree."
"Now where did you hear that?"
"Third year Snape found the Marauder's Map in my pocket."
Sirius laughed for a moment, "I wish I could have been there," he said, before becoming solemn again. "Harry, Voldemort is going to make his move soon. He has the Dementors, his faithful Death Eaters who went to Azkaban, the Death Eaters who walked free, and the Ministry of Magic is against us."
"How much time do you think we have?"
"Not long. Voldemort isn't one to delay. When he has the means to do something big he'll strike. Other than the death threats from the snakes earlier this year, has anything happened? Do you have any leads?"
"We had a hunch earlier this year. Something called the Book of Ever."
Sirius's face clouded over.
"What is it Sirius?"
"How much do you know?"
"Not too much. We, the four of us, did some research. We only found information from the library in three books. But in all three just as the information was getting important you couldn't read the words anymore. Torn out. Blotted out with ink. Not there at all. We checked and the books were there since the founders but apparently the first Headmaster after the founders were gone had the information removed. Supposedly to protect the students. They say the book is about prophecies but that it will somehow end when the final Phoenix is dead. Sirius, the Phoenix on the perch over there is the only domesticated one left, and the ones on the reservations are disappearing, and not coming back."
Sirius turned to look at Fawkes.
"There was another one. Kennilworthy Whisp had one and this summer he disappeared. His Phoenix was killed and Kennilworthy Whisp, well he was not found. But there was a vortex that someone left open in the attic. This was September."
"How much did the Ministry print in the paper?"
"Nothing until recently. The last two issues of his Quiditch magazine haven't gotten published or printed so the Prophet had to write saying that he was indisposed now and the magazine would be postponed."
"I knew Ken back in school. He was a real Quiditch fanatic. Why would anyone go after him? He was always harmless enough. Who was notified? Who found the scene?"
"A friend of his found the house on September 4 like I told you it was like. He immediately notified Dumbledore. I don't know who else he told."
"Hmmm.I'll have to think on that. The friend was probably Matthias Greenfield. Matt and Ken were always good friends."
"I know more about the Book. Voldemort tried to take the Book. He saw something in it so that's why he came after me. It's why my parents are dead. It's because of me that they aren't alive, isn't it? Isn't it, Sirius?"
Sirius seemed hardly able to speak. At last he choked out, "Its not your fault Harry."
"Yes it is."
"No its not." Sirius had bowed his head and now looked up and placed his hands on Harry's shoulders, looking him straight in the eye. "And if anyone ever said that to you they are lying because in no way is this your fault. It never was your fault Harry. Their deaths weren't and neither was Cedric's."
How could he have known, wondered Harry.
For almost a full minute neither spoke a word.
"When is Voldemort going to attack?"
"I can't even guess, Harry. But you know it will be somewhere important where something big is happening. I've got to leave soon, Harry."
"Sirius, don't trust any of the Ministry Officials accused of being Death Eaters. They're guilty. Well, except Bagman. But don't trust him with money, he is sort of addicted to gambling."
"I'll remember that. Harry, I have to leave."
"Can't I at least walk with you back across the grounds?"
"Best not, Harry."
Sirius got up and walked to the door. "Bye Harry."
"Sirius?"
"Yes?"
"Thanks for coming to that last Quiditch game."
"I'll come again whenever I can, Harry."
Sirius transformed himself into a dog and he left the room. Harry followed and watched him leave. Then he turned for the long trek back to Gryffindor Tower. When he reached the common room he sought out Ron, Hermione, and Renata who were doing their homework.
"Hey, you guys will not believe this." He told them about everything he had heard from Sirius that and the conversation he'd witnessed between Snape and Karkaroff."
"Now we know why Snape was so edgy. He was obviously stressed out about meeting and talking to Karkaroff tonight," Renata said when the story was done.
"Yes, but why did he want to meet with Karkaroff?"
"Because he wanted to know whether he could trust him or not."
"Well, one way and another we know Snape and Karkaroff are both traitors," Renata commented.
"How do you figure?" asked Ron.
"Well, we know Snape was at one point or another a Death Eater. Now we also know that he turned spy for Dumbledore. But if he was still on the dark side then or is on the dark side now he was betraying someone either way. Same thing with Karkaroff. But of course we'd never get either of them to admit it. You know what they say: the treacherous are ever distrustful," said Renata.
Harry grinned. "That's Gandalf isn't it?"
"Sure is. Professor Tolkien was pretty bright you know."
"Hey are there anymore books after that last one I read? I have to find out what happens to Sam. Pippin and Merry too."
"No. But did you read the Appendixes at the end of The Return of the King? It goes into stuff that happens after."
"I'll have to go back to those. I can't believe what happened to Gollum. You know, for a Muggle his descriptions were pretty accurate, for the most part, on some things." Harry said thoughtfully.
"He wasn't really a Muggle. His father was a wizard. Tolkien was a half-blood and a Squib and then his dad died when he was young. So Tolkien lived with his mom. Then, his magical relatives decided that he shouldn't completely be deprived of magic. So even though he didn't have powers they took him places. He got to meet dragons, dwarves, he got tons of inspiration from them. Although when ever they took him anywhere they made him think it was a dream afterwards."
"I never knew that. So was Gollum based on anything?"
"I'm not quite sure on that. The reference book about Tolkien that I got didn't go into great detail you know."
"How about the hobbits?"
Harry heard Ron whisper to Hermione, "They're obviously speaking another language."
Harry laughed out loud. "Okay. Back now to what we were saying about Karkaroff and Snape. So, which way do you think it is?"
"Karkaroff and Snape are both extremely unfair. He definitely shows favoritism. We know that from the tournament last year," said Hermione.
"We know he's a coward. When Voldemort summoned the Death Eaters after the tournament Karkaroff left Hogwarts but he didn't go with the other Death Eaters," Harry was bitter at the memory of what happened that night. Voldemort had been reborn and he had killed Cedric. Harry bit his lip then continued speaking. "Snape said he hadn't been seen since July, it was June when he disappeared from Hogwarts. What we need to know is when in July someone found Karkaroff and where."
"Most importantly we need to know why."
"I'll write to Vanessa. See if she can dig up anything from the Daily Prophet from this summer. But the Ministry and the reporters seem to be staying pretty far out of this whole thing."
"Of course they are. Fudge doesn't believe that everyone is in trouble and he doesn't want everyone to know that."
"True. So how are we going to find out about Karkaroff?"
"I don't know. I definitely don't relish the idea about saying anything to Snape."
"Neither do I."
"We've got to think of something."
Hermione yawned. "It's getting really late I think we should go upstairs now and wait until morning to finish thinking."
"Good idea." The four of them, the last to leave the common room, trudged up the staircases.
Harry had the feeling that he was forgetting something, but as he couldn't possibly figure out what it could possibly be he was asleep.