"What are you doing here?" the voice didn't seem totally shocked,
just curious.
Harry looked to the speaker. "Er-Hi, Myrtle."
"You've decided to start visiting again." Moaning Myrtle sounded almost happy. She was the reason none of the girls ever used this bathroom. Then she became melancholy again, "What are they doing here?" She pointed to Hermione and Renata.
"They're helping us."
"Oh." Myrtle floated back to her stall.
"Come on," Hermione said, opening the door of another stall. She conjured a small fire inside the toilet. "Harry, could you get me some water?"
She set the cauldron over the fire while Harry brought water. Hermione took out a large ladle to stir the potion with. After stirring nine times clockwise she stirred three times counterclockwise.
"So that it's?" asked Harry.
"Not quite. Four days from now we add the powdered hens' teeth that we'll get from Professor Lupin."
"Okay. Let's get out of here," Ron said uncomfortably.
Harry was just turning to don the invisibility cloak when Myrtle asked, "Are you leaving already?"
"We don't want to get in trouble with the teachers."
"Oh. Are you coming back?"
"Sure."
Myrtle seemed to brighten considerably at this response.
Harry and Ron got under the cloak and left with the girls.
At breakfast, while the mail was being delivered, an owl came to Harry.
Ron looked over, "What is it Harry?"
"I dunno." Harry opened the letter.
YOU WON'T FIND SIRIUS BLACK,
SO GIVE UP NOW. HA HA HA!
"It's not signed." Harry passed the letter to Ron.
Ron passed it to Hermione and as Hermione passed it to Renata she asked, "Who would write something like this?"
"How could anyone possibly know?" Harry murmured.
"I bet it was Malfoy," Ron said, clenching his fists.
"But he couldn't possibly know Sirius was missing unless-"
"Unless he had something to do with it."
"Calm down. We shouldn't jump to conclusions."
"It had to have been him. Who else could it have been?" asked Ron.
"I don't know but we should probably wait until later to discuss this."
They agreed and went to class. After stumbling through Freezing Charms they went on to learn about Kneazles from Professor Lupin and bored beyond belief in History of Magic they were finally free from classes for the day.
Harry was walking along the hall on the second floor when he her someone crying inside a room. It was the girls' bathroom. Harry debated with himself whether or not to look in and see whom it was. Ron had called Hermione a "bossy, know-it-all" today, again. Harry hadn't noticed her to be particularly upset but maybe she was; and when Hermione was upset she went to the bathroom to cry. After a moment's hesitation he opened the door and went inside. It was just Moaning Myrtle wailing again.
Harry was just about to leave, when he saw the doorknob turn. He panicked and scuttled into the stall with the cauldron. He locked the stall door and peeked through the crack to see who it was. It was Ginny, and she was crying.
Amid Ginny and Myrtle's sobs Harry could make out some words from Ginny. ".hates me" and "not fair" were among the repeated words.
After what seemed like an eternity to Harry, Ginny left. Harry gave a sigh of relief. He hadn't expected anyone to be here at all (except Moaning Myrtle, of course). He gave Ginny a few minutes to leave the area before he went outside the bathroom. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one out there.
"Potter!" It was Snape; and Harry didn't like the tone of his voice. "What were you doing in there? That is clearly a girls' restroom and you are not a girl, Potter. Unless you're hiding something."
"Er-"
"I'm waiting," he said nastily.
"I thought I heard someone crying in there."
"That's no excuse, detention. Be in my office at eight o'clock." He turned to leave but called over his shoulder, "Potter, stay out of the girls' bathroom from now on."
In a foul temper, Harry went back to Gryffindor Tower. He found Ron talking to Hermione and Renata.
"Harry you said you were going for a short walk. What took so long?" asked Ron.
Harry recounted what had happened.
"That was nice of you, Harry. You're a good friend; but I wasn't really upset by what Ron said. He's said it often enough," Hermione told him.
Harry asked Ron, "What about Ginny? What was she so sad about?"
Hermione looked at Ron severely. "I hope you weren't teasing her."
"I wasn't! Honestly I wasn't, this time."
"So you've got detention with Snape?"
"Yeah."
"Yikes. When?"
"Tonight. Half an hour from now."
"Did you give anymore thought to that letter?"
"I completely forgot about it." Harry took out the letter again.
They still didn't recognize the writing.
"It's probably just a joke, Harry."
"But who'd joke about something like this?
"Harry, do you still have the other letter?"
"What other letter?" asked Harry, confused.
"The one you got out of Sirius's study."
"It's upstairs. I'll find it later. I've got to take care of my detention. I'll see you later." Harry unenthusiastically made his way down to the dungeons. He stood reluctantly by the door of Snape's study. Harry heard voices and realized Snape wasn't the only one in there.
"Draco, I've already warned you."
"Professor, must I?"
"You shouldn't have hexed that boy where Professor McGonagall could see you. I thought you had more sense."
"Why are you making me do this?"
"Draco, I wouldn't have given you detention; Professor McGonagall did and she'll make sure you do it."
Malfoy mumbled something Harry couldn't quite make the words out of.
"You're right, Draco. Potter deserves detention at all times, but you see: he already has detention tonight. If he isn't here in one minute I'll double it for his being late!" He laughed coldly.
The incentive not to get more detention with Snape made Harry knock on the door. "Professor Snape? I'm here to serve my detention."
The door opened and the scene was just as Harry had pictured it. Snape's detestable study was just as Harry had remembered it (but with even more jars of gruesome things). Draco Malfoy was sitting on a chair, smirking at the fact that Harry had detention and Snape looked cross about losing the opportunity to double Harry's detention.
"What does Potter have detention for?" sneered Malfoy.
Snape smiled maliciously. "Potter was caught in the girls' bathroom."
Malfoy started laughing until he was gasping for air and banging his fists on Snape's desk. "The girls' bathroom, Potter? What's next? Are you going to move all your things into the girls' dormitory?" He doubled up, laughing uncontrollably again.
"Yeah. That's right, Malfoy," Harry said sarcastically.
"Come, Potter." Snape picked up a lantern and led Harry out of the office and down to some of the deeper dungeons. He took out an old bronze key and unlocked the door. He unlocked the door and snapped his fingers. A broom (not a flying one), a dust rag, and some cleanser, appeared beside them.
"Potter, I want you to clean this dungeon top to bottom."
Harry looked in the dark room. "But no one even uses this room!"
"I know." Snape set down the lantern and left.
Grumbling, Harry stepped inside the room. It was extremely dark and it smelled musty. Harry started sweeping and using the cleanser. Every so often he thought he heard something in the back of the room; then it would stop. After about two hours he had worked his was to the back of the room (as well as worked up a sweat). He sat down on a recently cleaned patch of the floor.
Harry heard the sound again. This time there was no maybe about it, he had definitely heard it. "Who's there?"
The sound sounded again.
"Who is it?" Harry raised the dirty broom in one hand over his head like a club, and held out the lantern in the other hand. A man was tied up on the ground, struggling to get free.
"Sirius!" Harry knelt down beside his godfather and began to work out the knots. They wouldn't budge. "I'll get it, Sirius." He went on to work on the gag instead. At last, he forced it out. Harry leaned Sirius into a sitting position against the wall. "Are you okay?"
"Better now."
"What happened?"
"I'm not really sure. Where am I? And what are we doing here?"
"You're still at Hogwarts. We're in one of the dungeons; one that nobody ever uses. I don't know how you got down here but I'm doing a detention for Snape. I'm almost done."
"I'm going to try to remember what happened."
"Then I guess I'll finish cleaning." As soon as Harry was done cleaning the room he attempted to undo the knots. The attempt proved futile. "I can't get it, Sirius. These knots won't move."
"Do you have your wand on you?"
"Yes." Harry drew it out. "What spell?"
"A Severing Charm."
"I know that one." Harry performed the charm several times. Eventually the ropes were all off. Harry dropped the cleaning things off at Snape's office before going back with Sirius to his study. They made it, and mercifully because of the late hour he'd finished his detention, there wasn't really anyone walking around.
Sirius rubbed his hands and ankles a little to get the feeling back in them. Soon, Sirius escorted Harry back to Gryffindor tower.
"I won't sidetrack," Harry had said when Sirius had announced he'd be escorting him.
"No, but the teachers could yell at you for being out so late. Come on." Sirius escorted him back to the tower and left. He had no idea what had happened to him, even after thinking for a while. He told Harry so and promised to tell him if he remembered.
Harry went to find Ron, Hermione, and Renata. Only Renata was there and she was asleep with a note stuck on her. It read, in large, threatening letters: WAKE ME UP, HARRY. OR ELSE!
Harry couldn't help grinning. He knew what "or else" could be; Renata was particularly handy with assorted jinxes and curses. He nudged Renata in the arm and shook her until she woke up.
"Got any news worth hearing?" she asked, stretching her arms.
"I found Sirius."
"This is good. Get Ron. I'll get Hermione. I sent them off to get rest; otherwise they wouldn't be worth owl droppings in class tomorrow." They went up the separate staircases to get their friends.
When the four of them were in the common room again, Harry related the story. They discussed the possibilities of how Sirius had ended up in the locked room, who had done it and sent the notes-the handwriting of both notes matched-but they still hadn't the faintest idea of an answer to these questions when they all went upstairs for rest.
The next morning, as Harry walked passed the Slytherin table there were peals of laughter. Draco Malfoy called, "Hey Potter! Visited the girls' bathroom yet, this morning?"
Pansy added, "Ew! I hope he never walks in on me!"
Their words dissolved most of the table into laughter once more. Blushing profusely, Harry sat down next to Ron.
"Harry, how does Malfoy know?"
"Did I forget to tell you last night? Malfoy was in Snape's office and Snape told him what I had detention for."
"Yikes."
Dean came over and asked, "Is it true, Harry? What Malfoy said?"
"Unfortunately."
Lavender gasped, "Why?"
Harry thought fast to the story he had told Snape, it'd work just as well for this. "Someone said something mean to Hermione earlier and I heard someone crying in there so I thought it might be her. I didn't know there was a crying ghost in there." So he did know about the crying ghost, he wasn't positive Myrtle would be there so it was only a half lie.
Parvati squealed, "You didn't know that bathroom was haunted?"
"How could I know?" Harry asked innocently.
Some of the Gryffindors were still laughing a little or giggling a bit, but a lot of them had decided that it was sweet of him and that Harry had really been trying to do something nice. They also remarked on how good it was that he was such a concerned friend.
When the cause of his detention had been settled, Harry looked up to the staff table. Sure enough, Sirius was there.
When it was time they got up and went to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Sirius was already waiting (seated on top of his desk). "Class, we are going to go back to the basics. Can anyone tell me exactly what are the Dark Arts? Anyone at all?"
Hermione raised her hand. "I think it would be all things having to do with dark magic and malevolent magical creatures used by those supporting the dark arts."
"Excellent. Three points for Gryffindor." Sirius got off the desk and went to the blackboard. He wrote two words and underlined both of them: WIZARDS, CREATURES.
"You've had a fair grounding in both of these. Wizards can do some awful things to each other using magic, all sorts of curses, hexes, and jinxes. But other wizards aren't the only threat. As you know there are also Dark creatures. You," he pointed to Neville. "Your name?"
"Neville Longbottom."
"Right. Longbottom? I remember.Never mind that. Give me the name of a dark creature."
"Snape," he said. The class giggled Sirius chuckled and he stuttered, "I-I-I mean Boggart, Professor."
"Good, but I rather agree with the first one, too. You," Sirius pointed to Lavender, "Give me another of the creatures."
"Vampires."
Sirius went around the room asking the names and writing the Dark creature names and writing them on the board. Then when he was back at Neville. "Give me a curse, hex, or jinx."
"The Leg-locker Curse."
"Good, next. Don't be afraid to say the three most punishable curses, I know you all know what they are."
Harry heard a great many curses and such that he already knew and even some he hadn't heard of; Sirius wrote them all on the board.
"I am going to need some volunteers," as Sirius said this hands went up. "Volunteers to help me with these curses," every hand went down. "No one wants to volunteer? Then I'll have to choose someone. Harry, be my test dummy."
Harry didn't like the sound of that. He got up and walked cautiously over to where Sirius was standing.
"We'll start with something simple: the leg-locker curse. Harry, when I perform this spell your legs will snap together. Ready?"
"No."
"Good. Locomotor Mortis!"
Harry's legs sprung together and he almost fell over, bringing much laughter from his classmates. Sirius preformed the counter-curse and taught it to them. Then he also showed them a block to use against the curse when he let Harry try to curse him.
"Class it's time to leave and you have no homework tonight. I'll see you in class on Friday."
Harry stayed to talk to Sirius. "Not bad for your first class," he grinned.
"Thanks. Now go on. Don't you have Charms or something?"
"No. Herbology." Harry left and found Ron, Hermione, and Renata waiting outside the door.
"Come on, Harry. We don't want Professor Sprout to be mad at us for being late."
Later that night, in the common room, Harry caught up on the way world Quiditch was going.
"Harry, the Cannons finally did it! They made it to the Semi-Semi- Semi-Finals!"
"Really?" The Chuddley Cannons were about the worst team in the wizarding world.
"Yeah."
Renata came over, "Speaking of Quiditch, Gryffindor's team looks pretty empty this year Harry."
"I know. I don't know what we're going to do. If we lose to Slytherin."
"We won't lose to Slytherin, or any other team for that matter. It'll be a tough year but if you start making them practice as much as you did last year I'll lead another revolt."
"But Renata-"
"No buts."
Harry yawned, "Fine, no buts."
Hermione looked him. "Harry, you look really tired. You too, Ron. Go upstairs."
Ron stifled a yawn, "W-w-we're not tired."
"March upstairs right now."
"You heard her," Renata said, "March."
Before Harry knew it the week was over and it was already Saturday. Harry was sleeping in late, or at least, that's what he had planned to do. But someone woke him up.
Harry looked to the speaker. "Er-Hi, Myrtle."
"You've decided to start visiting again." Moaning Myrtle sounded almost happy. She was the reason none of the girls ever used this bathroom. Then she became melancholy again, "What are they doing here?" She pointed to Hermione and Renata.
"They're helping us."
"Oh." Myrtle floated back to her stall.
"Come on," Hermione said, opening the door of another stall. She conjured a small fire inside the toilet. "Harry, could you get me some water?"
She set the cauldron over the fire while Harry brought water. Hermione took out a large ladle to stir the potion with. After stirring nine times clockwise she stirred three times counterclockwise.
"So that it's?" asked Harry.
"Not quite. Four days from now we add the powdered hens' teeth that we'll get from Professor Lupin."
"Okay. Let's get out of here," Ron said uncomfortably.
Harry was just turning to don the invisibility cloak when Myrtle asked, "Are you leaving already?"
"We don't want to get in trouble with the teachers."
"Oh. Are you coming back?"
"Sure."
Myrtle seemed to brighten considerably at this response.
Harry and Ron got under the cloak and left with the girls.
At breakfast, while the mail was being delivered, an owl came to Harry.
Ron looked over, "What is it Harry?"
"I dunno." Harry opened the letter.
YOU WON'T FIND SIRIUS BLACK,
SO GIVE UP NOW. HA HA HA!
"It's not signed." Harry passed the letter to Ron.
Ron passed it to Hermione and as Hermione passed it to Renata she asked, "Who would write something like this?"
"How could anyone possibly know?" Harry murmured.
"I bet it was Malfoy," Ron said, clenching his fists.
"But he couldn't possibly know Sirius was missing unless-"
"Unless he had something to do with it."
"Calm down. We shouldn't jump to conclusions."
"It had to have been him. Who else could it have been?" asked Ron.
"I don't know but we should probably wait until later to discuss this."
They agreed and went to class. After stumbling through Freezing Charms they went on to learn about Kneazles from Professor Lupin and bored beyond belief in History of Magic they were finally free from classes for the day.
Harry was walking along the hall on the second floor when he her someone crying inside a room. It was the girls' bathroom. Harry debated with himself whether or not to look in and see whom it was. Ron had called Hermione a "bossy, know-it-all" today, again. Harry hadn't noticed her to be particularly upset but maybe she was; and when Hermione was upset she went to the bathroom to cry. After a moment's hesitation he opened the door and went inside. It was just Moaning Myrtle wailing again.
Harry was just about to leave, when he saw the doorknob turn. He panicked and scuttled into the stall with the cauldron. He locked the stall door and peeked through the crack to see who it was. It was Ginny, and she was crying.
Amid Ginny and Myrtle's sobs Harry could make out some words from Ginny. ".hates me" and "not fair" were among the repeated words.
After what seemed like an eternity to Harry, Ginny left. Harry gave a sigh of relief. He hadn't expected anyone to be here at all (except Moaning Myrtle, of course). He gave Ginny a few minutes to leave the area before he went outside the bathroom. Unfortunately, he wasn't the only one out there.
"Potter!" It was Snape; and Harry didn't like the tone of his voice. "What were you doing in there? That is clearly a girls' restroom and you are not a girl, Potter. Unless you're hiding something."
"Er-"
"I'm waiting," he said nastily.
"I thought I heard someone crying in there."
"That's no excuse, detention. Be in my office at eight o'clock." He turned to leave but called over his shoulder, "Potter, stay out of the girls' bathroom from now on."
In a foul temper, Harry went back to Gryffindor Tower. He found Ron talking to Hermione and Renata.
"Harry you said you were going for a short walk. What took so long?" asked Ron.
Harry recounted what had happened.
"That was nice of you, Harry. You're a good friend; but I wasn't really upset by what Ron said. He's said it often enough," Hermione told him.
Harry asked Ron, "What about Ginny? What was she so sad about?"
Hermione looked at Ron severely. "I hope you weren't teasing her."
"I wasn't! Honestly I wasn't, this time."
"So you've got detention with Snape?"
"Yeah."
"Yikes. When?"
"Tonight. Half an hour from now."
"Did you give anymore thought to that letter?"
"I completely forgot about it." Harry took out the letter again.
They still didn't recognize the writing.
"It's probably just a joke, Harry."
"But who'd joke about something like this?
"Harry, do you still have the other letter?"
"What other letter?" asked Harry, confused.
"The one you got out of Sirius's study."
"It's upstairs. I'll find it later. I've got to take care of my detention. I'll see you later." Harry unenthusiastically made his way down to the dungeons. He stood reluctantly by the door of Snape's study. Harry heard voices and realized Snape wasn't the only one in there.
"Draco, I've already warned you."
"Professor, must I?"
"You shouldn't have hexed that boy where Professor McGonagall could see you. I thought you had more sense."
"Why are you making me do this?"
"Draco, I wouldn't have given you detention; Professor McGonagall did and she'll make sure you do it."
Malfoy mumbled something Harry couldn't quite make the words out of.
"You're right, Draco. Potter deserves detention at all times, but you see: he already has detention tonight. If he isn't here in one minute I'll double it for his being late!" He laughed coldly.
The incentive not to get more detention with Snape made Harry knock on the door. "Professor Snape? I'm here to serve my detention."
The door opened and the scene was just as Harry had pictured it. Snape's detestable study was just as Harry had remembered it (but with even more jars of gruesome things). Draco Malfoy was sitting on a chair, smirking at the fact that Harry had detention and Snape looked cross about losing the opportunity to double Harry's detention.
"What does Potter have detention for?" sneered Malfoy.
Snape smiled maliciously. "Potter was caught in the girls' bathroom."
Malfoy started laughing until he was gasping for air and banging his fists on Snape's desk. "The girls' bathroom, Potter? What's next? Are you going to move all your things into the girls' dormitory?" He doubled up, laughing uncontrollably again.
"Yeah. That's right, Malfoy," Harry said sarcastically.
"Come, Potter." Snape picked up a lantern and led Harry out of the office and down to some of the deeper dungeons. He took out an old bronze key and unlocked the door. He unlocked the door and snapped his fingers. A broom (not a flying one), a dust rag, and some cleanser, appeared beside them.
"Potter, I want you to clean this dungeon top to bottom."
Harry looked in the dark room. "But no one even uses this room!"
"I know." Snape set down the lantern and left.
Grumbling, Harry stepped inside the room. It was extremely dark and it smelled musty. Harry started sweeping and using the cleanser. Every so often he thought he heard something in the back of the room; then it would stop. After about two hours he had worked his was to the back of the room (as well as worked up a sweat). He sat down on a recently cleaned patch of the floor.
Harry heard the sound again. This time there was no maybe about it, he had definitely heard it. "Who's there?"
The sound sounded again.
"Who is it?" Harry raised the dirty broom in one hand over his head like a club, and held out the lantern in the other hand. A man was tied up on the ground, struggling to get free.
"Sirius!" Harry knelt down beside his godfather and began to work out the knots. They wouldn't budge. "I'll get it, Sirius." He went on to work on the gag instead. At last, he forced it out. Harry leaned Sirius into a sitting position against the wall. "Are you okay?"
"Better now."
"What happened?"
"I'm not really sure. Where am I? And what are we doing here?"
"You're still at Hogwarts. We're in one of the dungeons; one that nobody ever uses. I don't know how you got down here but I'm doing a detention for Snape. I'm almost done."
"I'm going to try to remember what happened."
"Then I guess I'll finish cleaning." As soon as Harry was done cleaning the room he attempted to undo the knots. The attempt proved futile. "I can't get it, Sirius. These knots won't move."
"Do you have your wand on you?"
"Yes." Harry drew it out. "What spell?"
"A Severing Charm."
"I know that one." Harry performed the charm several times. Eventually the ropes were all off. Harry dropped the cleaning things off at Snape's office before going back with Sirius to his study. They made it, and mercifully because of the late hour he'd finished his detention, there wasn't really anyone walking around.
Sirius rubbed his hands and ankles a little to get the feeling back in them. Soon, Sirius escorted Harry back to Gryffindor tower.
"I won't sidetrack," Harry had said when Sirius had announced he'd be escorting him.
"No, but the teachers could yell at you for being out so late. Come on." Sirius escorted him back to the tower and left. He had no idea what had happened to him, even after thinking for a while. He told Harry so and promised to tell him if he remembered.
Harry went to find Ron, Hermione, and Renata. Only Renata was there and she was asleep with a note stuck on her. It read, in large, threatening letters: WAKE ME UP, HARRY. OR ELSE!
Harry couldn't help grinning. He knew what "or else" could be; Renata was particularly handy with assorted jinxes and curses. He nudged Renata in the arm and shook her until she woke up.
"Got any news worth hearing?" she asked, stretching her arms.
"I found Sirius."
"This is good. Get Ron. I'll get Hermione. I sent them off to get rest; otherwise they wouldn't be worth owl droppings in class tomorrow." They went up the separate staircases to get their friends.
When the four of them were in the common room again, Harry related the story. They discussed the possibilities of how Sirius had ended up in the locked room, who had done it and sent the notes-the handwriting of both notes matched-but they still hadn't the faintest idea of an answer to these questions when they all went upstairs for rest.
The next morning, as Harry walked passed the Slytherin table there were peals of laughter. Draco Malfoy called, "Hey Potter! Visited the girls' bathroom yet, this morning?"
Pansy added, "Ew! I hope he never walks in on me!"
Their words dissolved most of the table into laughter once more. Blushing profusely, Harry sat down next to Ron.
"Harry, how does Malfoy know?"
"Did I forget to tell you last night? Malfoy was in Snape's office and Snape told him what I had detention for."
"Yikes."
Dean came over and asked, "Is it true, Harry? What Malfoy said?"
"Unfortunately."
Lavender gasped, "Why?"
Harry thought fast to the story he had told Snape, it'd work just as well for this. "Someone said something mean to Hermione earlier and I heard someone crying in there so I thought it might be her. I didn't know there was a crying ghost in there." So he did know about the crying ghost, he wasn't positive Myrtle would be there so it was only a half lie.
Parvati squealed, "You didn't know that bathroom was haunted?"
"How could I know?" Harry asked innocently.
Some of the Gryffindors were still laughing a little or giggling a bit, but a lot of them had decided that it was sweet of him and that Harry had really been trying to do something nice. They also remarked on how good it was that he was such a concerned friend.
When the cause of his detention had been settled, Harry looked up to the staff table. Sure enough, Sirius was there.
When it was time they got up and went to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom.
Sirius was already waiting (seated on top of his desk). "Class, we are going to go back to the basics. Can anyone tell me exactly what are the Dark Arts? Anyone at all?"
Hermione raised her hand. "I think it would be all things having to do with dark magic and malevolent magical creatures used by those supporting the dark arts."
"Excellent. Three points for Gryffindor." Sirius got off the desk and went to the blackboard. He wrote two words and underlined both of them: WIZARDS, CREATURES.
"You've had a fair grounding in both of these. Wizards can do some awful things to each other using magic, all sorts of curses, hexes, and jinxes. But other wizards aren't the only threat. As you know there are also Dark creatures. You," he pointed to Neville. "Your name?"
"Neville Longbottom."
"Right. Longbottom? I remember.Never mind that. Give me the name of a dark creature."
"Snape," he said. The class giggled Sirius chuckled and he stuttered, "I-I-I mean Boggart, Professor."
"Good, but I rather agree with the first one, too. You," Sirius pointed to Lavender, "Give me another of the creatures."
"Vampires."
Sirius went around the room asking the names and writing the Dark creature names and writing them on the board. Then when he was back at Neville. "Give me a curse, hex, or jinx."
"The Leg-locker Curse."
"Good, next. Don't be afraid to say the three most punishable curses, I know you all know what they are."
Harry heard a great many curses and such that he already knew and even some he hadn't heard of; Sirius wrote them all on the board.
"I am going to need some volunteers," as Sirius said this hands went up. "Volunteers to help me with these curses," every hand went down. "No one wants to volunteer? Then I'll have to choose someone. Harry, be my test dummy."
Harry didn't like the sound of that. He got up and walked cautiously over to where Sirius was standing.
"We'll start with something simple: the leg-locker curse. Harry, when I perform this spell your legs will snap together. Ready?"
"No."
"Good. Locomotor Mortis!"
Harry's legs sprung together and he almost fell over, bringing much laughter from his classmates. Sirius preformed the counter-curse and taught it to them. Then he also showed them a block to use against the curse when he let Harry try to curse him.
"Class it's time to leave and you have no homework tonight. I'll see you in class on Friday."
Harry stayed to talk to Sirius. "Not bad for your first class," he grinned.
"Thanks. Now go on. Don't you have Charms or something?"
"No. Herbology." Harry left and found Ron, Hermione, and Renata waiting outside the door.
"Come on, Harry. We don't want Professor Sprout to be mad at us for being late."
Later that night, in the common room, Harry caught up on the way world Quiditch was going.
"Harry, the Cannons finally did it! They made it to the Semi-Semi- Semi-Finals!"
"Really?" The Chuddley Cannons were about the worst team in the wizarding world.
"Yeah."
Renata came over, "Speaking of Quiditch, Gryffindor's team looks pretty empty this year Harry."
"I know. I don't know what we're going to do. If we lose to Slytherin."
"We won't lose to Slytherin, or any other team for that matter. It'll be a tough year but if you start making them practice as much as you did last year I'll lead another revolt."
"But Renata-"
"No buts."
Harry yawned, "Fine, no buts."
Hermione looked him. "Harry, you look really tired. You too, Ron. Go upstairs."
Ron stifled a yawn, "W-w-we're not tired."
"March upstairs right now."
"You heard her," Renata said, "March."
Before Harry knew it the week was over and it was already Saturday. Harry was sleeping in late, or at least, that's what he had planned to do. But someone woke him up.
