This went on all week. Harry's Occlumency lessons consisted of
meditation with Prof. Dumbledore, and practicing clearing his head.
According to Ron, this should be hard for Harry to do. When Saturday came,
there were exhausted. The logic problem was still far from done, their
bodies ached from getting tossed around by Dung and Tonks, their magic hurt
from trying so hard to summon it.
Plus the only fruit of their summoning was when Hermione was combing her hair after the first attempt; she found a streak of white hair. She talked to Ron and Ginny, neither of them ever actually said the incantation. She knew that she didn't. She hesitated to talk to Harry about these lessons, because that would lead to a discussion on her feelings.
Now it even with the training on the weekends form Tonks and Mad-Eye, the last three weeks flew by. They got their biggest break in their logic problem when Orion slithered out to see what was happening, and mentioned a relationship they had overlooked. Ron nearly kissed the cobra. By the end of their lessons, they had completed their logic problem (and Remus had rewarded all of them with a trip to Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor. He said they were all the winners and the warning was just to test their linear thinking), they were able to cast basic glamour spells without their wands, and they could all take on Dung for at least half an hour. Ron had become a more flexible fighter, Harry loved the "rope-a-dope" and was asking for Muhammad Ali posters for Christmas, Ginny and Hermione had become moderately accomplished at a form of martial arts invented by the late great Bruce Lee, and Dumbledore said that as long as Harry practices his Occlumency every night before bed he should be rid of the visions, and they were now hexing and cursing and jinxing on a level beyond N.E.W.T.s
It was a happy day when they all arrived on the Hogwart's express. As usual they were running late and had an enormous entourage. Hermione and Ron headed to the prefects cabin, while Harry and Ginny got settled-in in a compartment. Five minutes after they had all their stuff away, Neville came by and asked to join them. He was of course welcomed with open arms. As he put his things away he asked Harry, "So how is Lilly doing?"
"She is doing rather well, she and Hedwig are actually out on a delivery right now."
"Really?" Neville had heard rumors since he left Harry's party, and was actually fishing to see if they were true. "To who?"
"I let Ginny borrow them, they've gone to deliver a letter to Oliver Wood."
"Ginny, is he your new boyfriend?" Neville asked in an uncharacteristically jovial way.
She simply blushed scarlet and mumbled something to the negative. Then Trevor, Neville's pet Toad, let out a loud croak, and Orion, who was slightly hungry, poked his head out. Neville leapt about a foot in the air when he was the Cobra. Of course he did remember to grab his beloved Trevor on the way up. "Calm down Neville," Harry said, "This is Orion. I think I got him from my Godmother."
"You have a godmother?" Neville asked as he held Trevor tightly, Orion was still eying him.
"Um, well yes, but I'm not sure if she is the one who gave him to me. Harry looked at Orion, and said something sternly in Parsletongue and then pulled out a frozen mouse from a special box. "Um, Ginny, you may want to look away." Ginny hated watching Orion eat. She had never gotten over the loss of Scabbers, and no one had the heart to tell her the truth. Harry was thankful that Hagrid picked up the mice for him, he didn't know where he would have gotten them. Ordinarily, Orion would just go hunting for himself, but on the long train ride, there would be no opportunity to do so without depriving someone of a pet.
Then Luna came in as the bulge in Orion's head was moving down his sinuous body. She sat next to Neville, and they both started reading as the train started moving; Neville read the Daily Prophet and Luna read the Quibbler, this time sideways. Ginny, who had been up all night finishing her potions essay, decided that this was a good time for a nap. She laid against the wall and promptly fell asleep. Harry read his family history; he had gotten to Ithrac Potter, known for inventing the tickling charm and testing it on an entire Muggle village. Apparently pranksters ran in the family. As no one was watching Luna simply made a small sitting jump to her right, towards Neville. Neville looked up, looked at Luna, who had, as far as he could tell not taken her eyes off of the sideways Quibbler. A few minutes later she did it again, with the same look from Neville, who was still reading.
After half-an-hour, Luna was practically in Neville's lap, Neville was blushing profusely, and Ginny was snoring as loudly as her brother, and Ron and Hermione finally came back in. Ron sat on the other side of Neville so he could sit across from Ginny and wake so they could play chess. Hermione sat on the other side of Harry and took out the book she had been waiting for; Hogwart's, a History: the Second Edition.
But no train ride can be this peaceful can it. Of course Malfoy had to make his appearance. "Well if it isn't the pathetic pack; Potty, Weasels, the Mudblood, Looney Lovegood, and Hopeless Longbottom. All trying to decided who the Dark Lord is going to kill this year?"
Harry and Ron were both barely contained. If it weren't for Ginny and Hermione holding on to them, they might have given Malfoy another beating of his life. Instead it was Neville who spoke first. He didn't even look up from his paper. He just kept reading and said simply and without any anger, "Shut up Draco."
Malfoy had been called a number of things, but never simply told to shut up like that. He turned that same shade of purple that Uncle Vernon reserved for when he had to deal with wizards other than Harry. he was about to open his mouth and say something about the Lestranges and Neville's parents when Luna piped up, "It must really be terrible no having anything special about you Malfoy."
"What in Grindwald's name is that supposed to mean," he said stepping into the cabin, with Crabbe and Goyle in tow.
"Well up until this year the only thing special about you was your daddy's money." She said this all as if she weren't insulting him, just having a conversation. "And now your dad's in Azkaban, and he has been stripped of his title and money. Now who are you without your daddy's money?"
Draco's mouth moved a lot, but he never actually made a sound. What infuriated him most was that no one was actually looking at him. Harry had hidden his scowl behind his book, and Ron was trying to concentrate on the game, and the others had never even looked at him. He turned on his heel and stormed out, a very difficult feat when one wasn't even welcome to begin with.
After he left, Ron slid the door shut and everyone burst out laghing. Ron clapped Neville on the back saying, "Way to go mate. You really got him."
Harry did the same for Luna as Ron continued, "That was ruddy brilliant. I didn't know a pale Malfoy face could turn that color!"
They continued to talk noisily until they got to Hogwart's. Neville, Luna and Harry, were each forced to remember the nightmares they saw as they looked upon the horse which drew the Hogwart's horseless carriages. Ron simply couldn't wait to eat, but no one was surprised by that.
Plus the only fruit of their summoning was when Hermione was combing her hair after the first attempt; she found a streak of white hair. She talked to Ron and Ginny, neither of them ever actually said the incantation. She knew that she didn't. She hesitated to talk to Harry about these lessons, because that would lead to a discussion on her feelings.
Now it even with the training on the weekends form Tonks and Mad-Eye, the last three weeks flew by. They got their biggest break in their logic problem when Orion slithered out to see what was happening, and mentioned a relationship they had overlooked. Ron nearly kissed the cobra. By the end of their lessons, they had completed their logic problem (and Remus had rewarded all of them with a trip to Florean Fortescue's ice cream parlor. He said they were all the winners and the warning was just to test their linear thinking), they were able to cast basic glamour spells without their wands, and they could all take on Dung for at least half an hour. Ron had become a more flexible fighter, Harry loved the "rope-a-dope" and was asking for Muhammad Ali posters for Christmas, Ginny and Hermione had become moderately accomplished at a form of martial arts invented by the late great Bruce Lee, and Dumbledore said that as long as Harry practices his Occlumency every night before bed he should be rid of the visions, and they were now hexing and cursing and jinxing on a level beyond N.E.W.T.s
It was a happy day when they all arrived on the Hogwart's express. As usual they were running late and had an enormous entourage. Hermione and Ron headed to the prefects cabin, while Harry and Ginny got settled-in in a compartment. Five minutes after they had all their stuff away, Neville came by and asked to join them. He was of course welcomed with open arms. As he put his things away he asked Harry, "So how is Lilly doing?"
"She is doing rather well, she and Hedwig are actually out on a delivery right now."
"Really?" Neville had heard rumors since he left Harry's party, and was actually fishing to see if they were true. "To who?"
"I let Ginny borrow them, they've gone to deliver a letter to Oliver Wood."
"Ginny, is he your new boyfriend?" Neville asked in an uncharacteristically jovial way.
She simply blushed scarlet and mumbled something to the negative. Then Trevor, Neville's pet Toad, let out a loud croak, and Orion, who was slightly hungry, poked his head out. Neville leapt about a foot in the air when he was the Cobra. Of course he did remember to grab his beloved Trevor on the way up. "Calm down Neville," Harry said, "This is Orion. I think I got him from my Godmother."
"You have a godmother?" Neville asked as he held Trevor tightly, Orion was still eying him.
"Um, well yes, but I'm not sure if she is the one who gave him to me. Harry looked at Orion, and said something sternly in Parsletongue and then pulled out a frozen mouse from a special box. "Um, Ginny, you may want to look away." Ginny hated watching Orion eat. She had never gotten over the loss of Scabbers, and no one had the heart to tell her the truth. Harry was thankful that Hagrid picked up the mice for him, he didn't know where he would have gotten them. Ordinarily, Orion would just go hunting for himself, but on the long train ride, there would be no opportunity to do so without depriving someone of a pet.
Then Luna came in as the bulge in Orion's head was moving down his sinuous body. She sat next to Neville, and they both started reading as the train started moving; Neville read the Daily Prophet and Luna read the Quibbler, this time sideways. Ginny, who had been up all night finishing her potions essay, decided that this was a good time for a nap. She laid against the wall and promptly fell asleep. Harry read his family history; he had gotten to Ithrac Potter, known for inventing the tickling charm and testing it on an entire Muggle village. Apparently pranksters ran in the family. As no one was watching Luna simply made a small sitting jump to her right, towards Neville. Neville looked up, looked at Luna, who had, as far as he could tell not taken her eyes off of the sideways Quibbler. A few minutes later she did it again, with the same look from Neville, who was still reading.
After half-an-hour, Luna was practically in Neville's lap, Neville was blushing profusely, and Ginny was snoring as loudly as her brother, and Ron and Hermione finally came back in. Ron sat on the other side of Neville so he could sit across from Ginny and wake so they could play chess. Hermione sat on the other side of Harry and took out the book she had been waiting for; Hogwart's, a History: the Second Edition.
But no train ride can be this peaceful can it. Of course Malfoy had to make his appearance. "Well if it isn't the pathetic pack; Potty, Weasels, the Mudblood, Looney Lovegood, and Hopeless Longbottom. All trying to decided who the Dark Lord is going to kill this year?"
Harry and Ron were both barely contained. If it weren't for Ginny and Hermione holding on to them, they might have given Malfoy another beating of his life. Instead it was Neville who spoke first. He didn't even look up from his paper. He just kept reading and said simply and without any anger, "Shut up Draco."
Malfoy had been called a number of things, but never simply told to shut up like that. He turned that same shade of purple that Uncle Vernon reserved for when he had to deal with wizards other than Harry. he was about to open his mouth and say something about the Lestranges and Neville's parents when Luna piped up, "It must really be terrible no having anything special about you Malfoy."
"What in Grindwald's name is that supposed to mean," he said stepping into the cabin, with Crabbe and Goyle in tow.
"Well up until this year the only thing special about you was your daddy's money." She said this all as if she weren't insulting him, just having a conversation. "And now your dad's in Azkaban, and he has been stripped of his title and money. Now who are you without your daddy's money?"
Draco's mouth moved a lot, but he never actually made a sound. What infuriated him most was that no one was actually looking at him. Harry had hidden his scowl behind his book, and Ron was trying to concentrate on the game, and the others had never even looked at him. He turned on his heel and stormed out, a very difficult feat when one wasn't even welcome to begin with.
After he left, Ron slid the door shut and everyone burst out laghing. Ron clapped Neville on the back saying, "Way to go mate. You really got him."
Harry did the same for Luna as Ron continued, "That was ruddy brilliant. I didn't know a pale Malfoy face could turn that color!"
They continued to talk noisily until they got to Hogwart's. Neville, Luna and Harry, were each forced to remember the nightmares they saw as they looked upon the horse which drew the Hogwart's horseless carriages. Ron simply couldn't wait to eat, but no one was surprised by that.