by dr. z (used to be tranquillitas)
A/N: Chapter 5 up! Hope you enjoy! Reviews (constructive criticisms, suggestions, the occasional flame) are very much appreciated. Thanks to trina-k for beta-reading!
DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and co. doesn't belong to me! The names of the Blythes are not mine either!
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Chapter 5: Meetings and Classes
"You wanted to see us, Professor?" Harry asked. Professor Dumbledore had called for Harry, Ron, Hermione and Gillian to his office after breakfast. Fortunately, he dismissed the 'colorful display' and returned the original hair color of the three Slytherins.
"Come in, come in! Have a seat all of you," the Headmaster waved them in. Harry bowed his head slightly in respect and entered the office. Behind him came Gillian, skipping in excitement.
"You have a pretty office, 'fessor!" she exclaimed. After her, Hermione entered with Ron not far behind.
"Thank you, Gillian," Professor Dumbledore replied, his blue eyes twinkling in amusement at the young girl's energy.
"Poor bird! Can I pet him, 'fessor? I promise I won't hurt it." The bird on the golden perch was a scraggly-looking thing that resembled a badly plucked chicken, several of its tail feathers falling to the floor. When the Professor nodded his head, Gillian carefully patted Fawkes on the head and stroked his feathers. The phoenix closed his eyes contentedly, thoroughly enjoying Gillian's soft strokes.
"While Gillian is distracted, I believe we should start," the Professor turned to the three Gryffindors before him.
"I was told last night about the bracelet and the prophecy surrounding it. But what does it do exactly?" voiced Harry.
"Truth be told, Harry, the powers of the Bracelet of Aphrodite are shrouded in mystery; most doubt its very existence," explained Dumbledore. "The prophecy speaks of a day, through the magic the Bracelet bestows on its bearers, it will strengthen two of the Light who will give reason and great magic to the one who will defeat the Dark Lord. Nothing else is known about this bracelet. Very few people, in fact, know the prophecy. I have reason to believe that Voldemort has now joined the ranks of the informed."
"And I bet that he believes that he is the Dark Lord the prophecy refers to, then?" Ron hypothesized.
"And he would rather not take any chances," agreed Hermione.
"Since we're on the topic of Voldemort, Professor, what is the condition of the war at present?" asked Harry.
"Let's just say that it's been quieter for the past few months. Those who believe that he is definitely back are on the edge of their seats in anticipation, waiting for Voldemort to strike," the Headmaster replied.
"What about the Order?" asked Hermione.
"We have reason to believe that Voldemort is building his army. I have not been informed of any recent developments, however, so no need to worry as of late."
"AAAHH!" Gillian's surprised cry disrupted the meeting. She jumped onto Ron's lap and buried her face in his cloak. "I didn't do anything, promise!"
Skeptical, they peered over to the perch. Dumbledore smiled and Harry shook his head. The decrepit-looking bird became a fireball; and in the next second, a pile of hot ashes on the floor.
"What happened to Fawkes?" Ron wondered out loud.
"Burning day," Harry answered simply. "Come, Gillian, watch the ash pile on the floor." She lifted her head, got off Ron's lap and cautiously approached the pile of ashes that was Fawkes. She watched as a tiny newborn bird poked its head out of the ashes.
"I believe that you have your classes to attend to. You are dismissed," the Professor stood to show them to the door.
"Just one more thing, Professor. What about Gillian's education?" Hermione asked.
"Not to worry, Ms. Granger. Professor McGonagall and I discussed that this morning before breakfast. Take her to your classes. The Professors know what to do," and he ushered them out.
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After Charms, they went to Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration classroom, then after a break, outside for Herbology with Professor Sprout. While Ron, Hermione and Harry were busy with their lessons, Gillian was carefully coloring or diligently maneuvering a quill in a little desk beside the teacher's table. The only minor setback came after lunch when Harry and Ron were to go to Divination and Hermione to Arithmancy. But it was quickly resolved when Gillian adamantly refused to go up the North Tower for their last class of the day.
"It looks scary up there," she stubbornly reasoned and tightly held on to Hermione.
"We'll see you both in the Common Room after class," said Hermione and headed for Arithmancy with Gillian.
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When Harry and Ron entered the Gryffindor Common Room later that afternoon, they found Hermione sitting on one of the sofas facing the fire, leafing through a large tome placed on the table in front of her, periodically scribbling on a piece of parchment. She was, no doubt, doing her homework already. Gillian took up the rest of the sofa space, sleeping peacefully. Hermione's black school robe was made into a blanket.
"How was Divination? You took longer than usual and Gillian tried to wait for you. She wanted to give you two something when you came back," she looked up from her homework to address them.
"Sorry about that, 'Mione. Actually, McGonagall cornered us on the way here to talk to us about the upcoming Quidditch Season. The Captain here almost forgot to reserve the pitch and schedule practices with Madam Hooch," Ron answered and put a hand under Harry's chin, which Harry batted away in annoyance.
"As my best mate and Keeper of said Quidditch team, you were supposed to remind me, you twit!" he retorted and cuffed Ron lightly on the soldier. The two sixteen-year-old lads exchanged friendly punches and wrestled in front of the fireplace.
"Honestly, you two act like five-year-olds!" she remarked.
"I'm not like that, My-nee," Gillian had apparently woken up to the boys' ramblings and was rubbing the sleep from her eyes.
"Of course not, dear. You're a young lady," answered Hermione and kissed Gillian on the top of the head. "You're all rested up now, aren't you?"
Gillian nodded her head as she stretched and yawned. Hermione folded her robe, closed her book and put away her things. She reached into her bag and took out a dark brown leather folder, which she handed over to Gillian. "You wanted to show these to Harry and Ron, didn't you?" Gillian walked over to the two boys sitting on the floor and handed the folder over to Ron.
"Good work, Gilly!" Ron exclaimed, examining the several pieces of parchment Gillian had been working on all day. Duly impressed, Ron put his hand in one of the pockets of his slacks and pulled out two unopened chocolate frogs and gave it to the little girl. Her eyes glistened in delight and gave Ron a fierce hug which made him fall back to the floor. Hermione and Harry laughed as Ron started tickling Gillian, sending her into peals of laughter.
Harry moved to sit with Hermione to avoid Ron and Gillian who were rolling around on the floor. Harry picked up the forgotten folder and opened it. The collection contained a parchment filled with an array of shapes, in different colors and in different sizes, both cases of the letter A, painstakingly written in rows to cover the parchment, complete with several blots of ink on the writing material and 2 more sheets of parchment filled with random drawings. All the parchments had Gillian's name scribbled at the bottom right of the sheet. The one filled with the letter A had a gold star at the top left corner of the sheet.
When he looked up, Ron and Gillian were on the backs, lying on the floor, and out of breath. "Wonderful job, Gill," he said and smiled at her.
"Thank you, Harry," she smiled back at him, still a bit breathless.
"Come on, let's go to dinner," Hermione said, getting up from her seat on the sofa.
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A/N: Um...Thanks so much for still reading! ~z