Author's Note: How many people saw Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone the first day it came out?
Sirius: She did. *points to Whisperer*
Whisperer: Er, besides me that is. Anyway, I really liked it, the chess match was great, I loved Quidditch, the tension before they showed Voldemort was great, Oliver Wood was great, Ron was too, Hagrid was perfect ("I shouldn't have told yeh that." Hehe! Poor Hagrid), Hermione was good, and of course Harry was great.
Sirius: What about my bike? How did my bike look?
Whisperer: Very nice Sirius. There was only one little thing I didn't like, I really didn't like the way they did James. They showed him in the mirror of Erised, and in the photo album, and I just didn't like the way they did him. He didn't look mischievous at all he looked like a salesman really, and as J. K. states he and Harry look uncannily alike, aside from the glasses, and the hair color, I don't think they looked very much alike. But over all I really liked the movie, and I will be seeing it about 5 more times.
Sirius: Now that our movie review is over can we get back to the subject at hand?
Whisperer: WHOA! Sirius actually wanting to be on topic, this is a first.
Sirius: *sighs* Fine, I'll do the thank-yous, disclaimer, and everything else.
Whisperer: Why thank you Sirius!
Sirius: I'm such a softy. Anyway, before people start running at us armed with sharp, pointy object here me out! When the Whisperer originally wrote this chapter it took up 20 pages!
Then she read it through, and realized that she was cramming way too much information in one chapter so she cut it in half, and then had to do some clean up work, and that's why this took so long.
Mega-thanks to my beta-reader ~*Dumbledore's True Love*~, she rocks! She put up with all my crazy ideas, and off-topic-ness, and didn't kill me when I decided to split the chapter. Everyone applaud her! *claps* Better yet, go read her stories (which also rock), and review them.
Thank you to the terrific people who reviewed: vmr, Sandrine Black, sweets, Gia, kyra aku riddle, summersun, Lavender Ice, sweets, Tschubi-chan, Zapper (a fellow METMA, yay!), Shayna Black, Rainbow Fire, Sophie W., Audiaa2 (I completely agree), 2 many 2 mention (I won't leave you hanging, I promise), Jessica Black, Clara, Jocelyn Magus (you put my petty little fanfiction next to some of the greatest, if not the greatest, books of all time? You rock! I'm on cloud nine right now, and won't be leaving it for a long time), RicaSieg, MajesticAngel, and Clue!
Sequel to Harry Potter and the Emerald Eye.( I suggest you read that first, but you don't have to, it's just a good idea.) Harry's in for quite a year when he starts seeing things that no one else can, is it a dream? Or is he really going crazy? Questions start arising like what did Voldemort do to his victim after he killed them? This has it all; mystery, insanity, a lot of Sirius and Remus, and everyone calls Harry a lunatic at least once! ;)
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including, but not limited to; Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, as well as Warner Brothers Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 4: School Days
Like lightning, Harry grabbed the scrap of parchment, pocketed it, and raced off to tell
Dumbledore. He followed the familiar path to the stone gargoyle that guarded the entryway to
Dumbledore's office. Harry started to give it the password when it opened from inside and Sirius
walked out.
"Harry?" he blinked once, "what are you doing still up?"
"This was, er . . . left for me, I think you and Dumbledore better look at it," Harry extracted the
letter from his pocket, handing it to Sirius.
Sirius unfolded it, glanced at it, and raised his eyebrows briefly, before folding the parchment
back up, "Very funny, Harry, but an encore to tonight is not needed at the moment."
"What?" Harry frowned.
"What is it? A mini-Marauder's Map?" Sirius tapped the parchment with his wand saying, "I
solemnly swear I'm up to no good." He unfolded the parchment again, frowned, refolded it.
"Okay, then what is it?"
Harry said, "Don't you see it?"
"See what, Harry?"
"What's written on the parchment."
Sirius put a hand on Harry's forehead feeling for a fever, there was none. "Harry, are you feeling
all right?" There was genuine concern in his voice.
"Yes," Harry said confused.
Sirius opened the folded scrap of parchment, and handed it to Harry. Harry took it from him, and
his eyes went wide; on the parchment was no longer the letter, but nothing.
"B-but . . . w-what . . .?" Harry stammered, blinking his eyes several times as though if he
blinked enough the message would appear again.
"What was it?"
"Voldemort sent me a message, he sent those hag-bird thingys, it said that . . . that . . ." But Harry
couldn't remember, the message had been wiped from his memory just like it had been wiped
from the parchment.
Sirius sighed, he saw the look of sheer astonishment in Harry's face, he knew this wasn't a joke.
"I'll check it out, now go back to bed, you have a long day tomorrow."
"Can't I--"
"No sorry, school tomorrow, scoot,"Sirius said turning him around and nudging him in the
direction of Gryffindor common room.
Harry yawned, "I'm going, I'm going. G'night Sir."
''Night, Harry," Sirius muttered looking at the parchment, a shiver of apprehension ran down his
spine. It's just a piece of parchment, Sirius, he scolded himself, nothing more, nothing less.
Satisfied with his answer, Sirius started to head down the hall, then stopped. He turned on a heel,
and stomped back from whence he came, "Oh, to blazes with it! Sugar Quills."
The gargoyle jumped aside.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
The next morning, Harry awoke to the sounds of birds singing, but to him it was more like
squawking. "Shut up, will ya?" he snapped irritably at the birds.
"C'mon Harry, you got to wake up sometime," Ron said huskily.
Groaning, realizing that his chances of obtain those coveted extra five minutes where slim to
none, Harry rolled out of bed, kicking away his sneakers so that he would actually have some
standing room. "Where is everybody?"
"Breakfast, where I'd like to be,"said Ron meaningfully.
"All right, all right, I'm up, I'm getting dress," Harry fumbled for his glasses, found them,
grabbed his robes, and headed into the bathroom to get changed. He emerged a few minutes
later, fresh, clean, and ready for a new day. "Happy?"
"Thrilled," Ron stated as they left the dorm.
Breakfast was a noisy affair. Harry and Ron took their customary seats next to Hermione who
was reading a thick textbook.
"Here are your schedules," she handed them their schedules not taking her eyes off her book.
A strange look came over Ron's face as he scanned the Monday column of his schedule. "YES!"
he screamed.
The whole table stopped what they were doing to look at him. Ron's face reddened, as he pointed
to the second box in the first column marked; Joint Care of Magical Creatures--
Ravenclaws.
Harry grinned, "Sirius and Remus."
"Of course," Hermione said, "the Slytherins must be overjoyed."
"But we still have Herbology with the Hufflepuffs," Harry whispered sullenly.
Ron, and Hermione traded looks, spending classes with the Hufflepuffs was going to hard for
Harry this year, and Herbology being the first class of the year didn't help.
A flapping of wings caused them to raise their heads to the ceiling, the owls burst in through the now-repaired windows. Harry noticed that Hedwig had something in her beak, but flew not to him, but to Sirius. More Ministry papers, Harry thought as he saw Sirius frown at the seal.
"What's that?" Ron said pointing to the letter Sirius was showing Remus.
"Dunno," Harry shrugged. "Probably about his Animagi registration or something like that."
"What's involved in those things anyway?" Hermione asked, curiously.
"Wait!" Ron yelled, clapping a hand to his forehead. "Hermione Granger does not know about something? The world is coming to an end!"
"Oh shut up, Ron," Hermione sighed, "and for your information the Animagi registration test used to a top secret, and even though now there are books written about it they're very hard to find."
"We have to do some paper about Animagi for the O. W. L.s?" guessed Harry.
Hermione smiled like the cat who ate the canary, "Guilty."
"Hermione!" Ron groaned, running a hand through his hair, exasperated.
Hermione gave him a look, Harry sensing an argument quickly said, "Oh! Look at the time! We're going to be late for class, let's go!" He grabbed the backs of his friends' robes, and dragged them out of the hall, and down to the greenhouses.
When Harry got there he felt his courage weakening, how could he spend the first class with th Hufflepuffs? How could he spend any classes with the Hufflepuffs?
Noticing this, Ron slung an arm around Harry's shoulders, and practically pushed him into greenhouse number five.
The Hufflepuffs were already seated when they arrived. They all stared at Harry with hard, cold eyes. Harry walked slowly to his seat, their eyes seemed to be boring into his back
as he walked. Professor Sprout walked in looking her usual self with her hat askew upon her flyaway hair.
"Today we will be going over what we have learn in the past four years, hopefully some of what I've said has stayed in your head, and not gone in one ear and out the other,"she said handing out folders full of study sheets for the Herbology O. W. L. "Now can anyone tell me which plant's pus can cure various forms of acne?"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forty-five minutes, and many questions later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione gladly left the stifling greenhouse, staggering slightly under the weight that the folder had added to their bags.
They had made their way up the hill to the paddocks, Sirius was already there, leaning against
the fence, he seemed to be preoccupied by the smudge of mud on his boot.
"Siri-- Professor?" Hermione asked.
Sirius raised his eyes to her, "Hey, you're early."
Ron grinned, "You switched it, didn't you?"
"Switched what?"
"We don't have this class with the Slytherins this year," Ron explained. "You set it up that way,
didn't you?"
"And if I did?"
"Where's that teacher of the year award?" Ron started pulling out his pockets pretending to be
looking for an award, not noticing that the rest of the Gryffindors and Ravenclaws had joined them.
Sirius laughed lightly, putting the nervous students at ease. "I'm honored Ron, but I'm going to
have to refuse it, I have to at least teach a lesson first." He straightened up, and adopted a
no-nonsense tone of voice, "All right, seeing that everyone is here we can begin; this will be a
practical lesson so leave your bags here. Professor Lupin is with your assignment, so come with
me." They hesitantly followed Sirius. While they walked, Parvati Patil tapped Harry on the shoulder.
"Yes?" he said turning around.
"This might sound rude, but . . . is he really innocent?" implored Parvati, while Lavender gave
him a "like-seriously?" look.
"Of course," Harry said, realizing that Sirius's freedom meant nothing to the rest of the world,
they still thought he was as guilty as sin. "And, yes I trust him," he added sharply.
Parvati shrugged with a "Sheesh-it's-only-a-question" air.
Harry started to walk faster to catch up with Ron and Hermione. He watched as Sirius lead them
across a field to another paddock that Remus was standing in, surrounded by furry black things
that looked like puppies.
"Aww!" several of the girls squealed when they saw the puppies, and some of the boys grinned.
"So," Sirius said, "does anyone know what they are?"
"Puppies?" some people said.
"Not exactly."
"They're magical dogs aren't they?" Hermione said, thinking hard.
"Yes," Sirius nodded. "They're Pookas."
"Oh, aren't they suppose to be sprites that take the form of black dogs?" Hermione rattled off.
"Exactly," Sirius opened the gate for Remus, and signaled for the class to wait. As Remus
hurried out, all the puppies turned to look at the new people, yapping playfully.
"Cute, huh?" Remus asked closing the gate behind him as one rouge puppy made a try for
freedom. Sirius caught the pup, and placed it back in the paddock.
Most of the class agreed. Harry noticed that everybody was starting to warm to Sirius.
"Good, because each of you will be taking care of one of them for the year. As in your Pooka
will follow you everywhere," Remus told them gesturing to the Pookas.
"But for what?" Terry Boot, a Ravenclaw questioned.
"For your O. W. L.s exam, they are a part of it," Sirius said, "each puppy will spend the year in
your care, and depended on how it is raised, trained, etc. will be half of the exam. Sprites are
very difficult to harm so don't worry about it dying on you, it's not a goldfish."
An excited chatter broke out within the crowd at this new assignment.
"Class," Remus said, recapturing the class's attention. "We will be giving you some information
on Pookas, and----"
"This means homework doesn't it?" Neville Longbottom sighed.
"Yes Mr. Longbottom, one roll of parchment on taking care of Pookas, that's all. Aside from that
all you have to do is be chosen by a Pooka," Remus opened the gate.
Without delay, everyone entered the paddock anxious to meet the Pookas, the puppies raced up
to the teenagers. Harry hung back to speak with Sirius, "Hey, how's it going, Professor Black?"
"Pretty good, we don't have the Slytherins until Thursday so we're safe," Sirius whispered
watching the class. "And you don't have to call me professor all the time."
"Nah, it's entertaining."
"Yeah, sure, whatever," Sirius smirked. "Better get in there before all the good pups chose an owner."
"It doesn't matter to me," Harry shrugged as he heard a demanding barking at his feet, it was the
rouge Pooka from before. "Er . . . then again."
Sirius chuckled, "Poor boy, that pup's a handful."
"Just my luck," Harry knelt down to pet the pup, who jumped on his out stretched hand. It was
surprisingly light, probably only a pound, it's scurry coat was very soft, and with it's flopped over
ears and stubby tail it was very cute. The only thing that didn't make it look like a black Labrador
were its eyes; they were like liquid gold. "What's it's name?"
"That's up to you," said Sirius as the puppy scrambled onto Harry's shoulder. "Good luck,"he said
before going to check on the students.
"Okay,"Harry said looking at his Pooka, who sneezed a second later. "Er . . . bless you."
At that moment Ron yelled, "Hey Harry, nice hair!"
Harry gave him an astonished look, and felt his hair; it was curly! And high?! He turned back to
his classmates, all of whom were laughing.
"Here," said Lavender Brown, handed Harry her compact mirror.
Harry flicked it open and stared dumbfounded at his reflection; his hair was now curly, and no
longer flopping all over the place on top of his head but piled on top of his head in a hump-like
shape, and a fringe hung down in the back. His hair was now styled like an old rockin' roll
mullet! It also didn't help that no longer was his hair black, but blue!
"Nice fashion statement, Harry!" Mandy Brocklehurst joked. "It'll make the cover of Witch Weekly!"
"Harry, who's your stylist? They should be arrested for breaking the fashion law!"
Harry looked to Sirius for help, which his godfather proved very little by laughing along with the rest. "Haha, very funny," Harry muttered while having a brief fight with his robes to find his wand, pulled it out, and turned his hair back to normal with one exception, it was still blue. He tried several different spells, but none could return his hair back to black. "Er . . . Siri- Professor Black? Professor Lupin? A little help, please?"
Remus smiled, "I'm sorry Harry, but I'm afraid there are still some branches of magic wizards, and more astonishingly witches haven't been able to tap into or reverse. You're hair will have to remain blue until your Pooka decides to reverse it, or it simply wears off."
"And what if it doesn't?" Harry asked glaring at the Pooka.
Remus shrugged with a smile, "It all depends on your Pooka, Harry."
"So in other words I'm stuck with blue hair for a loooong time, huh?" "Maybe," Sirius smirked. "Now, class as you can plainly see Mr. Potter is the victim--I mean master-- of a particularly mischievous Pooka, and owning one of those kind can be fun--- that is until you end up with the short end of the stick."
The class laughed and Harry's face turned bright red and hid his face in his hands. His Pooka jumped lightly on his head, and bowed to the applauding students. Harry groaned into his hands.
Another chorus of laughter came from the crowd as Harry felt as if the Pooka was hopping on his head. Using Lavender's mirror he saw what the little dog was really doing . . .tap dancing! Complete with top-hat! The Pooka was tap dancing on his head!
Harry shook his head lightly and the Pooka lost its balance and fell. It landed gracefully on the ground
"The world's next Fred Astaire!" Sirius said gesturing to the dog.
Harry looked up confused, "Who is Fred Astaire?"
"A famous tap dancer from the 30's," Remus said quickly. The he added softly to Harry, "And the only reason Sirius knows that is because he dated a girl who was nuts about dancing once."
Harry chuckled and just then the bell rang
"Homework is due by the next class, dismissed," Remus said as the class turned to leave.
They nodded and headed off to Transfiguration
"Do you think McGonagall will know a cure for this?" Harry said pointing to his hair.
"You heard Lupin, Harry, there is no reversal spell," Hermione said looking at Harry's Pooka, who was trotting happily behind its new master.
Harry groaned in dismay, and looked at his Pooka, "Are you going to fix this any time soon?" he asked pointing to his hair.
It shook its head, grinning a dog-ish grin.
Harry glared at it good-naturedly.
"Look at it this way Harry, you could double for one of the Weird Sisters' back-up dancers, they all have blue hair anyway," Ron said jokingly.
Harry glared and punched Ron in the shoulder, "Shut up."
"Touchy," Ron smirked as he held the door open for Harry, and Hermione. Before he let go a most un-welcomed person walked through the open door. "Finally found a job you could do, Weasley?"
Ron turned red in anger, "Sod off, Malfoy." was all he came up with at the moment.
"Ooooh, witty comeback, Weasley. I'm so frightened." Malfoy mocked.
"You should be Malfoy, don't you know that white ferrets are killed, and sold for their pelts?" Hermione snapped, coming to Ron's defense.
Malfoy flushed and stomped off, unable to come up with a response.
"Not able to get the last word, Malfoy?" Harry called, his eyes alight with laughter.
Sadly, those words became Harry's downfall because when Malfoy turned around he noticed Harry's hair.
"Potter, what happened to you? Your wand malfunction? Or did you think of entering a freak show? I'm sure you'll get in."
Harry scowled but before he could do anything his Pooka barked and Malfoy's hair was bright pink.
Harry raised wand behind his back, and sheet of parchment fell down from the ceiling, landing at Malfoy's feet. Malfoy picked it up, read it, and looked at Harry, "I'd watch my step if I was you Potter or you might be next!" With that Malfoy crumpled the parchment, and threw it at Harry (who caught it), and stomped off.
"What's that?" Ron asked pointing at the parchment. Harry showed it to him, Ron covered his mouth to stop himself from laughing.
"What is it?" Hermione asked taking the parchment from Harry, and smiling when she read it out loud; Dear Mr. Malfoy,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been excepted to the London Circus's Freak Show as "Draco Malfoy, the Amazing Bouncing Pink Ferret."
Ron burst out laughing and even Hermione was chuckling. "Brilliant, Harry!" Ron gasped out.
"Tha---"
"Potter!" a stern voice called.
Harry whirled around and came face to face with Professor Gudgeon. "Yes?" said Harry confused
"Malfoy came into class ranting that you turned his hair pink."
"I didn't turn his hair pink," Harry said stubbornly.
Gudgeon rolled his eyes, "Then who did? The dog?" He pointed at Harry's Pooka.
Harry nodded, "Yes, sir."
"Come with me, Potter." Gudgeon said, grabbing Harry's arm and dragging him to his office. adding to Ron and Hermione, "You two, off to class."
"See you," Harry said to Ron and Hermione as he was dragged off.
Gudgeon pulled Harry into his office and sat him down in a chair while he sat down behind his desk. Harry suddenly sniggered.
"What's so amusing, please let me in on the joke." Gudgeon said, dead panned.
"Well, sir, your hair is bright purple!" Harry said, trying to hold back his laughter.
"What?!" Gudgeon yelled, conjuring up a mirror, and then gasping when he saw his hair. "Potter!"
"I didn't do it!" Harry said, his laughter turning into rage.
"Oh, let me guess, the dog did?"
"It's a Pooka, sir, and yes it did." Harry said.
"Don't you sharp-shoot me,"Gudgeon said shortly, then said "Harry, if you're honest with me then I won't punish you, now did you do this, or did you not?"
"I didn't! My Pooka did!" Harry said while avoiding looking at Gudgeon's hair."Look at my hair if you don't believe me."
"What are you talking about, Potter? Your hair is perfectly normal."
"What! It was blue!" Harry said, feeling his hair. Harry grabbed the mirror, and Gudgeon was right. "It was! I swear! Ask Sirius!"
"I don't think I'll have to resort to that, Potter. He'll just go along with your story, after all, he is your godfather. Come see me tonight at around 9:00 for your punishments. You are dismissed."
Harry stuttered for a second as Gudgeon guided him out the door. He glared at his Pooka all the way to Transfiguration, when he opened the door McGonagall raised her head from a report she was reading, and asked, "Potter, what is the matter with your hair?"
Harry felt his hair, "What are you talking about?"
She gave him a funny look, "I don't know if you've realized this Mr. Potter, but your hair is blue!"
"Professor Gudgeon said it was normal! It was normal a few minutes ago!" Harry said, shocked.
McGonagall conjured up a mirror, and handed it to Harry. Harry looked in it and screamed, "I'm cursed!"
"Well, obviously," she said. "Now get to your seat."
Harry walked shakily to his seat next to Ron. "What happened?" Ron whispered.
"I'll tell you later." Harry muttered.
"Potter, your Pooka?" she said pointing to the dog.
"What about it, Professor?" Harry asked.
"It has to go outside for the remainder of this lesson."
"Gladly," Harry said nudging the Pooka out the door to join the other waiting Pookas. He wasn't on the best terms with the animal at the moment.
A few minutes after Harry sat down and McGonagall returned to her lecture there was a bunch of barking. McGonagall cast a silencing charm.
"Now to turn a field mouse into a pig, you must first know the bone, and organ structure of both animals . . . and what in heaven's name is that?" There was a loud banging at the door.
Everyone turned to the door and then-BANG! it was busted down and all the Pooka's ran to their masters, yapping in delight.
"OH, FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE!" McGonagall cried as the Pookas turned the quiet room into one of utter chaos.
Harry's Pooka jumped onto him, licking his face excitedly. Field mice were running everywhere as well as one pig (Hermione's). McGonagall shot up sparks and surprisingly the Pookas quieted down.
She pointed her wand at all of them, "All of you! You may stay here as long as you keep quiet!" She said sharply.
The Pookas all nodded in unison
"Alright, then," She said. "Accio field mice!" All of the Field mice came whizzing back. "Accio pig!" Hermione's pig also came back. "Now, let's try again."
Harry turned his attention back to the lesson, but little did he know that the pooka's were also watching the lesson with wide eyes at the mice. "As you see Ms. Granger's pig has the perfect bone and organ structuuuuuuu . . . Oh! No!" One of the Pooka had ripped the rat right out of her hand, and was chasing it around the room.
"Harry Potter! Control your Pooka this instant!" McGonagall shouted furiously.
Harry had had it for today, "HEY! YOU!" His Pooka turned toward him, grinning. "WIPE THAT SMILE OFF YOUR FACE, AND COME HERE AND SIT DOWN!" Harry shouted.
The Pooka kept on smiling and jumped over to Harry and licked his face, Harry took it into his arms. He plopped down in the chair and held the dog tightly, "Will you stop that?"
The puppy whimpered at Harry's sharp voice.
"It's okay," Harry said softly, "but you have to listen to me, and sit and stay, okay?" The Pooka nodded, and layed down in Harry's lap. And Sirius said this would be a relatively easy project, Harry thought while petting the small dog.
The class continued without further interruption. When the bell rang, Harry decided it was time to pay his godfather a visit. "Do you guys want to come?" he asked Ron and Hermione.
"Sorry Harry, I can't, prefects meeting," Hermione said.
"Ron?"
"Sure," Ron said glancing down at his own pooka who was taller, and stronger looking then Harry's with frosted blue eyes. "They should be finishing up their lessons now, right?"
"Right. He-the Pooka-- has to stop changing everyone's hair color," Harry grumbled as they walked down to the grounds and saw Sirius and Remus cleaning up and heading up to the castle for dinner.
"Hey, Professor Black! Professor Lupin, wait!" Harry called, waving at them.
They stopped and waited for them to come over.
"Oh no, it's them again!" Sirius said in a mock-sigh. "Why is it always the students you can't seem to stand always come for extra help?"
"Hey!" Harry, and Ron glowered at him.
"Just kidding, what can we do for you, guys?" Sirius said.
"Get me out of a detention?" Harry said hopefully.
"And get his Pooka to stop changing everyone's hair color," added Ron. "Detention?" Sirius raised an eyebrow. "How'd you get a detention already?"
"Jealous?" Remus asked
"Professor Gudgeon gave me one because my Pooka turned Malfoy's hair pink and his hair purple! He doesn't believe me when I tell him my Pooka did it," Harry said.
"Really? Didn't he see your hair?" Remus said, logically.
"My Pooka changed it back to normal and when I got to Transfiguration it was blue again. I have to be at his office by 9:00 tonight."
Sirius grimaced, "Poor kid, I don't know what Davey might come up with for you, and I'm worried about that."
"Do you think you can talk to him?" Harry asked, looking from Lupin back to Sirius.
"Sorry, Harry," Remus shook his head.
"Sirius?"
Sirius shook his head, "Sorry buddy, even I have to obey the rules this time."
Harry sighed, "Okay, at least his hair will still be purple."
"Purple? On Gudgeon? Nice work fella," Ron said petting Harry's Pooka.
The Pooka bowed.
Remus looked at his watch, "I think it's time for you head up to dinner, boys, we'll be along shortly."
"Okay, see you later," Harry said.
Harry turned to leave when Sirius asked, "By the way what shade of blue is that?"
"Kerry Blue Terrier blue."
~~~~~~~~~~~~
That night Harry dragged himself down to Gudgeon's office, his Pooka trotting happily alongside him. He had pulled a baseball cap over his hair so Gudgeon didn't think that he had magical dyed to just to prove to him that his hair was blue. As he neared Gudgeon's office he saw Gudgeon waiting for him.
"Hello Mr. Potter," Gudgeon said, holding a bucket, sponges, and metal polish. "Ready for you detention?"
"Yes sir," Harry said glumly.
"Follow me." Gudgeon led Harry down to the trophy room, and gestured to the wall of Quidditch trophies. "All of these need to be cleaned and polished, without magic mind."
Harry nodded. He grabbed a rag and a trophy, and began the long task of cleaning them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hours later, Harry, and his Pooka slipped through the portrait hole. Harry was exhausted, his fingers and back ached, and he smelled strongly of polished.
The common room was dark, silent, the weak fire was casting long shadows across the carpeted floor. The room was deserted.
Harry collapsed in an armchair, he was going to rest for a minute before going to bed. He glanced absent-mindly up at the dying fire, and his eyes bugged out, he thought he saw one of the flames turn into James Potter's face!
Harry shook his head, it had to be his imagination or something.
The Pooka looked at the fire, and started growling.
Harry blinked furiously trying to see what the Pooka saw, if he saw anything at all. As if by some mystical force his Care of Magical Creatures book fell out of his half-closed book-bag, hit the floor, and opened to the page marked Animals, and Spirits. He lifted the book up, and read the page, It has been greatly speculated that animal (dogs, cats, Pookas, birds, etc.) can sense when something from the Netherworld had entered a room. Harry looked at his pooka with wide eyes and then back at the fire, "Dad?" he whispered.
No answer.
He sighed sadly and put his book back in his bag, "I'm just being stupid."
The Pooka snorted as if to say, "Hello! Listen to me!"
Harry looked over at the Pooka, "What?"
The Pooka walked over to the fire, and put his paw in it.
"Hey! Don't do that!" Harry yelped grabbing the puppy before it got its paw burnt. The Pooka squirmed in Harry's arms."Whoa, easy boy," he soothed, stroking its head.
The puppy squirmed furiously, yapping at the fire.
"No, you'll get hurt if you go in there," Harry said.
Harry looked at the fire and dropped his Pooka in surprise-there was his father's head again! And then with a flick of a flame it was gone again. "What the--?" Harry said kneeling down by the fire.
The Pooka was barking wildly at the fire as Harry peered into it.
Harry sighed and straighten up, just fire. He picked up his Pooka and carried it to his dorm.
Everyone was already asleep with their curtains drawn around their bed. Harry placed the Pooka on his bed, and looked at it. "You saw something right?"he whispered.
The Pooka nodded.
"And I saw something, and . . . maybe we're both nuts," Harry sat down dejectedly on his bed.
The Pooka jumped up and licked his face. Barking as if to say, "We're NOT nuts, we DID see something!"
"Okay, okay!" Harry laughed, shielding his face from the Pooka's lick-attack. Harry laid back on his bed and the Pooka sat on his chest. "We saw something, that something was my father's face," Harry said to the Pooka. "Why would my father be in the Gryffindor fire?" The Pooka shrugged. "I don't know either," Harry admitted. He sighed looking at the bedside clock, it was almost three. That gave him about four hours of blessed sleep. "We'll figure this out tomorrow," he told the Pooka as it scrabbled off Harry's chest, and curled up next to him. Without even bothering to undress Harry closed his eyes, and drifted off to sleep, murmuring, "This is going to be one very weird year."
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