Disclaimer :It's not mine.
Chapter 7 : Presents, Potions and Patronus
"Well, now. I s'pose it ain't that obvious, but I'da thought you migh' know it. It's a Vinculum Coin. Yeh've all got one," Hagrid explained as he motioned for Harry and Ron to open their packages.
"A Vinculum Coin?" Ron asked looking up from his present, "Really? I've read about those. I didn't know they came in the form of a Knut."
"Yep. They come in all the coins. Don' really know why," Hagrid said giving his head a confused scratch, "But the shop only had Knuts."
"A Vinculum Coin, Hagrid? I don't understand. What does it do?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded in question.
"A Vinculum Coin is a coin that links other selected coins to it. Look on the edges," Hagrid told her, "There's Harry's name an' Ron's. When they glow, it means they're near yeh. The closer yeh come to them, the brighter they glow."
"That's wicked, Hagrid, and dead useful, eh?" Ron stated.
Harry and Hermione nodded, smiling as the names on their coins blazed. Hagrid's face contorted into a goofy, yet pleased grin. It was the happiest the trio had seen him that night. It delighted Hagrid to be able to do something nice for his friends, especially after how he had given them such a fright.
The large gamekeeper stood from his chair, feeling immensely better than he had earlier that day and threw a glance out the window.
"I s'pose you oughta be goin' now. It's getting' pretty late an' Dumbledore doesn't want yeh out too late," he informed them.
Hermione nodded, as if she felt it her duty to agree with him.
"Come on you two," she said in an orderly sort of voice.
"Thanks, Hagrid," Harry said, "I'm really glad you're okay."
"Yeah," Ron piped up, "These are brilliant!" He took a last look at his coin before hiding beneath his robes. Opening the door, he gave Hagrid one last smile, then led the way out.
Hagrid's happiness waned as soon as the door was closed. He felt the cold air of terror come upon him, and he closed his eyes and braced himself for another relapse.
"I'm glad he's ok," Hermione said walking swiftly up the path.
"Yeah, it was a bit unnerving to see him like that," Ron said coming up beside her.
Harry joined them on the path, "It does sort of make you wonder though," he continued at the questioning looks of his friends, "If Voldemort can do that to a half giant, what could he do to us?"
Although they all knew exactly what the Dark Lord could do, their minds were caught momentarily in a web of terrible thoughts. They were all silent the rest of the way to the common room.
It was empty when they reached it. Glancing at the wizard clock on the wall, they saw that it was because it was 'Way Past Bedtime.' Harry and Ron tiredly made their way up to their dorms, while, unfortunately for her, Hermione had to patrol for a bit out in the corridor near the fat lady's portrait. Yawning she stepped back out of the common room and began her duties.
~~~~~~~~~
"You look awful, Hermione," Ron told his friend honestly, the next morning at breakfast.
"That's because I didn't get enough sleep, you twit," she snapped. Taking a piece of crisp toast from the plate in front of her, she took an angry bite out of it. Ron took this strange gesture as a sign to leaver her be. So, he turned to Harry and started talking to him about their number one favourite topic: Quidditch.
"Who do you think'll replace Wood this year?" he asked Harry.
"I dunno. I heard Colin Creevey's trying out," he answered.
"Colin? Do you think he'll make it?" Ron wanted to know.
Harry thought about it. "I don't know. I've never seen him fly, much less try to block a Quaffle. But I heard that he asked Alicia to give him a few pointers. Oliver left her the team, so Colin thought she'd be the person to ask. Are you going to try?"
"Nah. I just make a fool of myself. Probably fall off my broom if I tried to block," Ron admitted.
"Ah, you should mate. I bet you do brilliantly," Harry assured him.
Ron grinned, "Maybe, but I don't know. I think I'm a better spectator."
Harry shrugged and, slugging down the rest of his pumpkin juice, said to his friends, "Come one, we'd better get to Potions. Snape will murder us if we're late for the first class."
Hermione sighed at the thought of Potions and too little sleep. The combination could be disastrous.
"Ah, good to see you're on time for once, Potter," the Potions professor sneered when they entered.
Harry turned away from Snape and glared at the wall. After he thought the stone had had enough, he walked to his seat, followed by his friends and sat down. It was going to be a long year in Potions.
As soon as everyone had come in, Professor Snape began.
"This year, I have been informed that due to the return of…He Who Must Not Be Named, the curriculum has changed and I will therefore be teaching you all potions that can be used in battles and those for medical purposes," he looked around at the slight unease of the Gryffindor students. Although the headmaster had told them that the Dark Lord had returned, taking action to help fight him, somehow made it all the more real.
The Slytherins, on the other hand, smiled slyly, as if they all shared an evil secret. Harry looked over at Malfoy. His blond hair slicked back, smirking; he was the poster boy for evil. There was no way around it. His entire lineage was pure-blooded wickedness. It made Harry slightly nervous that at any time, a quarter of the school could quite possibly turn against them.
"Today," Snape continued, "We are mixing a simple Frendo Formula which heals bruises. As always, it is important to know how to create this potion. What are the three, main components?"
Although Hermione's hand rose instantly, Snape ignored it, knowing her to be an insufferable Know-It-All.
"Malfoy?"
The Slytherin sneered at Hermione, and answered, "A Unicorn hair, Crithock bark and Trillox powder." (A/N just ignore the total lameness of my potion ingredients. I couldn't think of anything.)
"Five points to Slytherin," Snape awarded them.
Hermione scowled. After telling them how to mix the ingredients properly, Snape told them to separate into groups. Harry and Ron once more left Hermione to herself. She looked around and quickly walked over to Seamus Finnigan. He smiled at her. He knew that with Hermione by his side, he would most likely not completely botch the potion and lose points.
As they began to slice the Gloghurd roots required, Hermione felt a light smack on her shoulder. Looking up, she met Malfoy's cold stare.
"Is it true? They actually made you Prefect. Mudblood," he spat.
Hermione's shoulders sank slightly, but determined not to let him best her, she looked straight into his eyes and said, "Jealous that a Pureblood such as yourself wasn't asked?"
Malfoy's cheeks tinted pink. How dare a filthy Muggle born talk back to him.
"Listen you scum. I am better than you," his face neared hers so that she could see nothing but the hard grey of his eyes, "You're nothing more than then dirt beneath my feet. The only reason I wasn't made Prefect is because I chose not to be."
Seamus watched helplessly as the greasy Slytherin tormented his friend. How could he do anything? Malfoy'd crumble him in his fist.
Hermione was livid, and plain fed up with Malfoy's belief that he was better than everyone.
She stood up, more irate than scared, and scoffed, "Drop the act Malfoy. Dumbledore's the one man that your father cannot bribe, and you know it. Your pathetic excuse is just that. Pathetic. Just. Like. You." And with that, she brushed past him and walked over to where Harry and Ron sat, to borrow some extra roots.
Draco's heart beat with such fury that he could barely control himself. He could hardly take in what had just happened. The Mudblood had stood up for herself, and succeeded in making him look like a fool. Pathetic. His father would be so ashamed.
~~~~~~~~~~
"I understand that you are quite adept at producing a Patronus, Mr. Potter," Professor Artemisia said to Harry the next week in class. They had spent the first while reviewing old spells, and finally, the new professor thought it time to begin the real thing.
Harry nodded, turning towards her, he asked, "Why?"
"Alas, the Patronus has always been my weakest spell, however I think it could prove its usefulness in the near future," she answered him in her soft, airy voice.
"So, what's that got to do with me?" Harry wanted to know.
"I want you to teach it, Harry," Artemisia said simply.
"Teach it? Are you mad?" (A/N sorry, I know that's really like the book, but I thought it'd be fun anyway)
"Quite the contrary. Seeing as you are so skilled at it, I think you'd do a marvellous job."
Harry looked at her as if she had transformed into a giant squid. But, seeing as she wore an expression of complete seriousness, he shook his head in disbelief and muttered, "Now?"
"Yes, if you please," she said smiling.
Von : Yay, another idiotic grin lit up my face. I'm glad you like the unique, and sometimes, I guess, not so unique ideas. I suppose it's kind of dumb to write this when the fifth book is already out. I keep thinking it's the sixth year and I can add in all the new stuff… but it isn't, sadly. Thanks for reviewing, you keep me going.
Princess55 : Thanks. Tell me what you think of this one. I'm still having trouble with the flow of it. Hopefully I'll straighten it out. : )
A/N : As for the rest of you. I'm tempted to give up here. I'm not gonna be cruel to my few readers and wait for a certain number of reviews till I update, but you know, one line isn't that hard to do. Just tell me what you think of it. I'm down on my knees well actually I'm quite comfortable here on the couch, but figuratively, I'm kneeling. PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!