Disclaimer: Yes, yes. You know it isn't mine.
Chapter 8: Yet Again
Harry, still somewhat sceptical that he was about to teach an entire class how to produce a Patronus, went to the front and made his announcement.
"Professor Artemisia wants me to teach you all a pretty difficult charm known as the Patronus Charm," he said loudly.
The class stopped talking all at once. They all looked at Harry for a moment before someone finally declared, "Yeah right, Harry. Good one."
The class broke into laughter. Harry reddened and watched as Artemisia held up her hand for quiet.
"Mr. Potter is quite serious. I am not very good at that specific charm, and I have therefore handed you over to his expertise. I assure you, he is quite capable."
The Gryffindors were a little stunned, and then, slightly in awe of Harry. One of their own was taking over for a teacher. The Ravenclaw students, who partnered with Gryffindor for Defence Against the Dark Arts, were even more surprised. Harry's close friends knew that he had…special qualities, but most other students were blind to them. (A/N not quite sure if that's true, I don't have the books for reference with me, so just pretend it is true.)
"Ok," Harry cleared his throat, "First, y-you ought t-to know that the Patronus is a defence mechanism use-used against Dementors. Each person has inside them, the…erm…capability of producing their own, distinctive form of Patronus."
Harry looked at Professor Artemisia in askance, wondering whether or not he was going about teaching the right way. He felt a little awkward trying to explain the charm. He wanted everyone to just know what he knew. When the professor nodded, he turned back to the class and went on.
"This is a very advanced bit of magic; very difficult and very power draining. The wrist movement is a basic flick. And the charm is Expecto Patronum."
Harry heard everyone whispering the words, trying to embed them in their minds.
"Right," Harry said in a half-hearted voice, "The other thing you need to do is think of your happiest memory; like winning the House Cup, or your first broom ride."
He waited for a moment so that they could do this. Then, he demonstrated.
Nervously, he stood in the corner of the room and faced the other side. Remembering the day when Sirius had promised him that he could live with him, he smiled sub-consciously, and let out a loud, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
The silvery, liquid mist shot from his wand, and came together in the form of a beautiful stag. It galloped across the room vividly before disappearing into the wall.
The students gaped at the scene and then began talking excitedly.
"I bet I could do that!" Decker Drimtot of Ravenclaw said. Harry gave a little smile, recalling how difficult it had been for him to produce even a small wisp of silver. Hs smile turned into a sly grin as he walked over to the boy. Decker was a short, stocky guy with brown hair and brown eyes. He wasn't overly popular or really smart, but he was known throughout the school for his exceptional talent for bragging.
"Alright Drimtot, let's see," Harry expectantly.
Decker's eyes widened slightly, but he quickly recovered and agreed. As he readied his wand, he became aware of the whole class circling around him. Professor Artemisia stood by and watched the class with an amused half-smile, resembling the headmaster's.
"Ok, so it's a flick of the wrist and… Expecto Patronum?" Decker asked in reassurance.
Harry nodded seriously, but Ron and Hermione could see a flicker of mischievousness in his bright, green eyes.
"Expecto Patronum!!" Decker yelled nervously. A tiny, silver spark emitted from the end of his wand, was all that he managed. Several of the students around him snickered.
Harry cocked his head to one side and gave Drimtot a look that told him the student-professor had expected nothing more.
"Alright, alright. It's harder than it looks," Decker said smiling good-naturedly.
Eager to try it for themselves, the rest of the students dispersed and went to find their own spot to practice. Harry wandered around, answering any questions they might have. By the end, the only person to have achieved more than a spark was Dean Thomas. From his wand came a long strand of the silver substance, gliding shapelessly for a moment, before vanishing. Hermione watched as her counterpart prefect did this and felt an odd sense of loss. Had she really become number two? A soft sigh fled her lips as she took her bag from her seat when class ended.
As it was her last lesson of the day, she went back to her dorm. She took her time in gathering up her school things and eventually, headed for the library to study. She arrived to find it virtually empty. Madam Pince, the librarian, sat at her desk going over her records, no doubt trying to find a student guilty of an overdue book. A lone girl sat in the corner of the room, surrounded by books and parchment. Hermione was surprised to realize that it was Lavender. The brown-haired Gryffindor seemed completely oblivious of Hermione entering and she went on reading. She looked up though, when a shadow was cast over the page.
"Hermione! What are you doing here?" Lavender gasped as if she had been caught stealing.
"Lavender, are you feeling alright? It's me. Hermione. She, who lives, breathes and eats the library," she had forgiven the girl for bashing Lupin, and was now trying to come to friendly terms.
Lavender relaxed visibly, and let a tiny giggle slip.
"What about you?" Hermione asked, "I don't see you in here all that often."
"Oh, I'm just studying for Potions. Snape said there'd be a test soon."
Hermione was astonished. Not only was Lavender actually studying, she was doing it for Snape.
"Wow, Lavender. You must be motivated. To be studying for him," Hermione told her.
Lavender smiled. It felt good to have someone notice the change in her. She had studied every day for the past week, and her will power had yet to falter. Her determination to do well this year, and try to mature herself, held steady, and was even growing a bit each day.
"Do you mind if I join you?" Hermione asked.
"Not at all. What are you studying?" Lavender was curious.
"Defence Against the Dark Arts," Hermione replied, cringing as she remembered her floundering talent.
"What, in Merlin's name, for?
Hermione went to the bookshelf and retrieved the volume she needed, 'Defending Body, Mind and Soul,' by Geoffrey Hallow. She went back to Lavender, sat down beside her and began explaining her ordeal, feeling oddly sure that the once frivolous teenager could understand.
Lavender nodded as Hermione's predicament became clear. Although she couldn't really relate, she could imagine the feeling of being shown up after having been the best for so long. Hermione wasn't conceited about her extraordinary talents. She was generous with it; helping any student who came to her.
"I'll help you if you like…" Lavender offered shyly, not sure if Hermione really wanted or needed it.
This new girl sitting beside her was one that Hermione liked. Though very different from the old Lavender, she felt the change had been for the best.
"Would you really? That'd be marvellous. And I could help you with something if you ever needed it," Hermione's offer was as shy, if not more so than Lavender's. Almost as if she expected the girl to laugh in her face that it had all been one big prank.
To her relief, though, the brunette smiled graciously.
~~~~~~~~~~
"I thought you said he could fly," Harry said to Alicia as he wiped a bead of sweat away from his brow.
"He can, Harry. Cut Colin some slack. He's nervous as blazes out there," she answered.
The Quidditch try-outs had begun half an hour ago. Along with Colin, a third year, Lavina Brougham, and sixth year, Allard Sims were both trying out. Lavina was a petite girl with wheat-blond hair cropped just below her ears. She loved flying, and had a mad passion for Quidditch. Allard was a tall, muscular guy, with a dark complexion and brown hair to match. He didn't really care if he made the team. His friends had thought he'd be a good choice and so they persuaded him to show up.
"What do you think of Brougham?" Harry wanted to know. He watched the small third year as he blocked the Quaffle thrown by Angelina Johnson.
"She's pretty decent. Probably a good choice. Do me a favour though, Harry? Go and talk to Colin. Just help him relax," Alicia begged.
Harry sighed, nodded and flew off to where Colin was, on the other end of the pitch, trying desperately to block the attempts made by Katie Bell. He signalled the Chaser to stop for a moment as he slowed in front of the Keeper wannabe.
"Having a bit of trouble, mate?" Harry noted in a friendly voice.
Colin nodded, obviously embarrassed by Harry pointing out his lack of coordination.
"Don't sweat it. I know what it's like to be nervous. Keep a firmer grip on your broom, and don't lean so far forward on it. Stay slightly in front of the hoops. Don't choose one to block. Watch Katie's moves. She loves to fake and fly all over to make you dizzy."
A grin crept across Colin's face as he relaxed. Harry flew off and winked at Katie as he passed. He rested a good fifty meters from her and watched as she began to fly about again. This time, Colin's flying was dramatically better, and so was his confidence. His blocking was a few steps behind, but as time wore on, he improved.
Satisfied with his work, Harry went back to Alicia and gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder, before launching out into the middle of the pitch where he swore he saw the Snitch hover momentarily above Fred Weasley's head.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Zis is a Prriggle," Professor Bolvier, said in a deep French accent. She had been the substitute teacher for Hagrid for the past week and a half. A tall woman with long blonde hair flipped out at the bottom. She was younger than any of the other professors by far, having graduated from Beaubaxtons only a few years earlier. The creature she held up was a strange looking thing. It somewhat resembled a small dog. It had a long tail, a squashed face, long rabbit ears and was completely hairless. It was also completely ugly.
"Prriggle's are useful for many sings. Zey can eet almost anysing, even poison, and not bee affected. Zey can grow zehr tails back immediately, zough, I do not know why zis is so useful," she told them. With a school girl giggling, she went on.
"Today, we will learn 'ow to care for zem."
She began pairing off the students. Hermione went with Harry and Ron got stuck Parvati. They each received one of the ugly beige creatures and listened while Professor Bolvier instructed them on caring for it.
They worked absent-mindedly for a while, until Hermione brought up the subject of Hagrid.
"It's been over a week. How come he isn't back?"
Ron looked over to where his friends were working. The same question had been on his mind.
"I don't know. Dumbledore said it could take a while," Harry tried to make an excuse. He could see, though, that it wasn't a very good one.
"I don't care, Harry. Something's wrong. Something that neither of them is telling us. I say we have a right to know. Hagrid's our friend and we ought to KNOW!" Hermione raised her voice in frustration. The chatter that had filled the air only seconds before, evaporated as everyone's gaze rested on her. Blushing angrily, she took a small Grubworm from the box Bolvier had given them, and tried forcefully to ram it down the Priggle's throat.
"Calm down, Hermione. We're all worried. We just have to wait it out. I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation," Harry tried to reassure her.
Although she had no desire at all to calm down, or wait, Hermione complied and put on a more composed face.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hermione met Lavender that night, in one of the old, empty History classes, near Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. The room was dark and dusty. On the shelves that outlined the walls, lay books upon books of old History texts. Opening one, Hermione smiled to see the name printed carefully inside. Charlie Weasley. She grinned, thinking that Ron's brother had once sat in this classroom taking notes.
Lavender sat at a desk in the middle of the room, rifling through the various notes she had taken during the week. She stopped when Hermione entered and gave her a bright smile. A genuine smile. Hermione was grateful to see that Lavender was still serious about everything. She had had her doubts.
"Shall we start then?" the brunette asked.
Hermione nodded and pulled her wand from inside her dark robes. Lavender straightened her papers out, and proceeded to put them carefully in her book bag before reaching for her own wand.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Where the devil is Hermione when you need her?" Ron moaned as he threw his quill to the ground. "This is useless. I'll never get this essay finished for Binns in time without her."
Harry grinned at his friend. Ron had been complaining for the last half hour. The two of them were sitting on one of the large, plush couches in the common room, trying desperately to keep up with all the homework they had.
"I think it's completely unfair all the bloody work they've been giving us," Ron went on, "I mean, do they really need to be drowning us in it? I've got to study for the OWLs, don't they know that?"
Harry laughed out loud.
"Ron, what are you on, mate? The homework is the studying for the OWLs."
The redhead's cheeks grew slightly pink.
"I… know that. But…how am I supposed to study without Hermione," he cried.
"You're a lost cause, Ron. This is a school you know. That strange invention they came up with so that we would learn things, for ourselves. Not so that our friends could do the work for us," Harry explained.
Ron sighed and nodded. Picking up the book 'Algor the Almighty,' he traced his finger along the page in search of some unknown reason of why Algor had been so almighty.
Harry shook his head and set down his parchment. He still had a little over half a foot to go on his own essay, but he decided it was time for a well-earned break. He stood up and stretched, his legs stiff from sitting cross-legged for so long. He observed the other students in the room for a moment, before spotting Alicia and walking over to her. She sat at one of the desks, bent over a long piece of parchment that, at the top, read 'Morgwaff and its Uses.'
"So, have you made a decision yet, mon Capitaine?" Harry said in a wretched butchering of the French language.
"I think I have," she answered sitting back in her chair.
"Well, who is to be the new Keeper?"
"I feel really awful about this, especially since Colin was so enthusiastic. But I've decided to give the position to Lavina. She really is the best one for the job," Alicia explained, brushing a loose strand of hair away from her face.
"Yeah, I suppose so. A bit of a letdown for Colin, but I'm sure he'll get over it, don't worry. When are you posting it?"
"Oh, I suppose I ought to do that now. No sense in forestalling the unavoidable, eh?" Alicia told him.
"Yeah," Harry agreed with her. He watched as she pulled out a short piece of parchment from her bag and went over to the message board. Before she had even returned to her seat, there was a triumphant yell from the small third year who had won the spot. Lavina had spent most of her time since tryouts watching Alicia like a hawk. Colin, who arrived moments later, having been alerted by one of his year mates that the decision was up, walked away from the board downheartedly. Avoiding anyone who tried to comfort him, and trudged up the stairs to his room, fully intending to wallow in self-pity for the rest of his life. Allard arrived last and shrugged at the sign. At least he wasn't going to have to lose sleep over inevitable, pre-dawn practices.
Alicia and Harry watched as the dejected Colin Creevey climbed the stairs.
"I didn't even want this responsibility!" the sorrowful captain moaned.
"Don't worry about it, Alicia," Harry comforted her, "You'll do fine. Besides, you, Fred, George, Angelina and Katie will all be gone next year. Colin will have no problem getting on the team."
"You're right, I guess," she said glumly. Alicia turned back to her essay, telling Harry to get some of his own homework done.
Harry wandered back over to Ron who was still researching Algor. He sat down and picked up his parchment, and started writing again.
~~~~~~~~~~
"That was wonderful, Hermione!" Lavender squealed as Hermione's wand sent a splash of silver dancing through the air. The two girls had been practicing the charm for what seemed like hours, and Hermione had finally gotten something. However, the force she had used, made her knees weak and she fell to the floor as the silver vanished from the room. As Lavender rushed to her side, they heard a snort of laughter coming from the doorway. Turning around, the two girls saw Malfoy standing there, his lips bearing a mean sneer.
Staggering to her feet with the help of her friend, Hermione demanded, "What are you doing here, Malfoy?"
"Free country, Granger," he told her, sliding his hand over his hair to make sure it was still perfect.
"Leave us alone," Lavender ordered.
"Brown, what in Merlin's name are you doing, associating with this Mudblood? I thought you of all Gryffindors might have some class," Malfoy told her disdainfully. (Lavender isn't Muggle born…is she?????)
"I do have class, you wretched excuse for a wizard. Which is exactly why I don't socialize with you," Lavender's eyes shot him a look of utter loathing.
Taken somewhat aback, Malfoy retorted indignantly, "What's happened to you, Brown? Granger put you under the Imperius Curse? Last year, you barely gave her the time of day, and now you're suddenly her best mate?"
"What does it matter to you, Malfoy?" Hermione asked coldly.
"Nothing, Granger. That's just it. You don't matter. When are you going realize that although you may act all perfect, you're just a waste of space," Draco shot back.
Hermione laughed, amused by Malfoy's inability to come up with anything new.
"I've heard it all, Malfoy. I'm nothing, you're everything. God of the world. Pray tell, who puts that rubbish in your head?" Hermione gained confidence with every word she spoke. She strode towards him with her head held high.
"Do you do everything Father tells you to?"
At his silence, she went on, "A lackey. That's what you are, Malfoy. Can't think for yourself. You've got your whole future planned out, and I bet that you didn't utter a single word in opposition when they said you'd join him. Face it. You can prance around now like you're some king, pushing everyone else down, but when you get out of here, the tables will turn, and you'll know what it really is, to be the dirt beneath everyone's shoes."
Hermione went past him, knocking him hard in the shoulder as she did. Lavender quickly retrieved her bag and followed suit, leaving a dumbfounded Draco standing in the archway, unable to speak.
Ecavi : Me neither, lol, me neither.
Princess55 : Yay! More verbal beating of Malfoy. Thanks for keeping up with reviews. You're awesome. As long as I get some I'll keep this story going. Any suggestions?
Von : Awesome, great, amazing, fabulous, magnificent, very helpful review, thank you so so so much. I was about to post this chapter last night, but it wouldn't let me, and I'm glad I didn't because I just got your review and I think it totally deserves recognition.
Ahh, Cliffies, cliffies, cliffies. Why do I find them so hard? Maybe I just need more excitement. Hmmm, I will definitely try to get more in. As for the summary, THANK YOU for that tip. I've been trying to come up with a better one, but I have failed miserably. Thanks also for the suggestion about Harry tutoring, I like it much. I might just have to elaborate on that. Anyway, now I will post this chapter and see what you think.
A/N : K, I tried to make this one a bit longer than usual. Not much. 3000 words, yay for me. Hope you enjoyed. Anything that needs to be improved? Or that you maybe think is going to or should happen? Much appreciated if you'd tell me. And sorry if the last part there was kinda blah. It took me forever to come up with half decent insults. I'm just not a very witty person. Sigh, must be nice to be witty. Some day. Some day.