Chapter 21- Professor Winkly's Last Lesson
"Your exams will be given next week," Professor Winkly told the class. "So this is the last thing I will be teaching you."
"What?" Seamus exclaimed. "You're not coming back next year? Why not?"
"Unfinished business, unfinished business," the professor mumbled before continuing their last lesson. "These things I have been teaching you could save your life in a tight situation. But this, what I am about to tell you, is probably the most important of anything."
With his wand, he made a misty likeness of Dumbledore appear in the air, smiling at the class. "You all relate this face with kindness, White Magic, strength and steadfastness. Dumbledore represents all those things, and more. You know you can trust him, always. But evil can lurk where you least expect it. You could suddenly find yourself looking into the eyes of evil, instead of good." Dumbledore's face changed, and the entire class gasped. Voldemort was now grinning malevolently down at them.
Draco certainly had not expected that. He let his breath out when he realized that he had been holding it. "I am not saying that Dumbledore *is* Voldemort. Not at all. I am not saying that you must suspect everyone of being truly evil. I am telling you to be ready to face a threat at any time. You should be able to fight off a Dark wizard having just been roused from a deep sleep. If you do not, your life may end. It is not fair, but it is the truth. You have to be prepared. Even for the most unexpected of situations. You have to be able to react quickly in order to save your own life."
He listened closely. He knew that this would come in handy if he ended up dueling with his father when he left the mansion that summer. *Whoa. That will be quite an ordeal, for someone. It will be the happiest day of ~my~ life, besides last Christmas.* This thought made him grow more surly, thinking about Hermione, and her unexplained avoidance.
*We will sort it out.*
He did not miss her sidelong glance as she left the classroom. He only wished she would not deny him more.
As he was packing his trunk the day before term ended, it hit him like three or four bricks that he had reached the final stretch. When he next returned to Hogwarts, it would be his seventh year. Then, it would all be done. He would be finding a job, paying his own way…he hoped by then he and Hermione would have grown closer again, but he could not be sure that it would happen.
He was already of age. No one could force him to do anything anymore. He would be able to take the Apparition test almost as soon as he left the mansion. He did not have to take any note of the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, because he was no longer underage.
Almost everything was working out well.
He saw Hermione again when they got off the train in London. She barely saw him there, too busy greeting her parents and saying goodbye to her Gryffindor friends. Draco shook his head, then turned to get a hold on his trolley.
"Be patient, Ras," he said to his eagle owl. "Just one quick stop in Diagon Alley, and we'll be back in the mansion. And then, once we leave, we'll go home."
************************************************************************
Hermione spent most of the train ride home staring out the window. Harry and Ron knew why she was not talking, but either they chose to ignore it or they just did not care. They were busy playing exploding snap, making ridiculous predictions about the coming year.
Over the past few weeks, the realization that next year was her seventh resumed slowly lowering a ton of bricks onto her. She did not think she had studied nearly enough for the coming N.E.W.T.s. Everyone was so unprepared for this year, especially her. She would have to really buckle down this summer.
"What do you think Auror training will be like?" Ron wondered. "I'll bet it's hard, but it'll be loads of fun, too."
"Yeah," Harry said. He put another card down, and the whole thing exploded. "I'm not staying with the Dursleys this whole summer."
"You'll come to the Burrow, Harry. I don't know when yet, but I'll try to get your sentence down to a few weeks, max."
"Very funny," Harry said sarcastically, before giving Ron a short kiss. The only occupants of the compartment were Harry and Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, so this was nothing new.
It was not until the others had started to gather their luggage that Hermione realized they had stopped. She stood, and taking down her trunk, blocked Draco completely from her mind. Until she got home, he did not exist. She did not want to break down and cry in front of the whole train station.
She was happy to see her parents again. She had missed them, not going home for Christmas vacation. They were her distraction now, and she filled her mind with them. She barely even remembered to say goodbye to the Weasleys and Harry.
"Guess what, honey?" Hermione's mother said suddenly on the drive home.
"What?"
"We know you've been wanting an exciting vacation. We have as well. So your father and I are taking you to India for the summer."
Hermione's head snapped up. She looked from her father to her mother, then exclaimed, "India? Do you mean it? Oh my god, this is so great! Thank you! I've always wanted to go to India."
"We know, sweetie, that's why we chose it. We're leaving in three days."
Hermione was happy for the car ride home. Then, at home, she was unpacking her trunk so that she could pack her suitcase, and she came across Draco's gift from Christmas. Forgetting her distraction, she put the CD into her stereo, then listened to the song over and over again until her mother called her down for dinner.
************************************************************************
Minerva had just left his office after discussing choices for Head Boy and Girl. They had almost come to an agreement, but decided to think on it for a week before they made any decisions. Dumbledore sat at his desk, sorting a stack of papers with his wand.
"I do believe the great Dumbledore has grown weary," the portrait of Phineus Nigellus commented. "How could this be? Not tired out by the old war, now are you?"
"As a matter of fact, Phineus, I am," Dumbledore replied. He reached out to stroke Fawkes. "I am very worried. There have been no attacks this past year, but we just received a report of three mysterious deaths of Muggles yesterday. Very subtle things, Voldemort is doing. I am worried that soon Harry might have to face his destiny…or his doom."
"You let yourself grow to close to him, Albus," Fortescue said, shaking his head. "I must admit I like the boy, as well, but you knew what had to come. It will be the way it will be, and no one can change that. Not even you."
"I know," Dumbledore sighed. "But I do wish there were not so much risk for him."
End Chapter 21
The shortest chapter ever, I know! But the next few will be longer. I promise.
Thank you reviewers, confetti to you. Now everyone go REVIEW for some…psychoanalytical confetti.
"Your exams will be given next week," Professor Winkly told the class. "So this is the last thing I will be teaching you."
"What?" Seamus exclaimed. "You're not coming back next year? Why not?"
"Unfinished business, unfinished business," the professor mumbled before continuing their last lesson. "These things I have been teaching you could save your life in a tight situation. But this, what I am about to tell you, is probably the most important of anything."
With his wand, he made a misty likeness of Dumbledore appear in the air, smiling at the class. "You all relate this face with kindness, White Magic, strength and steadfastness. Dumbledore represents all those things, and more. You know you can trust him, always. But evil can lurk where you least expect it. You could suddenly find yourself looking into the eyes of evil, instead of good." Dumbledore's face changed, and the entire class gasped. Voldemort was now grinning malevolently down at them.
Draco certainly had not expected that. He let his breath out when he realized that he had been holding it. "I am not saying that Dumbledore *is* Voldemort. Not at all. I am not saying that you must suspect everyone of being truly evil. I am telling you to be ready to face a threat at any time. You should be able to fight off a Dark wizard having just been roused from a deep sleep. If you do not, your life may end. It is not fair, but it is the truth. You have to be prepared. Even for the most unexpected of situations. You have to be able to react quickly in order to save your own life."
He listened closely. He knew that this would come in handy if he ended up dueling with his father when he left the mansion that summer. *Whoa. That will be quite an ordeal, for someone. It will be the happiest day of ~my~ life, besides last Christmas.* This thought made him grow more surly, thinking about Hermione, and her unexplained avoidance.
*We will sort it out.*
He did not miss her sidelong glance as she left the classroom. He only wished she would not deny him more.
As he was packing his trunk the day before term ended, it hit him like three or four bricks that he had reached the final stretch. When he next returned to Hogwarts, it would be his seventh year. Then, it would all be done. He would be finding a job, paying his own way…he hoped by then he and Hermione would have grown closer again, but he could not be sure that it would happen.
He was already of age. No one could force him to do anything anymore. He would be able to take the Apparition test almost as soon as he left the mansion. He did not have to take any note of the Restriction of Underage Wizardry, because he was no longer underage.
Almost everything was working out well.
He saw Hermione again when they got off the train in London. She barely saw him there, too busy greeting her parents and saying goodbye to her Gryffindor friends. Draco shook his head, then turned to get a hold on his trolley.
"Be patient, Ras," he said to his eagle owl. "Just one quick stop in Diagon Alley, and we'll be back in the mansion. And then, once we leave, we'll go home."
************************************************************************
Hermione spent most of the train ride home staring out the window. Harry and Ron knew why she was not talking, but either they chose to ignore it or they just did not care. They were busy playing exploding snap, making ridiculous predictions about the coming year.
Over the past few weeks, the realization that next year was her seventh resumed slowly lowering a ton of bricks onto her. She did not think she had studied nearly enough for the coming N.E.W.T.s. Everyone was so unprepared for this year, especially her. She would have to really buckle down this summer.
"What do you think Auror training will be like?" Ron wondered. "I'll bet it's hard, but it'll be loads of fun, too."
"Yeah," Harry said. He put another card down, and the whole thing exploded. "I'm not staying with the Dursleys this whole summer."
"You'll come to the Burrow, Harry. I don't know when yet, but I'll try to get your sentence down to a few weeks, max."
"Very funny," Harry said sarcastically, before giving Ron a short kiss. The only occupants of the compartment were Harry and Ron, Ginny, and Hermione, so this was nothing new.
It was not until the others had started to gather their luggage that Hermione realized they had stopped. She stood, and taking down her trunk, blocked Draco completely from her mind. Until she got home, he did not exist. She did not want to break down and cry in front of the whole train station.
She was happy to see her parents again. She had missed them, not going home for Christmas vacation. They were her distraction now, and she filled her mind with them. She barely even remembered to say goodbye to the Weasleys and Harry.
"Guess what, honey?" Hermione's mother said suddenly on the drive home.
"What?"
"We know you've been wanting an exciting vacation. We have as well. So your father and I are taking you to India for the summer."
Hermione's head snapped up. She looked from her father to her mother, then exclaimed, "India? Do you mean it? Oh my god, this is so great! Thank you! I've always wanted to go to India."
"We know, sweetie, that's why we chose it. We're leaving in three days."
Hermione was happy for the car ride home. Then, at home, she was unpacking her trunk so that she could pack her suitcase, and she came across Draco's gift from Christmas. Forgetting her distraction, she put the CD into her stereo, then listened to the song over and over again until her mother called her down for dinner.
************************************************************************
Minerva had just left his office after discussing choices for Head Boy and Girl. They had almost come to an agreement, but decided to think on it for a week before they made any decisions. Dumbledore sat at his desk, sorting a stack of papers with his wand.
"I do believe the great Dumbledore has grown weary," the portrait of Phineus Nigellus commented. "How could this be? Not tired out by the old war, now are you?"
"As a matter of fact, Phineus, I am," Dumbledore replied. He reached out to stroke Fawkes. "I am very worried. There have been no attacks this past year, but we just received a report of three mysterious deaths of Muggles yesterday. Very subtle things, Voldemort is doing. I am worried that soon Harry might have to face his destiny…or his doom."
"You let yourself grow to close to him, Albus," Fortescue said, shaking his head. "I must admit I like the boy, as well, but you knew what had to come. It will be the way it will be, and no one can change that. Not even you."
"I know," Dumbledore sighed. "But I do wish there were not so much risk for him."
End Chapter 21
The shortest chapter ever, I know! But the next few will be longer. I promise.
Thank you reviewers, confetti to you. Now everyone go REVIEW for some…psychoanalytical confetti.