Disclaimer: All HP stuff except the stuff I made up belongs to the literary prowess of j.k.rowling. trust me, if I owned hp, I would be writing this on a much nicer computer! Lol
Chapter Nine
The Graphorn Surprise
"We should've known!" Ron roared, pounding the table. "Who else would have assigned us a biting book?"
~ Ron, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
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The next two weeks flew by in a blur of classes and increasingly heavier loads of homework. No wonder students didn't take that many N.E.W.T. preparatory classes. They were longer than usual, much harder, and a LOT more work.
At breakfast that morning, Harry and Ron spoke about the upcoming Quidditch season. Harry had held try-outs yesterday. As expected, Ginny was an excellent Chaser. The other Chaser was now Asad Ademi. The Nigerian student proved to be an amazingly speedy flyer and Harry was happily surprised at his new set of Chasers. However, he still needed one Beater. Dean had been the only one who had even shown up last night for the position. Harry was very anxious. What if no one in Gryffindor wanted to be a Beater?
Harry looked at his toast worriedly. "I've asked everyone I know who can play that position. I don't know what to do! We play Ravenclaw on Friday!"
Ron looked just as desperate. "We have a big problem, Captain. He searched the face of the other Gryffindors. "Hmm, who would be a good Beater ....?" His eyes stopped on a face. "Well, how about if they seemed to be a good 'human' beater?" he asked.
Harry looked at who Ron was pointing to. "Cesare? He had a pretty good swing when it came to bloodying up Malfoy," he said with a smirk. "You think he'd play?"
Ron shrugged. "What do we have to lose? We DO need somebody soon. As much as it pains me to ask him," he muttered.
Harry frowned slightly. He'd been talking and spending more time with Cesare these past two weeks. (He suspected because Hermione forced the exchange student too, but still.) He had to admit she was right; he did have a lot in common with him. He was actually very interesting and funny to talk to. But Ron most definitely did not share this opinion. He was still very cold around Cesare. It surprised him that his best friend even mentioned him as a possible Beater. It showed how much he shared Harry's concern about the Quidditch team. "Yeah, true. Okay, I'll ask him in Creatures." They finished their breakfast and trudged up to Charms.
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"Cesare! Hey, wait up!"
The dark-haired boy stopped on the stairs leading down to the grounds and turned his head to look at who called his name.
Harry jogged to catch up and the two boys kept walking. "I have an interesting proposition for you," he joked.
"What?" Cesare asked guardedly.
"Play any Quidditch?"
"Of course, who doesn't" he laughed.
Harry thought all the problems he had getting people for his team and said, "You'd be surprised. Anyway, you wouldn't happen to be a fair Beater, would you?"
"I'm okay; I used to play for my team before..........well before they threw me off." He scowled.
"Why did they throw you off the team?" he asked curiously.
Cesare looked a little embarrassed and kept his gaze determined forward, away from Harry's view. "My captain decided my idea of fair play didn't coincide with his."
"Why not?"
"I thought it perfectly acceptable to break my bat over the opposing Beater's head. He, along with many others, including the headmaster, disagreed."
Harry fought to hide his bemused smile. "Should I even bother to ask why you did that?"
"No, I wouldn't give you a straight answer anyway," he replied honestly. "So how did you guess I was a Beater?"
"Your swing at Malfoy. Seemed natural."
"Oh, yeah. Forgot about that," he said with an amused smile.
Harry looked at him seriously. "Would you consider joining the Gryffindor team?"
Cesare was slightly take aback by the offer, but didn't let his face betray his thoughts. He considered the option. Getting involved in a school activity wouldn't exactly fit in with his original plan of just burying himself in studying, ignoring the other students, and hoping the year passed quickly. But then again, a lot of things he was doing lately (courtesy of Hermione's deal) were ruining that plan. And he was surprised to notice that he didn't really mind. He had never had any close friends. His closest relationship was the strained, abusive one he had with his uncle. Vincenzo had always told Cesare no one would want to be friends with him, and he had been quite the loner at Anksenum. Maybe the best way to prove his uncle wrong was to settle in at Hogwarts. He was amused by this. 'You're acting like a normal sixteen year old wizard for once, Cesare. Why don't you find out where it leads?'
"Yeah, sure. Why not?" he agreed.
Harry looked like he could have kissed his feet. "Great, 'cause you have no IDEA how badly we need another player."
They reached Hagrid's hut then and joined Hermione and Ron. Ron looked at Harry expectantly. Harry nodded affirmatively and Ron smiled. "Welcome to the team, Cesare," he said, forcing a friendly tone into his voice.
At that moment, Hagrid burst around the corner of his hut, pulling along what appeared to be a huge grayish purple goat. It had two very long, sharp horns on its head and instead of hooves, it walked on four toes. Hagrid had a huge smile on his face which contrasted to angry, fierce expression of the goat, er, monster-thing.
"Hullo, class. Nice ta see ya. Now, can any ya tell me what this her' is?" he looked around expectantly at the mixed crowd of Slytherins and Gryffindors.
Hermione raised her hand. "It's a Graphorn. They're native to Europe and are often tamed by mountain trolls. The horns can be crushed and are very valuable."
Hagrid beamed. "Good job, 'Ermione. Five points ta Gryffindor. Now, what we wanna do terday is practice getting some of that there powder. Ya see, the Graphorns sweat the powder off their horns. What yer got to do is approach them careful-like. Don't make sudden movements or look em in dey eyes. They hate that. They also especially hate loud noises. Scares 'em something terrible."
Hagrid's words were ominously followed by a huge crack from the forest, probably a dead tree falling. The graphorn jumped forward at the sound and reared its legs dangerously close to Ron's head. The sudden jerk on the rope made Hagrid lose his grip on the rope and fall backwards into the water trough used by several of his creatures.
Ron looked like he had been Petrified, but Harry quickly pulled him back towards Hermione and Cesare. The entire class hurried back, as the graphorn charged forward. It seemed to have taken an immediate disliking to Ron and moved to attack him again. Then a most curious thing happened. The graphorn stopped, inches away from Ron's face. If the creature could feel terror, it did. With a fearful high pitched whine it jumped back and eyed Ron's direction with what appeared to be horror. It whimpered as it crept back behind Hagrid's massive form. The shocked Care of Magical Creatures teacher quickly grabbed its tether again, and shook water from his bushy hair.
Harry wiped his hands on his robe and then helped Ron up; who still looked petrified. "Good to know Hagrid's class hasn't changed much," he muttered. Hermione tried not to snicker, out of respect for Hagrid.
Hagrid was staring wide-eyed at Ron. "What did ya do, boy, ta get 'im to back off like that?"
Ron grew furious. "What did I do?! It attacked me! Crazy, bloody------monster!"
"Ron!" Hermione reprimanded. Honestly, his language was really too much at times.
Hagrid didn't look convinced. "You scared 'im. Takes a lot to scare these creatures. Don't know how ya could 'ave......." his voice trailed off as he noticed Cesare for the first time, brushing dirt off his arm, while standing directly behind Ron.
"Shoulda known. Yer dad......same thing woulda happened....." he muttered under his breath. His voice was so low that only the four of them were able to hear it.
Cesare's eyes lit up in curiosity at the mention of his father. "What did you say?"
In typical fashion, Hagrid appeared to realize his mistake too late. "Nothin. Shouldn' have toll ya that. Just mind my business now, I will. Class, back her'e now. It's safe." He proceeded with the class as well as possible, although most of the class had no desire to get closer to the now docile graphorn.
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"That was unbelievable," Hermione gushed as she and Ron walked away. "That graphorn couldn't have been three inches away from your face at the most!"
"And your concern for my safety is touching," Ron said sarcastically. She hid a smile. "You think we should wait for Harry and Cesare?"
"Nah, they'll be along in a minute."
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Harry followed Cesare back to the common room. The other boy was quiet now and appeared to be lost in his thoughts.
"So, I guess Hagrid knew your dad then?" he inquired carefully.
Cesare's head whipped angrily around to face Harry, and Harry tensed. But then his features softened slightly and he appeared to be resigned to forfeiting this information.
"I.....I guess so. He went to Hogwart's when he was younger. I think most of the staff knew him, but they have been told to say nothing to me."
Harry was curious. "What happened to him? You live with your uncle now, don't you?"
Cesare paused, and fought the urge to bite his lip to keep himself from telling Harry anymore. "I don't really know," he admitted. "My uncle hates him and the subject is forbidden around him."
Harry gave him a sympathetic look. "That's how my aunt and uncle are. They hate my parents and anything magical, in general."
Cesare looked surprised at this bit of information and realization that he had something very much in common with Harry. "Really?"
"Really," Harry told him about the Dursley's. His brown eyes grew wider with each story and they were both laughing as the reached the staircase.
"His tongue grew bigger than his head? Truly? That would have been very funny to see," Cesare laughed and Harry grinned at the memory of Fred and George's infamous Ton Tongue Toffee.
"I can understand why your family is probably afraid of magic. They think you will turn them into pigs again, no?"
"Well, your uncle doesn't sound like a picnic either," Harry noted.
Some of the amusement left Cesare's face. "No," he said quietly and remained silent for the few minutes it took to near Gryffindor dormitory.
Harry was persistent. "Why don't you tell me more about what's really going on? I'd really like to help you."
Cesare stopped in front of the portrait of Fat Lady and stared at Harry, trying to decipher any dishonestly in his earnest face. He couldn't understand why this boy would want to help him. He didn't understand why he even bothered to talk to Cesare when he had some many other kind friends just like him.
"Why?" he asked simply.
Harry shrugged. "You're probably going to think I'm mad if I tell you this."
"Tell me what?" Cesare insisted.
"For some really odd reason, I have the strangest feeling I've met you before."
"You're right. I do think that's mad. The first time I ever set foot north of Italy was that day in Diagon Alley. And unless you've been vacationing in Cairo, I sincerely doubt we've met."
Harry shook his head. "Nope, no Egyptian holidays for me. But you still look very familiar. Hermione has said the same thing. Besides, I've been in your situation. I still am in a way. There's so little I know about my parents and myself. But others helped me learn about them."
Cesare looked strangely vulnerable. He was usually quite adept at hiding his emotions, but what Harry had offered was something he so desperately wanted. To learn more about his parents. It was as if someone had snatched his heart from his chest. Emotion shadowed his eyes and he opened his mouth. "I......."
He was cut off suddenly by the portrait swinging open to reveal an agitated Ron. There was a dark look in his eyes and his jaw was set in a grim line. "There you are, Harry. I think there's something that you should see." He pushed the portrait open wider so that they could enter.
Harry glanced over at Cesare. He had quickly shut his mouth and the mask of inscrutability had slid over his features once more. Harry had lost his opportunity for today. With a sigh, he looked up towards Ron and followed his friend to the common room.
Hermione was standing there, clutching a copy of Daily Prophet in her hands. Harry was startled by how pale her face was. She looked like she was going to be sick. Her eyes were very big and dark. She handed the paper to Harry as he approached, concerned at her appearance.
"Harry, I.......I thought you should know. It's a Daily Prophet news alert." Her voice quaked slightly in what sounded like anger. "Lucius Malfoy has been pardoned."
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-_~ Author's Note ~_-
I'm sorry this chapter is so short. This week has been very, very busy. I know my quote in the beginning wasn't my best either, lol. But I wanted to update tonight since I probably won't we able to write at all for the next two days. The next chapter will be longer, I promise. And hopefully a bit more suspenseful!
Please review! Remember, more reviews means more chapters soon!
Huge thanks to my few reviewers, lol
T.H. ~ Thank you SO much, your encouragement and advice have really helped me. I wish I could email you, because I always want to ask you questions, lol. Like about the time you update. What time zone do you live in? I think that might be part of my problem with getting readers. You said 11:00, but I wasn't sure what time zone that was. I did the italics with the thoughts in this chapter, lol. Once again, thanks for your reviews. You have no idea how much they mean to mean. I'd be interested in your opinion on my chapter 8: the Jinn. The idea of using djinni in Harry Potter's world was something I always wanted to do. Thanks again!
Carina ~ Thanks for your reviews, friendship, beta-reading, and for being a damn fine writer yourself!
Linaevial ~ Thanks so much! Well, I'm not sure if he's who you're thinking of. Let me read your mind and I'll get back to you on that.
HogwartsHottie ~ Thanks!
