Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Harry Potter is the property of
Scholastic Books and J.K. Rowling. I am making no profit from this literary
work known as fan fiction. I own the idea's for the Sorcerers, the new DADA
professor, and Locke Dursley. There are one or two other characters I own
that will be introduced in this chapter, but I don't want to ruin the
surprise.
Also, I have no idea how advanced classes are done in the Harry Potter books, much less England, so I am going to go by ideas I have seen in a few other Harry Potter fics.
~~
Harry woke up feeling more or less okay. He had been plagued by dreams of Voldemort, but these had not been like the dreams that connected the two of them through Harry's scar. This one was just an ordinary nightmare. He greeted his new cousin Locke as best he could and guided the kid to the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry took quick note that the new DADA teacher still had not arrived, which was not that good. Classes started just a few minutes after breakfast ended.
"Morning Harry," Ron said with his usual start-of-term gloom.
"Morning, Ron," Harry replied, "still no sight of the new Defense professor?"
"Dumbledore didn't even say anything to us prefects," Ron replied, then frowned. "Did I just sound like Percy?"
"'Fraid so," Harry grinned. Ron's third oldest brother, Percy, was a prat. He was a stuck-up snob and did not get along well with most of the family. He was a butt-kisser of the highest caliber, always sucking up to his bosses and whomever they deemed important. When he had been attending Hogwarts, he had revered Professor Dumbledore. When he started working for the Ministry of Magic, under Barty Crouch, he had revered Crouch and thought he could do no wrong. Then, after Crouch had been sacked and he began working under Minister Fudge and the Ministry was trying to suppress any possibility of Voldemort having returned, he ridiculed Dumbledore's words along with Fudge.
Ron banged his head on the table. He did not want to become another Percy. His older brother Percy was an unmitigated ass and was still at odds with most of the family. He had always been impressed with his own importance and he never let anyone forget his station.
"Whats our first class?" Ron asked.
"Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts," Hermione answered while sampling some French toast, "since its an advanced class, there will be people from all four Houses in attendance."
"What do you think we'll be learning about, specifically?" Harry asked.
"Personally, I'm hoping to try and learn Occlumency," Hermione said, "don't you still need to perfect Occlumency, Harry?"
Harry nodded in confirmation. "I was emotionally dead for most of the summer, so Voldemort wasn't able to invade my mind through my scar. When I started getting better, I would just focus on how bad I felt about Sirius and I wouldn't have any dreams."
"I don't think that's healthy," Hermione observed.
"It probably isn't," Ron agreed, "I really hope this new DADA teacher decides to help you with your Occlumency, Harry."
"So do I," Harry mumbled.
The DADA classroom had been moved to a large room in the same tower as Divination. Harry and Ron had dropped Divination, seeing as how they did not need it for their chosen careers. Harry was able to get into all of the classes he needed to become an Auror for the Ministry of Magic, and Ron had a wide range of careers he could choose from still. He was currently still in Advanced DADA, Advanced Charms, and Advanced Transfigurations. Like so many others, he did not get an 'O' in Potions so he was ineligible to take Advanced Potions. Hermione had also yet to decide what she wanted to be, but as she had proven so often before she could do anything she put her mind to. She was also in most of the advanced classes, having gotten an 'Outstanding' in everything she took, including History of Magic.
The class was spacious, having more than enough room for whatever the new DADA professor decided to teach. Harry was even sure that Hagrid could fit into the room and not feel cramped. The tables and chairs for the class were all arranged neatly facing the chalkboard. The classroom looked nice and orderly. A grandfather clock sat in one corner, looking stately and antique. All of the students found that they had been assigned seats: a students name was inscribed in flowing script in silver letters on each desk. The members of the four Houses within the class were all scattered about, sometimes a Slytherin would be sitting beside a Gryffindor while a Ravenclaw would be sitting right in front of them or a Hufflepuff behind them.
"Looks like the new teacher wants to try and promote House unity," Ron said dryly.
"Oh, sod off Ron," Harry sighed, "its not like it's a bad thing. Look. Malfoy is on the other side of the room from us."
"Where's the teacher?" Hermione asked.
"Not here yet," said Seamus Finnagin.
"Let's find our seats," Harry suggested. The three friends were not split up, but on either side of them was a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw sixth year. They sat at the front of the class.
"Class is about to start," Hermione said a moment before the chime in the grandfather clock goes off, signaling the start of class.
The class sat in silence for a few moments before Draco Malfoy finally spoke up. "Where is the new professor? My father will hear of this negligent professor."
"I certainly hope so, Mr. Malfoy," a voice said from above the class in a decidedly American accent. Everyone looked up to see nothing. They then begin to look around, only to see two figures standing at the front of the class.
"Blimey, how'd you do that?" Dean Thomas asked. One of the two figures was wearing a flowing silver cloak that covered up any discernable features. The other was a house elf in an impeccably tailored set of robes made to fit it. Every student in the classroom stared at the house elf. Not one of them had ever seen a house elf wearing anything but clothes they had managed to scrounge up from old stuff, like potato sacks or rags.
Harry, however, was staring at the person in the flowing silver cloak. His voice was the same one he remembered belonging to the person leaving Fred and George's shop when he was in Diagon Alley to get his school supplies. And the cloak was the same.
The stranger pulled off the cloak, revealing another surprise for Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville. It was the same person from the new Chocolate Frog card, the Sorcerer Jesse Plunk! He threw his cloak to the coat rack where it settles itself onto a prong.
The Sorcerer chuckled. "Well, Mr. Thomas, that was nothing more than a simple invisibility spell. You'll be learning the theories of it in Charms this year. Yes, this will be a fairly entertaining year for all students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. My name is Jesse Plunk, and I am your new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. The curse that was plaguing the last five DADA professors has been broken. I rest assure you that I am not an agent of Voldemort." There was a frightened squeak from most of the class, while Harry and Hermione gaped." I am not a brainless git like that Gilderoy Lockhart. Ha! The day that idiot could face a werewolf is the day I get carted off to Azkaban. I am not a werewolf, though I have known several nice werewolves including your Professor Lupin. I am not an agent of Voldemort," another squeak of fright, "in disguise, and I will not inspire a three House revolt against myself. If I do inspire such a revolt, rest assured that unlike Umbridge, I WILL be able to quell such an event. You may call me Professor Plunk."
Harry, Hermione, and Ron shared a look. This new professor seemed to be serious, yet he had a smile on his face they had only seen on Fred and George's faces when they were planning a prank. Sirius and Lupin had told them that Harry's father used to have that same smile on his face a lot, and Lupin had told them that, before he was carted off the Azkaban, Sirius had had that same smile on his face a lot.
Then the crowd from wizarding families got another shock. The house elf spoke up. He had an American accent that sounded like it was from the west coast. "Hey old man, I'm going off to Hogsmeade. Need anything?"
"No, you little scamp, I do not," Professor Plunk growled, "now off with you before I decide to have roasted house elf for dinner."
"I'd love to see you try that," Dier retorted, then walked out of the room, though not before creating a small ball of fire and hurling it at Professor Plunk's feet. Professor Plunk merely jumped a step back, letting the fireball splash against the stone floor of the classroom and slowly dissipate.
Professor Plunk noticed most of the class staring at him. "What? Is there something on my face? He didn't use the fireball as a distraction to put something on my face, did he?"
Malfoy was the first to speak up. "Sir, how can you take that from a bloody house elf?!"
Professor Plunk chuckled. "Oh, is that whats got you like you are? Well, Dier is a free house elf. Actually, he has never been in servitude to someone. He is my friend, though he does fill the role of servant quite often, and I pay him. Quite handsomely too."
Hermione looked like someone had just made her dream come true.
Professor Plunk looked out over the class. "Any other questions?"
Neville raised his hand. "Mr. Longbottom?"
Neville straightened himself. "Sir, is it true that you are a Sorcerer?"
Professor Plunk didn't have a chance to say anything before Malfoy spoke up again. "A Sorcerer? Longbottom, your brains must have fallen out over the summer. Sorcerers are nothing more than muggles or squibs who stole a wizards wand. They are no better than a mudblood."
"Mr. Malfoy, twenty points from Slytherin for insulting a fellow classmate, twenty more for slander, and twenty more for insulting the skill and talent of some of the greatest men and women to ever live," Professor Plunk said evenly, shocking Malfoy speechless. No one had ever taken sixty points from Slytherin because of him like that. Not since his first year, at least.
"Now, Mr. Longbottom, would you please repeat your question, and please explain why you would even ask something like that."
Neville gulped. "Well, sir, you match the picture on a Chocolate Frog card myself and some friends looked at on the Hogwarts Express. And well, I was wondering if you are a Sorcerer."
Professor Plunk looked thoughtful. "Ah, I see. Chocolate Frog cards. Figures. That's how a lot of you kids know about the old wizards unless you like reading musty old books."
At that, Hermione looked greatly offended.
Professor Plunk continued. "And yes, I am a Sorcerer. A friend of mine by the name of Nicholas Flamel was in possession of the worlds only Sorcerers Stone, a stone that can enable one to make however much gold they want from anything and can be used to brew the Elixir of Life, a potion that prolongs a persons lifespan. During your first your, Mr. Potter and his friends stopped Voldemort and his agent from obtaining it while it was being guarded here at Hogwarts."
The class once again collectively winced at the name of the evil wizard. Professor Plunk looked offended at that. "What, you refer to him as You- Know-Who? How stupid is that? Fearing the name of something increases the fear of the thing itself. It's just a name. I know for a fact that unless powerful ancient magic is involved, saying a persons name will not summon them. Now, get used to it because I will be saying his name. Also, part of one of your tests may be a spoken test to say Voldemort without flinching. I'm here to increase your backbone in the face of the Dark Arts. Some of you may already not be afraid of him, some may have reason to fear him. My own personal goal with you kids is to teach you Defense Against the Dark Arts. What if you come across a Death Eater and they taunt you by constantly saying Voldemort? Flinching in a life or death situation like that will get you killed. I knew several good witches and wizards during Voldemort's first spree of terror that died because of just that. Some even came into Voldemort's presence and were trembling so much due to his presence that they could not defend themselves."
The class sat in silence, contemplating Professor Plunk's words.
Professor Plunk continued. "Now, I have a few rules to add in addition to the normal school rules that had better be obeyed while you are in this classroom and wherever I am if you are there as well. Slander will not be tolerated. Name-calling will not be tolerated, and calling someone a 'mudblood' will instantly get twenty points deducted from your House. If you want to test this, then fine. I have set up charms over the entire breadth of Hogwarts and even up to two thousand feet above Hogwarts. If you say certain words, like mudblood, then twenty points will instantly be deducted from your House. If you want to test it, be my guest. And it does not matter how soft you say it, the charms are sensitive enough to where if they were set up to listen to spiders walking across their webs, and I mean normal spiders not Acromantula's."
"You can't set up charms like that!" Malfoy protested, "its against school regulations! That's abusing your power as a teacher!"
"Oh really?" Professor Plunk chuckled, "Mr. Malfoy, I have a feeling that you do not understand just who I am. I am a Sorcerer. Sorcerers do not have to abide by the rules of the wizarding world if they choose not to, and all of the other Professors agree that measures should be taken to discourage slander. Including your Head of House. While I am here at Hogwarts, some rules will be lax and some will be strictly enforced. Cursing or hexing someone outside of class can result in some very serious punishments, ranging from the loss of the privilege to go to Hogsmeade on the selected days to detention, and if any of you thought Umbridge had bad detentions I assure you that mine are far worse, even to the confiscation of your wand outside of the classes that it is not needed."
The class, particularly the Slytherins and Malfoy especially, sat in stunned silence. Harry shuddered to think how this man could have a detention worse than Umbridge's.
"I advise you all to abide by the rules,"Professor Plunk continued, a smile on his face that everyone in the room decided was evil, "you do not want to test them this year. While I do not like some of the old punishments that Argus Filch likes, one or two of them have been brought back for particularly bad punishments. I will advise you that I have destroyed the chains and whips. Punishments like that are inhuman, but Filch liked my replacement suggestions."
Professor Plunk finished his speech with a devilish smirk, a smirk that scared the entire class speechless. Punishments that Filch liked over chains and whips? What kind of monstrous punishments had this insane man suggested?
"Now, to the lesson plan for this year," Professor Plunk said, his demeanor going from dark and dangerous to so cheery it was almost sickening, "I will be teaching you sixth years how to produce some advanced anti-Dark spells, such as the Patronus Charm. I will also be beginning Occlumency lessons for you all. If you did not know, and I would be surprised if you did, Occlumency protects your mind from being invaded. It bolsters your mental defenses against spells like the Imperious Curse, and it is vital in resisting Legillimency. Each student will have a certain day of the month that I will be practicing Legillimency on so they will be able to practice their Occlumency. Two other professors will be helping me: Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. Each of them are quite skilled at Legillimency so they will be very helpful in this study."
Harry felt sick at the thought of having to spend more time with Professor Snape in Occlumency lessons.
"You shall also be learning other spells, but I shall not go into them just now," Professor Plunk finished, "today, as it will be with each first class I have with all students, I am just going to get a feel for what you know, so I will know what pace to go with each student. I can already tell that some of you are already skilled in Defense against the Dark Arts. If you were not, then you would have failed your OWLs and not be here in the Advanced class. But, you are the best sixth years at Defense against the Dark Arts, and the only students I expect to be doing better than you is the seventh year Advanced class. I shall be using Legillimency to determine the level each of you are at in this class. Now, shall we begin? Legillimens!"
Harry felt the familiar probing of another's mind touch his, reaching for his knowledge at Defense Against the Dark Arts. He thought back to Sirius, and how he would still be alive if he had been better at Occlumency, and the probing within his mind stopped immediately.
"Mr. Potter, where did you learn to do that?" Professor Plunk demanded. His tone was stern and only showed a small amount of surprise.
"I, um, well," Harry stuttered.
"Nevermind," Professor Plunk replied, "you've apparently had some Occlumency lessons. We will talk of this later. Now class, that was Legillimency. Professor Dumbledore did give me permission to use this method of understanding where you stood in Defense Against the Dark Arts rather than what you scored on your OWLs because you can do well enough in this class through the written exams to get to the Advanced class. I need to know where you stand in practical magic. That hag Umbridge almost wasted an entire year teaching you nothing. Ha! Having fifth year DADA students go back to the basics! If I could, I would go back in time and tell myself in the past to become your new teacher rather than let that Umbridge woman teach you."
Most of the class, the Slytherins excluded, chuckled at that. Only the Slytherins and Filch had liked Dolores Umbridge. Hermione's hand shot up.
"Yes, Mrs. Granger?"
"Professor, if you did go back in time, would that not mess everything up?" Hermione asked.
Professor Plunk laughed. "I assume you've had some experience with a Time- Turner, or have read about them. Yes, going back in time could mess things up. Things are set in stone and cannot be changed. Like I said, if I could go back in time I would. I easily have the power to go back in time, same as Merlin himself, but you cannot change things. Some things you can do, but I will not go into that. Now, who can name the only spell that can be used to drive back a Lethifold?"
Several hands shot up, Hermione's among them.
"Mr. Longbottom."
"The Patronus Charm, sir," Neville replied, startled at having been called on.
"Good. Ten points to Gryffindor. Now, who can name one of the more dangerous Dark Creatures?"
Almost everyone's hands went up. "Mr. Weasley."
"A-acromantula's," Ron said shakily. Even thinking about Acromantula's made him remember Aragogg, Hagrid's pet Acromantula.
"Very good. Ten more points to Gryffindor. Now, who can name the most dangerous spell in the world?"
Everyone's hands went up once again. "Mr. Malfoy."
"The Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra." Malfoy said that while looking at Harry, as if he wanted to cast the Killing Curse on the Boy Who Lived. He probably did.
"Wrong." The class was silent at that. "The Killing Curse is the second most dangerous curse in the world, because it is so feared, but it is not the most dangerous. Yes, it is practically unblockable, but only because no one would think that the one spell that can counter it could. I will be teaching all of you this spell later on."
The class was shocked at that. A spell that could actually counter the Killing Curse?
"Are you mad?" Malfoy demanded, "nothing can block the Killing Curse."
"Obviously something can, or Mr. Potter would not be alive today," Professor Plunk said smugly, "but that was ancient magic that protected him, and it had a price that I'm sure Mr. Potter wishes had not had to have been paid."
Harry winced at that. This DADA teacher knew how he had survived the Killing Curse when he was a baby. Had Dumbledore told him?
"I will not be teaching you what saved Mr. Potter when he was a baby, nor will I be teaching you how to cast the most dangerous spell in the world, but I will be teaching you how to counter it. Quills in hands, write down what I say."
Professor Plunk took a deep breath, then he began. "The most dangerous curse in the world is the Fear Curse, Dementrious. It is not used often and is not spoken of often because of its power. Like a Dementor, and a Boggart to a lesser extent, Dementrious brings a persons worst fears rushing to their conscious mind. It can only be blocked by another Dementrious Curse hitting it squarely, or by the spell Riddikulus. It can also be blocked by the Patronus Charm. When cast, the Dementrious Curse is in the form of a hazy purple sphere a meter in diameter. When it hits something solid, be it a person or something else like a chair, it explodes and covers the entire area in a dome with a radius of from the caster to where it hit. It can cover up to a twenty feet in diameter, and be up to ten feet high. You can focus it into a spell like the Cruciatus Curse, where it only affects exactly what it hits and nothing else. This actually intensifies it and makes it harder to fight off. The Dementrious Curse, when it hits, has a similar effect as the Cruciatus Curse. It wracks the body with fear, paralyzing the person. It is almost impossible to fight off, but when it is fought off the caster is stunned, leaving them wide open to attack. Quills down."
"Now, from what I have just said, what makes the Dementrious Curse more dangerous than the Killing Curse?"
Harry, Hermione, and a few others raised their hands. "Mr. Potter."
"A person can fight off physical pain, like what the Cruciatus Curse gives, and they can resist the Imperius Curse, and can even avoid the Killing Curse, but it sounds like it is virtually impossible to avoid the Dementrious Curse."
"Ten points to Gryffindor. That is exactly correct. The Dementrious Curse was widely used until the Patronus Charm was developed. Ancient magics can protect you against the Killing Curse, and there are spells that can block the Cruciatus Curse and you can fight off the Imperius Curse, but it is almost impossible to fight off the Dementrious Curse. It is ranked with the three Unforgivables in sentence, but is not counted as one of the Unforgivables anymore. It was 1843 when it was removed from the list of Unforgivable Curses, but I still think of it as the fourth Unforgivable, because if a person has enough things to fear, it can shut down their heart."
The class was silent at that. This spell sounded extremely dangerous. Harry was glad that Voldemort did not know it, or he would have conquered the wizarding world long ago.
Professor Plunk continued with his opening lectures, describing the effects of several other powerful curses and hexes, as well as powerful Dark creatures. His topic of conversation ranged from the creation of a Basilisk to the ways to kill one, from the invention of the Cruciatus Curse to the invention of the Patronus Charm. He discussed how some curses, hexes, and jinxes were not meant to be mixed and why, to the most handy ways to avoid the Killing Curse.
At the end of the class, Professor Plunk handed each student a small cube. "In this cube is a riddle. Each cube in and of itself is a riddle. Each cube opens a different way. The riddle in each cube is also difficult. The way to solving the riddle depends on how well you know yourself, and your strengths. You will have one month to figure out how to open your cube. You can return the opened cube and answered puzzle any time before lights out each day, including today. Depending on when you turn it in, you can earn house points. If anyone can actually turn it in by the end of today, you will earn your house fifty points. Now, the key to unlocking your cube can be a specific spell, a type of spell, or even a word spoken by you directly to it. Failing to open this cube by the end of the month will result in a loss of ten points from your house. Losing it will cost you an additional ten. You are not required to be able to solve the inner puzzle, just the opening of it. Any questions?"
There were none.
"Good. Now, class dismissed. Oh, and there will be an additional ten points going to whomever turns this in first."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked out of the class a little wild around the eyes. They had no idea about some of the things that Professor Plunk had told the class, but even Hermione could not dispute them because they were backed by the books they had been assigned.
"I think our new DADA professor is insane," muttered Ron as he tried to figure out how to open his cube, "how the bloody hell are we supposed to figure this thing out, anyway?"
"I want to know what this has to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts," muttered Harry, holding his cube, "this seems more like something Snape would do to us."
"Which makes me completely happy that I will not be taking Advanced Potions," Ron said cheekily, brightening a bit, "you two will have Snape really breathing down your necks now."
Harry groaned. As if Snape wasn't bad enough towards him normally. Well, at least since he was in Advanced Potions Snape knew that he was competent.
Next was a free period that lasted until lunch.
Almost every student in the entire Great Hall was whispering excitedly about Professor Plunk. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had stirred up quite a bit of interest among the students. The first three years of Slytherin seemed actually terrified of him, and almost the entire Gryffindor house seemed to be in awe of him. The Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs seemed impressed with him as well, though not as impressed as Harry remembered them being with Lupin. Harry could spot several students with cubes like those the Professor had given out to his class.
"Think anyone's figured out their cube?" Ron asked as they found some seats.
"I doubt it," Hermione said, pursing her lips, "no one has likely had much of a chance to figure theirs out. And the class after ours contained fourth year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors."
"Well, whaddya say we try to figure ours out during lunch?" Harry asked.
"But how do we start?" Ron asked.
"Well, the professor did say that opening it depended on how well we knew ourselves and our strengths," Harry said, "so why not try that?"
"Your biggest strength is flying, Harry," Ron said.
"I don't think that the professor had something like that in mind," Hermione chided, "I think he meant our more practical magical strengths."
Harry turned his cube over in his hands, checking it over. With a faint 'click', part of it began to turn. A pattern of nine squares appeared on each side, with vari-colored squares within each pattern. The colors were blue, green, silver, red, gold, and purple.
"Harry, how did you do that?" Hermione demanded as she stared at the cube in Harry's hand.
"I don't know," Harry admits, "I was just checking it out."
"It looks like a Rubix cube," Hermione remarked, "I'll bet its solved like one, too!"
"Uh, whats a Rubix cube?" Ron asked.
"It's a toy made by muggle children," Harry explained, "you see, each of the six sides is supposed to be one solid color. But it is mixed up and you have to turn each side like so." Harry demonstrated by turning a few of the sides around until there were four silver squares on one side. "I guess the way the professor made my puzzle, it'll open up when I get all the sides put together right."
"He did say opening them would be a puzzle in themselves," Hermione remarked thoughtfully, "well Harry, now you know how to open yours."
"And just think, you figured yours out before Hermione figured out hers," Ron chuckled, earning a swat from Hermione. "Well mate, perhaps you can get Gryffindor a lot of house points by figuring it out before the day is up."
"I don't know," Harry said, "Rubix cubes are supposed to be very hard. Some people try for years to solve them and never succeed. And I'm talking about people far smarter than me."
"Come on Harry, don't sell yourself short," Hermione urged, "you are smart. After all, you're the top in the entire year in DADA, and your good in all of your other subjects too."
"But you're smarter than me," Harry said, "and I do have a month to figure this out."
"You will figure it out, Harry," Hermione said assuredly, "after all, you're one of the best students in DADA this year. You did splendid in both the written and practical exams for your OWLs."
"Yeah mate," Ron chimed in, "you did splendid in all your OWLs. And besides, it doesn't look all that hard."
"I guess we'll see," Harry said as he placed his cube beside his plate as Locke came and found a seat beside Harry.
"Hullo," Locke said.
"So Locke, what do you think of Hogwarts so far?" Harry asked. He had taken a definite liking to his cousin, even though they were only related through Harry's aunt and uncle and not by a direct blood relation.
"I like it a lot," Locke said, "I had Transfiguration first. Professor McGonagall seems real nice."
"She's also our Head of House," Hermione said, "she's strict, but fair. She doesn't show favoritism to any of the four Houses, though some of the other teachers do."
"Like Professor Snape," Ron grumbled.
"Snape teaches Potions," Harry explained to Locke, "and he's the Head of Slytherin. He went to school with my mum and dad. My dad and him hated each other, and unfortunately Snape's hatred of my father was transferred to me."
"But Snape is a decent guy," Hermione argued, "he's even more strict than Professor McGonagall, and he doesn't hesitate to hand out detentions. He shows a lot of favoritism to the Slytherins, his old House, and absolutely loathes us Gryffindors. A word of advice is to try and ignore his glares."
"Don't see how you can do that," Ron muttered, "Snape's scary."
"But, Snape is a genius at making potions," Hermione finished, "if you can manage to keep from getting on his bad side, or if you perhaps show a knack at potions, then he won't try to make you nervous so much."
"Or if you just get partnered with a Slytherin," Ron added, "particularly someone he likes."
"Alex and I have a home chemistry set," Locke said, "one of my favorite pastimes back home was mixing different things to see what would happen. Mum and dad even went and bought us university chem. books and the like to help us."
"You'll do good at potions then," Harry said, "perhaps you'll be the first Gryffindor that Snape likes."
"I'll believe that when I see muggles flying without one of their contraptions," Ron muttered.
Harry chuckled and nodded his agreement. Despite being raised a muggle, he was very comfortable in the wizarding world. Perhaps that was because he had always been meant to live in it. Voldemort had caused things to change, but he had assimilated the wizarding world quite well, despite the fact that he would learn something new about the wizarding world that others took for granted.
"Whats your next class?" Harry asked Locke.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Locke replied.
"Harry can help you a lot with that class," Ron said, "he's the best in our year at DADA."
"Really?" Locke asked, awed. He hadn't known his sortof cousin for long, but he already liked him a lot.
Harry nodded. "I think you'll also like the teacher. We've had a different teacher every year since we started. The first one, Professor Quirrel, turned out to be possessed by Voldemort. The next one, Golderoy Lockhart, was an idiot. The one we had our third year, Professor Lupin, was the best we've had yet. He was a werewolf, but he is a really great guy. He went to school with my dad. They were very good friends. Fourth year, we would have had a retired Auror, Professor Moody, but he was captured by a rogue Death Eater and was kept locked up in his trunk almost the whole year while the Death Eater used bits of him for his ingredients in a Polyjuice Potion."
At seeing Locke's non-understanding look, Harry explains. "A Polyjuice potion enables the one who drinks it to look like whomever the bits of are in it for an hour. Hermione made one our second year. We can tell you about that later."
Locke nodded his understanding. "And last year's teacher?"
Harry snorted derisively. "Umbridge was a Ministry appointed professor. Minister Fudge was afraid that Dumbledore was training us to be his private army, so he had Umbridge fill the vacancy. No one liked her, except the Slytherins."
"And she loathed Harry," Hermione added, "she was horrible."
Harry nodded and continued. "She ended up inspiring a three-House revolt against her. Fred and George, Ron's older brothers, who are also twins, were at the head of it. They ended up leaving school after turning a large section of one of the hallways into a swamp. They now run a joke shop in Diagon Alley. Professor Flitwick left a bit of the swamp as a testament to their ingenuity."
"I think I passed by that bit of swamp," Locke said, "and I think I saw their shop when that big man, Hagrid, took my folks and I to Diagon Alley to get my school supplies."
Harry grinned. "Hagrid's a real good guy. He helped me out when I first learned that I was a wizard. He's the nicest person I have ever met. His heart is always in the right place."
"As you can tell, Harry really likes Hagrid," Ron joked.
"That and he gave Dudley a pigs tail when I first met him," Harry grinned.
Locke laughed. "Dudley eats like a pig. I've seen him do it."
"I must have been sent over to Mrs. Figg those days," Harry mused, "I've never seen you until last night."
"And they never once mentioned you," Locke agreed, "they really don't like people like us, do they?"
"They're the most muggly muggles ever," Ron said, "I'm just glad that Harry won't have much time left with them next summer."
"What about winter holiday?" Locke asked.
"I stay here," Harry said, "I like it here at Hogwarts lots more than I ever will at our aunt and uncle's."
"I can only imagine what this place is like during the winter," Locke said eagerly, "I wish my parents and Alex could come here for the winter instead of me returning with to them over the winter holidays, but I don't think I can."
"You can always talk to Professor McGonagall about it," Hermione suggested, "I don't know if she'd take it to Dumbledore, who is the one who would make a decision about something like that."
"Do you really think he'd let them come up for the winter holidays?" Locke asked.
"It doesn't hurt to ask," Harry said, "and Dumbledore is always surprising people."
"Especially us," Ron muttered.
"In any case, it doesn't matter at the moment," Hermione said, "you can wait until the winter holidays are here. It's not something we should worry about right now. We have three and a half months of class to worry about right now."
Ron groaned. "Leave it to Hermione to remind us about schoolwork."
Hermione gave Ron a playful shove. The rest of lunch continued uneventful, with Locke telling his sortof cousin and older housemates his opinions about the school so far. He found the various stairs, particularly the moving ones, 'fun', and the talking and moving portraits were quite amusing to him. He had, unfortunately, met the eccentric Sir Cadogan.
His second class had been Charms, and it had been a Gryffindor/Hufflepuff mix. It had gone on well. Among the entire class, he had gotten the closest to making the feather float. And apparently there was a new first year equivalent to Neville.
"He really blew the desk right out the window?" Ron gaped. Even Neville had never blundered that much.
"He almost blew Professor Flitwick out the window as well," Locke added.
"Now that's priceless," Ron chuckled, "Charlie told me that there was someone like that in his year at Hogwarts. Bill told me there was someone else like that a few years ahead of him when he was here."
"Think its some kind of really powerful curse on Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"I doubt it," Ron said, "a curse that powerful would have been detected by the professors, unless it was built into the school itself."
Hermione looked at Ron, surprised. "And just how do you know that, Ron?"
"Because that's just common magical knowledge, Hermione," Ron replied, somewhat smugly, "curses that powerful can usually be felt even by a first year student, unless they were instilled into a magical object and started out weak, gaining strength over time. Since the curse would have started out weak, it would take a very powerful wizard, like Dumbledore, to detect it. Especially since a spell like that would be passive in nature, like the spells placed on brooms."
"It could just be a big coincidence," Locke suggested.
"That's probably what it is," Hermione agreed, then she looked at Ron. "Ron, how did you know that?"
"I did grow up in a wizarding family, 'Mione," Ron replied, still smug, "you learn things. Besides, my dad works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department at the Ministry and there have been a few artifacts like that that popped up a few years ago. One even showed up the year before we started here at Hogwarts."
The quartet continue their meal until Locke noticed the cubes that the three sixth years had gotten in DADA, particularly Harry's.
"Whats that?" Locke asked, "some kind of wizarding version of the Rubix cube?"
"You've seen these before?" Harry asked.
"Solved a few," Locke replied, "what is it?"
"Kinda homework for DADA," Harry explained, "I have to solve this to open it and figure out the puzzle inside of it."
"Well, if you need some advice, you gotta try and get all of the sides to match up at the same time," Locke said, "you'll drive yourself crazy trying to do one side at a time."
"Thanks," Harry said, "that saves me some trouble."
Locke beamed, glad to have been of some help even though it is only his first day of school at Hogwarts.
"So, whats your next class?" Locked asked.
"It's a free period for Ron and me," Harry said, "then we have Care of Magical Creatures."
"That's a class I can't wait to take," Locke said eagerly.
"Well, you'll have to wait a few years," Harry said, "first two years at Hogwarts is spent learning common spells and such. Third year and after is when you get to take other classes such as Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies, and Arithmancy. Ron and I take Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. Or at least did. We dropped it."
"Yeah, the teacher was constantly predicting Harry's death," Ron said flatly.
"I honestly don't know why you insisted on taking it," Hermione said, "its nothing more than a load of rubbish. Even though there are real prophecies out there."
"There are?" Locke asked.
Harry nodded, his face grim. "And they should be taken seriously. Even Professor Trelawny, the Divination teacher, has had a few accurate predictions. She predicted Voldemort's return in my third year, close to the end of it. She has also had a few other accurate prophecies."
"Well, I still have two years before I even have to consider my electives," Locke said.
"Yeah, don't worry about it now," Ron said, "but keep your mind open. It all depends on what you want to do."
Harry and Hermione blink in amazement. Ron wasn't usually that deep. Apparently he had changed a bit over the summer. The two share a look, knowing that the other is thinking the same thing. Ron was actually paying attention to his schoolwork. Perhaps his encounter with those brains in the Department of Mysteries had affected him a bit. That encounter had changed everyone involved who wasn't a Death Eater.
"Well, I got to go to class," Locke said as lunch came to a close, "I hope Defense Against the Dark Arts is as good as you say it is."
"I think you'll like Professor Plunk," Harry said, "he's very different from our previous DADA professors, but that is mostly a good thing."
"Only two were really any good," Hermione said, causing Ron and Harry to look at her like she was bonkers. "Oh, stuff it you two. Quirell may have been working for Voldemort, but he was still a good teacher."
"She does have a point there," Harry admitted to Ron, who agreed. "He was still evil though."
"I'm not saying that he wasn't," Hermione protested, "but he still taught us well."
The rest of lunch passed by fairly quickly and soon the quartet was heading to their next classes. Locke headed to the DADA classroom, while Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way for Care of Magical Creatures.
Hagrid was in an excellent mood. He had paid Harry a few visits over the summer and the two of them had reminisced about Sirius, Hagrid telling him stories of the days of the Marauders from the perspective of someone who had to be a voice of discipline yet still appreciate their sense of humor. Between Hagrid and Lupin, Harry had managed to get out of his funk over Sirius' death.
It was just before supper that Harry finally got a chance to look at his puzzle cube again while Ron and Hermione did prefect rounds. It did look difficult, but it also looked solvable. He could do this.
"Hey Harry." It was Neville.
"Hey Neville," Harry said, "what do you think of this?" He held up his puzzle cube.
Neville blinked. "You too?" Neville held up his own puzzle cube. It was identical to Harry's. "Any idea how to solve it?"
"Let's get Locke," Harry said, "he says he's solved a few."
Neville was surprised. "Locke? Locke Dursley, the first year?"
"Yeah," Harry said, "he's my cousin. Sort of. My uncle Vernon is his dad's brother."
"I'd imagine that he doesn't hold the same opinion of you, does he?" Neville chuckled. Harry had to smile at that. All of his dorm mates knew how badly he was treated at home, but none of them offered any pity, just congratulations that Harry was able to get away from his aunt and uncle for most of the year.
"He didn't even know I existed until coming to Hogwarts," Harry said, "he's pretty smart. He also has a chance at doing something neither one of us, or any Gryffindor for that matter, has ever done."
"Get Snape to like him?" Neville jokes.
"Exactly," Harry said and grinned at Neville's stunned expression, "he and his brother liked Muggle chemistry a lot growing up, which is odd because most Muggles don't get into chemistry until they are fourteen at least."
"I wish him luck then," Neville said. The two sixth years head up the staircase to the boys dorms and walk into the first year dorms, where they find Locke working on his own puzzle cube which, oddly enough, was also a Rubix cube.
"You too?" Neville gapes. Locke looks up and chuckles.
"Apparently so. Be glad to help you both. We can get a lot of house points if we can work these out today."
Harry and Neville sit down with Locke as he shows them how to work the cubes. Every so often, two squares on the cube would switch colors, making it harder to solve the puzzles.
Twenty minutes before lights out, Neville, Locke, and Harry all figured out their puzzles at the same time. Each one shimmered, then changed into a piece of parchment. Harry looked down at his.
It read: "Using the following words, give the name of the current Dark Lord: Tom Marvolo Riddle"
Harry paled, memories of his second year returning to him. The Chamber of Secrets. The memory of young Tom Riddle, the boy who would one day become Voldemort, the most feared Dark Wizard in the world.
"Harry, whats wrong?" Locke asked.
"This," Harry said, handing Locke and Neville his parchment.
"Harry, how can you get You-Know-Who's name from this guy?" Neville asked, "I remember seeing a trophy dedicated to him in the trophy room."
Harry sighs. "Like this." Harry took out his wand and wrote "TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE" in the air, then flicked his wand. The letters of the words rearranged themselves into "I AM LORD VOLDEMORT".
Neville paled. "How did you do that? How did you know?"
"When I rescued Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets in second year, I met up with the memory of Tom Riddle from when he was a student. He had preserved himself in a diary and had had Ginny do all of that stuff in the name of the Heir of Slytherin. He nearly killed her by draining her of her life force."
Harry told them quickly how he had killed the basilisk and destroyed the diary of Tom Riddle and saved Ginny.
"I definitely could never do that," Neville said when Harry finished.
"You can do, if you did your best," Harry said, "you just need confidence, Neville. That's all."
"Say, this is a fairly easy riddle," Locke said, "Forward and forward I go, never looking back. My limit no one knows, more of me do they lack. Like a river I do flow, and an eagle I fly. Now can you guess, what am I?"
Neville blinked. "Huh?"
"Its time," Locke said, "time goes forward, never going back. It has no known limits, and everyone always seems to lack time. It seems to flow like a river, and fly when your not paying attention."
"So, we've solved our riddles," Harry said to Locke, "what does your riddle say, Neville?"
Neville read his piece of parchment out loud. "What force and strength cannot get through, I with a gentle touch can do. And many in the street would stand, were I not a friend at hand. What am I?"
Neville grinned. "I know this one. Gran has a fondness for riddles. Says it reminds her of my grandfather. He loved riddles."
"Whats the answer?" Locke asked.
"The answer is a key," Neville replied.
Harry grinned. "We've all solved our puzzles. Before Hermione. She's gonna be either wring our necks or congratulate us."
"She may do both," Neville chuckled.
"Lets go tell Hermione and Ron," Harry said, "they should be back from prefect rounds."
The three of them walk down to the Gryffindor common room, where they found Hermione and Ron looking over their puzzle cubes. Harry grinned, unable to pass up a chance like this.
"Are you still working on your puzzles?" Harry asked smugly.
"Yes, Harry," Hermione said agitatedly, "these are very difficult. It'll take days to solve them."
Neville, picking up on Harry's plan, grinned. "Really? We didn't notice. It only took us about an hour."
Ron and Hermione instantly stop and stare at Harry, Neville, and Locke.
"You've solved yours?" Hermione asked.
"Our puzzle cubes took on identical solving measures," Harry replied, "each one took on the form of a Rubix cube. The riddles inside were easy. I think the hard part is opening them. The cubes themselves test your mettle, the riddles test your wit. Both things I gather are needed for fighting the Dark Arts."
"Are you gonna take them to Professor Plunk to get the points?" Ron asked.
"Of course they aren't Ron," Hermione said, "its too close to curfew. They won't be able to get to his office and get back before curfew."
"We can try," Harry said, "and I can take the Cloak and the Map if we are caught out after curfew."
Hermione sighed. "Okay, just please hurry. You don't want detention on the first day."
Harry nodded and hurried up to his room where he grabbed his father's old Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map, a piece of parchment that his father and his three friends, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin, that was a complete map of Hogwarts and its grounds, with details of every single hidden passage and hidden room in the entire school on it. It was a work of genius, and it had been one of Harry's most prized possessions for almost three years. His Invisibility Cloak was a Christmas gift, one of the first he had ever gotten, from Dumbledore, and had once belonged to his father. Gathering up the Invisibility Cloak under his robes and putting the Marauder's Map in a pocket in his uniform, he headed back down to the common room.
"Ready to go?" Harry asked.
"What did you get?" Neville asked in return.
"Something we'll need if we don't hurry and get there and back before curfew," Harry replied. Locke nodded and headed out the portal that was the entrance to Gryffindor Tower with Neville and Harry. The trio hurried to the DADA classroom, where they knew they would find Professor Plunk.
Professor Plunk, as it were, was sitting and talking with his house elf, Dier, when they arrived. Looking up, he smiled in greeting.
"Anything I can help you with, Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Dursley?" he inquired mildly.
"Ah, no sir, we just came because we finished the puzzle cubes," Harry said, smiling softly. Professor Plunk blinked, then grinned.
"Must not have been difficult for you," he said, "hand over your puzzle cubes. Which of you solved and figured your out first?"
"I solved the puzzle first, sir," Neville gulped, "but Harry solved his riddle first."
"Hmm, interesting," Professor Plunk said, "puzzle cubes, now."
The three Gryffindors hand over their puzzle cubes. At the sight of them, Professor Plunk's eyes widen. Dier squeaks and falls out of his chair. Taking the puzzle cubes, Professor Plunk examines them closely, as if inspecting them. When he finishes, he sets each of them down.
"Now, Mr. Potter, I know what your riddle was. Show me."
Harry nodded and spelled out "TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE" with his wand, then flicked it and made the letters rearrange themselves into "I AM LORD VOLDEMORT".
"I take it you know what this means, correct?" Professor Plunk asked Harry.
"I do, sir," Harry replied.
"And you explained it to your housemates?" Professor Plunk asked.
"I have explained it to Neville and Locke, as well as my friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger," Harry replied.
"Very good," Professor Plunk said, "and Mr. Longbottom. I know what your riddle was as well. The answer, please."
"A...a key, sir," Neville gulped.
"Nervous, lad?" Professor Plunk asked, then smiled gently at Neville's nod, "don't be. I'm not really a cruel person, just strict. Much like your Head of House. Being strict and sticking to the rules helps keep you alive. But bending the rules and having fun, really living, keeps you sane. I knew four young men back in the last time I had come to Hogwarts, I was a guest lecturer for the very class I am now teaching, who lived by the principal of having fun and pulling pranks."
"The Marauders," Harry grinned. Professor Plunk eyed Harry carefully before nodding.
"Aye, the Marauders."
Neville blinked. "Fred and George Weasley told me of the Marauders once. Said that they idolized them. Said they were trying to live up to the heritage of the Marauders."
Professor Plunk nodded. "They were a bunch of good lads. Didn't like the small one that much. Had shifty eyes, but I could tell that the others trusted him with their lives."
Harry winced inwardly. That trust had been betrayed and lives had been lost. He had lost his parents and his godfather because of that. His fathers' best friend had been sent to Azkaban for twelve years and his other remaining friend had spent those same years with few friends. And for a werewolf, every friend is precious.
"Anyway, Mr. Dursley, what is the answer to your riddle?"
"Time, sir," Locke replied, "it moves forward, never backwards, and it flows like a river."
"You are an exceptionally bright young man," Professor Plunk said, peering into Locke's eyes, "much like I was at that age. You're in better health than I was, though. I was a scrawny thing. Of course. Ten years old, and weighted five stone!"
All three boys blinked. "Stone?"
"For shame, old man, using out of date terms," Dier admonished Professor Plunk. "Stone is an old term for eleven pounds."
"That is a bit scrawny," Neville admitted.
"Family used to tease me that a stiff wind would blow me away," Professor Plunk laughed, "well, congratulations, boys, you've passed and each earned thirty points for Gryffindor. Mr. Potter, you earned an extra ten for Gryffindor for solving your riddle first. No pun on Voldemort's name intended."
Harry grinned. "Thank you, sir. But it was Locke who taught us how to solve the puzzles."
Professor Plunk smiled. "Yes, muggleborn wizards seem to have a slight edge over purebloods when it comes to logic. Muggles have to do a lot of thinking to survive. Wizards just 'swish and flick'. Disgusting really. Why, many of the best wizards and witches in history were muggleborn! Merlin! Grindelwald was a halfblood, as is Voldemort."
"You Know Who is a halfblood?" Neville gasped, "but he wants to kill all halfbloods!"
"He disregards his muggle father," Harry spoke up, "when he got out of school, he went to his home and killed him, as well as his own grandparents."
"He's evil," Locke said forcefully, to which everyone present nodded in agreement.
"Well, I will have to talk to the Albus about this," Professor Plunk said, indicating the Riddle cubes, "meet me here after supper tomorrow. We will go see Albus about this. But you need your rest. I will escort you back to your common room."
The four of them walked out of the dada classroom, heading back for Gryffindor Tower. Dier stayed behind to sort out things for the next day's classes.
~~
Well, since I last updated this story, I have read several Harry Potter fics and discovered something. I am a huge fan of Harry/Ginny romance as well as Ron/Hermione. In future chapters I will advertise some of my faves among them, but in this chapter I will be advertising one of the first HP fics I ever read.
Advertisements
Name: Realizations Author: Wishweaver StoryID: 1260679 Summary: Harry Potter returns to Privet Drive after 4th year and finds it... empty? What do you do when you can't go to your friends for help? My opinion: One of the first purely Harry Potter fanfics that I have ever read. Brilliantly written.
Also, I have no idea how advanced classes are done in the Harry Potter books, much less England, so I am going to go by ideas I have seen in a few other Harry Potter fics.
~~
Harry woke up feeling more or less okay. He had been plagued by dreams of Voldemort, but these had not been like the dreams that connected the two of them through Harry's scar. This one was just an ordinary nightmare. He greeted his new cousin Locke as best he could and guided the kid to the Great Hall for breakfast. Harry took quick note that the new DADA teacher still had not arrived, which was not that good. Classes started just a few minutes after breakfast ended.
"Morning Harry," Ron said with his usual start-of-term gloom.
"Morning, Ron," Harry replied, "still no sight of the new Defense professor?"
"Dumbledore didn't even say anything to us prefects," Ron replied, then frowned. "Did I just sound like Percy?"
"'Fraid so," Harry grinned. Ron's third oldest brother, Percy, was a prat. He was a stuck-up snob and did not get along well with most of the family. He was a butt-kisser of the highest caliber, always sucking up to his bosses and whomever they deemed important. When he had been attending Hogwarts, he had revered Professor Dumbledore. When he started working for the Ministry of Magic, under Barty Crouch, he had revered Crouch and thought he could do no wrong. Then, after Crouch had been sacked and he began working under Minister Fudge and the Ministry was trying to suppress any possibility of Voldemort having returned, he ridiculed Dumbledore's words along with Fudge.
Ron banged his head on the table. He did not want to become another Percy. His older brother Percy was an unmitigated ass and was still at odds with most of the family. He had always been impressed with his own importance and he never let anyone forget his station.
"Whats our first class?" Ron asked.
"Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts," Hermione answered while sampling some French toast, "since its an advanced class, there will be people from all four Houses in attendance."
"What do you think we'll be learning about, specifically?" Harry asked.
"Personally, I'm hoping to try and learn Occlumency," Hermione said, "don't you still need to perfect Occlumency, Harry?"
Harry nodded in confirmation. "I was emotionally dead for most of the summer, so Voldemort wasn't able to invade my mind through my scar. When I started getting better, I would just focus on how bad I felt about Sirius and I wouldn't have any dreams."
"I don't think that's healthy," Hermione observed.
"It probably isn't," Ron agreed, "I really hope this new DADA teacher decides to help you with your Occlumency, Harry."
"So do I," Harry mumbled.
The DADA classroom had been moved to a large room in the same tower as Divination. Harry and Ron had dropped Divination, seeing as how they did not need it for their chosen careers. Harry was able to get into all of the classes he needed to become an Auror for the Ministry of Magic, and Ron had a wide range of careers he could choose from still. He was currently still in Advanced DADA, Advanced Charms, and Advanced Transfigurations. Like so many others, he did not get an 'O' in Potions so he was ineligible to take Advanced Potions. Hermione had also yet to decide what she wanted to be, but as she had proven so often before she could do anything she put her mind to. She was also in most of the advanced classes, having gotten an 'Outstanding' in everything she took, including History of Magic.
The class was spacious, having more than enough room for whatever the new DADA professor decided to teach. Harry was even sure that Hagrid could fit into the room and not feel cramped. The tables and chairs for the class were all arranged neatly facing the chalkboard. The classroom looked nice and orderly. A grandfather clock sat in one corner, looking stately and antique. All of the students found that they had been assigned seats: a students name was inscribed in flowing script in silver letters on each desk. The members of the four Houses within the class were all scattered about, sometimes a Slytherin would be sitting beside a Gryffindor while a Ravenclaw would be sitting right in front of them or a Hufflepuff behind them.
"Looks like the new teacher wants to try and promote House unity," Ron said dryly.
"Oh, sod off Ron," Harry sighed, "its not like it's a bad thing. Look. Malfoy is on the other side of the room from us."
"Where's the teacher?" Hermione asked.
"Not here yet," said Seamus Finnagin.
"Let's find our seats," Harry suggested. The three friends were not split up, but on either side of them was a Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw sixth year. They sat at the front of the class.
"Class is about to start," Hermione said a moment before the chime in the grandfather clock goes off, signaling the start of class.
The class sat in silence for a few moments before Draco Malfoy finally spoke up. "Where is the new professor? My father will hear of this negligent professor."
"I certainly hope so, Mr. Malfoy," a voice said from above the class in a decidedly American accent. Everyone looked up to see nothing. They then begin to look around, only to see two figures standing at the front of the class.
"Blimey, how'd you do that?" Dean Thomas asked. One of the two figures was wearing a flowing silver cloak that covered up any discernable features. The other was a house elf in an impeccably tailored set of robes made to fit it. Every student in the classroom stared at the house elf. Not one of them had ever seen a house elf wearing anything but clothes they had managed to scrounge up from old stuff, like potato sacks or rags.
Harry, however, was staring at the person in the flowing silver cloak. His voice was the same one he remembered belonging to the person leaving Fred and George's shop when he was in Diagon Alley to get his school supplies. And the cloak was the same.
The stranger pulled off the cloak, revealing another surprise for Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Neville. It was the same person from the new Chocolate Frog card, the Sorcerer Jesse Plunk! He threw his cloak to the coat rack where it settles itself onto a prong.
The Sorcerer chuckled. "Well, Mr. Thomas, that was nothing more than a simple invisibility spell. You'll be learning the theories of it in Charms this year. Yes, this will be a fairly entertaining year for all students at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. My name is Jesse Plunk, and I am your new professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. The curse that was plaguing the last five DADA professors has been broken. I rest assure you that I am not an agent of Voldemort." There was a frightened squeak from most of the class, while Harry and Hermione gaped." I am not a brainless git like that Gilderoy Lockhart. Ha! The day that idiot could face a werewolf is the day I get carted off to Azkaban. I am not a werewolf, though I have known several nice werewolves including your Professor Lupin. I am not an agent of Voldemort," another squeak of fright, "in disguise, and I will not inspire a three House revolt against myself. If I do inspire such a revolt, rest assured that unlike Umbridge, I WILL be able to quell such an event. You may call me Professor Plunk."
Harry, Hermione, and Ron shared a look. This new professor seemed to be serious, yet he had a smile on his face they had only seen on Fred and George's faces when they were planning a prank. Sirius and Lupin had told them that Harry's father used to have that same smile on his face a lot, and Lupin had told them that, before he was carted off the Azkaban, Sirius had had that same smile on his face a lot.
Then the crowd from wizarding families got another shock. The house elf spoke up. He had an American accent that sounded like it was from the west coast. "Hey old man, I'm going off to Hogsmeade. Need anything?"
"No, you little scamp, I do not," Professor Plunk growled, "now off with you before I decide to have roasted house elf for dinner."
"I'd love to see you try that," Dier retorted, then walked out of the room, though not before creating a small ball of fire and hurling it at Professor Plunk's feet. Professor Plunk merely jumped a step back, letting the fireball splash against the stone floor of the classroom and slowly dissipate.
Professor Plunk noticed most of the class staring at him. "What? Is there something on my face? He didn't use the fireball as a distraction to put something on my face, did he?"
Malfoy was the first to speak up. "Sir, how can you take that from a bloody house elf?!"
Professor Plunk chuckled. "Oh, is that whats got you like you are? Well, Dier is a free house elf. Actually, he has never been in servitude to someone. He is my friend, though he does fill the role of servant quite often, and I pay him. Quite handsomely too."
Hermione looked like someone had just made her dream come true.
Professor Plunk looked out over the class. "Any other questions?"
Neville raised his hand. "Mr. Longbottom?"
Neville straightened himself. "Sir, is it true that you are a Sorcerer?"
Professor Plunk didn't have a chance to say anything before Malfoy spoke up again. "A Sorcerer? Longbottom, your brains must have fallen out over the summer. Sorcerers are nothing more than muggles or squibs who stole a wizards wand. They are no better than a mudblood."
"Mr. Malfoy, twenty points from Slytherin for insulting a fellow classmate, twenty more for slander, and twenty more for insulting the skill and talent of some of the greatest men and women to ever live," Professor Plunk said evenly, shocking Malfoy speechless. No one had ever taken sixty points from Slytherin because of him like that. Not since his first year, at least.
"Now, Mr. Longbottom, would you please repeat your question, and please explain why you would even ask something like that."
Neville gulped. "Well, sir, you match the picture on a Chocolate Frog card myself and some friends looked at on the Hogwarts Express. And well, I was wondering if you are a Sorcerer."
Professor Plunk looked thoughtful. "Ah, I see. Chocolate Frog cards. Figures. That's how a lot of you kids know about the old wizards unless you like reading musty old books."
At that, Hermione looked greatly offended.
Professor Plunk continued. "And yes, I am a Sorcerer. A friend of mine by the name of Nicholas Flamel was in possession of the worlds only Sorcerers Stone, a stone that can enable one to make however much gold they want from anything and can be used to brew the Elixir of Life, a potion that prolongs a persons lifespan. During your first your, Mr. Potter and his friends stopped Voldemort and his agent from obtaining it while it was being guarded here at Hogwarts."
The class once again collectively winced at the name of the evil wizard. Professor Plunk looked offended at that. "What, you refer to him as You- Know-Who? How stupid is that? Fearing the name of something increases the fear of the thing itself. It's just a name. I know for a fact that unless powerful ancient magic is involved, saying a persons name will not summon them. Now, get used to it because I will be saying his name. Also, part of one of your tests may be a spoken test to say Voldemort without flinching. I'm here to increase your backbone in the face of the Dark Arts. Some of you may already not be afraid of him, some may have reason to fear him. My own personal goal with you kids is to teach you Defense Against the Dark Arts. What if you come across a Death Eater and they taunt you by constantly saying Voldemort? Flinching in a life or death situation like that will get you killed. I knew several good witches and wizards during Voldemort's first spree of terror that died because of just that. Some even came into Voldemort's presence and were trembling so much due to his presence that they could not defend themselves."
The class sat in silence, contemplating Professor Plunk's words.
Professor Plunk continued. "Now, I have a few rules to add in addition to the normal school rules that had better be obeyed while you are in this classroom and wherever I am if you are there as well. Slander will not be tolerated. Name-calling will not be tolerated, and calling someone a 'mudblood' will instantly get twenty points deducted from your House. If you want to test this, then fine. I have set up charms over the entire breadth of Hogwarts and even up to two thousand feet above Hogwarts. If you say certain words, like mudblood, then twenty points will instantly be deducted from your House. If you want to test it, be my guest. And it does not matter how soft you say it, the charms are sensitive enough to where if they were set up to listen to spiders walking across their webs, and I mean normal spiders not Acromantula's."
"You can't set up charms like that!" Malfoy protested, "its against school regulations! That's abusing your power as a teacher!"
"Oh really?" Professor Plunk chuckled, "Mr. Malfoy, I have a feeling that you do not understand just who I am. I am a Sorcerer. Sorcerers do not have to abide by the rules of the wizarding world if they choose not to, and all of the other Professors agree that measures should be taken to discourage slander. Including your Head of House. While I am here at Hogwarts, some rules will be lax and some will be strictly enforced. Cursing or hexing someone outside of class can result in some very serious punishments, ranging from the loss of the privilege to go to Hogsmeade on the selected days to detention, and if any of you thought Umbridge had bad detentions I assure you that mine are far worse, even to the confiscation of your wand outside of the classes that it is not needed."
The class, particularly the Slytherins and Malfoy especially, sat in stunned silence. Harry shuddered to think how this man could have a detention worse than Umbridge's.
"I advise you all to abide by the rules,"Professor Plunk continued, a smile on his face that everyone in the room decided was evil, "you do not want to test them this year. While I do not like some of the old punishments that Argus Filch likes, one or two of them have been brought back for particularly bad punishments. I will advise you that I have destroyed the chains and whips. Punishments like that are inhuman, but Filch liked my replacement suggestions."
Professor Plunk finished his speech with a devilish smirk, a smirk that scared the entire class speechless. Punishments that Filch liked over chains and whips? What kind of monstrous punishments had this insane man suggested?
"Now, to the lesson plan for this year," Professor Plunk said, his demeanor going from dark and dangerous to so cheery it was almost sickening, "I will be teaching you sixth years how to produce some advanced anti-Dark spells, such as the Patronus Charm. I will also be beginning Occlumency lessons for you all. If you did not know, and I would be surprised if you did, Occlumency protects your mind from being invaded. It bolsters your mental defenses against spells like the Imperious Curse, and it is vital in resisting Legillimency. Each student will have a certain day of the month that I will be practicing Legillimency on so they will be able to practice their Occlumency. Two other professors will be helping me: Professor Dumbledore and Professor Snape. Each of them are quite skilled at Legillimency so they will be very helpful in this study."
Harry felt sick at the thought of having to spend more time with Professor Snape in Occlumency lessons.
"You shall also be learning other spells, but I shall not go into them just now," Professor Plunk finished, "today, as it will be with each first class I have with all students, I am just going to get a feel for what you know, so I will know what pace to go with each student. I can already tell that some of you are already skilled in Defense against the Dark Arts. If you were not, then you would have failed your OWLs and not be here in the Advanced class. But, you are the best sixth years at Defense against the Dark Arts, and the only students I expect to be doing better than you is the seventh year Advanced class. I shall be using Legillimency to determine the level each of you are at in this class. Now, shall we begin? Legillimens!"
Harry felt the familiar probing of another's mind touch his, reaching for his knowledge at Defense Against the Dark Arts. He thought back to Sirius, and how he would still be alive if he had been better at Occlumency, and the probing within his mind stopped immediately.
"Mr. Potter, where did you learn to do that?" Professor Plunk demanded. His tone was stern and only showed a small amount of surprise.
"I, um, well," Harry stuttered.
"Nevermind," Professor Plunk replied, "you've apparently had some Occlumency lessons. We will talk of this later. Now class, that was Legillimency. Professor Dumbledore did give me permission to use this method of understanding where you stood in Defense Against the Dark Arts rather than what you scored on your OWLs because you can do well enough in this class through the written exams to get to the Advanced class. I need to know where you stand in practical magic. That hag Umbridge almost wasted an entire year teaching you nothing. Ha! Having fifth year DADA students go back to the basics! If I could, I would go back in time and tell myself in the past to become your new teacher rather than let that Umbridge woman teach you."
Most of the class, the Slytherins excluded, chuckled at that. Only the Slytherins and Filch had liked Dolores Umbridge. Hermione's hand shot up.
"Yes, Mrs. Granger?"
"Professor, if you did go back in time, would that not mess everything up?" Hermione asked.
Professor Plunk laughed. "I assume you've had some experience with a Time- Turner, or have read about them. Yes, going back in time could mess things up. Things are set in stone and cannot be changed. Like I said, if I could go back in time I would. I easily have the power to go back in time, same as Merlin himself, but you cannot change things. Some things you can do, but I will not go into that. Now, who can name the only spell that can be used to drive back a Lethifold?"
Several hands shot up, Hermione's among them.
"Mr. Longbottom."
"The Patronus Charm, sir," Neville replied, startled at having been called on.
"Good. Ten points to Gryffindor. Now, who can name one of the more dangerous Dark Creatures?"
Almost everyone's hands went up. "Mr. Weasley."
"A-acromantula's," Ron said shakily. Even thinking about Acromantula's made him remember Aragogg, Hagrid's pet Acromantula.
"Very good. Ten more points to Gryffindor. Now, who can name the most dangerous spell in the world?"
Everyone's hands went up once again. "Mr. Malfoy."
"The Killing Curse, Avada Kedavra." Malfoy said that while looking at Harry, as if he wanted to cast the Killing Curse on the Boy Who Lived. He probably did.
"Wrong." The class was silent at that. "The Killing Curse is the second most dangerous curse in the world, because it is so feared, but it is not the most dangerous. Yes, it is practically unblockable, but only because no one would think that the one spell that can counter it could. I will be teaching all of you this spell later on."
The class was shocked at that. A spell that could actually counter the Killing Curse?
"Are you mad?" Malfoy demanded, "nothing can block the Killing Curse."
"Obviously something can, or Mr. Potter would not be alive today," Professor Plunk said smugly, "but that was ancient magic that protected him, and it had a price that I'm sure Mr. Potter wishes had not had to have been paid."
Harry winced at that. This DADA teacher knew how he had survived the Killing Curse when he was a baby. Had Dumbledore told him?
"I will not be teaching you what saved Mr. Potter when he was a baby, nor will I be teaching you how to cast the most dangerous spell in the world, but I will be teaching you how to counter it. Quills in hands, write down what I say."
Professor Plunk took a deep breath, then he began. "The most dangerous curse in the world is the Fear Curse, Dementrious. It is not used often and is not spoken of often because of its power. Like a Dementor, and a Boggart to a lesser extent, Dementrious brings a persons worst fears rushing to their conscious mind. It can only be blocked by another Dementrious Curse hitting it squarely, or by the spell Riddikulus. It can also be blocked by the Patronus Charm. When cast, the Dementrious Curse is in the form of a hazy purple sphere a meter in diameter. When it hits something solid, be it a person or something else like a chair, it explodes and covers the entire area in a dome with a radius of from the caster to where it hit. It can cover up to a twenty feet in diameter, and be up to ten feet high. You can focus it into a spell like the Cruciatus Curse, where it only affects exactly what it hits and nothing else. This actually intensifies it and makes it harder to fight off. The Dementrious Curse, when it hits, has a similar effect as the Cruciatus Curse. It wracks the body with fear, paralyzing the person. It is almost impossible to fight off, but when it is fought off the caster is stunned, leaving them wide open to attack. Quills down."
"Now, from what I have just said, what makes the Dementrious Curse more dangerous than the Killing Curse?"
Harry, Hermione, and a few others raised their hands. "Mr. Potter."
"A person can fight off physical pain, like what the Cruciatus Curse gives, and they can resist the Imperius Curse, and can even avoid the Killing Curse, but it sounds like it is virtually impossible to avoid the Dementrious Curse."
"Ten points to Gryffindor. That is exactly correct. The Dementrious Curse was widely used until the Patronus Charm was developed. Ancient magics can protect you against the Killing Curse, and there are spells that can block the Cruciatus Curse and you can fight off the Imperius Curse, but it is almost impossible to fight off the Dementrious Curse. It is ranked with the three Unforgivables in sentence, but is not counted as one of the Unforgivables anymore. It was 1843 when it was removed from the list of Unforgivable Curses, but I still think of it as the fourth Unforgivable, because if a person has enough things to fear, it can shut down their heart."
The class was silent at that. This spell sounded extremely dangerous. Harry was glad that Voldemort did not know it, or he would have conquered the wizarding world long ago.
Professor Plunk continued with his opening lectures, describing the effects of several other powerful curses and hexes, as well as powerful Dark creatures. His topic of conversation ranged from the creation of a Basilisk to the ways to kill one, from the invention of the Cruciatus Curse to the invention of the Patronus Charm. He discussed how some curses, hexes, and jinxes were not meant to be mixed and why, to the most handy ways to avoid the Killing Curse.
At the end of the class, Professor Plunk handed each student a small cube. "In this cube is a riddle. Each cube in and of itself is a riddle. Each cube opens a different way. The riddle in each cube is also difficult. The way to solving the riddle depends on how well you know yourself, and your strengths. You will have one month to figure out how to open your cube. You can return the opened cube and answered puzzle any time before lights out each day, including today. Depending on when you turn it in, you can earn house points. If anyone can actually turn it in by the end of today, you will earn your house fifty points. Now, the key to unlocking your cube can be a specific spell, a type of spell, or even a word spoken by you directly to it. Failing to open this cube by the end of the month will result in a loss of ten points from your house. Losing it will cost you an additional ten. You are not required to be able to solve the inner puzzle, just the opening of it. Any questions?"
There were none.
"Good. Now, class dismissed. Oh, and there will be an additional ten points going to whomever turns this in first."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked out of the class a little wild around the eyes. They had no idea about some of the things that Professor Plunk had told the class, but even Hermione could not dispute them because they were backed by the books they had been assigned.
"I think our new DADA professor is insane," muttered Ron as he tried to figure out how to open his cube, "how the bloody hell are we supposed to figure this thing out, anyway?"
"I want to know what this has to do with Defense Against the Dark Arts," muttered Harry, holding his cube, "this seems more like something Snape would do to us."
"Which makes me completely happy that I will not be taking Advanced Potions," Ron said cheekily, brightening a bit, "you two will have Snape really breathing down your necks now."
Harry groaned. As if Snape wasn't bad enough towards him normally. Well, at least since he was in Advanced Potions Snape knew that he was competent.
Next was a free period that lasted until lunch.
Almost every student in the entire Great Hall was whispering excitedly about Professor Plunk. The new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor had stirred up quite a bit of interest among the students. The first three years of Slytherin seemed actually terrified of him, and almost the entire Gryffindor house seemed to be in awe of him. The Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs seemed impressed with him as well, though not as impressed as Harry remembered them being with Lupin. Harry could spot several students with cubes like those the Professor had given out to his class.
"Think anyone's figured out their cube?" Ron asked as they found some seats.
"I doubt it," Hermione said, pursing her lips, "no one has likely had much of a chance to figure theirs out. And the class after ours contained fourth year Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors."
"Well, whaddya say we try to figure ours out during lunch?" Harry asked.
"But how do we start?" Ron asked.
"Well, the professor did say that opening it depended on how well we knew ourselves and our strengths," Harry said, "so why not try that?"
"Your biggest strength is flying, Harry," Ron said.
"I don't think that the professor had something like that in mind," Hermione chided, "I think he meant our more practical magical strengths."
Harry turned his cube over in his hands, checking it over. With a faint 'click', part of it began to turn. A pattern of nine squares appeared on each side, with vari-colored squares within each pattern. The colors were blue, green, silver, red, gold, and purple.
"Harry, how did you do that?" Hermione demanded as she stared at the cube in Harry's hand.
"I don't know," Harry admits, "I was just checking it out."
"It looks like a Rubix cube," Hermione remarked, "I'll bet its solved like one, too!"
"Uh, whats a Rubix cube?" Ron asked.
"It's a toy made by muggle children," Harry explained, "you see, each of the six sides is supposed to be one solid color. But it is mixed up and you have to turn each side like so." Harry demonstrated by turning a few of the sides around until there were four silver squares on one side. "I guess the way the professor made my puzzle, it'll open up when I get all the sides put together right."
"He did say opening them would be a puzzle in themselves," Hermione remarked thoughtfully, "well Harry, now you know how to open yours."
"And just think, you figured yours out before Hermione figured out hers," Ron chuckled, earning a swat from Hermione. "Well mate, perhaps you can get Gryffindor a lot of house points by figuring it out before the day is up."
"I don't know," Harry said, "Rubix cubes are supposed to be very hard. Some people try for years to solve them and never succeed. And I'm talking about people far smarter than me."
"Come on Harry, don't sell yourself short," Hermione urged, "you are smart. After all, you're the top in the entire year in DADA, and your good in all of your other subjects too."
"But you're smarter than me," Harry said, "and I do have a month to figure this out."
"You will figure it out, Harry," Hermione said assuredly, "after all, you're one of the best students in DADA this year. You did splendid in both the written and practical exams for your OWLs."
"Yeah mate," Ron chimed in, "you did splendid in all your OWLs. And besides, it doesn't look all that hard."
"I guess we'll see," Harry said as he placed his cube beside his plate as Locke came and found a seat beside Harry.
"Hullo," Locke said.
"So Locke, what do you think of Hogwarts so far?" Harry asked. He had taken a definite liking to his cousin, even though they were only related through Harry's aunt and uncle and not by a direct blood relation.
"I like it a lot," Locke said, "I had Transfiguration first. Professor McGonagall seems real nice."
"She's also our Head of House," Hermione said, "she's strict, but fair. She doesn't show favoritism to any of the four Houses, though some of the other teachers do."
"Like Professor Snape," Ron grumbled.
"Snape teaches Potions," Harry explained to Locke, "and he's the Head of Slytherin. He went to school with my mum and dad. My dad and him hated each other, and unfortunately Snape's hatred of my father was transferred to me."
"But Snape is a decent guy," Hermione argued, "he's even more strict than Professor McGonagall, and he doesn't hesitate to hand out detentions. He shows a lot of favoritism to the Slytherins, his old House, and absolutely loathes us Gryffindors. A word of advice is to try and ignore his glares."
"Don't see how you can do that," Ron muttered, "Snape's scary."
"But, Snape is a genius at making potions," Hermione finished, "if you can manage to keep from getting on his bad side, or if you perhaps show a knack at potions, then he won't try to make you nervous so much."
"Or if you just get partnered with a Slytherin," Ron added, "particularly someone he likes."
"Alex and I have a home chemistry set," Locke said, "one of my favorite pastimes back home was mixing different things to see what would happen. Mum and dad even went and bought us university chem. books and the like to help us."
"You'll do good at potions then," Harry said, "perhaps you'll be the first Gryffindor that Snape likes."
"I'll believe that when I see muggles flying without one of their contraptions," Ron muttered.
Harry chuckled and nodded his agreement. Despite being raised a muggle, he was very comfortable in the wizarding world. Perhaps that was because he had always been meant to live in it. Voldemort had caused things to change, but he had assimilated the wizarding world quite well, despite the fact that he would learn something new about the wizarding world that others took for granted.
"Whats your next class?" Harry asked Locke.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts," Locke replied.
"Harry can help you a lot with that class," Ron said, "he's the best in our year at DADA."
"Really?" Locke asked, awed. He hadn't known his sortof cousin for long, but he already liked him a lot.
Harry nodded. "I think you'll also like the teacher. We've had a different teacher every year since we started. The first one, Professor Quirrel, turned out to be possessed by Voldemort. The next one, Golderoy Lockhart, was an idiot. The one we had our third year, Professor Lupin, was the best we've had yet. He was a werewolf, but he is a really great guy. He went to school with my dad. They were very good friends. Fourth year, we would have had a retired Auror, Professor Moody, but he was captured by a rogue Death Eater and was kept locked up in his trunk almost the whole year while the Death Eater used bits of him for his ingredients in a Polyjuice Potion."
At seeing Locke's non-understanding look, Harry explains. "A Polyjuice potion enables the one who drinks it to look like whomever the bits of are in it for an hour. Hermione made one our second year. We can tell you about that later."
Locke nodded his understanding. "And last year's teacher?"
Harry snorted derisively. "Umbridge was a Ministry appointed professor. Minister Fudge was afraid that Dumbledore was training us to be his private army, so he had Umbridge fill the vacancy. No one liked her, except the Slytherins."
"And she loathed Harry," Hermione added, "she was horrible."
Harry nodded and continued. "She ended up inspiring a three-House revolt against her. Fred and George, Ron's older brothers, who are also twins, were at the head of it. They ended up leaving school after turning a large section of one of the hallways into a swamp. They now run a joke shop in Diagon Alley. Professor Flitwick left a bit of the swamp as a testament to their ingenuity."
"I think I passed by that bit of swamp," Locke said, "and I think I saw their shop when that big man, Hagrid, took my folks and I to Diagon Alley to get my school supplies."
Harry grinned. "Hagrid's a real good guy. He helped me out when I first learned that I was a wizard. He's the nicest person I have ever met. His heart is always in the right place."
"As you can tell, Harry really likes Hagrid," Ron joked.
"That and he gave Dudley a pigs tail when I first met him," Harry grinned.
Locke laughed. "Dudley eats like a pig. I've seen him do it."
"I must have been sent over to Mrs. Figg those days," Harry mused, "I've never seen you until last night."
"And they never once mentioned you," Locke agreed, "they really don't like people like us, do they?"
"They're the most muggly muggles ever," Ron said, "I'm just glad that Harry won't have much time left with them next summer."
"What about winter holiday?" Locke asked.
"I stay here," Harry said, "I like it here at Hogwarts lots more than I ever will at our aunt and uncle's."
"I can only imagine what this place is like during the winter," Locke said eagerly, "I wish my parents and Alex could come here for the winter instead of me returning with to them over the winter holidays, but I don't think I can."
"You can always talk to Professor McGonagall about it," Hermione suggested, "I don't know if she'd take it to Dumbledore, who is the one who would make a decision about something like that."
"Do you really think he'd let them come up for the winter holidays?" Locke asked.
"It doesn't hurt to ask," Harry said, "and Dumbledore is always surprising people."
"Especially us," Ron muttered.
"In any case, it doesn't matter at the moment," Hermione said, "you can wait until the winter holidays are here. It's not something we should worry about right now. We have three and a half months of class to worry about right now."
Ron groaned. "Leave it to Hermione to remind us about schoolwork."
Hermione gave Ron a playful shove. The rest of lunch continued uneventful, with Locke telling his sortof cousin and older housemates his opinions about the school so far. He found the various stairs, particularly the moving ones, 'fun', and the talking and moving portraits were quite amusing to him. He had, unfortunately, met the eccentric Sir Cadogan.
His second class had been Charms, and it had been a Gryffindor/Hufflepuff mix. It had gone on well. Among the entire class, he had gotten the closest to making the feather float. And apparently there was a new first year equivalent to Neville.
"He really blew the desk right out the window?" Ron gaped. Even Neville had never blundered that much.
"He almost blew Professor Flitwick out the window as well," Locke added.
"Now that's priceless," Ron chuckled, "Charlie told me that there was someone like that in his year at Hogwarts. Bill told me there was someone else like that a few years ahead of him when he was here."
"Think its some kind of really powerful curse on Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"I doubt it," Ron said, "a curse that powerful would have been detected by the professors, unless it was built into the school itself."
Hermione looked at Ron, surprised. "And just how do you know that, Ron?"
"Because that's just common magical knowledge, Hermione," Ron replied, somewhat smugly, "curses that powerful can usually be felt even by a first year student, unless they were instilled into a magical object and started out weak, gaining strength over time. Since the curse would have started out weak, it would take a very powerful wizard, like Dumbledore, to detect it. Especially since a spell like that would be passive in nature, like the spells placed on brooms."
"It could just be a big coincidence," Locke suggested.
"That's probably what it is," Hermione agreed, then she looked at Ron. "Ron, how did you know that?"
"I did grow up in a wizarding family, 'Mione," Ron replied, still smug, "you learn things. Besides, my dad works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department at the Ministry and there have been a few artifacts like that that popped up a few years ago. One even showed up the year before we started here at Hogwarts."
The quartet continue their meal until Locke noticed the cubes that the three sixth years had gotten in DADA, particularly Harry's.
"Whats that?" Locke asked, "some kind of wizarding version of the Rubix cube?"
"You've seen these before?" Harry asked.
"Solved a few," Locke replied, "what is it?"
"Kinda homework for DADA," Harry explained, "I have to solve this to open it and figure out the puzzle inside of it."
"Well, if you need some advice, you gotta try and get all of the sides to match up at the same time," Locke said, "you'll drive yourself crazy trying to do one side at a time."
"Thanks," Harry said, "that saves me some trouble."
Locke beamed, glad to have been of some help even though it is only his first day of school at Hogwarts.
"So, whats your next class?" Locked asked.
"It's a free period for Ron and me," Harry said, "then we have Care of Magical Creatures."
"That's a class I can't wait to take," Locke said eagerly.
"Well, you'll have to wait a few years," Harry said, "first two years at Hogwarts is spent learning common spells and such. Third year and after is when you get to take other classes such as Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies, and Arithmancy. Ron and I take Care of Magical Creatures and Divination. Or at least did. We dropped it."
"Yeah, the teacher was constantly predicting Harry's death," Ron said flatly.
"I honestly don't know why you insisted on taking it," Hermione said, "its nothing more than a load of rubbish. Even though there are real prophecies out there."
"There are?" Locke asked.
Harry nodded, his face grim. "And they should be taken seriously. Even Professor Trelawny, the Divination teacher, has had a few accurate predictions. She predicted Voldemort's return in my third year, close to the end of it. She has also had a few other accurate prophecies."
"Well, I still have two years before I even have to consider my electives," Locke said.
"Yeah, don't worry about it now," Ron said, "but keep your mind open. It all depends on what you want to do."
Harry and Hermione blink in amazement. Ron wasn't usually that deep. Apparently he had changed a bit over the summer. The two share a look, knowing that the other is thinking the same thing. Ron was actually paying attention to his schoolwork. Perhaps his encounter with those brains in the Department of Mysteries had affected him a bit. That encounter had changed everyone involved who wasn't a Death Eater.
"Well, I got to go to class," Locke said as lunch came to a close, "I hope Defense Against the Dark Arts is as good as you say it is."
"I think you'll like Professor Plunk," Harry said, "he's very different from our previous DADA professors, but that is mostly a good thing."
"Only two were really any good," Hermione said, causing Ron and Harry to look at her like she was bonkers. "Oh, stuff it you two. Quirell may have been working for Voldemort, but he was still a good teacher."
"She does have a point there," Harry admitted to Ron, who agreed. "He was still evil though."
"I'm not saying that he wasn't," Hermione protested, "but he still taught us well."
The rest of lunch passed by fairly quickly and soon the quartet was heading to their next classes. Locke headed to the DADA classroom, while Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way for Care of Magical Creatures.
Hagrid was in an excellent mood. He had paid Harry a few visits over the summer and the two of them had reminisced about Sirius, Hagrid telling him stories of the days of the Marauders from the perspective of someone who had to be a voice of discipline yet still appreciate their sense of humor. Between Hagrid and Lupin, Harry had managed to get out of his funk over Sirius' death.
It was just before supper that Harry finally got a chance to look at his puzzle cube again while Ron and Hermione did prefect rounds. It did look difficult, but it also looked solvable. He could do this.
"Hey Harry." It was Neville.
"Hey Neville," Harry said, "what do you think of this?" He held up his puzzle cube.
Neville blinked. "You too?" Neville held up his own puzzle cube. It was identical to Harry's. "Any idea how to solve it?"
"Let's get Locke," Harry said, "he says he's solved a few."
Neville was surprised. "Locke? Locke Dursley, the first year?"
"Yeah," Harry said, "he's my cousin. Sort of. My uncle Vernon is his dad's brother."
"I'd imagine that he doesn't hold the same opinion of you, does he?" Neville chuckled. Harry had to smile at that. All of his dorm mates knew how badly he was treated at home, but none of them offered any pity, just congratulations that Harry was able to get away from his aunt and uncle for most of the year.
"He didn't even know I existed until coming to Hogwarts," Harry said, "he's pretty smart. He also has a chance at doing something neither one of us, or any Gryffindor for that matter, has ever done."
"Get Snape to like him?" Neville jokes.
"Exactly," Harry said and grinned at Neville's stunned expression, "he and his brother liked Muggle chemistry a lot growing up, which is odd because most Muggles don't get into chemistry until they are fourteen at least."
"I wish him luck then," Neville said. The two sixth years head up the staircase to the boys dorms and walk into the first year dorms, where they find Locke working on his own puzzle cube which, oddly enough, was also a Rubix cube.
"You too?" Neville gapes. Locke looks up and chuckles.
"Apparently so. Be glad to help you both. We can get a lot of house points if we can work these out today."
Harry and Neville sit down with Locke as he shows them how to work the cubes. Every so often, two squares on the cube would switch colors, making it harder to solve the puzzles.
Twenty minutes before lights out, Neville, Locke, and Harry all figured out their puzzles at the same time. Each one shimmered, then changed into a piece of parchment. Harry looked down at his.
It read: "Using the following words, give the name of the current Dark Lord: Tom Marvolo Riddle"
Harry paled, memories of his second year returning to him. The Chamber of Secrets. The memory of young Tom Riddle, the boy who would one day become Voldemort, the most feared Dark Wizard in the world.
"Harry, whats wrong?" Locke asked.
"This," Harry said, handing Locke and Neville his parchment.
"Harry, how can you get You-Know-Who's name from this guy?" Neville asked, "I remember seeing a trophy dedicated to him in the trophy room."
Harry sighs. "Like this." Harry took out his wand and wrote "TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE" in the air, then flicked his wand. The letters of the words rearranged themselves into "I AM LORD VOLDEMORT".
Neville paled. "How did you do that? How did you know?"
"When I rescued Ginny from the Chamber of Secrets in second year, I met up with the memory of Tom Riddle from when he was a student. He had preserved himself in a diary and had had Ginny do all of that stuff in the name of the Heir of Slytherin. He nearly killed her by draining her of her life force."
Harry told them quickly how he had killed the basilisk and destroyed the diary of Tom Riddle and saved Ginny.
"I definitely could never do that," Neville said when Harry finished.
"You can do, if you did your best," Harry said, "you just need confidence, Neville. That's all."
"Say, this is a fairly easy riddle," Locke said, "Forward and forward I go, never looking back. My limit no one knows, more of me do they lack. Like a river I do flow, and an eagle I fly. Now can you guess, what am I?"
Neville blinked. "Huh?"
"Its time," Locke said, "time goes forward, never going back. It has no known limits, and everyone always seems to lack time. It seems to flow like a river, and fly when your not paying attention."
"So, we've solved our riddles," Harry said to Locke, "what does your riddle say, Neville?"
Neville read his piece of parchment out loud. "What force and strength cannot get through, I with a gentle touch can do. And many in the street would stand, were I not a friend at hand. What am I?"
Neville grinned. "I know this one. Gran has a fondness for riddles. Says it reminds her of my grandfather. He loved riddles."
"Whats the answer?" Locke asked.
"The answer is a key," Neville replied.
Harry grinned. "We've all solved our puzzles. Before Hermione. She's gonna be either wring our necks or congratulate us."
"She may do both," Neville chuckled.
"Lets go tell Hermione and Ron," Harry said, "they should be back from prefect rounds."
The three of them walk down to the Gryffindor common room, where they found Hermione and Ron looking over their puzzle cubes. Harry grinned, unable to pass up a chance like this.
"Are you still working on your puzzles?" Harry asked smugly.
"Yes, Harry," Hermione said agitatedly, "these are very difficult. It'll take days to solve them."
Neville, picking up on Harry's plan, grinned. "Really? We didn't notice. It only took us about an hour."
Ron and Hermione instantly stop and stare at Harry, Neville, and Locke.
"You've solved yours?" Hermione asked.
"Our puzzle cubes took on identical solving measures," Harry replied, "each one took on the form of a Rubix cube. The riddles inside were easy. I think the hard part is opening them. The cubes themselves test your mettle, the riddles test your wit. Both things I gather are needed for fighting the Dark Arts."
"Are you gonna take them to Professor Plunk to get the points?" Ron asked.
"Of course they aren't Ron," Hermione said, "its too close to curfew. They won't be able to get to his office and get back before curfew."
"We can try," Harry said, "and I can take the Cloak and the Map if we are caught out after curfew."
Hermione sighed. "Okay, just please hurry. You don't want detention on the first day."
Harry nodded and hurried up to his room where he grabbed his father's old Invisibility Cloak and the Marauder's Map, a piece of parchment that his father and his three friends, Sirius Black, Peter Pettigrew, and Remus Lupin, that was a complete map of Hogwarts and its grounds, with details of every single hidden passage and hidden room in the entire school on it. It was a work of genius, and it had been one of Harry's most prized possessions for almost three years. His Invisibility Cloak was a Christmas gift, one of the first he had ever gotten, from Dumbledore, and had once belonged to his father. Gathering up the Invisibility Cloak under his robes and putting the Marauder's Map in a pocket in his uniform, he headed back down to the common room.
"Ready to go?" Harry asked.
"What did you get?" Neville asked in return.
"Something we'll need if we don't hurry and get there and back before curfew," Harry replied. Locke nodded and headed out the portal that was the entrance to Gryffindor Tower with Neville and Harry. The trio hurried to the DADA classroom, where they knew they would find Professor Plunk.
Professor Plunk, as it were, was sitting and talking with his house elf, Dier, when they arrived. Looking up, he smiled in greeting.
"Anything I can help you with, Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Dursley?" he inquired mildly.
"Ah, no sir, we just came because we finished the puzzle cubes," Harry said, smiling softly. Professor Plunk blinked, then grinned.
"Must not have been difficult for you," he said, "hand over your puzzle cubes. Which of you solved and figured your out first?"
"I solved the puzzle first, sir," Neville gulped, "but Harry solved his riddle first."
"Hmm, interesting," Professor Plunk said, "puzzle cubes, now."
The three Gryffindors hand over their puzzle cubes. At the sight of them, Professor Plunk's eyes widen. Dier squeaks and falls out of his chair. Taking the puzzle cubes, Professor Plunk examines them closely, as if inspecting them. When he finishes, he sets each of them down.
"Now, Mr. Potter, I know what your riddle was. Show me."
Harry nodded and spelled out "TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE" with his wand, then flicked it and made the letters rearrange themselves into "I AM LORD VOLDEMORT".
"I take it you know what this means, correct?" Professor Plunk asked Harry.
"I do, sir," Harry replied.
"And you explained it to your housemates?" Professor Plunk asked.
"I have explained it to Neville and Locke, as well as my friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger," Harry replied.
"Very good," Professor Plunk said, "and Mr. Longbottom. I know what your riddle was as well. The answer, please."
"A...a key, sir," Neville gulped.
"Nervous, lad?" Professor Plunk asked, then smiled gently at Neville's nod, "don't be. I'm not really a cruel person, just strict. Much like your Head of House. Being strict and sticking to the rules helps keep you alive. But bending the rules and having fun, really living, keeps you sane. I knew four young men back in the last time I had come to Hogwarts, I was a guest lecturer for the very class I am now teaching, who lived by the principal of having fun and pulling pranks."
"The Marauders," Harry grinned. Professor Plunk eyed Harry carefully before nodding.
"Aye, the Marauders."
Neville blinked. "Fred and George Weasley told me of the Marauders once. Said that they idolized them. Said they were trying to live up to the heritage of the Marauders."
Professor Plunk nodded. "They were a bunch of good lads. Didn't like the small one that much. Had shifty eyes, but I could tell that the others trusted him with their lives."
Harry winced inwardly. That trust had been betrayed and lives had been lost. He had lost his parents and his godfather because of that. His fathers' best friend had been sent to Azkaban for twelve years and his other remaining friend had spent those same years with few friends. And for a werewolf, every friend is precious.
"Anyway, Mr. Dursley, what is the answer to your riddle?"
"Time, sir," Locke replied, "it moves forward, never backwards, and it flows like a river."
"You are an exceptionally bright young man," Professor Plunk said, peering into Locke's eyes, "much like I was at that age. You're in better health than I was, though. I was a scrawny thing. Of course. Ten years old, and weighted five stone!"
All three boys blinked. "Stone?"
"For shame, old man, using out of date terms," Dier admonished Professor Plunk. "Stone is an old term for eleven pounds."
"That is a bit scrawny," Neville admitted.
"Family used to tease me that a stiff wind would blow me away," Professor Plunk laughed, "well, congratulations, boys, you've passed and each earned thirty points for Gryffindor. Mr. Potter, you earned an extra ten for Gryffindor for solving your riddle first. No pun on Voldemort's name intended."
Harry grinned. "Thank you, sir. But it was Locke who taught us how to solve the puzzles."
Professor Plunk smiled. "Yes, muggleborn wizards seem to have a slight edge over purebloods when it comes to logic. Muggles have to do a lot of thinking to survive. Wizards just 'swish and flick'. Disgusting really. Why, many of the best wizards and witches in history were muggleborn! Merlin! Grindelwald was a halfblood, as is Voldemort."
"You Know Who is a halfblood?" Neville gasped, "but he wants to kill all halfbloods!"
"He disregards his muggle father," Harry spoke up, "when he got out of school, he went to his home and killed him, as well as his own grandparents."
"He's evil," Locke said forcefully, to which everyone present nodded in agreement.
"Well, I will have to talk to the Albus about this," Professor Plunk said, indicating the Riddle cubes, "meet me here after supper tomorrow. We will go see Albus about this. But you need your rest. I will escort you back to your common room."
The four of them walked out of the dada classroom, heading back for Gryffindor Tower. Dier stayed behind to sort out things for the next day's classes.
~~
Well, since I last updated this story, I have read several Harry Potter fics and discovered something. I am a huge fan of Harry/Ginny romance as well as Ron/Hermione. In future chapters I will advertise some of my faves among them, but in this chapter I will be advertising one of the first HP fics I ever read.
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Name: Realizations Author: Wishweaver StoryID: 1260679 Summary: Harry Potter returns to Privet Drive after 4th year and finds it... empty? What do you do when you can't go to your friends for help? My opinion: One of the first purely Harry Potter fanfics that I have ever read. Brilliantly written.