Friday afternoon saw Harry, Ron, and Emma Bowman traipsing back to
Gryffindor common room, muddy and wet, but flushed with success.
"How'd it go?" asked Hermione, when she met them in the common room.
"Great," said Ron, "we have the best team I've ever seen. You'd be surprised at Colin and his brother, they've got natural talent at being Beaters, they're almost as good as Fred and George, and if they work they probably'll turn out better than them."
"Yeah," said Harry, "and Ron, of course, forgot to mention that he's doing loads better than last year. I don't have a clue what he's been doing with himself this summer, but whatever it was has helped loads."
"And," said Emma Bowman, speaking for the first time. Her voice was low, but not grating, and she moved her hands very expressively while she talked.
"And, Harry is doing really well, too. I've seen him play for five years, but this is the best he's ever done, I think. We're going to win this year, Hermione, I promise you. We're gonna show everyone! We're gonna do it!"
Harry couldn't help but be heartened, and the thought of Emma expressing her views to Malfoy put a wide grin on his face. His grin widened at the thought of the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match, which would be held later in the year. They would definitely be showing Slytherin.
Hermione didn't have such good news. Her Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were conducted by a new teacher named Fisken.
". . . he's from New York and he's like eighty years old and speaks with such an accent, eurgh, like, 'Mish Granja', if you don't want t'do thish leshon, then leave! The door is thea'!' and stuff like, 'Mista Finnigan, I will not be spoken to like that again!' and he slurs half his words and he — oh, I wish I had signed for the Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts with you and Ron!"
Harry raised his eyebrows and glanced at Ron, who was choking back a laugh with some difficulty; Hermione glared at him and said, "I'm not kidding, Ron! He's completely horrible! He told us he's Muggle-born and he used to teach in a jail when he was younger, probably sometime around 1850 or so, I bet! He's so old and— "
She wrung her hands in frustration, and Harry put out a hand and said, "Calm down, Hermione," which she did, and Ron burst out laughing.
The next morning, Harry, Ron, and Hermione found themselves running to their Transfiguration class, making sure not to miss the first of what surely would be their hardest lessons of the year, with professor McGonagall.
"Apparation," she began, as they all took their seats, "is the one of the hardest and most difficult magics known to wizards. This is mainly because it is wandless, and therefore requires the use of the mind more than regular magic, which is conducted from a wand. The use of a wand takes away much of the minds' work, making all wandless magic easier than any, I repeat any, magic with a wand. A precious few have natural talent at wandless magic, but the rest must learn the hard way, that is to say, learning the theory and studying hard, but most wizards can achieve perfection without any natural talent, Longbottom." The last sentence was addressed to Neville, who had a sad, disbelieving look on his face.
"This skill is so complicated and dangerous that many wizards prefer not to use it, and find other means of traveling. However, in light of the current events, I for one, think it would be extremely useful, and therefore, worth the risks and time. Most of you will not be able to Apparate more than a couple of feet until next year at least.
"I repeat, the select few who posses the ability and skill naturally will be able to Apparate inside this year. I expect all of you, yes, you too, Longbottom, to pass your Apparation tests, which will be held at the end of this year."
She started out by telling them the theory of Apparating, and told them that their training and tests would be held in Hogsmeade, for the obvious reason that Apparating was impossible in Hogwarts, and assigning them homework, to look up more of the theory, and write a small essay on it.
The next day Hermione had Potions, and Harry and Ron went down to the dungeons with her, Ron to gloat, but Harry was feeling slightly ashamed and angry at the same time. As they reached the door to the dungeons, Harry and Ron turned around and started towards the Great Hall for an early lunch.
"I think its great having no Potions," said Ron.
"Do you?" said Harry, "But I would rather have it because . . . well, because I can't be an Auror— "
"What was that?" asked a quiet voice from behind him. Harry spun around. It was Dumbledore.
"What did you say?" Dumbledore repeated, "Who said you couldn't become an Auror? Mr. Weasley, if you'll excuse Harry for a moment,"
He motioned to Harry to follow him and walked down the hall to his office. A large statue of a griffon that Harry knew was the entrance to Dumbledore's office.
"Sugar Quill!" said Dumbledore as he spread his hands out wide. As the griffon turned slowly, Harry and Dumbledore stepped onto the stairs.
Dumbledore stepped off and pushed the door open wide. He sat down at his desk and motioned to Harry to take a seat.
"Now, Harry," Dumbledore began, "I understand from your talk with Mr. Weasley that you could not receive Auror training because you did not get a high enough mark in Potions, and— "
"Professor — "
Dumbledore held up his hand.
"And," he continued, "I think that because of the prophecy regarding yourself and Lord Voldemort, that it would be very wise to train you up as an Auror.
"Since Professor Snape refuses to take students who have not achieved O's on there O.W.L.s, regardless who they are, or what they must do in the future, as he explicitly told me," Dumbledore allowed himself a small smile, "I think that if I were to set up private Potions in Hogsmeade twice a week or so, then the Ministry would give you the training you require.
"They have no right at all to disagree, if you qualify in the N.E.W.T. level Potions, that is."
Harry didn't think he would have a problem with N.E.W.T. level Potions, thanks to Derek, of course, but he couldn't tell Dumbledore, and he quickly stopped thinking about it in case Dumbledore would read it from his head.
Dumbledore continued, "I have already arranged it all. You will go to Hogsmeade every Monday and Thursday to a small shop called A Cauldron Maker's Best. Do you know where it is? No?" he said, as Harry shook his head.
"It's next to Durvish and Banges on the other side of the street. You will only need to bring your wand, as they have all you need for potion making. And I must ask you this Harry, where ever you go, I repeat, where ever, promise me you will always have your wand at hand. You are too valuable to the world to lose."
* * *
"How'd it go?" asked Hermione, when she met them in the common room.
"Great," said Ron, "we have the best team I've ever seen. You'd be surprised at Colin and his brother, they've got natural talent at being Beaters, they're almost as good as Fred and George, and if they work they probably'll turn out better than them."
"Yeah," said Harry, "and Ron, of course, forgot to mention that he's doing loads better than last year. I don't have a clue what he's been doing with himself this summer, but whatever it was has helped loads."
"And," said Emma Bowman, speaking for the first time. Her voice was low, but not grating, and she moved her hands very expressively while she talked.
"And, Harry is doing really well, too. I've seen him play for five years, but this is the best he's ever done, I think. We're going to win this year, Hermione, I promise you. We're gonna show everyone! We're gonna do it!"
Harry couldn't help but be heartened, and the thought of Emma expressing her views to Malfoy put a wide grin on his face. His grin widened at the thought of the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match, which would be held later in the year. They would definitely be showing Slytherin.
Hermione didn't have such good news. Her Defense Against the Dark Arts classes were conducted by a new teacher named Fisken.
". . . he's from New York and he's like eighty years old and speaks with such an accent, eurgh, like, 'Mish Granja', if you don't want t'do thish leshon, then leave! The door is thea'!' and stuff like, 'Mista Finnigan, I will not be spoken to like that again!' and he slurs half his words and he — oh, I wish I had signed for the Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts with you and Ron!"
Harry raised his eyebrows and glanced at Ron, who was choking back a laugh with some difficulty; Hermione glared at him and said, "I'm not kidding, Ron! He's completely horrible! He told us he's Muggle-born and he used to teach in a jail when he was younger, probably sometime around 1850 or so, I bet! He's so old and— "
She wrung her hands in frustration, and Harry put out a hand and said, "Calm down, Hermione," which she did, and Ron burst out laughing.
The next morning, Harry, Ron, and Hermione found themselves running to their Transfiguration class, making sure not to miss the first of what surely would be their hardest lessons of the year, with professor McGonagall.
"Apparation," she began, as they all took their seats, "is the one of the hardest and most difficult magics known to wizards. This is mainly because it is wandless, and therefore requires the use of the mind more than regular magic, which is conducted from a wand. The use of a wand takes away much of the minds' work, making all wandless magic easier than any, I repeat any, magic with a wand. A precious few have natural talent at wandless magic, but the rest must learn the hard way, that is to say, learning the theory and studying hard, but most wizards can achieve perfection without any natural talent, Longbottom." The last sentence was addressed to Neville, who had a sad, disbelieving look on his face.
"This skill is so complicated and dangerous that many wizards prefer not to use it, and find other means of traveling. However, in light of the current events, I for one, think it would be extremely useful, and therefore, worth the risks and time. Most of you will not be able to Apparate more than a couple of feet until next year at least.
"I repeat, the select few who posses the ability and skill naturally will be able to Apparate inside this year. I expect all of you, yes, you too, Longbottom, to pass your Apparation tests, which will be held at the end of this year."
She started out by telling them the theory of Apparating, and told them that their training and tests would be held in Hogsmeade, for the obvious reason that Apparating was impossible in Hogwarts, and assigning them homework, to look up more of the theory, and write a small essay on it.
The next day Hermione had Potions, and Harry and Ron went down to the dungeons with her, Ron to gloat, but Harry was feeling slightly ashamed and angry at the same time. As they reached the door to the dungeons, Harry and Ron turned around and started towards the Great Hall for an early lunch.
"I think its great having no Potions," said Ron.
"Do you?" said Harry, "But I would rather have it because . . . well, because I can't be an Auror— "
"What was that?" asked a quiet voice from behind him. Harry spun around. It was Dumbledore.
"What did you say?" Dumbledore repeated, "Who said you couldn't become an Auror? Mr. Weasley, if you'll excuse Harry for a moment,"
He motioned to Harry to follow him and walked down the hall to his office. A large statue of a griffon that Harry knew was the entrance to Dumbledore's office.
"Sugar Quill!" said Dumbledore as he spread his hands out wide. As the griffon turned slowly, Harry and Dumbledore stepped onto the stairs.
Dumbledore stepped off and pushed the door open wide. He sat down at his desk and motioned to Harry to take a seat.
"Now, Harry," Dumbledore began, "I understand from your talk with Mr. Weasley that you could not receive Auror training because you did not get a high enough mark in Potions, and— "
"Professor — "
Dumbledore held up his hand.
"And," he continued, "I think that because of the prophecy regarding yourself and Lord Voldemort, that it would be very wise to train you up as an Auror.
"Since Professor Snape refuses to take students who have not achieved O's on there O.W.L.s, regardless who they are, or what they must do in the future, as he explicitly told me," Dumbledore allowed himself a small smile, "I think that if I were to set up private Potions in Hogsmeade twice a week or so, then the Ministry would give you the training you require.
"They have no right at all to disagree, if you qualify in the N.E.W.T. level Potions, that is."
Harry didn't think he would have a problem with N.E.W.T. level Potions, thanks to Derek, of course, but he couldn't tell Dumbledore, and he quickly stopped thinking about it in case Dumbledore would read it from his head.
Dumbledore continued, "I have already arranged it all. You will go to Hogsmeade every Monday and Thursday to a small shop called A Cauldron Maker's Best. Do you know where it is? No?" he said, as Harry shook his head.
"It's next to Durvish and Banges on the other side of the street. You will only need to bring your wand, as they have all you need for potion making. And I must ask you this Harry, where ever you go, I repeat, where ever, promise me you will always have your wand at hand. You are too valuable to the world to lose."
* * *