"Homework: Write a roll of parchment on how transfiguring objects
differs from transfiguring animals and humans. Due next class," Professor
McGonagall said.
Danny shoved her books into her bag and followed her two best friends, Katie Brown and Megan Devine, out of Transfiguration.
"Can you believe she gave us that much homework? We'll be up 'till midnight!" Katie whined.
"You mean you'll be up 'till midnight. I'll probably be up until three in the morning," Danny groaned.
"Another lesson with Dumbledore?" Megan asked sympathetically.
Danny nodded. Although things were now back to normal between her and her friends (and most of the rest of the school as well), Dumbledore thought it best to keep her almost nightly lessons a secret. So she had told her friends he was tutoring her in Transfiguration, which made since because he was a former Transfiguration teacher himself.
"C'mon guys, lets get to dinner. I'm starving!" Katie said.
The three filed into the Great Hall, taking seats at near the middle of the Gryffindor table.
"You know, I've been thinking," Megan said.
"That's never a good sign with you," Danny teased.
Megan threw a roll at her, she ducked, and it hit Marcellus Malfoy square in the head. All three giggled as he looked around wildly, searching for the culprit of the attack.
"I've been thinking," Megan continued. "That the three of us should try out for the Quidditch team next year. Half the teams graduating! We'll have a pretty good chance!"
'That is if I make it to next year. . ." Danny thought.
"I dunno," said Katie. "I'm not that good."
"We can practice over the summer," Danny suggested.
For the rest of the meal all they did was make plans for practicing Quidditch. Katie and Megan had decided Danielle would make a perfect Seeker, and nothing she said could convince them otherwise. So it looked as though Danny was trying out for Seeker next year. The talk at least took her mind off the war. Things had gotten worse in the two weeks she had been back at school. Just the other day there had been a skirmish at the Leaky Cauldron and three people had been killed. Rumors were flying about the possibility of an attack on Hogsmeade, and all students had been stripped of visits there until further notice.
As soon as dinner was over Danny reported to Dumbledore's office. He was waiting for her in the middle of the room, wand in hand.
"As you've mastered all of the first and second year spells, I've decided its time to start learning some more advanced Defense spells, first with your wand, then without. Today we are going work on the Disarming Spell. A very simple Defense spell to strip your opponent of their wand."
"The incantation is very simple. You just say "Expelliarmus" and point your wand at the person you wish to disarm. Now, I am going to just stand here, wand at the ready, and you are going to attempt to disarm me," he said.
This was easier said than done. Danny at first hit a bookshelf, sending books flying to the floor. Then she managed to hit a mirror, causing the curse to bounce back and disarm her. On the third attempt she managed to hit Dumbledore, but the spell only caused him to jump back a few paces. She tried again and again, and when she had managed to disarm him five times in a row, Dumbledore decided it was time for her to attempt the spell without a wand.
This was much, much more difficult. For awhile all the curse did was make Dumbledore wince feebly, but eventually she managed to make him jump back a few inches. By the end of the lesson she still hadn't managed the spell and the headmaster assured her they would practice it some more the following night.
The next week passed rather quickly. Danny mastered the Disarming Spell and they went on to practice the Jellylegs Curse and Impediment Jinx. It gave Danny a great feeling of security to master these spells without a wand. Not to mention most of the new spells she was learning were well above second year level.
One night, after a particularly rough session attempting to learn the Stunning Spell with a wand, she was limping back to Gryffindor Tower when she ran into Marcellus Malfoy. She made to move around him, but he stepped directly in front of him.
"What're you doing walking the castle by yourself this late?" he sneered.
"No of your business, now get out of my way," she snapped.
"Oh, so the little traitor's getting an attitude with me," he smirked.
Before Danielle could even move he had her by the front of the robes, pinned against the wall.
"Look here you little brat, you're gonna get what's coming to you. Lord Voldemort doesn't put up with traitors. 'Specially not little half- blood traitors," he sneered. "So would watch who I'm snapping at if I were you."
And with that he dropped her to the ground and walked off down the hall. Severely shaken up, Danielle grabbed her fallen book bag and retreated to the safety of the Gryffindor Common Room, wondering if maybe Hogwarts wasn't as safe as Dumbledore thought.
Later That Night, Potter Household
"What's that?" James asked, pointing at the piece of parchment his wife held in her hands.
"Letter from Danny. She says a Slytherin boy attacked her in the hallway earlier, on her way back from her lesson with Professor Dumbledore. He said something about you-know-who doesn't put up with traitors. I just don't think I can take this anymore. What with Danny being stalked by a Dark Wizard, and you an Auror. Someone's going to get hurt soon."
"Dumbledore was talking about us maybe going into hiding after Danny gets back from school. But he wants her trained first," James said.
"Well, if we go into hiding I'll just feel like a sitting duck, waiting to be killed. It just seems like it would make you-know-who even more eager to find us if he knew we were so scared of him."
"I just don't know what we should do," James sighed. "Any word from the adoption people?"
"More forms. And when Danny gets back from school she has to have her health cleared at St. Mungo's still. Besides that we're in the clear," Lily replied distractedly.
"Well, at least that's one bit of good news," James sighed.
Author's Notes: All I have to say is review!!!!!!!! I am in desperate need of constructive criticism, comments, suggestions, etc.!!!!
Danny shoved her books into her bag and followed her two best friends, Katie Brown and Megan Devine, out of Transfiguration.
"Can you believe she gave us that much homework? We'll be up 'till midnight!" Katie whined.
"You mean you'll be up 'till midnight. I'll probably be up until three in the morning," Danny groaned.
"Another lesson with Dumbledore?" Megan asked sympathetically.
Danny nodded. Although things were now back to normal between her and her friends (and most of the rest of the school as well), Dumbledore thought it best to keep her almost nightly lessons a secret. So she had told her friends he was tutoring her in Transfiguration, which made since because he was a former Transfiguration teacher himself.
"C'mon guys, lets get to dinner. I'm starving!" Katie said.
The three filed into the Great Hall, taking seats at near the middle of the Gryffindor table.
"You know, I've been thinking," Megan said.
"That's never a good sign with you," Danny teased.
Megan threw a roll at her, she ducked, and it hit Marcellus Malfoy square in the head. All three giggled as he looked around wildly, searching for the culprit of the attack.
"I've been thinking," Megan continued. "That the three of us should try out for the Quidditch team next year. Half the teams graduating! We'll have a pretty good chance!"
'That is if I make it to next year. . ." Danny thought.
"I dunno," said Katie. "I'm not that good."
"We can practice over the summer," Danny suggested.
For the rest of the meal all they did was make plans for practicing Quidditch. Katie and Megan had decided Danielle would make a perfect Seeker, and nothing she said could convince them otherwise. So it looked as though Danny was trying out for Seeker next year. The talk at least took her mind off the war. Things had gotten worse in the two weeks she had been back at school. Just the other day there had been a skirmish at the Leaky Cauldron and three people had been killed. Rumors were flying about the possibility of an attack on Hogsmeade, and all students had been stripped of visits there until further notice.
As soon as dinner was over Danny reported to Dumbledore's office. He was waiting for her in the middle of the room, wand in hand.
"As you've mastered all of the first and second year spells, I've decided its time to start learning some more advanced Defense spells, first with your wand, then without. Today we are going work on the Disarming Spell. A very simple Defense spell to strip your opponent of their wand."
"The incantation is very simple. You just say "Expelliarmus" and point your wand at the person you wish to disarm. Now, I am going to just stand here, wand at the ready, and you are going to attempt to disarm me," he said.
This was easier said than done. Danny at first hit a bookshelf, sending books flying to the floor. Then she managed to hit a mirror, causing the curse to bounce back and disarm her. On the third attempt she managed to hit Dumbledore, but the spell only caused him to jump back a few paces. She tried again and again, and when she had managed to disarm him five times in a row, Dumbledore decided it was time for her to attempt the spell without a wand.
This was much, much more difficult. For awhile all the curse did was make Dumbledore wince feebly, but eventually she managed to make him jump back a few inches. By the end of the lesson she still hadn't managed the spell and the headmaster assured her they would practice it some more the following night.
The next week passed rather quickly. Danny mastered the Disarming Spell and they went on to practice the Jellylegs Curse and Impediment Jinx. It gave Danny a great feeling of security to master these spells without a wand. Not to mention most of the new spells she was learning were well above second year level.
One night, after a particularly rough session attempting to learn the Stunning Spell with a wand, she was limping back to Gryffindor Tower when she ran into Marcellus Malfoy. She made to move around him, but he stepped directly in front of him.
"What're you doing walking the castle by yourself this late?" he sneered.
"No of your business, now get out of my way," she snapped.
"Oh, so the little traitor's getting an attitude with me," he smirked.
Before Danielle could even move he had her by the front of the robes, pinned against the wall.
"Look here you little brat, you're gonna get what's coming to you. Lord Voldemort doesn't put up with traitors. 'Specially not little half- blood traitors," he sneered. "So would watch who I'm snapping at if I were you."
And with that he dropped her to the ground and walked off down the hall. Severely shaken up, Danielle grabbed her fallen book bag and retreated to the safety of the Gryffindor Common Room, wondering if maybe Hogwarts wasn't as safe as Dumbledore thought.
Later That Night, Potter Household
"What's that?" James asked, pointing at the piece of parchment his wife held in her hands.
"Letter from Danny. She says a Slytherin boy attacked her in the hallway earlier, on her way back from her lesson with Professor Dumbledore. He said something about you-know-who doesn't put up with traitors. I just don't think I can take this anymore. What with Danny being stalked by a Dark Wizard, and you an Auror. Someone's going to get hurt soon."
"Dumbledore was talking about us maybe going into hiding after Danny gets back from school. But he wants her trained first," James said.
"Well, if we go into hiding I'll just feel like a sitting duck, waiting to be killed. It just seems like it would make you-know-who even more eager to find us if he knew we were so scared of him."
"I just don't know what we should do," James sighed. "Any word from the adoption people?"
"More forms. And when Danny gets back from school she has to have her health cleared at St. Mungo's still. Besides that we're in the clear," Lily replied distractedly.
"Well, at least that's one bit of good news," James sighed.
Author's Notes: All I have to say is review!!!!!!!! I am in desperate need of constructive criticism, comments, suggestions, etc.!!!!