Chapter 8

The Electives

Sunlight shining on Harry's face quickly brought him out of his peaceful slumber. He didn't even remember falling asleep but paid it no mind since he had dozed off many times without remembering it during his month at Hogwarts. Mindlessly reaching for the bedside table, Harry found his glasses, put them on and bit back the urge to cry out in frustration.

He was in the hospital wing. He had spent the entire night in the hospital wing.

Malfoy's going to have a field day with this.

Angry at himself and Madam Pomfrey, Harry quickly dressed into the clothes he wore yesterday and left the wing before anyone could stop him, making sure to remember his book from yesterday and his wand. The halls were empty leading Harry to figure that it was still rather early. Since his house—castle arrest, Harry had grown to know the shortest paths to various destinations and the Gryffindor Tower wasn't any different.

He had been given the password a few days ago allowing him to enter without drawing attention. The Common Room was so silent it was eerie. Suppressing a shiver, Harry hurried up the stairs to his dorm room. He entered as quietly as possible, sneaking over to his trunk. Neville Longbottom's snores and deep breathing from Ron, Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan served as a confirmation that everyone was still asleep. He stole a glance at Neville's alarm clock to see that it was only half past five. No wonder no one's awake.

Once he had changed, Harry grabbed his book and left before anyone knew he had ever been there. He figured he could read a few chapters before his first class and possibly think of something he could say to Ron and Hermione so they wouldn't look at him as if he were to break. Harry had received too many of those looks already by the majority of the teaching staff.

Entering the Great Hall, Harry saw that it was indeed empty but paid it no mind as he went over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Plates and silverware were set but no food was out yet. Ignoring his growling stomach, Harry opened his book and began to read. It was amazing how many variations there were of defensive shields and mind-boggling that people could actually remember them all. There were so many different wand movements for one incantation which specified the properties of the shield.

Harry was so focused on his reading that he hadn't even noticed the food appear. The smell, however, was impossible to ignore. He could smell the eggs, sausages, bacon, and muffins all in the first intake. His stomach growled in hunger again. Harry groaned in annoyance and started to fill his plate with food. Propping his book up against a large bowl, Harry continued to read while he ate.

When he finally finished the chapter, Harry pushed his plate aside and mentally reviewed what he had read. Closing his eyes, Harry practiced the wand movements described with his wand hand. There were a few that he couldn't recall clearly but most of them he remembered which made him grin. He was finally getting this studying thing down.

Opening his eyes, Harry jumped back in surprise to see that he wasn't alone, nearly falling to the floor in the process. Once he had regained his balance, Harry quickly closed his book and looked up at the worried face of Professor Dumbledore. "Er—good morning, sir," Harry said trying to break the silence. "I didn't hear you come in."

Professor Dumbledore smiled as he leaned closer to Harry. "That usually happens when you are deep in thought," he said pleasantly. "You are up rather early, Harry. Is there something on your mind you wish to discuss?"

Harry shook his head. "No sir," he said honestly. This had been the common beginning to every conversation between them for the past few weeks. The problem was Harry didn't know if Professor Dumbledore was being serious or polite. The serious aspect would be 'I know something's wrong talk to me about it' while the polite aspect would be 'if you want to talk, I'm here'.

Dumbledore remained silent for a moment before straightening back up. "Very well," he said with a nod. "I know yesterday was difficult for you, Harry. Professor Lupin told me you heard your mother's voice on the train. If you wish to discuss this or have any questions, my office is always open."

"Thank you, sir," Harry said politely. Talking about it was the last thing he wanted to do but wasn't about to sound ungrateful by declining Professor Dumbledore's offer. How do you talk about something like that? Harry had to admit he still found this being open about your feelings weird. The Durleys never cared so why should anyone else?

Harry waited for Dumbledore to leave for the head table then returned to his book. He felt a little self conscious with someone else in the hall, especially with it being Professor Dumbledore. Harry didn't know why but he just didn't know how to act around the Headmaster anymore. Perhaps it had something to do with the new 'patient grandfather' role Professor Dumbledore had taken on. Harry wasn't sure. All he knew was he needed to make his 'family' proud.

Professor McGonagall was the next to enter and although Harry kept his eyes on his book he couldn't help but notice his 'strict grandmother' alter her course. She walked over to the Gryffindor table then casually walked towards the head table, pausing briefly to place a reassuring hand on his shoulder. Harry looked over his shoulder at the Transfiguration teacher and gave her a soft smile. She smiled back then joined Dumbledore.

Professor Snape entered next but he simply glared at Harry before taking his usual spot beside Professor McGonagall. A few minutes later students started to enter. Most of them didn't notice Harry but those who did weren't exactly discrete about it. After a while Harry started to wonder what was being said. Did everyone know how the Dementors affected him or were they just talking about Sirius Black kidnapping him?

Sometimes Harry wanted a normal life so badly it hurt.

Fred and George arrived with a swarm of Gryffindors and immediately sat down beside Harry, playfully nudging him over so they could sit by each other. They looked rather tired and certainly not remotely cheerful. Harry couldn't remember ever seeing the Weasley twins serious and this was extremely close to it.

"Er—did something happen?" Harry asked not sure he really wanted to know.

Both of the twins slowly looked at Harry, sympathy written all over their faces. Harry really hated that look. "Dumbledore told everyone last night about the Dementors 'guarding' the school," said George. "He also mentioned what they do to people, making them relive their worst memories and all."

"Ron—er—sort of let it slip that you heard your mum being murdered," Fred added.

Harry closed his eyes as he bowed his head. This wasn't the way he wanted to start his first day of classes. Now everyone was going to be staring and whispering. He didn't want the attention and he certainly didn't need it. Why couldn't people just treat him like everyone else? Was that too much to ask? "How many know?" Harry asked softly.

"Er—well—you know Ron," George said. "He doesn't always think before he speaks and was talking about it during dinner last night. So of course everyone sitting by them heard—"

"—and they told everyone around them," added Fred. "And so on—"

"—and so on," George said. "So I would say that everyone knows," his face changed from sympathy to an evil grin, "but don't worry, Harry. We showed him the error of his ways last night."

Harry instantly looked over at the twins with a raised eyebrow. He really didn't like the looks on their faces. They were definitely up to something. "What did you do?" he asked cautiously then thought better of it. "Or do I even want to know?"

Fred and George both winked at Harry then returned to their breakfasts. Oh yeah, this is definitely not good. Shaking his head, Harry returned to his forgotten breakfast and tried not to dwell on it. Judging by the looks the twins gave him, Harry would find out what they did soon enough. He could only hope they didn't change Scabbers into a large spider or something on that sort.

The rest of the teachers arrived (all giving Harry the same sympathetic look) so the Heads of the Houses could distribute the time tables. As Harry was handed his, he felt another reassuring squeeze and looked up at Professor McGonagall. She still had a stern look on her face but Harry could see her eyes were filled with compassion. She leaned closer to him so no one could hear her. "Potter, please meet me in Entrance Hall in ten minutes," McGonagall whispered.

Partially confused and partially afraid, Harry could only nod in response. As far as he knew he hadn't done anything wrong so she wouldn't be reprimanding him, right?

Hermione storming into the Great Hall pulled Harry out of his thoughts. She looked completely outraged as she reached Fred and George. "What did you two do?!?" she asked loudly, getting everyone's attention. "Ron refuses to leave the dorm room! How dare you turn his hair pink on the first day of classes? Do you know how important today is?"

Fred and George looked at each other then back at Hermione. "Whatever are you talking about?" they both asked innocently.

Harry took this opportunity to slip away unnoticed. His training with Professor Lupin had taught him how to move silently and blend into crowds. He would certainly need it today. Staying close to the walls, Harry made his way to the Entrance Hall determined not to draw anyone's attention. Professor McGonagall hadn't arrived yet but Harry figured it was better this way. If Hermione had seen him go she probably would have followed, determined to find out what was going on.

It was only a few minutes later when Professor McGonagall entered. She must have noticed Harry's nervousness because her face immediately softened as she approached. "Don't worry, Harry," she said gently. "You've done nothing wrong. I only wanted to talk to you about your first class today. I noticed you have Divination and I thought it would be best to warn you that Professor Trelawney has a habit of predicting the death of some poor student every year since she's been here. No one has died yet. Considering your recent history, I would advise you do not take anything she says too seriously."

Harry nodded then smiled. "Thanks for the warning, Professor," he said then thought about what Professor McGonagall said for a moment. "I don't remember meeting Professor Trelawney this summer."

Professor McGonagall let out a scoff. "That woman rarely leaves the sanctuary of her crystal ball and tea leaves," she said then put her hand under Harry's chin and tilted his head up so their eyes met. "If she gives you any trouble at all, come and see me. Sybill is usually too focused on Seeing the future to even notice the present and past."

Harry nodded again. "I will," he said then wrapped his arms around Professor McGonagall and hugged her. "Thank you," he said sincerely. It still felt strange to have so many people looking out for him but in times like this Harry liked it. He was glad Professor McGonagall warned him because he probably would have taken it seriously.

After a moment McGonagall returned the embrace. "You are most welcome, Harry," she said softly. "Now, I believe you can be of assistance to Mr. Weasley. Although he was wrong to announce what happened, he doesn't deserve to attend the first day of classes with pink hair."

Harry agreed and bid farewell to his Head of House before hurrying to the Gryffindor Tower. Hurrying up to his dorm room, Harry ignored the stares and whispers his housemates were giving him. Opening the door, Harry's eyes went wide at the sight of Ron who was sitting on his bed with tears in his eyes. His hair wasn't just pink, it was flashing neon pink. No wonder Ron refused to leave the dorm room. Harry doubted he would want anyone to see him in that state either.

"Ron?" Harry asked hesitantly, unsure of really what to say. "Er—are you all right?"

Ron looked up at Harry then looked away. "I can't believe my brothers did this," he said in a shaky voice. "I didn't mean to say anything, it just slipped out. I'm really sorry Harry. Hermione and I were just so confused. We didn't understand why you heard your mum's voice. When Dumbledore told us about the Dementors…I guess…I mean…"

"I understand, Ron," Harry said as he entered the room. "I know you didn't mean it but you have to see it from my side. I don't want people treating me like they are right now. I hate being the latest gossip. I heard about how the 'Daily Prophet' dragged on the kidnapping and what they were saying. I don't need or want everyone knowing about my personal life. Can you imagine what Malfoy is going to do now that he knows? I just want to be left alone, like everyone else."

Ron's shoulders slumped forward as he stared at his hands in shame. "That's basically what Hermione said last night," he muttered. "I know I messed up. I know I'm a bloody prat. How many times can I say I'm sorry?"

Harry walked over to his things and grabbed his wand. Turning around, Harry pointed his wand at Ron who looked up in surprise. "Don't move," Harry said evenly. With a flick followed by a swish, he muttered the incantation then watched as Ron's hair faded to the blinding pink to its normal red. Satisfied, Harry pocketed his wand then moved to collect the books he would need for his morning classes. "Go have a look," he said.

Fearful that Harry had only added to the damage, Ron rushed out of the room only to return a minute later and pull Harry into a bone crushing hug. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Ron exclaimed then realized what he was doing and backed away. "Hermione couldn't even figure out how to remove it! How did you do it?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "I've been bored for the past month so I did a lot of reading," he said. It wasn't exactly a lie. He had done a lot of reading. The problem was he really couldn't trust Ron to keep his mouth shut about anything. So when all else fails, change the subject. "Come on, we've got Divination first and it at the top of the North Tower."

Ron quickly grabbed his things then followed Harry to the North Tower where they met up with Hermione. The look of surprise on Hermione's face made Ron burst out laughing. They entered a strange looking classroom that looked more like a tea shop then a place to learn. Shrugging it off, Harry moved over to a vacant round table and sat down with Ron and Hermione.

They were about to pull out their books when a soft voice came out of the shadows. "Welcome to Divination," it said. "I am Professor Trelawney."

After a look at the woman, Harry could understand why Professor McGonagall had warned him. She didn't exactly seem all entirely there and for some reason reminded Harry of a large insect. Perhaps it was her very large glasses that made her eyes appear too large for any human. Harry wasn't sure. All he knew was to remember Professor McGonagall's words and not take anything she said seriously.

"Divination is one of the most difficult magical arts," Trelawney continued. "This subject can not necessarily be taught through books. Only those who have the Sight will progress while the remainder of you will understand the delicate art this is."

Hermione let out a huff while Harry and Ron held back a laugh. This was one class that Hermione would probably struggle in along with them.

Professor Trelawney went on talking about the Inner Eye and the art of Sight. She also seemed to scare a few students by asking extremely vague questions about 'loved ones'. The problem was everyone was buying it hook, line and sinker. She continued on explaining what would be covered in class before instructing everyone on how to read tea leaves.

Harry and Ron exchanged cups and after a few minutes of trying to figure out what the tea leaves were saying, Harry could only conclude that Ron would experience pain and suffering but be happy which didn't make any sense what-so-ever. Ron had even more trouble with Harry's cup forcing Professor Trelawney to take a look. After a few moments everyone jumped as Trelawney screamed then collapsed in an armchair.

A long silence filled the room. Finally, Professor Trelawney seemed to regain her composure. "I'm so sorry my dear boy," she said dramatically as she looked at Harry with the utmost compassion in her eyes. "You—you have the Grim in your cup."

Harry looked at her with a raised eyebrow. He remembered Professor Lupin asking if that was what Midnight had looked like. He had completely forgotten to look into it with everything else that was going on. "Excuse me?" he asked in confusion.

Professor Trelawney looked shocked. "The Grim, the giant black dog that is an omen…a terrible omen of death!" she cried.

And there it is, Harry thought sarcastically. Instead of showing fear, Harry put a smile on his face. "Really?" he asked in anticipation. "That must be Midnight, a dog I met over the summer. I was told he looked like a Grim. Maybe this means he'll be coming back!"

Everyone was looking at the conversation in shock. "My boy, please don't joke about the Grim!" exclaimed Trelawney. "Everyone who has seen the Grim has died!"

Harry sat back in mock confusion. He appeared to be deep in thought but that was actually far from the truth. Professor McGonagall, you owe me. "Then how do you know?" he asked innocently. "If everyone who's seen the Grim has died then how do you know if they've actually seen it? It doesn't make any sense."

"Not all have died immediately," Professor Trelawney clarified. "You claim to actually have seen the Grim?"

Harry shook his head. "No, Midnight was a stray, a friendly stray," he said simply as he took back his cup and looked at the tea leaves again. "This does sort of look like him. What does it mean when you see a pet Hermione?" Looking over at his friend who was staring at Harry in amazement, Harry quickly winked to signal he was having fun.

Hermione hid a smile and looked in his book. "If the leaves resemble a pet that is lost the pet either recently died or will be seen again," she read from the book. She then looked up at Harry with a shrug. "I guess we can only hope for the best."

Trelawney was flabbergasted. "I—I think we should end class for today," she said quickly. "Until we meet again."

Everyone packed away their things and left the classroom. Everyone was in a stunned silence as they set off for Transfiguration except for Harry and Hermione who were having a hard time to keep from laughing. Entering the classroom, Harry looked directly at Professor McGonagall and nodded. He noticed she let out a sigh then winked at her. Seeing her confused look was a signal for him to tell her what happened later which he had every intention of doing.

Once class began, Professor McGonagall started lecturing about Animagi (wizards who could transform at will into animals) then to prove her lecture turned into a tabby cat earning a scattered applause. Transforming back, Professor McGonagall looked around the classroom and noticed almost half of the class was watching Harry. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, McGonagall assigned the homework then dismissed the class.

Packing up slowly, Harry insisted he would catch up with Ron and Hermione for lunch. He waited until everyone left the room then approached the teacher's desk. "Thanks again for the warning, Professor," he said with a smile. "You were right. Professor Trelawney is certainly eccentric."

Professor McGonagall tried to hold back a smile and failed. "May I ask what happened, Harry?" she said.

Harry shrugged his shoulders. "She claimed to see the Grim in my tea cup," he said simply. "I tried to use logic and—er—well, she didn't agree with me. I told her she was seeing Midnight instead."

McGonagall let out a laugh that startled Harry. "Oh, Mr. Potter," she said happily. "I must say that is the worst thing you could have done to her. She takes her 'predictions' and 'omens' very seriously. Five points to Gryffindor for your quick thinking. Now, you best hurry off to lunch."

Harry didn't need to be told twice and hurried off to the Great Hall. By the time he arrived, Harry noticed that Ron and Hermione were glaring at each other. He shook his head slowly as he sat down beside Ron. Some things just never change. The only thing that changed was the topic of the argument. It amazed Harry how many different topics Ron and Hermione could find to argue on.

After an extremely quiet lunch, Harry headed towards Care of Magical Creatures with Ron and Hermione. With Dumbledore's new regulations, they only needed to go to the courtyard but at least it was out of the castle. The only sign of yesterday's rain was the slopping wet lawn they had to walk on. Arriving early, Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down on a bench and waited. Ron sat on Harry's left while Hermione sat on Harry's right. It was clear that they weren't about to resolve their differences any time soon.

"Would either of you care to tell me why you're not speaking to each other?" Harry asked at last in aggravation.

Neither of them said anything at first. They both looked away which made Harry groan in annoyance. Finally, Hermione broke the silence. "Ron believes in this whole Grim causes your death farce," she said quickly. "Divination seems to be nothing but guesswork. It's all interpretation. You thought it was a sheep in Harry's cup, Ron. Honestly."

"You think it's just a coincidence?" Ron asked quickly. "Sirius Black is out there! I'm not saying I necessarily believe it all but…" He seemed to be at a loss for words as he finally looked at Harry and bit his lower lip. "I don't want you to die, Harry. You have no idea what it was like when you were missing. We thought we'd never see you again."

Harry's gaze fell. He knew this was something they needed to talk about but why did it have to be now? Rubbing his eyes underneath his glasses, Harry could only let out a sigh. What could he tell them to assure them nothing was going to happen when he didn't even believe it? "Ron, I doubt Sirius Black can reach me here," he said at last. "I'm being watched all the time. I'm not even allowed outside the castle except for this class and Quidditch. There are also Dementors patrolling the grounds."

The sound of people coming signaled that this conversation should be continued later. There seemed to be a temporary truce formed between Ron and Hermione. It was like they agreed to disagree until they could find something else to disagree on.

Hagrid soon arrived with some rather strange creatures. The back half of their bodies looked like a horse while the front half (including wings) resembled an eagle. They had large orange eyes and beaks the color of steel. There were only two of them but they were still intimidating. Hagrid introduced the creatures which he referred to as hippogriffs and lectured on their personalities and traits. He allowed the students to pet them only if they were respectful since hippogriffs were very proud creatures.

Only a few students (Harry, Ron and Hermione included) found the courage to pet the creatures. Malfoy had tried but started blabbering insults which resulted in five points being taken away from Slytherin and detention with Madam Pomfrey. Hagrid had told them insulting a hippogriff could be the last thing you do and he wanted to get his point across.

Once class was over, Harry, Ron and Hermione stayed behind and congratulated a relieved Hagrid for the success of his first class. They wanted to help Hagrid with the hippogriffs but being the 'big brother' he was, Hagrid insisted they return to the castle as quickly as possible. Understanding his reasoning, Harry, Ron and Hermione obeyed.

That night after dinner, Harry finally managed to get some time away from Ron and Hermione (who rarely let his side now). It was nearly curfew but Harry had his mind set. He needed to talk to the only person who could help him with the turmoil running through his mind, the only person who could relate to what he was going through.

As quietly as possible, Harry knocked on Professor Lupin's door but heard no response. He took a chance and knocked a little louder but still nothing happened. Assuming the teacher was busy Harry decided to leave when the door finally opened. He took a cautious step back then relaxed when he saw Lupin's concerned face.

"Harry?" Professor Lupin asked as he opened the door completely and stepped aside. "Please, come in. I'm sorry I took so long I was preparing for your class on Thursday."

Harry hesitated. There was an awkward silence between them. Harry didn't know why but now that school was in session he didn't know how to act around his temporary guardian. "Well, I don't want to interrupt," he said nervously. "It's not really that important anyways."

Professor Lupin stepped out of his office and put a hand on Harry's shoulder. "Nonsense," he said with a smile. "I could use the distraction. Come in and tell me what's on your mind." He then ushered Harry in and motioned for him to sit down. "So how was your first day of classes?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders. He wasn't sure on how to answer. If Ron or Hermione had asked he probably would have complained about everyone staring but he didn't want to burden Professor Lupin with things he had no control over. The problem was Lupin was sincere. He actually wanted to know what happened today. "I had Divination today," Harry said as if it explained everything.

Professor Lupin bit back a smile but didn't say anything at first. He simply shook his head slowly as if he were thinking of a pleasant memory. "Ah yes, Sybill Trelawney," he said at last. "I never had the—um—honor of being in her class but from what your father told me she is a rather unique person." Seeing Harry's eyes widen in surprise, Lupin decided to elaborate. "Yes, your father took Divination. He believed it was one of the easier electives which gave him plenty of time to devise pranks."

Harry gave Professor Lupin a forced smile but it faded quickly. His gaze fell to the ground. Although he enjoyed hearing about his father, now it just felt like a poor attempt at a distraction. "I suppose you know Ron let it slip that I heard my mum when the Dementor came on the train," he said softly.

Lupin instantly pulled up a chair and sat down aside Harry. "Yes, I did," he said honestly. "Do you want to talk about it?"

Harry shrugged again then immediately gave in. "It's just—well—she has a voice now but that's not how I want to remember her," he said in a wavering voice. "She sounded so terrified. I can hear her in my head, begging Voldemort to kill her instead of me. I wish she would have let him kill me."

Professor Lupin pulled Harry into an embrace and held him tightly. "Don't say that, Harry," he said softly. "I know it's hard but you have to remember that your mother loved you more than life itself. Remember your mother as a brave and loving woman who stood her ground against Voldemort. How many witches or wizards can even claim to have done that?"

With his face buried in Lupin's robes all Harry could do was shrug his shoulders. Remembering what he originally came for Harry pulled out of the embrace and looked up at Professor Lupin. Harry could feel his eyes starting to burn and fought to hold back tears. "I need to know how to fight them," he said sounding more confident than he actually felt. "There is a way, isn't there?"

"There are defenses one can learn," Professor Lupin said cautiously. "They are difficult but not impossible."

Harry couldn't help but feel hopeful. He really didn't want to collapse every time a Dementor came near. He didn't want to be helpless especially with Sirius Black still on the loose. "Can you teach me?" Harry asked quickly. He noticed Professor Lupin was hesitant. "I promise it won't be to sneak off to Hogsmeade," he clarified. "I won't go against Professor Dumbledore's rules. I just need to do this." His shoulders slumped as his gaze fell. "I can't be a victim again," Harry said softly.

Lupin let out a sigh and grabbed Harry's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "I understand, Harry," he said. "I can't promise anything but I'll do what I can. This is a very difficult Charm, even for adults to manage." He stood up and walked over to his desk. Grabbing a piece of parchment and quill, Lupin wrote something quickly then handed it over to Harry. "This is the name of a book on advanced charms in the Library. Check it out and read about the Patronus Charm. Once you've done this, come and see me."

Harry looked up at Lupin and smiled. "Thank you, Professor," he said gratefully.

Professor Lupin returned the smile. "Don't thank me yet," he said candidly as he glanced at his watch. "This is going to take a lot of work and patience, Harry. Now, it's nearly curfew so I suggest you hurry. Oh, and it would be wise not to tell your friend, Hermione, about this. I'm willing to teach you because you need it."

Harry nodded, thanked the Professor again then hurried to the Gryffindor Tower. He couldn't help smiling at the thought of being able to ward off the Dementors. He didn't care if it was a lot of work. After this summer, he was used to it.