All right, another chapter coming up! This is where things should start to get interesting. I am very sorry about how long it takes me to update. I have a very busy schedule, getting up early for school, school, cheerleading, dinner, homework, shower, and before I know it, bed. I really only get time to write on the weekend. But, it is a three-day weekend
Shoutouts
MERRY: Thanks, I'm glad you like it. I didn't have any more Tonks stories in mind, but who knows what I'll come up with.
Monai: I'm glad you like it.
brokentoy19: Haha, at first when I wrote that chapter, I forgot about Dumbledore, and then I was like...crap. hehe, but this chapter will have Dumbledore.
mrscribble: Never fear, here's another chapter! I'll try to hurry up as fast as I can.
Jessa L'Rynn: Oh, okay that explains some stuff. Cool. Glad you think its fun.
eliza29: Aw, thank you I'm so glad you like it. Honestly, I never thought of this paring-I just wanted to write a matchmaker type story. I'm updating! I'll try to read one of your stories, but if I can't please don't hurt me, 'kay?
A Cute but Psycho Bunny: Ooh, things will get much more interesting in this chapter. Muahaha I feel evil.
Starnat: Hehe, as said previously, things are just staring to get good!
MrsAliciaWeasley (from ch 5): Glad you think its sweet. Hmm, I don't know about other pairings...I'll just go with le flow.
Rex: I swear, some people actually write pairings like that! I was bored and randomly clicking on romances between 2 characters, and some super weird things came up!
Whew! Those were a lot! Keep reviewing if you want to see your name in lights!
Chapter 7- Potions, Spells, and Physical Injury
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"Okay, does everybody have everything? Harry, Ron, do you have your owls? Hermione, is Crookshanks in his cage? Ginny, did you remember all your quills this time? Ron, are you sure you packed enough clean underwear?" Mrs. Weasley was frantic. She was last minute checking everyone at Platform 9 ¾.
"Muuum...," Ron groaned. Hermione giggled and blushed, something she didn't do often.
"All right, all right. Everyone good?" she asked, and everyone nodded.
Just then, there was a pop!, anda smiling man with gray hairs and shabby robes, and a slightly younger girl with spiky pink hair appeared. They both had two trunks, similar to the ones Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny had.
"What are you guys doing here?" Harry asked, pretending to be surprised. "Why do you have trunks?"
Lupin smiled. "Nymphadora and I have agreed to become the new Defense against the Dark Arts teachers. Dumbledore asked us to arrive on the train. Let's keep this a little secret, shall we?"
Ginny could barely contain her excitement. "Oh wow!" she said. "That is so great!"
Tonks smiled. "I'm really excited! It's almost like re-living my Hogwarts days! I can't wait to see what they've done with the place!"
The train whistle blew, and students started to board. "All right, everyone good bye! Have fun! Don't get into too much trouble! Eat your green vegetables! I love you!" Mrs. Weasley called, giving each of them a hug.
The six of them safely boarded and found a compartment. "Don't worry, we won't sit with you," Tonks said. "We need to speak with the conductor." As soon as they were out of earshot, Hermione stood up and shut the door.
"What are we going to do with the real Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" she asked, folding he arms over her chest. The other three turned paler.
"Push 'em out of the third-story window?" Ron joked. Harry and Ginny gave a small chuckle, but Hermione was not amused.
"But we don't even know who it is!" Ginny said. "For all we know, it could be Snape or some goblin or something!"
"We could put something in their goblet at the feast," Harry suggested. Hermione scowled. "Or we could brainwash it."
"How would we know who it is?" Hermione asked.
"The only person we don't recognize a teacher, duh," Ron said, rolling his eyes.
Hermione glared at him. "We'll think about that in a minute," Harry said. I've got an idea. Follow me."
He threw on the invisibility cloak and tiptoed down the train. He got to the end, where Tonks and Lupin were sitting with the conductor.
"Spying? Harry, that's kind of lo-" Ginny began, but was cut off by Harry shushing them. "It's only spying if you get caught."
They leaned their ears against the door; they heard an owl flapping its wings.
"Who's that from?" Lupin asked. After a few minutes, Tonks said "Jerry."
Harry's eyes went wide. A boyfriend? He mouthed. "Most likely," Hermione whispered. "Great job. First find out if they're single before setting them up."
"Shhh!" Ron said.
"Who's Jerry?" Lupin asked.
"My brother," they heard Tonks answer. "He's on his honeymoon in Puerto Rico. He must've gotten a new owl."
The four smiled. "It's her brother!" Harry whispered.
"We've got ears," Ginny said smiling. Harry blushed.
"Let's go back to our compartment," Hermione suggested, and the four did just that.
"Okay, does anyone have any ideas on what to do with the Defense Against the Dark arts teacher-" Hermione began. Ron, Harry, and Ginny, raised their hands.
"-that doesn't have to do with potions or spells?" she said. Harry and Ginny slowly put their hands down.
"Or any sort of physical injury?"
Ron put his hand down, looking defeated.
"We could torture it with pranks until they are forced to leave," Ginny suggested. "Like Fred and George. You know, give it hell."
"Or like in Mean Girls. Make it gain weight by feeding it those weird Swedish nutrition bars?"
"Harry, it's a professor, not a teenage girl!" Hermione said. Ron asked what Mean Girls was. "It's a muggle movie about this girl who befriends these popular bitches as a joke and then becomes one," Hermione explained. "Waste of time."
"It's not," Harry protested. "It's got Lindsay Lohan. She's hot. And so is the really popular blonde girl."
"Sounds good," Ron smiled.
"All right, all right," Ginny said. She couldn't help feel a little jealous of this Lindsay Lohan.
"We could forge another letter from the Ministry or Dumbledore asking the person to leave," Ron said. "It worked once."
"Ron, we are not doing anything harmful or illegal!"
"Then I've got nothing."
"Look Hermione, I think our best bet is to put a potion in the teacher's drink. I remember reading about a fairly simple one where they will do what you say. You talk to the potion and it-"
"No, no, no!" Hermione said. "I'm not putting a potion in a teacher's drink!"
---Later---
"I cannot believe I'm putting a potion in a teacher's drink! Oh if we get caught, we will be in so much trouble!" Hermione cried.
"Then we won't get caught then, will we?" Harry said. Okay Ginny, what's after a diced carrot?" Harry asked.
"Stir it three times counterclockwise, saying what you want the person to do," Ginny read. "Then a drop of human blood to finish it off." She said, just as Ron shrieked "OW!"
"What?" Hermione asked.
"Paper cut," he said.
"Lemme see," Harry said. He took Ron's finger and held it over the stirred potion. A single drop of red blood oozed out from Ron's finger into the potion. It turned a bright, electric blue.
"It'll be transparent when poured into a drink," Ginny explained.
They entered the kitchen; all the house elves were busy preparing for the Hogwarts feast. Hermione's face gave a look of disgust, but she kept her mouth closed.
Harry found the nearest house elf. "Dumbledore asked us to do him a favor," he explained. "Can you put some of this in the New Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher's drink tonight?"
"Of course, Harry Potter sir!" the house elf shrieked and ran away to alert the other elves.
"That was easy," Ginny said. "Who knew they were so gullible?"
"C'mon, I'm starving! Ron said. The four crept into the Great Hall and sat at the Gryffindor table just as the sorting began.
"Alvarez, Timothy!" McGonagall called.
Timothy Alvarez stood up and put the sorting hat on his head. It was on his head for 2 seconds when the hat screamed "RAVENCLAW!"
The rest of the sorting continued until "Zaggot, Michelle!" was sorted into Gryffindor.
Dumbledore looked at Lupin and Tonks strangely, and smiled. A short, nervous looking woman was sitting next to Dumbledore, twitching. She whispered in Dumbledore's ear. He nodded, and she left, still twitching.
"I have a few exciting announcements," Dumbledore said, smiling. "Our newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher has decided she will be unable to teach this year. For the time being, we are currently short of a teacher." Lupin and Tonks looked at each other puzzled. Lupin muttered something to Dumbledore, and he continued smiling.
"It seems there has been a change. I am pleased to announce our newest Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks!"
The Great Hall erupted with cheer and applause, particularly from Gryffindor. It worked! Ron mouthed to Harry. Thank you Captain Obvious! He mouthed back.
After the applause died down, Dumbledore spoke again. "I am pleased to announce the new Head Boy and Girl, Katie Bell and Stanley Daniels! The Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables cheered loudly, and Dumbledore waited once again.
"I would also like to congratulate our Quidditch captains, Cho Chang, Edward Applebee, Harry Potter, and Draco Malfoy!"
Harry was shocked but pleasantly surprised. Ron patted him on the back. After the wild cheering died down, Dumbledore spoke again.
"Yes, congratulations to all. Let us eat!"
And they did just that.
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"Take a seat everyone! Quickly!"
Harry, Ron and Hermione quickly found seats near the front of the room. It was their first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, and they were eager. Defense Against the Dark Arts was easily Harry and Ron's favorite subject (without Umbridge, of course). Of course, they also wanted to see Lupin and Tonks.
"Sixth year Defense Against the Dark Arts class, welcome! I understand there have been a few...disturbances with your lessons in the past. But I'm not the one learning, you guys are. I would like for you guys to tell me what you feel prepared with and what you feel you need work on." Lupin said.
Harry raised his hand. Lupin called on him. "I think we're all pretty well prepared with creatures, like boggarts and hinkypunks and stuff," he said.
Lupin smiled. "Do most of you feel the same way?"
There was a murmur of agreements and nodding heads.
"So this year, we won't really do as much creature stuff. What do you guys need to work on?"
Hermione raised her hand. "Curses." She said. "We learned a little with Professor Moody, but only the Unforgivable Curses. There are many more attack and defense spells, right?"
Lupin nodded. "Spells are a very part of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Knowing a good spell can make or break you in a duel. Not that you should ever duel if it's not necessary. Would you all agree that you need some work with spells?"
The class agreed. "Why don't we start with a fairly simple one first," suggested Lupin. "Stupefy. Who can tell me what stupefy does?"
They continued to a have a fun class, and although most of the Gryffindors in the class knew the spell from the DA, they learned it much better.
Five minutes before class is over, Lupin stopped them. "All right everyone, time to clean up!"
Once all of the students' materials and books were put away, Tonks began to speak. "As I'm sure you're all aware of, your supply lists had dress robes on it for the school year. Every year, there is a small Returning Ball for the 6th and 7th years. Picture the Yule Ball from...your fourth year right?...Yeah, picture a smaller, more casual version of that. It's only for 6th and 7th years; younger students are not allowed." She noticed a small look of disappointment on Harry's face.
"Please keep in mind the dress is casual to semi-formal. Wear dress robes, but do not take ages to make sure you look good. If you wish to bring a date you may, but it is not a requirement." His eyes drifted over to Tonks, and he blushed a little.
"And the dress code applies!" Tonks added. "No like, 3 inch skirts or whatever!"
It was time to go to their next class. As Harry walked to Charms, he had one thought: It was going to be interesting year.
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So, how was it? Is it starting to get interesting? Leave me a review; I love you all!
Yeah, Mean Girls is a good movie. And nearly every teenage boy I know thinks Lindsay Lohan is hot. Hmm, Harry has a thing for redheads, doesn't he ;-)
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