Chapter 13: Another Fresh Start
When Professor McGonagall passed out their new class schedules the next morning at breakfast, things really seemed to be back to normal. Ron, as usual, groaned loudly as soon as he looked at his time-table. McGonagall raised an eyebrow at him, but continued to shuffle through her stack until she pulled out Hermione's schedule and, finally, Harry's.
"Here you are…and….one minute, Mr. Potter…." She pulled a tidy little envelope from her pocket. "This is also for you." Without another word, she glided away down the table to hand out the rest of the schedules.
"Will you look at this?" Ron immediately asked. "And I thought last year was supposed to be hard! Nearly every lesson has been doubled…"
"Of course is going to be more challenging, Ron! They're N.E.W.T. courses! Anyways, you're taking fewer subjects this year, aren't you?" Hermione spoke casually, evidently not at all perturbed by her own schedule. After glancing at his own schedule, Harry had to admit that he agreed with Ron. How could he possibly handle so many classes? He peeked curiously at Hermione's schedule and raised his eyebrows in disbelief.
"Well," he said to Ron, "It could be worse, it seems." Ron looked at Hermione's cramped schedule and shook his head disapprovingly. "Ouch! Double-Potions first thing… Good luck! You're going to need it….hey! What're those hours at the bottom?" Ron turned back to his own page. "I have them too! Two hours after dinner on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday…."
Harry checked. "I've got them too," he said. "Wait! No…I haven't got Thursday." Hermione was also baffled over the unmarked hours, but she shrugged it off.
"I'm sure we'll find out by tomorrow, at least," she said optimistically, "What's in the envelope, Harry?"
Harry gave her a blank look before remembering the envelope McGonagall had given him. Now that he had been reminded, he looked closely at it and recognized Dumbledore's handwriting on the front.
To Harry Potter—Do Not Open Unless Alone.
Hermione, who was peeking over his shoulder, made a face and seemed to be considering something.
"When are you going to open it?" she asked matter-of-factly.
"Err…I don't know, next time I find myself alone, I guess." Harry looked up to the teachers' table, but Dumbledore was busily talking to Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher. Suddenly a thought came to Harry and he turned to Ron and Hermione. "Hey, do you two know who the Defense professor is this year? I don't see anybody new up there…" Ron and Hermione both shrugged and looked up at the staff table as well.
Eventually, they all finished eating, and Harry and Hermione steeled themselves for their first torturous Potions lesson of the year. Ron, however, was nearly skipping as they made their way out of the Great Hall.
"No more dungeons for me!" Ron bragged as Harry shuffled towards the dark stairway unenthusiastically, "Muggle studies, here I come…anything's better than Snape."
Harry waved halfheartedly as he and Hermione separated from Ron and made their way down to the dungeons. "What a lovely way to start off the day," he grumbled, as Hermione made a sympathetic face. Finally, they clomped down the last few steps to the dark, moist dungeon corridors and made their way to their usual potions classroom. As they approached the door, Harry noticed a sign pinned next to the door.
"N.E.W.T. POTIONS LOCATED IN SOUTH DUNGEON," Hermione read aloud. "Hmm, well I imagine this room is technically the West Dungeon, so….this way!" Harry followed as she marched down the right-hand hall, and eventually a large doorway appeared. He could see students settling into their seats and he hurried through the door, not wanting to catch Snape's attention by entering once the rest had taken a seat. Unfortunately, Snape seemed to have been waiting for him, for when Harry and Hermione entered, he violently marked the parchment that sat in front of him, and turned to the class.
"Well," he began, "Now that Miss Granger and Mr. Potter have seen fit to join us, I believe everyone is hear and we may begin. You will notice that this is a rather large class…" Harry did indeed notice the number of students in the great dungeon, and it took him only a moment to realize that the class was comprised of students from all of the four houses. "As advanced students, I expect the most responsible behavior from all of you. The slightest error can easily lead to disaster in a class of this size." Snape glared at Harry for a moment, as if he thought Harry was more than likely to make an irresponsible mistake. Harry returned the glare, but Snape looked away and continued talking.
"You will be brewing some of the most complicated and dangerous potions this year, because we will be covering some of the most interesting and useful potions. Therefore, I think I shall start off with a little…demonstration of what some these potions can do. Are there any volunteers?" A few Slytherins and even two Ravenclaw girls had their hands raised timidly, but Snape ignored them.
"Mr. Potter! Come up here, please." Harry looked suspiciously at Snape, but Hermione nudged him out of his seat and he found himself striding angrily towards the front of the dungeon. He came to a stop just past the first row of tables, but Snape motioned impatiently for him to come closer. "Stand here, Potter. I want to class to be able to see this. Now, today's potion should have some very visible effects…" he cracked an evil grin, "Drink this, Potter."
"No," Harry said simply.
"No? What do you think you're doing up here?"
"I'm not drinking anything if I don't know what it is." Harry glared at Snape once again. The professor seethed silently for a moment, but then spoke dangerously.
"I think, Potter, that you should learn to show a little respect." He hesitated once again and Harry could feel dozens of eyes watching intently. "However," Snape said at last, "Since you are so anxious to know what it is…how about I tell you? And if you're still opposed to drinking it, I shall just have to pick someone else…" Snape's eyes lingered on Hermione, and then suddenly he began listing off a variety of ingredients.
"So, what is it Potter? Can you be convinced to risk it or will I have to find another volunteer?" Harry moaned inwardly as he gave Snape a sarcastic smile, trying to hide the fact that he was frantically trying to piece together the ingredients.
The majority of them were items that he had used regularly for the past five years; they could be components of anything from a sleeping draught to a potent poison. Snape knew he wouldn't be able to name the potion that was made with this exact combination! But, then again……Harry seemed to recall that only a very few potions used kneezle hairs…and he'd only once heard of lacewings used without knotgrass…
A Disintegrating Solution? Harry wasn't sure how he knew that this was what the potion was, but somehow he was sure. He looked up at Snape in shock. He knew the greasy git was mean, but would he really go so far as to disintegrate a student? Wasn't this the sort of potion meant to be used on things like pests and messes?
"Sir," Harry said with disbelief, "A Disintegrating Solution?" He didn't know what else to say he was so shocked. Snape couldn't be serious. Though the professor looked slightly surprised that Harry had recognized the potion, he nodded unpleasantly.
"Yes, Potter, a temporary, very specific Disintegrating Solution. I assure you, it will do you no harm." He smirked. "Or would you prefer not to take it?"
Harry looked for a moment at Hermione, who looked back at him anxiously. Then, without hesitation he reached for the vial. Still glaring at Snape, he downed its entire contents in one gulp.
"So what's it going to be dissolving, then?" he asked bitterly. Snape's mouth curled up.
"Let's just say, you may want to consider purchasing a wig." The Slytherin students laughed loudly and several other people began to mutter excitedly. Harry's eyes grew wide and he instinctively reached to his hair. For a moment he was relieved to find it still there, but then he realized that the potion was merely slow-acting, because as he held his hand to his head he felt his hair beginning to shrink away. His muscles tensed as he remembered back to the time, all those years ago, when Aunt Petunia had tried to shave off his unruly hair. Then he had mysteriously grown the hair back overnight. This time, he'd be forced to walk the halls hairless for weeks.
As he felt his hair dwindling down almost completely, he scrunched his face up, leaving one eye squinting as he tried uselessly to look up to his hair with the other. Desperately, he wished he knew how to grow it at will like he had so many years ago. He remembered how upset Aunt Petunia had been when she saw him with a full head of hair, but Harry had been too delighted to care how it had happened. All he remembered was spending hours thinking about the ridicule he would face and wishing with all his might that he had his hair back…..
Suddenly, the laughter from the Slytherins stopped and students around the room gasped and became silent. Harry opened his other eye and strained to look upwards as he reached his hand to his head once again, expecting to feel a smooth, hairless surface. To his surprise, his fingers rested on a full, thick head of hair. Without thinking, he ran his hand through his messy hair, making his usual attempt to smooth it, and with an angry look at Snape, he handed back the empty vial and walked silently back to his desk.
Snape didn't say a word. His features were frozen in an expression of disbelief and rage. He whipped around his desk, slamming the vial onto the surface violently and without a word he started putting notes on the board. The silence in the chamber was immediately replaced by the sound of scratching quills and rustling parchment as the students feverishly set to work copying notes. The rest of the lesson was passed in this manner, with students looking away from their parchments every once and awhile to glance back at Harry suspiciously.
When class finally ended, Hermione and Harry were the first to make it out the door. They hurried upstairs, trying to separate themselves from the rest of the class, and headed towards the Charms classroom. About halfway there, Hermione pulled Harry off to the left, into an empty corridor.
"What happened?" she asked immediately, gesturing towards his hair.
"You tell me! Maybe his precious potion wasn't made right?" Harry shrugged noncommittally, but he didn't really believe his own suggestion.
"Come on, Harry! I seriously doubt Severus Snape ever messes up a potion."
"Oh, is that why you were so eager for me to go drink one?"
"Well, I'm sorry! I just thought it was a good way to avoid getting in trouble. It could have been a lot worse though." She truly did look sorry and Harry felt his anger melting.
"Ha!" he replied sarcastically, "Yeah, I could be bald right now!" They both laughed, but as they continued on their way to Charms, Hermione's face grew serious again and she spoke, wondering aloud what had happened in the dungeon. Harry couldn't help but wonder right along with her.
They arrived at Professor Flitwick's classroom slightly behind most of the other Gryffindors, and judging from the sudden silence that overtook the room as they entered, rumors of Harry's escapades in Potions had also preceded him. The two made their way to the far side of the room, where Ron sat, saving them seats. He watched them approach, sending questioning looks their way, and as they threw down their books he leaned towards them.
"What's this about a potion?" he whispered. Harry clenched his jaw.
"Snape," he spat. Hermione turned to Ron and tried to give a more detailed explanation.
"That piece of—!"
"Ron!" Hermione cut him off quickly, nodding towards the Flitwick, who had just entered the room.
"Seriously! Is he allowed to do that?" Ron's ears were turning scarlet, meanwhile, his sympathetic anger was starting to make Harry feel much better about the whole thing. Ron continued in a lower voice, "So what happened? Did you drink it?"
"Yeah," Harry admitted, "He would've picked Hermione if I hadn't." Hermione nodded. Ron looked confused.
"But…so…so it didn't work then? That's a first!"
"Oh, it worked. Harry was bald for about ten seconds, but then…" Ron was listening eagerly, and Harry noticed that several other people were eavesdropping on Hermione as well. "Then…then he wasn't."
Harry shrugged at Ron and squirmed uncomfortably as his friends looked at him. Thankfully, the professor chose this moment to start that class, and they spent the next hour or so hearing about the curriculum of this years N.E.W.T. Charms class and practicing some new, elaborate wand movements. By lunchtime, Harry had decided to forget about the unexplainable event from that morning, and his mood had improved considerably. He was eagerly looking forward to his Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, and then perhaps going out for a relaxing fly on his broom before Hermione forced his nose into a book. He was happily imagining himself flying over the grounds when Hermione pulled him back to reality all of the sudden.
"You guys! Look! It's Draco…." She spoke in a whisper as she pointed down the corridor at the slim form of Draco Malfoy.
"Wonder why he's walking alone?" Harry mused quietly. His friends exchanged looks.
"He was alone on the train, too. Evidently, Crabbe and Goyle haven't returned this year…" Ron looked positively delighted at this, but Hermione shook her head seriously.
"It's odd isn't it? I mean, why is Draco back? His father was imprisoned for being a Death Eater for goodness sakes! You'd think he'd want to transfer somewhere far away from Dumbledore."
Harry found himself wondering if it was possible that Draco might not be as evil as his father was. Would Lucius' own son dare to stand against him and turn instead to the protection of someone like Dumbledore? Then again, perhaps there was a reason for Draco to return to Hogwarts? Voldemort had mentioned Lucius' "plans" at Hogwarts. Could Draco be involved?
Though Harry felt considerably better now that he had been allowed to join the Order, he was still painfully aware of how little he knew about what was going on. Hearing the snippet from Voldemort's little meeting had only raised more questions, it seemed. How had all of those Death Eaters managed to escape Azkaban? Where was Bellatrix and what was she up to? Was Nagini at Hogwarts at this very moment, following Harry and gathering information? He shuddered at the thought and decided that it might be best to visit Dumbledore and try to get some answers; the wise old wizard always seemed to know more than he let on.
At the thought of Dumbledore, Harry remembered the letter from this morning, so, with a meaningful look, he told Ron and Hermione to go ahead on to lunch. As soon as they were out of sight and Harry was sure that he was completely alone, he reached into his bag to retrieve the little envelope. Upon ripping it open, he found a small note asking him to please meet the headmaster in his office at seven that evening "With your wand." Harry took only a moment to wonder what it was he'd be needing his wand for, and then he quickly did as the letter instructed him to and destroyed the whole thing with a flick of his wand. The pages disappeared with a puff of smoke, and Harry continued on his way to lunch.
He had a bit of trouble spotting Ron and Hermione as he entered the Great Hall, for they were in the center of a tight group of Gryffindors who were eagerly discussing something. As Harry approached, Ron shot him a look of warning, but a second later, he had been spotted. The knot of students broke up as Harry arrived at the table; several younger students scurried off to their own seats, and the older students immediately stopped talking and forced their attention back onto their plates. Both Ron and Hermione looked quite relieved, but said nothing as Harry took his seat.
"Sorry," he said awkwardly, aware that the commotion was probably a result of the rumors flitting around the school about his wild hair-growing abilities, "They shouldn't be badgering you two…"
"Oh, please! It's not your fault they're all nosey, little…..well, you know what I mean. Anyways, we didn't tell them anything." Hermione pulled out a book and balanced it on front of her plate rather aggressively.
"Didn't tell them anything?" Ron echoed, "Oh, I don't know about that…what was it you said to them? 'Bugger off, or I'll give you something to gossip about'…?" Hermione flushed but both Ron and Harry grinned.
"Thanks, you two," Harry said with a sigh, glad that Ron and Hermione weren't insisting on discussing the event further, but he jumped as another voice spoke behind him.
"So it's true then?" Ginny sat down next to him, throwing her bag to the floor and grinning. "Harry Potter is gifted with not only spectacular Quidditch reflexes, but also the ability to grow his hair at will?" Harry groaned and dropped his head into his hands, wondering if it would have been wiser to remain bald. Perhaps that would have drawn less attention?
Ginny laughed. "Aw, Harry! It's not that bad. Most people don't believe it anyway, and it's really not a big deal." She reached up a hand to tousle his hair. "Ooh! Harry, your hair's really soft! Who knew Disintegrating potions were such good conditioners? Maybe I'll ask Snape to borrow some…" She laughed again as he tried to fight off Ron, who was unable to resist the temptation to ruffle Harry's hair himself.
Thankfully, the conversation turned to other topics soon enough. Ginny moaned over her upcoming O.W.L.s; evidently the professors had already started warning the fifth years about the strenuous studying they'd be doing in the upcoming months.
"And what's this class we have after dinner tomorrow and the next two days?" She pointed to the class the trio had been discussing that morning. They shook their head at her, equally baffled.
"How about Defense—have any of you heard who's teaching? Dumbledore didn't say a word about it last night," Ron pointed out.
"Yeah…and what about Hagrid? I haven't heard anything about him since…well, since the meeting." Harry jabbed his fork at Ron for emphasis, but ended up splattering potpie all over the table and his friend. "Oops! Sorry…"
"We had Grubbly-Plank for the lesson this morning," Ginny offered, "And both Colin and I tried asking about Hagrid, but she wouldn't say anything." Harry frowned, feeling slightly guilty for not asking about Hagrid sooner. Lupin might have known something or…
"Tonks!" Hermione glared at Harry as he suddenly cried out. He lowered his voice to a whisper, "Sorry! But maybe Tonks would know what's up with Hagrid!" He leaned over the table conspiratorially. Hermione considered it.
"I suppose so…but I haven't seen her since last night," she replied quietly. It seemed that none of them had seen her, and so they left lunch feeling decidedly unsatisfied. The three waved good-bye to Ginny and eagerly made their way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, wondering who they would find there.