Chapter 7: The Ears Behind The Walls
"The water, they…" Janieve began, then shook her head and said, "Never mind, it's gone now." She did not know how to describe the phenomenon she had just seen. There was no word for it, except, maybe, magical.
"Come on," Hermione said tersely, "it's Transfiguration and I don't want to miss it. She's going to teach us human transfiguration."
"You wouldn't miss it even if she wants us to transfigure ourselves into dung," muttered Ron but he got to his feet anyhow.
They ambled back to the castle and found themselves in Professor McGonagall's classroom moments before she came in.
"Good afternoon class," she said, "This year, you'll find half of our lessons dedicated to human Transfiguration. The second half, however, you'll learn how to Disapparate. When you've turned seventeen years of age, you may go down to the Apparating Test Centre for your Apparition test." There was an excited buzz coming from the students. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and the buzzing ceased. "Exciting year indeed, but I would like to warn you that this year's lesson would be more complicating and dangerous as well. Hence, it is even more important for you to follow my instructions carefully, or you may find yourself with a Blast-Ended Skrewt's sting growing on your body or find your body splinched." The whole class gasped at this except Janieve.
"What is she talking about?" Janieve whispered to Harry.
"Sometimes, when Apparating goes wrong, a person may find half his body stuck in the original place, while the other half in the place he had Apparated to. This is known as splinching," he whispered back, "As for the Blast-Ended Skrewts, you'd be better off not knowing them."
"If Mr. Potter and Miss Walker would gladly join us back in this class from their little private conversation, we would be ready to start the class." All heads turned to look at them and Janieve blushed heavily. "Good," Professor McGonagall went on, "I want you to turn to page two hundred and ninety of your textbook and read the entire topic on human Transfiguration. I would not start your practical lessons until I am sure you have got all your theories right. I'll be giving you a quiz the week after next. Questions would be allowed but no talking."
That night, in the Gryffindor Tower, Janieve found herself trying to catch up on five years of lost work. Hermione had tried to explain all the potions that they had learnt from their first year up to now and Janieve was not sure if she had remembered all of them. She was not even sure she remembered any of them at all. Hermione however, had let her take a break from Potions and was teaching her how to transfigure hedgehogs into pin cushions.
"Now you're getting it," Hermione said encouragingly, when Janieve finally managed to transform her hedgehog into a pin cushion that does not squirmed under the threat of a pin, after several unsuccessful attempts.
"If this is how long I'm going to take to learn a simple transfiguration, I shudder to think about how I'm going to transfigure myself," Janieve announced dramatically.
"You're doing very well for someone who only knows about magic barely a week ago," Hermione argued.
"And that is saying something, coming from Hermione," added Ron.
"Thanks," Janieve said doubtfully, "but somehow that does not make me feel any better about transfiguring myself into something else."
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On Tuesday morning, Janieve and Hermione had History of Magic with Professor Binns, the ghost teacher. Harry, Ron and a great deal of Gryffindor sixth years had dropped that subject due to its boring nature. It was supposed to be free time for them but Harry had Occlumency lessons with Professor Dumbledore and he left Ron in the company of Dean, Seamus and Neville before heading to the headmaster's office.
He reached the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledore's office and gave the password that Dumbledore had given him. The gargoyle sprang to life and leapt aside. The wall behind it split in two to reveal a stone staircase that was moving continually upwards like a spiral escalator. Harry stepped on to the moving stairs as the wall closed behind him with a thud. He was moved upwards in tight circles until he reached the highly polished oak door with the brass knocker shaped like a griffin. Harry was reaching for the knocker when a voice inside made his hand froze in midair.
"Are you sure she can be trusted?"
"Severus, I trust her as much as I trust you," said Professor Dumbledore.
"But if they find her, if she finds out, and turn against us, she knows too much about us. She will be a liability," argued Snape urgently.
"Well, I have my utmost faith in her. And even if she did turn against us, that is a risk I am willing to take," Professor Dumbledore said.
"But Professor…" began Snape again.
"I think," cut in Professor Dumbledore, with a tone of finality in his voice, "that it is time for you to go." Snape did not answer and a few seconds later the door in front of Harry sprang open.
"You," Snape snarled, his long bony finger pointing at Harry, "What were you doing outside?" Snape looked almost worried. His tone was accusatory.
"Er…" Harry said hesitantly. He was suddenly reminded of the time he had sneaked a look into Snape's worst memory from the pensieve and being caught red-handed by him.
"What did you hear?" he asked angrily. Harry opened his mouth to speak but someone else beat him to it.
"He is here for Occlumency lesson with me," said Professor Dumbledore from his seat, "you may go now, Severus," he added.
Snape cast another loathing look in Harry's direction before sidestepping him and exited the office.
"Sit down, Harry," said Dumbledore from behind his desk and half-moon spectacles. Harry obliged. "So, what did you hear outside my office?" he asked Harry when he had taken his seat across him.
"Nothing," Harry replied. His headmaster gave him a long searching look before saying, "Very well, let's began our lesson shall we?"
Harry nodded but his mind was somewhere far away. He did not know who Snape and Dumbledore were talking about. However, he did know that whatever they said was not meant for Harry to hear. And that only intensified Harry's curiosity.
