CHAPTER 7

Alex ended up in all of Harry's classes, and in a few he didn't have such as Arthrimay. It was a relief to see her everyday, especially when his scar began to prickle once more.

The possibility of another attack by Voldemort wasn't the only thing on his mind. The first quidditch match of the season, between Slytherin and Gryffindor was that very day. The team had been practicing hard, and Harry knew that the Slytherins had as well.

The Saturday sky was somewhat cloudy, eliminating the chance of vision problems caused by the sun. A few breezes twirled in the air, but they wouldn't affect the players' flight. Knowing he'd have a hard time saving goals if the Slytherins started to sing 'Weasley is our king,' Ron had put magicked earplugs in his ears to prevent any hardships. After Ron's pep talk, which rivaled those given by Wood, the team headed out onto the pitch.

The audience cheered and the new narrator's voice broke over the crowd's. "And here is the Gryffindor team! Captain Weasley, Potter, Longbottom, Abercrombie, Weasley, Dirkle and Mellot!" Alex announced, "Followed by the Slytherin team! Captain Malfoy, Zambini, Crabbe, Goyle, Lunt, Parkinson and Sarch! Both teams are quite lucky to have found such players for the season! I expect an exciting game!"

The crowd continued to cheer as Ron and Malfoy shook hand. Malfoy didn't try to crush Ron's fingers, only squeezed lightly and then let go. The players mounted their brooms and the whistle was blown. Harry didn't kick off as hard, but he matched Malfoy for speed nonetheless. "And it starts! Weasley grabs the quaffle and passes to Mellot who heads for the goal. Whoa! Narrowly misses a bludger sent by Crabbe, good manuevers on both sides. Mellot shoots—and scores! Ten-zero, to Gryffindor!" Harry smiled and renewed his search for the snitch. Elise, Jackie and Ginny scored three more goals before Pansy finally scored one. Promptly, the Slytherins began to sing 'Weasley is our King.' It changed however, when Neville hit Lunt with a well aimed bludger, and letting Ron block the shot; the Gryffindor version of the song thundered from the stands.

Alex didn't have a problem complimenting both teams, probably because she was in Slytherin, Harry thought as he hovered, watching.

By pure luck, he spotted Crabbe and Goyle closing in on Ginny, a bludger bouncing between them. Closing his eyes for a moment, Harry dove for them. Crabbe grunted his surprise and missed his swing at the bludger. With a relieved feeling, Harry returned to the area above the stadium. Ginny scored again and the stands exploded with cheers.

The game started to get brutal. Goyle and Crabbe hit bludgers at the Gryffindor chasers mercilessly; Neville and Euan were barely able to keep them off.

Harry was wondering how the Slytherins knew where to go at every moment, when he saw Malfoy a little ways off: pointing and doing strange flight patterns. He's spying and instructing, Harry thought, smart, though I hate to admit it. With a grin, Harry dove in a Wronski Feint drawing Malfoy out of command. Harry pulled up a few feet from the ground, and saw that Malfoy was riding a Firebolt. It'll take more than speed, Harry thought wickedly as he watched Malfoy glare at him, but good eyes too.

The snitch still didn't appear after an hour and the score was 120-100 to Gryffindor. Harry redoubled his efforts, distracting Slytherin players and snitch-hunting at the same time. A glint of gold excited him, but it was only Neville's watch. Malfoy wasn't trailing him, but directing the Slytherin team once more. The green-clad team came together, forming a diamond around Jackie, who had the quaffle. Forgetting the snitch, Harry flew straight for Pansy, who was flying point. She shrieked and pulled upwards out of his way. Harry sped a few inches above Jackie and towards Goyle. When the larger player didn't show signs of moving, Harry flipped upside down and slipped right underneath. The Gryffindors cheered and then the Slytherins cheered too. Wait, that's not normal, Harry thought and saw Malfoy soaring towards the staff box. Damn! Harry thought as he spotted the snitch, Time to put this broom to work!

He accelerated to full speed, rapidly catching up to Malfoy. He heard Alex's commentary about the chase, but didn't catch what she was saying, all his attention was on the snitch. There were shrieks of fright as he swerved away from a bludger, and more yells when Malfoy stretched out a hand.

As Harry caught up with him, a loud roar burst from what Harry recognized as Luna's lion-hat. The noise made Malfoy jerk in surprise, and allowed Harry to grab the snitch from the air. The whistle blew, ending the first match.

Malfoy cursed, but nodded to Harry and flew off. The entire stadium, except Slytherins, came to its feet, yelling so loud Harry feared his eardrums would burst.

"Great catch mate!" Ron told him in the common room, "That broom of yours does miracles!"

Harry smiled, "Thanks, you did a great job guarding the hoops." Ron smiled back and went to congratulate the rest of the team on their performance, while Harry went to do his potions homework with Alex.

"What do you say we visit Lupin?" Ron suggested after dinner.

"Alright," Harry agreed, "And maybe Hagrid after." With Hermione's nose in her NEWT Arthrimacy text, they didn't noticed the glowing orb in the early evening sky—it was the full moon.

Talking quietly, they knocked on Lupin's office door. "Professor Lupin?" Harry called, there was no answer, so they knocked again. "Remus?" Harry called again.

"Professor Lupin can't speak at the moment," a cool voice told them.

The trio turned around to face Splikvin. "Is he out?" Harry asked.

She nodded, "He will be out for three days, due to…" she thought about her choice of words, "his metamorphic differences."

Ron tapped his friends on the shoulder, seeing that they were still thinking. "It's a full moon."

Selena nodded and turned to walk away. In a perfectly innocent voice she added, "I believe he is staying near Hogsmede—and there is a patrol of Slytherin prefects tonight in the upper corridors." Before they could ask questions, she stalked out of the hall, her black robes billowing much like Snape's did.

"What'd she mean by that?" Ron asked as they entered the common room after visiting Hagrid.

"Later," Harry murmured, eyeing all the Gryffindors around them.

Ron shrugged and sat down with Hermione at an empty table. Harry glanced at Ginny who grinned back—after looking at the couple. "There's a bet going on about when they kiss," she told him quietly, "Two galleons from me for a little bit after the dance; three sickles from Seamus for before the dance; and three galleons from Fred and George for during the dance. Winner takes all."

Harry chuckled, "Alright, two galleons on a day or two after the dance."

Ginny smiled and wrote Harry's wager down, then looked curiously at him, "Where'd you go after dinner?"

"Hagrid's, and I'll tell you the rest after everyone else leaves, 'kay?"

She shrugged, "Alright. I'll be here." Harry nodded and joined Alex in front of the fireplace for a game of wizard's chess.

"So, what's the secret?" Ginny asked once the last Gryffindor left. Hermione relayed the story of them going to Lupin's office and the short conversation with Splikvin. "I think she was telling us to visit him," Harry said, "But I'm not sure."

"Well, four of us aren't going to fit under a cloak," Ginny pointed out.

Harry grinned, "Well, four humans definitely won't, but four animals might."

"But we don't know how to transform yet!" Ron said.

Harry shrugged, "True, but you can learn in less than five minutes." They grinned and Harry began to instruct them as Godric had done for him. Hermione chose her owl form, Ron his German Shepard, and Ginny her phoenix. Harry smiled and complimented them. Hermione perched on Ron's back and Ginny on the couch while Harry got his map and cloak. Once he returned, he covered his friends with the cloak and joined them as a panther with the activated map rolled carefully in his mouth. Ginny perched on his back and the four exited Gryffindor tower at midnight to visit with Moony.

They paused every now and then to check the map, and the only people in the hallways were Filch, Mrs. Norris, Peeves, Splikvin, Snape on their floor, and the Slytherin Prefects were on the upper floors. The four evaded Filch, his cat and Snape by going down a separate corridor, but ended up running into Selena and Peeves after they did so.

"I wouldn't prank the second corridor," the DADA professor was telling the polteragist, "Filch had Albus set up detection spells in that area; try the corridor next to the trophy room, Filch does not go there often, though others use it for a shortcut."

The four animagi looked at each other in surprise as Peeves saluted Splikvin with a cackle, then zipped off, leaving a chuckling Splikvin. Harry nearly laughed when he saw the look in Hermione's eyes. She was severly shocked that a professor would intentionally help Peeves! Silently, they crept past Splikvin who paused with her back towards them, took a look over her shoulder, smirked, then purposfuly walked in the other direction.

They continued on and eventually made it to the whomping willow. "I'll get it," Harry growled quietly and transformed into a cobra then slithered forward and pressed the knot, freezing the tree's madly waving branches. The four slunk quietly in, Harry just a little behind the others, still visible as a snake. Once they'd reached the entrance to the Shrieking Shack, they shook off the cloak, Harry transformed into his panther form again after pocketing his cloak and map, Hermione turned into her silvery-creme colored unicorn for the first time, and Ron and Ginny stayed the same. Harry took a breath, twitched his tail and walked in. "Hey Moony," he growled pleasantly as he glimpsed the werewolf on the bed.

Remus picked up his head, "Tallon?" he growled back.

Harry nodded, "We thought we'd keep you company."

If wolves could raise an eyebrow, Lupin did now. "'We'?"

That was when the other three entered, "I told 'em how to over the summer," Harry explained casually.

Moony bared his teeth in a wolf's grin. "I see, well, excuse my bluntness but, who are you?"

"Ron" the dog barked.

"Ginny," the phoenix sang.

"Hermione," the unicorn neighed quietly.

Moony nodded, "Very good transformations and animals. Do you have nicknames?" The three animagi shook their heads.

"Then you'll have to get some," Harry said cheerfully. "Is it okay if I'm human for a second Moony?"

"Yes Tallon, I took the potion—nasty as it is."

Harry nodded, transformed, got out his map of The Hideaway and added his friends onto it. Harry smiled as he read off the names. "Ron, you're Fenris; Ginny, you're Dimaphlip," the others chuckled in their animal voices, "Dima for short I guess; and Hermione, you're Cloven." She nodded and Harry wiped the map blank then put it away, and transformed into a panther once more. He stretched and looked at Moony with a mischievious look in his eyes, "Feel up for a walk?" he asked. The werewolf yipped his amusement and agreement and the five left the Shrieking Shack for their first adventure.

Coming Up:

Defense is put to the test

Unwanted Occasion

Then:

The masquerade dance

All good things come to an end