Additional disclaimer: 'Just another manic Monday' is the title of a song by The Bangles.
6: Just another manic Monday
Having gone to bed early the previous evening, Harry had already started making breakfast for everyone by the time Mrs Weasley's slipper-clad feet entered the kitchen and as a consequence most of the household had finished eating by 8am. However, this didn't prevent the annual mad rush to get Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Harry ready to catch the Hogwarts Express.
Ginny was having particular problems finding her socks and Hermione was sent into a rare panic when she couldn't find her new Arithmancy book. It was finally located down the side of an armchair where it had undoubtedly fallen when she had dozed off one evening.
Harry, who had distracted himself by finishing all his homework before arriving at The Burrow, had the easiest time so helped Ron by following behind him and picking up items which fell out of his long, over-laden arms.
x
The crowd that went to see them off was much reduced compared to normal. Bill had still not surfaced from the previous night's celebrations and Mr Weasley had been called into work. The twins accompanied them to platform 9 3/4 but then said goodbye and disappeared amongst the crowds in the name of market research.
Harry waved down the platform to Seamus but carefully avoided Neville, who was holding his Mimbulus mimbletonia close to his chest and looked like he was on the receiving end of some sort of speech from his formidable Gran. Harry managed to find the empty compartment that Ron and Hermione, as NEWT-level prefects, had been able to reserve for them all.
To Hermione's surprise, but not Ron's, Ginny hadn't been made a prefect and she and Dean came in soon after Harry had collapsed into one of the seats.
Although Harry knew that Ginny used to go out with Michael Corner, and that Dean had come to visit her during the summer, he had never really seen her with either of them. It was stupid, Harry knew, but he wondered if he ought to act differently around them, or maybe go somewhere else so that they could kiss in private?
Dean looked as uncomfortable as Harry felt, asking how the rest of his summer had been whilst frequently glancing at a scratch in the table between them. Ginny, however, was just as outgoing as normal - or at least as outgoing as Harry had seen her once she'd stopped hiding from him. Still, Harry was grateful when Neville and Seamus appeared at the compartment door and Ginny got up to look for her friends.
Seamus dropped carelessly into the spot next to Dean but Neville took great care in reverently setting his Mimbulus mimbletonia on the table between them before sitting down.
"Hi Neville. How're you doing? That plant of yours looks like it's had a bit of a growth spurt," Dean said.
Neville, who had been looking a little miserable, nodded and perked up.
"Three inches in the last two months. And it's growing a bud. Look, just there," he said excitedly pointing to the centre of the plant. "I reckon it's ready to flower any day now."
Remembering what happened last time Neville had shown him one of the plant's features Harry made sure to keep his distance. When he looked, though, he saw that nestled in amongst the plant's grey boils there was indeed a small purple bud.
"Well, you must be doing something right. What are you feeding it, Fire Whiskey?" Seamus joked.
"Er, actually, I got this special formula from Ahh Gardens," Neville admitted.
"Ahh Gardens?" Harry asked.
"It's the wizarding section of Kew Gardens," Neville explained. "My Great Uncle Algie took me for... you know, passing my OWLs," Neville said, blushing furiously.
"Cool," Dean said. "So what did you get?"
"Um. I failed Potions and Astronomy, so I got seven."
"How'd you do in Herbology?" Harry asked.
If it was possible, Neville's blush deepened. "I got an 'O'."
"Excellent. See, who needs foul smelling Potions?" Dean said
"Did you see the results in the Prophet?" Seamus asked. "'Course, Ravenclaw did the best but Snape's lot got the highest Potions results. Slimy, biased git. I bet he gave them all the answers beforehand."
"Yeah, but you didn't mention the best bit," Dean said. "Gryffindors rule at Defence. One hundred percent pass rate. Even Lupin never got that."
"Well, he did have Fred and George in his class," Harry pointed out.
x
The food cart had already come and gone by the time Ron and Hermione joined them. Unusually, Ron didn't complain about being hungry, although he accepted the chocolate frogs Harry offered him gratefully.
They both unwrapped their frogs and out of habit Harry inspected the accompanying card.
"Hey, look!" Harry held up the card in his hand for Ron to inspect. "I've got Agrippa!"
"Yeah?" Ron asked half-heartedly.
Harry smiled. "Here, have it. I know you've been looking for him for ages," he said, holding out the card.
"Nah, it's okay. You keep it. I'm not bothering to collect them any more."
"What?" For as long as he had known Ron, his friend had been collecting chocolate frog cards and, for as long as he had known him, he'd been searching in vain for Agrippa to complete his collection.
"You're kidding, right?"
"Nah, I just got bored of them. The chocolate's still good though," he said and he demonstrated by starting to unwrap another from the pile in front of Harry.
Harry was convinced that Ron was just unwilling to accept something from him and he gave his friend a questioning look. Ron sighed.
"I've just grown up a bit, I guess," he told Harry, shrugging. "I'm sixteen. I can't collect chocolate frog cards all my life can I? It's a bit sad," he said, looking between his two friends.
For some reason, Harry felt hurt. He'd already grown up more than he wanted and he didn't much like the idea of things changing. He knew it was silly to make a big deal about chocolate frog cards though, and dropped the subject.
The train rattled through the countryside whilst Seamus told them all about a girl he'd met on holiday back in Ireland. Ron was giving Dean sidelong glances and Harry had a horrible feeling that he was about to say something about how Dean had better not talk about his sister like that. Fortunately Hermione started to tell a story about the artisan wizards she'd studied during her trip to Italy. Harry and Ron, who were used to Hermione's occasional enthusiastic ramblings didn't mind too much but Seamus soon looked like he'd lost interest (or possibly even the will to live) and when Hermione paused for breath he turned to Harry.
"So, mate, did you do anything this summer?"
"Um, well, I don't really go on holiday but I stayed with Ron for a few weeks. Did he tell you his brother's marrying Fleur?"
"That pretty French girl from the Tri-wizard Tournament?"
"Yep."
"Didn't you ask her to the Yule Ball, Ron?" Dean asked.
Ron's ears pinked. "Not my fault," he mumbled. "She's a Veela."
x
Rather inevitably, Draco Malfoy sauntered into their compartment whilst Harry and Ron were in the middle of a game of chess. He was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle, who were looking as surly as ever. Hermione was the first to react.
"What d'you want, Malfoy?" she asked in a business-like tone, her chin held high.
"Well, certainly not to talk to filth like you," Draco drawled.
Harry saw her reach across, effectively blocking Ron's path with her arm.
"So? What then?" Ron asked impatiently.
Draco smirked. "I'm just here to pass on a message," he said, seemingly enjoying that he had their attention.
"Well?" Ron asked.
Draco ignored him and looked straight at Harry with a malicious grin.
"Kreacher has asked me to send his regards - oh - and his condolencesof course."
Draco's grin widened as he obviously anticipated the reaction this would bring. Harry couldn't be bothered though and he turned to stare out of the train window.
"Thanks. You can go now."
There was a moment's silence before Harry heard the compartment door close with a bang and Ron start to laugh.
"Oh, Harry," he gasped, "you should have seen his face. I've never seen him so angry. I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head. Classic."
Hermione and the rest of Harry's dorm-mates were not laughing though. They were looking at Harry as if he were about to cry, or at least start a furious tirade about Draco.
"I think it's your move, Ron," Harry said and Ron wiped a tear of laughter from his eye before contemplating their chess game again.
Harry was somewhat distracted and lost a further two games as the scenery sped by their window.
x
The train finally arrived at its destination and the students scrambled to get out onto the platform. To Harry's joy, the first voice he heard as he left the train was a familiar shout of "firs'-years... firs'-years over here!"
"Hagrid!" Harry shouted over the crowds.
The half-giant turned, a wide smile peeking through his beard, and gave a wave.
Harry felt relief flooding through him; some things, at least, were as they should be.
Weaving in and out of first years, trunks and familiars, Harry climbed into one of the waiting carriages, doing his best not to look at the Thestrals. He noticed Dean and Seamus getting into another with Ginny and a couple of her friends. Ron was oddly quiet.
"You okay, mate?" Harry asked.
"Sure," Ron said distractedly. Harry was about to drop it when Ron suddenly said very quickly "Don't you think Dean's been a bit funny this year? I mean, what was all that about Fleur? So what if I asked her to the Ball? It's like he's trying to stir up trouble. I'm not sure Ginny should be with someone like that."
Harry smiled as he remembered that he'd made exactly the same comment about Fleur when Ron had told him about the wedding.
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron. There's nothing wrong with him," Hermione said. "Besides, Ginny's old enough to make up her own mind."
His best friend had a tendency to be rather overprotective, Harry decided, and it wasn't as if Dean was a Slytherin or someone like that Zacharias Smith. Anyway, Ginny was quite capable of sticking up for herself. In fact, he reflected as they arrived at the main entrance, if Ron carried on thinking like that Hermione would be the only thing preventing him from a severe case of Bat Bogeys this term.
x
Soon everyone was settled into their seats in The Great Hall waiting for the Sorting. McGonagall brought the new students in, still hobbling slightly and leaning on her walking stick. She set up the stool and after a typical Sorting Hat song full of the now usual warnings Archer, Robin was called forward.
Half way through the line of students, Hermione whispered "You know, I think we ought to help do something about the houses this year."
"What about them?" Ron whispered back as everyone clapped and Madison, Elvin joined the Ravenclaw table.
"About uniting them."
"How are you going to do that?" Harry asked as a mousy haired girl knocked over the Sorting Hat's stool in her excitement.
"I'm not sure yet, but I'll think of something."
"Yeah, well, as long as we don't have to go round wearing badges with H.U.R.L. on them..." Ron muttered.
"Hurl?" Hermione asked.
"It's not Hurl," Ron said in a voice that Harry thought was supposed to be an imitation of Hermione's, "it's H.U. R. L - Houses United to Ruin Lord... well, you know who."
Whatever Hermione might have been about to say in reply was cut short as the Sorting ended. Once the last nervous first year had been accepted into Hufflepuff and taken his seat the golden plates in front of them filled with food and everyone tucked in enthusiastically.
"So," Hermione asked as they helped themselves to dessert, "have you made up your mind what you're studying this year yet, Harry?"
"Do you have to bring up the subject of lessons whilst we're eating?" Ron asked around mouthfuls of cream cake.
"I wasn't even asking you," Hermione replied.
"Yeah but I can hear, can't I?" Ron said, cream now smeared across his top lip.
Hermione rolled his eyes, which could equally have been directed at his comment or his eating habits.
"I was thinking I'd take Defence and Magical Creatures, seeing as how I got good marks at OWL," Harry started before they could begin bickering. "And then I figured Charms and Transfiguration."
"Charms are always useful," Hermione said appreciatively.
Ron, who had not chosen the subject, huffed but thankfully their attention was drawn to the Head table where Dumbledore had stood to address the school.
The elderly wizard seemed happy to have his school full of students again and gave out his announcements with his usual helping of warmth and gentle teasing. Harry looked along the row of teachers sat at the head table. He spared a moment to glare at his most hated professor, Snape, who was sweeping the hall with his eyes, picking out those who weren't paying attention. Harry found that his ill-feelings towards the Potions Master had not diminished and an angry bubble of bitterness swelled inside him. Snape's eyes fell on Harry and he looked away.
"Needless to say, there is good reason that The Forbidden Forest has not had its name changed," Dumbledore was saying.
There was an empty seat next to Snape that was presumably reserved for the sixth Defence teacher in as many years. On Dumbledore's other side Firenze was chatting to Hagrid. Harry noticed that the Centaur was actually standing rather than sitting behind the table. Harry wondered if he had been able to go back to the forest yet or if he had stayed in the castle all summer.
"And now to a rather special announcement," Dumbledore said. "Every seven years we like to gather the school for a photograph to commemorate your time here at Hogwarts and I am glad to say that this happy time has come around again this year. The photographer will be visiting the school in early October."
This caused an excited buzz to start in the Great Hall as students turned to chat to their neighbours.
Harry remembered his school photo days at Little Whinging Primary School. More often than not Dudley would accidentally pour paint in his hair or he would be at the centre of some unwitting incident that would leave him looking like an idiot at exactly the wrong moment.
On the occasions when he was left alone his baggy old clothes and broken glasses had made him self-conscious enough to dread the day the school photographer came. Not that he ever got to see the resulting photos, mind you. Aunt Petunia purchased pictures of her little Duddikins to place in every room of number 4 Privet Drive and to send to Aunt Marge but it was never thought necessary to remind themselves that Harry existed. Harry forced these memories out of his mind and heard the end of Dumbledore's comments.
"Quidditch try-outs will take place later this week and available positions will be posted on your House notice boards. I hope that we will see many of you taking part."
Dumbledore allowed the school a moment to digest this information before continuing.
"And finally, before I send you to your dorms I would like to assure you that, despite the vacant position at our table, you will most certainly have someone to teach your Defence Against the Dark Arts classes. Now, off to bed, I think."
"So, who do you think'll be teaching Defence?" Harry asked as they left The Great Hall and started the first flight of stairs up to Gryffindor Tower.
"Dunno."
"Well, as long as it's no-one from the Ministry," Hermione said.
"Maybe we're getting Lupin back but he's not here 'cos of the full moon," Ron suggested.
"The next full moon isn't for another three days," Hermione told him. "Besides, I don't think that the parents would be too happy about a supposedly Dark creature returning to Hogwarts now that Voldemort's back."
Ron shuddered at the Dark Lord's name and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Can't you say 'You-Know-Who' like everyone else?" he complained as Harry spoke the new password ("Galloping Gargoyles") and they climbed into the common room.
"No, I can't. And I wish you'd learn to say it like I have; it's only a name."
"Only a name? But-"
"I'm going to bed," Harry interrupted. "Good night."
"Good night, Harry," Hermione said.
"Yeah, night, mate," Ron added.
Harry climbed the stairs and changed before collapsing into his familiar four-poster bed. His dorm-mates came up not long after, Ron entering last and looking pleased with himself. Harry decided he'd obviously won the inevitable argument. He closed his bed hangings, made sure to Occlude his mind then fell asleep, glad to be back.
x
Ron and Hermione's argument seemed to be over as they sat down to breakfast the next morning and didn't even re-erupt when McGonagall came along the Gryffindor table giving out everyone's timetables.
Somehow Harry's timetable knew which subjects he'd chosen and the moment he touched it all the other subjects disappeared. He glanced over at Ron and Hermione's timetables to see that theirs had done the same thing.
"Cool, I've got Friday afternoons off," Ron announced happily.
"That's study time," Hermione said, but with a little amusement in her voice.
Ron shrugged.
"So what's yours like?" he asked.
Hermione showed them. Most people took four NEWTs, or occasionally five (there was a rumour going around that Crabbe and Goyle were doing just two each), but Hermione, Harry counted, was doing six.
"You'll be in lessons the whole time," Ron pointed out, horrified.
"I'm sure I'll be able to fit all my homework in," Hermione reassured him.
"But what about...other stuff?"
"Oh, I'm sure I'll be able to squeeze in my Prefect duties and a few other things," she said, smiling.
"Have you got another time-turner?" Harry asked in a low voice.
"I don't need one. I'm only doing six subjects, it's not that big a deal."
Ron didn't look convinced.
"So, what have you got first thing?" Harry asked, seeing that the first slot on his own timetable was free.
"Double History," Ron moaned. "If it wasn't for that I'd have the whole day off. I could have stayed in bed all morning."
"Ron, I don't know why you took the subject if you're just going to complain about it," Hermione said. "And speaking of which, we'd better get going or we'll be late and the only seats will be right at the back. See you at lunch, Harry."
"Yeah, see you at break," Ron added, reluctantly getting up to follow Hermione.
"Bye," Harry called.
He looked down at his timetable again. He had nothing until after lunch and no homework yet. Part of him said that he should go to the library and read up for his first lesson but another part told him it was only the first day and he didn't want to turn into Hermione. Besides, he wanted to visit Hagrid and he felt like he hadn't ridden his broom properly for months...
x
Harry was jumping down the last few steps two at a time, Firebolt in hand, and feeling more alive than he could remember for a long time when he saw a black shape appear in his path, and managed only narrowly to avoid bumping into it.
"Why aren't you in lessons, Potter?" Snape asked and Harry's previously elated heart instantly sunk back to it's normal level.
"I haven't got lessons this morning."
"The periods where you don't have lessons are called Study Periods for a reason, Potter. They are not for riding broomsticks in."
"But I haven't even got any homework yet."
Snape looked at him coldly.
"Though thankfully you have not decided to pursue a career in Potions, I do feel obliged to tell you that NEWTs are not to be taken lightly. You should be spending your Study Periods researching your subjects in preparation for your coursework. Five points from Gryffindor for running in the corridors in a hazardous fashion, five points for inappropriate use of Study Periods and five points for talking back to a Professor. And as you seem to think that you have nothing to do, you can write me two feet on the Carelessness Potion."
"But-"
"To be handed in to the Staff Room no later than 5pm today."
With that, Snape turned sharply and strode down the corridor in the direction of the dungeons.
Harry's mood as he climbed back up the stairs to put his Firebolt away could not have contrasted his earlier happiness more if he'd tried. The injustice of being given homework for a subject he wasn't even taking, for not doing homework that he hadn't even been set yet, made him furious. And 15 points taken too. This was turning out to be one of his worse starts to the year ever.
Why did Snape always have to be so nasty? Why did he ruin everything? Why did he have to hate Harry? Just because of his dad? And Sirius? It was Snape's fault that Sirius had been so miserable about staying at Grimmauld Place. It was Snape's fault that Harry hadn't learnt Occlumency properly. It was all Snape's fault that Sirius had ended up at the Ministry that day. Harry quieted the niggling feeling that said he knew it wasn't entirely Snape's fault and continued to rant bitterly to himself all the way up to the Gryffindor Tower and back down to the library.
This was where Ron found him later that morning and Harry recounted what had happened.
"He can't do that," Ron said, frowning fiercely and clenching his fists. "You should tell Dumbledore; you can't let him get away with it."
Harry shrugged, having had an hour or so to calm down.
"I'm just not going to do the essay," he said. "He can't make me and I'm not going to let him think he can boss me about when I'm not even in his class. So, how was History, anyway?"
"Not that bad, actually. I mean, it's still Binns and all but we're researching strategies in the Goblin rebellions so we're discussing stuff rather than Binns just droning on. I actually took some notes."
Harry pretended to look horrified and they laughed, causing Madam Pince to send icy glares in their direction.
"So what's Hermione got now?" Harry asked in a hushed voice.
"Arithmancy. I still can't believe she's doing six subjects. Did you know she's thinking of doing some Muggle exam as well this year? I tell you, she's barmy."
x
By the time they entered The Great Hall for lunch Harry had finished reading the first two chapters of his Charms book and was beginning to suspect why these exams were called Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests.
However, when Hermione joined them she was buzzing with excitement.
"What's got into you?" Harry asked.
"Arithmancy. It's just so... interesting," she gushed.
Ron looked at Harry and rolled his eyes.
"So have you got lessons all afternoon?" he asked.
Harry shook his head. "Just double Charms."
"But I've got Potions after that," Hermione added.
"That reminds me," Harry said, and he retold his story about his Potions essay, although he neglected to mention that he hadn't actually bothered to do it.
Hermione's reaction wasn't quite what he was expecting.
"Well, you didn't expect him to change, did you? And he has sort of got a point. You just about got away with doing all your homework at the last minute with your OWLs but for NEWTs we'll have lots of projects to do so you really can't get behind."
Ron and Harry groaned in unison.
"This year's important," Hermione persisted. "I think we need to take a more mature attitude."
"Okay, okay, we'll do our homework earlier," Ron said dejectedly.
"And I think we need to make more of an effort to get along with the other houses."
"Not this again."
"Ron, it's important. I've already partnered with Morag MacDougal from Ravenclaw in Arithmancy and she told me she was surprised because she always thought of Gryffindors as sticking together at the exclusion of everyone else."
"Really?" Harry asked.
"Yes! It's terrible. We're supposed to be the brave house but we hardly ever talk to anyone outside our own group of friends. Morag says everyone's noticed. I think we ought to make more of an effort to make friends."
He tried to think who he knew from the other houses. There was Luna, of course, and Cho, although he hadn't actually talked to Cho in quite some time. Ron had gone to the Yule ball with Padma a couple of years ago but Harry decided that didn't count as she had avoided him ever since. They got along with Justin okay, when he wasn't accusing Harry of being evil.
In fact, all the people who had come to the DA meetings were okay, although Harry had never quite managed to get along with Zaccharius Smith... He realised guiltily that he didn't have a clue who most of the younger students were, even the Gryffindors. Hermione probably did, but then she was a prefect and it was her job to know, he reasoned.
"Well, as long as you don't go asking us to be friends with the Slytherins!" Ron conceded before tucking into his fifth chicken and bacon sandwich.
Hermione, Harry noticed, didn't answer him. She was wearing the sort of expression that usually preceded a trip to the library for no apparent reason. It didn't bode well.
x
Charms was Harry's first lesson of the year and gave him some indication of how different his last two years of school were going to be.
The first thing he noticed on entering the room was that, as not everyone had chosen the subject, the Gryffindors were being taught with the Hufflepuffs. The class was still smaller than usual and Harry thought that Professor Flitwick seemed more informal.
"I'm so pleased to see you all continuing with your Charms studies," he said, teetering on the top of his pile of books. "It really is an incredibly useful subject. However, you have chosen to take Charms NEWT so I expect everyone to work hard. Having said that, this is where Charms gets really interesting and hopefully you'll have a little fun and learn to love the subject as I have," he squeaked excitedly.
Harry learned that Flitwick hadn't been exaggerating when he said that they'd have to work hard. Despite reading ahead in his study period, the charm that they were doing was considerably more complicated than those they had mastered for their OWLs. The Whiff Shifting Charm they were learning was supposed to disguise one smell with another. However, after an hour and a half with pegs on their noses even Hermione's bunch of flowers still smelt faintly of rotting fish.
At the end of the lesson Flitwick outlined what they were going to cover during the first term and introduced the coursework that they would have to hand in before Christmas. By the time the bell for break came Harry was beginning to admit, with much reluctance, that Snape might have had a point.
Ron and Harry spent the last hour of the school day in the Common Room; Harry starting his Charms homework and Ron reading ahead for their Transfiguration lesson the next morning.
"You know," Harry said wearily when his brain decided it had reached overload for the day, "if the next two years are like this I think I'll die of stress before Voldemort even gets near me."
Ron looked up sharply and dropped his book at the sound of You-know-who's name. He scowled at Harry.
"You make it sound like it's inevitable that he'll get you. You might not even see him ever again, you know – maybe now that the Ministry and everyone admit he's back he'll be too busy with them and he'll give up on you."
"Maybe," Harry said non-committally. He felt a pang of guilt for keeping the contents of his prophecy from Ron but reasoned that there was no need to worry his friends unnecessarily.
They went down to dinner and found Hermione talking enthusiastically about Potions to the only person who was polite enough to listen; Neville looked like he was reliving some sort of nightmare.
"Harry! Ron! Hello!" he said somewhat overzealously, stopping Hermione mid flow.
"Hi Neville. How's Herbology this year?" Harry asked.
"Great," he said starting to blush. "Professor Sprout said that my Mimbulus mimbletonia was doing so well that if it bloomed before the end of term I'd be able to use it for my coursework."
"That's wonderful Neville," Hermione started. She looked like she had been about to say something else but had spotted something over Harry's shoulder. Harry turned round to look and found McGonagall behind him.
"Good evening," she said. "I wonder, Mr Potter, Mr Weasley, if you could come up to my office at seven tomorrow evening?"
"Are we in trouble?" Ron asked.
Harry swore that the Deputy headmistress' lips twitched slightly.
"Should you be?" she asked, although she didn't wait for an answer. "I have a matter I'd like to discuss with you both."
"I wonder what that's about," Hermione pondered when she'd left.
Ron shrugged and started helping himself to Shepherds Pie.
Harry looked up at the head table. He wondered if Snape had told his Head of house about the essay he was supposed to have done but the Potions professor wasn't there. Harry noticed that there was still no-one in the Defence teacher's spot.
"Hey, Seamus, didn't you have Defence Against the Dark Arts today?"
"Yep," the Irishman replied.
"So? What was the new professor like?"
"Wicked but I'm not saying a word apart from that," Seamus said, shaking his head. "That's our first assignment and I'm not gonna fail the easiest homework I've ever been given. You'll just have to wait and see."
x
Back in the Common Room Harry relaxed in one of the comfy sofas, reasoning that he had already done more work that day than in his whole first week back the year before. Ginny was already there, waiting for Dean to arrive and had brought the latest edition of The Quibbler with her.
Harry always associated the paper with the interview he'd done, and therefore Voldemort, and wasn't very eager to start reading it again. Instead, he watched Ron and Hermione as they sat together on the last two chairs squeezed in at the end of the table, quietly discussing their History assignment.
"Is it my imagination or do those two seem a bit. . . weird lately?" Harry asked turning to Ginny.
She seemed engrossed in the page and didn't look up.
"I've been living with Fred and George my whole life," she said vaguely. "I've lost all sense of what's weird and what's not." She flicked to the next page. "Hey, have you seen this advert for Babbling boxes? Apparently they can make you fluent in any one of fifteen different languages. Fudge could have done with one of those at the Quidditch World Cup."
x
Harry woke the next morning with a strange feeling of anticipation. Confused, he lay looking up at the ceiling trying to work out what it was that was causing his stomach to twist into knots. The only explanation he could come up with was Defence Against the Dark Arts. Their mysterious new teacher would finally be unveiled today.
"Ron, Harry, you awake?" Dean called though the bed curtains.
"Yeah, I'm up," Harry said reluctantly as he left the warmth of his bed covers.
At the Gryffindor table Hedwig came to visit him, although she wasn't carrying any post for him. Harry shared a bit of bacon with her before she soared off back to the Owlery. Ron was half asleep and Hermione only just managed to stop him from spooning marmalade into his tea. She had to keep nudging him to prevent him from falling asleep in his breakfast.
"Come on," she said. "We may as well leave or Ron'll only doze off and make us late."
However, on the way out Harry heard Snape's voice.
"Potter!"
Harry cringed but stopped just before the doors, urging Ron and Hermione to go on ahead and save a seat for him.
Without pre-amble Snape said "You will have detention. My office. Thanks to your friend Lupin I am rather busy brewing a complicated potion this evening but you will come tomorrow night otherwise you and I will be spending every evening next week in each other's company. Do I make myself clear?"
Harry just shrugged.
Snape sneered and grit his teeth. "I assure you, as little as I will enjoy the task, I will hold you to it and if you are even a minute late I will instruct Mr Filch to come and find you and you will serve a further week with him." Snape glared at him as if to use his Legilimency skills to make sure the information had made it into his mind. Rather belatedly Harry thought to Occlude his mind against it. Snape sniffed. "You are about to be late for your first lesson."
Harry was indeed running late for Defence. The Hall had already cleared and, thinking that this probably wasn't the best first impression to give his new teacher, he ran all the way to the third floor. Out of breath, he sank into his seat next to Hermione on the dot of nine, just as the door opened behind him. Harry turned round and his jaw dropped.
Snape was standing in the doorway. And what's more, he was... smiling. Harry had always known that Snape wanted the Defence teacher's job but Dumbledore had always had his reasons for not appointing him. It was then, though, that Harry saw that Snape's smile wasn't the same snide one he wore when Neville's toad was about to be fed a botched potion, or the vicious one when he thought Harry and Ron were going to be expelled. This smile was, well... happy and it didn't suit him. In fact, the longer Harry thought about it, it really didn't look right on him at all.
Snape was making his way towards the front of the room, the class looking on in surprise, as Harry's hand subconsciously reached to finger his wand. It wasn't until Harry realised that Snape was humming an indistinguishable tune that he actually slowly and subtly removed it from his pocket. Snape had now reached the front and in one movement he jumped to sit on the edge of the desk, swiftly pulling out and turning his wand on them in the process.
Harry reacted before he had time to think about it, casting a Stupify. His curse was easily blocked but before he could cast another, his opponent demonstratively lowered his wand to the desk and held up his empty hands.
Confused, Harry froze, not taking his eyes off this person who, by now, Harry was convinced was an impostor. Snape closed his eyes and in an instant someone completely different was sat in front of the sixth years.
"Wotcher, Harry. Nice aim."
Harry grinned, a small chuckle escaping him. His first thought was to wonder whether Snape would like this any better than when Lupin (or Remus, as Harry reminded himself to call him) had encouraged Neville to adorn him in a dress and vulture hat. His second thought was that if Tonks really was teaching them, they were in for an interesting year.
When Tonks' neon green-haired appearance had replaced Snape's there were gasps from around the room, followed by excited whispering. In her more familiar form Snape's robes were far too big. After a moment, in which she tried unsuccessfully to perform a Tailor's Trimming Charm, she shrugged and started rolling up the sleeves.
"Never did quite get the hang of these householdy sort of spells," she said without a hint of embarrassment.
"Well, then. First of all, in case you haven't caught on, I'm not your beloved Potions Master. The Ministry reckons that your training's been lacking something so they've sent you a qualified Auror to plug the gap." She said by way of introduction.
"It was the Ministry who made sure our training was lacking in the first place," Hermione muttered beside Harry.
"I couldn't possibly comment on any shortcomings my esteemed employers may have," Tonks said, winking obviously at her. "Anyway, my Mum named me Nymphadora Tonks but anyone calling me Nymphadora will be hexed. Same goes for 'Professor'. Anyone who doesn't like 'Tonks' can call me 'Auror Tonks', but don't be surprised if I hex you just to keep you on your toes anyway."
One or two in the class laughed nervously.
"I'm sure you know that the Headmaster has made NEWT Defence Against The Dark Arts compulsory this year so there are a lot more of you than usual. Instead of being split into Houses you've been sorted into skill groups according to your OWL results and past teachers' comments. That means I can give the cleverer ones a bit of a kick up the bum and help the ones who don't find Defence as easy."
Hermione put her hand up. It was not her usual enthusiastic gesture but a rather hesitant half-raised arm.
"Hermione," Tonks said smiling.
"Er, well I was just wondering whether- I mean, which group we were in?"
Tonks' smile widened.
"Everyone in this class got Exceeds Expectations or Outstanding in their Defence OWL," Tonks reassured her. Hermione relaxed. "In fact, I've been told that someone may have beaten the previous record highest score." She shot a sidelong glance in Harry's direction. "The Ministry's just checking the old Latin records before announcing it."
Harry found his face heating and looked down in the hope that everyone would look somewhere else.
"Righto, lets get started. Okay, so what did we learn from our little game at the beginning of the lesson?"
"Never trust Snape," someone behind Harry offered.
Tonks smiled.
"I've been told I should correct you whenever you don't use a professor's title," Tonks said, although Harry noticed that she actually hadn't. "No, the most important thing to remember is to trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, it usually isn't. And Sn- Professor Snape humming the Weird Sisters is never right. But," she added, "you also need to learn how to react correctly to your instincts. Sometimes firing curses is the right way to go but I'll be teaching you some alternatives."
Tonks hopped back off desk, sending pile of parchments fluttering to the floor, and turned to the board. A flick of her wand produced a cloud of chalk dust but when it cleared there was a list of rules on the board (number one being 'Trust your instincts' and the last 'Know your enemy'). She looked appraisingly at the list before picking up the chalk and adding '16: Not being able to do something perfectly isn't a good enough reason not to try it!'
"Now," she said pacing along the front of the classroom as they copied down the list, "this is a NEWT-level class so I'm not going to spoon-feed you information for you to swallow and regurgitate parrot-fashion in your exams. Life isn't like that. If you're faced with a Death Eater or a Chimaera they're not going to get you to recite curse formulas or tell you which spell you need to defeat them. You have to learn to think for yourselves and not rely solely on what some dusty old textbook tells you to do."
At this Hermione looked faintly alarmed and Harry was reminded of his third year Divination classes when Trelawney had said something similar. Hermione had walked out of the class later that year.
"But we are gonna have some fun," Tonks said brightly, "so I think it's time for a bit of spell throwing. Let's find out what you can do. Help me get rid of these desks."
Remembering Umbridge's theoretical lessons the year before, everyone started enthusiastically moving their bags out of the way. Harry took this time to look around him at who else was in the top group. Proudly he noticed that most of the DA members were there, and that there was only one Slytherin: a rather grumpy looking Blaise Zabini. Just as he'd had this thought the door opened. Harry looked round to see who had joined them half way through the class.
He should have known... Malfoy.
"You're a bit late, Cuz," Tonks said politely but without the friendly tone she usually spoke in. "Why don't you come in and close the door?"
Malfoy did but muttered something that sounded like it contained the words "Mudblood"... "traitor"... "beneath me"... "compulsory..." He went to stand next to Blaise and they both scowled at Tonks with superior expressions on their faces.
Unphased, Tonks began splitting the class into pairs then revising some of the curses they had learnt in previous years. Harry was working with Neville and was pleased to see that he hadn't forgotten too much over the summer holidays.
The Slytherins were practising behind them, having a conversation loud enough for Harry to hear every word.
". . . and imagine being forced to take this awful subject. I mean, quite aside from the obvious inadequacy of the teaching, why would I need to learn to defend myself from the Dark Arts? I can only imagine what Father's going to say when I tell him; he'll think it entirely amusing, I'm sure."
Malfoy laughed coldly and Harry resisted the temptation to turn round and hex him. He had given him something to think about though... Draco had mentioned seeing his father. Surely Azkaban didn't allow visitors? Had Lucius Malfoy been given a trial already? And if so why had no-one told him?
Harry's musing was cut short as Neville sent a Tickling Charm close enough to cause a breeze past his ear and Harry decided he ought to concentrate on what he was doing.
After the lesson had ended Harry lingered behind to talk to Tonks.
"How come you didn't tell me you were going to be our Defence teacher?" he asked once there was only Tonks, Ron, Hermione and him left in the room.
She ginned. "I remembered McGonagall's wicked Animagus trick from when I was a student here and I thought it was pretty cool," she admitted. "I like to create an impression. Mind you, it'll be nice to finally be able to eat in Great Hall now everyone knows."
Outside, Harry found Malfoy and Zabini loitering in the corridor.
"Sucking up to the new teacher already, Potter?" Malfoy sneered.
"Nah, not worth it. She's your cousin. Probably likes you best."
"That freak's no cousin of mine."
"What d'you mean? She comes from a long line of Pure-bloods, from what I understand," Harry mocked.
"Even the best families occasionally turn out a bad one. Your mutt of a godfather was a good example of that," Malfoy sneered cruelly.
Harry hadn't been ready for this brutal assessment of Sirius when the wound was still so fresh and couldn't think of a single thing to say in response.
"Come on, let's go," Hermione said, dragging Harry down the corridor as Malfoy stood laughing.
x
Tonks finally made an appearance at dinner that evening. During dessert Dumbledore officially welcomed 'Nymphadora' to Hogwarts, which was met with loud clapping from almost everyone in the hall.
"Tonks is cool," Ron said. "Maybe even better than Lupin."
Hermione nodded approvingly. "It is good that the Ministry finally acknowledged that we need to learn how to defend ourselves properly. I was beginning to wonder if they were taking the situation seriously at all but if they've sent a proper Auror then they must be."
Harry smiled, happy to remember the yoga lessons that he and Tonks had attended together that summer. They'd had a lot of fun in the end and Harry was determined that this year would turn out better than his fifth year had done.
Despite this Harry felt a surge of the nervous expectation that had been in the background of his thoughts all day. He passed it off as worry about what his and Ron's meeting with McGonagall that evening might be about, or perhaps even foreboding at the thought of Snape's detention the next day. The Potions Master had seemed to be in a particularly nasty mood, which could only make his punishment more severe.
x
After dinner Ron and Hermione disappeared to perform their Prefect duties so when the Common Room clock read five to seven Harry packed up his things and headed along the corridors to the Deputy headmistress' office. Harry knocked. Ron was already there, as was Katie Bell, to Harry's surprise.
"Ah, Mr Potter, I'm glad you're here. Perhaps we can get straight on to the matter at hand," McGonagall said cheerfully.
It was at this point that Harry noticed that Katie and his professor were stood next to a glass display case housing the Quidditch cup, which had red and gold ribbons tied around its handles.
"I have invited you here this evening because you are the only members of the Gryffindor house Quidditch team to have played for a full season. As you may already know, it is my duty as your Head of house to pick the Quidditch Captain and I wanted to let you all know that this year I have chosen you, Harry."
She looked expectantly at him as Katie smiled and Ron gave him a hearty pat on the back.
"But... what if I don't want to be Captain? Harry voiced uncertainly.
McGonagall blinked then frowned at him.
"It is an honour to be chosen to lead your team, Mr Potter. Given that Mr Weasley has not been on the team as long as you have and that Miss Bell has Prefect duties as well as the pressures of her final year, I would have thought that you would be the ideal candidate."
"I don't want it," Harry said more firmly. "I'd rather not play at all."
McGonagall looked astonished and Harry could see his team-mates staring at him, a mixture of shock and confusion written on their faces.
"I'm a Seeker," Harry started by way of explanation. "We're not supposed to concentrate on the main game too much. I can't watch the other players and search for the Snitch at the same time."
McGonagall sighed.
"What would you propose?"
"Well, I think Katie'd be good but she's leaving at the end of the year so we'd just have the same problem next year. Ron's obsessed with the game; he probably knows more about Quidditch strategies than the rest of the team put together. He's been practising a lot too. I think Ron should be Captain."
Ron was listening wide-eyed but Katie nodded.
"I agree," she said
"Well," McGonagall said, "I suppose that-"
"What if I don't want it either?" Ron said, his voice slightly tight.
McGonagall looked like she'd had a very long day and the smile she'd worn when they first arrived had long since faded.
"Well someone has to," she said.
"Okay, I'll do it, but only if Harry's Joint Captain," Ron said.
"The rules don't allow for joint captaincy," McGonagall said exasperatedly.
"Well... what about an Assistant Captain?"
"Fine," McGonagall said with the air of wanting to be finished with the matter. "Mr Weasley, you are our new Captain. Mr Potter, you are Assistant Captain. I trust this is to everyone's approval?"
x
When Ron and Harry entered the Common Room again they spotted Hermione in a comfy chair talking to Ginny.
"Hey, guess who's Quidditch Captain?" Harry said as they sat down across from the girls.
Hermione and Ginny looked between them both and Harry guessed that they were reluctant to say anything in case they guessed wrongly. No-one wanted a repeat of the incident with Ron's Prefect badge the year before.
"Ron!" Harry announced.
"Well done Ron," Ginny said, getting up to hug her brother.
"Prefect and Quidditch Captain," Hermione said, beaming.
"Yeah, I know, lots of responsibility, mustn't let my studies slip, but Harry's Assistant Captain so I won't have to do it all myself."
Hermione's smile disappeared and she looked hurt.
"I… I wasn't going to say anything like that. I just… I meant you're doing well."
"Oh."
"So how come we've got an Assistant Captain this year, Harry?" Ginny asked.
"Ask Ron. He didn't want to do it by himself."
"Well you didn't want to do it at all," Ron countered.
"Professor McGonagall offered it to you first?" Hermione asked Harry, confused.
Harry shrugged. "Only because I've been on the team longer," he said.
"But why did you turn it down?" Ginny asked.
"Ron's much better at the strategy stuff than I am. Besides, Seekers don't make very good Captains. There's hardly any in the professional teams, are there Ron?"
"Only the Arrows Seeker, but she's very good."
"You should Owl Charlie," Ginny suggested. "He was always complaining that twins never took it seriously enough to be picked."
"Yeah, you're right," Ron said and he leapt up to get some parchment and borrow a quill from a group of third years.
"So why did you really turn it down?" Ginny asked when he was out of earshot.
"Really, Ron will be much better. Besides, I want to do well on my NEWTs, don't I?"
Neither of the girls seemed convinced by his sudden concern about his school work but Harry wasn't about to tell them that with Voldemort's prophecy hanging over his head he could do with all the responsibility-free enjoyment he could get.
Ron came back and wrote a lengthy letter to Charlie whilst Hermione went to talk to Parvati about something that she refused to disclose.
"Want a game of Exploding Snap?" Ginny offered.
Harry agreed and as he placed his last card without so much as a puff of smoke appearing he felt a peculiar swell of triumphant achievement that made him feel giddy and rid him of all the anticipation he'd been carrying around.
When the Common Room started to empty Harry stood up and stretched.
"I'm going to bed. Are you coming Ron?"
"Er, no. I'll be up in a bit."
"Okay. Night everyone," Harry said before he started climbing the stairs to their dorm. His brain vaguely registered that this was the second time in three days that Ron had gone to bed after all the rest of his dorm-mates but Harry just assumed that his friend wanted to bask in his rare personal glory a little longer and he was soon slipping into slumber.
x x x x x x x x x
Next chapter: Harry serves his detention with Snape but that's the least of his worries.
A/N: Blimey! You wouldn't believe how difficult this chapter was to get out. It's been re-written so many times that it's pretty much unrecognisable from the original draft. I feel like I've just given birth or something. :) To those reviewers asking for more, may I humbly recommend my other H/G fics. They're only one-shots and tend to be rather fluffy round the edges but people seem to like them and it passes the time. Free H.U.R.L. membership to everyone who reviews! (No, you're right. I wouldn't either…)
Posted 09Apr05.
