Taming The Beast
Chapter 8
The Burrow, The Train, Hogwarts
"It took a lot of courage to tell us Hermione. But you know that we would stand by you anyway, don't you?"
"I know. I know. Thank you Ginny."
Ginny continued to tuck her friend into bed, and kissed her on the cheek.
They spent their last day in London with some American sailors visiting the HMS Belfast and Greenwich. "Normally we get as far away from navy life as possible on leave, but this place is just steeped with tradition." Though the five had originally planned to go straight to the Hogwarts train, they agreed that a quick trip to the Weasleys would be a pleasant break.
"Of COURSE we'll be going back for our last year!" Fred and George said in unison. "Dumbledore said that we were understandably forced out by circumstances in the shape of a reedy-voiced toad masquerading as a Ministry official.
Besides, Lee is saying that he's going to get lonely if we aren't there in dentention again" Molly and Arthur just shook their heads. The twins had done well for themselves and the family in the intervening months, but the Weasleys were keeping things simple.
"We've always been happy" said Ron. "Even though we were poor"
"Because we were poor" said Arthur and Molly
"Like me dad..." said Fred
"used to say" said George
"Money can't buy 'appiness" continued Ron, Fred, George, Hermione, Ginny, Arthur and Molly, leaving Harry wondering what he had missed in his childhood.
Still, even without bottles of Château de Chasselas, the Weasleys had been able to equip their sons and daughters with new clothes and equipment for the school year. There was also a good possibility that Mr. Weasley would be taking over for Cornelius Fudge after the next election. Hermione was pleased that Mr. Weasley had known about her condition, but had allowed her to tell her friends. "Like I said last year, dear Hermione, it IS possible to have a nearly normal life as a werewolf. Chin up, darling."
Colin and Ginny were the newest Gryffindor Prefects. Ginny took it with a shrug, but Molly Weasley was bouncing with joy.
"I'd like to offer my congratulations to our newest prefects...."
Cho Chang had been chosen as Head Girl.
"And welcome back to our returning prefects"
Obviously Dumbledore had lost his mind. The second voice belonged to Fred Weasley.
Hermione looked over at Draco Malfoy. It had obviously been an unpleasant summer at the Malfoy residence. Draco's eyes were tired and haunted. They met Hermione briefly, but Draco quickly turned his gaze towards Cho who was lecturing on the fine points of giving detention. "Don't abuse your power of course, but you have to be firm. Often the hardest thing will be to give a detention to one of your best friends, but if you're fair, they'll respect you for it. Oh, and you can come to me or Mr. Weasley at any time."
It wasn't long before Harry and George welcomed the three prefects. "Malfoy looks bad", Ron told Harry.
"Are you feeling SORRY for him, Ron?" Harry asked, amazed.
"No, of course n--, well....I don't know" he replied. "I mean we haven't even started the year of course. Who knows what will happen?"
This is getting weird, Harry and Hermione thought simultaneously, the possibility that Malfoy would not be the devil incarnate.
"And wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, FRED WEASLEY is Head Boy," Ron intoned solemnly. "Cho is his female half."
Good Lord, maybe Percy was right about Dumbledore, Harry thought...and immediately stifled it. No way.
"Did Cho mention me at all", he asked Hermione, curious.
"No Harry, but I don't think she would mind seeing you," she said gently. "She did say that I'm to meet with Professor Dumbledore after dinner though."
"Firs' years!! Firs' years!! C'mover this way please!! Firs' Years!!" Well Hagrid was back, at least that was normal. Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny piled into the firs' coach they saw to begin their next year at Hogwarts.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You people are off your chump if you think I'm going to compose a song for the Sorting Hat. And if you push me about it, I'm going to have everyone sing "Hogwarts" :P
"And so begins another hopefully glorious year at Hogwarts," Albus Dumbledore exclaimed. "Commence consumption of mass quantities!" The long tables were soon covered with foods of the grandest quality and quantity. Harry found himself sitting next to a wide-eyed first year named Zoey Kincaid explaining the intricacies of Quiddich and, if a bit reluctantly, the cause of his scar. Colin was good enough to help him on that. Ron found himself indulging on steaming hot corn bread, and Hermione on the rarest roast beef she could find.
Lavender noticed something in Hermione's eyes, what was she doing staring at Ron? "Hey!!, Hermione!! Helooo!"
Hermione caught herself staring and saw Lavender looking at her quizzically. The surge of warmth she felt in her stomach slowly diminished.
"And upon that completion of that outstanding repast, I welcome you again, and shall give you the basic, standard, start of term notices. The forest on the grounds is off limits for all students, including the Weasley Twins, isn't that correct my dear head Boy? For the four hundredth and eighty-eighth time, magic shall not be practised in the corridors of the school, and for a list of other forbidden objects and activities, please check with Mr Filch and give him a warm and cheey greeting." The last imperative was greeted by a wild burst of laughter.
"As is rapidly becoming......" Dumbledore coughed "eez rapidely...?" He coughed again, tried to clear his throat. "Ah dear, ah zeem tew 'ave a frog een mah throte'. MONSIUER WEASLEY, come to mah officee as zoon as possible, both of yew!! As eez rapidely becoming a 'Ogwarts tradition, we shall be 'aving a nuex teachair for ze Defense of ze Dark Arts. 'Owevair, yew ma be familiare weeth Meestair Remuus Lewpin!!" The Great Hall exploded in cheers.
Professor Severus Snape rubbed his temples in disgust. Lupin again? Had he not done enough to earn the position this time? Snape coughed, feeling a tickling in the center of his throat. And why did he suddenly feel like 'e was in dah mood tah go oat fishin' an' bag 'imself a couple of dem dere MUSKIES, eh? Obviously, dere musta bin sumpthin dat dah Weasley's did.
"Madame Granger, as ah zaid before, I am terribly sorry about what happened to you. Of course I was happy to bring Remus back to teach, I wish it could 'ave been undair better circumstances. I have had Finch upgrade and strengthen one of ze olde cells in ze dungeaon, and hopefully made it as comfortable as possible." His eyes twinkled "Owevair, if you don't mind, I think we shall be keeping ze Weasley twins in there untill that unpleasant night when you first need it."
British and Irish accents had suddenly become a relative rarity at Hogwarts.
Hermione herself now spoke with the tones of Russia. Da, proffessor.....I am theeking zat dey vill be needing some time to zink tings ovur. Spasiba bolshoi!!
Chapter 8
The Burrow, The Train, Hogwarts
"It took a lot of courage to tell us Hermione. But you know that we would stand by you anyway, don't you?"
"I know. I know. Thank you Ginny."
Ginny continued to tuck her friend into bed, and kissed her on the cheek.
They spent their last day in London with some American sailors visiting the HMS Belfast and Greenwich. "Normally we get as far away from navy life as possible on leave, but this place is just steeped with tradition." Though the five had originally planned to go straight to the Hogwarts train, they agreed that a quick trip to the Weasleys would be a pleasant break.
"Of COURSE we'll be going back for our last year!" Fred and George said in unison. "Dumbledore said that we were understandably forced out by circumstances in the shape of a reedy-voiced toad masquerading as a Ministry official.
Besides, Lee is saying that he's going to get lonely if we aren't there in dentention again" Molly and Arthur just shook their heads. The twins had done well for themselves and the family in the intervening months, but the Weasleys were keeping things simple.
"We've always been happy" said Ron. "Even though we were poor"
"Because we were poor" said Arthur and Molly
"Like me dad..." said Fred
"used to say" said George
"Money can't buy 'appiness" continued Ron, Fred, George, Hermione, Ginny, Arthur and Molly, leaving Harry wondering what he had missed in his childhood.
Still, even without bottles of Château de Chasselas, the Weasleys had been able to equip their sons and daughters with new clothes and equipment for the school year. There was also a good possibility that Mr. Weasley would be taking over for Cornelius Fudge after the next election. Hermione was pleased that Mr. Weasley had known about her condition, but had allowed her to tell her friends. "Like I said last year, dear Hermione, it IS possible to have a nearly normal life as a werewolf. Chin up, darling."
Colin and Ginny were the newest Gryffindor Prefects. Ginny took it with a shrug, but Molly Weasley was bouncing with joy.
"I'd like to offer my congratulations to our newest prefects...."
Cho Chang had been chosen as Head Girl.
"And welcome back to our returning prefects"
Obviously Dumbledore had lost his mind. The second voice belonged to Fred Weasley.
Hermione looked over at Draco Malfoy. It had obviously been an unpleasant summer at the Malfoy residence. Draco's eyes were tired and haunted. They met Hermione briefly, but Draco quickly turned his gaze towards Cho who was lecturing on the fine points of giving detention. "Don't abuse your power of course, but you have to be firm. Often the hardest thing will be to give a detention to one of your best friends, but if you're fair, they'll respect you for it. Oh, and you can come to me or Mr. Weasley at any time."
It wasn't long before Harry and George welcomed the three prefects. "Malfoy looks bad", Ron told Harry.
"Are you feeling SORRY for him, Ron?" Harry asked, amazed.
"No, of course n--, well....I don't know" he replied. "I mean we haven't even started the year of course. Who knows what will happen?"
This is getting weird, Harry and Hermione thought simultaneously, the possibility that Malfoy would not be the devil incarnate.
"And wonder of wonders, miracle of miracles, FRED WEASLEY is Head Boy," Ron intoned solemnly. "Cho is his female half."
Good Lord, maybe Percy was right about Dumbledore, Harry thought...and immediately stifled it. No way.
"Did Cho mention me at all", he asked Hermione, curious.
"No Harry, but I don't think she would mind seeing you," she said gently. "She did say that I'm to meet with Professor Dumbledore after dinner though."
"Firs' years!! Firs' years!! C'mover this way please!! Firs' Years!!" Well Hagrid was back, at least that was normal. Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny piled into the firs' coach they saw to begin their next year at Hogwarts.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: You people are off your chump if you think I'm going to compose a song for the Sorting Hat. And if you push me about it, I'm going to have everyone sing "Hogwarts" :P
"And so begins another hopefully glorious year at Hogwarts," Albus Dumbledore exclaimed. "Commence consumption of mass quantities!" The long tables were soon covered with foods of the grandest quality and quantity. Harry found himself sitting next to a wide-eyed first year named Zoey Kincaid explaining the intricacies of Quiddich and, if a bit reluctantly, the cause of his scar. Colin was good enough to help him on that. Ron found himself indulging on steaming hot corn bread, and Hermione on the rarest roast beef she could find.
Lavender noticed something in Hermione's eyes, what was she doing staring at Ron? "Hey!!, Hermione!! Helooo!"
Hermione caught herself staring and saw Lavender looking at her quizzically. The surge of warmth she felt in her stomach slowly diminished.
"And upon that completion of that outstanding repast, I welcome you again, and shall give you the basic, standard, start of term notices. The forest on the grounds is off limits for all students, including the Weasley Twins, isn't that correct my dear head Boy? For the four hundredth and eighty-eighth time, magic shall not be practised in the corridors of the school, and for a list of other forbidden objects and activities, please check with Mr Filch and give him a warm and cheey greeting." The last imperative was greeted by a wild burst of laughter.
"As is rapidly becoming......" Dumbledore coughed "eez rapidely...?" He coughed again, tried to clear his throat. "Ah dear, ah zeem tew 'ave a frog een mah throte'. MONSIUER WEASLEY, come to mah officee as zoon as possible, both of yew!! As eez rapidely becoming a 'Ogwarts tradition, we shall be 'aving a nuex teachair for ze Defense of ze Dark Arts. 'Owevair, yew ma be familiare weeth Meestair Remuus Lewpin!!" The Great Hall exploded in cheers.
Professor Severus Snape rubbed his temples in disgust. Lupin again? Had he not done enough to earn the position this time? Snape coughed, feeling a tickling in the center of his throat. And why did he suddenly feel like 'e was in dah mood tah go oat fishin' an' bag 'imself a couple of dem dere MUSKIES, eh? Obviously, dere musta bin sumpthin dat dah Weasley's did.
"Madame Granger, as ah zaid before, I am terribly sorry about what happened to you. Of course I was happy to bring Remus back to teach, I wish it could 'ave been undair better circumstances. I have had Finch upgrade and strengthen one of ze olde cells in ze dungeaon, and hopefully made it as comfortable as possible." His eyes twinkled "Owevair, if you don't mind, I think we shall be keeping ze Weasley twins in there untill that unpleasant night when you first need it."
British and Irish accents had suddenly become a relative rarity at Hogwarts.
Hermione herself now spoke with the tones of Russia. Da, proffessor.....I am theeking zat dey vill be needing some time to zink tings ovur. Spasiba bolshoi!!