Harry noted that all his classes picked up rather swiftly. In no time,
between class, practice, and homework, Harry found he barely had time to
eat and sleep. He kept checking with the others, to see if he'd put in too
much practice. They kept saying that it was fine.
Harry had almost forgotten about his detention, that is until Professor McGonagall told him to report to the potions room after classes at the end of September.
Harry liked Professor Araya, despite her oddities. She was pleasant and didn't favour Slytherin like Snape. He wondered what would become of her on Snape's return.
Harry knocked on the potion dungeon door after dinner.
"Yeah?" Professor Araya called from inside.
"Professor, I'm here for my detention." Harry answered, finding the door locked.
"Right Harry, be right there." she called out, moments before appearing at the door. "Sorry, I hate people walking in on me." She let him in and locked the door again. "So I have you for two hours or until you're done, right?"
"Yes, ma'am." Harry said shyly. He thought as most of the male students did, that she was beautiful.
"Harry, please." she smiled. "Alright, I need you to gut that pile of rats. All the jars you'll need are there on the bench and labelled. I'll be in the other room, if you need me just call. If you finish early you may go. Call to let me know when you're leaving." She turned and returned to a small room at the end of the dungeon. "Oh, I'm going to put some music on. Let me know if it's too loud for your liking. Any question?"
Harry began the task, looking thoroughly sickened. Brains, eyes, tails, heart, and spleen; all had to be removed and sorted. Harry never remembered Snape making him do this. Half these were considered to be prohibited as they were used in more advanced potions than Snape ever assigned.
The music Araya played was muggle-rock music. Harry rather liked it and found that it helped him pace the dissection and distract him from the unpleasantness of the task.
Harry had finished and went to tell Professor Araya that he was going to go. He paused at the door when he heard the raised voice of Professor Lupin.
"What do you mean, not ready?" he yelled, "You forgot. You want an excuse to-"
"Keep your voice down. A student is serving a detention in the other room." Araya hissed, "I didn't forget, but there was a problem with the ingredients. It'll be ready in an hour."
"Why did you leave it so late?" Lupin growled, "If I discover that this is an attempt to-"
"Lupin, I wouldn't finish that thought if I were you." Araya snapped, "You are a hypocrite. I'll bring it to your office. Now leave me alone so I can concentrate."
Lupin growled and left. Harry listened intently to Professor Luna mumbling. He realised that she must be working on Professor Lupin's potion. Why was Lupin so concerned that she would sabotage it? Did she have reason to want to get rid of him? Would she let Prof Lupin run wild at the risk of the students?
After all he did not know much about her. However he had seen the tension between Lupin and her during meals. Heck the two couldn't stand to be anywhere near each other, although he'd never seen them fight. That was likely Dumbledore's influence. But if Prof. Araya hated werewolves so much, why would she have taken the time to learn the Wolf's Bane potion?
Harry rushed to the other side of the room and paused at the door. He called loudly that he was finished and leaving. "Alright, bye Harry." Araya called again in a friendly voice.
Harry paused on his way, debating if he should go and talk to Lupin or not. In the end he decided to consult Ron and Hermione first, see what they thought about the encounter. He pulled them over to the side, and recounted events to them.
"Knew that she was too good to be true." Hermione replied. "But what did she mean by hypocrite? That's not something that one usually says."
"I'm sure that it's just a misunderstanding. We all know how he gets around this time. He likely was just being over cautious." Ron said.
"Ron, you didn't hear him. This wasn't like normal concern . . . it was like he believed that she would really do it; Like she would intentionally risk it to get at him or something. It was freaky." Harry told them.
"Well, we will just have to go and ask him tomorrow." Hermione insisted logically. "And keep a watch on her."
"Is that Hermione for 'I-told-you-so'?" Ron asked rolling his eyes. Hermione turned to glare at him. Then they laughed.
"Well I did." She chuckled out.
The next day, the three of them went to see Professor Lupin. He was in his office which, as it had been two years prior, was filled with an assortment of monsters.
"Professor Lupin?" Harry asked, "Could we come in?"
"Hello, yes." He motioned them in. "How are things going? I've heard that you are training very hard."
"Yeah, I'm- that is, the team, is trying to win the cup again. Think we might have a shot." Harry said. "I was wondering sir, is everything alright? I mean that the - that is -"
"What I think Harry means is that Thursday is a full moon." Ron cut in, "And was concerned."
"No fears. All is well. Araya is good at brewing potions. She is quite talented, especially for someone so young." Lupin smiled, "Is that the real reason you came to see me?"
"Yeah, sort of. I - that is - I overheard the two of you arguing last night. See, I had a detention because I forgot to tell Professor McGonagall-" Harry stopped when Lupin held up a hand.
"I was just - worried - that there might be something wrong." Lupin said, "I wasn't liking the prospect of going back to the Shrieking Shack."
"Well, that's good." Hermione smiled, "I mean, that everything is good. Not the Shack."
Lupin smiled pleasantly, "Have you heard that this weekend is the first Hogsmead trip? I heard there was a lovable stray hanging around. Thought I might try to find him. Rumour is, he's staying on the outskirts of town. Would you like to come with me?"
"Sounds great." Harry said, excited. Smiling at the thought of visiting with Sirius.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~ "Who do you thing will be filling in for Lupin?" Ron asked as they entered the Friday class. They knew that the day after Lupin would still be asleep in his office.
"Probably Luna." Harry said. "She said she was a floating-sub."
"But she called him a hypocrite." Hermione whispered, "That suggests that maybe she's a you-know..."
"We'll know when we get to class." Ron said, "Why are the halls so full today?"
It was true, the halls were extra-crowded. They couldn't move along to class. They looked at each other and shrugged.
"What's going on?" McGonagall called, trying to move through the throng of people. "You should be headed to class."
"Sorry Professor." A fifth year Ravenclaw said. "But the hall way seems to be blocked. We can't get through." he pushed on the solid air as evidence.
"Let be through." she said. She tapped the solid air with her wand, hmmm- ed, , then "Lavidius Relesai Shontu." she waved and tapped. There was a sound like the shattering of glass, then she tapped again, but nothing was there. "Alright now, off to class with you."
"Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked, when they passed her, "What was that?"
"Nothing to worry about. Likely just a joke. Hurry to class or you'll all be late." she said. Harry and Ron looked at each other, something in her tone suggested otherwise. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took their usual seats. They were late, and expected to be in trouble, but there was no instructor.
"What's up?" Ron asked Dean.
"Don't know. We were supposed to have class today, right?" Dean asked.
"Yes. Yes, you were. Sorry I'm late." Araya had just arrived. "Just had a potions class and it was a little messy." she picked a sheet up off the desk, sat down, and crossed her legs on the top of the desk. "Alright, you are supposed to be handing in an essay and wrapping up on Wendigos." She looked up, "Correct?" The class nodded. "Good, good. Pass your essays up to the front, and Dean," she paused, "-tell me what you've covered. I'd hate to bore you all with repetition."
"So much for your theory about her being a werewolf too." Ron whispered to Hermione.
By the end of class, most of the Gryffindor's thought that Professor Luna knew as much about Dark Arts as Lupin did. "Harry, could you stay a moment?" she asked at the end of class.
"Um, sure." Harry said.
"Sorry to worry you. I just wanted to ask you something, alone." Luna said, after everyone else had left. "Professor Dumbledore told me you were present when Voldemort was reborn. If it's not too difficult, could you tell me the potion used?"
"Um...why?" Harry asked. He shook at the memory of that night, Cedric's dead eyes staring up into the sky...
"There are different types of resurrection potions. Some are flawed and leave a weakness. If I knew which was used, I might be able to supply a defence." she replied sympathetically. "If it's too painful to talk about, I'll understand. It was just a thought." Harry's eyes looked glassed and unfocussed.
"No, I want to stop him before..." Harry trailed off quietly. He swallowed, "Wormtail chanted, 'Bone of the Father. Flesh of the Servant, and...blood from the enemy.'"
"Harry, I'll do my best to find something. Are you alright?" she asked quietly.
"Is-is that enough?" Harry asked, he sounded distant, "Will it help?"
"Take a deep breath. I'm sorry I had to put you through that." Araya told him, "I'll do my best. Harry, I think your friends are waiting for you." she smiled compassionately.
"What did she want?" Ron asked, "Are you in trouble for something?"
"No." Harry said, "She just asked me about - the potion-"
"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked, "You look pale. Oh, try to think about class with Hagrid."
"Speaking of, we should get going, or we'll be late." Ron said.
Harry had almost forgotten about his detention, that is until Professor McGonagall told him to report to the potions room after classes at the end of September.
Harry liked Professor Araya, despite her oddities. She was pleasant and didn't favour Slytherin like Snape. He wondered what would become of her on Snape's return.
Harry knocked on the potion dungeon door after dinner.
"Yeah?" Professor Araya called from inside.
"Professor, I'm here for my detention." Harry answered, finding the door locked.
"Right Harry, be right there." she called out, moments before appearing at the door. "Sorry, I hate people walking in on me." She let him in and locked the door again. "So I have you for two hours or until you're done, right?"
"Yes, ma'am." Harry said shyly. He thought as most of the male students did, that she was beautiful.
"Harry, please." she smiled. "Alright, I need you to gut that pile of rats. All the jars you'll need are there on the bench and labelled. I'll be in the other room, if you need me just call. If you finish early you may go. Call to let me know when you're leaving." She turned and returned to a small room at the end of the dungeon. "Oh, I'm going to put some music on. Let me know if it's too loud for your liking. Any question?"
Harry began the task, looking thoroughly sickened. Brains, eyes, tails, heart, and spleen; all had to be removed and sorted. Harry never remembered Snape making him do this. Half these were considered to be prohibited as they were used in more advanced potions than Snape ever assigned.
The music Araya played was muggle-rock music. Harry rather liked it and found that it helped him pace the dissection and distract him from the unpleasantness of the task.
Harry had finished and went to tell Professor Araya that he was going to go. He paused at the door when he heard the raised voice of Professor Lupin.
"What do you mean, not ready?" he yelled, "You forgot. You want an excuse to-"
"Keep your voice down. A student is serving a detention in the other room." Araya hissed, "I didn't forget, but there was a problem with the ingredients. It'll be ready in an hour."
"Why did you leave it so late?" Lupin growled, "If I discover that this is an attempt to-"
"Lupin, I wouldn't finish that thought if I were you." Araya snapped, "You are a hypocrite. I'll bring it to your office. Now leave me alone so I can concentrate."
Lupin growled and left. Harry listened intently to Professor Luna mumbling. He realised that she must be working on Professor Lupin's potion. Why was Lupin so concerned that she would sabotage it? Did she have reason to want to get rid of him? Would she let Prof Lupin run wild at the risk of the students?
After all he did not know much about her. However he had seen the tension between Lupin and her during meals. Heck the two couldn't stand to be anywhere near each other, although he'd never seen them fight. That was likely Dumbledore's influence. But if Prof. Araya hated werewolves so much, why would she have taken the time to learn the Wolf's Bane potion?
Harry rushed to the other side of the room and paused at the door. He called loudly that he was finished and leaving. "Alright, bye Harry." Araya called again in a friendly voice.
Harry paused on his way, debating if he should go and talk to Lupin or not. In the end he decided to consult Ron and Hermione first, see what they thought about the encounter. He pulled them over to the side, and recounted events to them.
"Knew that she was too good to be true." Hermione replied. "But what did she mean by hypocrite? That's not something that one usually says."
"I'm sure that it's just a misunderstanding. We all know how he gets around this time. He likely was just being over cautious." Ron said.
"Ron, you didn't hear him. This wasn't like normal concern . . . it was like he believed that she would really do it; Like she would intentionally risk it to get at him or something. It was freaky." Harry told them.
"Well, we will just have to go and ask him tomorrow." Hermione insisted logically. "And keep a watch on her."
"Is that Hermione for 'I-told-you-so'?" Ron asked rolling his eyes. Hermione turned to glare at him. Then they laughed.
"Well I did." She chuckled out.
The next day, the three of them went to see Professor Lupin. He was in his office which, as it had been two years prior, was filled with an assortment of monsters.
"Professor Lupin?" Harry asked, "Could we come in?"
"Hello, yes." He motioned them in. "How are things going? I've heard that you are training very hard."
"Yeah, I'm- that is, the team, is trying to win the cup again. Think we might have a shot." Harry said. "I was wondering sir, is everything alright? I mean that the - that is -"
"What I think Harry means is that Thursday is a full moon." Ron cut in, "And was concerned."
"No fears. All is well. Araya is good at brewing potions. She is quite talented, especially for someone so young." Lupin smiled, "Is that the real reason you came to see me?"
"Yeah, sort of. I - that is - I overheard the two of you arguing last night. See, I had a detention because I forgot to tell Professor McGonagall-" Harry stopped when Lupin held up a hand.
"I was just - worried - that there might be something wrong." Lupin said, "I wasn't liking the prospect of going back to the Shrieking Shack."
"Well, that's good." Hermione smiled, "I mean, that everything is good. Not the Shack."
Lupin smiled pleasantly, "Have you heard that this weekend is the first Hogsmead trip? I heard there was a lovable stray hanging around. Thought I might try to find him. Rumour is, he's staying on the outskirts of town. Would you like to come with me?"
"Sounds great." Harry said, excited. Smiling at the thought of visiting with Sirius.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~**~*~*~*~*~ "Who do you thing will be filling in for Lupin?" Ron asked as they entered the Friday class. They knew that the day after Lupin would still be asleep in his office.
"Probably Luna." Harry said. "She said she was a floating-sub."
"But she called him a hypocrite." Hermione whispered, "That suggests that maybe she's a you-know..."
"We'll know when we get to class." Ron said, "Why are the halls so full today?"
It was true, the halls were extra-crowded. They couldn't move along to class. They looked at each other and shrugged.
"What's going on?" McGonagall called, trying to move through the throng of people. "You should be headed to class."
"Sorry Professor." A fifth year Ravenclaw said. "But the hall way seems to be blocked. We can't get through." he pushed on the solid air as evidence.
"Let be through." she said. She tapped the solid air with her wand, hmmm- ed, , then "Lavidius Relesai Shontu." she waved and tapped. There was a sound like the shattering of glass, then she tapped again, but nothing was there. "Alright now, off to class with you."
"Professor McGonagall?" Hermione asked, when they passed her, "What was that?"
"Nothing to worry about. Likely just a joke. Hurry to class or you'll all be late." she said. Harry and Ron looked at each other, something in her tone suggested otherwise. Harry, Ron, and Hermione took their usual seats. They were late, and expected to be in trouble, but there was no instructor.
"What's up?" Ron asked Dean.
"Don't know. We were supposed to have class today, right?" Dean asked.
"Yes. Yes, you were. Sorry I'm late." Araya had just arrived. "Just had a potions class and it was a little messy." she picked a sheet up off the desk, sat down, and crossed her legs on the top of the desk. "Alright, you are supposed to be handing in an essay and wrapping up on Wendigos." She looked up, "Correct?" The class nodded. "Good, good. Pass your essays up to the front, and Dean," she paused, "-tell me what you've covered. I'd hate to bore you all with repetition."
"So much for your theory about her being a werewolf too." Ron whispered to Hermione.
By the end of class, most of the Gryffindor's thought that Professor Luna knew as much about Dark Arts as Lupin did. "Harry, could you stay a moment?" she asked at the end of class.
"Um, sure." Harry said.
"Sorry to worry you. I just wanted to ask you something, alone." Luna said, after everyone else had left. "Professor Dumbledore told me you were present when Voldemort was reborn. If it's not too difficult, could you tell me the potion used?"
"Um...why?" Harry asked. He shook at the memory of that night, Cedric's dead eyes staring up into the sky...
"There are different types of resurrection potions. Some are flawed and leave a weakness. If I knew which was used, I might be able to supply a defence." she replied sympathetically. "If it's too painful to talk about, I'll understand. It was just a thought." Harry's eyes looked glassed and unfocussed.
"No, I want to stop him before..." Harry trailed off quietly. He swallowed, "Wormtail chanted, 'Bone of the Father. Flesh of the Servant, and...blood from the enemy.'"
"Harry, I'll do my best to find something. Are you alright?" she asked quietly.
"Is-is that enough?" Harry asked, he sounded distant, "Will it help?"
"Take a deep breath. I'm sorry I had to put you through that." Araya told him, "I'll do my best. Harry, I think your friends are waiting for you." she smiled compassionately.
"What did she want?" Ron asked, "Are you in trouble for something?"
"No." Harry said, "She just asked me about - the potion-"
"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked, "You look pale. Oh, try to think about class with Hagrid."
"Speaking of, we should get going, or we'll be late." Ron said.