Chapter 10 – Like Father, Like Son.
"Harry? Harry, wake up!" Ron shook his friend, anxiously.
"What?" Harry groaned.
"Mate, you're completely tangled up. You were thrashing about and clutching your scar for most of the night. And you were talking!"
"Oh no – what did I say?"
"You yelled for each member of the Order in turn and then for me, Hermione, Ginny and Neville. What were you dreaming about?"
"I dreamt there was a massacre. I saw several villages and the I saw Hogwarts – It was all destroyed and everyone was dead."
"Ouch," Ron cringed, "I hope it's not a vision of the future, mate – that would freak me out."
Harry dressed and went down to breakfast and Dumbledore rose solemnly.
"The war has started. Many of you will not know the history of the Lord Voldemort but I can assure you that he is going to strike harder than ever. I cannot delay telling you the truth any longer as it could prove extremely dangerous in the long run if you do not know exactly what is going on. From now on, it will be a deadly game of hide and seek between good and evil. From what we know, Voldemort is planning to start the final war at some point next year, but if he picks off those who are valuable to our side and a thorn in his then we won't stand a chance. Extra Defence lessons and clubs are being organised and, depending on your OWL results and career aspirations, you will be receiving more of some lessons than others if you are in your NEWT years. Your new timetables will be issued to you shortly and you will be expected to be at lessons on time so as not to cause concern. Teachers will be patrolling the school, day and night, to ensure the safety of you, our students. But on a lighter note, we have recruited many magical creatures to our cause with great success – Now, LET THE FEAST BEGIN!"
The next few weeks at Hogwarts were mayhem; they were always waiting, always ready, for an attack that never came. The pupils were struggling as the timetables were undergoing many crucial changes and the only students allowed out after school hours were those on a Quidditch team. In fact, the only beneficial part of the new rules was that the teachers and pupils formed closer bonds and were more flexible and less contradicting of each other in lessons. And most of the teachers were so over-tired that they even forgot to give homework regularly…until Hermione spoke up.
"Morning, class," Flitwick yawned.
"But, Professor, it's the afternoon."
"Oh my, so it is," Flitwick gasped, looking at his watch closely, "Now, today we are going to be looking at----"
He was cut off by a loud ringing noise. It was the attack alarm and the students had been told to expect a drill sometime in the week. The alarm was a new Ministry of Magic Safety requirement, to be installed in all communal wizarding facilities; no risks were to be taken at such a dangerous time. The students filed out on to the Quidditch pitch and sorted themselves into houses as quickly and efficiently as possible. They also had to sort themselves into years within those houses so that the teachers could take registers down the many lines of students and check that no-one was missing.
"Very good," Dumbledore congratulated the school, "Now, if this had been a real attack then you would all have been allocated an escape route or, if the situation wasn't that urgent, a hiding place to wait out the attack. You may all return to your lessons,"
Hogwarts were bringing in plenty of new security measures but nothing it could do would make the students feel like they were completely safe and out of harm's way. But the truth was that no-one could offer them full safety and Hogwarts was proclaimed the safest place in the country for witches and wizards as it had met every safety requirement issued and had not yet undergone an attack they couldn't handle.
They had Transfiguration after Charms and McGonagall was waiting for the class in her cat form, as she often did, and transformed into her human self once the class had all filed silently into the classroom.
"Today, class," she announced, "You will not be having your usual Transfiguration lesson," there were gasps from the class, "instead, we shall be gathering on the Quidditch pitch to give you the opportunity to get some fresh air. Then you shall receive your NEWT timetables which you will follow for the next two years. However, these schedules are also taking into account the need to defend yourself from Voldemort – don't look at me like that, Dean, we all must use his real name now – so the timetables have a list of defensive clubs which will give you the knowledge to defend yourself if ever you get caught up in a fight."
She led them onto the Quidditch pitch and they were all allocated a seat in front of where the staff seats for Quidditch matches were.
"This is indeed a glorious day," Dumbledore smiled down at the entire sixth years from where he stood, "but we will, in essence, have to spoil it for you by giving out your NEWT timetables. I know that you were supposed to have these at the start of the year but, due to various…setbacks, they have been altered so that every student takes every subject – regardless of whether you were originally taking it for NEWT or not. These timetables will now be issued in alphabetical order. Please remain seated until your name is called."
The afternoon was long and boring for those near the bottom of the alphabet and once you had your timetable you were to return to the common room. Harry and Ron were beginning to doze off in the heat of the sun when Harry's name was finally called.
"Potter, Harry,"
"See you later, mate." said Harry, clapping a hand on Ron's shoulder and giving him a sympathetic grin.
"Yeah, bye Harry." Ron grimaced. Harry hid a small smile as he collected his timetable; it looked very challenging:
POTTER, HARRY J
1 2 3 4 5 6
MONDAY DADA DADA POT H.O.M. DIVIN COMC
Lupin Lupin Snape Binns Trelawney Hagrid
TUESDAY COMC HERB. HERB. FREE DADA TRANSF
Hagrid Sprout Sprout o/c: Duelling Lupin McGonagall
WEDNESDAY TRANSF H.O.M. CHARMS CHARMS ASTRO DADA
McGonagall Binns Flitwick Flitwick Sinestra Lupin
THURSDAY POT POT FREE TRANSF COMC HERB
Snape Snape o/c: Study Club McGonagall Hagrid Sprout
FRIDAY DIVIN ASTRO TRANSF DADA POT POT
Firenze Sinestra McGonagall Lupin Snape Snape
SATURDAY FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE
o/c: Medicine o/c: DADA o/c: COMC o/c: o/c:Potion o/c:Charms
In battle Medicines in defence in battle
SUNDAY FREE FREE FREE FREE FREE Quidditch
o/c: Duelling o/c:D.P. o/c: A&D Quidditch Team Practice Matches
KEY: -
DADA – Defence Against the Dark Arts.
POT – Potions.
H.O.M. – History of Magic.
DIVIN – Divination.
COMC – Care of Magical Creatures.
HERB – Herbology.
TRANSF – Transfiguration.
ASTRO – Astronomy.
D.P. – Dangerous Potions.
A&D – Attack and Defence.
Lunch Break will be between periods 3 and 4.
All clubs are optional and your free time in the evenings, after lessons, doesn't change but you will be given extra homework to do to make up for extra free periods.
Wake up call is at 7am
No-one is allowed out of their House's tower after 9.00pm
Bedtime is at 10.30pm (latest.).
Harry's lessons didn't look too bad – and there was no doubt that he'd be attending several of the clubs (all the ones where he could learn spell to fight – attacking and defending.). He waited with Hermione in the common room until Ron arrived, looking thoroughly miserable.
"Bluddy great," he muttered sarcastically under his breath. Hermione glanced quickly at Harry and raised her eyebrows as the surly Ron shuffled over.
"What's up with you?" she inquired casually.
"Yeah – you're getting as grumpy as Mad-Eye Moody's been lately."
"Five potions lessons a week!"
"It's only a one lesson more than before," Hermione informed him.
"Yeah, but four of the lessons are in two double blocks!"
"At least we balance it out with Defence lessons from Lupin," Harry said brightly.
"I suppose so…though he'll have to start making us knuckle down big time soon as well…which clubs are you two going to?"
"I don't know yet – I want to find out a bit more about them first," Hermione answered.
"Same here," agreed Harry, looking thoughtful, "though I'll probably go to most of the Defence and Attack style ones. I want to be able to fight when the time comes."
"Me too," said Ron enthusiastically.
"I'd like to go into Nursing and help Madame Pomfrey out in the Hospital Wing and I think learning about medicines will be useful and give me plenty of experience. But I'll probably come with you to the Duelling club as well."
Their new timetables came into action the following week and Harry was just thankful that his first two lessons were Defence Against the Dark Arts. He was in the same class as Hermione and Ron for that which made it a lot easier to cope with the fact that Draco Malfoy was also in their class.
"So, Potter," he sneered as they entered the classroom, "how long do you think it will be before Dumbledore is thrown out again?"
"Stick a sock in it, Malfoy – Dumbledore's not going anywhere."
Once inside the classroom, Lupin began dishing out the NEWT books to each member of the class.
"We will be working from these books for homework due to e recently enforced Ministry law. I will set you a different section each week for homework and you will get a small test every so often. But we'll start off easy as I happen to know that you're lessons today are all reasonable gruelling and I don't want you tired out after just the first lesson."
"Are you saying that Professor Snape's lessons are gruelling?" drawled Malfoy.
"Not at all, Draco. I am merely suggesting that today you have got a day full of difficult subjects if you find them difficult. And not everyone feels as comfortable in potions as you do, Mr. Malfoy, because not many are quite so accomplished."
It was an enjoyable lesson and Harry managed each task set with considerable ease. Five minutes before the bell went, Harry grabbed the sleeve of Lupin's robe as the professor passed him.
"Are the werewolves here?"
"Yes, Harry."
"When's the next full moon?"
"Eleven days away; why?"
"I just wondered."
"Don't go anywhere near the Shrieking Shack, Harry. In case you've forgotten, I will be in there and I will not be under the effects of Wolfsbane."
The lesson ended and Harry, Ron and Hermione trudged gloomily down to the dungeons.
"QUIET!" Snape bellowed as they took their seats. Silence fell as soon as the command was issued, "I am most displeased because I believe that all students are now required to do NEWT potions instead of the select few who are good enough."
"Sir," Malfoy spoke up, "what would you do if another teacher insulted your teaching?"
"It would depend on which teacher it was. Why?"
"Never mind," Malfoy shrugged.
"Draco Malfoy, what lesson have you just come from?"
"I can't say, sir. Potter might curse me."
"He will do no such thing…now, tell me which lesson you have just come from!"
"I still can't," Malfoy pretended to be nervous.
"Why not?"
"Potter might----"
"POTTER WILL NOT DO ANYTHING!"
"We came from Defence Against the Dark Arts, sir."
"Lupin…" Snape hissed venomously, writing the instructions hurriedly on the board before storming out of the room, cloak billowing out behind him in its usual fashion. The class glared at Malfoy, save for the Slytherins who smirked. If looks could kill then Malfoy would have been murdered many times in that instance.
Ten minutes of frantic textbook work later, Snape strode back into the room looking no more or less murderous than when he'd left. The class continued to work in silence with Snape breathing down their necks and throwing snide comments everywhere, taking points off any Gryffindor, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw that dared even to breathe too loudly.
Eventually the day ended after a fairly relaxed Care of Magical Creatures lesson. There had been a serious lack of concentration in the class and Hagrid had picked up on it, so their lesson was spent looking at several pictures of Dragon Eggs and playing snap with Deadly Dragon trading cards. Another reason for the relaxed atmosphere was that the small dragon Hagrid had requested had escaped into the Forbidden Forest and no-one was in the mood to go chasing after it.
In the Gryffindor common room that night, all the sixth years were brooding over how much homework they had been given: - memorise ten facts about Gorgons for Lupin, write two rolls of parchment on the Polyjuice potion and its uses for Snape, one roll of parchment on the prejudice between pure bloods and half bloods for Binns, five different ways to read the future for Trelawny and researching three ways to capture a dragon for Hagrid. It hardly seemed fair that so much had been given on the first day of the new timetable. They would have to do it as the chances of an attack were very unlikely. If there was an attack, the homework would either have an extended deadline or be cancelled. For the first time ever, the students at Hogwarts were hoping for an attack!
When the next full moon arrived it was a Friday night. Snape had been looking very smug in potions that day and Harry knew it was because he was relishing the fact that he complete power over Lupin and could probably get the Defence teacher to do anything within reason in exchange for Wolfsbane Potion. The night was as silent as all others. Harry could only guess that Lupin had somehow managed to keep himself quiet or the other werewolves had kept him quiet.
Saturday morning dawned and Harry skipped breakfast to have a lie-in, something he rarely got any more. When he'd got dressed, he headed down to Lupin's classroom. He knew the club wouldn't be on but he needed a walk and maybe Ron and Hermione would be down there.
He finally found them outside, stretched out in the sun. Hermione was reading up on Dragons while Ron was irritating her by rambling on about what shapes the clouds were making.
"Where the hell were you?" Harry demanded, "I searched the entire school!"
"Sorry, Harry, but medicine club was cancelled. Madame Pomfrey said she was busy and didn't want anyone in the hospital wing."
"Did she say why?"
"No – now move, please, you're blocking the sun."
"Is the DADA club thingy on?" Ron asked lazily.
"No, it was a full moon last night, remember?"
"Oh yeah…do you think that's why Pomfrey's busy? She could be patching up the werewolves."
"Ron, you're a genius!"
"Wow, I've been called many names but never a genius!" Ron puffed out his chest triumphantly, sitting up and squinting at Harry.
"That's because you're not a genius."
"Way to burst the bubble, Hermione,"
"Anytime, Ronald."
The winter sun turned to winter storms and the Christmas holidays were only three weeks away, which excited the students greatly. The full moon had passed but Lupin still didn't teach on Monday. This meant that Snape took Defence and then double potions straight afterwards. And three lessons in a row with Snape is three lessons too many!
However, Herbology on Tuesday was interesting, to say the least. The class had to learn how to care for some particularly aggressive pot plants. Harry took the first chance he got to 'trip over' and land on Malfoy sending him lurching forward into the clutches of the most aggressive pot plant there. It began pulling out tufts of his blonde hair and the class was hysterical for ages afterwards, even after Malfoy had been freed and had his hair magically replaced. Five points were taken from Gryffindor for carelessness but no-one cared – it had been thoroughly worth it.
After lunch, Harry went to the duelling club. McGonagall and Flitwick were taking it and put on a spectacular demonstration of duelling skills. Hermione was then up against Harry and they had the awed attention of every student and teacher in the room. There were spells and hexes flying from one to the other in such quick succession that it was impossible to keep track. But one thing was made clear; they were using spells far beyond the standard they should've been working at. There were literally fireworks flying and even the sullenest Slytherin looked impressed.
Peering round the door of the Defence classroom, Harry practically had his eyes shut for fear of who would be teaching. The whole class was bunched up behind him, waiting with bated breath for the all clear or the 'wands away and mouth shut' signal.
"Harry, what are you doing?" Lupin's mild voice asked him. Harry looked up in relief and the class literally fell into the room, landing in a tangled heap, apart from Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle who stood stubbornly in the doorway.
"Sorry, professor, but we thought grease ball would be teaching," Ron laughed. A snicker went round the class as they took their seats.
"I assume you are talking about Professor Snape?" Lupin frowned.
"Who else?" grinned Harry, taking his seat. He pulled out his wand, quill and some parchment and then looked up at Lupin, who was writing something on the board. As he moved along, Harry noticed that he had a limp and was putting as little weight as possible on his right leg. Everyone seemed to have noticed but no-one dared to comment…until Malfoy stopped writing and noticed, that is.
"What's the matter with your leg, sir?"
"None of your concern, Mr. Malfoy."
"A bit touchy are you, sir? Not surprising when you're a werewolf and the full moon's just been. What happened – did you finally realise you're not wanted here and try to kill yourself?" Malfoy was provoking Lupin but the Professor just continued writing on the board, fighting the urge to hit Malfoy, "well, sir? What happened – we're all waiting for an answer! I'm sure I'm not the only one in here who prefers grease ball to fleabag. I'm sure we'd all be happy to help you pack if you want to leave."
"Mr. Malfoy, get out of my classroom and go straight to Dumbledore."
"Am I supposed to obey you? Because I'm not going to – pure bloods don't take orders from the likes of you dangerous half-breeds."
"OUT NOW, MR. MALFOY!" Lupin shouted, causing Malfoy to turn as white as a sheet.
"Fine," he hissed, a malicious smirk creeping over his features, "but what will Professor Snape say when he finds out you threatened to bite me?" Malfoy grabbed his bag and fled the classroom, speeding off towards the dungeon, leaving a furious class behind him. Now it was Lupin's turn to go white.
"Sorry for Mr. Malfoy's outrageous behaviour, everyone. Read section two and I will be back as soon as I have safely escorted young Draco to the Headmaster's office," Lupin left the room, making a pathetic attempt to conceal his limp as he did so.
Once he was gone, the class erupted into angry chatter.
"How dare he say that!"
"Who does Malfoy think he is?"
"I'll kill him personally if Lupin's sacked!"
"Why does he have to be such a --- ooh!"
"It's not fair!"
Harry sat in silence, his anger bubbling up close to boiling point. Finally, unable to hold it in any longer, he snapped,
"THAT DOES IT! Malfoy thinks he's so great when really he's just a baby-faced, good-for-nothing, Slytherin b-------!"
"MR. POTTER!" Snape burst into the room, "you will come with me to Dumbledore's office right now. He'll be furious when he finds out that you're saying such things and that Lupin's not doing his job!"
"Dumbledore will know Lupin's not teaching by now anyway," Harry whispered so that Snape couldn't hear him.
The potions master rapped sharply on the door of Dumbledore's office and entered on Dumbledore's reply.
"Ah, Severus, I was about to call for you – but what is Harry doing here?"
"He was raging around and insulting other students in the class Lupin was supposed to be teaching, Headmaster!"
"There is a perfectly valid explanation to both those accusations, Severus. It seems that Mr. Malfoy has been causing trouble. Harry is merely angry on behalf of Remus."
"What had Malfoy done?" Snape asked.
"If you read this, I believe you will find your explanations," Dumbledore handed Snape a bit of parchment.
"It's all lies – Lupin made it up!"
"I highly doubt that, considering that I wrote this down as I watched the memory in the Pensieve."
"But Potter still had no right to----"
"He had every right, Severus. Remus, kindly show Professor Snape what Mr. Malfoy did while you were bringing him up to me,"
Harry noticed for the first time since he'd been there that Lupin was sat at the edge of the room. The Defence teacher smiled wanly at him and Harry noticed that Lupin was sporting a black eye and a rather nasty gash down the side of his head. His eyes were blood-shot and he hadn't said a word since Harry and Snape had arrived. Harry's face changed from shock to rage but he said nothing, looking in question to Dumbledore.
"Mr. Malfoy is believed to have used the Cruciatus curse and several of the darkest hexes which he could only have been taught by Voldemort. I believe Malfoy was under the effects of Imperious and was being controlled by his father. Remus couldn't retaliate or the Ministry would've seen to it that he was sacked and thrown in prison for attacking a student. And even I would not have been able to stop that from happening." Dumbledore looked grim as he explained. Snape looked shocked and his gaze had not yet left Lupin's face. Lupin had frozen and his face had turned blank. Snape walked slowly towards the Defence teacher and, looking curious, waved a hand in front of the werewolf's face. Lupin's eyes warned him off but as Snape turned round he brushed against Lupin's shoulder and was sent reeling back in pain.
"What happened? Why did that hurt so much?"
"An effect of one of the curses used on Remus. Severus, Mr. Malfoy knew how to fight Imperious and yet he didn't. The curse has been removed from him and the first thing he wanted to know was if he'd succeeded in doing his father's will or not. I believe that he is not fully to blame but he must still be punished. However, that is to be discussed at a later date. Now I must ask you both to leave. Severus, I will speak with you later. Harry, you must mention this to as few people as you can. They must not know the full story."
Later that day, after lessons finished, Harry went to his dorm and pulled out the invisibility cloak. There was almost certainly going to be a meeting to decide the fate of Malfoy and Harry wanted to be in the know about what was going on. He searched the school and finally came to McGonagall's classroom where the Hogwarts staff body was gathered.
"We cannot rush this decision," Dumbledore was trying to talk over the hubbub of mixed emotions; "We must discuss it first."
"What's there to talk about?" Hagrid's voice boomed out.
"Everything, Hagrid – we can decide nothing until Poppy arrives."
"Why not?"
"Because we need an update on exactly what curses were used on Remus and whether there will be any long-term damage. And we must also take Remus' own opinions into account."
"I still think Malfoy should be 'ung by 'is toes an' set on by Nifflers – an' then expelled for this," Hagrid mumbled, but he said little more after that.
"Alright, I'm here. Sorry to keep you waiting but a second year Ravenclaw managed to spill Bubbling Boils potion all over himself." Madame Pomfrey had walked briskly into the room and taken a seat next to Professor Sprout.
"Good evening, Poppy – how is Remus?"
"Sleeping at this precise moment in time under the effects of several healing potions but he should be teaching again tomorrow."
"And what of the curses?"
"Black magic – nothing I've ever seen before in all my years. The only one I was able to treat with ease was the after-effects of the cruciatus. I am certain that Voldemort and Lucius put Draco up to this but he certainly didn't put up a fight. It's either that or he did it completely of his own accord."
"I suspect that the first option is the more likely of the two."
"Remus has asked for Malfoy not to be expelled as then he will be initiated into the Death Eaters and will pose more of a threat to Harry than he does now. He simply asks that Malfoy is not allowed in any of his Defence lessons and must take that subject separately. And also that he receives detention twice a week with Filch until the end of his sixth year."
"Then we shall grant him those requests."
Harry couldn't bear to listen any more – why hadn't Lupin wanted Malfoy expelled? He headed to the Hospital Wing and saw his professor asleep. He knew it was wrong to wake him but he had to know about why he didn't want Malfoy dealt with more severely before the question drove him insane.
"Professor Lupin?" Harry edged cautiously forward.
"Harry? What are you doing here?" Lupin yawned, sitting up.
"I want to know why you don't want Malfoy expelled or at least more severely punished – he could've killed you!"
"I know, but I have my reasons and the Ministry would have to know every detail as to why a student was being taken out of Hogwarts protection in such dangerous times. And no-one really cares if people attack a werewolf. And Severus Snape has already agreed to give Malfoy the Defence lessons he should've been having with me but he'll do it in Malfoy's free time." Lupin finished, sinking back into the pillows and surveying Harry closely, waiting for the reaction.
"Snape doesn't understand!"
"He does – more that you know."
"Whatever…how's you're leg?"
"Aching – how did you know about that?"
"You weren't very successful at hiding your limp."
"Was it that obvious?" frowned Lupin.
"Yep," Harry grinned. Lupin quirked an eyebrow and folded his arms in amusement.
"You'd better get back to your dorm, Harry – and don't go listening in on any more meetings that are supposed to be secret. One day you'll hear something that you really won't want to hear…"
"Ok," Harry agreed, crossing his fingers behind his back. He left the Hospital Wing and crept back into his dorm unnoticed by his sleeping friends.
A/N: - I hope no-one minds that Lupin is getting a lot of attention in this story! I just think he's a great character and want to give him more of a starring role! Ok, review and I'll update when I can!