To the reviewers:
Percy and Willow? There's a pairing I never saw before... I can assure you that for now it's not going to happen... just think of the scandal (gasp). I can think of a few better people for Percy... heh. Cough. As for Umbridge, that'll be explained in a later chapter. After all, once the fall of you-know-who happened, someone was nice enough to restore her sanity. That's all I'm going to say.
End note.
Added Note on July 10
Okay, I lied.
- - - - -
Chapter 6
Practical Defense
- - - - -
When the doors opened to their Practical Defense class, the students all clammored inside, eager to see what there was.
It was a dark room with a long, flat granite floor. There were two rows of benches wedged against one side of the room, and in the front of the classroom, the strange shelves were filled with everything from tanks with fascinating creatures to books on the dark arts. Hermione let out a tiny gasp and nearly dropped all of her books again.
To her surprise, Keira followed her to where Hermione was sitting next to Ron. Ron goggled at the stack of books in her arms. "What did you do?" he asked accusingly, "check out the entire booklist?"
Hermione rolled her eyes as she selected two books and handed one to each Ron and Harry. "You'll thank me when Professor Crieux doesn't fail you," she said pleasantly.
The doors burst open and another tall figure in billowing black robes entered. A wand was pointed at the windows and suddenly bright sunlight filled the large room.
The figure walked to them and pulled off the hooded cloak.
Their new Practical Defense instructor was a woman.
"Welcome to Practical Defense!" she shouted in a loud, brassy tone. Lifting her wand again, she pointed it at the opposite end of the classroom. Two large racks filled the long space, full of weapons from axes to swords. "When I call your name, claim a weapon and wait over there." She pointed, unraveling a bit of parchment. One by one, the students crowded down on the small space, holding the heavy weapons. Once she'd finished calling the last name - Blaise Zabini - she magicked the racks out of the room and turned to the sixty five students in her class. "Again, welcome to Practical Defense. I am Professor Arye Gabon."
She gestured toward the floor. "How about you get into two long, equal lines. Hold your weapons at ease for now until I explain what we're going to do."
"And what is that?" Draco asked loudly as the class shuffled into lines.
"You'll see," she replied coldly, lifting one eyebrow as she watched the students move into position. "Now. These are four types of Muggle weapons. We have the battle axe. We have the scythe. We have the sword. And we have the double-ended pike. In this first lesson, we're going to learn how to use each in hand-to-hand combat. You cannot begin to imagine the choices given to you when you duel without a wand. This is what this class is all about. Oh, you can learn about creatures of the dark from your other electives. This is the real world, the world in which Muggles and those of us with Magic live in semi-complete harmony. So, now... you with the swords, line up facing one another. I am going to teach you the different thrusts. Right... that's very cute, Mister... Zabini, right? Stop that now or I'll put you on Restriction." She paused, listening to voiced protests. "All right, you're all on Restriction. And don't try fooling me with your names since I have a very good memory.
"Those of you with swords now, try something like this." She took her own sword and whirled it neatly in her hand before using three different jabbing motions. Those holding the swords followed the same motions. She tried a sequence of motions and they began following that. After a few minutes, they were sparring with each other, the swords clanking harmlessly. She'd put a painless charm on the class, so even if they nicked each other, it wouldn't be so painful.
She moved onto the group with the battle axes and scythes, demonstrating the exact way of fencing with those. Lastly, she moved onto the group with the pikes and grinned. "This is by far my favorite weapon," she said, lifting up her own pike and spinning it as though it were a baton back and forth easily from hand to hand. "Now. Face the person in line in front of you and touch here and here... yes. Yes, Mister Weasley, that's good. Do it again to demonstrate for the rest of the group... very good! And now, practice this, good! And let's try this..."
By the end of class, everyone was winded from holding the heavy weapons for so long. She finally released them ten minutes into their lunch period and told them they should practice their motions for the next class.
"That wasn't bad," Hermione said, touching her bruised hand. Both she and Harry had taken a couple of battle axes and had been fighting, the heavy blades tossed off one another, throwing both of their balances off. Harry knew he was going to be bruised come morning as well, especially since Parvati Patil had accidently knocked her sword into the back of his neck when she'd dropped it.
"It could have been worse," Ron said, pitying his ripped shirt. He seemed to be grouchy because one of his best shirts was ruined thanks to Neville Longbottom, who'd gotten almost overenthusiastic about his pike.
The girl they'd been paired with, Keira Isley, was as inadequate as Neville when it came to the pike. He felt sorry for him as Keira rushed after him, apologizing for giving him that black eye.
"What a lesson," Harry finally said, shaking his head.
"And we don't have it again until Thursday," Hermione said in alarm, checking her schedule.
- - - - -
Keira looked around the crowded Hall until she saw a familiar redhead sitting with a few other students. "Willow!" she called out, happily sitting across from her new friend. Willow looked up from a textbook she was reading and smiled.
"Hey Keira!" she said. Next to Willow, Aura was also scanning Willow's text.
"What are you reading?" Keira asked both girls curiously.
"Willow's Introduction to Magic textbook," Aura replied cheerfully as she took a bite of halibut. "Mmmm, this fish is fantastic."
"I'll pass, thanks," Keira replied, wrinkling her nose as she ladled a bit of stew into a bowl. "How was that class anyway, Willow?"
"It wasn't bad," Willow replied, finally closing the book and turning her attention to the woman talking to her. "The Professor seems kind of... cool."
"Who do you have?" Keira asked, blowing across the top of her potato stew.
"Weasley," Willow replied with a shrug. "He seemed like he knew what he was talking about. He can't be more than a few years older than us, too."
"Weasley," Aura replied slowly. "Weasley... what else does he teach?"
"I don't know," Willow frowned. "I couldn't tell you."
Keira glanced curiously at Aura. "What class did you have?"
"Muggle Studies," Aura replied, carefully dishing a bit of rice onto her plate. "Bloody boring, that class."
Willow shrugged. "It has to beat Potions."
At this, all three women groaned collectively, then giggled. Aura then lifted her head when she saw a familiar brunette walking about. "Hermione!" she called, waving her roommate over.
What they didn't expect was Hermione and a large crowd of boys. Keira and Willow giggled again as Aura's jaw dropped. "That girl has a bloody harem," she said, impressed.
"I think they all knew each other at Hogwarts," Keira said, reaching for a goblet of juice. "I think it's great they all knew each other. And those from Hogwarts are bloody smart too. There are some others from France... or maybe somewhere else in Europe... all great friends. It'll be hard to break into that."
"I can think of a way or two..." Aura said slowly, checking out every single guy that sat with Hermione as she took a seat next to Keira.
"Hey, Aura!" Hermione said in a friendly voice as the five boys sat around her. "Hi... Keira?"
"And that's Willow," Keira said, gesturing to the redhead next to Aura.
"I think you guys know Ron, Harry, Neville, Dean and Seamus, right?" Hermione asked, pointing each guy out as she listed his name. After she closed her mouth, she dished a bit of steak and kidney pie on her place and began eating at top speed, turning to Ron and Harry to chatter.
Aura still hadn't taken her eyes off of Harry.
"I think someone has a little crush," Keira said in a sing-song voice to Willow. Aura snapped up and glanced at both women, frowning slightly.
"I do not have a crush," she said hotly.
"Sorry, hun," Willow said, tucking her book back in her bag, "but I'll side with the Irish one on this call."
Aura pouted as Willow stood up. "Where are you off to?"
"I need to switch my books," willow explained, turning to Keira. "I'll see you in History?"
"Right," Keira said, grinning at her as Willow swept out as still more swept in. The noise soon became like that of a rock concert, Keira noticed. Aura had joined in Hermione's conversation, leaving Keira alone. She shyly checked out the boys with Hermione. They were rather cute, she noticed. Especially the guy Hermione had introduced as Ron. But judging by the way that Hermione kept her hand on his elbow and the way she occasionally let her hair fall onto his shoulder, he had already been claimed.
With a sigh, she stood up and left the Great Hall, moving into the cool, welcome air of the courtyard. What she didn't notice was that Hermione had followed her out, arms full of books.
Spying Draco Malfoy and a few of his select others moving toward them, Keira moved to cut him off before he did something else to hurt Hermione.
"Oh, look," Pansy said, simpering on Draco's arm as always, "it's little Isley."
"Pansy," Keira said, nodding briskly toward the other girl, but her eyes were locked on Draco's. As she walked past him, her wand whipped out and she whispered a quick charm. The next thing Draco knew, he was spinning around since his trousers had ripped from the hem along the waistline all the way down to the ankle. While his boxers were exposed, great peals of laughter filled the courtyard. His angry eyes followed Keira as she moved into her own dormitory, laughing with the rest.
"I'll get that witch if it's the last thing I do," he said, glancing down at his ruined pants. Next to him, Pansy's jaw was dropped and she appeared to be holding in her laughter.
Keira ducked inside the doors to her dormitory, glancing around the study room, before her laughter echoed off the walls. She collapsed, winded, into a cushy chair and giggled, staring at the ceiling.
This year was going to be so much fun, tormenting that Malfoy boy. Especially after he did those cruel things to Willow and knocked those books out of Hermione's arms.
Standing up, she retreated to hers and Pansy's room. She knew she was going to pay dearly for what she did, but she didn't care. She could tell Pansy wanted to laugh, but she couldn't, partly because she was afraid of what would happen if Malfoy had heard her... and partly because, well, she was obviously enamoured by him.
She set a small stack of books down and found a few textbooks for her upcoming History class. Since it was her last lesson of the day, she grinned and tucked her sketch pad inside her bag. After neatly tidying up her half of the room, she walked back into the main building and set off for History of Magic.
She met Willow outside the classroom. She'd been talking to a few boys who she quickly introduced as students that sounded as though they might be Russian, from their names and from their accents. The one named Kaz was quite adorable, Keira noticed. The other one, Albin, just smiled shyly as the boys slipped inside their classroom. Keira held Willow back and quickly whispered to her what she had done to Draco. When Keira pulled back, Willow was grinning.
"No way!" Willow said, her arms folding around her books. "And right in the courtyard and everything!"
"I'm good," Keira winked, brushing her fingers on the sleeve of her sweater. Willow shook her head in wonder as Keira slipped her arm through hers and they both walked inside the classroom.
It was another lecture hall and the two found seats near the front again. Ten minutes later, their one o'clock was full and their Professor, also a woman, swept inside. Her name was very long and complicated and also sounded Russian and for the next hour she lectured to them about the earliest Wizards in ancient times. By the time two o'clock rolled around, half of the students were drowsy.
When the bell tolled, everyone stood up, yawning and stretching. Willow was the only one who had appeared to stay awake all lecture and was grinning at a notebook full of happy notes. Keira had been sleeping, her head on Willow's shoulder and since her feet had been propped on the seat in front of her, they'd obstructed her sleeping face from view.
The two girls walked back out into the courtyard. "That was boring," Keira said, sleepily rubbing her eyes.
"Even I was bored, and I'm a nerd," Willow said as they walked to the fountain and sat down. "So, what'll you do now?"
"I have a few hours before Practical Potions," Keira replied, rolling her eyes. "I cannot believe they gave it to us at seven!"
"I'm going to the Library to get a book off that list," Willow replied, pulling out the booklist on the bit of parchment and staring at it. "Some of these look semi-interesting."
Before Keira could reply, a shadow fell over both girls.
It was Malfoy, and for once Pansy wasn't with him, but those giant brutes were. They were all looking menacingly at Keira. She just sat there, staring at them, still drowsy from History of Magic.
Willow quickly jumped up and stood between them. "Now now, Draco," she said, gently pushing him away. "Don't do something you'll both regret later."
"It's Little Red," he said, his eyes scanning over her fuzzy pink sweater and her long skirt. "I haven't seen your walking shadow all morning!"
"Since Potions," Willow replied, crossing her arms. Keira finally came to her senses and jumped up, appearing over Willow's shoulder.
"If you're done making your move, Malfoy, we'll be going now," she snapped, taking Willow by the arm and attempting to pry her away.
Draco glared at her with glittering eyes. "Why so jumpy, Isley? Afraid of getting the charm knocked out of you?"
"Stop it," Willow said in a slightly cool voice. "What did she ever do to you?" Her eyes suddenly lit up as the story Keira had told her before class came rushing back to her. "Oh."
"Yeah," Draco said coldly, "oh. Now, bugger off. You're in my light."
"In that case," Willow said, gently detaching Keira's hand and moving to stand in front of Draco again. "Make me go."
Keira sensed at once this was a bad idea. She quickly moved behind Willow, seizing the girl by the shoulders. "She's really, very nice once you get to know her," she said with a smile of forced sugar, practically dragging Willow away.
"Why did you do that for?" Willow asked, turning to look behind her. "That was too much fun to walk away from."
"Because the last thing I need is for you to be turned into a rat or something your first day," Keira replied, lifting her hands off Willow and brushing the girl down. "There. Good as new. So, Library, eh? Let's go."
Willow shook her head in confusion and jogged to catch up with that strange, strange Irish girl.
- - - - -
"She what?" Ron gasped, trying not to choke on his pumpkin juice as Hermione caught up with them at dinner. "I think I like her."
"I can't believe Malfoy didn't kill her," Harry said, shaking his head in wonder. "Anyone who charms Malfoy's pants to fall off... wow. I'll give her the first round."
"He did get what was coming to him," Hermione agreed as she propped up her Potions reading and began scanning the index while quickly eating the chicken casserole dish she'd spooned onto her plate.
"Herm'ne," Ron protested, his mouth full of treacle as he swallowed hard, "why are you studying now? Why not study later?"
"Potions," Hermione spat out. "Did you forget we had Practical Potions after dinner tonight?"
"Oh," said Ron, a look of dawning comprehension falling across his face, "right."
"How is that new roommate of yours?" Harry asked, steering the topic back into cooler waters.
"I like her," Hermione replied, taking another bite. "She's very chatty once you get to know her. We stayed up late last night just talking."
"Really?" Harry asked, reaching for his goblet. "I just thought..."
His voice was cut off as he noticed a trio of women walking into the Hall together, giggling. In the middle of the group was the girl that had been introduced to them as Willow. What he found even more strange was, when looking at the staff table, how Percy actually looked out at the girls, as though trying to stare them down. Harry could tell that Willow was wrapped up in whatever joke was being told because before they joined their table, all three of them were laughing hard.
Aura took her usual seat next to Hermione. To Harry's chagrin, Willow took the seat next to him. Keira sat next to her. "Hi," Willow said, giving him a quick smile.
Harry's eyes darted to the staff table. Percy had returned to his tea and then turned to converse with Professor Crieux.
"Hello," he said, glancing back at her.
"What's that?" she asked in a friendly voice, pointing to a dish in front of him.
"It's chicken casserole," he said, offering to put some on her plate. She consented and he ladled a round spoonful. "It's not bad and I promise it wasn't poisoned, really."
She smiled at him. She had a cute smile. "Thanks," she said, gasping suddenly as Keira poked her in the side. Willow prodded Keira back.
And Harry turned back to his own plate. He didn't notice that Aura was staring at him dreamily, imagining the honeymoon and naming their children already. Grinning, she sipped her tea. Keira was talking about the Potions book they picked up in the Library. This got Hermione talking and soon Hermione and Keira were trading notes on their respective books from the book list. Apparently Keira was already halfway through hers since she and Willow had spent the afternoon in the Library reading and doing their work.
And then Harry noticed something even stranger. While Keira and Willow were giggling again, he noticed that his friends Seamus and Neville were staring at both women as though they'd never seen anything like them. It wasn't until Neville muttered that Keira was like a long-lost twin of Hermione's did Harry realize it. Keira was exactly like Hermione in that sense. She may not have collected every book on the book list for reading, but she could match Hermione argument for argument. And that was something Harry knew Hermione would just have to get used to.
Those leaving for Practical Potions left ten minutes later since the walk to the top tower took awhile. There were only thirty people in this class and soon they were let inside by Crieux. He walked inside and presented them with an easy enough potion, a concealment. While he asked them to pair off, he did the pairing. To Harry's immense relief, he was paired with Aura Starr, Hermione's new roommate. Hermione was paired up with a boy by the name of Kaz Rozokov. He kept flicking newt eyes at her as she concentrated on their potion.
He was not surprised when Neville was paired with Keira Isley. He saw the look on her face as she approached the boy. She'd looked insulted. But apparently it was a good pair since she managed to make Neville look good as Crieux, acting probably on Snape's behalf, walked among the aisles, sneering at the large, chattering group.
Willow had been paired with Ron. They worked well together, Harry noted. And then he noticed that Aura worried more about getting eye of newt under her fingernails than completing the Potion within their time limit. Harry gently urged her along and she kept snapping at him in her native Greek. They must have looked like a funny pair, he realized.
To Hermione's horror, Neville's potion was the first one done. Keira looked immensely pleased with herself as she sat on her stool and waved Professor Crieux over. Hermione's was ready less than five minutes later, with Kaz actually sleeping on his desk, head in his arms. Professor Crieux glared at her before marking off their Potion and moving along.
Harry and Aura were among the last three groups to test their Potion. Yet Crieux looked pleased. He even grinned at Aura, who grinned back, fluttering her eyelashes, as though acknowledging she'd done all of the work.
After class, Harry caught up with Hermione and Ron. Hermione was still seeing red over the fact that her Potion was ready less than three minutes after Keira's. "And she was working with Neville!" Hermione complained.
Ron took her hand and whispered something into her ear. Whatever it was, it seemed to calm her down. He then talked about how well he and Willow worked together. "She has amazing potential," Ron said.
Harry didn't really have anything kind to say about Aura except that she seemed like a total airhead.
Harry and Ron walked back into their room, Hermione following them. She didn't say anything for awhile as she sat on Ron's bed, her legs crossed. If anything, she was acting very un-Hermione-like.
Willow walked back into her room, seeing Padma sitting at her desk, reading her History of Magic text. Padma glanced up when Willow threw herself dramatically on her own bed. "How was Practical Potions?" she asked curiously.
"Not bad, actually," Willow said, lifting her head. "I have a cool partner."
"Who?" Padma asked, slipping a bit of parchment into her book to mark her spot and closing it.
"Ron Weasley," Willow replied, sitting up and taking off her boots, tossing them against the wall.
Padma started giggling. Willow stared at her, as though daring to ask her what. "Oh, it's really nothing," Padma said, waving that notion aside. "I went to a dance with him once."
"I'd actually consider moving in on him if he and Hermione weren't attached to the hip," Willow said sadly, quickly changing.
"They've been like that since their first year," Padma replied, somewhat suckily. "At first, when he asked me out, or rather my sister told me I was going with him... well... he didn't treat me very well. He's very much into Hermione Granger."
"I thought as much," Willow said, turning on her own desk light and dumping the last of her schoolwork onto her desk. She seemed to think a moment before turning back to Padma. "What do you know about Percy Weasley?"
"He's one of Ron's older brothers," Padma said with a casual shrug. "But then, Ron has loads... what... five? He has a sister, too. Percy's one of the older ones. A bit of a prat, I always thought. Very bossy, very demanding and too damn organized for his own good..." She paused suddenly, staring at her roommate with a bit of suspicion in her eyes. "Why do you ask?"
Willow shrugged. "He held me back after class today. I just wanted to know what he's like."
"Whoa," Padma whistled under her breath. "I never expected a nice girl like you to make a move on him."
"I won't," Willow said quickly. "I just wanted to know what he was like since I think he singled me out. And I have a boyfriend back at home."
Padma stared at her a moment before turning back to her book. "Right," she said, sounding as though she didn't believe her.
Willow turned back to her Introduction to Magic text and grinned. Who was she kidding? Oz was so far away and even if she ever saw him again, would he still look at her the same way? She had been introduced to a whole new world, and that was likely to change someone.
And Willow, whether she liked it or not, was already changing.
- - - - -
Chapter 7 - their first weekend.