Chapter 10.
Snape's Competition.
Class in potions was very amusing, as Professor Turmoil (previous DADA teacher) replaced Professor Snape, and was clearly not a natural at this subject. Auri giggled as he clumsily broke a vile containing red bubbly liquid and turned a bright shade of crimson.
"Repairo," the professor mumbled under his breath, and clearing his throat, smiled uneasily. "That wasn't supposed to happen, but that was just a good demonstration of what you should not do in potions class."
A few Gryffindors sniggered.
"Oh, dear," Professor Turmoil drummed his fingers impatiently on his desk. "No homework for tonight, I'm afraid!" The bell rang and students rushed to pack their bags and hurry to their next class.
Defense Against the Dark Arts finally had itself a teacher. Auri was told by rumors that the professor was nicknamed "Dark One" by one of the classes for her peculiar behavior. Her. She felt content rise in her stomach as Defense Against the Dark Arts finally had itself a female teacher. As she entered the classroom she noticed a small paper sign on the door which read "Drol Krad: a spell which, if said and done properly, could put the opponent in a deep and heavy slumber. Very rare." "How very rare indeed," Auri thought, bemused. "I wonder if all of the teachers begin to put up signs on their doors about peculiar magical items and spells."
Suddenly she felt a cold lonely mist pour into the room, even though the windows were completely closed, and shuddered uncomfortably. A moment later a tall slender woman entered the room, her blue eyes cold and distant, and her short black hair framing her bony face. Auri swallowed hard and wavered in her seat, feeling the ground spin under her feet. As she stared into the woman's eyes, tears of sadness poured onto her cheeks. Her expression softened because this woman, for some strange outrageous reason felt so homely and warm. Auri remembered her mother and all of the horrible misfortunes that happened to her, sucked in her breath, and collapsed onto the ground, as if paralyzed. When she opened her eyes, she was staring at the same cold pair of beautiful blue eyes. For a very brief moment that pair of blue ice cubes melted into a pool of sky blue water.
But three seconds later, the woman pulled her harshly to her feet and snapped, "I will not have students fainting in my class! If you are that weak and inconsistent, I suggest you leave."
Auri's fingers fluttered up towards her spine and she rubbed the painful spot when the professor rudely seated her. She said nothing, staring at her desk with gritted teeth.
"I will continue," the woman said in a very business like tone, and indeed, went on. "You deserve a proper introduction. I am your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. My name is Francesca Harbor, but you will call me Professor Harbor, or Miss Harbor. Is that clear?"
The class stared at her in stiff horror and each and every one of them understood at that exact moment that Francesca Harbor was not a teacher you wanted to disturb. She was perhaps, if even possible, worse than Snape himself.
"Now then," she said with a stomach-churning smile that passed Snape's smirk by far. "It is time for us to begin the lesson. Please read page 197 on the Drol Krad spell. I am sure, you have noticed this spell posted on my door."
The Droll Krad spell is a unique and very rare spell which is legal only under circumstances of testified defense. If said correctly, this spell will put an opponent into a deep sleep for 5 years at most. It was used abusively by countless Death Eaters and wizards.
"Are we… are we going to be performing this spell?" Parvati Patil asked shyly.
"Have you not read the page?" Professor Harbor demanded with narrowed eyes. "It clearly states that it is only to be used under circumstances of defense. Do you honestly think that I would put you into such danger? And noted, there is no counterspell for this one."
When the bell rang, Francesca Harbor glared at every member of the classroom before saying in a loud voice, "I want a thorough, researched paper on this spell by Friday!"
Aurora rubbed her spine once again before groaning softly and exiting out the door. She noticed a large group of students crowded in the Great Hall before the bulletin board. They were overlooking a notice printed in large, bold letters: "Gryffindor Quidditch Team."
"I completely forgot!" she whispered to herself and pushed through the crowd to read the names.
Seeker: Aurora Patterson
Keeper: Ronald Weasley
Beaters: Jonathan Burks, Abraham Foxley
Chasers: Sarah Cummings, Ben Driesdale, Michael Corner
She dashed into the Gryffindor Common Room, finding Harry, Ron and Hermione positioned on the armchairs by the fire as usual.
"Ron!" she said a little too loud. "Y-you're the keeper of the Quidditch team! I never knew you tried out."
"I know. I checked the bulletin board. And you're the seeker!" Ron had an impressed look on his face.
She laughed lightly. "What a surprise, isn't it?"
Hermione smiled brightly, looking up from the book she was reading. "Auri, I'm so glad you made it. Didn't I tell you, you would?"
She was about to answer when a gray barn owl flew into the room squawking. It landed on Auri's shoulder, boring sharp claws into her skin and dropping a crimson letter with a gold Gryffindor seal in her hands. Auri winced but quickly undid the seal and took out the letter that was inside.
Dear Aurora,
I would like to congratulate you for joining the Quidditch team as the new seeker. I'm sure you will do a marvelous job out there. Today is our 8:00 lesson. Please bring your books to my office. The password is "Raspberry Trickletart".
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
She blushed slightly when reading the letter, and tucked it into her robes.
"You never tell us anything," Ron said childishly.
Auri gave him a twisted smile. "Because what's in this letter isn't worth your attention." She bid them good-bye, collected the books Dumbledore gave her, and practically flew up the stairs to Dumbledore's office, yelling "Raspberry Trickletart" enthusiastically. The portal door opened and she placed her books on the desk, smiling widely.
"Ah… Auri," Dumbledore said in a soft, silvery voice. "Here on time, as usual."
"Good evening, professor, sir," Auri said politely.
"I assume you learned all of your spells and lessons," he proceeded with a small nod. "Please demonstrate the Wingardium Laviosa spell, the one you couldn't quite get last week."
Aurora bit her lip in concentration and staring at the cup, lifted it up easily and wordlessly.
After a long silence, Dumbledore said quietly, thoughtfully fidgeting with his half-moon spectacles, "Child, have you said the spell in your head?"
"Well, y-yes… I'm sorry if I had done something wrong - "
"Please," Dumbledore interrupted her calmly. "What you did was a highly valued gift. It is called Occlumency, or the ability to perform spells wordlessly. It catches the opponent off guard and is a very useful tactic."
"I-I never knew that," she said truthfully, never seeing herself as a talented young mind.
"You have more gifts than I had anticipated," Dumbledore said with a smile, his eyes twinkling. "Perhaps it is time I have taught you advanced magic. But first, I would like to expand your knowledge of Occlumency. Your potions master, Severus Snape, is very skilled in this area, in fact, much more than I am, but he has retired so I must teach you."
He withdrew his wand from his silver star-strewn robes and his hand assumed a graceful position in the air.
"Now," he continued softly. "Occlumency is the ability to read minds. It is also the ability to block others from reading your mind, and to silently perform spells. I would like you to try a spell on me. In your head."
"What?" Auri almost yelled. "Professor, no, I don't want to hurt you!"
"I promise you that all will be well with me," Dumbledore said with a kind smile and a jerk of his head, which meant "now if you please will begin."
She sighed and closing her eyes, thought hard "Expellamus" but was backfired by a spell of Dumbledore's own and was sent flying across the room.
"Wow! That was incredible!" she said excitedly, leaning against the wall for support.
"It was fairly alright," Dumbledore replied contently. He asked if there was no damage done to her, and when Auri nodded, he said, "Try another spell. In your head."
"Levicorpos," she thought with great concentration. This time, Dumbledore was flung upside down in thin air, his robes muffling his strained voice.
"Oh my," Auri suppressed a giggle. "I'm terribly sorry." She pointed her wand at the professor and he gently floated to his feet.
"That was very good," he complemented her, straightening his robes.
"I-I really am sorry," she apologized, feeling the laughter rumble in her throat.
"There is no need to," Dumbledore replied simply, showing no sign of embarrassment whatsoever. "You are progressing quickly. During our next lesson I will teach you how to block your mind. Good night, Miss Patterson."
"G-good night, sir," Auri faltered, and stumbled out the door. When she was safe outside of Dumbledore's office, she erupted into uncontrollable laughter, replaying the scene of the "Levicorpus" spell in her mind. It was the longest and sweetest laugh she had in two full months.