Chapter 02: Bestfriends and Changes
For the second time in less than 24 hours, Harry James Potter awoke in the hospital wing. This time, though, he could remember perfectly well how he had gotten there. Damn professor Trelawney and her misty antics, she had scared the living daylights out of him. Only an irate McGonagall could muster this type of reaction from him usually. Harry felt panic seize his throat at the thought. He was going to be so late for Transfiguration!
"Mister Potter, please, do refrain from sitting."
Harry gave the approaching Madam Pomfrey a wary look. He could tell she wasn't too happy to see him for a second time this morning. She directed a medical trolley in his direction with a swish of wand a tad too angry. The aisle seemed empty, save for a bed in the far right corner with curtains drawn around it. Probably a bed-ridden student still sleeping. In any case, Harry couldn't spot any of his friends, and this did not bode well.
"Errr, do you know what time it is, Madam Pomfrey?" he asked, reclining obediently on the mattress. "I really ought to get to class and-"
"You won't be going anywhere until I haven't thoroughly checked you're in condition! Honestly, Mister Potter, I'd like to see you take your NEWTs… And so far you gave me every reason to believe you won't make it past the week! With your delicate condition-"
"I'm not delicate!" exclaimed an outraged Harry.
"Shush! You will let me examine you!" Madam Pomfrey all but shouted. Startled by her vigour, Harry almost failed to notice the black circles under her eyes and her trembling hands. He wanted to ask her what was the matter but her steely gaze dissuaded him. Children destined to such a glare were never answered kindly in his experience.
Began a thirty-minute session of pure discomfort. Madam Pomfrey had him take out his robes and untuck his shirt so she could feel his pulse with a contraption strangely similar to a muggle stethoscope. She warned him about the cold metal but Harry hardly flinched.
Madam Pomfrey then cast several diagnosis spells with complicated swishes of her wand. She studied his eyes, the way he reacted when she clapped near his ears (evidently Harry didn't like it very much) and then, she dug out a magnifying glass from her robes and stared at his new scar. Again, she cast spells after spells, muttering at a safe distance from the young wizard. She reminded Harry of his divination professor and her bug-like eyes. He wondered briefly if professor Trelawney was the one occupying the other bed in the hospital wing.
"Hmmm… Your temperature is slightly down but otherwise, nothing is out of order," Madam Pomfrey finally said, another thought visibly nagging her.
Harry just felt relief washing over him. It was true he had fainted in peculiar conditions, but he really wanted to get on with his day.
"So, can I leave now? I'll be careful for the rest of the day if you want me to…"
Madam Pomfrey shook her head and put the magnifying glass on a medical trolley. She surprised Harry by sitting on the very edge of his bed. She didn't seem angry anymore, simply exhausted.
"Mister Potter, I don't want you to be careful for the rest of the day. I want you to be careful for the rest of the year." Harry blinked. Her tone was so caring all of a sudden it made him feel quite small and uneasy. He was thirteen, not five for Merlin's sake.
"Did Professor McGonagall explain the situation to you yesterday?" Madam Pomfrey sighed when he shook his head the negative. "Yes, I was afraid so. Minerva had quite the eventful evening, she must have forgotten… Well, in any case, the headmaster made it plain that nobody is to leave school without permission. Dementors are stationed at every entrance to the grounds while they are with us on… Ministry of Magic business."
"Erm, Madam Pomfrey? What are dementors exactly?" asked Harry. McGonagall had used the same term yesterday.
"Oh! They're hooded figures that bring nothing good around. Well, that's an understatement, really," she said with a frown. "They literally can suck happiness out of your bones. That's why it's imperative to stay away from them. Their presence here really is exceptional. Usually, they stay at Azkaban, guarding the prison."
"You mean Dementors are the guardians of Azkaban? But why would they-" Harry didn't finish his sentence, the answer so obvious it fell from his mouth the second he thought about it. "Oh. They're here for Sirius Black, aren't they?"
"Yes, Mister Potter. And I must stress that you do not go near them in any circumstances. These are foul creatures, they know no masters. And I don't trust any of the ministry officials to get them under control should the need arise… Dementors should never have been permitted access to the grounds, to begin with." Madam Pomfrey said, her frown deepening.
"I will be careful then, Madam Pomfrey," Harry promised truthfully. "But please, can I go now? I probably have a ton of homework from Transfiguration. And I'd hate to miss Hagrid's first lesson."
Madam Pomfrey gave him an apologetic smile. "I'm afraid it's already past five, Mister Potter."
"WHAT?" Harry cast a glance at Madam Pomfrey's watch. She was not lying. He quickly fumbled to put his robes back on. In less than three minutes, he was out of the hospital wing. He never saw the worried look the mediwitch gave to his running figure.
"Strange… Very strange indeed… Oh! Sybil, back to the land of livings?"
Behind her drawn curtains, the shadow of Sybil Trelawney fumbled for her glasses. "Quick, I-I need to see the Headmaster!"
Madam Pomfrey rolled her eyes. It was going to be an eventful year, she mused.
"Harry! Are you alright?"
Harry was more than fed up with being asked this exact question but he still nodded in Ron's general direction, out of breath. "Had a bit of a run to the Great Hall from the hospital wing then went up here. I missed Hagrid," he said dejectedly.
"Oh well, we can still see him later," Ron smiled.
"Yeah, you're right… So, how was it after I- uh- fainted?"
Ron patted the spot next to him on the sofa. Harry sat quite heavily, loosening his tie in the same movement. Thankfully, the Gryffindor common room was far from packed since most of the students were downstairs, eating. Hermione was nowhere in sight…
Ron cleared his throat. "Well, transfiguration was a bit weird. Everyone was worried, see… No one was really paying attention until McGonagall told us about Trelawney's death predictions tendencies. It was the first time she heard she had fainted from it though. Her expression was brilliant! You could see she was trying so hard not to smile," Ron snickered but brusquely, he sobered up, glancing at Harry. "She was worried when we told her you fainted as well…"
"Trelawney was glowing and spouting nonsense about me! It was pretty impressive!" defended Harry, his arms firmly crossed on his chest.
"Glowing? Maybe… Can't remember what really happened to be honest. It went all so fast. I reckon if Neville hadn't noticed you on the ground, people would've stepped on you by accident."
"Yeah, well… What happened afterwards then? Do we have a ton of homework yet?"
Harry felt he shouldn't have asked the question when he saw Ron's expression sour.
"Urgh, don't remind me about that. Hermione's already buried in a pile of books. We're studying Animagi and she found it fascinating, oh Ronald how dare you think the contrary." Harry didn't even try to stifle his laugh at this imitation of their best friend. Ron was skilled at those. "Well, it's not too bad, actually. It's about wizards who can change into an animal at will."
"That's brilliant you mean!" Harry exclaimed, genuinely interested.
Ron smiled good-naturedly. "You seem loads more joyful than when we went to see you at lunch."
"Oh, you visited me?" Harry was warm at the thought. He had felt a prickle of fear they might have forgotten him when he woke up earlier.
"Yeah, but you were out of it. That's why we didn't wait for you to wake up before going to Care of Creatures. Sorry about that."
Harry shook his head and encouraged his friend to tell him a bit more about Hagrid's first class.
"Oh, it was wicked! At first, Malfoy and his goons were insufferable, making jabs at Hagrid and being annoying gits in general. But then we got to pet Hippogriffs and the blond menace finally shut his mouth. Of course, he couldn't help but brag afterwards that he was the first a Hippo had bowed to, but Hagrid left us with a big smile on his face. You should've seen him, he was shaking with nerves at first! It was so bad the ground was trembling too!"
Harry snorted at the thought. He and Ron talked a bit more about their day. He really was grateful that the Gryffindors had kept their mouths shut about Divination. Malfoy wouldn't have stopped taunting him if he knew he had fainted. He could feel it.
"Tell me about it! Even I was shocked to see Lavender so quiet… But I reckon they all think you need a break." Harry was tempted to laugh. He needed a break all the time, then. He refrained from telling so to Ron, though. He was quite enjoying the silence that had fallen on the room with nearly everyone gone to eat.
He was starting to get dozy when, next to him, Ron fumbled with the fringes of a cushion. Harry felt the mood shift. He glanced at his friend under his unruly hair, waiting for him to speak. "Say, Harry… You didn't really see a grim did you?"
Harry was opening his mouth to respond when a voice coming from the entrance beat him to it.
"Of course not, since they don't exist."
"Hermione!"
Their bushy-haired friend crossed the common room with a tired look on her face. It seemed as though she had spent too much time studying. And it was only their second day. Grunting, she collapsed in the red armchair that faced them and the hearth.
"Well, I was asking Harry, not you," Ron said, his ears pink. "So, did you?"
Harry hesitated only a second before answering: "I did see a black dog the night I left the Dursleys'..."
Ron let his mouth drop. "See! See!"
Hermione rolled her eyes behind her bangs, fishing lazily for a book in her bag. "It was probably just a stray."
Ron looked at her as though she had gone mad. "Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's — that's bad," he claimed. "I told him, my uncle Bilius saw one in 1993… He died twenty-four hours later!"
"Coincidence," said Hermione airily, turning a page from her book on her lap.
"You don't know what you're talking about!" answered Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"
"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better kick the bucket then!"
Harry laughed at the image and Ron glared at him, as though he had just been betrayed. "I simply saw a big black dog. I don't know if it was the grim but it doesn't change anything. As far as I'm concerned, I'm doomed anyway." He pointed at his forehead. "Voldemort, remember?"
"Oh, Harry..."
Harry sighed, getting a bit more comfortable on the sofa. "Today was as bloody weird as yesterday." For once, he got away with this swear word without being smacked by a certain witch. Hermione really must be tired, Harry thought with a sad smile.
"I bet tomorrow'll be better, mate," Ron said in a softer tone.
Hermione nodded to Ron's words, closing her book. "Well, it certainly will. I, for one, will not set foot in the divination classroom ever again. It would do you as much good I think."
The two boys' eyes grew comically large. "You're telling us of your plans to play hooky? Worse yet, inciting us? Who are you and what have you done with Hermione Granger?" sputtered Ron.
The young witch lost a bit of her weariness as she said, outraged: "I'm still myself, you big oaf! Divination is simply a waste of time. I don't have much of it to spare this year. And I didn't say you should drop a class! Just change electives!"
Both boys nodded. Harry thought she was quite right. "Since I don't know when I'll die, but probably soon according to Trelawney, I might as well just drop-out. It'll save her a lot of troubles and me a lot of time," he jokingly said. Ron laughed, Hermione rolled her eyes under her bangs and they started to debate which class was better between Arithmancy, studies of ancient Runes and Muggle studies.
"Arithmancy doesn't sound half bad really… At least it'll be more challenging to try and find recurring patterns in everyday life than forms in tea leaves."
"Oh, I'd take muggle studies if I were you. I think that's what I'm going to do. You both know so much about the muggle world, it would be an easy grade for you… No one in my family has ever taken the elective. I reckon it could actually help Dad a great deal," said Ron, visibly lost in thoughts. He probably was recalling his awful first experience with a telephone.
Harry saw Hermione beam victoriously from her armchair. "Shall we go eat?"
"YES!" Exclaimed the red-head. Harry just shook his head and smiled a little. He had wonderful friends.
The next day, the Gryffindor trio climbed their way to the Defence against the Dark Arts tower after their morning classes. Harry had finally decided, on Hermione's advice, to go with his intuition.
Arithmancy sounded a lot better than Divination; at this point, he would just be glad not to have to be in the same room as professor Trelawney ever again. She seemed strangely terrified by him, and this notion hadn't escaped his Gryffindor peers. Their taunting was merciless, though thankfully quiet.
Nonetheless, he hoped McGonagall would let them change electives smoothly.
They waited for a few minutes in front of her office, chatting about Animagi wizards and their coolest animals. They had time to wave at the Fat Friar at least twice and still their professor's door remained closed. Pacing, Ron nervously knocked after another three minutes.
"Ron, don't touch the handle, you'll open the door by accident," suddenly whispered Hermione with agitation.
"She might just be passed out for all we know! I don't mean to be offensive but she's ancient Hermione," he answered in the same tone, knocking once more. Seeing there wasn't an answer, he invited himself inside.
Hermione found it very rude, judging by her scandalised face. But Harry lost all will to laugh when he entered their Professor's office.
They were greeted by a scowl and a bemused expression. McGonagall was evidently the one scowling. The bemused expression belonged to a student Harry didn't know. He was sitting in the plush chair that faced the oak office, near the sole window of the small room. "Mister Weasley, if you would just wait for your turn!" The trio froze in their steps and the tips of Ron's ears turned bright red. "Oh, I'm sorry," he squeaked.
Harry had a feeling he was apologizing for more than one thing.
"It's alright, professor. We were finished, weren't we?" The deep voice of the student startled Harry. He wore a golden tie with black stripes and a badge on his dark robes. A Hufflepuff prefect then. He seemed older than them, and quite handsome too. Harry could easily imagine girls drooling over his straight nose, neatly combed hair and sharp jawline. Urgh. He must have had an easy life, the young wizard thought with jealousy, something he rarely felt.
Noticing Harry was studying him, the Hufflepuff prefect turned his head in the trio's direction once . He didn't seem shocked to meet the Boy-Who-Lived, but the amused look he cast at Harry's crooked tie and wild hair achieved to irk the young wizard.
"We were, indeed, mister Diggory. Don't forget what I told you and don't hesitate to come by once more, before your O.W.L.s for instance. I'll see to it that we won't be disturbed this time," McGonagall said, glaring daggers at Ron.
The latter gulped quite audibly next to Harry. Diggory stood up regally, bid their professor goodbye and walked out of her office without a second glance. "Professor, why were you advising a student from another House?" blurted Harry the second the door had closed.
He saw Hermione give him a puzzled look. McGonagall lifted an eyebrow behind her oak desk. "Well, I'm afraid that it is none of your business, Mister Potter. Mister Diggory asked for a personal interview," that said, she glared at Ron once more. "Anyhow, what brings you three in my office? It's almost lunch, isn't it?"
Hermione took it as her cue to shine and Harry silently thanked her in his head. She took a step closer to the oak office and the witch. "Professor McGonagall, we'd like to talk to you about changing a certain of our elective for the rest of the year."
McGonagall's eyebrow lifted even further and, dare Harry say, the right corner of her mouth too. "That was fast." She took a stack of papers and started rearranging them. Her office was very neat, Harry noticed. Though he couldn't spot a bed anywhere in the small room, and he knew these to be their professor sleeping quarters. He'd have to ask the Weasley twins. "What did I tell you, Miss Granger? You don't need to overwork yourself. You are already a gifted witch as you-"
"Oh no, I wasn't just talking about me," interrupted Hermione, gesturing widely in the air.
Ron and Harry exchanged a disbelieving glance. Hermione never interrupted a professor, least of all her favourite one. There was definitely something going on there.
"Oh, well then. Are you all quitting Divination?" guessed McGonagall through pinched lips. She seemed disappointed, to Harry's dismay.
"Yes, professor. We all agreed yesterday that while perfectly fine, this course held no appeal to any of us. This is why I would personally like to drop this elective." There was a short beat of silence until Hermione stepped on Ron's toes.
"OÏ! Why'd you-" she gave him a menacing stare. "Oh, right. I'd like to just swap with Muggle Studies. If possible, of course, professor!" He added, seeing Hermione's stare was not subsiding.
McGonagall didn't say anything but her mouth was far less pinched now. It encouraged Harry to make his demand as well.
"And I'd like to swap Divination with Arithmancy, please. If it's not too late..."
McGonagall observed the three of them for a few seconds before nodding slowly. "I can't say I'm surprised. I learned about yesterday's incident in Divination. I should warn you, Mister Potter, professor Trelawney is persuaded you unleashed an old ghost, or a malediction, well maybe both really..."
"Oh? Is… is it true?" asked Harry, vaguely concerned by this bit of information.
"Dear Godric!" exclaimed McGonagall, jumping out of her chair. "If whatever Sybil thought was true I'd be dead a dozen of times by now. She is a gifted seer but has a certain… Taste for grandiloquence. No need to fret, Mister Potter."
Their professor smiled warmly and Harry couldn't help but return the gesture. She asked for their timetables and in an instant, the three of them had their wishes granted.
Harry saw Hermione beam at the little space the dropped elective had left in her timetable, and smiled as well. But it was quickly replaced with a frown when he noticed a new class appearing at the same spot. Arithmancy. His new class had filled in perfectly his previous hours of Divination, as Hermione's had…
Hadn't Ron remarked she was taking Arithmancy earlier in the week? How could have she gone to both classes at the same time?
"Now, I must ask of you to refrain from bragging to your fellow students. I'll only allow this change of electives because you went to see me this soon in the year."
"Of course, professor," the Trio answered in unison, Harry still frowning.
"Good, it is settled, then."
Ron's belly suddenly let out a growl to rival with an angry dog. "Sorry… Err, can we please go eat, now?" he asked, blushing madly. McGonagall couldn't help but smirk. Still, she nodded at them. Ron immediately fled out of her office with a hasty "Thanks, bye professor!", nearly tripping on the rug on his way. Thanks to his recent growth spurt, he didn't seem to know how to move his gangly limbs anymore. Hermione and Harry followed, snickering under their breaths.
"Oh, Mister Potter, before you go a quick word, please."
Harry turned his head to look at McGonagall. She seemed quite serious all of the sudden, her pointy hat darting to the ceiling like an exclamation mark.
"Don't worry we'll save you a spot. And a part of treacle tart."
"Thanks, Hermione." Harry chuckled as he watched his friend scramble after Ron. "Bye professor! Ronald, wait a bit, I can't keep up with your long legs. Hey, don't run! I didn't say they weren't fine!"
McGonagall closed the door in behind Harry's back and the mood of the room immediately changed. "I will be brief, Mister Potter. It has come to our attention that Dementors were indeed sighted passing near the train, causing it to stop momentarily. The conductor had apparently fainted. But that's not what is important… Are you still unable to recall the events of the 1st of September?"
Harry didn't have to think very much before shaking his head the negative. Those missing memories started to bother him too. He had no idea why he had been attacked during his stroll on the express. He had many enemies, yes, but they rarely succeeded in harming him.
Huh, he might have been a bit cocky just then, he thought.
Anyway, he couldn't remember a thing. And seeing McGonagall frown, he couldn't help but realise it was far more problematic than what he'd originally thought. His professor sighed as if to confirm his theory. "Well, that was all, Mister Potter. You are free to go."
Harry had just a question before joining his friends in the great hall. "Professor, will Hermione be okay with so many classes?"
"So you have noticed, then," McGonagall simply replied. "We can only hope Miss Granger will be okay. Although I do think she will deeply need the both of you if she intends to pursue the year at this breakneck speed."
Harry nodded, feeling as though his throat had constricted to the diameter of a pin. He promised himself, here and then, that he would try his best to make sure Hermione didn't go completely mad this year.