All of the characters except for my own handful of originals, as well as locations, names, titles etc. are and remain the property of JKR and I hope you like it. My original characters are to remain exclusively mine and not used unless requested, the same applies to unique spells, principles, traditions, plot lines, books, histories and similar. Ask my permission in a PM and reference me.
Review please whether you like it or not. Tell me what you do and do not like and why! I do love having my ego stroked with 'Wow, great!' etc. but it's not as useful for my process as having some real examples and effects. If any of you would like to PM me a review or opinions or just talk about my story, please do so.
TTTTTTTTTTT
Chapter 18: Defence Against The Dark Arts.
Wednesday meant a free morning of independent study followed by two hours of Defence Against The Dark Arts with Professor Quirrell. It was a class that everyone had been eagerly looking forward to and they went to breakfast eagerly prophesising what they would be learning about. Ron was expecting a mountain troll, Dean a vampire and Harry was sincerely hoping for some kind of duelling lesson.
They ate in the great hall. Parvati's twin sister in Ravenclaw invited them to join her house for breakfast and they sat discussing their lessons so far. The Ravenclaws were to be with them for their lesson with Quirrell and had so far had Charms with Professor Flitwick and the Slytherins and Herbology with Professor Sprout and her Hufflepuffs.
'Charms is amazing!' Said Padma Patil, clapping her hands, 'Professor Flitwick is the best teacher ever, too. Watch this: she said, taking out her wand and pointing it at a piece of toast. 'Wingardium Leviosa!'
The toast wobbled a bit on the plate before one corner lifted up into the air, followed a moment later by the rest. It rose a few inches before clattering back onto Mandy Brocklehurt's plate. She scowled.
Parvati hugged Padma and the girls went wild while Harry demonstrated the match to needle transfiguration that he had perfected to Terry Boot. There was a screeching sound overhead as dozens of owls flew in through the windows in the rafters.
'Post's here!' someone shouted on a nearby table.
'Post?' Harry asked, looking up.
The owls were all carrying either envelopes or small parcels which they dropped unerringly before their recipients.
A small folded piece of paper fell in front of Harry followed by three wrapped parcels, each with a stamp reading: MMRfaO, Diagon Alley.
Harry's eyes widened and he tore into the wrapping paper, revealing first a packet addressed to him and a bundle of separately wrapped items. He opened the letter and read.
Dear Mr Potter,
I hope you are enjoying Hogwarts.
Please find in these bundles your first delivery of clothes as per your request on the 31st July. Unless otherwise instructed I'll send new and replacement items every three months. As soon as the weather starts to turn for the winter I'll send you things like heavier jackets, boots and gloves. If you find chance to visit London at any point this year, please visit my store so I can measure you again.
Please find enclosed my catalogue and an order form. There are also copies of Immaculate, the new collection by Hubert Governor of New York, Wand and Field which is a gentleman's outfitting and wizarding accessories firm based in Exeter and finally the latest catalogue from Bantham's, the adventuring and bespoke accessory company who's shop is next door to mine. I get special discounts from all companies, some of which I am able to pass on to you. I can supply you with anything from my catalogue within two weekdays and most of the other companies can deliver within a week. Just bear in mind that things from Bantham's is all custom-made and they will either need you to visit them or send you a measuring kit.
Your account is fully open with me and I'm always open to receiving an owl from you or any of your friends. Anything you need just let me know. If I don't hear from you soon then I look forward to seeing you in the flesh whenever you get time away from Hogwarts.
Yours sincerely,
Madame Melisandé Malkin.
'What's that Harry?' Ron asked, looking at the packets.
'Just a few things I asked for while I was in Diagon Alley, the same place I got my other good clothes from.' Harry said, opening the first packet which consisted of ten pairs of socks.
Ron stared as the next package turned out to be a pair of trousers and a belt complete with the Gryffindor emblem on the buckle.
'They're nice, Harry,' Parvati said, 'from Madame Malkins?'
Harry nodded, 'She set up an account for me because…' he looked around the table and realised he wasn't explaining his situation to teachers or anyone in a position of authority. A curious feeling emerged from his subconscious that he didn't want everyone to know about his life and the enforced poverty in which he had lived. '… well it's important to dress nice, isn't it?'
Ron frowned – he was wearing a pair of ripped jeans, faded orange t-shirt with the remains of a Chudley Cannons logo and a pair of tired old shoes. Padma and Parvati nodded enthusiastically while Hermione agreed but stared at Harry, her gaze scrutinising him.
Uncomfortable, Harry turned to the other boys, 'Guys, could you give me a hand with these?'
Dean and Seamus nodded, 'If I can have that belt,' Seamus said with a cocked eyebrow.
'Sure,' Harry said, tossing it to the cheeky Irishman who put it on straight away.
Ron, Dean and Seamus helped Harry move the bundles to the dorm. He had gotten used to wearing clothes that fit over the last month, but the new items actually fit him correctly. He checked the collar of a line shirt and found no labels. The shirts and trousers all appeared to have been made to fit him. There was a tag attached to the shirt with a small pin.
The shirts and trousers are able to change a little to fit as you grow over the year but everything else is normal and you will outgrow them. MM
Harry dressed in his new clothes and pulled his robes on while Dean admired a vivid purple silk shirt.
'This is beautiful, Harry.' Dean said, turning the shirt in the light, watching the colours shimmer.
'Keep it.' Harry said.
Dean's eyes widened. 'Don't be stupid, this is worth sixty quid at least!'
Harry shrugged, 'I don't mind, purple's not really one of my favourites.'
'You sure?'
The door to the dorm banged as Harry nodded. Ron had left.
'What's up with him d'you reckon?' Seamus asked, admiring his new belt in the mirror on his wardrobe.
Harry shrugged and the three went, as planned to watch the trials for a new Gryffindor seeker out on the quidditch pitch.
TTTTTTTTTTTT
Angelina Johnson greeted Harry enthusiastically when she saw the three in the stands.
Dropping down from the heights, she pulled off her leather cap, spilling out thick black hair that was almost as tightly coiled as Deans.
'Wow.' Harry said, staring at the black cloud around her head.
'What?' she said, trying unsuccessfully to pat her hair down.
'Nothing.'
'The hair?'
Harr nodded.
'Shut up,' she blushed, 'I normally use Felicie's Sleek and Smooth, to keep it under control but it just makes things worse with this bloody hat.'
Harry tried not to grin. 'How's the search going?'
She groaned, landing next to them on the stands. 'Total nightmare. There are a few good ones, but most just want the glory without the work. Seeker is probably the most mentally-difficult job in quidditch. It's not very physical, but you need to be small, quick and agile as well as being able to concentrate.'
'How many have tried for it so far?' Dean asked.
'Six. We've got two reserve beaters and a reserve keeper out of it, which I'm glad about. But none of them are really seeker material. Look at her over there,' she pointed to an extremely tall, thin girl astride a similarly thin and long broom, 'she's fast, like crazy fast and she'd make a good enough chaser, but she's got no idea about what's going on around her.'
'There's a snitch behind her back!' Dean shouted, laughing.
The girl turned around, noticed the tiny golden ball and gave chase before losing it a few seconds later. Wood shouted that the girl was dismissed and thanked her for applying.
'Quite unforgiving, isn't he?' Asked Harry.
Angelina nodded and was about to reply when Wood, as if on cue, shouted at Angelina to get back on her broom. She tugged her cap back over her huge hair and winked at Harry before jumping off the stand while still climbing onto her broom and took to the sky.
They watched for half an hour while a succession of would-be seekers zoomed around the pitch until Wood told everyone to leave in an explosion of frustration.
Harry, Dean and Seamus left, meeting the other first year Grffindors in the courtyard and going to practice the match-needle configuration. When even Seamus had managed to make a stable metal, they gave up, removed their robes and lay around in the sun eating Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans until Hermione encountered an engine oil-flavoured one and vomited into the lake.
TTTTTTTTTTTT
Hermione spent forty minutes brushing her teeth before lunch where Wood was grinding a knife into the table and glaring at the rest of the quidditch team.
They went to Defence Against The Dark Arts where Professor Quirrell flinched as they walked in.
It was in no way what they had expected.
Quirrell was a thin man and his turban absurdly large, perched over his emaciated face. The room was clouded with a heavy layer of incense and there was a heavy smell of garlic in the air.
'Please t-take a seat.' Quirrell said in his nervous, twitchy way. He had several cloves of garlic around his neck.
It took Quirrell almost ten minutes to take the register, after which he outlined the course for the year. Quirrell advocated a long-reach approach favouring spells and techniques would enable them to hide, run and otherwise escape from potential encounters. The best and most basic defence, Quirrell stated, was to avoid danger entirely.
'On that b-b-b-basis-s,' Quirrell said as his withdrew his wand from a sleeve, 'I will t-teach y-you all a-a-a basic spell f-f-fo-fooo-for discovering dark creatures. Lumos.'
A point of bright white light appeared at the end of his wand.
'You can find this spell in the early chapters of The Standard Book of Spells along with many sensible applications. Yes Mr Boot?'
Terry Boot had turned in his front-row seat and asked a question that Harry didn't make out. Quirrell was standing between in the middle of the class and Harry winced as pain shot through his scar again.
'You alright mate?' Dean asked, touching Harry's shoulder.
Tense enough from the pain, Harry's mind recoiled from the contact and he threw Dean's hand away with a sneer. 'I'm fine!'
'P-Potter, whatever-r-r is the m-matter?' Quirrell asked, turning back to face them.
The pain abated suddenly, 'Nothing Professor, sorry. Sorry Dean, just had a pain in my head.'
'That'll be too much studying.' Laughed Ron nervously.
'Are you sure you're quite alright P-Potter?' Quirrell asked distractedly.
Harry nodded.
His sharp mood passed as quickly as had the pain in his head and he settled, rubbing his scar while Quirrell resumed his train of thought. The rest of the class concerned practicing the lumos spell and maintaining it while they inspected a mock-bedroom where they were tasked with finding a stuffed gremlin. It was hidden under the bed where Seamus eventually found it after realising he could maintain the spell with his wand clenched in his teeth – an effort that won him two points for Gryffindor.
'Y-yes, many dark creatures hide in the d-d-d-aaa-dark: it is their element,' Quirrell said, holding up the little green creature with over-long arms and legs and an angular, sneering face. 'Creatures such as gremlins, w-w-while rare in non-m-m-mu-muuuu-m-muggle households, are d-dreadful tricksters a-and can cause t-t-t-terrible nightmares.'
The class noted this down and for the remaining twenty minutes of the class learned about gremlins which preferred the dark, emerging from hiding places at night to wreak havoc.
'And next lesson I will b-b-be show-sh-showing you a couple of spells t-t-o make getting rid of a-any Gremlins you might find easier-r-r. F-for n-ne-next l-lesson: half a r-roll of p-parchment on the pre-preferred habitat and b-b-behav-viour of the common g-gremlin.'
The class groaned at this, but gathered their equipment and left the classroom heading for Dinner. Seamus was allowed to keep the cuddly gremlin as a secondary reward. Everyone actually believed it was because Quirrell was afraid of it.
TTTTTTTTTTTT
Read and review please, don't pull any punches.
CONSTRUCTIVE FEEDBACK IS ALWAYS WELCOME.