Shifts in Destiny

Chapter 12

Transfiguring Foe into Friend

Harry waited in the Common room as usual to wait for Serena. After a night's sleep, he shouldered off their argument and believed their relationship will get back to normal. It was almost eight o'clock and Serena wasn't in the common room yet. It was late, even on Serena's standards. He didn't see Lydia or Hermione come down in the whole time he was waiting. He began pacing the ground and staring at the stairs leading to the girls' dormitory. Was Serena in bed, sick?

"Serena, are you all right?" he called up the stairs.

A little while later, Pavariti came down the stairs. Next to Serena, Pavariti came down late. She liked to spend extra time primping.

"Pavariti," he said. "Is Serena ill today? She hasn't come down yet."

Pavariti shook her head. "No, her bed's empty. I think she left early this morning."

"Serena, get up early?" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"I know," Pavariti grinned. "It usually takes all four of us to get her up."

"Thanks, Pavariti," said Harry and he hurried out of the portrait hole. She scanned the Gryffindor table for Serena but didn't see her. He sat next to Lydia.

"Where's Serena?" he asked.

"She headed to Transfiguration, there was something she wanted to talk to McGonagall about," replied Lydia. "You better eat something before the food disappears." She nodded to the table. "You got about two minutes."

"Pavariti said she got up early," said Harry, disregarding her advice. "Since when does that happen?"

"I don't know but she seemed really cross with you last night. She stayed up most the night talking about how unfair it was that you didn't let her finish the reading."

"It's just nonsense!" Harry said, grabbing a piece of toast. "Slytherins and Gryffindors becoming friends? Impossible!"

"Raye's our friend," said Lydia. "And she's a Slytherin."

"That's different," Harry grumbled. "You've been friends with her before."

"What about the Slytherins in the DA?" Lydia asked. "Blaise Zabini. Miranda LeStrange. Francis Tattling."

"They just joined in the first place because they hated Umbridge's lessons," Harry said dismissively.

Hedwig soared into the room and landed on the table in front of Harry, leg stretched out. Harry muttered a greeting to his owl and allowed her to take a bite of his breakfast before she flew off again. The letter was a reply from his cousin Dudley.

Harry,

I got your letter in the middle of a party. It was really boring until Hedwig showed up. Aunt Marge spilled her drink all over one of dad's associates. You should've seen it. It was better than Dennis spiking the punch bowl. Mum and Dad was a little cross though and they didn't want you to write anymore. Don't worry though; I think they'll settle down in a while.

I overheard Mum tell Dad about a friend your mum had growing up. She met him when they were kids and he told her about magic. His name was Severus Snape. Isn't that the teacher you don't like?

Dudley

"My mother was friends with Snape?!"

"Still think Gryffindors can't be friends with Slytherins, Harry?" Lydia questioned with a grin. She patted Harry on the shoulder and got up. "Oh surely if your mum did it, you can too."

Having lost his appetite, Harry pushed his food away. He'd try to talk to Serena then. However, when he got there, Serena was sitting right next to Malfoy.

"Serena!" he exclaimed. "What're you doing?"

Instead of replying, Serena sat higher in her seat and grinned. Draco was looking glumly at his desk. From what Harry could gather, he was also unhappy about Serena sitting next to him.

"In your seat, Potter!" McGonagall barked.

Harry took his seat next to Ron. "What's going on?" he asked him. "What's Serena doing sitting next to Malfoy?"

"I guess she's his new partner," Ron answered. "Serena's a natural at transfiguration, isn't she? McGonagall probably asked her to help him."

"Or Serena volunteered," Harry said through gritted teeth.

McGonagall addressed the class. "We finished covering vanishing spells before the holidays. Now we will start its counterpart: Conjuration."

"Yes," Serena squealed excitedly. "What are we going to conjure? Cake?"

There were a few laughs and words of agreement. Draco groaned and rubbed his head. McGonagall tilted hers.

"No," she answered. "Food cannot be conjured."

"Are you serious?" Serena demanded and she folded her arms. "What do you mean it can't be conjured?"

Before Professor McGonagall could answer, Hermione raised her hand. "Have something you want to add, Granger?"

"Yes," said Hermione as she lowered her hand. "Food is the first principle of Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. It can be summoned if you know where it is, and you can multiply it but it is impossible to make food out of nothing."

"Correct," confirmed McGonagall as she turned to the chalkboard. "Let's continue with the rest of the principles. After writing food, she wrote money (Ron groaned), clothes, shelter and life.

"Though it may be possible to conjure metal, it is not possible to conjure money," continued McGonagall. "Clothing may be altered but it is also impossible to conjure. Shelter is too large for one person to conjure, or even transfigure. Remember that the smaller an object is, the easier it is to transfigure. The same is in conjuration. However, it is possible to alter small parts of a structure. You should know that there is no spell to bring back the dead. It is also impossible to conjure a new human soul. There is only one way to bring in new life as I'm sure you all already know."

Ron a few others waited for the stoic transfiguration teacher to blush or stumble over her words. She taught just as she would any transfiguration lesson.

"But we all need those things to live," said Serena. "How can magic not conjure them? I thought you could do anything with magic."

"Magic has its' limits," said McGonagall. "Not everything can be conjured, neither can everything be changed. It also impossible to fix damage done by intention dark magic."

Harry raised her hand and McGonagall called on him. "Is that why Professor Moody had a false leg and eye? What about my scar?"

"Yes," answered McGonagall. "There is no magic to return his real eye and leg. You will have your scar for the rest of your life."

Harry looked down. Even after he was to defeat Voldemort, he would still have his scar? McGonagall continued to speak about the five principles.

Pavariti raised her hand. "Professor, if there is now way to bring back the dead, what about inferi?"

A few other students nodded in agreement.

"Inferi are animated corpses that were cursed by Dark Magic," said McGongall. "They have no conscious or understanding."

"So they're just puppets?" Serena asked, looking shocked.

"In a matter of saying," McGonagall said.

"But isn't there a way to free them?" Serena inquired.

"Not by transfiguration," McGonagall told her. "Now let's move forward. The aspect of conjuration is not unlike transfiguration. You need to keep in mind the size and solidity of the thing you are trying to put in being. Conjuration is to be used when you do not have anything to transfigure or the objects around you are too difficult to change. It is important to remember that things that conjured do not last. If you do not vanish them, they eventually go into nonbeing.

"Now then," said McGonagall, "we will start with the water-conjuration spell. Because it is light and a liquid, it shall be easy enough to conjure. Now watch carefully, Aguamenti!"

She moved her wand fluidly in the air and a small stream of water escaped the tip of her wand into a goblet on her podium.

"Now I want you to practice filling your goblets of water and vanishing them," said McGonagall. "Begin."

Only Hermione and Ami got the spell right on the first try. Serena's ability got better with each attempt. Instead of doing the spell, Harry was watching Serena encouraging Draco to keep trying.

"You had a drop that time, Draco," said Serena. "Try again. You can do it."

"Can you believe she's trying to help that jerk?" Harry demanded. "Is she really this mad at me, over some stupid card trick?"

"I don't you not to do it, mate," said Ron, pulling the goblet a little closer to him. "I want to make sure I don't get the whole table wet." He cleared his throat and cried, "Aguamenti!"

A look of accomplishment appeared on his face when he saw water gush from his wand, but cringed when the missed his goblet and splashed all over Hermione. She stood up.

"Watch where you point that thing!" she exclaimed.

"Sorry!" Ron gasped.

By the end of the class, everyone was able to perform the spell although some found it difficult to aim the water and control it.

"Well done, Draco," said Serena. "When we start with the harder stuff, we'll practice together!"

"Can hardly wait," Draco grunted as he grabbed his stuff and left. He and Harry exchanged glares as Harry approached Serena.

"Serena, why are you helping Draco?" he demanded.

"Hey Harry!" Serena said. "Lydia told me that your mom was friends with Snape. Small world, huh?"

"Forget about that," said Harry as he followed her out the door. "Why on Earth you helping Draco?"

"I noticed he's behind in transfiguration," Serena explained. "So I volunteered to help him."

"You can't be serious," said Harry. "You're just doing this to get back at me for not letting you finish your silly reading."

"How dare you!" Serena shot back, shocking Harry. "It's like you don't even know me, even Darien knew me better than that Harry!

"You bring him up?" said Harry. "After everything?"

"I'm actually doing you a favor by doing this," said Serena. "But you think I'm doing this just to spite you. The world doesn't revolve around you, you know!"

She ran off in tears before Harry could get a word in. Serena avoided him the rest of the day. She refused to be near him during Charms and Herbology and sat with the Slytherins. It got worse when he heard that she greeted every Slytherin she saw in the corridors. Had his girlfriend lost her mind?

At the end of the day, Harry came to the dungeons for Lita to tutor him for potions. She was already in the classroom, looking at the potion reagents.

"Hey Harry," she said. "I heard your mum was friends with Snape. Crazy, huh?"

"Does everyone have to remind me?" Harry groaned.

Lita chuckled. "Sorry. Hey, you really think Serena's tutoring Draco just to spite you?"

"Why else would she do it?" Harry demanded.

"Because she really wants to help him," Lita said. "She wants to be his friend."

"Why would anyone want to be friends Draco Malfoy?" Harry said. "The first time I meant him, he talked bad about muggleborns and Hagrid. He reminded me of Dudley!"

"But you and Dudley are on good terms now, right?" Lita asked.

"When Dudley was still a jerk," said Harry. "Because I saved him from the dementors, but if I saved Draco from anything, I know he'd be less than appreciative."

"Well, you're crazy," Lita said sternly. "Serena wouldn't do something like that. If she really were angry with you, she'd either tease the hell out of you, or ignore you completely. Serena's always been one to make friends with the misfits. I was one of them."

"What'd you mean?" Harry inquired.

"At our old school," Lita explained, "everyone was too afraid of me to be my friend. Serena was the only one who didn't listen to the stupid rumors and tried to befriend me."

"So she's really trying to be friends with Draco and the other Slytherins," Harry said slowly, "just for the sake of being their friend?"

"That's right," Lita confirmed.

"Really?"

"Really."

Harry frowned and sighed. He was an idiot.

"You might want to apologize to her when you get the chance," said Lita.

"If she'll listen to me," Harry groaned.

"She will," Lita told him. "Well, let's get started. What sort of potions you need help on?"

"Everything," Harry muttered as he opened his bag and looked in it for his potion's book. "I don't have my book. Left it in the dorms."

"Well don't think you can get out of this lesson just because you don't have your book, Harry," Lita said, putting her hands on her hips and leaning toward him. "Check that cupboard. I think that's where Snape keeps his textbooks. Maybe you should grab one for fourth or fifth year."

As Harry opened the cupboard, an old copy of Advanced Potion Making fell out. As Harry bent down to pick it up, he noticed that the pages were written on. "Lita, look at this."

Lita came over and read one of the scribblings, "Crush with silver knife instead of cutting—Well, yeah, duh! I figured that trick out too!"

They flipped through the pages, seeing all the tricks and tips in the margins of the pages. Lita had already discovered most of them. Harry turned to the first page, curious to find the identity of the owner. "This book is the property of the Half-Blood-Prince," he read. "It's Snape's!"

He dropped the book and Lita bent down to retrieve it. She glared at him. "Oh come on, Harry. I doubt it's got buladox powder on it or something."

"Did you set it up so I'd find it?" Harry demanded. "You expect me to use Snape's tricks?"

"Now you think I'm trying to spite you?" Lita gasped. "Not everyone's out to get you, Harry. Relax. I didn't even know this was in there!" Lita exclaimed, jabbing the book in the direction of the cabinet. "What's the big deal? Now we know this was just a name Snape made up. But you gotta admit these are cool ways to perfect potion making. We should try them out."

"Not interested," Harry said defiantly.

"All right," Lita sighed and she returned the book to the cupboard. "Let's just start with the basics. You know the common reagents and what their properties are?"

"Uh, no," Harry admitted. "Not all of them."

"Well you might want to take notes then," said Lita. "This might take a while."

Harry pulled out his parchment and quill and took a seat as Lita went through the shelves of all the reagents. She held out a jar that looked like it was frosted. "Frozen ashwinder eggs. These go in love potions. Want to make one for Serena?"

"Very funny," Harry muttered.

"You can also eat these whole to cure ague," Lita said as she placed the jar back on the shelf.

"What?" said Harry.

"Ague; fever and chills," Lita answered. "You've keep these things frozen though or they'll burn things down." She grabbed the next item, a vial of powder. "Asphodel root. Can you guess what this does?"

Harry paused. "I think it goes in draught of living death."

"Right," Lita smiled. "It's a common plant. I like experimenting with it. You know, there's a myth that these are in the underworld?"

Lita went on explaining the reagents and their uses until she went through them all. Harry had to use nearly six rolls of parchment. Though his hand was aching as if he had actually brewed a potion, he felt that he actually learned something.

"That was nice," he said. "Thanks Lita."

"I think we'll work on the pepperup potion next time," said Lita. "Madam Pomfrey might need more for her stores. Cold and flu season, you know."

"Okay," said Harry and he left the dungeon feeling more confident for the next Potions lesson.

When Harry entered the common room, Serena rose from the table to leave.

"Serena wait!" Harry cried. "Look, I'm sorry!"

"Whatever, Harry," she said, going up the stairs.

"Nice on, Harry," Lydia murmured who was looking through a book of large magical beasts.

"I apologized," said Harry.

"Well maybe she's just not ready to forgive you," said Lydia. "Thinking that she was only helping Draco to spite you…that's low."

"You think it's easy for her to work with someone like Draco?" Hermione demanded.

"Of course not," said Harry. "That's why I couldn't believe it. She can stop helping him if it's not easy."

"Once Serena sets her mind on something," Lydia said, closing her book and going up the stairs. "It's awfully hard to change it."

When the common room emptied out, Harry sat there alone. He began to believe should be a sixth principle to Gamp's law: turning foe into friend.

TO BE CONTINUED