THE DIARY OF A WITCH, VOLUME V
DISCLAIMER: As mentioned before this story mostly follows Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix which I did not write nor own the rights too. Also not making any money off of this.
CHAPTER 7: MARCH
Monday, March 1, Great Hall, Dinner,
I just got an owl from Dumbledore and it looks like my actual lessons are about to begin because he asked me to meet him in his office on Saturday. How do you politely tell one of the most powerful wizards in the world that while you are grateful they are taking time to tutor you, you have way too much going on already and that more lessons might possibly make your brain explode?
Tuesday, March 2, Dorm Room, After D.A.,
Had meeting; learned new spell; will be going over Stunning Spells next (hope I get to practice on Smith).
Saturday, March 6, Room Eleven,
Well, this is weird.
Dumbledore didn't start lessons immediately; instead he asked if I would be willing to do something for him. I nodded warily and then he smiled and asked me to follow him (in animal form once again in case of Umbridge). I shrugged and shifted into a cat and followed him. He led me to, of all places, room eleven.
Room eleven is one of those rooms that is never really used. It's on the ground floor in a hallway that's across from the Great Hall in back of the stairs leading to the rest of the castle. When we entered there was an inch of dust and a few boxes stacked in a corner of a large and frankly dirty room which kind of gives it the feeling of half classroom, half closet. I shifted back and stared at Dumbledore in confusion. "What are we doing here?"
"I suspect in a very short while we will be having a guest stay here on the ground floor of the castle. I would like to make the place as comfortable as possible for him."
I looked at the room doubtfully. "Here?"
"Our guest is from the Forbidden Forest and I need you to grow some trees and plants here."
I stared at him. "How am I supposed to grow trees inside? Plus, I need seeds for that sort of thing, I have control over plants, I can't make them from scratch."
"I've already had a discussion with Professor Sprout who has found magical plants that will grow inside. They will be here on Tuesday ready for your use. You just need to figure out how to work them out best so they flourish."
He makes it sound so easy.
"Why all the rush?" I asked curiously.
"I'm not sure how long I'll have, but I suspect it will be very soon when our guest will need to be here. It just depends."
"On what?"
"On Professor Umbridge."
I understood immediately.
Umbridge is planning something. Rats, I can't get my recording stone for at least a few more weeks.
Sunday, March 7, Great Hall, Breakfast,
TO DO LIST FOR WEEK(other then classes):
Monday:
Turn in Potions and History of Magic essay
Rune Translation
Quidditch Practice
Clean up Room Eleven (try to talk Owen into helping)
Tuesday:
Turn in plant drawings in Herbology
DADA written exam
Transfiguration problems due
Get Room Eleven set up
Quidditch practice
Wednesday:
Latin oral quiz
Astronomy notebook check
Charms Club
Quidditch practice
Thursday:
Transfiguration practical
Charms essay due
D.A.
Quidditch Practice
Friday:
Potions written exam
Charms Club Officers Meeting
Quidditch Practice
Saturday:
Ravenclaw v.s. Slytherin match; no sleeping in!
Dumbledore lesson
Monday, March 8, Divination,
-Hey Owen!
-Hi...
-You busy after classes today?
-I have schoolwork, but not really; why?
-Well, Dumbledore sort of gave me this project to do and it would be great if I had help.
-What sort of project is it?
-I have to fix up room eleven.
-Room eleven? We have a room eleven?
-It's in that hallway off the Entrance Hall.
-Oh. Always wondered what was back there. Why does he want YOU to fix it up? Why doesn't he get Filch to do it? That's his job, isn't it?
-I don't think he wants Filch to know, because otherwise he'll go telling Umbridge and she'll suspect something.
-Like what, that he wants to keep the school clean?
-I'll explain better when we get there, but can you help or not?
-What do I get out of it?
-Procrastination on Potions?
-Unlike you J, I LIKE Potions remember?
-Right; still think that's weird by the way. Um...how about a Chocolate Frog?
-How about five?
-Oh come on! I don't have many left!
-Take it or leave it. Besides you can get more at Hogsmeade when we go in two weeks.
-Oh fine. Chocolate hog.
-Look who's talking.
Later Monday, March 8, Dorm Room, After Dinner,
Well, now I know what the hell Dumbledore was talking about.
After Ancient Runes Owen and I headed to room eleven and on the way I explained to him what Dumbledore wanted. We got to the room and I discovered that someone (I assume Dumbledore) had moved the boxes from the room so that saved time because I was wondering where I was supposed to go and put those. Cleaning actually didn't take that long, we used simple cleaning charms I got from Charms Today at one point that cleared up all the dust and set it up to get ready for the plants. It only took about twenty minutes or so to get it ready. We started to gather our stuff when we heard shrieking coming from the Entrance Hall.
"What's that?" Owen asked with a frown.
"Probably Peeves making trouble again," I said. He tends to make random noises when he thinks he's being ignored or underappreciated. One time he knocked over an entire suit of armor because he felt it was too quiet.
But as we got out of the room and turned the corner we saw that a crowd had gathered and realized that it was most likely not Peeves because then we could tell that the shrieking was in fact a woman who kept saying no, over and over again. We spotted Hannah, Justin, and Ernie nearby in the front and went to join them. "What's going on?" I asked.
"That horrible woman is sacking her!" Hannah told me, looking angrier then I've ever seen her. I knew at once that the horrible woman she was referring too was Umbridge. Then I looked at the center of the gathering to see Professor Trelawney sitting on a trunk and sobbing with Umbridge looking down on her gleefully. You know at that moment I was starting to feel angry myself. Trelawney has never been my favorite person but she certainly doesn't deserve that and she's perfectly harmless. A little crazy but she didn't hurt anyone with her senseless predictions...annoyed people, maybe; but nothing serious.
Professor McGonagall came and reassured Trelawney that she wasn't going to have to leave Hogwarts. Umbridge looked at her coldly and said in a voice that made me want to smack her, "Oh really, Professor McGonagall? And your authority for that statement is...?"
"That would be mine," said Dumbledore as he appeared in the entrance. Does he have
good timing or what?
Umbridge of course was all, "But I'm the High Inquisitor; power of the Ministry; blah, blah, blah." Then Dumbledore reminded her that she did not have the authority to throw out his guests.
Go Dumbledore.
Then to further irritate her, he found a Divination teacher (without consulting her) and just GUESS who he hired.
Firenze. I thought Umbridge was going to have coronary when he walked through the door.
But that's why he wanted me to set up room eleven with trees and as quickly as possible. He saw this coming and prepared. I wonder what made him hire Firenze though? I mean he's an okay teacher (if annoyingly cryptic) but centaurs generally avoid humans and considering the issues they had with him teaching me I can imagine what his herd thinks of him teaching at Hogwarts.
Tomorrow will definitely be interesting.
Tuesday, March 9, DADA,
Umbridge is furious, I can tell. She assigned yet another chapter to copy and is sitting at her desk with tea and scowling down at her parchment.
I love it!
Later Tuesday, March 9, Room Eleven, After Classes,
I went to room eleven again and found Firenze and Dumbledore there waiting for me along with several seeds and plants to use for the room. Dumbledore nodded at me and left on business and Firenze and I talked while I set about getting the room ready. I found out that his herd is most definitely not happy with him. As a matter of fact, they kicked him out! He is banned from the Forbidden Forest. I bet Bane was behind that part. I almost went over to the forest to give them all a piece of my mind, but Firenze talked me out of it, saying I would only angry them further if I insulted them.
I wasn't going to insult them. Much.
He asked how my studies were going and I told him and I apologized for not keeping in touch with him as often. I've been really bad about that due to school work. I haven't written home in a few weeks either or sent an owl to Artemis over in France in ages. Between schoolwork, my extra curriculars, and Quidditch practice I've had zero free time these past few months. I haven't picked up an art brush in so long it's not funny.
He said he understood and then asked out of curiosity what we've all been learning in Divination. He frowned but didn't say anything as I described Trelawney's lessons in detail and muttered to himself. I didn't catch it all but I do believe the words "idiotic humans" were in there somewhere. I wisely didn't comment and proceeded to grow the plants.
I did a bang up job if I do say so myself given what I had and all. I even made artificial sunlight for the plants to help them by using a spell that I got from Herbology Helper. Firenze appreciated it anyway and since he's going to be living there, that's what's important.
Wednesday, March 10, Great Hall, Lunch,
Divination was...interesting.
It was kind of fun watching everyone's reactions to Firenze's teaching methods which take a lot of getting used too. Padma's twin, Parvati I could tell was a bit offended when Firenze didn't seem to think much of the methods Trelawney taught. None of them seemed to know what to make of Firenze who is different from any teacher we've had at Hogwarts. Now granted our teachers are all a little different in their teaching methods (Snape expects you to be as brilliant at Potions as he is, Flitwick goes for enjoyment of Charms, McGonagall is strict etc) but Firenze is odd even by Hogwarts standards. Plus he's one of those teachers who expect you to come up with the answers yourself but isn't overly concerned if you don't ever come up with the answer. It can be somewhat frustrating.
Though that thing he said about the great war coming was interesting. I never heard him mention anything earlier. Of course earlier I was a little more concerned about getting my wacky powers under control then asking about the proper way to do Divination. I wonder what else they've seen in the stars?
Thursday, March 11, After D.A, Dorm Room,
Boy, Stunning Spells are hard. I didn't practice on Smith like I hoped, I got paired with Neville which nowadays isn't as bad as it would've been in the past. Of course I was a bit sluggish from Quidditch Practice earlier so my reflexes weren't the best but then I felt a bit better that Cho's weren't all that great either. These nightly practices are killer. It didn't help that everyone told us to kick Slytherin's butt. Even the Gryffindor team members were wishing us luck. I asked Ron Weasley why they were doing so and he grimaced and said, "If I have to stay on the team, then there's little chance Gryffindor will win this year, and I'd rather you guys win the cup than Slytherin."
Hermione and Potter admonished him for thinking that way but well...he kind of has a point. Though I do have to feel for the guy; Hermione told me that he's tried to quit but the team is already short on players so he has no short but to stay on the team because they don't have time to find a new Keeper. Not with how close together the games are going to be this year.
Friday, March 12, History of Magic,
Potions exam was brutal. I think I got at least an A though.
Saturday, March 13, Ravenclaw Common Room, After Quidditch Match,
WE WON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
HAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I guess all those nightly practices payed off. Between Terry, Max, and I we got seventy points before Slytherin scored thirty points then just as I scored one more goal CHANG CAUGHT THE SNITCH! Whole game lasted about forty minutes.
So next Slytherin and Hufflepuff will play. If Slytherin loses they will be out of the running for the final and we will have to play Gryffindor to decide which of us goes to the final against Hufflepuff. But if Hufflepuff loses, we will have to play Slytherin again and if we win we go to the final and play Gryffindor. Yes, the standings are that close right now. But we now have a decent chance at the Quidditch Cup. Davies is ecstatic and so are the rest of us. Ravenclaw hasn't gotten the Quidditch Cup since my first year.
Sunday, March 14, Great Hall, Breakfast,
I think we all partied to hard last night. I know I'm feeling that Pumpkin Juice that I helped smuggle from the kitchens. I guess I didn't learn my lesson from Halloween that too much sugar is not always a good thing.
Monday, March 15, History of Magic,
Damn, I knew that giving Owen those Chocolate Frogs was a bad idea. I offered up the last of them at the celebration party on Saturday night. It's a rule that whenever we have a party we offer up whatever bit of spare food we have. Some people get big care packages from their parents like Mandy does from her parents and I sometimes get when Giselle goes on a cooking spree and decides to send me a plate of pastries. It doesn't happen often but when it does my year mates love it even more then I do. Those raspberry tarts of hers are famous and between me and my friends never last long.
So I had no choice but to give up the last five frogs I had along with one half eaten box of Licorice Wands and now I'm out of junk food. It sucks because a lot of that I chew on here in History of Magic to tide me over till lunch time and to stave off boredom. I might actually have start listening to Binns now. Thank God we have a Hogsmeade visit this weekend so I can stock up on sweets.
Tuesday, March 16, Charms,
Note: D.A. Friday.
Wednesday, March 17, Latin,
If one more teacher mentions the O.W.L.s today I will scream. We KNOW they are in less then three months and that it will go by faster then we think. How can we NOT know? They've been mentioned EVERY FREAKING DAY since school started.
Not that I'm annoyed about the reminders. I'm just saying.
Thursday, March 18, DADA,
Is it me or do the reminders about the O.W.L.s seem more annoying when Umbridge says it?
Friday, March 19, Dorm Room, After D.A.,
ALMOST got the Stunning Spell. I did a little damage to a wall and Hermione says that means I've got the right idea I just need to focus more and aim better (I was aiming at my opponent who was Colin Creevey).
TO DO AT HOGSMEADE:
-Send owl home at owl post and get Quibbler from inbox
-Get some charcoal sticks at art store
-Stock up on candy
Saturday, March 20, Hogsmeade, Three Broomsticks,
My new issue of the Quibbler arrived as instructed. Since the Quibbler is considered an expulsion offense and Umbridge is (according to the owls in the owlery) checking mail now I decided to open what the owl post office in Hogsmeade calls an inbox. It works like a regular mailbox for Muggles but instead of going to Hogwarts whatever mail I don't want delivered to Hogwarts I can get delivered to the box. So I've had my address for the Quibbler redirected to my mailbox per request. It only costs five Knuts a month to have one so it's not costing me much and this way I can get the Quibbler and charm it to avoid expulsion. I sent my letter for good measure but I'm not going to worry about my letters home much, I don't care if Umbridge knows that I would call her a toad but I would be insulting toads everywhere.
Sunday, March 21, Great Hall, Breakfast,
TO DO LIST FOR WEEK (besides classes)
Monday:
Turn in Potions and History of Magic essays
Quidditch Practice
Tuesday:
Herbology project due
DADA essay due
Transfiguration equations due
D.A.
Wednesday:
Latin translations due
Charms Club
Quidditch Practice
Astronomy exam
Thursday:
Herbology exam
Quidditch Practice
Friday:
Charms Club Officers meeting
Quidditch Practice
Saturday:
Dumbledore lesson-have first attempts of knew spell done by lesson at least.
Monday, March 29, Dorm Room,
Has it really been over a week since I've written? My bad.
Last week was just NUTS. It looked like I would have a quiet week but then Mandy decided she wants to get a study group together for O.W.L.s. I reminded her that we were already in D.A. but she said that was fine for DADA but what about our other subjects? Then she started talking to people and of course all the Ravenclaws are for it. I had to bow out though because I have too much on my plate to add regular study sessions for things that aren't schoolwork to my schedule.
Mandy wasn't pleased and is being distant now. Again, can't believe we're friends sometimes. Then there has been school work, trying to put spells on plants with no luck for Dumbledore, practice for classes, and to top it all off I got the wedding invitation to Owen's Mom's wedding just yesterday. It will be on April 17 (the Friday of Easter Vacation) and according to Owen in the Shacklebolt family place because their house and yard is too small to accommodate all their friends and both their families. Kingsley's family has a slightly bigger yard in their wizard home and doesn't have annoying knomes like the yard they have.
God, I will be so happy to get out of Hogwarts by then. I'm not sure what's driving me crazier: my schoolwork, the looming doom that is the O.W.L.s, Umbridge, or my schedule.
END MARCH...TO BE CONTINUED...