Chapter Eight: Getting to School and New DADA Professor:
Harry and Ron made their way back to the car intending on taking it when Moody appeared at once. He saw the situation and cursed himself for not escaping St. Mungos sooner. He knew he had to get the boys to Hogwarts, first he had to write a letter explaining he had the boys with him. He lead the boys to what looked like a closet but once the boys were inside they found themselves in a clean sparse room with large windows. Moody borrowed Hedwig and sent the letter off with her to the school and turned to the two boys who wondered if they were in trouble. Remus and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley joined them looking relieved to see them here with Moody.
"Ah tired t' escape them damn healers earlier but was unable." Moody said coughing roughly. "I am sorry Arthur, Molly t' have inconvenienced ye."
"Nonsense Alastor." Molly said. "Harry dear what happened?"
"I tried to get on the train Aunt Molly but it was like there was a barrier that stopped me." Harry said.
"Are we in trouble?" Ron asked.
"Well if you had taken the car yes you would have been." Arthur said. "But now we just need to figure out how to get you to school."
"Can't put them on the train, it is protected from Apparation." Remus said.
"We can take them to Hogsmead by the floo have them meet up with Minerva there, they will be the first there but that cannot be helped." Moody said. "I sent a letter to Minerva, she will meet them at the Three Broomsticks."
"Right then, I am going too." Remus said.
"I will stay with them until they get into the school." Moody said coughing again. "I no' letting my boy miss school."
"Harry is as much mine as yours old man." Remus said to Moody.
"Could you guys not fight over me?" Harry said rolling his eyes. "It's embarrassing."
"Right then, let's go." Moody said throwing floo on the fire and calling out their destination.
Harry did the same going through with his trunk and Hedwig's cage. He came out into a room where he saw McGonagall waiting for him with a look of concern on her face. There had been only two other times in her teaching career this had happened and both were because those students had been very late. None had been because someone wanted to stop the student from going to school! She told the boys to change into their school robes and when they had their trunks were sent up to the school and they went into the pub to get lunch with their head of house.
"I am sorry for the trouble." Harry said once he sat down.
"Why Harry you could not help what happened." McGonagall said. "Whoever had it in for you didn't succeed, you are here after all."
"Yes ma'am." Harry said.
"Wait until I tell Fred and George, they will be so jealous!" Ron said grinning.
"Mr. Weasley do not encourage them, next year they will fly a car to school!" McGonagall said.
"Doubt it professor McGonagall." Remus said smiling, "Molly would kill them, howlers just don't effect those boys, I told her as much."
"Glad you did, they put itching powder in my bed this summer!" Ron said then he smiled. "I told Bill and he and Charlie got them good."
"They had green hair for a week professor." Harry said laughing. "I think I have a picture somewhere."
McGonagall had a hard time not smiling or laughing at this. After lunch she took the boys up to the school and to the Gryffindor common room. Both boys had a relaxing afternoon, they ate as much sweets as they wanted, played wizards chess and exploding snap and Ron put a charm on Percy's favorite chair knowing it would get him either that evening or the next day. The twins were not the only ones with wicked senses of humor. They headed down just before everyone got there and waited until their fellow students started to come in and quietly filed into the great hall. They sat down by Hermione with Fred and George sitting across from them.
"Thought you would not make it." Fred said.
"Yea I mean we looked for you, Percy was frantic until he got the letter from mum." George said.
"Well if it had been you two you would have taken the car." Ron said.
"Yea, figured out how to land it in the great hall." Fred said grinning.
"Giving our dear head of house an aneurism and getting the headmaster to laugh." George finished.
The sorting hat sang its song and the sorting began. All four of the Weasley brothers were watching their sister as she walked up to the hat and sat down trembling. It shouted out Gryffindor and she stood up, put the hat down and walked primly to the Gryffindor table, only to be picked up by Fred and swung around and set between the twins. Harry laughed and looked up at the head table to see Snape looking keenly at him and next to him was…
"Oh no," Harry groaned. "No not Gilroy Lockhart."
"Where, oh so that is who is teaching the defense class." Ron said.
"I hope he knows how to teach." Harry grumbled.
"I have read his books, all that he has done it's amazing!" Hermione said.
Harry was not sure he was going to like his defense classes, not with Lockhart there. At least his other classes he was treated normally and he enjoyed them, even potions. He knew Snape acted the way he did because he carried, Remus had told him he did and so Harry really, really wanted to do good so not to disappoint this man. Poor Neville was as dismal as ever and Snape just did not know what to do with a boy who melted his cauldrons. Harry's first defense class was horrible, Harry had no respect for Lockhart as Harry could see right through him.
Harry did not have much time to think on this as he was studying hard and working hard with Quidditch practice. The first game against Slytherin actually went very well except for one thing, someone had tampered with the bludger and it kept trying to kill him. That and Draco Malfoy being a very good flyer kept his hands full. Harry managed to catch the snitch before Draco, and he was smashed to the ground by the bludger. Someone managed to get the bludger and then Lockhart was over him.
"Oh no not you!" Harry said not wanting the man anywhere near his broken arm or him.
"Ah an easy fix." Lockhart was saying and he pointed his wand and said a spell, removing all the bones from Harry's arm.
"Ah well things like that happen." Lockhart said.
Harry did not hear this as he promptly passed out. He woke up to find himself in the hospital wing in bed. He sat up and saw his useless boneless arm and nearly passed out again. Madam Pomphry came to his bedside, shooing the Gryffindor team away to give her space. She had bottle with the label of Skeligrow on it and Harry had a feeling he was not going to like this much. He nearly spat out the potion at the first mouthful but he did manage to get it down. He knew he was in for a night of pain as the potion started to work at once.
In the meantime Severus Snape was beyond furious, McGonagall had taken his wand and locked him in the staffroom to keep him from killing someone. First Harry had been chased by a rogue bludger then Lockhart had deboned the poor boy's arm! McGonagall had seen Snape angry before and she knew his temper was not one to mess with. Still she was in the room with Snape along with the headmaster and Harry's two guardians.
"Headmaster I will kill whoever did this." Snape said eyes flashing. "Whoever dared try kill that boy!"
"Oh you do care." Remus said nodding, " thought you would him being Lily's boy."
"I would be just as upset if it were any other child." Snape snarled.
"Come off it boy," Moody said, "we all know you like th' boy, an' who could no'? He takes after his mum he does, fly's like his father, kind like his mother."
"I vote we go teach Lockhart a lesson." Remus said nearly smiling, "something along the lines of let Poppy do her work or teach your classes as a rodent the rest of the year."
"Remus don't you dare!" McGonagall said.
"Do you realize he is a danger?" Remus said, "He made a werewolf sound like a comical creature, we are not, we are monsters that if not for medication could kill and maim."
"You would not." Snape said. "Because if you did Lupin I would have a new wolf hide on my wall."
"We turn human when we are killed." Remus said countered.
"I am a very powerful wizard wolf, I could make it happen." Snape said his voice cold as death.
"I am too, I once turned a pool of water into a pool of chocolate pudding, mind you I had to summon the sugar and chocolate and milk powder but it looked like I created a pool of chocolate pudding." Remus said and Snape and Moody just stared at him. "What I was hungry!"
"You are always hungry Remus." Moody said, "an' yes he did do that, damn near wore out his hide with a strap for that, got Harry in the middle of it and everything."
"How big a pool was it?" Dumbledore asked a twinkle in his eye.
"One of those muggle blow up jobs, not huge but a chocolate covered Harry running through the house, I nearly had a wolf rug." Moody growled.
"Headmaster you wonder why I worry for the boy?" Snape said glaring at Remus.
Snape smirked and Remus grinned at him, the light bantering was needed, everyone was about to stress out about Slythern's heir and the attacks in school. Back in the hospital wing Harry had been sleeping when he was woke up by a weight on his chest. He reached for his glasses and put them on and saw the small heavily bandaged frame of Dobby. He sat up wondering what this troublemaker of an elf wanted.
"Dobby warned Harry Potter to not come to Hogwarts this year." Dobby said.
"It was you!" Harry snapped at the trembling elf. "The station and the bludger!"
"You are in grave danger here!" Dobby said.
"You tell me why or I will sick my elf on you I swear it!" Harry snarled at Dobby.
"The Chamber is open" and Dobby tried to run off the bed to hit himself but Harry had him by the back of his pillowcase hanging in the air. "Thank you sir, Dobby warned you, Dobby only wants Harry Potter to be alive. Harry Potter is a hero among house elves, he will lead house elves to a better day."
"Dobby do me a favor." Harry said.
"Anything Harry Potter."
"Don't try to save my life again." Harry said.
With a crack Dobby was gone and Harry lay back on his pillow thinking. Then he heard voices, or rather a voice overhead. It was low and hissing and he knew it was Parseltongue, when he first had spoke it Remus had been scared but Moody said that mother Eve spoke it and that was how the serpent tricked her. So he knew he was a Parseltongue and though it was not a bad thing still it was not a gift he wanted others to know about. He knew this was a snake and he had to let someone know. Remus came in at that time and saw the look on Harry's face.
"What is it Harry?" Remus asked him.
"There is a large snake in Hogwarts." Harry said. "I just heard it, it was saying it wanted to kill. It was speaking Parseltongue, I knew it was."
"The headmaster needs to know." Remus said.
"Why are you here uncle Moony?" Harry asked.
"Heard you were hit with a rogue bludger, I am going to kill whoever did that." Remus said.
"It was Dobby sir." Harry said. "He was only doing it to save me, he said he wanted to scare me from school, please don't kill him!"
"Alright Harry I won't." Remus said.
"Stay with me tonight?" Harry pleaded. "I don't want to be alone."
"Okay Harry."
Remus curled up by his boy and let Harry put his head on his shoulder. He would talk to the headmaster tomorrow about this. He woke next morning to find Poppy over him checking Harry's arm. Harry stirred and woke and looked up at Remus and smiled, last night had been trying but he was safe with his uncles. Once Harry was allowed to check out of the hospital wing he headed up to the headmaster's office wondering what was to happen to him now…
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