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Chapter 5: The Chosen Few
Though the little group had decided that they weren't going to ask any more questions about their professor, they couldn't help but want to know more about her. Especially since they had no idea what she looked like under her cloak. "I wonder what she looks like?" Dean asked one morning at breakfast, "Maybe she's got some horrible mole things all over here or something." "You know I heard from some Hufflepuffs that her detentions are even worse than Umbridge's," a third year named Weston said. "That can't be good," Ron said through a mouthful of bacon and eggs as Harry looked at the scars on the back of his hand.
"They were just lying. I spent last Friday in detention with her and it was the easiest one I've ever had," Luna said as she came up behind Ron and Hermione. "Hi Luna," Ginny said looking up at her, "How was your summer?" "Very enjoyable, father and I found a Crumpled Horned Snorklack." "Well that's nice of course you realize they don't exists. You probably found unicorn or rhinoceros," Hermione said trying not to sound too sarcastic and cryptic without much luck. Luna ignored her and kept talking to everyone else. "Did you here the news about Professor D. Shani?" "NO, what is it," Harry asked his curiosity perking up. "She's picking a few students out of every house that have shown exceptional knowledge in certain subjects and activities for a special dinner this Friday. Some say she's got her eye on some hopefuls to join this little club she has." "What are you talking about?" asked Ginny. "When she worked at Beauxbatons she had a select few students that she called The Chosen Few she helped them with studies and gave them private lessons. It helped them a lot because they got high jobs in the French ministry as soon as they got out of school." "That sounds great! I wonder when she'll pick everyone?" Hermione asked. "What makes you think she'll pick you?" Pansy Parkinson asked as she walked up to the Gryffindor table. "The Professor is a pure-blood and only ever picks pure-bloods in her group. Just because your smart doesn't mean anything you little mudblood!" "Detention Missy Parkinson! You and Miss Lovegood both should report to my office this afternoon after classes!" Professor D. Shani said as she came up behind them. "I will not have anyone from my house using that word no matter how accurate it maybe. Now kindly go back to your tables' girls." The two girls looked bewilderedly at their professor before hurrying back over to their tables. "Professor?" Dean asked timidly. "Yes Mister Thomas," D. Shani said curtly, "What is on your mind?" "Why did you give Luna detention? She didn't say anything to Hermione she was just talking to us." "For spreading rumors. I am fully aware of why she was talking to all of you in the first place and I do not stand for anyone saying things that are not confirmed. Now good day to you all." The professor turned on her heels and hurried out of the great hall with a slithering quality to her walk.
"That was so unfair! How can she punish Luna just for talking to us?" Hermione said. She, Harry, Ron, Neville, and Ginny were all sitting under a huge oak tree soaking up what was left of the day's sun. "You heard her Hermione she doesn't let people talk about anything that concerns her. She is really very strange," Ginny mused, "You know I heard from Lavender and Padma that she freaks out if anyone even mentions her name and she always knows. It's really strange."
"Well it's obvious then isn't it," Hermione stated matter-of-factly. "What's obvious?" asked Neville. "She's obviously tabooed her name so she knows when people talk about her. But the only question is why would she do it? I think she's hiding something much bigger than her looks." "Yeah, but how do we know what it is?" asked Ron bluntly. "We have to hope that some of us can get into that dinner so we can hopefully observe her," said Harry.
There was a blood-curdling scream that rang threw the entire school and a blue light glowed from the Defense Against the Dark Arts room. "What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked as his head darted toward the third floor windows. "I don't know but I think we should go see what happened," Harry said as he got off the ground. Everyone followed up through the castle to the classroom. When they got there Luna was outside of the room covered in some blue gunk with a look of satisfaction on her face.
"Luna," Ginny said out of breath, "what happened in there and what are you covered in?" "I believe it is Blue Quail-worm goo. There was an explosion of these strange fireworks in the professor's classroom and everything is covered. It was actually quite funny to watch," Luna said dreamily. "Well who did it?" Neville asked quite confused by her look. "I believe it was Pansy and a few Slytherins." "But why would they pull something like this when Pansy had detention tonight, and on their head of all people" asked Hermione. "That's the reason isn't. She did it because she was ticked that her head of house actually gave her detention," Ron said matter-of-factly and Luna shook her head to say that it was indeed true. "Wouldn't it have been better to do this before or after her detention instead of during it though?" asked Ginny. "It was after our detention. We had finished ten minutes before the thing went off, but Professor wanted to give us something before we left and it went off while we were waiting," Luna said. "Serves them right if you asked me. I can't wait to see what D. Shani and McGonagall do to them," Ginny said excitedly. Just then McGonagall came out of the classroom covered in the same blue gunk and told all the children to go back to their common rooms.
"I wonder what McGonagall and D. Sh-," Hermione started. "Don't say her name!" Neville said. "Neville is right Hermione. What if she has tabooed it? But I also wonder what's gonna happen to Pansy and the Slytherins," said Ginny. "I hope they throw the book at them!" Ron said fuming. "What's wrong with you Ron?" asked Harry. "I'm still mad that Luna got in trouble." "Let's go down to supper. Maybe someone else knows what's happened to them," Neville said as he got up. The others followed suit and went down to the great hall.
"Do you think I have a shot at getting invited to that dinner?" asked Neville once they had all gotten down to dinner. "Well if they really do only pick pure-bloods you do," said Ron as he piled his plate with chicken. "I'm sure that can't be true. I believe she'll be fair about who she picks," said Hermione. "You know I heard she was only picking five students from each house. What if we all got picked," Ginny said excitedly. "That's not gonna happen Ginny," said Ron. "Why not," Ginny snapped. "Because were not all the best. I mean come on think about it. I suck at everything, Neville is only good at Herbology, Harry couldn't do well in potions if his life depended on it, and well if it's true Hermione is muggle born so that leaves her out. Besides that you and I are blood traitors," Ron emphasized the last two words by putting parentheses around thin air. "Yeah, but look at all the things that the five of us have done over the years. Especially Harry and you two," said Neville, "There is no way she wouldn't choose you three if any of us." "Well I think we're about to find out. Look up!" Harry exclaimed as he gestured up toward the ceiling where a flock of owls were coming out of the open windows. "That's got to be them. It's to late for the mail," Hermione said as she saw a brown owl land on top of her steak and kidney pie.
Hermione took the royal blue envelope from the owl and just stared at it as the owl ruffled its feathers and flew off. "Well bloody hell, Hermione! Don't just sit there open it!" Ron yelled. "Yeah come on, we want to see what it says," said Ginny. Hermione started to open the letter, but before she could four more owls landed in front of the group. "Wow we all got one!" Ron exclaimed as he took an envelope with his name on it from a white owl and ripped it open to read…
Dear Mr. Weasely,
It has come to my attention that you have shown exceptional qualities in school. Qualities that I have prized myself on through the years. I would like to congratulate you on your accomplishments and invite you to a private dinner in my office on the Friday of the 10th at 7. I hope you will oblige to attend. You must wear dress robes of course. I look forward to seeing you there.
Professor A. D. Shani
Ron read the letter through two more times before he looked at everyone else. "What am I going to do?! You all saw what my dress robes look like! I can't go in those!" Ron exclaimed. Just then the same owls flew back in the hall and dropped parcels in front of the students they had just delivered the letters to. "Looks like you won't have to worry about your robes now Ron," Ginny said happily, "look at what is written on the top of these parcels…"
Please wear these dress robes to my dinner on Friday night.
Professor A. D. Shani
The friends gave each other odd and confused looks before they opened their parcels. Inside the girls' were beautiful crimson red dresses with gold sashes. The boys' all had traditional black dress robes with crimson red cloaks and a pure golden lion was woven on the back of the cloaks. "These robes and dresses must have cost a fortune," Ginny exclaimed excitedly, "I can't wait till Friday night!" They all agreed that Friday looked to be an exciting night as they gathered their robes and left the great hall.