Carry smiled staring out the window to her office. Behind her the Headmistress paced, not bothered in the least that the woman she was talking to, wasn't looking at her. Normally McGonagall would be peeved, extremely peeved, not today though. No, today she was worried, in fact she found herself fraught with sorry since the night before.
"Are you sure about this? I don't mean to be rude but, these studies that you did in the states. Did they? Well did any of them have such a, well, such a hatred for one another?" McGonagall asked finally pulling Carry away from the beautiful view in front of her. She smiled at the much older woman, her expression softening considerably. Over the years Carry had begun to conduct her, for lack of better word, experiments more than a few people had doubted her.
"Minerva." Carry normally wouldn't address the woman so informally, as she had a high amount of respect for her, though she felt it prudent in their situation. "Many of the young adults who volunteered for this couldn't stand who they chose. Some couldn't be in the same room without getting into physical altercations." Carry wasn't kidding, she'd certainly been surprised when Two young men found themselves fighting one day and hot and heavy in a closet a week later.
"Really?" The older woman was quite intrigued, her thoughts falling back to Hermione. Hermione who had wasted no time in picking up that silver goblet. Merlin the woman had no idea what she was in for.
"Really. Like I said. The potion doesn't force you to have feelings for someone, nor does it alter the way you might already feel." Carry sighed a little trying to explain it better. "What this does is take the natural attraction you already have, pheremones what we used in the potions." Carry reminded McGonagall. "It brings to light the attraction that's already there, dormant it might, or might not be, but already there none the less."
McGonagall sighed falling into one of the arm chairs, even though she knew that there wasn't time for her to linger. Carry was to have her first class in less than ten minutes.
"Now, moving on to other matters." McGonagall's back straightened as she spoke. "This training, it's got something to do with the potions doesn't it?" Carry's smile widened as McGonagall's eyes narrowed. The Headmistress was a quick one, for sure.
"Of course not Headmistress! I was young once, you yourself were obviously. I simply figured it was a part of growing up. Many of the students will be interested in it. Why not get them registered and trained the correct way?" Carry innocently twirled her wand through her slim, yet short fingers.
"Yes, of course." McGonagall pursed her lips standing again. "Well, I expect to hear good things from your first class. Though I sincerely don't think you'll let me down." With that McGonagall exited the room an incredulous look on her face at the conversation she over heard. Of this year would be stressful. A different kind of stress yes, but no less stressful.
"I do not fancy Malfoy." Hermione muttered as the three of them exited the Head's office, making the short trip towards Professor Langdon's room.
"Neither of us, no." Harry stopped himself. "No one at this school believes that you fancy Malfoy. In fact one of my fondest memories is of you pegging him in the face third year." Both Harry and Neville snickered remembering. Even if Neville hadn't seen it personally, Harry had brought it upon himself to show more than one person after learning of Pensives. Hermione herself couldn't help the small smile tugging on her lips.
"Well. He did deserve it." Hermione's voice was low, a bit embarrassed as she tucked a strand of hair behind one ear.
As they entered Professor Langdon's classroom Hermione stopped, Professor Langdon sat at her desk. Nothing out of the ordinary. Before her desk a very long table, probably charmed that way, stood with small boxes on it, about twenty of them, each covered with a small sheet.
"Professor Langdon?" Hermione's voice already piqued with curiosity as she put her bag down beside a desk.
"Before you ask Miss Granger, you'll find out once everyone arrives." Professor Langdon preteneded to be immensly interested in the paperwork before her. The blackboard behind her was turned, so that she'd get her desired affect once everyone arrived.
"What do you think is under all the sheets?" Harry asked Hermione, though she didn't get a chance to answer as other students began to file in the room, including Ron and Ginny.
"Hey Mione! I feel like I haven't seen you all day." Ron's smile was bright, sending warm butterflies to the pit of Hermione's stomach. "I missed you." He added this in a lower voice, clearly not wanting everyone else to hear it. Ungracefully he plopped into the seat across from her, beside Harry.
"I'm sorry, we just have a few different classes. You didn't decide on Potions." Hermione pointed out through the delecate blush on her cheeks. Ron grinned at her, his blue eyes sliding over her face, drifting downward for a moment before he captured her eyes once more.
"Yeah," Ginny who did have Potions with Hermione spoke up from beside her. ", you decided that it would be worthless to take potions even though I'm fairly certain you need it in order to become an Auror Ronald." Hermione turned to Ginny, curious as to how she knew the qualifications. At the look on her best friends face Ginny grinned. "Harry wants to be an Auror still, we've talked about it many times."
Leaning back against her desk, arms crossed over her small breasts Professor Langdon smiled at them all as the room quickly began to fill up. As expected the different houses grouped together. Though Gryffindor seemed to dominate the front of the room. Professor Langdon had a sneaking suspicion that, that fact remained because of Miss Granger, who'd chosen a seat at the front. Others soon began to notice the boxes, all of them asking among themselves what they thought.
"Now, I see that everyone has made it." At Professor Langdon's words Hermione quickly turned her attention away from the ginger that had her heart captivated. "I'm sure you're all curious as to what this is." She gestured to the table in front of them and her. "Before I show you all what lies beneath the sheets I would like to ask you all," With her words Professor Langdon flipped the black board. Elegantly, one word lay scrawled in chalk.
'Animagus'. Hermione felt her stomach do flip flops, quite certain she knew where this was leading.
"Who in this room has given thought to becoming an Animagus before?" Immediately coversation spouted in the air, hands flew, eyes widened, and quite a few boys high fived each other. Professor Langdon laughed waving her hands in the air to still them. "I take it quite a few of you have."
"Professor are you saying we're to become Animagi?" Hermione burst forth, not even waiting for the woman to call upon her.
"As you are still required to have a grade those of you who agree to Animagus training must be able to register with the ministry, and turn into their chosen animal at will. Though who choose not to take the training well," Professor Langdon shrugged. ", it'll just be a lot of paper work."
"Excuse me Professor." A different voice spoke up this time. Hermione didn't miss the nervous tone of Neville.
"Yes? Mr. Longbottom I believe. What is it?" Professor Langdon asked offering a kind smile.
"What if we choose to become an animagus but, well, what if we don't succeed?" Even though he had gained quite a deal of confidence becoming an Animagus required a great deal of focus and patience. His only response was a simply sentence and a smile.
"Mr. Longbottom, if you choose to take the training you will become an Animagus." With a flick of her small wrist the sheets flew off the boxes folding themselves neatly in a pile on the table, each of them had covered a glass container holding a miniature size animal. Some of the animals were every day, cat's, owl's, dog's, some of them though were a bit more exotic.
"Now, who's ready to find their animal?" Professor Langdon asked a flurry of hands shooting into the air. Hermione had never felt her heart pounding so furiously. "What I ask you to do is close your eyes as you walk up to the table. I will walk you around the table, with your eyes closed with one hand hovering over the boxes. When you feel a warmth, you can open your eyes."
"Shall we start alphabetically?" Professor Langdon suggested a clipboard floating over to her, a list of names on it.
"Professor." Hermione bit her lip, she hated interrupting the woman again. "I'm so sorry but, I don't understand. Why will we have our eyes closed." Professor Langdon smiled.
"Five points to Gryffindor. An excellent question Miss Granger. I'm glad to see that one of you at least won't just follow blind orders but, the best way to explain is to show you. So, Miss Granger, how about you go first hmm? Come of here." A slight prick of sweat matted a hair to Hermione's forehead. Damn. This is what happened when she opened her mouth. Ginny nudged her, Hermione swallowed and got up.
"Now students, this is why we close our eyes. Miss Granger, which one of these animals is the most appealing to you?" Professor Langdon asked gesturing towards all of them. Looking down at them Hermione's eyes automatically landed on the cat. It was simple yet overlooked. Professor Langdon's eyes followed Hermione's. She almost expected the girl to pick such an animal.
"An ordinary housecat I see. Now Miss Granger, if you wouldn't mind close your eyes and hold out your hand." With a sigh Hermione did as she was told, holding her hand above the glass containers, her eyes closing slowly. "Now, I'm going to walk with you. Tell me when your hand gets warm."
Slowly, with Professor Langdon's hand atop her, the two women began to walk around the table. For a long time Hermione felt nothing. Her hopes began to die, what if she didn't have a chosen animal.
As she stepped to round the corner of the table Hermione froze. The heat. Such heat coming off of the container, surely this was what Professor Langdon meant.
"Is this the one Hermione?" The soft voice of Professor Langdon pulled Hermione from her thoughts. "Open your eyes." Hermione waisted no time snapping them open to look down at where her hand rested. Inside the box a wolf sat, a small howl escaped his upturned head. A wolf?
"A wolf?" Hermione's words mimiced her very thoughts. "Are you sure?" Nervously Hermione looked up at her new Professor who nodded.
"These are special containers. They are bewitched to feel the pull between you and your animal. The ones on this table are some of the more popular. Though of course you are free to choose another." The longer Hermione looked at the caramel eyed animal, miniature as it was, the more it felt right.
"No, no. I won't question this." Professor Langdon chuckled writing out 'wolf' beside Hermione's name.
"Alright then, you can return to your seat. Let us begin, two at a time. Hannah Abbot and Draco Malfoy. The two of you," They started two seperate lists on Professor Langdon's paper. ", please come up here and repeat the process." As Hermione sat down she felt giddy, very giddy. Ginny quickly asked her what if felt like, feeling out her animal.
"This is it, I've found mine. It's well, a rabbit!" Hannah exclaimed excited as she looked at the cute rodent before her. Professor Langdon nodded accepting this answer. Draco had stopped moving as well, though Hermione was too busy to notice, explaining to Ginny what it had felt like exactly.
"What about you Mr. Malfoy what have you got there?" Professor Langdon asked though she knew from where he stood what animal chose him.
"A wolf." Hermione felt her stomach drop. Blinking she turned, as if time had slowed looking at Draco. Had he really just. . . He stood there though, his hand against the glass as the tiny wolf inside howled once more, a playful yip escaping him this time.