Chapter 5 – The Truth About Magic

Harry had little time to ponder the eccentricity of Professor Smith over the next few days, as his pile of homework grew increasingly higher. This, combined with his nightly detentions with Professor Umbridge, meant that his temper was almost permanently out of control, a fact that greatly aggrieved Ron and Hermione.

"Look mate, we know she's evil, but you just need to keep a cool head when she's around," Ron advised as the trio made their way to classroom six two days later.

"I want to, I really do, but I just can't," Harry said crossly as he barged through the door, distracting Professor Smith, who looked up from his work.

"You're early!" he said brightly, a big grin plastered on his face. The grin quickly disappeared when he saw Harry's expression. "Anything wrong?" he asked, concerned.

"No," Harry said shortly, sitting down at a desk at taking his books out.

"You sure?" Professor Smith asked, frowning. "If there's anything I can do to –"

"I'm fine, sir!" Harry said fiercely, glaring at his science teacher. Professor Smith's frown increased, but he let the subject drop. Hermione and Ron looked at him sympathetically, and took their seats next to their friends as the rest of the class entered the room. Professor Smith's demeanour changed instantly, and he jumped up from behind his desk, tweed jacket fluttering behind him.

"Hello, everyone! I hope you've all done your homework!" he said happily, clasping his hands together. "Oh, don't worry," he added, seeing the class exchange guilty glances with each other. "I don't particularly like homework, so you don't need to do it if you don't want to."

"Oh, no!" Hermione said in horror while the rest of the class shared delighted grins.

"So," Professor Smith continued, "today, we're going to have a look at what magic actually is. Did anyone actually do their non-compulsory homework?"
Hermione's hand shot into the air, while Harry, Ron and one or two others begrudgingly raised their arms.

"Please sir," said Hermione, not waiting for Professor Smith to ask someone to tell their answer. "There was a difference in the base sequence; therefore, it's logical to assume that magic is caused by a mutation in the human DNA strand."

Professor Smith was impressed. "Well done, Miss Granger," he said. "Twenty points to Gryffindor! Yes, there was a difference in the base sequence, but you're only half right for the next bit. DNA mutations don't actually cause magic, they allow you to control magic."

The class was intrigued now. If magic wasn't caused by blood, as they had been led to believe, then what was? Professor Smith opened his mouth, but paused, then frowned.

"Come one then!" Malfoy drawled exasperatedly. "Just tell us what causes the stuff."

Professor Smith looked slightly caught out. "Well, err, yes. It's just that I shouldn't really be telling you this, because it won't be common knowledge for about another one hundred and one thousand, four hundred and sixty-four years..."

Malfoy coughed.

"Yes, fine! Magic is a field, similar to the three common ones, you know, electric, gravitational and magnetic. It's harmless, but it interferes with electronic equipment. The field is comprised of particles. These particles are what magic is on the subatomic level. Wands act as a sort of focusing device for these particles. The particles enter your body due to the mutation in your DNA, and are channelled through your arm before being focused and emitted by your wand, creating a spell. I think there might be a bit of Block Computation Transfer involved too...I'll have to check up on that." Professor Smith mused.

"So, sir," said Lavender Brown slowly, "Magic is just a particle in a field, and witches and wizards can harness it because of a DNA mutation?"

"A simplified version, but yes."

Malfoy rolled his eyes. "This class is ridiculous," he said to Crabbe and Goyle, who nodded in agreement.

"So!" said Professor Smith, taking out his wand and rapping against the blackboard. "While we're on the subject of genetic mutations, here's a list of them. Now this one, the deletion mutation..."

The class subsequently spent the rest of the lesson writing notes about the different types of DNA and RNA mutations. It was an extremely arduous task, and so by the time the bell rang to signify the end of the lesson, the class was quite glad to leave. Harry, Ron and Hermione were soon walking down the marble staircase to lunch, but managed to overhear Malfoy make a comment to Pansy Parkinson that sounded suspiciously like 'Just wait till I tell Umbridge about all the rubbish that Smith guy's going on about.'

"Just like Malfoy to get a teacher who he doesn't like into trouble," muttered Ron darkly. "I don't mind him myself, like you said last night, Harry, he's a bit weird."

"Wonder where he comes from," Harry said thoughtfully. "He sounds British, but for some reason I get the feeling that he's from abroad."

"Well," said Hermione matter-of-factly, "apparently he told Ginny's class that he was educated at the Magical Scientific Institute of Brisbane."

"Brisbane, where's that?" asked Ron.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "It's the capital of Queensland, Ronald, which is a state of Australia." She frowned. "But like you said, Harry, he sounds British. Maybe he moved to Australia to get his education, that would explain his unfamiliarity with Hogwarts that people are reporting."

"If he went overseas to get his education, that'd mean he comes from one of those ancient wizarding families, you know, the ones with tonnes of gold."

"Like me, you mean, Weasley?" Draco's drawl interrupted the trio's conversation. "Of course, that means that your Professor friend must be a lot more respectable than your blood traitor family...not that that's saying much anyway."

"Shut up, Malfoy," Ron muttered, ears turning red.

Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles threateningly.

"It's the third day of term, Malfoy, and you're already trying to get a new teacher into trouble? Why?" asked Harry.

"Because I can, Potty, that's why. Magic is caused by DN-whatsis along with particles in a field, my boot. That's just a complete load of garbage; no wonder this place is going to the dogs. I knew this subject would be hopeless, I shouldn't have listened to Snape when he told me to do it."

"I think you're right, Malfoy," Hermione said unexpectedly. "All this stuff about magic and genetics is idiotic."

Malfoy actually took a step back, too shocked to speak. Harry and Ron just stood there stupidly, gawking at her. Malfoy soon recovered.

"The mudblood agrees with me! The mudblood actually agrees with me!" he exclaimed. "Finally come round to your senses, have you?"

Ron growled menacingly. Hermione gritted ger teeth, but ignored the use of the derogatory noun.

"No," she replied stiffly. "I just think you're right about what Professor Smith is teaching. It's well documented in wizarding literature that magic is caused by blood, I'm not going to blindly change my mind because some twenty-five year old says otherwise. And besides, I don't think you should go running off to Umbridge; he's only new, give him a chance! He might come to his senses soon, and see thatwhat he's teaching is wrong."

Malfoy considered. "Alright. But if he mentions anything more about the rubbish he's been telling so far, and the lessons don't improve, then I'll go straight to Umbridge first thing on the weekend, got it?"

The trio all nodded their heads, and walked away, picking up their conversation as they entered the Great Hall.

"I'll kill Malfoy if he ever calls you that again, Hermione," Ron said fiercely.

"Just ignore it, Ron. I know it's hard, especially for me, but he wants to get a reaction out of us," Hermione said.

"Like you'd have a go at Malfoy again," grinned Harry. "Remember the last time you tried to take action against him?"

Ron flushed, remembering the slugs, and quickly changed subjects. "What do you think about him saying that the particles will be discovered in another hundred and one thousand, four hundred and sixty-four years? Maybe he's using a time turner to go into the future!"

"Nonsense, Ronald, time turners can only take you back in time, not forwards, and even if you could go forwards, imagine how many times you'd have to spin the thing!" laughed Hermione.

"So what do you think, then?"

"I think he's lying. No one can travel forwards in time, it's just not possible."

Ron opened his mouth, and their second argument of the term commenced. This time, it lasted for the rest of the day, so that by the time Umbridge's detention rolled around, Harry was almost happy to go, if only to escape his quarrelling friends.

'Power levels have been recharged to 86%... Power levels are now sufficient to begin reanimation...Encrypted signal dispatched to Mothership...Structure close to crash site an area of high interest...'

Author Note: Power levels are recharged to 86%! What does that mean? The mystery's starting to build...

I hope the explanation of magic made some sense, just think of electrons in an electric field; same principle. I have to admit I much prefer this explanation to the one in the original.

Replies to reviews:

Henny14: Thanks! Most of the chapters will be over 2000 words (I think one or two are over 3000), but there are a couple, this one included, that are just under 2k. I plan to update every four days, so you'll never have to wait long between updates!

Insanityisgood25: Thanks! Unless I add them at the last minute, the thestrals won't be appearing, they don't add anything to the plot. On the other hand, having the Doctor seeing them would actually be a good reason for another introspection scene in the sequel. (Goodness knows it's got heaps of them already!). I can confirm that there will be an Umbridge-Doctor confronation, but I won't be sharing the details, you'll have to wait!

BeatleLoverGirl: Thanks!

emflawlesswatson: Thanks, I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! Yes, I'm looking forward to the sequel as well, and also to see if you guys can pick up all the foreshadowing I've put in this one.

TheBleachDoctor: Thanks, hopefully it'll get even better!

aronpuma: Yeah, I absolutely hated Umbridge in the books. Believe me, by the time this story's finished, you'll hate her even more! I checked out A Very Potter Sequel, but I'm not a fan of those types of stories, so no reference, I'm afraid.