.
Balance Factor Chapter 14
Year Three
Lupin
A/N: Lupin is one of my favorite characters. Thanks to Dementra for reviewing!
Read and Review as always!
"So, I wonder why blowing up your Aunt set off the Trace, but not you levitating water," Ron asked, sitting in a compartment of the Hogwarts Express. Harry shrugged, petting Gin on the head. He hadn't had a chance to owl Professor Dumbledore about keeping it as a pet, but figured if he couldn't, he could at least give it to Hagrid for care.
"It's probably because it was different forms of magic," Hermione said. "You did say you had other magic, didn't you, Harry?"
"Fire and ice, but I've never levitated water before. And my fire is only mediocre in comparison to my ice," Harry replied. "Ice may be a form of water, but ice has shape that water does not. So, theoretically, it should be far more difficult to control. In addition, I was not even attempting it at the time. So it should have been impossible." He seemed a little bit troubled. His powers seemed to be slipping out of his control, though he felt no different.
"I don't know," Ron said softly. "Harry, do you think it might have something to do with the disturbances you mentioned last year?"
Harry frowned. "It might. But there is always a cause of disturbance. I wonder what it could be." He paused again as the door opened. Draco walked in and sat next to Harry. Harry gave him a small smile. "Hello Draco."
Draco waved at the other two and turned to Harry. "What did I miss?"
"Oh nothing much. Sharing stories about the holidays and then some. Oh, and Harry levitated water unconsciously," Hermione said casually. Draco stared.
"You did what now, Potter?" Draco asked, his eyes wide. "You mean actually levitated water? Unconsiously? With or without a wand."
"I'm too cool for wands, Draco. Without, of course. Without an incantation, or prompting. I was washing dishes at the time and thinking about the cursed cane head and the book Blaise gave me last year. When I opened my eyes, water was floating. In the air. In front of me," Harry said looking a little exasperated. "And before you ask, I have no clue how I did it. I just did."
"That's shocking." Draco commented, leaning back and looking at the large black dog. "So this is the grim Gin, huh?" He looked at Harry. "Does he protest at being touched?"
Harry shrugged. "Ask Gin. He understands you, I think." He took a bite of his pumpkin pastry and then looked at the dog, offering half of the pastry to it. Gin sniffed at it and then ate it right out of Harry's palm. Harry smiled.
"Ah. Gin doesn't bite then, does he?" Draco asked, cautiously lowering his hand to the dog's head. Gin remained very still but sniffed the hand.
"Not that I've seen," Harry said, watching Gin flick his ears and bump his head against Draco's hand. Draco smiled a little, stroking the dog's head. "He's pretty tame for a death omen. It's been almost a month now and I haven't died yet, so I think it's safe to say that it's not the grim." He hugged the dog and the dog gave a puppy like bark.
"Maybe he's not a grim then," Draco said. Harry shrugged.
"He didn't appreciate my offer to collar him."
"By the way, who's that?" Draco asked, pointing to the sleeping man in their compartment.
Harry paused as he glanced at the sleeping man. He had always assumed the Hogwarts Express had been for students only, but this man seemed to be too old to be a student. Then again, so was he.
Draco had commented only once about the state of the man's robes: "It looks like a funny quilt". But after Harry shot him a look, he fell silent again.
"That's Professor R. J. Lupin," Hermione said.
"How did you know that?" Ron asked.
"It's on his case," both Hermione and Harry pointed to the case overhead.
"Well, I'm not waking him. He looks like he could use a good sleep anyhow," Harry said. Gin had only glanced at the professor once when they entered the train. He made no move in waking him though.
The train suddenly slowed down. Harry paused, slightly confused as he noted the drop in temperature. Gin whimpered a little, suddenly sliding under the seat, trying to hide. Draco gasped.
The lights flickered and turned off. Harry heard the door open and then Ron yelping in pain. Harry pulled out his wand and lit it up, looking at the newcomers. Neville and Ginny.
"Well, hi there," Harry said pleasantly. "You should probably head onto the front though. To see what happened." He frowned a little as the dimmed a little more. "Like, right now." He didn't want to use his power in front of them, if it came to that.
His Factor's darkness pulsed in response to the chill and darkness. Whatever this was, it wasn't very good.
Draco frowned. "Dementors." He watched as the two stumbled out of the compartment and Harry sliding the door closed.
"What are they doing on the train?" Harry asked, looking at Draco. Draco rose an eyebrow at him.
"Are you kidding? They're looking for Black," Draco said. Harry snorted.
"On a train? A moving train? Packed with students?" Harry scowled. "Who would be insane enough to let dementors wander around, giving them a whole host of victims?"
"Donno," Ron said shivering. Harry frowned and placed his hand on Ron's shoulder, warming him with the fire in his darkness from his Factor. Ron relaxed a little. "Wow… That feels weird."
The door opened once more. Harry turned, looking at the hooded figure bearing down at him. Draco instantly covered his ears and shut his eyes, rocking a little. Ron started to shiver again, making little squeaky noises. Hermione screamed. Harry could hear Gin whimpering pathetically under the seat. He raised his hand.
Darkness gathered on his hand, forming a single orb of glowing power. Harry's eyes blazed with anger. The dementor flattered, but then glided out of the room. Harry didn't give it a chance to escape. He threw the orb at the dementor.
There was a loud, hoarse scream and then the dementor started to dissolve, crumbling into pieces as it glided, trying to escape. It evaporated before it could reach the train door.
"Bloody hell!" Ron said, his eyes wide. Harry sat back down, shutting the door. The lights flickered back on and the train started to move again.
"…What just happened?"
Harry stiffened. He had completely forgotten Lupin had been there. Either the noise, or the cold had woken him. Harry turned slowly to face the older man.
"Uh… Well…" Harry said slowly. He didn't really know how to explain, looking a little lost. The whole compartment was staring at him.
"Did you just kill a dementor?" Draco asked in disbelief. He looked stunned.
"Huh?! No. It's not dead. It just retreated, that's all," Harry said, leaning back in his seat. There was a loud snap and Harry looked up to see Lupin breaking a large bar of chocolate. "Is it possible to kill dementors? I didn't think so."
"Here." Lupin pressed a chunk of the chocolate into his hands. "Eat." He gave one to each person in the room and then added, "I will go speak to the conductor. Eat it." Then he vanished out of the doors.
Harry paused, looking at the sweet. He slid off the chair and looked at Gin still under his seat.
"I realize dogs shouldn't eat chocolate, but I'm pretty sure you're not a normal dog," Harry said, offering the chocolate. Gin looked up at him, a little bit hopeful. Harry offered the sweet again. "Eat."
"That was horrible… I felt like… like…" Ron said, shivering, unable to finish his sentence.
"Like you'd never be happy again," Draco finished for him, eating the chocolate.
"But whatever you did Harry, it really helped. I felt all warm and fuzzy inside," Ron said, smiling a little at his friend. Harry chuckled.
"I didn't feel the effects. Maybe because I do not possess a soul or I have Darkness inside me," Harry admitted. "So it didn't affect me at all. It just got cold and dark." He watched as Gin chowed down, getting more energetic as it finished. Gin barked and slid out from under the seat, waiting for Harry to sit before placing his large black paws on Harry's lap. Harry pet the dog and Gin nuzzled him.
"Harry?" Lupin said, opening the door again. He stopped dead as he spotted the large dog getting pet by Harry. Instantly, his wand was out, pointing at the dog. The dog looked at him before whimpering and hiding his face in Harry's shirt.
"Professor Lupin," Harry said clearly, the Light inside him swirling, ready to be used. "I would appreciate it if you did not point your wand at my companion. This is Gin." He scowled a little.
Lupin slowly lowered his wand. "…I apologize, Harry." He frowned a little and slid past them before sitting down in his seat. "He just looked like an animagus I used to know. One that betrayed all of us."
"That's great," Harry said flatly, clearly displeased at the distrust Lupin had showed his companion. Gin looked up at Harry and then at Lupin, blinking slowly. "Gin, I don't know if I'm allowed to keep you in my dorm. I'll ask Dumbledore about it, I suppose." He smiled, hugging the dog. Gin barked and wagged his tail. Lupin was still looking at the dog suspiciously.
Harry hummed as he stepped out to change. Gin followed him and sat outside, keeping watch.
-0-
"Harry, where did Gin go?" Ron asked as they waited for the carriages. Harry looked around before sighing.
"Must have went off somewhere. Oh well. He'll be back for food, I think." Harry didn't seem worried, getting on a carriage. He gazed at the skeleton like horses and smiled. "He's smart. He'll find his way."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Careful, Potter. That's the kind of attitude that could get you killed."
"I'll keep that in mind when someone threatens my life again," Harry said pleasantly, waving as Draco waited for the next carriage.
The sorting passed. Harry seemed quite uninterested in the newcomers, hungry. He glanced up only briefly when the new teachers were mentioned. Lupin looked around suspiciously, frowning when he realized something.
Harry didn't care though. Hagrid had been assigned as the Care of Magical Creatures professor and Lupin, as the Defense against Dark Arts. He yawned, looking a little bored as he twirled his tie, glancing at the Slytherin table. Draco seemed to be talking with a group of students about something.
Harry remembered the disaster known as The Monster Book of Monsters quite vividly. He literally had to scare it into submission. The book, even then, had tried to snap at Gin. Harry hit it quite hard against the wall and it remained still.
Harry snapped back to his senses as the food materialized around him. He grinned, taking a few things and eating slowly.
"Who else would assign a biting book?" Ron growled through the mouthful of shepherd's pie. Harry couldn't help but grunt in agreement. Hermione, however, looked affronted.
"I admit… the book isn't the friendliest, but I bet Hagrid's class will be fun!" Hermione said, smiling. "I don't think… he'll bring anything dangerous."
"Hermione, remember Fluffy? The dragon? How about his giant colony of spiders?" Ron asked, rolling his eyes. "You'd think he was talking about kitties and puppies."
Harry, however, was wondering what Defense Against Dark Arts would be like. After the last two Defense Professors, he wondered if Professor Dumbledore actually assigned someone competent.
-0-
Harry looked extremely bored in Divination. He looked into his teacup and squinted. It looked a little like a bear. Or Gin. He wondered where Gin had run off to.
"Uh… Let's see," Harry said, passing his teacup over to Ron. "How about you go first?"
"Well," Ron started. "You've got a… cross like thing." He squinted and looked in the textbook. "Oh. That means great suffering. Sorry mate. Oh, and this looks like a sun." He looked at the book again. "That means great happiness. So you're going to suffer, but be very happy."
"I think your inner eye needs to be replaced, Ron," Harry spoke flatly, bored. He glanced at Ron's cup. "You've got a pile of disgusting brown stuff in your cup."
Trelawney looked over as Ron snorted with laughter. She swept over the table and snatched up Harry's cup. "My dear! You have the Grim!"
"Actually, I'm pretty sure that's my pet dog, Gin," Harry said bored. Trelawney stared. "He is a bear like dog. And friendly. And hasn't killed me just yet."
Ron, Hermione, and Harry exited the room. Hermione was snorting about how Trelawney was a fraud, but Harry wasn't listening.
Care of Magical Creatures was next. Harry met up with Draco and walked to the grounds together. Draco seemed equally disappointed at Trelawney's ability.
"Anyone can predict the death of someone. Everyone'll die eventually. As it was, you were never alive," Draco said, snorting after he was told about the grim in Harry's cup. "Plus, you've got the Dark Lord after you. It's a given your life is in danger."
"Do you think Professor Hagrid will show us something cool?" Harry asked, looking around at the paddock. "Weather's good, at least."
"I have a real treat for you all today," Hagrid said proudly. "But what you all want to do first is to open your books…"
"How?" Draco drawled, looking at Hagrid. Hagrid looked at him.
"Eh?"
"How do we open our books?" Draco pulled out his copy on Monster Book of Monsters, which had been sealed shut. Harry watched as other people pulled out their books, which had been bound in various ways. Harry's was the only one not bound, but quivering in fear.
"Hasn't, hasn't anyone been able to open their books?" Hagrid asked. Harry held his up. "You have, 'Arry?"
"I beat it into submission, but I'm pretty sure there are other ways to open it without resorting to violence," Harry said. The book quivered as he opened it.
"You… you got to stroke them. Look!" Hagrid looked crestfallen, stroking the spine of Hermione's book. The book shuddered, then fell open, completely still. Harry sighed.
"Oh. Professor Hagrid, maybe next time you should attach instructions with the book," Draco said, a flat look on his face. Hagrid flushed, then shuffled away to get the magical creatures. Draco grunted. "Hagrid is nice and all, but I don't think he'll make a very good teacher."
Harry silently agreed. Hermione frowned, but at that moment, Hagrid came back with a heard of hippogriffs, smiling proudly. Harry watched others back away, but he, Draco, Hermione, and Ron stood put. Hagrid went on to explain how to treat a hippogriff as well as their diets. Ron admired the feathers of the creatures, looking impressed.
"Okay, who wants to go first?" Hagrid asked. Harry looked up at one of the creatures and spoke.
"I'll go." He climbed over the fence. Draco smirked a little, looking a little relieved. At least Potter could run away if things went sour.
Harry approached one of the larger, grey hippogriffs, looking up at it. The hippogriff turned to him, looking down at him.
"Okay, Harry. Now… bow," Hagrid said slowly. Harry bowed a little before straightening up, looking up at the creature. The hippogriff gazed down at him. "Ah… Back away slowly. Easy does it…"
Suddenly, the hippogriff bowed deeply at him. Hagrid looked proud.
"Well done," Hagrid said proudly. Harry smiled a little, approaching the large creature. The hippogriff bent down, closing its eyes, before giving a start and rearing back as a large, bear like dog bounded up towards them.
"Careful," Harry soothed, placing his hand on the hippogriff's chest. The hippogriff's talons lowered to the forest floor, beak giving a small chirp. "This is Gin." He smiled, placing a hand on the dog's head. The hippogriff gave another chirp in greeting, the dog barking in return. Harry looked pleased and the hippogriff.
"Harry, this is Buckbeak. Buckbeak, Harry," Hagrid said. "Alright you lot! Remember; be polite and slow and steady."
The class, fueled by Harry's success, followed in suit. Draco and Ron cautiously climbed over the fence, Hermione behind them. They approached Buckbeak slowly, looking up at the creature. Buckbeak turned to them, nudging Harry's hand a little so Harry would continue petting him.
"Figures Potter would get along with a hippogriff," Draco said, frowning. He bowed the Buckbeak and got a bow in return quickly. Hermione was next and then Ron. Each time, Buckbeak bowed, though it hesitated with Hermione. Draco reached forward and started petting the creature. "I admit, I didn't think this class would be like this. The book was vicious."
There was a scream and Harry turned. Pansy Parkinson had gotten slashed by a hippogriff as she approached it without bowing.
"Look what that foul creature has done to be," she screamed. "It's killed me. I'm dying!"
"If you don't shut up Parkinson, I really will kill you," Harry threatened under his breath. Ron laughed and Draco quirked a smile.
"You're not dying," Hagrid said, very white. He had restrained the hippogriff and scooped her up to take her to the Hospital Wing. Harry looked at Draco with one raised eyebrow. Draco snorted.
"I am not responsible for her stupidity," he stated.