The Potter Timeline
Chapter 57 - Surprising Subjects and Lupin's Secret
After dinner that evening, Harry and Hermione sat at their favorite table in the back of the library, working on their first homework assignments. The two realized they needed to study their extra subjects away from prying eyes, particularly their fellow Gryffindors. If Dean and the others saw them working on Arithmancy, Muggle Studies, and Ancient Runes, it would put the pair in another quandary. Keeping this Time-Turner business secret seemed to be getting even more complicated.
Before summarizing a passage on Animagi, answering questions about Muggle forms of government, reading about the origin of Runes, memorizing the formula for Wolfsbane serum, and reviewing basic wand movements for charms - not to mention Lupin's assignment on Boggarts - the pair was eager to tackle one subject first: Arithmancy. They were curious what number might be associated with their names and what meaning that number held for them.
After a few minutes working, Harry looked up at Hermione.
"Okay, ready to hear yours?" he asked.
Hermione grinned and nodded, on pins and needles over what the teen had discovered. He gazed at the parchment in his hands.
"Hermione comes out to six, Jean comes out to three, and Granger is seven. Six plus three plus seven is sixteen, so...one plus six is...seven."
Hermione's face lit up. Harry looked down at his textbook.
"According to this, seven is equated with magic, intuition, and wisdom."
"Wow! That's interesting!" she responded.
He grinned at the girl.
"I'd say that fits you pretty well. You're really good at magic, you have great intuition, and you have a straight head about how to use all of it."
Hermione couldn't help but smirk as she thought about this. She then looked at the parchment in her hands.
"Okay, Harry. Here's yours."
The thirteen-year-old sat up straighter and read her notes out loud.
"Harry is seven, James is three, and Potter is four. Seven plus three plus four equals fourteen. One plus four then is five."
She looked down and read from her textbook.
"The number five is the number of the adventurer. It's associated with someone who is free-spirited, daring, and adventurous."
The girl grinned at him.
"That definitely describes you."
Harry chuckled.
"Wow! I guess it does."
Even more curiosity brewed up over this astonishing subject.
"What about...Dumbledore? What's his number?" Harry asked.
Hermione thought for a moment then reached into her satchel lying on the floor by her chair. She pulled out Hogwarts, A History and laid it on the table.
"Let's see what his full name is so we can calculate it," she said.
Flipping to the back of the large tome, she perused the biography section on headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts. Dumbledore's was at the very end.
"His full name is...Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."
"He has three middle names?" Harry asked with a puzzled look.
"Yes," Hermione answered, "so it will take a bit more calculating for him. Let's see..."
She began writing on her parchment while simultaneously glancing at the Pythagorean table in their textbook. Harry watched her and waited. After a couple of minutes, the girl looked up at him.
"His full name also comes to seven," she said.
"Well, that's not surprising," Harry replied. Then, his eyes lit up.
"What?" Hermione asked with a furrowed brow.
"Let me calculate something else," he replied.
He began writing on his parchment while gazing at the same table in his book. After finishing, he sat back and stared slack-jawed at his words. He then looked at Hermione.
"'Lord' is twenty-two, the second master number. 'Voldemort' is...seven. Yet another seven. So, overall, the number for 'Lord Voldemort' is twenty-two plus seven, twenty-nine, which is two plus nine or...eleven," he said in astonishment.
She stared back at him wide-eyed.
"That's the first master number, concerning personal growth and evolution!" she said, "no wonder Tom gave himself that name. It shows how desperately he wanted greatness and tried to steer his own destiny by taking it."
"Or it shows how big of an ego he had."
"Of course," Hermione replied with a furrowed brow.
"But why 'Voldemort'?" Harry wondered, "where did he come up with that word?"
Hermione leaned forward on the table.
"It's French, Harry, believe it or not."
"French?"
Hermione nodded.
"'Vol' in French can either mean 'flight' or 'steal'. And since 'mort' is French for death, Vol-de-mort can either mean 'flight from death' or 'stealer of death'. Either way, you can see what he was after in choosing that name."
"Wow," Harry said mystified, "he was even smarter than I thought. But now I see why Professor Dumbledore thought it a good idea for us to take Arithmancy. Knowing Voldemort's thinking could give us insight into his actions."
"Indeed. And perhaps even...predict them in advance."
Harry nodded, still amazed at all this.
"What does his real name come to?" he asked.
"Let's see..." Hermione said.
She started the process again and when finished, read the results from her parchment.
"Tom Marvolo Riddle. Tom is three, Marvolo is...thirty three - the third master number. And Riddle is the number...seven! Again! Three plus thirty-three plus seven is forty-three which is...four plus three making..."
"...seven," Harry finished her thought.
The pair stared at one another wide-eyed, both stunned.
"So...there really is something to all this," Harry said, "it can't simply be coincidence that our names numerically describe who we are...or want to be."
"As though someone who knows the numbers and knew us before we were even born gave us our names...deliberately," Hermione finished.
They were both dumbfounded, a chill running down their spines at this spooky thought.
"Okay," Harry said while slowly closing his Arithmancy textbook and pushing it to the side, "what's next?"
Hermione's brow furrowed as she closed her own book and returned it to her satchel. Both were ready to move on from what was now a rather disturbing subject.
"Let's work on...McGonagall's assignment, then go over the Wolfsbane potion," she replied.
"Sounds good."
~HP~
After an exhausting three hours completing all their assignments, the two headed back to Gryffindor Tower, ready to crash in their beds. Harry's head was so full of new information, he couldn't cram in anything else. But he had been right. Their nine classes for first term were going to take a lot of work. He just hoped that adding Quidditch practice and dueling lessons to all of it wouldn't so overload his brain he'd short-circuit before the holidays.
The pair arrived at the Fat Lady's portrait and found the woman in the canvas gazing into a hand mirror, trying to arrange flowers in her poofed-up, copper hair.
"Fortuna Major," Hermione spoke.
But the lady didn't respond, still focused on the mirror while struggling to keep a couple of petunias from falling out. Hermione threw a perturbed look at Harry then back at the Fat Lady.
"Fortuna...Major!" she uttered more loudly.
The Fat Lady lowered the mirror and glared at Hermione.
"Alright!" she complained, "I heard you the first time!"
The portrait swung open and the teens went in. Upon entering the common room, they found it full of their Housemates. A group of sixth-years was working on assignments at the study table. A few fourth-year girls sat on the sofa, talking, while a fifth-year boy sat on the carpet, stoking the fire in the fireplace, joining in on the conversation occasionally.
"Hello, Harry!" a female voice chimed at him from one corner as he and Hermione were about to split up and head to their respective dorms.
Harry turned to see who had addressed him. It was the first-year, Romilda Vane. She and Ginny Weasley were sitting in the two sofa chairs by the window, both staring at him. The pretty, dark-haired girl gave him a sly grin, and Ginny, sitting across from her, threw him a doe-eyed look.
Harry smiled back vaguely.
"Hi," he said with a wave.
A hand suddenly wrapped around his. He turned to find Hermione standing next to him, glaring at the girls in the corner. She then faced Harry, and leaned up, giving him a soft, warm kiss on the lips. Harry was surprised at this sudden display of affection. After a moment, the girl stepped back and threw him a smile.
"See you in the morning," she said softly.
Harry chuckled at Hermione's apparent need to stake out her territory in front of the other girls. He leaned down and kissed her back.
"See you in the morning," he said with a smile.
Hermione seemed happy as she squeezed his hand, then headed up the stairs to the girls' dorms. Harry looked back at the corner. Ginny and Romilda started giggling and whispering to each other. Others were now staring at him, whispering as well. Feeling eyes on him from the entire room, Harry's cheeks turned pink. He bolted up to his dorm room and went inside.
~HP~
The next morning, the teens were up early, heading to the Great Hall, ready for a hearty breakfast to help them tackle another day of classes.
"Harry!" a voice chimed at them from behind.
They turned to see a couple of familiar faces.
"Terence! Rory!" Harry uttered with grin at the Slytherins, "how's it going?"
He shook hands with each of them.
"Not bad. How about you two?" Higgs asked.
Harry glanced at Hermione who smiled back.
"Not bad ourselves. Just trying to get through our first week of classes."
"Same here," Rory said.
"We're heading to potions right now, but wanted to let you know. Looks like we'll be facing off on the Quidditch pitch once again," Terence said.
Harry was surprised.
"Really?" he asked wide-eyed.
"Yep. Higgs is back at Seeker and yours truly is back in the Beater position," Rory told him.
"Wow! That's great, you two! I'm glad to hear it!" Harry exclaimed.
"Yeah, well, don't think for one second I'm going to make it easy on you just because of what you did for me," Terence uttered while pointing a finger at him.
Harry laughed.
"I'd be disappointed if you did," he told the snake.
Higgs and Rory both chuckled.
"So...what happened? How did you get back on the team?" Harry asked.
The Slytherins threw a glance at one another before Rory answered.
"Moreland dropped out of Hogwarts last term. Rumor has it, he transfered to Durmstrang, which comes as no surprise considering his rather rough-and-tumble nature. That opened the door for me, as you can imagine."
"And - if you haven't heard yet, no doubt you soon will - Draco was suspended from the Slytherin team by Snape himself," Higgs added.
Harry and Hermione exchanged astonished looks.
"What? What happened?" he asked.
"After losing points for Slytherin and getting into detention in Hagrid's class, on his very first day, he got into a brawl with a couple of fifth-years who were teasing him about it in our common room. His buddy Goyle gave one of them a bloody nose in the process. Snape was furious."
"Wow," Harry uttered, "though that doesn't come as a surprise, really. Seems like Draco's been more hot-tempered and belligerent than usual."
The Slytherins looked at one another knowingly again.
"Yeah, well, from what we understand, Malfoy's having a tough time on the home front and he seems to be overcompensating for it here," Rory said.
"With Lucius in Azkaban, Draco's mum isn't handling things so well, from what we've heard," Higgs threw in, "and apparently she and Draco are still struggling with the embarrassment of the whole situation."
"You can imagine what kind of scandal Lucius' imprisonment caused among wizarding high society," Rory added.
Harry nodded.
"So that's why Malfoy's being more of an ass," he said.
"And reckless too," Hermione added, "he couldn't have been in his right mind charging up to a hippogriff like that. We know he's not that stupid."
"Exactly," Terence stated, "but nearly everyone in Slytherin is fed up with Draco's attitude. The prefects have already given him and his pals warning, and Snape has too. We'll just have to see how things shake out this term, whether I can remain Slytherin's Seeker next term or not."
"Well, if it's any consolation, Terence, we're rooting for you to do so, even if you do give me a hard time on the pitch," Harry stated.
The Slytherins laughed. Harry and Hermione followed suit.
"Right. Well, we better be off then, so we'll see you two later," Reeves said.
"Later," Harry replied.
Terence and Rory headed toward the dungeons. Harry and Hermione resumed their trek to the Great Hall. But they wouldn't get far.
"Oh! Harry!" Terence called out from down the corridor.
The thirteen-year-olds turned to look at the guys.
"If you haven't heard already, Cedric's been made team captain for Hufflepuff."
Harry's eyes lit up.
"No, I hadn't! Thanks!" he replied.
The Slytherins nodded at him and marched off. Harry and Hermione headed down the corridor for the Great Hall. But as they did, a frown appeared on Hermione's face.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked in concern.
"After what Terence and Rory said about the state of things at Malfoy Manor, I'm concerned about Dobby," she replied.
Harry grimaced.
"Me too," he replied, "perhaps later tonight we can contact him and found out how he's doing."
"Definitely."
The pair entered the Hall and sat down at the Gryffindor table. They had just tucked into their meal - a steaming plate of flapjacks and bangers for Harry, and French toast with blackberry jam for Hermione - when the rest of the third-year Gryffindors arrived at the table to their surprise.
"You're here rather early," Hermione commented as Seamus and Dean sat down across from them, Neville joining shortly after.
"We wanted to get a head start for Trelawney's class today," Dean replied.
"Yeah, yesterday we couldn't even finish breakfast before our hike to the North Tower," Seamus added, "my stomach kept rumbling nearly the entire class."
Luna Lovegood now entered the hall with Ginny and Romilda on either side, the three chatting cheerily. The brunette and redhead sat down with the other second-years, both of them smiling at Harry again, to Hermione's annoyance. But Luna, wearing a dangling pair of tangerine earrings, promptly marched over and plopped down next to Neville.
"Good morning," she said dreamily to the five friends.
"Good morning," they responded.
Just as breakfast appeared on everyone's plates, Dean looked up at Harry and Hermione.
"So, you two, is it true then?" he asked with heightened curiosity.
"Is what true?" Hermione asked the teen.
"We heard rumors around Gryffindor Tower that you two are...boyfriend and girlfriend," Seamus stated.
Everyone within earshot stopped eating or talking and perked up at this, giving the two a stare. Harry and Hermione's cheeks burned. Their kiss in the common room the previous evening was the first public display of their deepened relationship. And after word spread among the Gryffindors as to what happened, no doubt the entire school would soon know too. But Harry wasn't bothered by it. He looked at Hermione.
"Yeah, Seamus. It's true," he said.
Hermione, still blushing, smiled back.
"That's great!" Dean exclaimed as the others smiled, "I mean, it's not surprising, really. But we always thought there was something between you two more than just...friendship."
Harry stared into the pretty brown eyes of the girl next to him.
"Perhaps there was," he said with a warm smile at her.
Hermione's face turned an even deeper shade of scarlet.
After an awkward silence, everyone resumed breakfast and fell into cheery conversation. Much of the talk was about Professor Lupin and his brilliant first class. But they also talked and laughed about Malfoy and his embarrassing behavior the previous day. When Draco and his friends entered the hall, instead of sitting in the third-year section of the Slytherin table, they forced the first and second-years down and sat at the very end, near the corner of the Hall, keeping to themselves and staying mum throughout breakfast, despite students from every House and year staring at them and whispering. Malfoy looked disgruntled and embarrassed the entire time. His third year wasn't starting off well at all.
After the Gryffindors finished their meal, everyone headed off to divination, save Harry and Hermione who headed for Arithmancy. Along the way, the two discussed how they were going to work around the in-between-class-dilemma with their classmates. After ruminating on it, they decided to do what they did their first Runes class: remain behind in each class and wait for everyone to leave before heading out and using the Time-Turner. Hopefully, Mandy, Terry, and Justin, or any of their other classmates, would get used to this after a while and think nothing of it. Trying this method that very day seemed to work just fine, to Harry and Hermione's relief.
The Gryffindors later attended their first Herbology class of term. Professor Sprout had them prune and prepare Dittany plants for potions used in healing and for raw consumption. Everyone was puzzled by this as they had studied Dittany plants their first year. She explained to the class that the headmaster requested she review this particular topic before getting into the normal third-year class curriculum. As Sprout went on about the plant and it's native habitat in Southwestern Europe, Hermione leaned toward Harry.
"Dittany is one of the plants used to help heal werewolf bites," she whispered to the boy.
Harry nodded.
"Perhaps this was for us then, in case Lupin needs some," he whispered back.
Hermione nodded back.
"We can prepare a batch for this Saturday along with the Wolfsbane," she replied.
The rest of the day went by normally and the pair found themselves back in the library studying that afternoon. Then, after dinner, the two met Professor Flitwick in the Spellroom for their first dueling lesson, eager to see what the little wizard had in store.
"So, I understand the pair of you worked on some basic dueling your previous year?" he asked.
"Yes, sir," Hermione answered while looking at Harry, "before the Chamber of Secrets ordeal."
"I see. Would you mind giving me a little demonstration?" he now asked cheerily.
The teens looked at one another.
"Um...sure, professor," Harry answered.
They stepped to opposite sides of the room while Flitwick took a chair and sat down to watch. The Gryffindors now pulled out their wands and each took the same posture: right foot forward, left foot back, their wand in their right hand pointed at their opponent. They then went through the same dueling practice from first term of their second year utilizing the object moving spell, the shield spell, as well as Impedimenta and Petrificus Totalus.
After five minutes, the two had come to a stalemate and were trying to catch their breath as they had been constantly moving, producing, repelling, and dodging spells the entire time. Harry felt rusty as it had been nearly a year since they last practiced, the Lockhart dueling club debacle of second term not withstanding. He could just keep up with Hermione as they both shifted around the room, trying to avoid a collision with desks or the teacher's table. Feeling they had performed sufficiently, they looked at Professor Flitwick who then rose from his chair.
"Not bad. Not bad at all," he said with a smile.
Harry and Hermione exchanged grins. The wizard walked over to them and continued.
"You both have good instincts and your spellwork is coming along nicely. However, some training will most certainly help hone those instincts into useful skills that should enable you both to become master duelers in time."
Flitwick clasped his hands behind his back and slowly walked toward the teacher's table.
"To become truly proficient in dueling, it is an error to focus solely on casting spells and defending against them. Anyone can develop proficiency in spellwork with the right amount of practice. But what sets the professional dueler apart from the amateur is a proper foundation of body movement, casting technique, and strategy. Therefore, we will focus on body movement first."
Harry and Hermione both nodded.
"Now, have either of you danced before?"
Hermione and Harry exchanged puzzled looks.
"Danced, professor?" Harry asked with screwed up look, suddenly feeling nervous.
Hermione seemed to feel the same.
"Yes, Harry."
They both shook their heads, staring wide-eyed at the wizard.
"Well, then. I shall teach you," he said cheerily.
He retrieved a small object from his robe pocket and placed it on the table. He then stood back, pulling out his wand and pointing it at the object.
"Engorgio!" he uttered.
The object enlarged and was revealed to be an old-fashioned phonograph complete with a large, flowered speaker horn. Guessing what was about to happen, the teens exchanged nervous looks as the professor walked back toward them.
"Dancing is one of our more refined arts and not only can it be an enjoyable pastime, it can prove a useful tool for developing proper footwork and body coordination. When I was younger, outside of dueling competitions, I was also a dance enthusiast. I entered and won several dancing competitions, in fact. And in the process, I discovered that both arts compliment one another brilliantly. Each can aid the development of the other."
The professor walked over and stepped in between Harry and Hermione, the pair moving further apart on either side of him.
"Now, if you both will, face the table like so."
They did.
"One thing to keep in mind while dancing is that your hips and torso do the moving. Your legs and feet merely 'catch' the upper body, if you will, to allow it to move smoothly and gracefully. So, step number one, let your body to fall slightly to the right like this..." Flitwick said while shifting right, catching his body with his right leg, "then bring your left foot back together with your right."
Harry and Hermione mimicked this move. The wizard smiled.
"Excellent! Now for step number two, let your right foot fall behind you."
He did this, the teens followed.
"And shift your left in a diagonal fashion to your left, bringing your right foot next to it."
Flitwick did this as well, the other two trying to coordinate their footwork to match his.
"Finally, left foot forward...and bring your right foot to its side."
They did so.
"And now we're back where we started."
Flitwick raised his wand and pointed it at the phonograph. The needle rose as the turntable began spinning, then lowered onto the vinyl record sitting on its top. After a crackling sound, music bellowed forth from the horn: an old-fashioned waltz. Flitwick returned his wand to his robes.
"Now, once again, making our movements in time with the music."
Harry and Hermione followed Flitwick's box movements once more, mimicking the little man who now incorporated a swaying motion. The teens looked at one another and chuckled. Whatever they were expecting from the professor's lesson, it certainly wasn't this.
As the music continued, the man stepped forward and turned to watch the teens perform the movements by themselves. After the song ended, Flitwick stopped the record.
"Excellent!" he uttered, "you both are finding the rhythm. Now, we'll step things up a notch. I want you to face one another."
Harry and Hermione threw each other a surprised look before turning and facing the other at about two feet apart.
"A bit closer, actually," Flitwick said.
After hesitating briefly, the pair stepped closer, to within one foot. They stared at each other, curious what the little man would have them do next.
"Right, then. Harry, if you'll place your left hand just behind Hermione's back."
Harry's cheeks turned pink as he stared wide-eyed at Flitwick then looked at Hermione. The girl was grinning at him, holding back a snicker. Harry smiled and ran his hand between her arm and side, gently placing it behind her back. Now Hermione's cheeks turned pink.
"Good, now stretch out your right arm like this."
Harry mimicked the professor by stretching out his arm to his side.
"Now, Hermione, place your right hand behind Harry's shoulder."
She did and the pair again looked at one another with slight embarrassment while chuckling.
"And lastly, clasp Harry's outstretched right hand with your left."
The girl did so and the pair were now in position for a dance...together.
"Excellent!" Flitwick exclaimed.
He turned and restarted the music.
"Harry, you'll take the lead. Right foot first, just as we practiced, and follow the same steps. Hermione, you'll move with Harry using the opposite steps, mirroring him. Understand?"
She nodded.
"Wonderful. Ready? One...two...three."
Harry began and at first fumbled, trying to remember the steps while moving in time with the waltz. Hermione laughed and Harry followed suit. But after a few minutes, they got the hang of it and were soon moving back and forth effortlessly. As they did, they both stared at each other with a smirk, a bit embarrassed at their first dance together, but at the same time amused.
"Well done! Now, as you utilize the same footwork, try to move in a circular fashion."
Harry swallowed hard and with his next step turned his body a bit too quickly. Hermione had to move quickly herself to stay in front of him. The circular movement was harder than they thought, but after a couple of minutes trying, their efforts were passable.
Flitwick stopped the phonograph. Harry and Hermione, still grinning, let go of one another and faced him.
"Well done, you two. You're coming along nicely. With some more practice, I think you'll have it," the professor told them, "but we shall end here for tonight. In our next lesson, we'll work some more on your footwork and body movement. Then, I'll show you how these movements can be incorporated into a duel. In the meantime, I'll leave the phonograph here so you may practice as you wish. Any questions?"
Hermione and Harry exchanged glances then looked back at Flitwick.
"No, sir," they both answered.
The professor smiled broadly at them.
"Very well. I wish you both a good evening!"
"Good evening, sir," they replied.
But before the white-headed man exited the room, he turned to look at the teens.
"By the way, you make a splendid dancing couple, I must say."
The two smirked at one another red-faced. Flitwick then disappeared out of the room. Harry and Hermione turned to look at one another and an awkward silence came over them.
"...Well. That was interesting," Hermione said, finally breaking the silence.
"It was," Harry replied, "not what I was expecting at all."
"Me neither."
More silence ensued before Harry smiled at Hermione, noting how pretty she appeared when flustered.
"You dance pretty well, though," he told her.
The girl grinned back at him.
"You're not too bad yourself," she replied before both of them burst out laughing at the craziness of the situation. A few moments later, they regained their senses.
"Right, then. Back to studying?" Harry asked.
"Yes," Hermione replied with a nod.
The two remained in the Spellroom, sitting at the teacher's table to go over the day's assignments.
~HP~
After about an hour, Harry sat back in his chair with a yawn. Hermione looked up at him.
"Ready for a break?" she asked. He nodded affirmative.
"Definitely."
"Me too," she said while laying down her quill, "how about we try to contact Dobby and see how he's doing?"
"Okay," Harry said.
He reached into his satchel and retrieved the silver galleon. Sitting upright, Harry held it out then flipped it twice, allowing the coin to land flat in his palm. Both waited for that popping noise and the sudden appearance of the house elf. But after several moments, nothing happened. The two exchanged puzzled looks.
"Huh. Let me try it again," Harry said.
He flipped the coin two more times and the pair waited as before. But to their surprise, again nothing happened. Harry now stared at the galleon.
"Do you think it doesn't work anymore?" he asked while scanning its surface.
"I don't know," Hermione replied while staring at the coin herself, "try it one more time."
Harry did so and the two waited, glancing around the Spellroom for anything. But still there was...nothing. No sound. No elf. Both their faces soured.
"This is isn't good. I sure hope nothing dreadful has happened to him," Hermione said with a worried look.
Harry's expression mirrored hers.
"Perhaps he's just...busy...with the Malfoys and can't get away at the moment," he replied, "after what Terence and Rory said, who knows what Draco's mother might have him doing at the manor."
Hermione grimaced while staring at the coin again.
"Perhaps you're right. We can try again tomorrow."
Harry nodded then placed the galleon back in his satchel. The pair finished up one last assignment before heading back to Gryffindor Tower. But Dobby's failure to appear had them both worried.
~HP~
Wednesday's classes went off without a hitch. Despite a few close calls, Harry and Hermione's Time-Turner strategy worked and they got into a routine of sorts both with timing and the ideal spots where they could safely return an hour in time without getting caught by their classmates. But it remained to be seen whether they could keep this up the entire term.
During the second class of Care of Magical Creatures, Hagrid took his students a little ways into the Forbidden Forest, leading them to the same glen where he took Harry during the summer: where the unicorns dwelled. The pupils were awed by the presence of at least a dozen of the white creatures grazing in the silky green grass of the clearing bordered by a babbling brook. Most of the unicorns were full grown, both male and female, along with four unicorn ponies. As Harry petted the back of one while gazing at its sparkling, swirled horn, he couldn't help but recall the horrible sight of the dead unicorn and Professor Quirrell drinking its blood during his first year. And during the entire class period, Draco, nearly recovered from the effects of the immobilization spell, didn't utter a single word either good or bad, being sure to steer clear of Hagrid.
In Lupin's DADA class, the professor handed back their graded papers on Boggarts and began a lecture on Graphorns and what to do if you stumble upon one. The entire class was a bit bummed at mere academic exercise after the exciting class on Boggarts their first day. Remus, noticing this, assured the pupils he would hold another practical lesson soon enough.
That afternoon, before plowing back into their regular studies, Harry and Hermione headed to the student lab in the dungeons to create their first batch of Wolfsbane potion for Professor Lupin. After getting the ingredients together, they concocted a working serum they hoped would pass muster with Snape. They would present it to the man during potions the following day, a full day ahead of schedule.
That evening, after dinner, Harry went to his first Quidditch practice of third year. Oliver was in top form again, giving his team an impassioned speech about how "this was the year of all years" to win the Hogwarts Cup for Gryffindor. And while he enthusiastically went over a new strategy he'd concocted for the team during the summer holidays, which was actually a modified version of Harry's outmaneuvering strategy, the others sat mum and merely listened. Fred, George, Angelina, Katie, Alicia, and Harry all figured their captain, in his seventh and final year, was eager to leave Hogwarts with one more Quidditch trophy under his belt. Of course, they'd do their best to help him.
When Oliver finished his diatribe, the team headed out to the pitch to work on his strategy. A dark foreboding cloud greeted them and soon enough it burst into a storm complete with drenching cold rain, lightning, and thunder. Undaunted, Wood insisted they practice anyway as it would be good experience in case they had to play an actual game under the same conditions. The rest of the team wasn't thrilled about this. Thankfully, as a precaution, Harry had brought with him some essential items: the weather-proof robe Professor McGonagall gave him for his birthday, the gloves Hermione had given him almost two Christmases ago, and the goggles he bought from Quality Quidditch Supplies his second year.
Sitting high in the sky waiting for his turn in Wood's plan, he felt warm and dry, though an occasional clap of thunder caused him to jump. He just hoped he wouldn't get struck by lightning. But he never did, and the Gryffindor captain finally called it a night after only a half hour. The team hurried back to the castle to escape the torrential downpour which didn't end until the wee hours of the morning.
~HP~
Saturday finally arrived. With no classes for two solid days, the teens were looking forward to a bit of a break. So, Hermione and Harry relaxed and enjoyed a nice long breakfast in the Great Hall with their classmates before the awaited meeting with Professor Lupin. After finishing their meal, the two headed to the Hall entrance, both of them curious about the accommodations Dumbledore had set up for the man and eager to talk with him further about Harry's parents...and Sirius Black.
Hermione held a silk maroon sack in one hand as they stepped out of the Hall. Inside was a medium-sized vial containing the Wolfsbane potion, which Professor Snape had approved as "acceptable", as well as a small pouch of prepared Dittany leaves. No sooner had they entered the main corridor than the brown-haired professor arrived, looking a bit less disheveled and surprisingly, a bit more rested.
"Good morning, you two," he said pleasantly, hands in pockets as though he was on a leisurely stroll.
"Good morning, professor," they replied with a smile.
Hermione handed him the pouch.
"Here's the serum, containing a bit of lemon as you requested, and a small batch of Dittany leaves, just in case," she informed him.
Lupin's smile broadened as he took it.
"Thank you both very much. These will come in handy. And I have absolute confidence the serum is the correct mixture and consistency, from what my colleagues tell me about your excellent schoolwork."
Harry and Hermione grinned. Remus placed the sack in his coat pocket.
"Now, then. Ready for our little excursion?" he asked.
The teens nodded and the three headed off.
The man lead them down the main stairwell and out of the entrance to the castle. As they walked outside under a cloudy sky, four Dementors swooped down on either side of the three, though stopping some twenty feet away. Hermione and Harry stepped closer to one another while keeping a firm gaze at the ghastly specters. Professor Lupin looked up at one of the Dementors but didn't seem bothered in the slightest.
"Nasty creatures," he said, "some of the foulest inhabiting our world. Hopefully, this Black business can be resolved soon and they can go back to their rightful place in Azkaban."
Harry and Hermione exchanged glances but said nothing. Lupin's comment about Black had them even more curious. What did the professor think of his friend now and what did he believe happened all those years ago? Whatever the case, Harry would ask him just that once they arrived at Lupin's temporary "residence".
The Dementors watched as the three veered from the main gravel drive toward the south side of the castle. After turning the corner, Remus lead them down a set of stone steps toward the back end of the old structure and toward...the Whomping Willow. As they approached the enormous tree with its whip-like branches and gnarled trunk, which gave it the appearance of a many-tentacled monster, the thing slowly turned in their direction as though it knew they were coming. Lupin stopped about five meters from the outer branches, Harry and Hermione stopping beside him.
"I daresay you both have been warned about going too near the willow?" he asked.
"Not warned, exactly," Harry answered, "but we've gathered its not a wise thing to do, with all the bird feathers lying around it."
The three looked down at the ground at a multitude of feathers of all colors and sizes scattered underneath the beastly tree.
"Yes, Harry..." Lupin said.
He then turned and scoured the ground, picking up a fallen branch from a nearby pine. The man hurled it at the willow. In a fraction of a second, one of its branches whipped at the pine stick.
WHACK!
The branch exploded into hundreds of splinters which fell to the ground like sawdust. The two were taken aback. Lupin finished his previous thought.
"...but the Whomping Willow is the way to our destination this morning."
The teenagers now stared at him wide-eyed. The professor chuckled then retrieved his wand and pointed it directly at the tree.
"Immobulus!"
A shockwave coursed from the wand tip and hit the willow, freezing it in an instant.
"Follow me," he said as he began moving toward the trunk.
Harry and Hermione followed, gazing up at the frozen branches. When they arrived at the base, Remus leaned down and pushed a knob sticking up from one of the surface roots. The knob sank slightly, there was a soft rumbling beneath the ground, and a gap appeared in between two of the roots - a gap big enough for a person to enter. The professor lit his wand.
"And down we go," he told them.
The man stepped into the gap and disappeared beneath the surface. Harry and Hermione lit their own wands and Harry let Hermione descend first. Once they reached level ground, the two looked around. The space they stood in was cramped and the ceiling just reached above their heads - a ceiling formed by the enormous roots of the Whomping Willow which fanned out in all directions. Below these, several large stones mixed with raw earth formed a crude support wall of sorts and just ahead, Professor Lupin stood at the beginning of a tunnel cut out of solid rock.
"This way," he said.
He turned and moved into the dark tunnel. Hermione and Harry followed. They both, like the wizard in front of them, had to crouch as the tunnel wasn't very high. The ground beneath their feet was damp earth and on either side were rough-hewn walls and a ceiling made of the same stone. Harry wondered who carved out this mysterious tunnel and when. But there was no time to ask.
Lupin moved briskly ahead, despite having to bend over in his gait, and the tunnel seemed to stretch on for quite a ways. But at a certain point, it sloped upwards and the professor finally stopped. When the teenagers caught up to him, they found him standing next to a small alcove on their left at the top of which a rectangular hole with an open trapdoor allowed faint light inside. A short ladder led up to this hole. But the tunnel itself continued on to who knew where.
"This is where we exit," Lupin informed them, "follow me and watch your step."
"Where does that lead off to, professor?" Harry asked while pointing his lit wand down the dark corridor.
Remus turned and gazed in its direction.
"Hogsmeade village, Harry. In particular, The Hog's Head tavern. This tunnel is but one of several secret passageways from the tavern into Hogwarts, in fact."
"Wow! Really?" the teen exclaimed.
"Yes. And very convenient for me while spending time in my...accommodations."
"How so?" Hermione asked.
"Well for one thing, having access to food or other resources in Hogsmeade. Another is that the tavern is the perfect way into or out of this tunnel. The Hog's Head isn't nearly as popular as Madam Rosmerta's place, and most of the shady characters who visit the establishment are either so self-absorbed or so drunk, they generally pay no attention to who comes or goes. I'm able to sneak into the village with little concern for being recognized. Not to mention that a good strong drink on occasion can truly help when recovering from a nasty bout of lycanthropy."
The thirteen-year-olds nodded and Harry recalled Hagrid's tale of a hooded Professor Quirrell meeting Hagrid in The Hog's Head and giving him the dragon egg. Lupin continued.
"I can explain more later. For now, we should head on up so I can show you where I stay."
He turned and climbed the short ladder through the trapdoor and disappeared above. Hermione went next and then Harry climbed up behind her. When he arrived on the surface, he was surprised to find it a living room of some sort. But it was an utter mess.
The hardwood floor was dusty. The walls were coated with peeling wallpaper which looked shredded and ripped apart in places. A large sofa sat crooked in one corner with some of its stuffing torn out and falling across the floor. Lupin walked toward a small stairwell on the other side of which sat a kitchen, similarly wrecked. The wizard then marched up the stairs which creaked and groaned under his weight.
The teens followed and found themselves inside a bedroom which was as large as the living area and kitchen combined. It was also in a state of shambles: the bed sat caddy-cornered, its coverings torn and pulled partly from the mattress as well as a large chest which held several scratches across its face as though some enormous creature had attempted to claw its way in. Harry and Hermione both knew who that creature was, of course.
The windows were boarded up and faint sunlight shone in just enough to illuminate the room and its inhabitants. The only other thing the pair noticed was a closed door on the opposite side of the room that must lead to a closet.
"Well, this is it. My...humble abode," Lupin said while slowly walking around the room and gazing over its contents. He went on.
"I apologize for its messy state as I haven't yet fixed it back up, something I normally do with a simple reversal spell after I've fully recovered from an episode. However, you can see by the shape of things what lycanthropy can cause one to do. I am grateful, as you can imagine, that Professor Dumbledore has so kindly arranged my stay here once a month in order to...get it out of my system without harm to others."
Suddenly, Hermione's face lit up.
"Professor, you mentioned that the tunnel below leads to Hogsmeade, so this house can't be far from the village."
"That's correct."
The girl bit her lip in thought.
"Would this happen to be...the Shrieking Shack then?" she asked with astonishment.
Lupin smiled.
"A most impressive deduction, young lady. Yes, it is."
"The Shrieking Shack?" Harry asked with a puzzled expression
"It's purportedly the most haunted house in Britain," Hermione told him, "I read about it in Sites of Historical Sorcery. The ghostly screams and howls coming from it are supposed to be legendary."
Lupin chuckled.
"Yes, they are indeed, Hermione, because the screams and howls are mine. I'm the one who haunts it."
"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed with a grin, "now it makes sense!"
"In fact," Remus started while stepping over and gazing through a crack in one of the boarded windows, "Dumbledore himself helped spread those rumors long ago to keep the curious away and further conceal my presence inside."
"That's brilliant," Harry commented.
"Most certainly, Harry. Most certainly."
The professor now walked over and stood just a few feet in front of the two. A very serious expression appeared on his face as he gazed directly at them.
"Now, I mentioned answering what questions you have for me concerning your parents, Harry, and concerning what happened that fateful night almost twelve years ago."
"Yes, sir," Harry answered, his curiosity over the subject ramping back up.
Remus nodded.
"Very well," he said, "but...before we begin, there's something you both should see."
Lupin now turned and stared at the closet behind him.
"You can come out now!" he uttered rather loudly, "they're here!"
Hermione and Harry exchanged puzzled looks, wondering who or what the professor seemed to be addressing. They then watched with baited breath as the door slowly creaked open. When it finally came to a stop, the thirteen-year-olds were stunned at what now appeared from out of the closet.