The Potter Timeline
Chapter 64 - Hearing Rumors, Reading Runes
The following day, Hermione and Harry attended classes as usual. But while listening to their professors lecture, watching them give a demonstration, or finding themselves engaged in some specific class work, the two kept wondering the same thing: what the headmaster might have discovered concerning Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem and when they would receive the special assignment he spoke of, the one that would reveal the true significance of the Gaunt Ring. They were also curious as to the situation with Peter Pettigrew, wondering when Dumbledore might hold a trial for the former marauder. But the day passed with no word from the old man and no special assignment arrived. That evening, they were back in the Spellroom for another lesson with Flitwick.
"I trust the pair of you have been practicing your waltz movements?" the small wizard asked.
"Yes, sir. A little," Harry replied with a look at Hermione who smiled back.
"Excellent!" Flitwick said with his own smile.
He then walked to one side of the Spellroom, turning to face them.
"Our first order of business this evening will be to go over proper dueling etiquette. If the two of you will stand center of the room and face one another."
They did so.
"Now, retrieve your wand and hold it at your side like so," he said while pulling out his wand and hold it downward by his right thigh.
The two did likewise and held their wands by their side. Flitwick then went over the etiquette procedure which was essentially what Gilderoy Lockhart demonstrated at the beginning of his dueling class their second year. It was one thing their former DADA professor had gotten right, in fact: bring the wand straight up in front of the face, a quick swish back down to the side, and finally, a bow of respect to the opponent.
"A century ago, dueling etiquette was expected between wizards engaged in an actual fight," Flitwick explained, "even between the fiercest of enemies. Wizarding society in those days was concerned with maintaining honor and respect among its members. A person who failed to provide proper etiquette during a duel or one who cheated by attacking their opponent during the etiquette process was censured by society at large and would live the rest of their days with a black mark on their name. If they survived the duel, that is. But, alas, times have changed and the notion of giving respect to one's opponent has all but disappeared."
At these words, Harry remembered Malfoy's behavior toward him during Lockhart's class. Flitwick continued.
"I would therefore caution you both to maintain awareness, even if you face an opponent who seems willing to grant you a degree of respect. Never let down your guard for an instant. Do you understand?"
The two nodded. The professor smiled then stepped to one side of the room.
"Now, we shall look at techniques for spell avoidance. Harry, if you'd be so kind," he said while opening a hand to the middle of the room.
Harry stepped away from Hermione to the spot Flitwick indicated. The professor continued.
"Keep in mind that the techniques we shall work on presently are for defence against directed magic - spells and charms which take a single, linear path toward their intended target. Spells such as Stupefy, for example. This, as opposed to multi-directional magic such as Immobulus Totalus. The latter requires a different strategy which we shall cover at a future date."
The two nodded. Harry then grinned at Hermione who returned the same. He remembered her brilliant use of the immobilization spell during the Cornish Pixie debacle of Lockhart's first DADA class. Flitwick went on.
"Now, Harry, take your dueling stance with me as your opponent."
Harry stepped forward with his right foot and pointed his wand at Flitwick, his body bladed, his left hand by his side. But the professor remained standing as he was, facing Harry, both feet beneath his hips while keeping his wand at his side.
"As the pair of you demonstrated for me last week, it is common among wizards to use the shield spell during a duel. Since the spell can deflect the majority of directed magic, as well as multidirectional, most amateur duelers fall back on it. However, while the spell is very handy, relying on it solely for defence could prove to be a mistake. In the time it takes to produce the spell, a clever attacker could easily summon another after the shield has dissipated. There is a much easier way, therefore, to avoid being hit by directed magic."
"How is that, professor?" Harry asked.
"With our dance movements, Harry," Flitwick replied, "when you are ready, cast the stunning spell at me."
Harry pursed his lips and nodded.
"Okay."
He pointed his wand down at the professor.
"Stupefy!..."
"Expelliarmus!" Flitwick uttered only a split second later.
Harry's wand flew from his hand and clinked on the floor several meters away. The teenager was amazed as he first watched his wand fly from his hand then gazed back at the professor. The little man was standing a mere foot to the right of where he had been and the same distance forward, his wand still pointed at Harry.
"Did the pair of you see what I just did?" the professor asked.
Hermione squinted at him.
"It looked like...the first step of the waltz movement, sir. Stepping diagonally to your right out of the path of Harry's spell."
Flitwick smiled.
"That is correct, Hermione...in part."
"In part?" she asked with a scrunched expression.
The man lowered his wand.
"I did follow our waltz movement, as you say, but I did not step diagonally. Rather, I fell diagonally."
The teens exchanged puzzled looks. Flitwick continued.
"Perhaps it's best to demonstrate it more practically. We'll repeat the same exercise, except this time I shall cast the body bind spell at you, Harry, and you shall attempt to knock the wand out of my hand. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," the teen replied while retrieving his wand from the floor then returning to his spot in front of the professor.
"Now, stand as I did, facing me, feet beneath your hips and wand at your side."
Harry did so. Flitwick then bladed his body and pointed his wand at him. Harry gulped.
"Ready?" the little man asked.
"Um...sure," Harry replied with apprehension, his heart beating fast. Flitwick smiled.
"On the count of three. One...two...three...Petrificus Totalus!"
Harry shoved off his left foot trying to step diagonally and blade his body to avoid the spell. But before he could get halfway, his body seized up and he found himself falling forward.
"Arresto Momentum!" Flitwick uttered and Harry's body froze in midair.
The little man stepped closer to Harry and placed his hand on Harry's stomach.
"Hermione, if you'd be so kind," he said to the girl.
She raised her wand at Harry.
"Restoro Mobilius!" she uttered.
Harry felt his body unstiffen and relax, Flitwick holding him upright until he could get his footing back.
"Alright, Harry?" the professor asked.
"Yes...sir," he said with a nod, though feeling a bit wobbly. Flitwick smiled.
"Excellent. Now, explain to Hermione and myself exactly what you were attempting to do to avoid my spell."
"I...tried to move forward in the same manner you did, professor, by following the waltz movement. But I don't understand how you were able to do it. I can't move that fast."
"It's not a matter of speed, Harry. It's a matter of directional momentum and timing."
"Directional momentum?" Hermione asked, her curiousity piqued as much as Harry's.
"Yes, Hermione. If you watched Harry carefully, you might have seen him push off his left foot quickly to dodge the spell. But therein lies the problem. In the time it took him to push off I was able to hit him. Trying to step forward, by shoving off, is much slower than simply falling forward, as I stated previously."
The professor now stepped in between the two and turned to face the same direction.
"Let's try it together and you shall see the difference. On the count of three, I want you both to step forward as quickly as possible. Ready? One...two...three!"
The teens did so and Harry, more conscious of his actions this time, noticed how much effort it took to step forward as fast as he could. Flitwick continued.
"If you recall from our first session, I mentioned that in dancing it is the torso and hips which do the moving. That the feet and legs merely catch them so as to allow the dancer to move swiftly and gracefully. Therefore, we shall repeat the exercise but this time allow your torso to simply fall diagonally and let your right foot catch it. Understood?"
"Yes, sir," they replied.
"Very well. One...two...three!"
The three of them fell forward and Harry's eyes went wide. It seemed counterintuitive to simply fall, and yet he found himself moving much faster than trying to consciously take a step. He gawked at Hermione who returned the same, both amazed at this very subtle but powerful concept.
Flitwick chuckled.
"You see what I mean?" he asked.
They both nodded.
"It doesn't feel like that should work, professor," Hermione continued, "but I'm certain I would have been off the line from a spell or curse just in time."
"Indeed, young lady, if only by a split second. And a split second can make all the difference in the world."
They nodded again.
"Now, let's practice the falling motion several times more so you get the hang of it, this time in both the left and right directions. Ready?..."
This the pair did and after getting the "feeling" of falling rather than stepping, Flitwick had each of them stand in front of him while he attempted to hit them with the body-bind curse once more. This time, Harry and Hermione were both able to dodge the little man's spell with ease, receiving praise from him in turn.
Satisfied with their performance, Flitwick ended the session and mentioned that during the following one, they would continue working on the falling/dancing movement to dodge spells in any direction. The two left the Spellroom feeling upbeat and cheery. And their respect for Professor Flitwick had jumped up several notches.
"I had no idea dueling technique could be so complex," Harry said as the two headed for the Gryffindor common room, "it makes our practice last year seem...clumsy and awkward."
Hermione chuckled.
"Well, we were inexperienced second years, Harry," she replied with a scrunched expression, "we did the best we could based on what little we knew."
Harry smirked and nodded. Hermione continued.
"But I'm excited about what else Flitwick can teach us. He's really quite good, you know?"
"Definitely," the teen responded with a smile.
~HP~
The rest of the school week passed by in a flash. Nothing unusual happened and they heard no word from Dumbledore. In fact, neither had seen the old man at the castle at all, causing them to wonder if he was away preparing for Peter's interrogation before the Wizengamot. By the time Saturday arrived, this had not changed.
That Saturday morning, the pair spent several hours in the library, group studying with their fellow third-years in preparation for their first Transfiguration exam, on animagi, as well as an exam for potions. Then, after lunch, Harry headed out for Quidditch practice.
As he hovered in the atmosphere above the pitch, watching his teammates below work on some of Oliver's new outmaneuvering strategies, Harry looked up to find three Dementors also hovering above the pitch, though they remained on the periphery just behind the stands. As the spooky creatures floated in the air, their torn folds of black cloth slowly rippling in a slight wind, they stared at Harry, and he felt an icy chill coupled with a sense of dread. Pursing his lips, Harry wondered if they would try to attack him in the middle of practice. But they never moved and merely watched Harry, giving him an uneasy feeling. He turned away, trying to ignore the creatures and in the process found a pair of actual eyes staring up at him to his left. There, at the bottom of the stands next to the exit ramp sat a large dog with shaggy black hair.
Sirius had come to watch him practice!
Harry smiled broadly, and in the moment their eyes locked, the dog nodded at him. He returned the same, though conscious not to draw too much attention to his godfather, even if the man was in his animagus form. But seeing Sirius gave Harry the idea to visit the Shrieking Shack and see if he or Professor Lupin had heard any word from Dumbledore. After finishing practice and returning to Gryffindor Tower, he retrieved Hermione, and the pair did just that.
Passing through the small tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow, they arrived at the alcove, ascended the ladder, and opened the trapdoor into the living room of the old shack.
"Well, there you two are!" a voice chimed at them from the kitchen.
Harry and Hermione turned to find Sirius standing in the doorway. He had cleaned up even more than when they last saw him. His beard was trimmed neat, his hair shorter and combed. His clothes, a navy-blue turtleneck and grey slacks, were better fitting than what he had worn before.
"Fancy a cup of tea? I was just about to make one myself," he said.
"Yes, please," Harry replied with a smile at Hermione. She nodded and smiled back.
"Excellent. Come and sit down," the dark-haired man told them before moving back inside.
The two went into the kitchen and sat down at the table.
"I must say, Harry," Black started while pouring steaming water from a kettle into three cups, "I'm very impressed with your flying skills."
Hermione gave Harry a puzzled look. He leaned toward her.
"He was at the practice, in his dog form," he whispered to her. She nodded.
Sirius turned and brought the cups to the table, handing one each to the teenagers. He then sat down and took a sip from his own.
"Remus, your mother and I used to cheer your father on when he was a Chaser for Gryffindor. And we thought he was a brilliant flyer. I dare say you'd give him a run for his money. And that's saying a lot, mind you."
Harry and Hermione exchanged grins. Black continued.
"And Remus informs me that you made Seeker your very first week at Hogwarts, too. Youngest in a century, according to him."
"Yes...apparently," Harry replied.
Sirius smiled.
"Impressive! Well, hopefully I'll be able to attend your first Quidditch match of term and see you in real action - as a man this time. Who are you going up against?"
"Hufflepuff."
"I see. Well, from what I saw at the pitch I've no doubt you'll do well."
Sirius now paused and stared unflinchingly at Harry as something of deep emotion came over him.
"From what I've observed so far, and from everything Remus and Dumbledore have told me, you've turned out to be a smart, talented young man, Harry, and in more than just Quidditch. I'm very proud of you. Very proud indeed. We all are. And I know James and Lily would be as well."
"Thanks, Sirius," Harry replied, a bit embarrassed.
Hermione squeezed Harry's hand affectionately. The two smiled at one another. But Harry was curious.
"By the way, have you or Remus heard anything from Dumbledore? We haven't seen him at the castle since Monday, when the Aurors took Peter away," he queried the wizard.
Sirius took another sip of tea and placed his cup on the table.
"No, Harry. Neither of us has. We were hoping, of course, to have received word by now so that mine and Peter's trials could get underway. As you can see by my appearance, I've cleaned up, so I'll look somewhat presentable in the event the Aurors come to haul me off," he replied tongue-in-cheek.
The teenagers smirked. A frown appeared on the wizard.
"But it would come as no surprise either if the headmaster has run into problems attempting to expedite matters. If you haven't learned yet, you will soon enough that the Ministry of Magic is one big nest of self-important bureaucrats, many of whom can see no further than the parchments on their own desks."
That slightly jittery, crazy look overcame Sirius now as he went on.
"The entire wizarding world could be on the verge of collapse and a solution to prevent it might be held up by a some, blockhead administrator who refuses to approve the measure until the correct paperwork has been filled out!" he muttered with sharp sarcasm.
Hermione and Harry chuckled. But Black seemed to calm before continuing.
"And, as you might imagine, when word spreads that Peter is alive and I'm actually innocent of the crimes I was imprisoned for, it could step on certain official's toes, causing embarrassment and tarnishing reputations, like Barty Crouch Sr.'s, for example. I've no doubt quite a few Ministry folks will desire this Pettigrew business be buried and I be sent back to Azkaban than real justice be served. But we'll just have to wait and see."
Black took another swig of his tea, staring off into nothing. Harry frowned and nodded at his godfather. The man continued.
"By the way, you two, if you aren't aware of the fact, in another week the full moon will be upon us."
"Which means Remus will be in danger of transforming," Hermione said.
"Correct, young lady," Sirius responded, "he'll be confining himself here for at least a week and I would warn you both not to come to the Shack until he's over it. As you may know, a person in their werewolf form is rendered senseless. Remus won't recognize any of us. In that state, he'd kill his own blood relations if they got close enough."
"So, what will you do, if you can't hide out here?" Harry asked.
"If I'm not taken into custody by then, I'll most likely hang out in Hogsmeade, in my dog form. It's the safest place that will allow me to remain close to Hogwarts and the pair of you. I want to be nearby in case Malfoy's friends attempt something."
"But what will you do for food?" Hermione asked, "we can bring you something from the castle, if you need."
Sirius smiled warmly at her.
"I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Hermione. But remember Professor Dumbledore's instructions - the two of you aren't to venture into Hogsmeade or anywhere beyond the castle, for now. I don't think it will be necessary, anyway. One thing us Marauders discovered years ago is how much perfectly good food is thrown out everyday at The Hog's Head, The Three Broomsticks, and even Honeyduke's, thanks to bureaucratic health regulations by the Ministry. You wouldn't believe what we used to haul back to Gryffindor Tower after our excursions into the village. Compared to what I was served in Azkaban, the scraps I can find in Hogsmeade are a veritable king's feast."
The teenagers grinned. Silence then came over the three as they sipped their tea. But then, another emotional expression appeared on Sirius's face. He set his cup back down and gazed at Harry.
"Harry, there's...one other thing I've been meaning to talk to you about."
"What's that?"
"You know, of course, that your parents made me your godfather."
Harry nodded.
"Well, according to wizarding law, that also makes me your primary legal guardian, above your aunt and uncle, in fact."
Harry's eyes went wide.
"Really?" he asked.
"Yes," the man replied, "so...when this whole business with Pettigrew is finished, and if I'm cleared of blame from what happened all those years ago, I plan to return to my family home in London. And you are more than welcome to come live with me. If you wish...that is."
Harry lit up and gazed wide-eyed at Hermione. The girl beamed back at him, taking his hand once more.
"Absolutely!" Harry uttered with a huge grin at his godfather, "that would be great!"
This was incredible news! To live with his godfather, a full-fledged wizard, and in London to boot! And...no more Dursleys! To say Harry was excited at the prospect was the understatement of the year. Black smiled at him then looked at Hermione.
"Grimmauld Place is quite large with plenty of rooms to spare. A certain young witch will always be welcome to come and stay with us whenever she'd like."
Harry and Hermione beamed at one another. The girl then gazed at Black.
"I'd like that, Sirius! Very much!" she uttered.
The wizard chuckled.
"Very well," he said, "it's settled then."
~HP~
Upbeat and cheery once more, the teenagers left Sirius at the Shack and headed back to the castle. They proceeded to the Great Hall for dinner first, as they planned to head to the Spellroom later to review their spell avoidance techniques.
When they entered the enormous hall, they found it filled with noisy chatter and the tables were nearly filled to the brim with dining students. As Harry and Hermione walked to the Gryffindor table, they overheard several conversations which included the words "Sirius Black". Throwing puzzled looks at one another, they sat down across from Dean and Seamus. The two teens had a copy of The Daily Prophet in between them and were discussing something on the front page as they ate their meal.
"Hey guys, what's going on?" Harry asked.
"What's everyone talking about?" Hermione added.
The Gryffindors exchanged brief glances before looking at the pair across from them.
"Probably this. We just got it. Take a look at the front page," Dean said while turning the paper and pushing toward them.
Harry and Hermione glanced down at it.
STUNNING DEVELOPMENT IN THE CASE OF SIRIUS BLACK!
PETER PETTIGREW...ALIVE?
Rita Skeeter, Star Reporter
The pair gawked at one another. Hermione then read the article out loud.
"Late yesterday, rumors began buzzing around the British wizarding community that Peter Pettigrew, one of many victims purportedly killed in the Godric's Hollow incident of 1981 by the vicious murderer Sirius Black, had been discovered alive and in Ministry custody. This reporter, receiving word from an unnamed source within the Ministry, has confirmed the rumors to be true. Peter Pettigrew is indeed alive and is being held for questioning by Aurors at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.
Reporters from this paper and several others descended upon the Ministry to gain further information on this startling development. However, Ministry officials, including Minister Fudge, refused to answer reporters' questions on the matter - how Pettigrew was found, what he has been up to for the past twelve years, and why he never came forward before now.
These questions, of course, have led to speculation that Black is in fact innocent of the crimes he was accused of and sent to Azkaban for. When asked about this very possibility, Fudge responded: 'As far as I'm concerned, Sirius Black is still guilty and is still considered highly dangerous. We continue working 'round the clock trying to find him. If anyone has any information on his whereabouts, we demand they come forward for the safety of all our citizens. That is all.'
Stay tuned as The Prophet reports any further information we receive concerning Pettigrew and Black in the days to come..."
"So, all this searching for Sirius would turn out to be nothing, if he's in fact innocent," Seamus commented.
"Well, I for one hope it's true," Dean added, "at the least so these Dementors will go away, and we can have our school back. They still creep us out, you know."
"We hope so too, Dean," Hermione threw in, giving a brief smile at Harry. He smiled back.
~HP~
The following morning, the pair were at their favorite table in the back of the library quizzing one another over potential exam questions for Monday when Professor McGonagall suddenly appeared from around one of the bookshelves.
"There you two are. I've been looking all over for you," she said.
"Good morning, Professor," Harry responded while looking up at her. She continued.
"Professor Dumbledore sent me this via owl last night and asked that I give it to you personally."
She handed Hermione a small, book-shaped package wrapped in brown paper held together by twine. Under the twine was a small envelope with their names written on it in fine calligraphy.
"Thank you, professor," the girl replied.
McGonagall smiled at them then promptly turned and left the library. Harry moved closer to Hermione and stared at the package.
"This must be the special assignment," he said.
She nodded.
"I'm guessing that as well."
She then pulled out the small envelope, opening it and retrieving the note within.
Harry, Hermione,
I have some important news concerning certain persons as well as a certain artefact. However, as I am tied up in Wizengamot business, for reasons of which you are aware, I will not be able to discuss them with you for at least another week. In the meantime, please find enclosed your assignment, as promised. You need not translate the entire book. The section you should focus on begins on page 87. And remember, present schoolwork comes first!
Yours Kindly,
Albus Dumbledore
The two grinned at one another then Hermione eagerly opened the package. When she retrieved the object from the wrapping, it was indeed a book: smallish, dark-green, and rather worn around the edges, its title in runes. She then opened the little volume and began parsing through the pages.
"So, the entire book is in runes?" Harry observed.
Hermione nodded while biting her lip, flipping through to find the page in question.
"Let's see what's on page eighty..." she started but stopped when something fell out of the book onto the floor. Hermione reached down to retrieve it and brought it up to the table. It was a small, square sheet of very old parchment with a few markings on its corners. And there, center of the parchment, was an ink rendering: an enlarged version of the symbol from the Gaunt Ring! The pair stared at the line within a circle within a triangle then stared at one another. A sense of excitement and curiosity came over them both.
"What book is this?" Harry asked.
"I'll do a quick translation of the title," Hermione replied, closing it and laying it on the table.
She pulled her copy of Spellman's Syllabary out of her satchel, opened it to the runic alphabet pages and set to work. Harry waited on pins and needles for her to finish. When she did, she sat back and looked at her parchment.
"The Tales of Beedle the Bard. I remember reading about it once, Harry. I believe it's a book of fairy tales for wizarding children."
"Fairy tales?"
Hermione nodded.
"Let's see which one the professor wants us to translate," she said.
She turned once more to page 87 then looked at Harry.
"Your turn, since this is going to be a joint translation," she told him.
Harry chuckled, took her syllabary book and set to work. When he finished, he sat back and stared at the translation.
"Well?" Hermione asked with heightened interest.
"It's called...The Tale of the Three Brothers."