Several weeks had passed since the "incident" in Muggle Studies. Zuko and Sokka were barely speaking to each other, save for the occasional stab and sarcastic remark. Zuko had been livid about the incident, complaining to a confused Draco about Sokka's behavior.
"What is wrong with him!" Zuko yelled, upon entering Draco's room later that day. "So he thinks it's just OK to LIE to people? Pretend everything is ok? Does he really think people can't learn from their mistakes? Is he THAT obtuse?"
Draco watched from the seat at his desk as Zuko paced his bedroom. Suddenly, Zuko turned, blasting a fireball into the fireplace with a fervor that made Draco very nervous. Draco still had no idea what was going on. He and Weasley were just an audience to an argument that was clearly no longer about them. While Zuko paced incessantly, blathering on about how ridiculous Sokka had behaved, Draco allowed himself to think about Zuko's past. A banished prince, chasing the avatar, obsessed with capturing him. Draco supposed that, although Zuko would like nothing more than to forget his mistakes, Sokka hadn't. Sokka still held a resentment towards Zuko that, perhaps, Sokka hadn't realized. Apparently, Ron and Draco's little tiff had sparked some unintentional animosity between the two that now throbbed like an exposed nerve.
"And who does he think he is anyway? Just chiming in on a conversation that didn't even involve him!" Zuko yelled.
Draco decided not to mention the fact that, technically, Zuko had done the same thing. Draco wondered why. Why did Zuko feel the need to come to his defense? They may have had similar stories, but Zuko had decided to face his mistakes and rectify them. He had made the choice that mattered. Draco had taken the coward's way out, so he thought. Shouldn't Zuko be just as judgmental of him as the rest? If not more? Fear was not an excuse. Not a justification for letting people suffer. Zuko had not let fear keep him from doing what's right. No…their stories were the same but were immeasurably different.
Draco wanted to say something to comfort the boy. He wanted to reassure the boy that Sokka was just upset and, eventually, they would talk this whole thing out and everything would be fine…
Instead, Draco said, "Look, I don't know what's going on between you two. But frankly, it's none of my business." Draco lied, "So, I don't really know what to tell you."
Draco didn't know how to be comforting to people. He didn't know how to be reassuring. He didn't know if Zuko and Sokka would work things out and he damn sure didn't know if everything would be fine. He couldn't do it. He couldn't be a shoulder to cry on, or in Zuko's case, to rage on. The thought made his chest hurt…burn. Once again, he was taking the coward's way out. He cursed himself.
Zuko seemed to straighten at Draco's coldness. Of course. What was he thinking? Letting his feelings get so out of control like that. What was he thinking coming to Draco's defense. The whole thing REEKED of Katara's influence.
"Um…yes. Of course not." Zuko replied coldly. Fine, he wouldn't make a big deal out of it. He didn't care. Why should he care? This… oddly familiar feeling in his chest would subside and everything would return to the way it was. From now on, let Draco handle his own problems and Zuko would handle his. He would dismiss Draco. Just like everyone else. They weren't friends. When had Zuko become so soft…
Draco started to walk over to the bathroom, when he turned towards Zuko. Zuko glared at him harshly. Draco opened his mouth, then closed it. He sucked in a breathe and started again, "Look, I know it doesn't matter but…thank you." With that, Draco swiftly walked into the bathroom and closed the door.
Zuko smirked, his best attempt at a smile. Ok, so maybe he wouldn't dismiss the boy just yet.
Draco didn't leave the bathroom for hours.
…
Sokka, stormed into Ron's bedroom in a huff, trailed quickly by Ron and Toph.
"Mate, you have GOT to calm down!" Ron implored, looking desperately at Toph for assistance.
Toph rolled her eyes, "So, what's your problem anyway?" She said callously.
Ron sighed. She would definitely be a hindrance to calming Sokka down. "Toph…you think I could talk to Sokka alone?" He asked, in his most sickeningly sweet voice. Because let's face it, Toph was scary. She rolled her eyes again and Ron briefly wondered if they would get stuck like that, as his mother had always warned.
"Fine, you guys can sit in here and cry it out. I'm going to go see what Ginny is doing." And with that she was gone. Ron was introspective, for a girl who was so intimidating, her footsteps were remarkably quiet, soft.
"Spirits! That Zuko is a real ASSHOLE!" Sokka yelled, plopping down on the bed. "He has got SOME NERVE!"
Ron frowned. Sokka was in a right mood after Muggle Studies, practically sprinting out of the class upon dismissal. If Ron wasn't so tall, he may not have been able to catch up with him. Sokka headed straight for Gryffindor tower, no doubt assuming that Zuko and the rest would be heading for the Head commons, it was amazing how quickly Sokka was learning the layout of the school. He must have knew Ron was following him, because Sokka definitely didn't have the password…did he? Ron was a bit flabbergasted to say the least. He had never seen a situation explode so quickly out of what had practically been nothing…well, that probably wasn't true but still, it wasn't Zuko nor Sokka's fight. They weren't even involved in the discussion. And yet, the tables had turned so rapidly that Ron couldn't seem to pinpoint the exact moment things had changed. It was clear, however, that Ron had to do something to quell the matter…before things really got out of control.
"What do you mean?" Ron queried
"WHAT DO I MEAN?" Sokka yelled, as if the answer was explicitly obvious. "ZUKO JUST GOING OFF LIKE THAT? WHO DOES HE THINK HE IS! ACTING LIKE SOME KIND OF…ALL KNOWING…GENIUS GUY!"
"I'm sure that wasn't his intention…" Ron replied calmly.
"So what? You're taking HIS side now?" Sokka shot up from the bed and crossed the room. "I stick my neck out to DEFEND you and you're just going to take his SIDE?"
"Oh come on Sokka, I'm not taking anyone's side. And we BOTH know that this fight has NOTHING to do with Malfoy and I."
Sokka glared at Ron. "Oh REALLY? Then WHAT, pray tell, could this have possibly been about?"
Ron was silent for a moment, contemplating whether he should bring it up. He should. "You don't trust Zuko." He finished simply, bracing himself for the tirade to come.
Sokka's eyes widened at Ron's words. Of course he trusted Zuko…right? Sure, the guy DID chase them all around the world. The guy DID try to kill them. The guy HAD betrayed them once before…he did trust Zuko, didn't he? Didn't he? Sokka, once again, plopped down on the bed, dragging his hands across his face. Fine. "It's not like I hate him or anything…it's just…hard to forget what he's done." He finished quietly.
Ron nodded. "Well mate, forgiveness takes time. No one expects you to forget, but you do have to forgive. I mean, Zuko made the right choice in the end, didn't he?"
"So what!" Sokka said defensively, once again flying out of his seat. Ron was getting dizzy. "So he saved his own ass! How am I supposed to know that he is really SORRY for what he's done!" Sokka paced the room furiously, "You know, I let this whole thing just slide. When Aang decided to make Zuko his fire bending teacher, I just went along with it. Katara was royally pissed, and Katara is like a bowl of freaking sunshine! But I didn't get mad, I just let it happen. So don't sit there and act like I haven't TRIED to be understanding about this whole thing, because THAT is pigchicken shit! And your one to talk! You haven't forgiven Draco! You don't trust him! Why should I live up to an example that YOU can't live up to!"
With that Sokka stormed out of the room, Ron listened as he turned on the shower, apparently resolved to avoid confronting this problem. Ron groaned. He questioned Sokka's anger though. What he was REALLY angry at. Ron didn't truly BELIEVE that Sokka didn't trust Zuko. No…there was something else far more complex going on there that, Ron supposed, would come out eventually.
Ron brushed off Sokka's insinuation about Draco. Why should Ron trust him? What has Draco done to earn his trust? Sokka was just looking for a justification with that comment. He was just mad. No…the situations were similar, but immeasurably different.
…
Yup, Several weeks had passed since the Muggle Studies incident, and Team Avatar seemed to be getting the gist of Hogwarts pretty well.
They walked along the corridors, students running from here to there, one student bumping into Sokka, quickly apologizing before running off. Sokka stared off at the student before his attention was interrupted.
"WANG FIRE! ALRIGHT?" A voice yelled from the staircase as the gang made their way to Charms.
"Boot! I'M FEELIN GOOD MAN! Just ask YOUR MOM!" Sokka yelled back, grinning. Terry laughed before flipping him the bird in a jovial manner and running off to class.
"Wang Fire! Did you see Slughorn's suit today!" The familiar voice of Anthony Goldstein said as he passed by.
"Hell yea! He looked like a Snarguloff Plant!" Sokka replied, waggling his eyebrows at him. Goldstein shot him a thumbs up as he walked on.
"Hi Wang!" Lavender Brown said seductively, winking at him as she walked by.
"Laaaaaaav." Sokka said, smiling, earning him a glare from Katara. "What? I love my girlfriend, but that doesn't mean I can't be cordial to the ladies…"
"Oh, is that what that was?" Hermione said, smirking.
Harry laughed. Yes, it would seem that Sokka's prediction that everyone would love him had been prophetic. Sokka had, somehow, become the most popular boy in Hogwarts in three weeks. EVERYONE knew his name. He got invited to a million get togethers. The girls loved him. The blokes loved him. And he wasn't the only one…
Harry spotted Ernie McMillian making his way over to them in the crowded hallway, Aang had become a bit of an oddity since people got wind of his whole "Asia" background. People were sort of…in awe of him. Ernie McMillian and a small contingency of students seemed to follow Aang around, like he was their unofficial leader or something. When Aang spoke, the room in general would become oddly quiet, as if whatever came out of his mouth was sacred knowledge from a time long ago…it was weird.
"Hey Kuzon!" Ernie McMillian exclaimed, running up to Team Avapotter.
"Hey Ernie." Aang said with a wide smile.
"So I was thinking, maybe we could start a mediation club, yea? I know some people who would be interested! You could be like our…Sifu! I read in a book that you call a master 'Sifu'." Ernie finished excitedly.
Harry interrupted. "Don't you have to run that past McGonagall, then get a faculty supervisor?"
"Well…yea, but that shouldn't be too…" Ernie was cut off.
"I don't know Ernie, we have a lot to get done this year." Harry said, in a somewhat panicky manner, the last thing he needed was McGonagall to catch wind of Team Avatar.
"Well…what do you think Kuzon?" Ernie said, somewhat pleadingly.
Aang took pity on him. "Well, maybe Ernie, let me think about it before you tell anyone."
Ernie smiled gratefully and ran off to a small group of students whom, Harry just noticed, had been watching them. Ernie gestured excitedly and several students high fived each other. "Aang!" Harry whispered. "You shouldn't get their hopes up like that! You know they can't start a club! It's too official!"
Aang smiled at the little group, who waved back at him enthusiastically. "Don't worry about it, I'll think of something." Frankly, it was nice to have people be interested in Aang's culture. Even if he wasn't totally sure why.
Harry sighed, looking over to Zuko who, as usual, was scowling at the floor as he walked. Zuko had become a celebrity in his own right at Hogwarts. Mostly with the girls. He gave off this brooding, angsty, loner vibe that girls just eat up. Harry supposed Zuko was a good looking guy, and his scar just made him seem more mysterious. The fact that he never talked only made the girls want him more, they wanted to be the one Zuko opened up to, they wanted to SAVE him. The girls usually watched him from a far, giggling as he entered any room. Some of the bolder girls, sent him love letters. Harry chuckled at that, remembering the time at lunch when a fifth year Ravenclaw girl had sent him a love letter shaped like a dove. As it landed in front of a clearly alarmed Zuko, heart shaped bubbles flew out of it and a voice whispered, 'Open Me.' Zuko opened it cautiously and read. Suddenly, he choked on his tea and gasped, throwing the letter back on the table and turning beet red. It would seem that Zuko's attempts to lay low had brought him MORE attention.
And then there was Katara, who was, somewhat, in the same shoes as Zuko. The boys loved her. They watched her almost as much as the girls watched Zuko. Harry knew that this irritated Aang endlessly. Sure, the school knew that Katara was Aang's girlfriend, and most boys were afraid that Aang would put some kind of Asian curse on them if they talked to her, but that didn't stop them from ogling her. Katara took it all in stride, trying to be as nice to everyone as possible. Katara had sort of become the envy of all the girls in school. She was friends with the hot scarred guy, sister to the hot tan guy, and girlfriend to the hot guru guy. She was friends with Harry freaking Potter, Ron Weasley, AND Hermione Granger and she had barely been there for three weeks. She got the best of all worlds, she was part of the most popular group in school. The girls hated her for it and girls can be cruel. They were vaguely rude to her, they sneered at her as she walked by, ignored her when they tried to talk to one of the guys in Team Avapotter. Some girls were downright nasty to her. Harry felt guilty. He wondered if Katara was upset about it all. She had never once mentioned anything. She always had a smile on her face. She seemed content enough. Her experience seemed so different from Toph's.
Toph had become the potions expert in the school and she loved it. Toph was a teacher at heart. Harry could tell. Her teaching method was a little…scary, but if you could take it, she could probably show you the world. People often came to her with questions- 'How much Eruthidote goes into a mixture of Saladean?'- And she would mess with them- 'Come on Fletchly, this is THIRD YEAR stuff'- before she would give them the answer. Although, the boys didn't drool over her like they did Katara, she definitely had a couple of interested suitors… and a few envious competitors. Toph was so scary though, she mostly just intimidated them and Toph seemed totally oblivious to the menusha of school politics and people. Except…for Neville. She always talked to Longbottom. She was…nice to him.
They all started to go their separate ways for their final class of the day when a boy, probably a second year, came running up to Harry, gasping. "Er…you okay?" Harry asked in a worried tone. The boy froze, as if he was just realizing that Harry Potter was talking to him.
Ron laughed. "You're alright, just spit it out."
The boy seemed to be even more in awe upon seeing Ron Weasley. He looked down at the floor, taking a deep breath before speaking, "Prof…Professor McGonagall would…would…would like to see you, Sir. You, Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger, the password is fire flakes…." The boy was turning blood red.
Harry looked over to Ron and Hermione…this can't be good.
Neville walked over to Harry. "Don't worry about it mate, we'll watch the gang." He whispered, nodding to Ginny, Luna, and a skeptical looking Draco. "We'll meet you back at the Head's suite, yea?"
Harry nodded in response, turning back to the terrified boy. "Thanks, mate." He said as he, Ron and Hermione turned to walk away. Harry stopped, turning to the boy again. "Oh…and you can just call me Harry." He said, smiling at the boy whose face lit up like Christmas morning.
Ron smiled at Harry. "Oi!" He whispered. "I think you just made that kid's life."
Harry forced out a chuckle, but his mind quickly shifted gears to the mystery meeting with McGonagall. They strolled through the emptying halls, walking as slowly as possible. Trying to delay the inevitable.
"What do you suppose she wants to talk to us about?" Harry said slowly as they approached the Head's Office. The Gargoyle out front eye'd them warily.
"Password?" It asked solemnly.
"Fire flakes." Hermione whispered, nervously.
The gargoyle leaped aside, revealing the spiral staircase that reminded Harry so much of Dumbledore.
As they slowly ascended the staircase, Hermione answered Harry's question. "Harry…I think we both know what Professor McGonagall wants to see us about…" she finished ominously as they approached the door to the Headmistress's office.
Harry was nervous, Ron mirrored his apprehension, shifting nervously.
"Come in." A calm voice said before any of them had knocked on the door. Harry looked to Ron and Hermione before slowly pushing the heavy doors open.
The room looked as it always had. Cylinder shaped, large bookcases everywhere, Dumbledore's inventions still sitting exactly where he had left them. Pictures of previous headmasters all around the office. Harry instinctively looked over to Dumbledore's portrait. He was dozing. Harry wanted to laugh, he had never seen Dumbledore sleep so much until after his death. Harry smiled sadly at the thought. He looked well rested. Finally, Harry's vision rested on the intimidating site of Professor McGonagall, sitting at the large mahogany desk that was now hers. She didn't even seem to notice them come in, she was deeply engrossed in a book that laid out flat across her desk. Harry briefly toyed with the idea of just turning around and leaving, when she raised her wand. As she flicked it, three chairs flew towards them, resting opposite of her desk.
"Sit." She said shortly, still focusing intently on her reading. Harry was put off by McGonagall's indifference towards a meeting that SHE had called. The trio looked at each other nervously before finally taking a seat. McGonagall was quiet for a moment. Still looking down at her periodical.
Hermione swallowed hard. Here she was, in the Headmistress's office, under uncertain pretenses. Hermione had broken a lot of rules since she had started Hogwarts, but she rationalized this by telling herself that her actions were just…it was necessary. Dumbledore had seemed more than willing to let them all slide on their previous indiscretions, seeing as how they usually led to some form of saving the world. McGonagall did not seem like the type of Headmistress who took the consequences of indiscretions into account. No, you could punch Voldemort in the face and McGonagall would probably still give you detention for starting a fight. Hermione could feel the sweat in her palms as the silence in the room pierced through the air like a phoenix. She eye'd the book McGonagall was reading, barely making out the heading on the page…The Journal of Trans…something, She couldn't see the rest.
"Mr. Potter, I will take this opportunity to allow you to tell me anything that you wish to say. Is there anything you wish to tell me?" She said, still looking down at that damn book that Harry had come to despise.
"Professor?" Harry inquired. His heart beating wildly as he waited.
McGonagall sighed. Finally, she closed her book and quickly shoved it in one of her desk drawers. "Is that all?" She said, her eyebrow raised in disappointment.
"Professor…what is this about?" Hermione squeaked out. Ron, as covertly as he could, wrapped his pinky around hers.
"Fine. Perhaps, I should put this another way then…Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley...Ms. Granger…do you think I'm some kind of imbecile?" McGonagall finished calmly.
Hermione gasped. Harry opened his mouth and then closed it. Ron just looked at the Headmistress with a shocked expression.
McGonagall raised her eyebrow again. "Well, you MUST think I am a fool, Mr. Potter."
"No! Never Professor…Er…Headmistress! Why would I think that?" Harry asked, the panic in his voice becoming evident.
McGonagall's mouth pressed into a thin line and she looked as if she was going to say something, but didn't. Finally, after a small silence, she continued. "Mr. Potter, I have always been a fan of your plans, no matter how foolish or disastrous they may turn out to be. But honestly, did you REALLY think I wouldn't notice?"
"Notice? Headmistress?" Harry said quietly.
"Harry Potter, stop playing with me." McGonagall replied sternly.
Harry broke. "I'm sorry Headmistress…it was just, we were in a jam, and I didn't think you would let them stay, and they have no place else to go…" Harry blurted out quickly, he knew they were caught before he even walked in. Hell, Hermione knew.
"Headmistress! We were just trying to do the right thing!" Hermione pleaded, the tears coming down her face now.
McGonagall sighed. "Why didn't you tell me?" She concluded shortly, her face still as stern as the day Harry met her.
Ron interjected. "Well…Headmistress, may I be frank?"
"Go on, Mr. Weasley." McGonagall replied.
Ron took a deep breath, reminded of the second year boy from earlier. "Well, with all due respect Headmistress…your right scary. I mean…I've seen you turn desks into weapons…"
"Ron, please!" Hermione admonished quietly.
The room was quiet for a moment. Then, something surprising happened. McGonagall snorted. It was very feint, and if you hadn't been listening you would have never known. Nothing about her demeanor had changed and her face immediately returned to it's stony form. She spoke carefully.
"Honestly, Mr. Weasley, you're a war hero, due shape up, won't you? In any case, did it not occur to you all that I may have been able to help you? I'm especially surprised at you Ms. Granger. You have always been the more logical one…"
"Er…"Harry started. No, it hadn't occurred to them. McGonagall had fought by their side at the Battle of Hogwarts, had fought in the first Great War, and Harry had still let her intimidating presence prejudice him against all of her more virtuous qualities. He changed the subject. "How…how did you know, headmistress?"
McGonagall looked at Harry before letting a small ghost of a smile cross her face. "Mr. Potter, I would have to be the most inept headmaster, in 100 generations, if I didn't know that my own school was, supposedly, hosting an 'exchange program.'" McGonagall looked over at Hermione, "Was it your idea, Ms. Granger?"
Hermione stuttered, "Ye….Yes Headmistress."
Harry smirked. He knew that idea would come back to haunt him.
McGonagall looked thoughtful for a moment, "Quite an ingenious idea, a muggle custom introduced into a magical school. It would make sense, what with all the muggle-born travesties of last year. People would assume it was a ministry backed move." McGonagall sat for moment, mulling over the idea before continuing, "In any case, Zacharias Smith also made it painfully obvious to me as well."
"What!" Ron said, flying out of his seat, but upon remembering where he was and who he was with, he quickly sat back down. The color draining from his face. "Sorry, Headmistress." He said, looking down at the ground.
McGonagall studied Ron, an amused yet serious expression on her face, before continuing, "Yes…Smith came to my office several weeks ago, complaining about a new student…setting fire to his robes."
"Slimey wart…" Ron muttered.
"What was that, Mr. Weasley?" McGonagall replied.
"I said…Blimey, what?" Ron said quickly.
"Right. Well, Mr. Weasley, if I find that any student is accosting another and that you are knowledgeable of the event, there will be consequences. Your prefect and head's titles will be the first to be re-considered." McGonagall said sternly.
Hermione perked up. "Wait…so, Headmistress, are you saying that you won't be taking our titles away for…not telling you about our guests?"
"No, I will not, Ms. Granger. Although, I do expect a full explanation as to who, what, and how they got here." McGonagall replied.
Hermione answered immediately, surprising Ron and Harry. She explained the Room of Requirement, the bending abilities, how they had no idea how to get them home as of yet. By the end of it, Hermione felt about a thousand times lighter. The truth shall set you free.
The trio was surprised when McGonagall didn't looked upset. Just pensive. Hermione continued, "So you see Headmistress, we can't just leave them somewhere. We have to look out for them. The wizarding nor muggle world is safe for them. They have no idea how our world works. Is it possible to let them stay at Hogwarts until we can figure out some kind of solution?"
Once again, McGonagall was pensive. "Fine, Ms. Granger. They may stay at Hogwarts, but since you felt the need to hide this from me, they will be YOUR responsibility. NO ONE is to know about this. Do you understand? YOU will take on the burden of looking after them. YOU will have to disguise them as wizards, and there will be NO relaxing of your responsibilities or studies. I will not be helping you in these particular responsibilities. This is your punishment for lying to the Headmistress of Hogwarts. Is that clear?" McGonagall finished sternly.
Of course, they wouldn't get off scott-free. Harry almost laughed at the thought. But still, at least there were no detentions, at least they got to keep their titles. Things would basically stay the same.
"Yes, Headmistress." The trio muttered.
"Very well… Ms. Granger. I will try to assist you as best I can with the origins of their arrival and how to get them back but…I'm afraid it is not my area of expertise and I am busy enough as it is. I'm afraid that the solution to this problem will be, chiefly, your responsibility." McGonagall said. "If you have any questions about those two points, ANY questions, please come and see me."
Hermione was a bit annoyed. Why was McGonagall so upset about them not coming to her, if she couldn't really help them to begin with? "Yes, Headmistress." She replied.
As the trio got up to leave, McGonagall stopped them. The Headmistress walked over to a nearby cabinet and grabbed something out of it. "Please give your guests these."
McGonagall stretched out her hand and in them were 5 wands. "They should at least look the part. I have borrowed these from Ollivander, I trust you will return them to me by the end of your friends' stay here, THAT is essential."
Harry raised his eyebrows, how long had she known about this? Harry would be lying if he said he wasn't a little relieved to see real wands. The crude wands they had, hastily, fashioned out of branches looked ridiculous and people were starting to notice. It shouldn't be a danger, giving them wands. Wands only worked for witches and wizards. In Team Avatar's hands, they would do nothing.
"And Mr. Potter?" McGonagall called. Harry turned at her beckoning. "Tell Mr. Malfoy, that my stipulations for letting your…guests stay here, go for him as well. His guest is HIS responsibility and he WILL be held accountable for his responsibilities."
McGonagall watched the trio exit her office and sighed. She looked up at the smiling face of the portrait staring back at her.
"Are you sure they should be doing this alone?" She finished shortly, looking worried…tired.
"Oh yes, Minerva. Harry and his friends, must figure this out on their own. It is the only way. For their good as well as our visitors." The portrait replied.
"It will be difficult, Albus. Ms. Granger is bright…but this may be above her head." McGonagall answered back to the serene portrait of Albus Dumbledore.
"Ah yes, but Minerva, it isn't just Ms. Granger is it? Friendship can light the way, through the darkest of labryinths. They MUST learn from each other. As it is, they have already started to fight amongst themselves and this task MUST bring them closer together. If Aang and his friends are ever to make it home, love… true friendship, is essential. They must learn from this, Minerva. Just make sure you take the proper steps we discussed." Dumbledore replied.
"Very well Albus." With that, McGonagall flicked her wand.
…
Harry, Hermione, and Ron walked through the corridors towards the head common room.
"Harry? Did you notice anything odd about that meeting?" Hermione said, the gears in her rational mind turning.
Harry sighed. "Hermione, everything that has ever happened to me in my life has been odd. At this point, I'm just glad McGonagall didn't hex my bullocks off."
Hermione glared at Harry as Ron snorted. As they reached the Head common room and walked in, she continued, "Well, isn't it just a bit odd that Professor McGonagall just seemed to…believe us? She was so easy to convince…"
"Oh come off it Hermione." Ron interrupted, falling dramatically onto the couch, pulling Hermione down with him. "Just be happy she didn't give us ten thousand detentions."
Hermione rolled her eyes. She decided to let the matter rest for now. She supposed there were more urgent things to attend to. They spent the rest of the last period of the day arguing about whether or not they should return to class. The argument ended with Hermione attempting to storm out of the suite causing Harry and Ron to grab her. They threw her down on the couch, immediately sat on her legs and boisterously declared her an "Enemy of Fun". This was the state that Neville and the gang found them in as they entered the suite.
"Uh…what's going on?" Neville said, amused.
"Oh, nothing." Ron replied, a clearly enraged Hermione squirming underneath him.
"Yes, Hermione just wanted to see how much we weighed." Harry stated through laughter. "Honestly, Hermione, is THIS why you insisted we skive off the rest of class?"
"That….is…NOT…true!" Hermione yelled as she squirmed. "Get off of me Harry Potter! Ron, I will KILL you!"
"Threats, Hermione? That is SO unbecoming of a head girl. " Ron replied deviously.
Ginny laughed. "Honestly Harry, it's not even a GOOD lie." She said.
Aang snickered and shot a burst of air at the guys, toppling them off of Hermione. Slowly, she picked herself up off the couch, trying to straighten out her clothes in the most dignified manner that she could.
Hermione scowled at them. "Honestly, what are you two thinking! You could of broken them!" She said as Ron and Harry, hair sticking up in all directions, rose from the ground with goofy smiles.
"Broken what?" An amused Katara said absentmindedly.
Hermione shoved her hands in her pockets, still glaring at Harry and Ron, and pulled out the five wands. "These. McGonagall knows you lot are here. She said that you should carry these, so that you look like you belong here. Needless to say, she was a bit upset. She said that she would not help disguise you, but she would allow you to say. So obviously, you will all have to be on your best behavior, or you will get us all in A LOT of trouble." Hermione placed the wands on the table and invited the gang to choose which one they wanted.
Aang approached first, eyeing the pieces of wood with caution. He picked up one stick and immediately put it back down.
"Something wrong?" Harry said, the goofy smile still on his face.
Aang was quiet for a moment. "I…I just don't like that one. It… feels…wrong."
Zuko arched an eyebrow before approaching, slowly he picked up the wand next to the one Aang picked up. He, too, put the wand down. Shaking his head in discomfort. He then reached for the wand Aang had tried. He smiled. "I'll take this one." He said.
Hermione raised her eyebrows. "What was wrong with the first one?"
"I…can't really explain it. It just felt…wrong. This one feels more…like me." Zuko replied.
"Oh, so it feels like a jerk." Sokka muttered, Zuko glared at him.
Katara and Toph went though the same process, picking up wands, switching wands, setting wands down and picking up another. Finally, they too, had chosen their wands.
Sokka quickly, strode up and picked up the last one. "Well, I don't know what the big deal is. Just feels like a stick to me."
Hermione was…confused. She looked over to the gang, who was standing with Neville, Ginny, and Luna, admiring their new wands. Slowly, she walked over to Harry and Ron, motioning for Draco to join them as well.
"What do you WANT, Granger?" Draco said, staring intently at Team Avatar and their new wands.
"Well…don't you see?" Hermione said, once again surprised that no one seemed to notice something going on.
"See what?" Harry whispered back.
"They said the wands feel weird…they can feel the wands." Hermione replied, eyeing Team Avatar.
"So…what?" Ron offered.
"Ron…the wand chooses the wizard. THE WIZARD. They shouldn't be able to feel the wands." Hermione replied. "Wands only respond to magical blood."
"So…your saying their wizards?" Harry replied, in a joking manner. "Come on Hermione, I think we would have noticed that by now."
"Would we? So far, we have been doing all their magic for them…" Hermione said, seemingly lost in thought.
"Granger, they can't be wizards. That's ridiculous." Draco said in a dismissive tone.
"Well…I'm not saying that…I'm just saying that something is going on. The wands are responding to them." Hermione whispered.
"Hermione, I'm sure it's nothing. They probably just didn't like the way the wood felt or something. People can be weird like that, like choosing clothes or toys. Some people like one thing…some people like another." Harry concluded.
Hermione wasn't convinced. From the moment Aang set that first wand down, he had a look on his face a lot like the one Harry had upon being forced to use that snatcher's wand. Hermione would never forget it, seeing as how she felt like she was responsible for breaking Harry's wand and desperately wanted the snatcher's wand to work for him. Aang looked…deeply uncomfortable. As if his soul ached. As if the wand cut into him deeply. No…this was not a matter of choice. This was not some superficial decision, some passing moment of insignificance.
The wand chooses the wizard.
Author's Note. Soooo, I kind of dislike this chapter for some reason. I revised it a hundred times, yet it still feels a bit odd to me. I apologize for taking so long in uploading, a combination of writer's block and obsessing about my thesis defense got in the way. Speaking of which, I defended my thesis...it was scary but successful. Still, I hope the chapter was to your liking. So! McGonagall knows. SHE ALWAYS KNOWS! And frankly, why wouldn't she? And apparently Dumbledore knows as well. Interesting. Also, who caught the password to the Head's office? Anything weird about that? Lmao. The Avatar gang seems to be getting the lingo and life of Hogwarts. Sokka is Mr. Popularity, I had been planning that forever lmao. Sorry about the "Your mom" joke, but I just had to do it! What did you think of the ending? I'm trying not to make everything too obvious. Needless to say, something is going on but it's more complex than you think, I promise you. Shoutouts to my regulars and all those who reviewed, especially Laser Lance 720-Thanks for the kind reviews of all the chapters! As always I am open to any ideas, suggestions, challenges, and constructive criticism. Thanks to all who put my story on their alerts and favorites, and a special thanks to those who put me as their favorite author. That makes my belly all tingly with butterflies and glitter. You guys keep me writing and validate my existence. It is quite the responsibility for you, no pressure. Tee hee hee. So next up, time will move forward, we will have Slughorn's party and Quidditch! Should prove for some fun! LOOOOOOOVE YOU! Byez.