Chapter 6: Absolute Pin

3 September 1992

It was Thursday.

Harry woke up and got his backpack ready. History of Magic was going to be boring and tedious, as usual. Harry had passed his History of Magic final last year, but he knew he would have to try harder if he wanted to make sure his grade in that class remained passing. History of Magic was the only class in the previous school year in which he hadn't gotten an O on the final exam.

Harry waited for Draco, Theodore, Blaise, Crabbe, and Goyle to wake up. When they did, all six of them walked to breakfast with the Slytherin second-year girls.

"Looking forward to History of Magic today?", Theodore asked the other Slytherin second-years.

"Nope. Not in the slightest. It's going to be as boring as anything", Pansy said.

"I agree", Harry said. "The fact that I managed to get an E on the History of Magic final exam last year is a miracle in itself. I can't imagine it is going to be any different this year."

"True", Draco said.

Harry then noticed Hiram Nott talking with Lucas Slater, Laine Slater, Ginny Weasley, and Caitlin Holland. Harry decided to walk over and talk with them. They were fellow Slytherins, after all.

"Hello, guys", Harry said as politely as possible. "How are you liking it at Hogwarts so far?"

Caitlin looked nervous when Harry greeted them. She uttered, "Eep!". Harry didn't know what to say. He didn't want to embarrass her.

Lucas Slater chuckled. "Caitlin seems nervous, I think. Well, no need to worry about that. I'm Lucas Slater, by the way. This is my twin sister, Laine. Know who you are of course, the famous Harry Potter, obviously."

"Yeah", Harry said.

Slater seemed to take a hint. "Well, no need to worry, I won't bother you about your fame or anything like that. The rest of us won't either. Is that right?"

"Yes", Hiram said. "My brother Theodore made it clear that you didn't want to be bothered because of your fame. And I agree, bothering someone because of a family tragedy is extremely insensitive."

"So, Ginny, are you liking it in Slytherin?", Harry asked.

Ginny nodded. "It was strange, at first, being sorted into a different house from my siblings, but I'm enjoying it in Slytherin. I've quickly made friends, thanks to Laine and Caitlin here."

"Ginny has gotten accustomed to the Slytherin lifestyle so far", Laine said. "She's a pretty quick learner, I must say."

Harry noticed Luna Lovegood sitting by herself at the Slytherin table. He waved in her direction, offering her a place to sit near the other Slytherin first-years.

"Hello, everyone", Luna said as politely as possible.

The other Slytherin first-years that were sitting there waved politely. Harry hoped that he made Luna's social life easier.

Just then Terence Higgs and the female Slytherin fifth-year prefect, Amelia Archer, arrived to take the Slytherin second-years to History of Magic. Harry was feeling dread as they headed towards that classroom.

Professor Binns droned during his lecture. Harry did his best to scribble down notes, occasionally glancing at Theodore's notes to see what he had written down. Pansy, Daphne, and Tracey were all looking frustrated as they wrote down notes for themselves. Crabbe and Goyle weren't writing anything down at all. Instead, they were playing games. Professor Binns was obviously too busy with his lecture to notice.

Harry felt relieved after class. At last, it was over.

The Slytherin second-years had Potions next with the Gryffindors. Harry was glad, as Potions was his favorite class. Snape favored his snakes, and Harry knew that if Weasley did anything stupid or asinine, he would cost Gryffindor points and maybe even receive detention.

"Today we will be brewing the strengthening solution. If you have been paying attention during our lectures, this should not be a problem for you."

Harry felt confident, knowing that brewing this potion shouldn't have been a problem for him. The ingredients required were salamander blood and powdered Griffin claw.

Hermione Granger finished her potion first, to no one's surprise. Five minutes later, Harry and Theodore completed their potions.

"Ten points each to Slytherin, Potter and Nott", Snape said.

Draco then completed his potion, and shortly afterwards Blaise and Pansy completed their potions. Crabbe and Goyle were the last Slytherin second-years of all to complete their potions.

Weasley was the last student of all to complete his potion. Snape looked at his potion with disgust.

"The potion is supposed to be turquoise in its final stage", Snape said. "Your potion is green."

Weasley looked nervous and frightened.

"Well, I guess I probably added pomegranate juice to my potion", Weasley said.

"I know you did, Weasley, which means that this potion was sloppily completed and incorrectly made. Ten points from Gryffindor."

Next, Harry and the other second-year Slytherins had Herbology with the second-year Ravenclaws. Harry politely nodded at Terry Boot, Anthony Goldstein, Michael Corner, and Mandy Brocklehurst.

Professor Sprout was speaking with Gilderoy Lockhart. Harry inched closer to find out what their conversation was about.

"Quite a decent crop of Mandrakes, I must say. Not nearly as healthy as a batch I raised a few years ago, but then again, not everybody has my delicate touch with plants."

There are several plants in some of the restricted greenhouses that could apply a 'delicate touch' to you, you arrogant git, Harry thought.

"Off with you now, Professor Lockhart, I'm sure you have more important things to take care of than look around all this dirt with the second years."

Harry was genuinely surprised that Professor Sprout managed to remain polite during this conversation. Harry doubted that he would have been as pleasant.

"Well, that's true. I'll see you all at lunch", Lockhart said. The thought of getting dirty seemed to have finally chased the pompous and imperious arse away. Lockhart quick-stepped through the vegetable patches and headed back into the castle.

Sprout seemed to be relieved as she watched Lockhart leave. Now, she seemed to be more ecstatic and elated.

"Hello, second-years", she said to the assembled Slytherins and Ravenclaws.

"Good morning, Professor Sprout!", the Slytherins and Ravenclaws responded in unison.

"Today we will be in greenhouse three, students", Sprout said.

The students looked at each other with some sense of anticipation. Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Harry could smell damp earth and fertilizer mixed with the perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling.

Professor Sprout took her place at the head of the table in the middle of the greenhouse. Numerous earmuffs pigmented in various colors were laying in a pile.

"Line up, everyone. Today we're going to be repotting mandrakes. Now, can anyone here tell me the properties of a mandrake?"

To no one's surprise, Theodore's hand went up first. Harry knew that Theodore was one of the smartest students in the second-year form, and the former also knew that the latter wanted to score more points for Slytherin. Terry Boot glared at Theodore as his hand went up a second too late.

"Mandrakes, when cut up, serve as the prime ingredient and catalyst for the Mandrake Restorative Drought. It can be used to heal individuals that have been petrified and revert those people back to their original form. Stewed mandrake is also used in potion-making, forming an essential part of most antidotes."

"Excellent, Nott. Twenty points to Slytherin. Yes, that is true. Mandrakes form critical parts and attributes of most antidotes. However, mandrakes can also be dangerous. Boot?"

"The cry of a mature Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it", Terry said, glancing at Theodore to see if he was watching and listening. "The cry of an immature Mandrake is able to inflict unconsciousness, paralysis, and brain damage."

"Good! Fifteen points to Ravenclaw. Now, the mandrakes we have here are still very young." Professor Sprout pointed to a row of trays as she spoke, and everyone peered closer to get a better look. Approximately one hundred tufty plants that were green in color were sitting there in horizontal rows. The plants looked normal, but Harry knew that something surprising and shocking was awaiting all of them underneath.

"Everyone, please grab a pair of earmuffs", Professor Sprout said.

The Slytherins and the Ravenclaws were all trying to obtain earmuffs that weren't pink and fluffy.

"You're going to have to be absolutely certain that your ears are completely covered. When it is safe to remove the earmuffs, I will give you a thumbs up. Until then, leave the earmuffs on your ears. Now, earmuffs on!"

Harry placed the earmuffs over his ears. The earmuffs completely blocked out any sound or noise. The earmuffs must have been magically supplemented. Professor Sprout took the pink pair for herself, rolled up her sleeves, gripped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.

Harry released a gasp he couldn't hear. Instead of roots, a small, dirty, and very ugly baby popped out of the dirt. Leaves were growing on the top of the baby's head. He had pale green skin and was visibly bawling at the top of his lungs.

Nothing that Harry had read had anticipated himself for this.

Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from underneath the table and placed the Mandrake into it, burying him deeply in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible again. She dusted off her hands, gave them a thumbs up, and removed her own earmuffs.

The Slytherin second-years and the Ravenclaw second-years removed their earmuffs after seeing the signal.

"Since our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet", she said calmly, as if she had done something mundane and uninteresting. "However, as Boot said, they will knock you unconscious for several hours. So you had better be absolutely certain that your earmuffs are securely in place while you are working. I will get your attention when it's time to pack up and finish."

She gave a slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feeders that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.

Harry, Draco, Theodore, and Pansy were already gathered at a tray. Terry Boot and Padma Patil joined Tracey, Daphne, and Blaise. Crabbe, Goyle, and Millicent partnered with Mandy Brocklehurst. Harry nodded to the Ravenclaws, but there was no time to talk or have any discussions. Earmuffs were back on, and Mandrakes needed repotting.

Professor Sprout made it look simple and basic, but there was nothing easy about it. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but they didn't seem to want to go back into it, either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their little fists, and gnashed their teeth. Harry spent five minutes trying to force a particularly fat one into a pot.

Afterwards, they had Defense Against the Dark Arts. Harry and the other second-year Slytherins walked into the classroom, wondering what Lockhart would teach them. Harry expected to learn something that was related to defense, something interesting. But he was disgusted by what Lockhart was making them do.

"I see that you've bought my complete set of books", Lockhart said. "So, it's time for a little quiz. Just to see what you learned."

Harry looked at the questions, completely disgusted and indignant after what he had seen.

1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?

2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?

3. What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?

On and on it went, over four sides of paper, right down to:

64. When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday, and what would his ideal gift be?

Harry and Theodore both knew the answers. But Harry was so disgusted by the questions that he clearly wasn't smiling when he was finished. This quiz merely proved that Lockhart was so narcissistic and egotistical. Harry knew something about Lockhart wasn't right when he first met the man, but this merely tainted Harry's opinion of him.

This man is obsessed with himself, Harry thought.

Harry glanced at Theodore, and he too, seemed disgruntled with the questions. Harry certainly couldn't blame him.

"Tut…tut…most of you didn't know the answers to some of these questions. Potter and Nott, you both got every single question correct. Twenty points to Slytherin, each."

Harry didn't say anything, didn't even thank Professor Lockhart for those forty points.

Later, the Slytherin second-years were studying in the Slytherin Common Room. Draco then pulled out his Wizard's Chess set.

"Harry, I think it's time you learned about an absolute pin. An absolute pin is when the piece shielded by the pinned piece is the king. Let's show an example. I'll place the black king on c8, a black rook on b8, a black knight on e6, the white king on d1, a white knight on a4, a white bishop on d3, and the white queen on a1. So, Harry, how would you perform an absolute pin on black, if white was to move?"

Harry glanced at the position, then said, "Bishop to f5."

The white bishop on d3 moved to f5, performing an absolute pin on the black knight on e6. The black knight couldn't move because otherwise, it would expose the black king on c8 to check.

"Good job, Harry! Now I'll clear the board. I'll now place the white king on e2, a white pawn on a2, a white bishop on d1, a black rook on c4, and the black king on g8. So, Harry, how would you perform an absolute pin in this position?"

Harry then said, "Bishop to b3."

The white bishop on d1 moved to c3, putting the black rook on c4 in an absolute pin.

"Good work, Harry. I'll clear the board again. I will place the black king on g8, the black queen on h7, the white king on e3, and a white knight on b6. So, Harry, with black to move, how you perform an absolute pin in this position?"

Harry then said, "Queen to a7".

The black queen moved from h7 to a7, pinning the white knight on b6 against the white king on e3.

"That's great, Harry. I'll show one more example. I'll place the white king on e1, a white rook on d3, a black pawn on e7, and the black king on h7. So, Harry, how would you make an absolute pin in this position?"

Harry then said, "Rook to d7."

The white rook on d3 moved to d7, pinning the black pawn on e7 against the black king on h7.

"So, Harry, what can you conclude from these positions?"

"Well, an absolute pin clearly prevents the pinned piece from moving, as doing so would expose the king to check. Pieces that are in an absolute pin can never move."

"Well, it's good to see you are understanding this."