The first day of school continues.

HARRY XVI

"We see each other in Transfiguration," Harry told them as they left.

"Bye, Harry," Ron said.

"See you soon, Harry," Hermione told him, just as she was following Ron.

Harry remained alone to finish his breakfast. Some other people, as they left for their first class of the morning, wished him a good day, more people than usual. Neville, Dean, Ernie, Justin, Hannah, Susan, Colin, and many others shortly said hello as they went to their classes. Harry hoped it wasn't sympathy for what happened with the Dementor yesterday. He heard some people whisper during breakfast about it, and Malfoy made sure to laugh about it with his gang at the Slytherin table. He wondered if Ginny was the target of attentions as well. She fainted too, after all.

Harry took his time to finish his breakfast. He had time, after all, since his first class would be Transfiguration, after the free period he had this morning. Harry just finished eating and was about to leave the Gryffindor table when Hagrid came his way. Harry hailed him.

"Hagrid! What did you prepare for us this afternoon?"

"It's a surprise, Harry. I think you'll like it. See you in a few hours."

He patted Harry in the back so strongly that Harry's chest crashed straight into the table. Recovering his breath, he stood up and went to the office that was reserved to the teacher of Defence Against the Dark Arts. Corridors were mostly empty. Most students were in class right now. Harry didn't complain about getting a free period early Monday morning, even though he wished he could be with Ron and Hermione. This was both an advantage and a disadvantage to not have picked Divination as an option course.

Harry never went to this office before. Lockhart tried to bring him there a few times, last year. Harry was glad they got rid of him. However, he never thought that Remus would be the one to replace him. He wondered why Remus didn't tell him he would be their new teacher this year. After all, they saw each other during Pettigrew's trial, and again afterwards, after the traitor escaped, when Remus came to check on both Harry and his mother.

Harry arrived just in front of the door. He knocked at it.

"Come in," Remus' voice came from the other side of the door.

Harry opened it. Remus was sitting behind his desk on the side, writing. He looked up from his parchment the moment Harry came in, and smiled quite warmly right away.

"Harry. I was wondering when you would pay me a visit. I thought about coming to say hello in your common room, but teachers are rarely allowed in, except for Heads of House. Please, sit. Do you want some tea?"

It was strange to be invited by Remus to sit and drink tea. Normally, he was in their home, and it was Harry and his mother who asked him if he wanted something.

"Yes, if that's not too much trouble," Harry replied.

"Not at all. I was just thinking of making one." He tapped a kettle with his wand, and it started to heat up. Within seconds, steam was getting out of it and tea was ready. Remus gave one cup to Harry. "You don't have a class this morning?"

"Only Transfiguration. And it's later."

"Hmm. With McGonagall?" Harry nodded. "An excellent teacher. And a very good woman. She was already Head of the Gryffindor House when I was a student here. She taught to all of us, James, Sirius and I. And your mother, of course."

"And Pettigrew too," Harry added.

Remus' expression turned a little less light. "Yes. Peter too. Are you worried because of him, Harry?"

"No."

If anything, Harry was angry at the Ministry of Magic for letting that man escape from Azkaban. But despite the tales that he murdered twelve people with a single spell, Harry couldn't bring himself to fear a man who hid under the appearance of a rat for twelve years. No, he wasn't afraid of Peter Pettigrew. There was something that made him afraid, but it wasn't Pettigrew, and it was much closer to Harry than Pettigrew would certainly ever be. Harry decided to ask Remus about something first, though.

"Remus, why didn't you tell me that you were going to be professor this year?"

"Well, the decision was taken quite late. It was after the trial, even after Peter escaped. I didn't even tell your mother. So please, don't blame her for not telling you that a friend of the family was going to teach you. She was in the dark as much as you were."

It relieved Harry. He didn't like the idea of his mother hiding things from him, no more than she liked the idea of Harry hiding things from her. Though at least, for Remus, it was a pleasant surprise to discover he would be their professor this year.

"Well, I'm glad to see you here," Harry said. "I guess it was time for us to have a good professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts."

Remus smiled. "I cannot, in good conscience, talk against my colleagues, even previous ones, but I understand that your lessons, when they were given by a fraud or a man inhabited by Voldemort, might have been limited."

That was the least they could say. "What are you going to teach us this year?"

"Oh, I've got a few ideas. I think you'll like your first class this week." He didn't seem about to give Harry more details. Harry hesitated to touch on the other subject he wanted to discuss with Remus.

"Are you fine, Harry, after what happened yesterday?" It seemed that Remus was reading his mind.

"Yes, I'm fine. By the way..." He just realized something. "Thank you. I mean, for driving off this Dementor."

He nodded to accept his thanks. "Dementors cannot be trusted to care about the effect they have on people. By the way, there was a girl who seemed deeply affected by it as well. What was her name? I forgot it."

"It's Ginny. She Ron's little sister."

"Ah, that's it. I saw her in Egypt, but I was focused on capturing Peter. I didn't try very hard to remember people's names. Is she okay?"

"Yes, I think so."

Maybe he should check on Ginny at lunch, though he still wasn't sure if he was the best person to do that. Ginny was still very shy around him. He thought about the Quidditch season that was about to start again.

"Harry, I want you to know that if you ever need help this year, don't hesitate to ask. My door will always be open to you," his father's friend told him.

"Thank you, Remus."

"However, I'm afraid I'll have to cut our discussion short. I have a lot of work to do."

Harry nodded. He wanted to discuss with Remus further about the Dementor in the train, but he guessed that it would have to wait. He wasn't very eager for this conversation, in fact.

Harry emptied his cup of tea and left Remus' office, after his mother's friend advised him to call him Professor Lupin in class and in the corridors, to not give the impression Harry might get a favor treatment. He still had a lot of time to kill before the Transfiguration class. He wondered if Ron and Hermione were having some fun in Divination. He thought about trying his new Invisibility Cloak, but his mother insisted that he only uses it when necessary, not to wander through Hogwarts. She even made him promise to not use the cloak to wander illegally in the corridors at night or to go in forbidden places.

She gave it to him a few hours before he left on the Hogwarts Express. That morning, before he began his breakfast, his mother had brought him something wrapped into brown paper, and asked him to unpack it. She said it was something that belonged to his father, and she thought now was the time for him to have it. Intrigued, Harry had removed the brown paper to reveal the Invisibility Cloak.

"What are you waiting for? Put it on," his mother told him with a half-smile, as Harry contemplated the silvery cloak with big eyes, already suspecting what it might be, but not really ready to believe it.

He had gasped in surprise when he put the cloak on his shoulders and saw that all his body safe for his head was gone. His mother told him that this cloak was transferred from father to son in his father's family for generations. She told him to use it when necessary, and only when necessary. Harry had guessed that she hoped it might be useful, with Peter Pettigrew now free. Harry wasn't sure. He couldn't bring the cloak everywhere with him. If Peter Pettigrew somehow managed to get inside the castle, he didn't think he would have the necessary time or knowledge of his presence to go back to the dormitory and seize the cloak. However, he was still glad to have this cloak. Harry didn't own much that belonged to his father before. Somehow, he felt closer to him.

Harry decided to kill time by going on the grounds. He hesitated the glimpse of a moment when he thought about Dementors that were positioned at the entrances of the grounds, but he shrugged them off and went outside all the same. He couldn't barricade himself inside the castle because he was afraid of Dementors that might be at a half-mile of distance. He thought about visiting Hagrid, but he might still be preparing his first lesson, so he decided instead to go wander by the side of the Quidditch pitch.

The sky was grey, but yesterday's rain was over. Harry was almost surprised that Oliver didn't approach him yet to talk about the upcoming Quidditch season. They were unlucky last year. The season was cancelled because of the Basilisk's attacks. Harry hoped it wouldn't happen this year as well. Had the season not be cancelled, they would have won the championship last year, he was sure of that. He wasn't injured like two years before, when Katie had to replace him as Chaser and Gryffindor ended up losing. Ron, Seamus, even Dean, and of course many of Harry's teammates on the Quidditch team, had a few words, none flattering, for the Ravenclaw Seeker who caught the Golden Snitch.

Harry had only ever seen the girl from afar. Cho Chang was a year older than he was, and when she defeated Katie two years ago, she was only a substitute player. Now, she was the regular Seeker for Ravenclaw, and each time Harry watched another game where Ravenclaw played, he had to confess that she was talented. She even defeated Malfoy last year, to Harry's great joy. She also happened to be the only Seeker in Hogwarts, except Harry, to remain undefeated so far. With Slytherins who still had their Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones, this season promised to not be effortless.

The pitch was mostly empty, but Harry went on it all the same, if only to feel the grass of the terrain under his feet. It was wet. Seeing the empty benches all around, Harry thought that he was eager to resume playing, as long as Oliver didn't wake him up at four o'clock in the morning on his first Saturday of the year.

Harry went back to the castle after some time, and headed for the classroom of Transfiguration. It was empty when he arrived. The rest were probably still coming back from their previous course. Harry took a place in the middle of the class. A minute or two later, his comrades began to pour in. Dean and Seamus were the first to arrive in the class, engaged in a conversation they looked very passionate about.

"It really looked like a sausage dog to me," Seamus said, "but I could be wrong."

"You think things are going to be fine for... Hey, Harry," Dean greeted the moment he noticed Harry.

"Hi Dean. Hi Seamus. How was Divination?" Harry asked them.

"It was... very interesting... Lots of fun stuff..." Seamus said very quickly.

He and Dean went to sit on Harry's left, not saying another word as Sophie and Lily walked in the classroom as well. Soon, the class was full. Ron and Hermione arrived last, at the last minute. Harry waved his hand to say hello, but only Hermione returned it. Ron seemed focused on something else. The moment he sat down at the back of the room, Parvati, who looked quite miserable, jumped from her own chair where she was sitting right in front of Ron. She went to Dean immediately, who was sitting right to Harry's left.

"Dean, please. Can we switch places?"

Dean looked behind to see Ron with a bewildered expression, then back to Parvati, who looked like she was begging him. "Okay. Suit yourself."

"Thank you. Thank you very much."

The class began right after. Harry noticed immediately that something was wrong. Everyone seemed to shot glances at him, but after a moment, he realized that he wasn't the target of those glances. It was Parvati, who sat next to him, who was being targeted, and Harry almost had the impression that she was on the brink of tears. He would have asked her what was wrong if they hadn't been in McGonagall's classroom. Silence was demanded by the Transfiguration teacher during her class, and she didn't ask anything from them lightly.

Professor McGonagall was talking about Animagi, which was an appropriate topic considering the circumstances surrounding Pettigrew's escape. Parvati made a strange sound at one point, and hid her face in her hands, right at the moment Professor McGonagall turned into a cat. As a result, Harry barely noticed the transformation as he looked to Parvati, beginning to worry.

"Really, what has got into you all today?" their teacher of Transfiguration asked them after she returned to her human form. It seemed like nobody reacted to her transformation. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."

Everyone looked at Parvati at this moment. McGonagall came to look at her as well. "Miss Patil, why are you hiding your face behind your hands?"

Hermione raised her hand at this moment. "Please, Professor. We just had out first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves. And Professor Trelawney..."

"Ah, of course. There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger." McGonagall didn't let Hermione finish, sighed, and looked to Parvati. "Miss Patil, please, remove these hands from your face and look at me." Reluctantly, Parvati did so. She had red eyes, but she didn't seem like she cried. Harry failed to understand what was going on. "So this year, I get it that it is you who is supposed to die?"

Everyone looked stunned, Harry the first. What was McGonagall talking about? And she said it almost as if she found the whole thing funny. And why was Parvati supposed to die?

"You should know, Miss Patil, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues..."

The events of Harry's first course this year seemed surreal. Professor McGonagall was actually about to insult one of her colleagues, Parvati was predicted her death in Divination, and now they learned the teacher in question predicted someone's death every year. Parvati seemed at a loss of words, and Harry wasn't sure if he ought to laugh or feel sorry for her.

"Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney..." McGonagall looked at Parvati. "Miss Patil, you look in excellent health to me. You will excuse if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."

A few people in the classroom laughed, Harry and Hermione first. Even Parvati laughed, but only timidly. Harry noticed some whispers around the class among the laughing.

When the class was over, Harry watched Parvati recovering her things before she left. "Are you alright, Parvati?" he asked her.

"Oh, yes. Thank you, Harry."

She didn't seem that convinced. She left with Lavender. In the meantime, Harry joined Ron and Hermione while Dean and Seamus were laughing about something not far away.

"What happened in Divination?" Harry asked his two friends once he got the chance and as they walked to the Great Hall.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We were reading each other's tea leaves, when Lavender asked Professor Trelawney about something she thought she saw in Parvati's cup. So Trelawney began to check it, seeing a few symbols, each worse than the previous, until she said that she saw a Basilisk in Parvati's cup and that it meant she would suffer a long and painful death."

"She said that in front of the whole class?"

"Yes. And as McGonagall just told us, Professor Trelawney does that every year, and no one has ever died," Hermione concluded.

"Let's hope it remains this way," Ron said. "I mean, we have the habit of putting ourselves into trouble."

He didn't sound as light as Hermione was. "Come on, Ron. Don't tell me you believe this nonsense, not after what McGonagall told us."

"We don't know what was in that cup. It could have been a Basilisk," he shot back.

"It could have been anything. At this stage, none of us is safe from the Basilisk." Ron shuddered. "Come on, Ron. These weren't your tea leaves. And Parvati is not the kind of person who places herself in situations where she could get killed."

"It's easy for you to say. You just said we could all have a Basilisk in our cup. What if I had one and you missed it?"

Hermione rolled her eyes again. "We're not going to worry about brown patches at the bottom of a tea cup, Ron."

"Too bad, because that's what we will be doing in that class for the whole year."

Harry listened to their arguments. He didn't really want to get involved in it. They continued until they arrived to the Great Hall for lunch.

"I agree with Professor McGonagall," Hermione declared. "Divination looks like a very imprecise science."

"Imprecise or not, Parvati seems to take it very seriously," Ron said, pointing to the Indian girl who was barely pecking at her food in her plate.

"Well, I hope she recovers quickly. After all, if she gets scared by the symbol of a Basilisk..."

"It's obvious then that you never went into the Chamber of Secrets," Ron retorted. "You have no idea what it is, to see the shadow of this snake into every dark corner you come across."

"Excuse me, Ronald, but if I remember correctly, I'm the one who was Petrified last year, and I knew very well that a Basilisk might be lurking around. That's why I had a mirror on myself. When we think we are in danger, we are careful and we take precautions, but that doesn't mean we must stop to live." She cast a glance towards Parvati to emphasize her point, as the girl still didn't eat. "Unlike you when you got stunned from behind and Harry had to fight the Basilisk alone."

"Hey, I was caught by surprise!"

They argued during most of lunch, and Harry decided it was better to stay away from the discussion. Perhaps he could have tried to talk to them about their first lesson with Hagrid, but it was hard to place a word in the middle of their exchange, and Harry somewhat ended up discussing Herbology with Neville who was on his right. Neville also revealed that he had the same class of Care of Magical Creatures with them this afternoon, and he was afraid of which surprise Hagrid might have prepared for them.

When the hour of the class approached, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville left the Gryffindor table together. However, just as they left the classroom, Neville's bag split.

"Oh no! It was a new bag my grandmother bought for me," their friend said.

Harry helped recover his things, when his copy of the Monster Book of Monsters got free and tried to bite Harry. However, his personal experience with the copy Hagrid sent him for his birthday this summer and his reflexes allowed Harry to jump away, then on the book, flattening it.

"Neville, attach it!" Harry hurried him. Clumsily, Neville managed to bind the book with a belt, tightening it the most he could.

"That thing bit me five times before I could attach it this summer," Neville said. "How are we going to use it?"

"I don't know," Harry replied in all honesty. "But we better hurry. We shouldn't be late."

It was their first class with Hagrid after all. He and Neville ran through the corridors of the castle to arrive in time at Hagrid's hut, near the edge of the Forbidden Forest. They managed to arrive some time early. Perhaps Harry was a little too excited to attend Hagrid's first lesson. Ron and Hermione had stopped quarreling.

"Ah, here you are," Hermione said when they reached their spot. "Neville, what happened to your bag? You surely don't carry enough to break it."

"I don't know. It was brand new," Neville said.

Hermione looked at the tear in the tissue. "It didn't tear itself naturally... It looks like someone used a Severing Ch..."

"Come on now, get a move on!" Hagrid bellowed all of them. Hermione's last words were lost to it, and she turned all her attention to Hagrid.

The first lesson in Care of Magical Creatures would be something Harry would remember for a very long time, but it sadly wasn't for the right reasons. While Harry somehow enjoyed, to a certain extent, flying on Buckbeak's back, it wasn't as enjoyable as flying on his Nimbus Two Thousand. But the class was mostly highlighted by two main events, the first being Parvati fainting when Hagrid brought the Hippogriffs forward. The second was far worse, because Malfoy ruined the entire class by insulting Buckbeak, something Hagrid clearly told all of them they were not to do at all costs. The course was cut short as a result, and their first day at school was memorable thanks to a death prediction and their worry that Hagrid might find himself in trouble.

Since Harry is not in Divination, you can see that Trelawney found someone else to predict disasters to. Harry's death not being predicted at every turn will have implications for the story.

Please review.

Next chapter: Lily