CHAPTER 17: NAVIGATING NEW RESPONSIBILITIES
As the morning sun illuminated the corridors of Hogwarts, Harry and Tonks found themselves running late, having overslept. With only ten minutes left for breakfast, they hurried down the stairs toward the Great Hall, Ron trailing behind them.
"Hurry up, Ron! If we don't make it, we won't eat until noon!" Harry called out, his voice tinged with urgency as they raced against the clock to avoid a hungry morning.
"I know, I know, no need to tell me, run faster instead of talking!" Ron shot back in response to Harry's urging, his breath coming in short gasps as they hurried through the Great Hall.
As they entered the bustling hall, all eyes briefly turned to them, curious glances darting their way before returning to their breakfasts. Hermione and Ginny observed their tardy arrival from their seats, offering a brief nod of acknowledgment as Harry and Ron made their way over.
"Good morning," Hermione greeted them briskly, her tone tinged with a hint of amusement as they hastily grabbed some toast and juice, their hunger overriding any desire for pleasantries.
"I don't know why I'm surprised that you're late on the first day; it's become your trademark," Hermione remarked, her lips quirking into a wry smile as she handed each of them a parchment. They exchanged puzzled looks before unfolding the parchment to reveal their schedules for the year, complete with what Hermione ominously referred to as the "special" subjects.
"These are your schedules for this year, with the 'special' subjects," Hermione explained in a hushed tone, emphasizing the word "special" as if it held some deeper significance.
Harry's heart sank as he scanned the parchment, his eyes widening in horror at the heavy load of subjects that awaited him, leaving little time for rest on most days. Beside him, Ron wore a similar expression of dismay, silently questioning whether taking the year normally might have been a better choice.
"We have seventh-year subjects that we must attend: Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration," Hermione continued, her gaze drifting toward the teachers' table where the professors sat. "Hagrid was really upset that we had to sacrifice Care of Magical Creatures, but he understands it's necessary."
At the mention of Hagrid, the half-giant beamed proudly from his place at the staff table, his eyes twinkling with understanding and support despite the disappointment of losing one of his beloved classes. Harry couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt at the sacrifice their education demanded, but he knew that they had to do whatever it took to prepare for the challenges ahead.
"So, what do we have today?" Ron asked, his brows furrowing in anticipation as he glanced over his schedule.
"First, three hours of Potions, followed by two of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and in the afternoon, Non-Verbal Enchantment. After that, in your case, Wandless Magic. We'll have Advanced D.A.D.A.," Hermione replied, her tone matter-of-fact as she laid out their itinerary for the day.
"It seems we won't have time to get bored," Ron sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly at the thought of the packed schedule ahead.
"Ginny and I have devised a plan to find the owner of the initials R.A.B. We'll consult the Hogwarts history," Hermione announced, her eyes alight with determination.
"How's it going to be there?" Ron asked, surprise evident in his voice.
"Little brother, in case you didn't know, each year there's a list of students admitted to the school, recorded in the internal history of Hogwarts," Ginny chimed in, her tone teasing yet informative.
"So, from tomorrow, you'll start looking for this guy. Fine with me. Once we find something, we'll start moving," Ron agreed, his expression serious as he considered the task ahead.
With little time to spare, Harry and Ron hurried to finish their breakfast, inevitably arriving late for Potions class. Professor Slughorn, ever indulgent, waved them in with a genial smile, allowing them to take their seats at the front of the classroom.
On the board, the intricate formula for a potion was already sketched out, awaiting the attention of the students. Professor Slughorn surveyed the class, his gaze lingering momentarily on the latecomers before addressing the group as a whole.
"Now that everyone is ready," he began, his tone carrying a note of warning, "we'll begin making this potion. Be very careful with it because if not brewed correctly, you'll get a liquid that can cause painful burns. Additionally, even when treated, they take a few days to heal."
He paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing. "Can anyone tell me the use of the correct potion?"
Hermione's hand shot up eagerly, the only one in the class to respond. Slughorn nodded approvingly before turning his attention to Harry.
"Mr. Potter, do you know its purpose?" Slughorn inquired, curiosity evident in his tone.
Harry shook his head, feeling a pang of embarrassment at his lack of knowledge. "Surprising. Miss Granger, if you please," Slughorn prompted.
With confidence, Hermione explained, "The potion is used to treat boils and pimples caused by contact with certain poisons from plants, such as Venomous Tentacula or Bubotuberculus. These are among the least dangerous. With this potion, you can effectively combat others, even deadly ones."
"Correct! Ten points to Gryffindor!" Slughorn declared with a smile. "You can start preparing; I'll collect a sample at the end of the class."
The remainder of the class passed slowly, with Professor Slughorn occasionally passing by Harry's cauldron, eyeing it disapprovingly. Despite his best efforts, Harry couldn't quite match Hermione's precision in brewing the potion. Meanwhile, Ron's attempt resulted in a swift discard as he inadvertently created the dreaded and dangerous mixture.
In Defense Against the Dark Arts with Lupin, they reviewed several spells and counters they knew. Lupin was highly impressed by the level of the entire D.A. members; they excelled far beyond the others, a testament to their dedication and skill.
Both Harry and Hermione flawlessly performed a vast array of spells during the Defense Against the Dark Arts class, their expertise shining through with each precise incantation. Ron, determined to keep up with his friends, closely followed their lead and even managed to excel compared to the rest of the class.
As the class concluded with a brief duel between Harry and Hermione, won by Harry albeit with some difficulty, Professor Lupin approached them with a look of genuine admiration.
"I'm very impressed with your group of friends, Harry. I believe creating your study group was the best idea you had," Lupin remarked, his voice tinged with pride.
"Thank you, Professor Lupin," Harry replied, feeling a swell of gratitude for the support and guidance they had received from their beloved former Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
"I'm going to ask Minerva to authorize your classmates to gather and practice in this class. I will personally instruct them, as for you..." Lupin trailed off, leaving the implication clear.
"It's a great idea!" Hermione chimed in eagerly. "Several people have asked us to resume."
"Some students have heard about it and want to join," Lupin added, confirming Hermione's observation.
Ron, ever practical, raised a valid concern. "If more people join, it might not be the same."
Lupin furrowed his brow in thought, considering Ron's words. "What do you propose? We can't exclude them."
"That's true, and it's not my intention," Ron replied, his mind working quickly to find a solution. "I was thinking it might be better for them to go through a preliminary training before joining the group. This way, they won't hinder those who are more advanced."
Lupin nodded in agreement, impressed by Ron's foresight. "That sounds like a reasonable approach. We'll implement it accordingly." With a plan in place, they parted ways, each filled with a renewed sense of purpose and determination to continue their efforts in preparing for the challenges that lay ahead.
"Like a preparation class! What a great idea!" Hermione exclaimed, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm.
The professor considered it for a moment, weighing the practicality of the suggestion. "It's a good idea, but I won't be able to handle both groups."
"I know, Hermione and Ron can do it," Harry suggested, pointing to his friends.
"What, are you crazy?!" Ron exclaimed, his eyes widening in disbelief. "We'll be too busy with the special classes to organize everything."
"That's right, we have to—" Hermione paused, catching herself before revealing too much. "Well, you know, girl stuff. Besides, Ron is right; it's too much for us to take on."
"Guys, one meeting a week would be enough. Saturday mornings would be perfect; it wouldn't interfere with anything. It's good that others are interested in learning more; sooner or later, they'll need it. Plus, Hermione has been teaching alongside me; it'll be easy for her to instruct them," Harry reasoned, his tone persuasive as he laid out his proposal.
Hermione noticed Harry's subtle signals, indicating that he was up to something. Intrigued, she approached her boyfriend, her curiosity piqued.
"Having a meeting once a week is fine, and we'll set the conditions," Hermione said confidently, giving Ron's arm a reassuring squeeze when he looked at her with bewilderment. "Hermione, what in the..." Ron began to protest, but another squeeze from Hermione silenced him. "Okay, fine, no problem," he relented, albeit with a puzzled expression.
"I'm glad to hear it. I'll talk to Minerva about it this afternoon; I think we'll settle it," Hermione said as she gathered her things from the table, her mind already racing with plans and strategies.
With a subtle signal from Harry, everyone left the room, bidding farewell to Professor Lupin. Once they were outside and certain that no one was listening, they huddled together, eager for Harry to explain what had transpired.
"It's simple," Harry began, his voice low and serious. "The moment we stop behaving as we normally would, they'll know we're plotting something. Rejoining the E.D. is just a way to keep us occupied so we don't think of anything else. The less time I have, the less I'll think about what to do. I think that's what the Order wants."
Hermione nodded in understanding, her mind already working to devise a plan of action. "So, this way, I'll supposedly be highly involved in the training, while Hermione and Ginny will continue searching in the library," Harry continued, looking directly at Ron.
Ron's eyes widened in disbelief. "Me being the teacher? You're out of your mind!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in disbelief at the unexpected turn of events.
"Ron, you're the freest and least watched. Some of the E.D. members will help you in classes, and if they ask about Hermione, you can tell them she's in the library gathering information," Harry explained, his tone reassuring. "Which is true."
Ron nodded, a hint of relief flickering in his eyes. "Harry, you surprise me! I didn't think you'd think of everything so quickly."
"I haven't thought of everything; I still don't know how to get out of the castle without getting caught," Harry admitted, his brow furrowed with concern.
Hermione interjected, her mind already buzzing with possibilities. "I think I know, but I want to do a couple of investigations first. I'll tell you when I'm clear about it."
With their plan for the study group in place, they made their way to the Great Hall for afternoon classes. However, the lessons proved to be, to put it mildly, disappointing. None of them managed to successfully perform any non-verbal spells, despite their best efforts. Instead, they practiced the most basic spells they knew—Accio, Wingardium Leviosa, and the like—in one of the Charms classrooms, under the guidance of Lupin.
Hermione had a small success, managing to make a quill move slightly using Wingardium Leviosa, but for the boys, it was even worse. No matter how hard they concentrated, they achieved nothing of note. In the end, they could only resign themselves to the fact that it would be a very tough year filled with challenges and headaches.
As the final class of the day concluded, Harry made his way to his last lesson on wandless magic, taught by Professor McGonagall in her office. Meanwhile, Hermione and Ron stayed behind with Lupin, preparing to give Advanced D.A.D.A. lessons to their fellow students as part of their newly assigned responsibilities within the study group.
Harry made his way to the Headmistress's office, his mind preoccupied with the day's events. Along the way, he crossed paths with students from other houses, exchanging brief nods of acknowledgment as he continued on his way.
Arriving at the stone gargoyle that guarded the entrance to the office, Harry found himself once again at a loss for the password. Turning to ask Lupin for assistance, he was surprised when the gargoyle suddenly moved aside, revealing the hidden passage to the stairs. With a shrug of acceptance, Harry began to ascend the steps, only to stumble upon someone descending.
"Excuse me, I didn't know..." Harry started to apologize, but his words trailed off as he recognized the familiar face before him.
"Relax, Harry," Tonks said with a reassuring smile, her eyes twinkling with warmth.
"Nym!" Harry exclaimed, instinctively reaching out to her before remembering their professional boundaries. "Professor Tonks," he corrected himself quickly, a pang of disappointment flashing across his features.
Tonks noticed his reaction but remained composed. "Forgive me, Professor Tonks! The Headmistress is expecting me for my class," Harry explained, his tone respectful as he lowered his head slightly.
Tonks approached him, her expression softening as she gently lifted his chin with a finger. "Never lower your head, Mr. Potter. You should always be proud of who you are. I don't think your girlfriend would like you to forget that," she advised, her words carrying a depth of understanding.
With that, Tonks continued on her way, leaving Harry to ponder her words as he watched her disappear down the hallway. Despite the brief encounter, he felt a sense of reassurance wash over him, dispelling the fatigue and headache that had plagued him earlier.
Feeling rejuvenated, Harry continued up the stairs and knocked on the office door, ready to face whatever awaited him inside. "Come in, Mr. Potter, I was expecting you," came the Headmistress's voice from within, prompting Harry to enter and begin his lesson.
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