Chapter Five
Harry didn't think about it again until the next day when he was sitting munching on a bacon butty for breakfast.
Classes only began at midday so he was looking forward to spending a few quiet hours before Potions. His breakfast was interrupted though by a rather rough tap on the shoulder. Harry turned round to see Ron, glaring over him.
"Well?" Ron spat.
Harry shook his head, "What is it I've supposedly done this time?"
"You blocked the barrier! You stopped me getting though, I nearly got kicked out of school! I didn't get to watch my sister get sorted!" Ron gave him a rough shove and stormed off to his own table.
"What the hell?" Draco asked coming into the hall and sitting down next to Harry.
Harry shook his head, "I have no idea."
They watched Ron stomp back to the Gryffindor table and pour himself a large bowl of cereal. A few moments later the post arrived and a small brown owl crashed into the table next to Ron. He picked up the red envelope and the colour drained from his face.
Ron glared over at Harry and Draco.
"What's Ron done to get himself a howler?" Draco whispered trying not to laugh.
"You'd better open it Ron." Neville said gently, "My nan sent me one once after I forgot to send a thank you card one year and I ignored it, only made it worse. Best to get it over and done with."
"I don't need your advice thanks Longbottom." Ron snapped.
He picked up the envelope and carefully opened it. The letter pulled away from his hands and floated at face height.
"RONALD WEASLEY!" Ron's mothers shrieking voice filled the hall, "STEALING THAT CAR, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU! JUST WAIT UNTIL I GET HOLD OF YOU! I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK ABOUT WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I HAD TO GO THROUGH WHEN WE SAW YOU HAD GONE? A LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME! WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS; YOU KNOW BETTER. YOU COULD HAVE DIED! I AM ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED, YOUR FATHER IS FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK AND IT IS ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT! IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE WILL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!"
Even from across the hall Harry felt his ears ring as the letter fell to the table. He was very confused about what had happened. What car had Ron stolen and why was his father in trouble at work? Ron glared over to them and ripped the letter in half. It was clear he blamed Harry for whatever was going on. His brothers also looked over angrily. Harry sighed. This was not going to be an easy year for house co-operation.
"Here Harry look at this." Draco said shoving a copy of the Daily Prophet under Harry's nose. Harry looked over the headline 'Flying Ford Anglia Mystifies Muggles!'
"Do you think that this was Ron?" Harry asked, "How they hell did he get a flying car?"
"If it was him I think it was very silly. I bet he was just trying to show off to you." Draco said, "He could have been arrested."
Harry nodded; but from the look Ron was giving him Harry didn't think that Ron was willing to take the blame for whatever had happened.
Potions was pretty simple. Harry even managed to pass the test Snape set them to see what they remembered from last year. Next he found himself sitting in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom dreading the doors opening.
They didn't so much open as burst, loudly hitting against the wall. Gilderoy Lockhart swaggered into the room, again he wore matching robes and hat at an angle, this time in a bright turquoise.
He leaned against his desk and grinned, "Hello." he beamed, "Welcome, welcome all of you. I am very happy to see you all. I don't think I need to introduce myself. You all know who I am. Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin-Third class; Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League and five times winner of 'Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award but I don't talk about that. I didn't defeat the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her." he gave a large grin and waited for people to laugh; a few gave small giggles if only to stop the awkward silence.
Harry looked around, no one looked very impressed.
"Well I see you have all brought a full set of my books. Well done!" he gave them all a big thumbs up, "Well I think we'll have a little quiz just to start us off, nothing to difficult just want to see how much you've taken in."
He handed out the pages that made up the quiz.
"Your time starts now. You have thirty minutes." Lockhart said sitting on the edge of his desk.
Harry looked over the three pages and groaned, it started with '1) What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?' and ended three sides of paper later with '54) When is Gilderoy Lockhart's Birthday and what would his ideal gift be?'
Harry had no idea what any of the answers to any of the questions, not 'What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?' or 'What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?', although how was there a correct answer when it was your opinion. He scribbled down a few random answers and tried to peek inside his text books as much as he could without being seen.
After the half an hour Lockhart collected the papers and flicked through them at the front of the class, "Tut tut. Most of you need to read more carefully. My favourite colour is lilac! I said so in 'Year with a Yeti' and in 'Wanderings with Werewolves' I say my ideal birthday gift. Harmony between all magic and non-magical peoples." he shook his head, "Although I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogden's Old Firwhisky." he flashed them a smile and several of his pictures, which decorated the walls, laughed with him.
He looked over the papers again, "Only one of you. One of you remembered that my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair care potions. Well done Milly! Good girl."
He gave Millicent Bulstrode a huge grin and a big thumbs up. She blushed and giggled slightly under her ratty brown hair. Tracy who was sitting next to her rolled her eyes and pouted at the lack of attention.
"Take ten points for Slytherin Milly." Lockhart gave her a wink and she practically melted into a puddle under her desk.
Harry rolled his eyes and put his chin in his hands on the desk with a thud. Lockhart reached behind his desk and pull out what looked like a large cage covered with a light pink sheet.
"Now! Be warned! It is my job to show you, to prepare you to be armed against the foulest creatures ever known!" He paused for dramatic affect, "In this room you may find yourself facing your worst fears! But worry not; no harm will come to you while I'm around!"
Harry couldn't help but look up, past his pile of books. Gilderoy Lockhart looked over them all.
"I must ask you not to scream." He said grasping hold of the sheet, "You might provoke them!" and with one quick movement pulled it off the cage.
Harry let out a snort of laughter,
"Yes freshly caught Cornish Pixies!"
Crabbe let out a laugh.
"Yes Mr….umm….Crabbe?" Lockhart asked, checking the seating plan.
"Well it's just they're not exactly dangerous are they?"
"Don't be so sure!" Lockhart said chuckling and waggling his finger in Crabbe's direction, "Very tricky little devils. Very fast and love mischief."
The pixies were only about eight inches long and bright blue. They had pointed little faces and were currently being as noisy as possible. Harry recognised them from one of the many books from home and for all they were only small they caused a lot of trouble; which he didn't really want to experience first hand.
Draco looked over to Harry and shook his head. Pansy and Daphne were whispering between themselves at the next desk. The rest of the class was laughing and mocking the pixies which was making them even more annoyed.
Lockhart looked over the class, clearly annoyed at the lack of respect. It wasn't the reaction he had been hoping for.
"Well I wasn't going to do this but if you are so sure they're harmless….lets see what you make of them." he tapped the lock on the cage with his wand and the door flew open.
The pixies didn't waste any time getting out the cage. A few grabbed the nearest desk and began to try and stick it to the ceiling, dropping it with a huge crash on the floor. The others races around the room grabbing anything that was loose.
Harry quickly stuffed his books into his school bag as he watched Millicent's get shredded by two pixies laughing loudly. Millicent crying out in annoyance.
Draco covered his face quickly but Harry wasn't so lucky and got a mouthful of ink as a pixie sprayed a bottle it had found somewhere all over the room.
Daphne shrieked and a pixie caught her by the hair and began to try and drag her out from behind her desk.
Pansy picked up a book and smacked the pixie into the wall before they both dived back against the wall.
"Thanks." Daphne said, not even bothering to straighten her robes which were hanging off her shoulders.
"Come on now they're only pixies! Gather them up!" Lockhart shouted, he shook his head and stepped forward, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" nothing happened, in fact one of the pixies grabbed Lockhart's wand and flew off with it.
"We have to get out of here." Harry said. Draco and the girls nodded and headed to the door with several of the other students.
"Would you guys mind popping the last few in their cage?" Lockhart asked them, narrowly avoiding another spray of ink.
Harry looked at him like he was mad and shook his head. He grabbed a pixie off his robes, where it had eaten a large hole and threw it away from him.
"Come on!" He shouted helping the others out the classroom and slamming the door shut behind him.
"That was awful!" Daphne said. She ran a hand through her matted hair, "I'm going to change and clean up."
She turned around quickly and walked towards the Slytherin common room muttering about ruined robes on the first day of term followed by Pansy.
Draco sighed, "I think I should go make sure they're OK."
Harry nodded, "I want to find Dad."
Draco pulled out a handkerchief from his robes pockets and gave it to Harry, "You look better without the ink."
Harry smirked and waved goodbye to him. He wandered down to the potion classroom wiping as much of the ink off his face as he could. He knocked on the door and waited. Snape came out and closed the door behind him.
"Harry. I'm in the middle of a class. What on earth happened to you?"
Harry looked down over himself. His robes were slightly torn and covered in ink, his hands were covered in smeared ink and he was sure his face wasn't much better. There were still ink smudges on his glasses making it slightly difficult to see. Snape waved his wand over Harry cleaning him up and straightening his robes.
"We were in Lockhart's class. The guy is a joke!" Harry spat, "He let a load of pixies out and couldn't control them or get them back in their stupid cage. He did this spell and it did nothing! We all came out looking like this!"
Snape looked over him and sighed, "I did worry that this would happen. Lockhart is very well known for what is in his books but it seems he doesn't have the teaching knack. I will speak to Dumbledore about this but now you'd best hurry you're going to be late for you next class."
Harry nodded and gave Snape a quick hug before heading out to the greenhouses for Herbology. According to the timetable they were with the Ravenclaws which wasn't so bad. At least it was another lesson away for Ronald.
It was cold and grey outside as he trudged down towards greenhouse one. Professor Sprout was waiting looking less than impressed. Harry looked behind him to where she was staring and saw the wamping willow looking very sorry for itself with several of it's branches in slings.
Harry had been told from a young age to stay away from that tree. It was pretty enough to look at but would attack anything and anyone who came close. It had nearly killed Severus when they were younger. A prank played my Sirius that almost went very wrong.
"We're in Greenhouse three today ladies and Gentlemen." Professor Sprout said loudly.
Harry blinked, they'd never been into Greenhouse three before which houses far more dangerous plants than one or two. Harry walked over to the grubby greenhouse, a large number 3 painted in red paint and a sign on the door telling them not to enter unless permitted by a teacher.
"Where is everyone from Slytherin Mr Potter?" Professor Sprout asked looking over the students, it was true nearly half the class was missing.
"We've just come from Professor Lockhart's class I think they-"
"Say no more." Professor Sprout said shaking her head, "I'm sure they'll be along as soon as they can be." and muttered something under her breath.
Harry stood around the long central bench. He could see the side benches were covered with medium sized pots with small tufts of green leaves sticking out. In front of him were smaller pots with the same green leaves.
He was joined shortly by Draco and then within a few minutes Daphne and Pansy. They had both changed and all three had cleaned themselves up.
"Currently all I want to do is prune daises. I can't believe how awful that lesson was." Daphne said shaking her head, there was a large red mark on her forehead from where the pixies had been pulling at her hair.
"Right class." Professor Sprout boomed, "I'm glad you're all here. Today we will be re-potting Mandrakes today. Who can tell me the other name for a Mandrake?"
One of the Ravenclaws Harry recognised as Padma Patil put her hand up, "They are also known as Mandargora in Latin or Mandragoras in Greek."
"Well done Miss Patil, five points to Ravenclaw." Professor Sprout smiled, "And who can tell me the properties of a mandrake?"
Daphne put her hand up as well as most of the Ravenclaws.
"Miss Greengrass."
"Mandrakes are very powerful, when fully grown and properly prepared they can revive those who have been petrified though many types of magic. They are very dangerous though, their cry is fatal to anyone who hears it." Daphne said.
"Well done. I'm glad you're all awake today, five points to Slytherin." Professor sprout dumped a large box of earmuffs onto the bench, "Now these mandrakes are only young so their cries wont kill you yet, but they will knock you out for several hours and since it's the end of the day I'm sure none of you want that."
There was a mummer of laughter around the room. Everyone moved forward to grab a pair of earmuffs. Harry picked up a bright pink fluffy pair.
"If Sirius can rock it so can I." he grinned.
"Right you'll be working four to a bench, watch closely." Professor Sprout said.
Everyone watched intently, Professor Sprout took one of the small pots and grasped the base of the green leaves and pulled hard. Even through the earmuffs Harry could hear a small scream coming from the ugly baby shaped root.
It wriggled horribly kicking it's little legs. Professor Sprout dumped it in the bigger pot and covered it with fresh soil. Before taking off her earmuffs.
"Right everyone understand what they're doing?" She asked
Everyone nodded, if slightly awkwardly.
"Well off you go then."
Harry, Daphne, Pansy and Draco set themselves up at a bench with a large bag of dragon-dung-special-compost and a pile of pots. They took a few mandrakes each and made sure their earmuffs were on tightly.
It was a rather boring half and hour that remained of the lesson. It would have been a wonderful chance to talk but they couldn't hear each other. Daphne seemed a natural as did Pansy. Harry wondered how on earth they managed it. The mandrakes were strong for little baby root things. They didn't want to come out of the pot and once out didn't want to go into the bigger ones.
Harry wasn't the only one who was relieved when the lesson was over. He was hot and sweaty with sore hands from fighting the mandrakes who kept wanting to bite him. All in all it had not been a brilliant first day.
Rather than head straight inside they headed down to their favourite spot by the lake. Daphne and Pansy dangled their feet in the water, making daisy chains from the few daisies that grew sparsely in the grass that jutted out between the rocks. Harry meanwhile lay, spread eagled, on the ground letting the sun warm his face.
"Why can't all school be like this?" he asked, "I mean do we really need facts or knowledge of any sort?"
Draco let out a snort of laughter.
"Hi guys." Neville said coming to join them, "What happened to you lot in Defence Against the Dark Arts? Lockhart looked so flustered and only showed us a picture of a pixie. Mum sings his praises; I was hoping for a bit more."
Harry sat up and laughed, he filled Neville in on how 'interesting' their class had been. Neville looked at them shocked.
"Gods that's awful!" he shook his head, "Bloody hell."
"Talking about bloody hell, we have company." Daphne said coming over and drying her feet to put her shoes back on. She pointed over to where Ron was stomping over.
Harry rolled his eyes and stood up to leave.
"Where are you going?" Ron spat at him.
"Somewhere else." Harry said, "Today as been difficult enough."
Ron balled his hands into fists at his side, "I can't believe you. Why did you shut the barrier? Thought it would be funny?"
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Harry said, "What barrier?"
"The one for the train!" Ron yelled,
Pansy was trying to drag Harry away but he shrugged her off, "I didn't do anything. If you're to stupid to walk through a doorway that's your issue."
"I nearly got expelled! My Dad is in trouble and it's your fault! You shut that barrier making me take the car! I have a huge black mark on my name, a detention, and I nearly got expelled! I could have died!" he reached into his pocket and pulled out a rather battered wand, the tip help on with sellotape, "Look at my wand. All I wanted was to be your friend but I'm not good enough for the famous Harry Potter!"
Harry moved forward, "It was you who flew the car. What were you thinking? Why the hell didn't you just wait for your parents? You can't blame me." Harry grabbed his bag, "And get a new wand- that one is as useless as you are."
Ron angrily gave Harry a shove knocking him back into Pansy.
"How dare you?" Harry shouted pushing back. It quickly turned into a brawl on the floor, Professor Flitwick and Percy Weasley who were nearby rushed over and pulled them apart.
"What is this?" Percy demanded.
Ron wiped some blood away from his lip, "Ask him. He started it!" he said pointing to Harry.
"That's not true!" Daphne said angrily, "Ronald just came over and started having a go at Harry."
"Slytherins will always stick up for each other." Percy said snidely to Flitwick, "Ronald knows not to start fights."
Flitwick stroked his long beard, "I think you are both at fault, you were both fighting. A detention for you both and a loss of ten points from each house. Now get inside all of you and if I find you've been fighting again you will be in even more trouble."
Harry grabbed his bag and angrily marched towards the castle.
"It's so unfair." he spat.
Daphne wiped some blood from under his nose with her handkerchief, "You shouldn't have pushed back. It's what he wants."
Harry nodded, "I know. It was stupid of me."
Draco nodded, "Yes, it was."
"I wonder why the barrier shut?" Pansy said, "It's a bit strange. You said he was right behind you so he should have had time to get through."
Harry shook his head, "I don't care. I wish he had been stuck. Where did his parents even get a flying car?"
"Lets go to the common room. No homework today so we can just relax." Daphne suggested and they started down the hall.
They'd only gotten a short way when they were stopped by the small red headed girl.
"Umm hi it's Ginevra right? Weasley?" Harry said not waning to be rude but really just wanting to get into the common room.
She gave a small giggle, "Everyone just calls me Ginny. Can we talk?"
Harry looked between his friends, "Umm." he sighed, "Ok but just quickly."
He took a few steps down the hall with her, still in clear view of his friends.
"I just wanted to say Hi. Ron has loads of books on you and I saw you at the book shop." she said shyly.
Harry managed not to roll his eyes, "I remember. I don't really like being in the spotlight you know."
"I guess it must be hard. People think they know you, I don't even know your favourite colour." She blushed.
Harry gave a smile, "Purple. Deep purple. I really should go know. It was nice to meet you."
Ginny blushed, "Thank you for telling me."
"Ginny!" there was a shout. Ron's older brothers, Fred and George marched over, "Stay away from him."
"We were just talking." Harry said.
They glared horribly at him, "He's no good Ginny, stay away from him. He's a bad egg." they half dragged her away.
Harry rolled his eyes and continued with his friends to the Slytherin common room.