Quaffles, Anyone?

Chapter Three

The Defense Against The Dark Arts Professor

“I thought you were banned from using that thing?” said Malfoy in a panicky way

“You're putting words on my mouth Malfoy and you tested me again” said Rapticon Sr. during Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts class Wednesday morning before noon.

“You just disrupted my class again and you know what?” he said opening his drawer “I haven't used my pistol for twenty four hours”

As if this was a signal, Malfoy ran out of the classroom screaming “MUMMY!!!”

“Now I remember which topic we were at: Mummies! Now where is that lesson plan” said Rapticon Sr. dropping the gun on his desk and started looking for something around his desk making the students laugh at their wake.

“What a great period!” said Ron as they got out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom “Did you see Malfoy run? I bet he won't make it for a year!”

“I give him a week” said Harry as they climbed down the Grand Staircase to the Great Hall for lunch.

“I wish I could answer some of his questions” said Hermione “he has very interesting questions that I know about”

Harry felt his heart beat very fast. The reason why Rapticon Sr. acted this way to Hermione is because he thought Harry would defend Hermione (in a different emotion of course).

“I-I wish you could” said Harry shakily

“And now Ron's got teacher's pet status to Professor Raptor” said Hermione

Professor Raptor usually calls Ron during lectures and luckily he would get the answers right.

“You're just jealous” said Ron as they passed by Peeves who was trying to fill a corridor with banana peels

“I'm not!” Hermione spat “It's just unfair” she said as they entered the Great Hall

“Ron's right you know, you are cute when you get angry” said Harry

“Thank you Harry” said Hermione irritably and sat down to eat lunch

- - -

Defense Against the Dark Arts has became the favorite subject ever since Rapticon Sr. would have a wise crack or two up his sleeve. He was not only respected but feared, especially by Malfoy. But despite this Harry overheard Malfoy saying that Professor Raptor is a cool teacher but should stay out of his way in classes.

“He's cool but he could get a bit scary at some times” Harry heard him when he was on his way to the bathroom

For Harry, he was a very weird yet cool teacher but what really concerned him was his assistant Fiyuna. She would always ruffle his hair affectionately every time they'd meet each other in corridors. It felt like having a sister, Harry thought.

“He likes you Harry. Period.” Said Ron when Harry talked about his status with Fiyuna during Charms class during Friday afternoon, they were supposed to cast a Protean Charm on two notebooks but would end up dancing in font of them.

“She's like a sister to me though” said Harry watching the two notebooks doing a dance move that Harry recognize as the tango

Ron snorted.

“Harry, she likes you. I can tell. Hermione, Fiyuna likes Harry or not?” he asked Hermione

“Yup” she said distractedly since she was trying to copy notes on the blackboard

“You don't have any proof” said Harry

“She was keen to meet you on first day, mate” said Ron

“Now I'm speechless” said Harry ironically grabbing his notebook from dancing

- - -

Harry was flying on his Firebolt around the Quidditch field. He was looking for the snitch but couldn't find it and then all of a sudden, a chaser passed by him. He looked at the chaser's face but it was blurred by his or her speed. The chaser then moved directly at Harry with quaffle at hand. Harry could tell it was a Gryffindor chaser; the red color gave it away. Before the chaser pulled to a stop -

“Harry! Wake up! We were supposed to be at the Quidditch Field!” he heard Ron's voice

Harry woke up and looked at his wristwatch at the table beside him. It was eight o'clock.

“It's too early Ron” said Harry groggily pulling up his blanket

“Blimey, that's not Quidditch captain material!” said Ron as he pulled the blanket out of Harry making him curl up

“Now you're just being silly!” said Ron trying to pull Harry

“Alright I'm awake!” said Harry standing up

Harry put on his Quidditch robes, grabbed his broomstick and walked down the common room where he found Ginny with a Cleansweep Seven

“There you are sleepy head” teased Ginny

“The idiot woke me up” said Harry who gave a yawn

“I was just excited for us you know” said Ron apologetically “You, me and Ginny in the team”

“Yeah” said Harry scratching his head “where's Hermione? Isn't she coming?”

“Ooooh! Looking for Hermione are you? First Fiyuna now her?” teased Ginny

“Shut up” said Harry “and who told you that?”

“Professor Raptor's a very outgoing person” Ginny explained as they got out of the portrait hole

“I was right all along” Harry heard Ron and gave him a small thud on the head with the Firebolt

“Two beaters short?” said Harry to Madam Hooch moments later

“Yes, Mr. Potter” said Madam Hooch as she, Harry, Ron and Ginny walked across the Quidditch Field “Your two beaters came to me and resigned their positions”

“Looks like beater tryouts will do the trick” said Ron

They left the field and entered an office which belonged to Madam Hooch. They found Katie Bell, a Gryffindor chaser, who will be attending her last and final year in Hogwarts.

“Sit, all of you” she said as they all sat

“According to Mr. Potter, he would like to be Seeker again. So Ms. Weasley you will be -”

“A chaser Madam” Ginny said “I rather be a chaser than a beater”

“I see you are one chaser short” said Madam Hooch “I hope you've scheduled your Chaser tryouts or else Slytherin might take the field” she added with a smile “Mr. Weasley said a while ago that you should have Beater tryouts, for you have lost your beaters”

“I think we could have the beater tryout first” said Ron to Harry “the chaser can wait since we are one short”

“Well?” said Madam Hooch

“We will have the beater tryouts on the last week of September” Harry answered “And the Chaser tryouts will be two weeks before the Quidditch season”

“Okay, got it” Madam Hooch said writing it all down on parchment “there” she said giving the parchment to Harry “You give this to Professor McGonagall and let her sign it. This form is the contract of your full reinstatement of your Quidditch privileges and of course a permit that you will be holding tryouts on the said days. Dismiss”

Harry, Ron and Ginny entered the Great Hall after they had a flying session moments ago.

“Where's Hermione?” asked Ginny

Harry looked around the table. Hermione's not there.

“I bet she's at the common room doing the said essays”

“No she isn't” said a voice behind them who was Dean Thomas

“What do you mean?” asked Harry

“She wasn't there the whole morning and Parvati told me she wasn't in the girl's dormitory”

Harry felt a bit concerned but convinced himself that Hermione was at the library

“She's probably in the library” Dean continued “that's like her place of worship right?” he added

“Hear, hear” said Ron making Harry and Ginny laugh

After breakfast Ron and Harry went back to the common room to start with their essays. Harry was halfway in drawing his Venomous Tentacula when the portrait opened. Harry didn't mind at first but heard panting so turned and saw a perspiring Hermione clutching her chest.

“Where have you been?” demanded Ron looking at her dirty jeans

“Never” she panted “you mind” she walked past them and sat on a squishy armchair, how she walked was kind of unusual.

“Hermione, are you alright? You seem to be limping” asked Harry with concern

“I'm fine! Just let me rest” said Hermione

“You're hiding something are you” said Ron suspiciously

“Me?” said Hermione standing up looking panicky “Hide something?” Harry noticed beads of sweat going down from her forehead “I wouldn't hide anything from my two best friends. If you are accusing me of - OUCH!”

She nearly collapsed and held her ankle which made Harry and Ron stand

“Are you okay Hermione?” Ron asked

“I'm fine!” she said trying to stand “I just need some rest that's all” she started limping to the staircase that leads to her dormitory

“C'mon Hermione, we will bring you to Madam Pomfrey” said Harry

“No! I just want some rest that's all” said Hermione

“Fine, whatever you say” said Ron who continued drawing his Venomous Tentacula

They let Hermione go back to her dormitory but Harry was still worried about her.

“DAMMIT!”

Harry and Ron jumped when they heard Hermione swore so loudly from upstairs, they then heard the sound of slamming door

“That's not cute” Ron said finally

Hermione's bad mood continued the whole day. The cause of this was still an enigma to Harry and Ron. Her limping gave him a clue that she probably missed a step on the Grand Staircase.

“I didn't miss a step, and don't mind me” said Hermione angrily when Harry asked her this question

The bad mood had also affected her prefect duties because when she caught a couple of fourth years vandalizing the notice board in the common room she snapped at them and docked points off of Gryffindor

“Hermione are you crazy?!” said Ron when she came to them “you just docked points out of your own house!”

“Not now Ron… I just want this day to be over”

It started to rain when dusk came, instead of listening to Hermione's rants on the weather, he decided to make a stroll around the castle.

“Fine! Avoid me if you like!” he heard Hermione shouting after him as he climbed out of the portrait hole

He thought of checking on Dobby at the kitchens but changed his mind when he heard Hermione from outside

. “If S.P.E.W. becomes a world-wide success I will try to free the house-elves of Hogwarts no matter what!”

Harry walked down the Grand Staircase and found himself in the Defense Against the Dark Arts corridor

“Hello Harry”

Harry jumped and saw Rapticon Sr. walking behind him carrying a box that said “For DADA Use Only”

“What's that for professor?”

“Just some stuff for the second years”

Harry followed him into the classroom where he saw Fiyuna reading Quidditch Through The Ages at the back of the classroom. She gave him a wave and started reading.

“Well?” Rapticon Sr. said as he placed the box on top of a table

“Er… well what?”

“Aren't you gonna ask me anything?”

“Nothing really” said Harry sheepishly “actually, I have one…”

“What is it?”

“Are you an Animagus?” Harry asked even though that wasn't the correct question

Rapticon Sr. chuckled “No Harry, I'm not. I'm just a raptor with human abilities” he opened the box and removed an item that Harry recognizes. It was a Sneakoscope.

“While your year's having mummies, the second years are studying Dark Detectors” he said looking at Harry's gaze

Harry has many questions about Rapticon Sr.

“I just wanna ask, out of curiosity though”

“What is it?”

“Do you own that sword?” Harry said pointing to the sword Harry saw during first day

“Yes Harry, I do”

“Does that make you a fighter?”

“You are right” said Rapticon Sr. smiling at him “I'm from Russia and my family migrated to America. That explains the American-accent

“I came to Hogwarts since Professor Dumbledore called me, I was delighted of course but I came here for one purpose”

“What is it?”

“That's my little secret Harry” he said grabbing a dark detector and tossing it into the box

“One more question”

“Fire away”

“How old is Fiyuna?”

“Nineteen” he said “Why?”

“Nothing. Just curious” he said looking at Fiyuna

“Don't worry Harry. Curiosity is not a sin… anyway, is that all?”

“Yes sir”

When Harry started to walk to the door, he wanted to ask one more question…

“Er… professor?” asked Harry

“Yes Harry?”

“Why do you think I would fancy Hermione? Because I don't, she's like a sister to me”

“I know Harry. It's just that I like messing around with my students. I will stop if I cross the line of course. And…” he sat down behind his desk

“If what I said upsets you then I shall respect your privacy and stop it”

Harry felt a sensation grow inside.

“Thanks professor” said Harry. Before Harry could leave the room, he just thought… If he denies he fancies Hermione, is he trying to hide the fact he does? He turned to Rapticon Sr. who was looking at him

“What?”

“How'd you do that?” Harry asked

“Do what?”

“The thing you said to me about Hermione. When you accepted my request to stop, I just realized something”

“I know” Rapticon Sr. said smiling

“You're good”

“Thank you”

- - -

Hermione's temper didn't improve on the following day. She kept on ranting how her ankle hurts and how Hogwarts is a concentration camp for house-elves.

“Hermione try to calm down!” Ron said dropping his fork which was filled with pancakes

“I'm sorry!” Hermione spat “Did I upset your aura?” she dropped her spoon and walked out of the Great Hall.

“She's beginning to be a pain” Ron said when they went to the common room later “while you were away, I had to listen all of her furious statements! Blimey, I hope the Panacea Healing Potion can heal emotions too”

They stayed at the Gryffindor Tower till dusk. Hermione hasn't returned to the common room.

“I bet she's strangling someone” Ron said when Harry asked the whereabouts of Hermione

They skipped dinner to finish the essays they received. Harry has done three already and his drawing of the Venomous Tentacula is good enough to get an A or E

When he started on his Charms essay Hermione came in looking grouchy

“I'll be in the dormitory Harry” said Ron and dashed out of sight

“I hate this damn ankle” Hermione spat when she sat on the couch on front of the fireplace “Madam Pomfrey was too busy to attend to me”

“Just take a nap” Harry suggested

“I think you are right” said Hermione removing her shoes “I should take a nap” she groaned, went into a sleeping position and closed her eyes

“Wake me up when you're done” she said

One by one, the common room emptied until Harry and Hermione were the only ones left. Harry was still trying to finish Snape's essay.

“…the panacea healing potion was created by famed alchemist Nelson Odin…” Harry said as he wrote it down. Before he could continue he looked up at Hermione. She was shivering while clutching her shoulders. Harry smiled and pulled out his robes and placed it on top of Hermione. He stroked her hair and went back to his essay.

“Thanks Harry” he heard Hermione mutter groggily

“Your welcome” he replied and started writing again. Then a sudden realization came into his mind… Was Professor Raptor right?

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