Author's Note: Thanks again everyone for your fantastic reviews. I see that many of you are divided on whether or not you want your full-blown snogging scenes now or later. Hey, I have to keep your attention somehow, right? ;) And, as I keep getting this question…no, I'm not JKR, I'm just somebody who is trying to write like her and I have no clue if I am succeeding. Again, I have to thank Nitya and Jessica. Okay…I'll shut up now.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
OUT OF THE BOX
Potions was right after lunch the next day, something Ron had reminded Harry and Hermione gleefully that he didn't have to go to all during Charms that morning. So, after lunch, Harry and Hermione parted sadly from Ron and headed down towards the dungeons, where Professor Snape was bound to be in one of his moods.
They still had Potions with the Slytherins, but the number of Gryffindors in the class had dropped sharply. This seemed to make Malfoy, who was sitting over by Crabbe and Pansy Parkinson, very happy.
"Looks like those Gryffindors were too inept to make it into N.E.W.T. level Potions," he sneered.
"It appears that way," Professor Snape agreed, sweeping up to the front of the class, but not before pausing briefly by Harry to say, "Yet I see that some other inept wizards miraculously made it. I'm sure they'll be gone before the end of term." The Slytherins sniggered as Snape glanced loathsomely down at Harry before continuing on his way to the front of the class, leaving Harry clenching his fist in anger.
"Don't rise to it, Harry, don't," Hermione whispered urgently next to him. "That's just what he wants to happen; he can chuck you out of class."
"This class," Snape snapped, catching everyone's attention, "will be harder than ever before. We have several potions to concoct, most of them highly dangerous, so much so that they are banned from usage." Harry looked over to see Malfoy staring hungrily at Snape.
"We will be making poisons," Snape continued, "and their antidotes. Today we shall begin the Nocturnal Poison. This poison, when brewed properly, will send its drinker into a coma, which is a lot better than what could happen if you don't brew it properly. One tiny mistake and this poison is fatal, so be careful, because we will be testing this out on each other.
"We shall also be brewing its antidote next week. Therefore," he said, taping the board with his wand, making writing appear, "follow these instructions with one partner and set to work, now!"
Harry and Hermione got to work. By the end of class, they, like the rest of their classmates, had only just finished chopping and slicing the ingredients they would need. After putting everything away, they headed out of the classroom. But before they did, Snape muttered, "I don't know how you managed to make the grade to be in my class, Potter, but I promise that it will be rectified."
Harry stormed out of dungeons and up into the entrance hall. "D'you hear that?" he muttered to Hermione. "He's really got it in for me this year!"
"We're not going to let him," she said matter-of-factly. "Just focus Harry. You're in there so that you can become an Auror. I'll help you the best I can."
He sighed. "I'll try."
"Good. Now I have to go off to History of Magic, so I'll see you later," she said, heading up the marble stairs.
Sighing again, and wanting to be alone for awhile, he turned and headed out the front doors and onto the grounds. Down the sloping lawns he could see Hagrid out with a class, his students all sitting on the grass with something furry in their laps. Harry turned and headed towards the lake. It was quiet and peaceful, especially since no one was around. Finding a spot near his favorite tree, he sat down and stretched his legs out; finally able to think about something that had been on his mind from the moment he exited the train.
How was it that he was able to perform magic on Malfoy without the use of a wand? Had he been that angry with Malfoy?
Of course, his mind said. When am I not angry with Malfoy?
But he had performed magic at the exact moment he uttered the incantation to a spell. That wasn't normal, was it? How many others around Hogwarts could do magic without the use of their wands? The only person he could think of was not a student. He could only think of Professor Dumbledore. What did that mean?
Before he could dwell on that anymore, a shadow appeared next to him. Looking up, he saw Ron staring down at him, a look of concern on his face.
"Why didn't you come back to the common room after your class?" Ron asked.
"I wanted some fresh air. The dungeons, y'know…" Harry trailed off, only half-caring that he was lying to Ron.
"You could have come and gotten me. I would have loved to come down here," Ron murmured.
"Sorry, Ron. I didn't want to go back to the common room. That would have made me think of homework," Harry replied.
Ron grunted and sat down next to Harry. "I haven't even started mine yet. Don't tell Hermione."
"Why would I?" Harry asked, bemused. "I haven't started mine yet either."
"Part of me wishes we still had Divination just so we could make up stuff for homework."
Harry laughed. "Yeah, it was fun trying to predict my own death."
"So how was Potions?" Ron asked, stretching out.
"Horrible. Snape's out to really get me this year," Harry said.
"Greasy git," Ron said simply.
"Yeah. I wish my dad were here to hear about all of this. I can only imagine what he would do to Snivellus," Harry said with a laugh.
"Snivellus?" Ron asked, a wry smile forming on his face.
"It's what my dad and his friends used to call Snape," Harry explained.
"How do you know?" he asked.
"Er-Sirius," Harry replied. He couldn't possibly tell anyone about what he had seen in Snape's pensieve. He didn't want anyone to know that his father in his younger years was nothing more than a school bully.
"Oh," was Ron's reply before he snorted. "Snivellus!" Both of them started laughing uncontrollably. "I must tell Fred and George that one. It's classic!"
"Another great moment for Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs. Well, not Wormtail," Harry said darkly.
"Yeah, that little rat-faced traitor," Ron agreed. "I hope, for your sake Harry, he gets what he deserves."
"A trip to Azkaban," Harry said quietly. "Let the dementors have their fun with him."
Ron shuddered. "Want to go inside?" he asked. "Classes are nearly over with. Maybe we can persuade Hermione to help us with our homework," he added with a wink.
Harry stood up and stretched. "Why not?"
*****
"You two have had so much time on your hands," Hermione scolded two nights later. "You could have gotten your work done then."
"But we didn't have Defense Against the Dark Arts the next day," Ron said as he poured over a book, looking for anything he could find on sphinxes along with Harry.
"Or Herbology," Harry added. "We still have to finish up that paper on common Muggle plants."
"Don't you two remember what it was like for you last year?" Hermione scowled. "I would have thought you would have learned your lessons."
"What can we say, Hermione? We're pretty thick," Harry said as he turned the page in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
"You'll find minimal information in there," Hermione stated. "I found some useful information in not only Dark Magic Monsters but the Monster books we use for Care of Magical Creatures."
"We don't need a whole lot of information, Hermione," Ron said. "Just enough to write a page on."
Hermione huffed. "Well, when you get a 'D' don't come crying to me."
"Who said we're getting a 'D?' I say that this is at least 'P' work," Ron said with a grin, causing Harry to laugh.
"Quit joking Ron! That isn't funny!" Hermione admonished.
"Don't worry, Hermione, we'll keep our grades up," Harry said as he flipped open Dark Magic Monsters.
"I just wish you two would take your studies a little more seriously," Hermione sighed.
"Hey, we took care of that Care of Magical Creatures paper straight away," Ron said. "We don't have Hagrid's class again until next Wednesday."
"That's because it was half a sheet of parchment!" Hermione cried. "That's easy!"
"We're fine, Hermione; we really are. Don't you have some homework to do too?" Harry asked.
"Just to practice for Transfiguration," she replied.
"You don't need to practice," Ron muttered. "You're perfect!"
Hermione beamed. "Well, I wouldn't say that."
"Say Hermione? Could you read this and see if adding something about the sphinx attack of 1147 would be good?" Harry asked, holding out his paper.
She sighed. "Fine," she said and took his paper, scanned it quickly, and then said, "No. Your paper needs to flow. Doing that would disrupt it."
Harry looked at Ron and saw that he was in the same position that Harry was in. They both didn't have a clue what Hermione was talking about. "Okay," Harry replied. "Thanks, Hermione."
"You're welcome," she said, handing him back his paper. "You've had an experience with a sphinx. Write about that. It would work well with your paper."
"Okay. Thanks again, Hermione."
"You're welcome," she replied.
*****
The next day, after a morning of Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and lunch, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were back at the room they had last seen Monday afternoon.
"Okay," Professor Lupin said. "Someone tell me one thing they learned about our activity Monday from their homework assignment."
As usual, Hermione's hand shot into the air. "You mean there was something to learn in that class Monday?" Malfoy muttered.
"Indeed there was, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Lupin said coolly. "Yes, Miss Granger?"
"That sphinx you had us practice on was five years of age or younger. After the age of five, a sphinx becomes too intelligent to fear the spell you taught us," Hermione said.
"Very good. She's absolutely right. Five points to Gryffindor," Lupin said with a smile. "The sphinx I had you practice on was actually only four. Big for its age, wasn't it? So, for today, we'll be learning about adult sphinxes."
By the time class was over, Harry learned that when he faced a sphinx in his fourth year at the Triwizard Tournament, he was very lucky to have guessed the riddle and escape with his life.
Ron breathed a sigh when they left the class. "We survived the week. Nothing but a weekend ahead of us."
"For you maybe," Hermione said, scowling. "I have a class to go to now. How about afterwards we go see Hagrid?"
"Funny," Harry said, glancing at Hermione, "I was just about to suggest that."
Hermione smiled. "See you two later."
A few hours and several wizard's chess matches later, Harry and Ron joined Hermione in the entrance hall and headed out onto the grounds and down the sloping lawns to Hagrid's house, where he was outside with his great boarhound, Fang.
"Well, hullo!" he said brightly when he saw them. "I was hopin' you'd come an' see me today."
"Even though we just saw you yesterday?" Ron asked, an amused sound in his voice.
"Yesterday don' count. That was class. We couldn' talk then, really. So, how was yer first week?" Hagrid asked pleasantly, leading them inside his hut.
"Fine," Harry replied. "Did you see the sphinx Professor Lupin had on Monday?"
"O' course I did. I'm the one that got it fer 'im," Hagrid said proudly. "I heard what he's gonna make yeh tackle next. Should be fun."
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Doxies. Ever handle 'em before?"
"Yeah, at Sirius's…" Ron began but trailed off, glancing over at Harry.
Hagrid frowned. "Yeah, nasty little buggers. You okay Harry?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" Harry asked.
"Never mind," he said quickly. "Do yeh all want summat to drink? Tea?"
"Sure," the three of them replied and Hagrid set to work making tea.
"Hagrid," Hermione prompted, "when did Professor Dumbledore receive word that Hogwarts would be playing host to three Aurors?"
"A few weeks ago," Hagrid answered.
"Do you know why?" she asked. Harry suddenly felt very curious about the whole deal himself.
"Fudge be wantin' to look good, I 'spect. But then, havin' those Aurors 'round ain't such a bad idea," Hagrid murmured. "Yeh never know what could happen." He passed each of them a cup of tea on a saucer.
"You don't think it's a good idea having another Order member here, do you?" Harry asked. "I mean, we've got you, Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and now Lupin and Kingsley."
"Yeh be quiet abou' the Order now, Harry," Hagrid warned. "Dumbledore knows what he's doin'. O' course, Kingsley comin' here wasn' nobody's choice. Fudge sent him and Fudge don' know nothin' about no Order."
"But don't we need more people to-"
"Don' worry about it," Hagrid said shortly. "We're fine."
"Is Grawp still doing all right?" Hermione asked, trying to change the subject.
"Grawpy is doin' fine. He's bin a good boy. Dumbledore knows, o' course. But we're trainin' him up so he'll keep an' eye on the Forest, so no outsiders can get in," Hagrid told them.
"Outsiders? How could any…why would any outsiders want to get into that Forest?" Ron asked.
"Ter harm Hogwarts," Hagrid said somberly. "Professor Dumbledore has bin worried about that."
"How could they possibly-"
"Sirius did," Harry said quietly, cutting Ron off. "He transformed into a dog and snuck onto the grounds by going through the Forbidden Forest."
They were all quiet for a moment, before Hagrid grunted. "Ain't nobody gonna get past Grawpy, that's for sure."
"Whatever happened to Fluffy?" Hermione asked suddenly.
"Fluffy? He stays out in the Forest. I show him to my N.E.W.T. level classes. Yeh'll get to see him again," Hagrid said and by the way his bushy black beard twitched, he was obviously smiling.
"Why doesn't he help Grawp guard the forest?" Hermione asked and shared nervous glances with Harry and Ron.
"Between Grawp, the centaurs, and the other creatures in the Forest, Fluffy ain't really needed. But I suppose I could suggest it ter Dumbledore," Hagrid said as they all finished up their tea.
"I think that would be a good idea," Hermione said.
Ron got up and stretched. "D'you suppose we ought to get back to the school? It's getting late and dinner should be starting soon."
Hagrid chuckled. "One thin' about those Weasley boys, they sure know how ter eat. C'mon now, I'll go with yeh."
*****
The weekend went by quickly, and before Harry knew it, his last class on Monday ended with the ringing of a bell.
"I think it might be wise to start that Transfiguration homework," Harry told Ron when they entered the common room. "It looks like it will take us all week."
"Hey!" said a voice from behind them. They turned around in time to see Neville climb through the portrait hole. "Are you two ready for tonight?"
"Tonight?" Ron asked, puzzled.
"We get to start mentoring first years tonight," Neville reminded them. Harry found it quite amusing that Neville of all people was reminding them of something.
"Oh, that's right," Ron said with a scowl.
"I wonder who I'm going to have to mentor," Neville said.
"Who knows?" Harry replied and sat down.
"How are we supposed to be paired up anyway?" Ron wondered.
"I suppose we'll find out," Harry said.
*****
Hours later, as dinner started to wind down and people started to leave, Professor Dumbledore got to his feet and cleared his throat. The entire Great Hall went quiet and the students stared up intently at their headmaster.
"I would simply like to remind the first, second, sixth, and seventh years that they are to remain in the Great Hall after dinner so that we may conduct the ceremony to begin the mentorship program," Dumbledore announced.
"Ceremony? There's going to be a ceremony?" Ron groaned.
"We've got to find out who we are mentoring somehow," Hermione said.
Ron huffed out a breath and crammed a small muffin into his mouth.
Eventually, the Great Hall emptied, leaving the selected years behind. The plates were cleared and everyone left sat, waiting expectantly for Dumbledore to begin.
"Well," he said, staring out at the younger and older students, "it is time to begin." Carefully, he picked up a handsome wooden box with intricate carvings on the sides and set it on the table next to him. "This box," he told them all, "is filled with each and every one of your names. It has been charmed to emit the names of a student and then it will find another student in the same house who shares similar qualities. I ask that, when I call your name, that you stand. Once you have been paired, you are free to leave with your companion.
"Now, I feel that it would be best for me to explain why we are doing this. My older students, I'm sure you can remember what it was like to be a first or a second year. How many of you would have appreciated some guidance when it came to the school, its teachers, and piles of difficult homework? How many of you, as you grew older, have lost touch with the younger generations that join the Hogwarts family every year? It is time for that to end. We must care for one another and help each other as much as we can. Thus, this program was born-a program that shall begin right now."
With a tap of his wand on the box, it shuddered to life and began to shake violently. Suddenly, with a WHOOSH the lid of the box flew open, shooting a small piece of parchment into the air like a geyser shoots water. Dumbledore quickly snatched it. "Justin Finch-Fletchley," he called.
Justin, a curly-haired sixth year boy in Hufflepuff, rose nervously from his seat as the box started to shake uncontrollably again. With a second WHOOSH, the lid flew open again and emitted another name, which Dumbledore caught and read, "Michael Drake."
A small boy with a mat of brown hair jumped out of his chair, glanced over at Justin, and finally joined him. Together, the two left the Great Hall.
And so it would continue. The box would shake and open, letting a name fly out. Then after a pair was made, the two people would leave the Great Hall. Harry scowled as Malfoy sauntered out of the Great Hall, followed closely by a snobby-looking boy named Mathias Underwood.
"Ronald Weasley," Professor Dumbledore called later on in the evening. Ron sighed and got up. A few moments later, Dumbledore called, "Dylan Brown."
A boy who was unmistakably Lavender Brown's younger brother, walked back towards Ron with a little bounce to his step. "Hi," he said cheerfully when he met Ron.
"Hello," Ron said and turned around, exiting the Great Hall with the boy.
"Didn't Lavender say that he's a troublemaker?" Hermione whispered from beside him.
"Yeah," Harry replied.
"Then no wonder Ron is going to be his mentor. After all, Ron knows how to get into trouble too," Hermione murmured.
Not too long after, Cho Chang was paired up with a second year Ravenclaw girl that Harry didn't catch the name of. Cho smiled at the girl as they walked out of the Great Hall, leaving only a handful of people left.
"Hermione Granger," Professor Dumbledore announced. Hermione grinned and stood up, waiting for the box to spit out the name of a first year. When it did, Professor Dumbledore caught it and called, "Alison Warrick."
"I thought that might be the case," Hermione said to Harry as Ally Warrick jumped up and joined Hermione.
"Hi Hermione," she said, looking slightly relieved.
"Hello Ally," Hermione replied as they both turned and exited the Great Hall.
A few more names were called and people left the Great Hall. The only few left at the Gryffindor table were two seventh years, two second years, two first years, Harry, and Seamus Finnigan.
"Harry Potter," Dumbledore called finally and Harry stood up, a sense of foreboding coming to him. He waited for a moment and then-"Hunter Farrell."
Hunter, the quiet boy Harry had met in the common room on the first day of school, stood up and walked towards Harry.
"Hello Hunter," Harry said with a small grin.
"Hi," the boy replied, his gray eyes merely glancing over at Harry.
"Well, let's get out of here," Harry said and turned, heading out of the Great Hall with Hunter Farrell at his side.
"So," Harry said as a little later as they walked down a corridor, "you and I must have something in common or we wouldn't have been paired up."
"I doubt that," Hunter said quietly.
Harry frowned. Oh yes, this program was off to a great start already. "Why do you think that?"
Hunter spun, fury evident on his face. "Look, let's get a couple things straight first. One: I don't care that you're the 'Boy Who Lived.' I don't care that you're famous. And two: I don't need a mentor, so don't try to be one. You don't know anything about me, anything at all. So don't try to act like you do!"
Harry sighed irritably. "You're right, I don't know anything about you, but that's because you haven't told me anything! I know one thing about you and that's your name. You're Hunter Farrell. I don't know anything else about you. So don't act like I'm trying to act like I do."
"Whatever," Hunter muttered. "But I don't need a mentor."
"Fine," Harry said. "I don't need to mentor anyone. I have more pressing concerns. So let's just get back to the common room and go on with our lives, shall we?"
The boy scowled and stalked off. Harry watched him go and sighed again.
"You know," said a portrait on the wall, "that was a troubled young lad right there."
"Troubled?" Harry asked, turning towards the portrait.
"Aye, very troubled," the portrait replied. "He's hidin' something. Makes me think of you, Mr. Potter."
Harry scowled. "I am not troubled," he growled and marched off.
"Whatever you say, laddie!" the portrait shouted back.