Disclaimer: Only the new character introduced in this chapter is mine, Ms. Rowling owns all the rest of the Harry Potter universe. We thank her for letting them come out and play.
Chapter 9 - THRIBT
The brilliant morning sunlight streamed in through the window and brought Harry to consciousness. He had been dreaming of he, Ron, and Hermione walking through the stores of Hogsmeade on what seemed to be an enjoyable weekend outing, yet he had woke with a nervous empty feeling in the pit of his stomach.
'Must be getting hungry,' he thought as he rolled out of bed.
As the remnants of his dream slowly floated into the mists, Harry began the morning ritual of loudly trying to wake Ron. Seeing that he was making little headway, he enlisted the aid of both Dean and Seamus who were now making their way around the room.
"On the count of three, everyone," he announced as the three pointed their wands at the snoring lump. "One…Two… Three…Aquilus!" Icy jets of water poured forth from the three wands at the now bellowing Ron.
"Oi! Ok! Ok! I'm awake! Bloody hell, did ya' have to use such cold water? I mean all you had to do was give me a little shake, Harry!"
"What? Oh sorry Ron, that never seemed to occur to me," a snickering Harry responded as the three cohorts and one, rather wet Ron, started to gather their things and head for the showers.
After completing their morning rituals, the four made their way down from the tower to find Hermione and Ginny waiting for them in the common room. Joining together, the team of Gryffindors made their way along to the Great Hall while discussing the torture of yesterday's classes and the potential for the misery yet to come.
Their entrance into Great Hall was greeted by warm welcomes from Luna and others at the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables, while the cold stares they received from Malfoy and the rest of Slytherin crashed over them like an icy North Sea storm.
Breakfast was a bit slower and somewhat quieter for all the students, as the exuberance of the first day had worn off. Ginny, Dean, and Seamus had begun a discussion about Gryffindor's chances in this year's Quidditch season, while Hermione reviewed her morning delivery of the Daily Prophet with Harry. All the while, Ron quietly piled food onto his plate to such a height that his reputation as Über Eater would forever remain unchallenged.
"Really, Ron," Hermione began as they started down the steps to Hagrid's hut for the Care of Magical Creatures, "I think we should have Madam Pomfrey examine you for a serious illness or something. I mean, it's not normal and seems to have gotten worse over the years."
"What isn't normal, Hermione? So what did I do now?"
"Ron, you ate enough to feed Hagrid. It is a bit shocking how you can appear so normal on the outside, but be so… I don't know, empty on the inside. Are you ever full?" responded Harry.
"What, empty headed am I now! A fine thing for one's best friends to say," a smirking Ron retaliated, as he pulled another biscuit out of his pocket.
"You now what we mean, Ron," interjected Hermione.
"I'm just a growing boy, says mum. She told me Charlie was the same way and it didn't do him any harm now did it?"
"We're just afraid if you keep up, you're going to be as big has Hagrid," replied Harry.
"Big as me? Who? Ye' got someone hid away now 'arry?"
"Oh, hello, Hagrid!" began Hermione as he attempted to embrace him in one of her trademark hugs, "No, we were just advising Ron that with as much as he eats, if he keeps growing he's going to end up as big as you."
"Eh? And would 'er be any thing wrong wi' that?" he grinned.
"No, of course not," responded Hermione with a bit of a pout. Seeing that the rest of the class was now gathering around, she asked "Hagrid, what do you have in mind for us this year. Please, something a little more civilized than Blast Ended Skrewts!" she added with a tone of concern, yet a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.
"Now wha' was wrong with Blast Ended Skrewts, I ask? They was a bi' of fun now weren't they? Anyway, now that everyone is 'er, I'll tell ya'. This year were gonna be raising and learn'n about… Jarvey's!" Hagrid bellowed like old St. Nick announcing Christmas. "Now, who can tell me anythin' about a Jarvey?"
The members of the class looked amongst themselves to find only shrugging shoulders and shaking heads. This meant, of course, that they all turned to Hermione.
"Oh, bloody h--heck! One might think that people might read something other than Quidditch scores once in a while. Well, let's see. A Jarvey is very much like a large ferret and has the magical ability of speech. Although, whether their ability is based on intelligence or simply mimicry like a Parrot, I'm not sure."
'Eh? Not intelligent, she says! A bit pompous these ones are now, aren't they? Just because they can wave those twigs around and walk on two legs, they think they're the end of the evolutionary chain! HA! One would think that with all that intelligence she'd be able to do something more constructive with that hair! Really now, I've seen birds nests…'
But Hagrid cut him off when he noticed Hermione becoming rather red and was beginning to reach for her wand, "THRIBT! That'll do now. Hermione, everyone, this 'er is THRIBT and he's a Jarvey. Say 'lo everyone."
"Hello, THRIBT" everyone replied, looking to the Jarvey.
'My, don't they mimic rather well. I say, it almost seems as if there were actual thought processes occurring behind those blank stares. Hmm, this is your brightest class you say, Hagrid? Oh my, this doesn't bode well at all. 'Tis a shame, really. And, incidentally, my name is Thaddeus Horatio Rufus Ignatius Bellows Trillings. Only my friends may call me THRIBT. And considering you do not fall into that category, you may address me by my proper name. So, though I rather doubt it, I do hope you were actually listening.'
"Bloody hell," a grinning Ron exclaimed, "first it was Skrewts trying to kill us, then it was the Centaurs, now it's a cheeky… furball! This ought to be right fun for a change! Oi, if Fred and George were only here. Welcome to the class… THRIBT!"
'That's Thaddeus Horatio Rufus Ignatius Bellows Trillings to you, young man. Weren't you listening at all during the past five minutes? Or does that ghastly red hair of yours cause you to suffer from a weak memory?'
"Weak memory," Harry said, laughing. Ron elbowed him, and turned towards the Jarvey.
"I do not! Your name was just rather long, is all. I couldn't remember all… six parts only hearing it once, now could I?
'Apparently not. I say, Hagrid, if this is the best you have to offer…'
By now, the entire class was either laughing hysterically or staring dumbly at the talking animal. Harry was in tears from stifling his laughter, while Ron was staring crossly at the Jarvey. Hagrid hurried forward.
"All right, you lot. That'll be enough for now. Now, everyone, 'er assignment will be three feet of parchment describing Jarveys, where and how the live, and any unique traits about you new… 'er… partner. 'ermione, 'arry, and Ron, you three will be working 'er with, TRHRIBT. The rest of ya', come on over 'er and I'll introduce ya' to the rest of the Jarvies."
After a spirited discussion, primarily between TRHRIBT and Hermione, who the Jarvey proclaimed was the only one of any measurable intelligence in the group, the trio said goodbye to Hagrid, and began the walk towards the castle. Harry smothered a chuckle as he noticed the indignation on Ron's face.
"Stupid, overgrown ferret." The red-head muttered.
"Oh come now, Ron. You must admit, Jarvey's are very interesting creatures, especially this one. I knew that Jarvey's were capable of speech, but I thought that they were more… crude. This one was much more intelligent than I would have thought."
"Well of course it is." Harry said. "It's Hagrid's, isn't it? His creatures have to be abnormal in some way. A bit of an unwritten rule, I think."
They started up the stairs, heading towards their next class, Transfiguration. Hermione, of course, was excited.
"Oh, I can't wait to see what we'll be learning this year! Professor McGonagall's classes are always so interesting!"
Ron and Harry glanced at each other. Interesting was not the word that they would have used to describe McGonagall's class. Hard, exasperating, and near impossible were.
When they reached the classroom, Hermione eagerly swung open the door and hurried inside. Harry and Ron followed more reluctantly. As they approached their desks, McGonagall turned to Harry,
"Mr. Potter, I trust you made good use of your book over the summer?"
Harry grinned, and nodded. The professor gave him a rare smile. "Good. Now, if everyone would please take your seats, we will begin."
Everyone sat down, looking ahead with varying expression of eagerness and dread.
"Very good. This year, we will be focusing on the art of conjuring. Now, the simpler the object you are attempting to conjure is, the easier it will be. So, we will begin with a button. The incantation is 'Videor'. Simply add whatever object you want to conjure after Videor. For example, to conjure a button you would say, 'Videor button'." As she said the incantation, she waved her wand, and a bright green button appeared on the desk in front of her. "Now, you try."
The rest of the class was spent attempting, without much success, to conjure their buttons. By the time class ended, Hermione was the only one to successfully conjure what was clearly a button. Harry, had managed something akin to dinner plate with a single hole in it, while Ron's, though it started out as a quite fine looking button, now looked more like a lump of molten slag.
As the trio headed to their next class, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Hermione exclaimed enthusiastically, "Oh, wasn't that an interesting class?"
Harry and Ron groaned. "Yeah, Hermione, you could actually do it. For the rest of us, it was just annoying."
"Even so, conjuring is very useful," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "You can conjure furniture, or food, or any sort of item you may need."
"We know, 'Mione." Ron snapped as they walked into the Defense classroom. "That doesn't stop it from being hard though, does it?"
"No, I don't suppose," Hermione sighed as they sat. A few moments later they heard a thump, followed by a muttered, "Ouch!" The class stifled their laughter as Tonks limped in.
"Good afternoon, class."
"Good afternoon, Professor Tonks," they chorused.
"Today we're going to continue our practice of curses and hexes. Please, separate into your pairs and begin."
Harry joined with Hermione and the rest of the period was spent dodging and blocking the fire hose of hexes she hurled his way. Since this really didn't require much conscious thought for Harry, he observed the rest of the students as they practiced. He felt a surge of pride as he watched the D.A. members. Most were very skilled in defending themselves, especially shields. Neville, he noticed was actively serving up a large dishing of crow for Ron. His thoughts were suddenly broken when an exceptionally powerful Expelliarmus hit him, and his wand flew out of his hand.
Hermione caught his wand when it flew towards her, grinning smugly. "Honestly, Harry, where has your mind gone?" He grinned sheepishly as she tossed his wand back to him and they began dueling again. Learning a valuable lesson, Harry kept his full mind on the task this time.
After the lesson was over, the trio headed to the Great hall for dinner. "Merlin, I'm starving!" Ron exclaimed, rubbing his stomach.
Hermione snorted. "Honestly Ron, when are you ever not starving?"
Harry chuckled as a grinning Ron gave his version of a standard McGonagall glare at Hermione. The trio found their places and sat down at the table as the piles of food appeared, Ron grinned and starting filling his plate.
"Really Ron, you eat as if food is about to be banned or something," Harry commented, amused. Ron just shrugged and continued his frontal assault on an unsuspecting chicken wing.
Harry waved to a bickering Hermione and Ron as they headed off to the Gryffindor Common Room and he headed off for his DA discussion with Tonks.
"Wotcher, Harry!" cheered a bouncing Tonks with bubble gum colored hair from the back of the Defense classroom. "I won't keep you long. I remember how it was in sixth year. O'l Proffessor Snape got you buried with extra Potions work yet? Ya hang in there, Harry, don't let him get to ya'. You just pay attention, listen to Hermione, and do the work. You'll do fine."
"Now, about the DA classes, Harry. Since Dumbledore has made them open to the entire school, and that means Slytherins as well, he asked me to monitor the classes and make sure things… shall we say… don't get out of hand. Seeing the results of your efforts with the DA members shows me that you seem to have a handle on the teaching part. It's the number and, well, attitude of some of the students that I worry about."
The reminder that he was going to have to contend with the potential of Slytherins in the DA caused Harry's anger at Dumbledore to flare. "I wish Dumbledore had at least asked me before he announced it to the whole bloody school! He didn't take one bloody second to even talk to me about it." Seeing a bit of a sheepish look on Tonks, Harry took a deep breath, "Sorry. It's ok, Tonks… sorry, Professor Tonks. I don't do it alone. We divide the group up and Hermione, Ron, and Neville take turns. I just tend to move around and help those that seem to need it. I think between the four of us we can keep it from turning into a riot."
"Alright, Harry, and when it's just us, you can call me Tonks, I'll let you run it your way and just stop in from time to time. Just remember that I'm always here if you need me. Ok? Alright then, off you go."
Bidding Tonks a good night, Harry made his way back to the common room only to find two snapping turtles, namely Hermione and Ron, still circling each other looking for an opportunity to bite.