Chapter 10: Hermione's Boggart
`Expelled!' Harry exclaimed. He couldn't quite believe it.
`Yep,' said Ron calmly, though it looked like unbridled joy was waiting to spring forth from his chest.
`Malfoy, expelled!' Harry liked to keep saying it, it wasn't really sinking in and it sounded so much better out loud.
The events that had transpired during the morning had flown past in such a blur that it had felt like a dream, the best one Harry could remember. The news had been shifted from person to person at incredible speed, even by Hogwarts standards. The upshot was that when all the speculation was over and the dust had settled on the matter the one outstanding fact still remained: Draco Malfoy had been expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
It turned out that Malfoy had been the instigator of his own downfall. The Slytherin Standard had been closed down immediately after his expulsion owing to, according to Ron's information, what the teachers called `unnecessary and inappropriate' remarks about certain students and `utterly unacceptable' requests for violence in exchange for money.
`The tried to get Snape out, too,' Ron added, `said he should have known about it and should have demanded to see a copy before it went out. Not that it would have made much difference; I heard what he did to his Potions classroom.'
`Yeah,' Harry remarked absently, `bet they're all gone now though. How did everyone find out? How come they didn't know in the first place?'
`Well,' Ron explained, `everyone thought the teachers did know, that's why people didn't want to make it look like you'd been hurt on purpose if you ended up in the hospital wing. Someone, probably Malfoy, started the rumour that a teacher had said it would look suspicious if you got weirdly hurt. Then again, maybe Snape realised it and told Malfoy to spread it around. Knew it'd look bad on him.
`Anyway, remember last year when we were all banned from reading your interview in The Quibbler? Remember how everyone bewitched the pages to make it look like notes and stuff? Well, that's what that scumbag did to that competitions page,' Ron said this last bit with particular malice, `so none of the teachers knew any different. They saw what was written about…well, you know…those things about you and Hermione, but they thought the insults were out, damage done and not much they could do about it. As soon as they knew about the hidden bit of the magazine they went nuts. Malfoy was gone before 10pm last night.'
`Do you know how they found out? Did someone tell them?' Hermione asked, her eyes bright and glowing.
`I'm getting to that,' Ron said, `Apparently Dumbledore found out somehow. Dunno how, maybe he saw through the spell or something. Anyway, I heard that he was totally furious, absolutely mental. Scared some of the Slytherins in their common room by just walking in. He must radiate fear when he gets angry. He called for Malfoy, told him to pack his things and that he was out.
`He had Lucius Malfoy there before Draco was packed and told him that there was no way he would let that kind of stuff go on, something about a little rivalry that Malfoy had taken way too far. He was heard to have said that he would not tolerate any student being threatened either in private or in public and that he didn't want Malfoy back in school while he was Headmaster. And that was that; gone. Great or what?'
`Wonder how he found out though?' Hermione pondered, `I know he's clever but it would have to be a pretty amazing guess to just know like that. How could he have seen it?'
Then Harry had a brainwave.
`I showed him!' he cried, `I must have. In Occlumency last night. I was thinking about that when we started the lesson, we'd been talking about it. He must have seen the prizes page in my mind and got hold of a copy of that newsletter and seen for himself.'
`Harry, mate,' Ron said gleefully, `I'm glad you think about depressing stuff!'
`Why didn't he see the walls of Snape's dungeon then?' Hermione asked, `Surely he would have seen that Snape did know about the paper?'
No, he wouldn't have,' Harry said regretfully, `it was one of the thoughts I put in my Pensieve. I didn't want him to see what happened when you…' he changed tack quickly, `you know, had to fix my potion…it was, well, embarrassing wasn't it?'
Hermione bit her lip to restrain a smile and looked away, a crimson tide washing along her cheeks.
`Was that that strange bowl thing?' Ron asked, `with the silvery stuff in it? I didn't know what it was when I saw it, I was going to poke it with my wand -'
`NO!' Harry said loudly, `No, don't do that. Its private, like a diary. I don't want you seeing me doing, well, stupid stuff…when I was little, and things.'
He cast a look at Hermione, who looked suddenly apprehensive. Even this, however, couldn't put a damper on the last twelve hours. What, with Malfoy being expelled making it a great morning, adding to last night at the lake…all in all, Harry thought he'd struggle to be happier. And he'd be playing Quidditch again today; Ron was taking his first training session as Gryffindor Captain and Harry was itching to get back on his broom. It had been too long since he'd opened up his Firebolt.
Speculation soon blossomed among the Hogwarts students as to the true nature of Malfoy's expulsion. In the Gryffindor common room, Harry had become a hero again because, although they didn't know the particulars, his housemates had deemed that Malfoy's removal from Hogwarts must have had something to do with him. All through the next day Harry was subjected to outbreaks of sporadic applause, requests for handshakes from people he hardly knew and so many slaps on the back that he was in a fair amount of discomfort come the end of the day.
More importantly to Harry, he was approached many times over the day with students offering grovelling apologies. These were all from people who had tried to injure him in some way and so claim some of Malfoy's gold. At first, he was tempted to get angry and yell insults at these people but, after so many of them came forward, he decided he couldn't hate the entire school and let them off with a friendly warning.
Harry found, to his surprise, that Hogwarts contained many students that he would say, without the slightest hint of anything condescending, were in the same financial bracket as the Weasleys. The mixed look of self-loathing, guilt but desperation worn by many of these students made Harry feel so sorry for them that he thought he wouldn't mind a few cuts and bruises so they could earn some cash. Especially if it meant diluting the wealth of the Malfoy family.
When classes were finally over for the day, Harry and Hermione met Ron for dinner before Quidditch training. Harry couldn't recall seeing Ron as animated as he did over dinner, wolfing down his food with indecent enthusiasm, talking at high speeds and spraying bits of pastry all around the table.
`Ron!' Harry cried as a chunk of shortbread careered into his glasses, `can't you swallow before you speak?'
`Sorry,' Ron replied with a gulp, `here. Have my napkin.'
Hermione gawped at Ron pityingly, as though she felt sorry for him.
`Don't you study magic here?' she asked somewhat loftily, `Here, Harry. Let me help you. Scourgify!'
She tapped Harry's glasses, which were instantly clean. Ron's face went a colour to match his hair but he only glowered at Hermione for a few moments, and then returned to rabbiting on about all the new Quidditch moves he planed to try out.
`What will you do while we train?' Harry asked Hermione, who seemed quite bored with Ron's incessant gibbering.
`Oh, I thought I might come and watch you…the pair of you…the team, whatever. You don't mind do you?'
`No,' Harry replied quickly but suddenly felt rather anxious. It wasn't as if Hermione had never watched him play before but, strangely, he felt apprehensive as though he had to perform for her. He imagined himself as a circus seal, balancing a Quaffle on his nose as he rode his Firebolt in a standing position. It wasn't a pleasant image.
Ron was slightly subdued as they changed into their Quidditch robes later. Harry didn't need to ask what it was; he had noted the change in Ron's mood as soon as Hermione had said she was coming to watch the training. He recalled her rejecting an offer from Ron to watch him train alone, and he knew what he'd think of her being here tonight. Sure enough, as soon as they were alone he voiced his mind.
`Why does she come to watch you play but not me?' he moaned as they walked out onto the pitch. Hermione was sat alone in the stands and she waved down to them as they walked out. Harry noticed then that she wasn't alone. Luna Lovegood was sat a few seats down from her, wearing her hideous lion-hat. Harry thought she must just have too much time on her hands.
The training was actually very good. Why Harry found this surprising he didn't know; Ron was, after all, a bigger knowledge of Quidditch than he himself was so it would follow that he could construct useful training and tactics. Harry was pleased that Hermione's presence in the stands didn't distract him much, though the fact he caught the snitch 26 times, performed multiple loop-the-loops and Wronski Feints, and accelerated to top speed every time he passed her had little to do with him getting his broom legs back.
Harry even took to fighting with the Bludgers. He asked Hermione to bewitch one to follow him, and then delighted in swooping and soaring away every time it tried to unseat him. Hermione didn't seem to like this too much and eventually undid the charm, her face a distinctly pale hue. Harry made a note then that Hermione wasn't to be impressed by daring acts of heroism such as bludger-baiting.
As the week drew to a close Harry was glad to be settling into a pattern. Malfoy had been expelled for two days, he was playing Quidditch and he and Hermione had reached an understanding. All in all, he was pretty happy with himself. On top of this, the Gryffindors were still cheering him in the defeat of Malfoy and some of the students who had entered the Slytherin Standard competitions had taken to giving him token gifts of apology. Harry now had a rather large pile of chocolate frogs, several large boxes of fizzing whizzbees and an extensive assortment of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. Though he didn't want to admit it, the Slytherin newsletter had been perversely responsible for an upsurge in his popularity.
Hermione was the only one who didn't seem to be in a particularly overjoyed mood. She had become oddly pensive, and had taken to donning a decidedly worried look every time someone mentioned Malfoy. They were sitting under a tree on the banks of the Great Lake when Harry confronted her about this. Taking night time strolls around the Lake before the doors were locked had become a regular thing. Harry was thankful again to his father; the Invisibility Cloak was invaluable.
`Aren't you happy Malfoy's out?' Harry asked as he looked at Hermione in the glimmer of the moonlight.
`Oh yes, of course,' she said, though sounding like she hardly believed her own words.
`Well, what then? You don't look like you're as ecstatic as the rest of us.'
`Well, I'm just…concerned.'
`About what?'
`I was thinking, maybe it isn't a great thing he's gone. I mean, here Dumbledore was keeping watch over almost everything going on. But now, he's at home, with his father, and I'll bet he'll encourage him to do as many bad things as he can. Maybe get a plan inside the school from outside. They are quite resourceful.'
`Lucius Malfoy's in Azkaban,' Harry said, `what can he do from there?'
`Azkaban wont hold him,' Hermione said anxiously, `it didn't hold the other and it wont hold him. He'll be out before long. Oh, Harry, don't you see? Draco Malfoy could be more of a danger to us…to you…from where he is.'
`I can't see how,' Harry said puzzled.
`If his father cooks up a plan and it involves you, he's going to need someone close to you. Maybe not a friend but a classmate or opposing Quidditch players, someone who can get close enough to harm you. Don't look like that; do you really think it's unlikely? V-Voldemort's been quiet for a while, that cant be good. He must be planning something major and that's bound to involve you. You're his nemesis; he needs to get you out of the way before he can move on. If he doesn't he'll lose face in front of his supporters who'll say he can't kill someone so young.'
`So, what's Malfoy got to do with that?'
`Think about it, Harry. Riddle's diary got into Hogwarts to get to you; Voldemort lured you away from Hogwarts last year; Barty Crouch Jnr became an impostor to get inside Hogwarts and close to you. All of Voldemort's plans involve you, all aimed at destroying you. You've survived so he wont stop going for you. And if he uses Malfoy he can plant the seeds of his plan right under our noses. We might have hated Malfoy but his Slytherin friends didn't, and I bet they'll be only too willing to help do things to you.'
Hermione flung her arms around him desperately, Harry feeling that she thought he might burn up and die there before her eyes. He patted her head gently and she went into silent reflection. He didn't want to accept what she'd said; he was just starting to enjoy life with no immediate threat. But now, paranoia was creeping back into his psyche.
The next day, Harry took his first Defence Against The Dark Arts class. He had a quick breakfast and hurried to the classroom armed with a set of Dark Arts textbooks. With the help of Hermione and Ron the room was set up, duplicating the layout of the Room of Requirement. Harry remembered fondly the sessions he held there and hoped he would have as much success now.
He was rather astonished when double the amount of students turned up for his class. It was explained to him that NEWT Defence students had voted not to train with the Slytherins, so the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws had modified their timetables to take the practical class with Harry. He felt choked, but Hermione's subtle squeeze of his hands jolted him back to normal.
`Right, well, er,' Harry began, `thanks you all for coming. I didn't expect this but its great. Today, I'll think we'll just go over the basics, disarming and blocking. Then we'll move onto more advanced things later.'
`Disarming? Blocking? What use are they going to be? said an unseen dissenting voice from the back. Harry was taken aback by what happened next.
`They do work! They are useful! Harry used them to fight You-Know-Who. Saved your life, didn't it Harry? And we used them when some of us went to the Ministry of Magic last year. We used them fighting Death Eaters and they worked then too. Didn't they Harry?'
`Yeah they did, Neville, they did,' Harry said reassuringly, `we have to start with the basics, make sure everyone can do them. If you don't like my class I heard there's room with the Slytherins!' several people laughed, `If you master the charms by the end of the lesson we'll have a bit of a laugh and tackle the boggart in the cupboard over there.'
All heads turned to the cupboard on the desk, which emitted a convenient rattle at just that moment.
`I'll demonstrate the charms to refresh everyone's memory, then divide into pairs and take it in turns to practice. Hermione, wanna be my assistant?'
Several voices went `oohh,' several people whistled and many sniggered as Hermione, going slightly red, stepped up to Harry.
`Shut up you lot! Harry said, though he was unable to suppress the grin that had gripped his face, `Don't make me demonstrate my best hexes on you!'
Harry pointed his wand at Hermione, `Ok? On three, one - two - three!'
Nothing. Harry looked at Hermione and just couldn't disarm her. More chortling rang out in the classroom, many of the girls made swooning noises, but Harry didn't care.
`Let me,' Hermione said giggling, `Expelliarmus!'
Harry's wand flew in the air and the force of the spell was enough to knock him over. Applause and laughter bounced off the walls as Hermione helped Harry to his feet.
`Where did you get so strong?' Harry asked as the class divided into pairs.
`I told you,' Hermione said coyly, `I had a crush on a teacher once. I worked extra hard for him.'
Harry didn't answer that. He moved around the class, showing people where they were going wrong. They all seemed fairly proficient and by the end of the class they'd all mastered the charm and were facing the boggart. Laughter and giggles swam in the air as the boggart changed into humorous forms. Harry, who was at the back of the room clearing up, looked up as the laughter stopped. Only a soft weeping came from the corner. The crowd suddenly parted and Hermione ran through, her hands shaking over her mouth as tears trickled from her eyes. Harry raced forward, shouted `Riddikulus' to get rid of the boggart and looked around for an explanation. People were muttering.
`Have you ever seen that before?'
`Can it take more than one form?
`What did she see?' Harry asked frantically, `What was it? Ron?'
`It was…um,' Ron began but he didn't have the words. He just turned away and sat down, his hands were trembling too.
-->