The Shoebox
by Jardyn39
Chapter 3 - I Think That's Almost Cheating, You Know?
Harry tapped the lock of the door and pushed it open. Warm, moist air hit his face as he peered into the Great Hall.
He immediately clamped a hand over his face.
"I think I'm going to be sick," said Carmen from behind him.
The rank smell of decaying plants was quite overpowering. Blinking back tears, Harry stepped into the hall.
He kicked a couple of feelers that yesterday had been actively feeling their way all over the Great Hall. It just fell apart, oozing a foul smelling green sap that steamed.
"Okay, girls. I think it's safe. You can come in."
Harry turned, half expecting to have to pull them inside with him. To his surprise, however, both girls entered.
"I think that's almost cheating, you know?"
"Professor McGonagall didn't say we couldn't use magic," said Carmen defiantly from within her bubble-head charm. Her voice was only slightly distorted.
"Where are the things you'll use to clean up with?" he asked.
Carmen held her wand up.
"Neville said magic wouldn't do it. You'll need shovels, wheel-barrows and all-sorts."
Carmen just rolled her eyes.
Harry gave up with his hand and produced his own bubble-head charm.
"That's better," he said, taking a deep breath of fresh smelling air. "Go on, then. I want to see you make a start clearing up, then I'll leave you in peace for a couple of hours."
"Hours?" said Carmen contemptuously.
Harry just crossed his arms and waited.
Carmen walked forward and waved her wand over one of the house tables. He knew she was testing, just as he had done.
"Hm," she said, deep in thought. "Ordinary vanishing charms won't work. Nor will reductor curses."
Natasha stepped beside her and whispered a suggestion. Carmen shook her head thoughtfully and remained deep in thought for a moment.
Finally she said, "I've decided."
Carmen walked along the table until she found a small patch of bare timber. She held up her wand, and Harry wondered if she might actually manage it.
She lightly touched the timber tabletop with the tip of her wand and there was a brief flash. Blue flames erupted all along the table and the green shoots began to shrink back.
"Yes," whispered Harry, willing her to succeed, but suddenly there was a pop and the plant exploded.
Thick green sap covered the two girls from head to feet. The smell was so bad it even got through Harry's bubble-head charm.
He stepped forward. They were looking at each other with identical expressions of horror as the disgusting sap soaked into their clothes.
"Professor Sprout has prepared an area next to Greenhouse Two where she wants to compost the remains of these plants. She left the things you'll need there."
The girls just trudged off, walking as if they were wearing space suits.
"I'll check on you later," Harry promised.
*
Harry knocked on Professor McGonagall's office door, wondering why she had asked to see him during morning break. He didn't mind, but he wanted to collect a Grindylow from his office for his next lesson.
The door opened.
"Ah, Harry," said Professor McGonagall. "Thank you for coming."
Harry walked into the room and a wizard Harry had never met before stood up to greet him.
"Harry, This is Mr Saulkins from the Ministry of Magic. He's in charge of Further Education."
"Hi," said Harry, shaking his hand and trying to ignore his glance up at his scar.
"Mr Potter. I'd like to thank you for stepping in to tutor Mr Tonbridge's class on Monday."
"I was pleased to help. How is Mr Tonbridge?"
"Not too well, actually. To be honest, he only agreed to help us out on a temporary basis. The group has got quite a bit bigger and I still haven't found a suitable permanent tutor."
"I see."
"I, um, was wondering if you would be prepared to step in on a more regular basis?"
Harry frowned slightly.
"I could offer you a little incentive," offered Saulkins.
"How much do you," began Harry, but Saulkins cut across him.
"I could go as far as two Galleons for an evening, including marking homework or course."
"I was going to ask how much is available for spending on educational resources."
"Oh. Um, we only supply parchment."
"What about wands? I thought new wands were part of the compensation package."
"Yes, all the students have received replacement wands where theirs was lost or destroyed."
"Really? They had wands made for them?"
"Good grief, no! That would cost a small fortune. No, they were each given a second hand wand."
"No wonder they are struggling to re-learn their magic skills," observed Harry. "What about the syllabus?"
"What about it?"
"It's useless. They'll never find a use for ninety percent of those items. Why not teach them practical skills?"
"Well, we felt those were the easiest skills to re-master. If they can't even do those, what chance have they at more advanced magic?"
"Well, clearly different people will progress at different rates. How are you grading your students."
"We're not, at the moment. There hardly seems any point."
"How many classes are you running?"
"We have fifty students this year in two classes."
"Oh, you have another Tutor for the second group?"
"Um, not exactly. The other group is doing self-study with textbooks at the moment. We did have a couple of volunteers, but they didn't really work out."
"Why not?"
"One was an ex-Auror. All he did was try and get them to shoot at each other."
Harry laughed and asked, "Who?"
"Mr Moody."
Harry laughed louder and said, "He was one of my best teachers! Who was the other one?"
"It just didn't work out."
Harry's smile faded.
"Who?" he asked seriously.
"Professor Lupin volunteered to return to teaching," said Professor McGonagall.
"He was highly recommended, but then we found out," said Saulkins, but he faltered seeing the anger on Harry's face.
"For your information, Remus Lupin was the best Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher I ever had. Moody taught me loads too. I owe my life to their teachings, amongst others."
"But he's a werewolf!"
"Here are my conditions for my agreeing to help," said Harry. "Firstly, Lupin and Moody are to be offered jobs as teaching assistants with a decent wage, and not just for one evening a week either.
"Secondly, you are going to start offering further education subjects and open it up for anyone who wants to improve themselves. You can start small and expand as it becomes more popular.
"Thirdly, you are going to provide a decent budget for practical work and field trips. I use significant amounts of magical materials in my classes.
"Fourthly, for this year you are going to combine the two groups and I want a suitable teaching space. Remember, I used to work at the Ministry so I know how much wasted space you have."
"The Minister will never agree!"
"No problem. Now I've seen for myself the appalling state of your department, I feel obliged to publicise the facts.
"Where was I? Oh, yes. Fifth, everyone in the study groups is to receive a new wand if they want one."
"Outrageous! We don't have money for that!"
"Really?" interrupted Professor McGonagall. "I was under the impression that the donations given to support those unfortunate individuals affected by the magic-draining curses were more than sufficient."
"Ah, but the Minister controls those funds."
Harry looked at his watch.
"I'd also insist upon re-writing the syllabus, but you knew that, right? Anyway, I've a lesson to get to. It was nice meeting with you, Mr Saulkins. If I think of any other conditions you can read about them in the Prophet tomorrow."
Professor McGonagall opened the door and said, "Thank you for your time, Harry. I'll speak to you later."
He struggled not to laugh out loud as she winked at him.
Harry glanced back at Saulkins before the door closed. He was sinking back down into his chair, probably wishing he'd never come.
*
Harry looked in on the Great Hall at lunchtime and was impressed to see that they had finished clearing up about half the floor and all of the tables and benches.
Wondering where they were, he walked around to the Greenhouses and found the two girls sitting on a low wall beside their growing compost heap.
They looked exhausted.
"We'll carry on in a bit," promised Carmen. "Professor Sprout told us to stop while she prepared another compost area. There was more than she thought."
"No problem. I'm amazed how much you've shifted already."
"We were just wondering how to shift the vines that climbed up the walls," said Natasha.
"Maybe we can levitate a platform to work from?" suggested Harry.
"No, we tried that. The levitation charm fails close to the vines."
Professor Sprout came out of the greenhouse with a thoughtful expression.
"I'm having a problem thinking where to put the remainder. To be honest, I've got more than enough for my needs here already. I suppose we could dump it in the forest."
"I'd rather not," said Harry. "The forest can turn things wild, so we can't be sure nothing unexpected might happen."
"True," agreed Sprout.
"Carmen, you tried a reverse Transfiguration before, didn't you?" said Harry.
"Well, yes. It didn't work, though."
"What did you add?"
"Just a simple cold flame. I didn't want to burn the furniture. Why?"
"I just thought I'd have a go," he said casually.
"If you make more mess, you'll have to clean it up!" cried Carmen, getting to her feet.
"Carmen, this is your punishment. You don't get to negotiate on minor points like who actually makes the mess."
"But that's so unfair!"
"Am I breaking any school rules?"
"No, but that's not the point!"
He grinned at her and Carmen stamped the ground in frustration.
"I seem to recall someone telling me that so long as school rules weren't broken, then everything was alright," he said gently.
"I may have to revise my position on that argument."
Professor Sprout snorted loudly and winked at Natasha before going back into the greenhouse.
Harry turned and walked quickly back to the Great Hall, the two girls hurrying to keep up.
He entered and went over to the side wall, where the vines were thickest. He pocketed his wand and held his hand just in front of the wall. He could feel the magical energy as he moved his hand slowly.
Harry found a small patch of bare stonework, just as Carmen had. He'd known as soon as he saw her try that she was onto the right track.
His fingers lightly touched the smooth stone. Then he pushed his hand upwards, so his fingers slid under one of the thick vines.
The magical energy crackled as he sent electric blue flames over the walls. The vines shrank back at once and Harry had to fight not to remove his hand.
Finally, he was thrown away from the wall and he landed on his back a few feet from where he was standing.
The two girls rushed over to help him up. Harry was a little dazed but could see that the hall was now completely cleared of the decaying plants.
"I'm fine, thanks, girls."
"I can't believe you did that. And without a wand too!"
"Um, Sir," began Natasha.
"Yes, Natasha?"
"We thought you dropped your wand," finished Carmen.
"No, I've got it here," said Harry, patting his pocket. "Now listen, the hall has been cleared, so you've served your punishment. However, your clothes are in an appalling state. I'd like you to clean them yourselves rather than letting the house elves do it for you. I'll excuse you from lessons if you go and launder yourselves now."
"Yes, Sir," they both said quietly, looking down.
Harry left the hall and went up to the staff room.
He'd only just arrived when Professor McGonagall hurried in after him, looking at him curiously.
"Harry?"
"Yes, Professor?"
"What have you been doing?"
"Um, nothing much. I just cleared the last of those plants from the Great Hall. Why?"
"Was there a magical discharge at all?"
"I wasn't thrown too far."
"You didn't happen to notice any, um, reactions on your way up here?"
"Reactions? No. I did get a few more Hello Sirs than I usually get. Why?"
Professor McGonagall handed him a small vanity mirror. Frowning, he looked at his reflection and then let out a quiet moan. Professor McGonagall went rather red and snorted into her handkerchief.
"I can't believe I walked all the way up here looking like this!" he said, trying to flatten his hair. Every single strand of hair seemed intent upon standing upright.
"It suits you, Harry, really," Professor McGonagall managed to say before bursting into laughter.
Try as he might, his hair refused to return to normal.
"Would you like me to stand in for you this afternoon?" she offered, now wiping her eyes. "That's a magical discharge, so it may take hours to go down."
"Thanks, but the damage is done now. Half the school will have heard by now anyway."
"Perhaps your interview for the Daily Prophet should be delayed?"
Harry swore.
"I'm sorry, Professor. I'd forgotten about that."
"Don't worry, I'll take care of it."