Chapter Four
FORVERET BURSEN
"If Potions has been your hardest class in the past," said Professor Snape one morning a few days later. It was Friday, and if they could just get through the next two hours, then they would have survived their first week of classes. Professor Snape paused for effect, grinning rather evilly. "Then I pity your poor soul."
He hit his wand against a desk on the front row, causing poor Neville to fall backwards in his chair. Once again, the Gryffindors had Potions with the Slytherins, but this time, even some of the Slytherins looked terrified.
"Ask anyone ahead of you and I am sure they will tell you just how difficult this year will be. We've been building up to this over the last four years, but only a few of you are prepared for the demands of this year." Professor Snape smirked. "It's a pity they require this class. Otherwise, that would be my cue to tell you to get out while you still can."
Harry remained silent, not wanting to get in trouble with Snape on the very first day. He knew full well that the Potions master hated him, and he wanted to steer clear of his wrath for as long as possible. He glanced at Hermione, who was sitting up one row and over one seat from him. It didn't make him feel any better about Snape's words when he saw the terrified look on her face.
"Well, there's no use worrying you!" said Snape, his voice suddenly full of mock cheer. "I'm sure today's lesson will do enough of that. You're all big kids now, and I see no need for babying you. Get in groups of three. We'll start the term by concocting Forveret Bursen."
The students quietly filtered to the back of the room. Ron and Hermione immediately joined Harry, and he offered his two friends a small smile. Ron returned it, but Hermione looked more startled than before. Next to them, Malfoy and his two henchmen, Crabbe and Goyle, were sniggering.
"Can anyone tell me-" Snape started, but stopped when Hermione's hand immediately went into the air. He started over. "Can anyone besides Granger tell me what Forveret Bursen is? Anyone? Well, I guess the question is all yours, Miss Granger, though I have no choice but to take five points from Gryffindor for being too eager."
Hermione looked stunned, but she knew better than to question Snape's authority. "Forveret Bursen is also know as the Potion of Eternal Burning and is considered just as torturous as most curses. When it makes contact with something-"
"That's enough, Miss Granger," said Snape. "You may have two of the five points back for knowing the material. Does anyone know what this particular potion does? No one? Well then, I'll have to tell you." He smiled another evil smile. "First, if I was to nickname this particular potion, I feel that the `Potion of Eternal Agony' would be even more appropriate than its current epithet. It produces no real flames, but it produces a similar effect on anything it might touch. It has the most peculiar effect on all people, wizards and witches and Muggles and giants alike. Instead of burning them to a crisp, it creates a burning sensation for which the curing potion is nearly impossible to make. Forever and then some, someone unfortunate enough to come in contact with the potion is in agony.
"You will find instructions on the third to last page in your book. If I were you, I would be extremely careful in your work today."
* * *
Everyone worked much slower on the Forveret Bursen than they usually worked on their brews. Professor Snape even seemed to be keeping a more watchful eye than usual, despite his apparent joy in giving his students such a dangerous task. He walked around careful, observing every group, actually barking out advice and even praise every now and then. Harry, Ron, and Hermione's group was the last that he came to, and he watched them for a long time as they stirred the bubbling mixture slowly.
"Very well done," he said reluctantly. "You're the first group to finish. I want you to get a jar from the back counter and fill it with that. Use caution, as well as your gloves, and it will be perfectly safe. I want you to see what kind of effects this dangerous of a potion has."
The three students nodded solemnly, and Harry went to fetch the jar as Ron continued stirring. Meanwhile, Hermione had gotten her gloves and prepared to ladle out some of the mixture.
"Everyone will want to watch this," called Professor Snape, "so they know the proper procedure once they'll finished. Careful, Granger, and hold the jar steadily, Potter, or you won't have use of your hands much longer-Weasley, did I say you could stop stirring?"
Harry could feel the jar heat, even through the glass of the jar and the dragon skin of his gloves, as soon as Hermione began pouring in the Forveret Bursen. He quickly placed it on the counter, and the entire class was silent as they watched the jar singe and melt. Before long, the potion had evaporated and nothing was left on the counter but a pile of melted glass.
"Back to work, everyone!" Snape ordered. "If you feel as if you're above the safety precautions, just imagine the effect of that on your skin!"
Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged relieved looks. Never before had they been so happy to get something done. Snape had never acted that cautiously before, and he had never warned them so many times. Their demonstration had proven to everyone just what kind of a dangerous substance they were working with.
"I'm glad that's over," Ron shuddered as Harry and Hermione pulled off their gloves. "That stuff is vicious."
"I'm glad you noticed," said Hermione, trembling a bit herself. "I read about it in a book once, The Dangerous Creations of Wizards. It was about all the horrible potions and charms and curses that have been created on-"
She never got a chance to finish, for everything happened so fast. There had been a faint clink of metal, followed by a splash. Looking back, no one realized what had happened until they heard Hermione's tortured screams of pain. Malfoy was staring at her, a sinister smile on his face. He looked oddly pleased with himself, as did Crabbe and Goyle. However, they were the only ones smiling.
Harry and Ron had never seen someone run as quickly as Snape did at that moment. The rest of the class may still have been sorting out what happened, but he had already done so.
"Get her up to the hospital wing! Now!" he barked. "NOW! Tell Madam Pomfrey to give her the strongest pain relief charm she knows and not to worry about the effects. No matter how awful they might be, it's better than the agony she's in. Go!"
Neither Harry nor Ron was really sure what to do. They were already at Hermione's side and had been since her first scream. Her robe had been already been scorched away in the places the potion had touched. Her skin looked as if it had ceased to exist in those places, and Harry had to swallow hard to keep himself from gagging at the sight. Together, they helped her up, careful not to touch her burns, if that's even what they were called.
The three were out in the hall before any of them dared speak a word. Hermione was leaning completely on Harry, and he had his arm supporting her waist. On her other side, Ron was doing his best to steady her. Hermione had stopped screaming, and it was obvious she was biting her lip in her efforts not to cry.
"It's okay, `Mione," said Harry as they reached the stairs. "We're not going to think any less of you if you cry or scream."
"I-I-I-I'm o-o-okay." Hermione was shaking in her attempt to talk. It was at that moment that they heard the explosion from the Potions classroom. It wasn't the Forveret Bursen, and it wasn't any equipment. Instead, it was Professor Snape himself, and his words were something no one had every expected to hear.
"Don't think I won't have you expelled for this!" he was screaming. "Don't even try to give me that look, Mr. Malfoy! Not even your father's name will give you an edge this time! If I had things my way, I'd overturn every single cauldron on top of you at this instant and let you suffer in the same manner as Granger!"
* * *
The next three days passed so slowly that it was safe to say that they were the longest in Hogwarts history, at least for the trio. Harry and Ron left the hospital wing exactly twice, and both times were at Professor Snape's insistence. It was only because of Hermione's weak pleading that they were allowed to stay; otherwise, Madam Pomfrey would have been more than willing to throw them out. She flat out refused to let the boys visit with Hermione, and a curtain put up around her bed that very first afternoon kept them from even seeing their friend. Their only indication that Hermione was even there came in the anguished screams and wrenching sobs that occasionally arose from her corner of the hospital.
Even so, things were probably calmer in the hospital than outside of it. No one could stop talking about what happened in the Potions dungeon that Friday morning. Most of the talking was done in hushed whispers, and nearly everyone showed some kind of compassion for Hermione. However, by Sunday evening, the novelty of the incident had worn off, and the conversation shifted to a different aspect of the event: Draco Malfoy's punishment.
It was the students that did all of the gossiping and wondering, for the teachers were too busy with their fallen student to worry about the one that had made her fall. Everyone was still so in shock of what had been done that classes were canceled for Monday, and at least one staff member kept vigil in the hospital wing at all times. As for Malfoy and his cronies, Professor Snape was openly calling for their expulsion, but Dumbledore insisted it was something to be worried about when Hermione's condition was a bit more certain.
The Weasleys had arrived almost immediately upon hearing the news. It worked out well, for the owls sent to Hermione's own parents were either not received or simply not responded to. Harry overhead Dumbledore explaining the predicament to the Weasleys, and he began to hope, for Hermione's sake, that it was the first possibility.
As for Professor Snape, he may have coveted the Dark Arts position, but he proved his worth once more as the Potions master. It took several attempts, but he was finally able to create the counter potion to the Forveret Bursen late Friday afternoon, and he proceeded to create a complimentary pain remedy based on his own knowledge and the procedures for other such remedies. He requested Harry and Ron's assistance in the making of both potions, and he treated them with a kindness and respect like no other. The boys found out later that he had only asked for their help on Madam Pomfrey's insistence, but just the same, the once-callous professor showed he had a good side.
By late Monday afternoon, Madam Pomfrey had reported Hermione to be doing much better. Still, the nurse continually reminded everyone of the recovery Hermione still had in front of her. With each of her reports and reminders, Harry and Ron grew more squeamish. They'd never seen the nurse look so serious before, and they'd never seen her come across anything she couldn't cure with a wave of her wand (or a particularly memorable bottle of Skele-Gro).
When dinnertime rolled around on Monday evening, the Weasley parents had gone to Ron and Harry with looks of determination on their faces.
"I know you two want to be here for Hermione," said Mrs. Weasley, "but you probably won't be allowed to see her for several more days. It won't hurt to be away for just a few hours."
"You really should come get some dinner," Mr. Weasley jumped in. "You can come right back here when you're done."
"I'd kind of like to stay here, Mrs. Weasley, Mr. Weasley," said Harry.
"Yeah, Mum. We promised Hermione that we'd stay here with her," added Ron.
The parents exchanged looks. "She'll understand if you leave for just a little bit," insisted Mrs. Weasley.
When Harry and Ron still wouldn't give in, it had been Mr. Weasley that put his foot down. "Fine, fine. One of you stays here while the other eats, and then you can switch, but both of you are going to leave this room for at least a few moments tonight."
There had been no arguing with that, and the Weasley parents had forced Ron to be the first to go. Without his friend, the hospital wing suddenly seemed a lot more forbidding to Harry. Madam Pomfrey immediately took notice of Ron's absence and started pestering him to go on as well.
"I don't think I can handle another sick patient," she said, "and I'm afraid the two of you are going to fall ill if you continue to sit around like that. Go! Eat! Sleep! Just go about your normal business!"
"I promise we won't make ourselves sick," Harry swore. "We have been eating and sleeping and all that stuff, you know. We'd really just like to see Hermione. Just once, you know? I'd like to see how she's doing."
For some reason, Madam Pomfrey's face softened, and she sighed. "Ten minutes!" she said suddenly. "I'll let you go in there for ten minutes but not a second more. Your redheaded friend may have his when he gets back, but that's it. If I let you have that, you have to leave the wing for the night and not come back until morning!"
"Thank you," said Harry sincerely. He smiled gratefully, and Madam Pomfrey led him over to Hermione's little corner of the hospital. He was about to slip through the sheets when the nurse caught his arm.
"I'll give you fair warning," said Madam Pomfrey quietly. Her voice was barely a whisper. "You're not going to like what you see. It's horrendous. Her arm, her shoulder, her back-it's gone. I'm simply trying to let the wounds heal before I try to do anything with skin. Be gentle on her, Harry."
Harry pushed his way between the sheets. Hermione was lying on her side, and she looked as if she was fast asleep. However, her eyes flew open as soon as Harry walked in.
"Harry!" she said, obviously trying to sound cheerful. It was hard to tell from her tone, but Harry could tell she was happy by the way her eyes lit up. She struggled her way into a sitting position. "Oh, you have no idea how glad I am to see you!"
"Kind of like you don't how happy I am to see you?" Harry questioned, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "Merlin, it's good to see you, `Mione."
"Oh Harry!" At that moment, Hermione did something that caught Harry completely off guard. She threw her arms around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder. As if by instinct, Harry wrapped his arms around her waist. She seemed a lot smaller than he remembered her being.
"I'm sorry," she said, pulling back suddenly, tears still streaming down her face. "I don't know what's gotten into me. Never mind me, I'm probably going mad."
"You are not!" exclaimed Harry, not blaming her a bit. She was wearing a nightgown as loose as a bed sheet so it wouldn't rub much against what was left of her skin, and when she shifted, Harry caught sight of where the Forveret Bursen had touched her. He couldn't even find words to describe it, and he found himself looking away. "I'm proud of you," he said finally. "I can't imagine what you've been through, Hermione. Ron can't either. We've barely left since Friday. We didn't want to leave you."
Hermione's sobs had reduced to sniffles. "I know," she said softly. "I've heard you arguing with Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore and Snape and Ron's parents. Thank you so much for staying. I felt better knowing you were there."
"Does it still hurt?" asked Harry. He gingerly touched her arm, and she immediately winced. "I'm sorry!" he said, feeling awful. "I didn't mean to hurt you."
"It's not your fault," assured Hermione. "So, how ugly has it made me?"
"What?" Harry hadn't been expecting that.
"Come on, Harry," said Hermione patiently. "I have eyes. I know what it looks like."
"I don't think you've ever been prettier." Harry's words were sincere. In his eyes, she never had been.
Hermione sighed. "I'm sure you're lying to me, but it's sweet of you nonetheless." She paused, and her voice grew much more timid. "I-I have to ask. What happened to Malfoy?"
"Nothing, yet," said Harry, wishing he didn't have to tell her that. "Personally, I agree with Snape's first idea, the one where he pours that stuff all over Malfoy. Now, Snape's just calling for his expulsion, but Dumbledore insists on seeing how you pull through before doing anything to Malfoy. I'll bet he just wants to wait until you're well enough to get out of here, so you can be there when they snap his wand in half."
Hermione smiled, and Harry was glad to see he'd brought a twinkle into her eye. He and Ron had spent countless hours worrying that Hermione would never be the same after what happened. Now, Harry realized with a start, they had been right in a sense. She'd been through a lot, and she would carry the scars and memories of the incident forever. But she was still Hermione. There was no changing that.
There was a long silence, and Hermione rested her head on Harry's shoulder again. At that moment, Harry felt something change deep inside of him, but he couldn't identify exactly what. Everything was the same again, but it was different, too. Time passed quietly, but it wasn't until much later that Harry realized his ten minutes had ticked off long ago.
* * *
Hermione's fifteenth birthday fell during the second weekend they spent at Hogwarts, eight days after the incident in the Potions dungeon. She was still in the hospital wing, but Madam Pomfrey had been much more lenient about letting her have visitors. By the end of the week, Harry and Ron had nearly free run of the ward, and they came and saw Hermione as they pleased. Together, along with a little help from the house-elves, Ron's siblings, and Hedwig, they managed to put on a small, quiet birthday celebration on Saturday afternoon.
The passing of time and Madam Pomfrey's healing abilities had done wonders for Hermione. She still had a lot of recovering left to do, but both Harry and Ron had been pleased to watch her improve steadily throughout the week. Not only was she looking healthy again, but she also seemed to be in less pain each day.
So it was on Saturday afternoon when Harry and Ron slipped silently into the school Hospital. They were each carrying a present for Hermione, and a well-mannered house-elf they had often seen with Dobby scurried behind them with a lovely cake. The two boys were surprised when they saw Hermione, as she was propped up again a wall of pillows and engrossed in her Arithmancy homework. She looked up at the sound of their footsteps and smiled brightly when she saw Harry and Ron.
"Harry! Ron!" said Hermione brightly. "Professor Vector was so kind to drop off my Arithmancy work, and I figured I'd better get to work if I didn't want to fall miserably be-" she broke up with a wide-eyed expression when she noticed the packages they were holding and the little house-elf carrying a gorgeous cake.
"Happy birthday, Hermione!" exclaimed Harry and Ron together. Ron leaned down to hug Hermione as Harry set her presents at the end of the bed, and then it was Harry's turn. She hugged him tightly and gave him a kiss on the cheek as he was standing back up. Hermione had done the same thing nearly every day that week, and it continued to cause Harry's cheeks to turn pink.
The little house-elf stepped up with a bow, presenting Hermione the cake. She expressed her thanks, causing the little house elf to smile humbly before scampering back towards the kitchen.
"You did this for me?" said Hermione. She sounded dumbfounded as Harry took the cake from her and set it down on her table. Ron had found a roll of crepe paper and was waving his wand wildly to get it to decorate Hermione's little area. At one point, the roll flew off into the distance, and Ron had to summon it back. His face was nearly as red as his hair.
"Damn," he muttered. "Maybe I should just try to do this without magic."
Hermione giggled as Ron climbed up on the empty bed next to her, muttering curse words, to finish hanging the decorations. When he was done, he sat down on the empty bed; Harry had already taken a seat on the edge of Hermione's bed and helped her put away her quill, parchment, and Arithmancy book.
"You guys didn't have to do this for me!" said Hermione. There was still a touch of astonishment in her voice.
"Of course we didn't have to," started Ron.
"We did it because we wanted to," finished Harry.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something, but Ron cut her off, thrusting his present in her direction. "Now open your presents," he commanded. "Fred and George will be here any minute with your surprise!"
"My surprise?" asked Hermione, inspecting Ron's heavily taped parcel and giving it a gentle shake. "You say it like you haven't already done more than enough! But-Fred and George? I'm not sure if I like the sound of that!"
"Just open your package!" insisted Ron. The taped proved a little trying, however, and she still didn't have it open when the Weasley twins crept silently into the room. They were carrying something, and it seemed to be moving.
"Crookshanks!" exclaimed Hermione in quite excitement. At the sound of his name, the ginger cat leaped out of Fred's arms and bounded to his owner.
"Oh, Crookshanks," said Hermione, cuddling her beloved pet. "You guys are the greatest! How did you even-"
"You mentioned how much you were missing him yesterday," explained Harry. "So Ron and I decided to employ the talents of Fred and George-"
"And Ron here," said George, tousling his younger brother's hair, which brought a scowl to Ron's face, "spent a good hour convincing our slightly stubborn sister to simply bring Crookshanks down to the common room."
"Then," continued Fred, "we used our supreme knowledge of Hogwarts to slip down here undetected!"
"Consider that our present to you," said George sheepishly. "We didn't even know what these two were planning until yesterday."
"It's a wonderful present," declared Hermione, stroking Crookshanks. He had settled down in her lap and lazily shut his eyes.
"Oh, I nearly forgot these." Fred pulled out a sack from behind him, which no one had noticed in the commotion of Crookshanks's appearance. "From some of your girl friends, I think."
"Thank you, George, Fred," said Hermione happily. She sat the sack by the side of her bed. "Perhaps we should have the cake?"
"You haven't opened your present yet!" protested Ron.
"Maybe you don't remember, but you have a detention in twenty minutes, Ron," said Harry slyly. "So we really should get to work on the cake.
"Ron has a detention?" said Hermione disapprovingly.
"Yep," confirmed George.
"Rumor is, he hasn't been paying attention in History of Magic all year," said Fred. "Instead, he keeps scribbling things in the margin of his notes about some girl-"
"Shut up!" exclaimed Ron, hitting his older brother square in the chest. However, he didn't deny their accusations.
A few minutes later, the small group was happily gorging themselves on cake. She looked particularly happy and ate an entire piece. Harry felt sorry for her. He had a feeling that she wasn't getting the same food that was served in the Great Hall.
"We heard something interesting on the way down here," said Fred suddenly, his mouth stuffed with cake.
"Yeah," agreed George. "Professor Dumbledore was telling Professor McGonagall something. It was very interesting, indeed.
The three younger students looked at the twins expectantly, waiting for them to continue. Fred finally sighed. "Oh, all right," he said. "We're only telling you this because it's too good not to share."
"Sagesse Bom is planning to visit the school-" said George.
"-In light of the recent events," finished Fred. "I'm willing to bet that's when they plan to punish Malfoy."
"Punish him?" argued George. "They're going to do a lot more then that."
Ron broke in. "The new Minister is coming to Hogwarts?"
The twins stopped minor quarreling to nod ferociously. "Don't look so surprised," said Fred. "Fudge came here pretty often."
"Yes," said Harry, "but Fudge always seemed to rely on Dumbledore for advice on everything."
"Yeah," agreed Ron. "Besides, you just said it was about what happened to Hermione!"
Hermione blushed. "That's not what he said," she muttered. "I'm not nearly important enough to elicit a visit from the Minister."
"Yes you are!" said the four boys at once, giving her a look. There was a moment of silence. Ron looked up at the clock, cursed slightly, and shoved his present in Hermione's direction.
"Here, open it now," he said quickly. "I have to be in Professor McGonagall's office exactly three minutes ago."
Ron's present turned out to be, unsurprisingly, a book. She had spent the first week of school complaining about the long waiting list for it in the library. As soon as she had opened it, however, Ron took off with a quick good bye and a promise to come back later. The twins headed back to the Gryffindor tower at that time, too, taking Crookshanks with them. Only Hermione and Harry remained in the hospital wing.
Hermione watched the twins leave, calling her goodbyes out to Fred, George, and Crookshanks. When she turned around again, Harry noticed that tears were glistening in her eyes. "What's wrong?" he asked immediately, wondering what could have happened.
"Nothing at all," said Hermione, wiping her eyes. "Everything's wonderful, actually! You guys are the greatest! I'd been dreading spending my birthday here, but your thoughtfulness made it the best birthday ever!"
Harry blushed slightly, and Hermione dabbed away her tears again. "I don't know what's gotten into me," she said apologetically. "I can't figure out why I'm so emotional about everything."
"Don't be sorry," said Harry firmly, putting his arm around her shoulders. "How many times do I have to tell you that we're not going to think any less of you if you cry? You've been through a lot, `Mione. We understand that."
Hermione smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Harry," she said. "You're very sweet."
"Right," he said quickly, grabbing his package to her and thrusting it in her direction just as Ron had. "You haven't opened my present yet."
Hermione giggled, and muttered her thanks when she saw it wasn't so wrapped in tape. Inside, there was another book she'd been wanting, along with a bag full of her favorite candy.
"Sorry," said Harry immediately.
"For what?"
"We always get you books," he explained.
Hermione waved her hand dismissively. "It's not like it's something I don't want!" she said. "I always get you candy!"
Harry laughed, and there was a moment of comfortable silence. "Do you think it's true?" said Hermione at last.
"What?"
"About the Minister coming because of Malfoy."
"I'm not sure," admitted Harry. "I think George is right about one thing, though. I can't see Malfoy not getting expelled."
"Maybe," said Hermione quietly. "It seems a bit harsh."
"Harsh?" sputtered Harry. "'Mione, look what he did to you! I can't think of anything harsh enough!"
Hermione was quiet. "I guess not," she said.
"You aren't nearly as confident as you used to be," observed Harry.
"Maybe not." Hermione sighed. "I don't know what's gotten into me."
"You're still you," said Harry with a shrug.
"But is that a good or bad?"
"Good," said Harry, and he grinned
* * *
By the fourth week of school, things at Hogwarts had essentially returned to normal. Hagrid had returned midway through the second week, and the class resumed at the beginning of the third. Madame Maxime floated through the castle like one of the more mournful ghosts at first, but she soon maintained a more collected exterior. The buzz of gossip even died down, despite the fact that Hermione still remained in the hospital and Malfoy was yet to receive his punishment.
Things even seemed normal for Harry and Ron, though it was hard to ignore Hermione's empty seat in every class. They visited her religiously, sharing news of everything happening at Hogwarts and sneaking in food the house-elves prepared especially for her. They helped her catch up with her studies and even tried to review the curses and charms they had learned in class, but Madam Pomfrey put a stop on the demonstrations when a charm of Ron's sent scalpels and surgical scissors flying madly around the room. Hermione's condition continued to improve each day, yet Madam Pomfrey showed no signs of releasing her.
And, for the first time since they started at Hogwarts, Malfoy avoided Harry and Ron as much as possible. A few of the Slytherins informed them that he was absolutely terrified at the prospect of being expelled; otherwise, Harry and Ron figured he would have spent a lot more time gloating about the horror he had inflicted upon Hermione. It wasn't until a sunny Friday afternoon in late September, a few weeks later, that Malfoy dared try anything.
* * *
"Yeh urn't gonna get an'where with `im like that," said Hagrid. He walked over to the hursle and gently began to pat its head. Lavender Brown stepped back; she seemed more then willing to let Hagrid work with the animal. "Hursels, `ey like to beh loved, jus like a pet. Play with `em an' pet `em an' ey'll be yehr bes' friends."
Harry and Ron shared an uncertain look, but they knew better than to question Hagrid's advice. The hursle looked almost like a small, feathered horse, and neither boy was quite sure of its parentage. Giving Ron a shrug, Harry leaned down and began rubbing the hursle's head, just as he would Hagrid's dog, Fang. Almost immediately, the creature rolled over, its blue tongue hanging leisurely out of its mouth.
"Well," said Ron, wiping his hands on his robe. "At least he's more lovable than the skrewts."
Harry grimaced, thinking of the nasty creatures they'd encountered in Hagrid's class the year before. He sat down on the ground by the hursle, waiting for the other groups to calm down their animals, and Ron followed suit. Harry absently began to pat the hursle's head again.
"Anything would be better than the skrewts," said Harry. "I don't think a word exists to describe those things."
Ron scratched his head. "I can't think of one either," he said at last.
Harry gave the hursle an odd look as it rolled over contentedly and fell right asleep. He pointed at it. "I think I can put up with these. Once you're on their good side, all they do is sleep."
Ron sniggered. "I think we might have just gotten the lazy one." This time, he did the pointing-right at Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. "And they're not the only ones still trying to figure it out."
"They never will," said Harry bitterly. "You heard Hagrid; he said you had to be kind and gentle with the hursles. There isn't a bone in Malfoy's body that's kind or gentle. He's just cruel."
"Can't say I don't agree with you," said Ron. "How long do you think it'll be before Dumbledore finally does something about him?"
"I don't know," said Harry. He looked down at the hursle as it let loose a little snore. It seemed so content that Harry couldn't help feel a little jealous. "He should have done something by now. It's not fair that he still has free roam of the school while Hermione's still confined to her bed in the hospital."
"Yeah," said Ron. "Do you think Crabbe and Goyle will get in any trouble?"
"I'm not sure. They didn't do anything," said Harry. "It doesn't really matter to me. All the two of them are good for is following Malfoy. Without him, they're not smart enough to do anything."
"Too true," said Ron, laughing. He opened his mouth to say something, but his words were halted by a flurry of angry screams.
"You stupid animal!" screamed Malfoy. The poor hursle assigned to his group cowered in front of him, covering its eyes with its paws. "Why won't you listen to me? Worthless!" With a final shout of anger, he kicked the hursle as hard as he could, sending it flying. It landed several meters away, looking stunned. Suddenly, it lost its terrified expression and bared its teeth in a low growl. It stepped closer to Malfoy.
"Uh-oh," whispered Harry. "Didn't Hagrid say that hursles have quite a temper if you upset them?"
From a few feet in front of them, their own hursle began to stir. It bared its teeth and growled in the same fashion, as did almost all of the hursles assembled around Hagrid's cabin. Ron backed away.
"Yes," said Ron nervously. He gulped. "He also said that they travel in groups-"
The words were barely out of his mouth when the hursles took off, chasing Malfoy around in circles. They didn't touch him; they just jumped around him, nipping in his direction and barking frantically. Harry and Ron exploded in laughter as Malfoy started to scream in fright.
"You goons!" he was yelling in Crabbe and Goyle's direction. "Why aren't you helping me? Do something! Get these things away from me!"
Crabbe and Goyle shared a look before rushing over to assist Malfoy. However, before they could get to him, the hursles had cornered him into running another direction.
"Hey," said Harry, loud enough so only Ron could hear. "They're trying to run him off Hogwarts grounds!"
Ron's eyes went wide, and a smile stretched across his face. "Damn right they are! Think they'll run him over the boundaries?"
"I sure hope they do!" sniggered Harry. "I'm anxious to find out what Dumbledore's surprise was!"
"Dumbledore's surprise?"
Harry looked over at Ron, who seemed confused. "Yes, the surprise. Don't you remember him warning us not to leave school grounds that first night?"
"Oh!" exclaimed Ron. At about that moment, there was a loud hiss and a pop, and Malfoy seemed to be suspended in the air. A few seconds later, he fell back to the ground with a hard thud, and the hursles scattered. The entire class rushed in his direction.
"Do you think that was it?" asked Ron quietly.
"It might be," said Harry. He broke off when he saw Malfoy, who was rolling on the ground, sputtering and cursing. His hair had turned completely white, and his skin was unusually pale. Harry began to howl with laughter.
"It's like an electric fence!" he exclaimed.
"Eceletic fence?" Ron tried to repeat.
"It's a Muggle thing," Harry explained quickly. "They use it to keep their dogs from getting out of their yards. They bury a cable on the limits of the property, and when the dog tries to run through it, a sensor in its collar shocks it!"
Now Ron was laughing, too. Crabbe and Goyle had cautiously approached Malfoy before finally helping him up. Once he was standing again, he continued to rage.
"That thing tried to kill me!" screamed Malfoy, his hand pointing at nothing. "Oh, you'll pay for this! I'll get all of those stupid hursles killed just like I did your damn hippogriff!"
"Yeh will not!" said Hagrid sharply, parting the crowd. He gave Malfoy a stern look. "Yeh won't do nothin' `cause yeh ain't gonna be at `ogwarts much longer."
"That's what you think! They're afraid to touch me!" raged Malfoy. "They're afraid to admit that the Know-It-All deserved it! It's just a shame it didn't kill her!"
The crowd backed away from him. Hagrid had to rush over to Harry and Ron to keep the two of them from jumping Malfoy. He had one hand on Harry and one on Ron, holding them back.
"Yeh don't wan' to get yeh selves in trouble," he warned quietly. "Let me handle it." Then, he gestured to Seamus and Dean, who were the burlier boys of the Gryffindor house, and cleared his throat. "Would the two o' yeh mind takin' `im to Dumbledore? Be sure to tell `im what he said abou' `Ermione."
The boys scrambled over to Malfoy, ducking his swinging arms and forced him along. As soon as they were out of sight, Hagrid turn to the rest of the class. "Would yeh please help me round up the `ursles? Then yeh'll be free to go."
* * *
Harry and Ron had stayed with Hagrid until the very last hursle had been rounded into the pen behind his house. They had offered to stay and talk to him, but he'd waved them on. He said he was going to talk to Dumbledore about what Malfoy had done. The two of them walked silently back into the castle.
"Are you going to visit Hermione?" asked Ron once they were inside. "She'll be eager to hear what happened to Malfoy."
"She could use a good laugh," said Harry grimly. "She's seemed kind of down the last few days. Everyday she gets her hopes up about leaving when Madam Pomfrey starts talking about how much better she's doing, and then she gets told she's still got a long way to go."
"Poor Hermione," said Ron sincerely. He stopped in the hallway before the hospital wing. "I-well, there's something I wanted to do today. Think Hermione would be offended if I came by after dinner?"
"Nah," said Harry.
"That's right," said Ron. Harry could have sworn he saw a sly smile creep onto Ron's face. "She won't even notice I'm not there."
"Ron!" exclaimed Harry. "That's not true."
Ron sniggered, rushing towards the Gryffindor tower. "I'll see you at dinner, Harry!"
Harry shook his head as he watched Ron retreat. He wasn't sure what Ron had meant by saying Hermione wouldn't notice his absence. Hermione wasn't dumb; of course she would realize that Ron wasn't there. He shrugged it off and walked into the hospital wing and over to Hermione's area. He pushed the curtains apart.
"Hermione-"
A sense of unexplainable dread washed over Harry. Hermione wasn't there. Her bed had been made up, but her things were still sitting on the nightstand, and her book bag was still resting on the floor at the end of the bed. Harry reminded himself that Hermione had been fine the day before and that there was no need to panic. From somewhere else in the room, he heard a door swing open.
"Harry!"
Harry turned around so quickly that he nearly found himself tangled up in the curtains. Hermione was walking slowly back toward her area, Madam Pomfrey's hand on her shoulder, gently guiding her, the mediwitch's wand at the ready. She was dressed in Muggle clothing-an oversized shirt and a pair of loose fitting cotton pants, but to Harry she had never looked lovelier.
"Hermione," said Harry, resisting the urge to run over to her. He'd never been so happy to see her than he was at that moment. When he had seen her empty bed, he was sure something horrible had happened to her.
Madam Pomfrey leaned over him when he reached the two of them. "Help her back to her bed," she whispered, keeping her voice low enough that Hermione wouldn't here. "You'll have to support her. She's weak."
Harry nodded, one of his hands already on Hermione's arm and the other at her waist. "You're up," he said with a grin. Madam Pomfrey took a step back, a pleased expression on her face.
"I am," breathed Hermione. "Oh Harry, I was seriously starting to think that I'd be forced to stay in that bed from now on. Then, after lunch, Madam Pomfrey informed me that she thought I'd been sitting around for much too long! I don't think I've ever been so happy to bathe and dress!"
"Does this mean you get to leave?" asked Harry. Her face instantly fell, and he immediately regretted saying anything.
"Not yet," said Hermione quietly, and Harry helped her sit back down on her bed.
"I'm sorry, `Mione," said Harry as he sat down next to her.
"I asked Madam Pomfrey the same thing," admitted Hermione. She looked about ready to cry. "As it turns out, the burns aren't even healed yet. She said it would be several more weeks."
Harry didn't say anything. He gently wiped a tear from her cheek and put his arm around her. "I guess those kind of things just take a long time to heal. At least you're in the best possible hands."
Hermione managed a weak smile. "Come on," said Harry. "I have something to tell you that I think will cheer you up." He proceeded to tell her what had happened to Malfoy that day, and she started laughing when he compared the invisible barrier around Hogwarts to an electric fence.
"I do hope they deal with him soon," said Hermione when he finished. Harry was grinning, for her could see the corners of her mouth turning up into a genuine smile. "Why does he think it's his right to pick on everyone and everything? I feel bad for the poor hursle he kicked."
"Me too," said Harry. "He started screaming that he was going to do the same thing to the hursles that he did to Buckbeak. I think he's forgotten that Buckbeak managed to escape his execution."
"Did Hagrid get upset?" Hermione wanted to know.
"No," said Harry. "Malfoy started to yell about you next, and Hagrid defended you. He had a couple of the boys take him straight to Dumbledore."
"What was he saying?"
Harry shook his head. "You don't want to know, Hermione," he said honestly. Her face fell, but she didn't press him. Suddenly, Harry remembered he had something for her.
"Oh!" he said, digging around in the pockets of his robe. His hand clasped around the small object, but he waited to take it out. "We've started a new unit in Transfiguration. It's all about creating specific objects with detail. Since you didn't get to take part in the lesson, I thought you might like the output."
Harry dropped the object into the palm of her hand. It was a beautiful silver necklace. He'd been given a piece of rope to work with, and Professor McGonagall kept telling them to picture something they'd seen before, and change their object into that. Harry wasn't sure where he'd seen such a necklace before, but he'd been able to create it almost as soon as he'd thought of it.
"It's gorgeous, Harry," said Hermione softly. "Thank you."
"Do you like it?" asked Harry. "I don't have any use for it, but I thought you might like it. It's a girls' necklace. I thought it might cheer you up-" Harry was vaguely aware that he was rambling.
"I rather think it's the nicest thing I've ever been given," said Hermione softly.
* * *
That night, Harry climbed into bed only a few short hours after dinner. It was unusual for him to do so, but it had been a fairly unusual night. Ron hadn't shown up at dinner time; in fact, Harry hadn't seen him at all since they'd gone their separate ways after Hagrid's class. Several other people had also been absent from dinner. Malfoy was nowhere to be found, and several of the teachers, including Dumbledore, never showed. However, halfway through the meal, Snape had appeared, and he made quite a commotion when he drug Crabbe and Goyle off in the direction of his office-by their ears.
After dinner, Harry had returned to the hospital wing, and he tried to help Hermione with her charms homework. In all actuality, it was Hermione that ended up helping Harry, but he'd had a good time just talking and being with her, but Madam Pomfrey had shooed him away earlier than usual, insisting that Hermione needed her rest because she'd been up and around that day.
There really wasn't a point in arguing with Madam Pomfrey, so Harry had said his good-byes to Hermione and went back to the Gryffindor tower. Ron was nowhere to be found, and Harry had already finished his homework. With nothing better to do, he put his pajamas on and climbed into bed.
That had been well over an hour before, and Harry was still lying awake in the dark. It was nice, surprisingly, and he went on thinking about nothing in particular. He had nearly drifted off to sleep when the loud creak of the dormitory door and the sound of footsteps on the old floor pulled him from his semi-conscious state immediately. The overhead chandelier lit up, and, sure enough, Ron was standing in front of the doorway, looking a little sheepish, but nothing could hid the overwhelming grin that kept creeping back on his face.
"Ron," groaned Harry. "What's with the sneaking in after lights out thing?"
"Er-nothing," said Ron, rummaging through the wardrobe for his own pajamas. "Sorry I woke you."
"You didn't wake me," muttered Harry, fumbling around for his glasses. "I hadn't completely fallen asleep yet."
"That's good to know," said Ron heartily. Harry gave him an odd look.
"Okay, I give up," said Harry. "What's gotten you in such a good-no, don't put out the chandelier yet; I want to be able to see your face. Your expressions always give you away."
This time, Ron groaned. He hopped onto his bed, a guilty smile on his face. "What were you asking?"
"I was asking about your good mood," said Harry. "While you're explaining that, you might also want to touch on your absence from dinner and why you stood Hermione and I up."
"Like you cared," muttered Ron, but Harry didn't catch it. "Fine, fine. You've caught me."
Harry raised his eyebrows, inspecting his best friend closely. Ron's cheeks had begun to flush. "Well?"
"Well," said Ron, "you probably noticed I've been doing my own thing a lot of the time."
Actually, Harry hadn't noticed, but he didn't want to admit it. He bit his lip. Come to think of it, Ron had been acting a little strangely lately. Ron always seemed to have somewhere else to be, which Harry attributed to all the time he had been spending with Hermione. Harry had noticed at first, but he hadn't said anything because he didn't want to pry.
"Sort of," said Harry.
"I've got a girlfriend," blurted Ron.
Harry sat straight up in his bed. "You have a what?" he demanded sharply.
"A girlfriend?" Ron said, a hint of laughter in his voice. "You know, `a girl that one is romantically involved with'? Come on, Harry. Don't tell me you don't know what that is."
"I know!" said Harry defensively. "Who is it?"
Now, Ron blushed flat out. "Anna Clemens." Harry looked at him blankly. "She's a year behind us," Ron quickly explained. "Ravenclaw. I was looking for Ginny after class one day, took a corner too fast, and ran into her-literally."
"I can't believe you didn't tell me about her," said Harry, shaking his head. He jokingly added, "And I call you my best friend-"
"Now wait just one minute," protested Ron. "I just-er, well, I didn't want to say anything about it until I was sure. I mean, until I was sure she liked me too. I-er, well-"
Harry burst out laughing. He'd never known Ron to be so shy, so he had a feeling that he really liked this Anna Clemens girl. "How long?"
"How long what?" asked Ron, looking perplexed. "Oh! Er, I just asked her out tonight."
"So where were you at dinner?" asked Harry slyly.
"That's none of your damn business-but don't you bloody smirk, Potter, because it's not what you're thinking."
Harry continued sniggering until Ron tossed a pillow in his direction. Even then, he had to cover his mouth to keep it in. "Shut up," insisted Ron. "It's not funny. Don't even get me started on you."
"What?"
"Never mind," Ron said quickly.
Harry lay back against his pillow. "I just can't believe it-it's quite difficult imagining you being romantic."
"I'm capable!" Ron insisted. "Don't think you're the only one capable of it."
"Capable of what?"
"Being romantic!" Ron sounded exasperated. He shook his head.
"Me? I'm not romantic," said Harry.
"Bull," said Ron. He leaned back against his pillows, and, with the wave of his wand, put out the chandelier's candles. "Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about."
"Ron, that's the point," said Harry. He shifted around in the dark until he was comfortable. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Never mind," said Ron lazily. There was a moment of silence, but then Ron spoke again. "Did you give it to her?"
"Huh?"
"Hermione," said Ron, like Harry was the dumbest person alive. "Did you give Hermione the necklace?"
"What? How did you know?" Harry took off his glasses and put them on the nightstand. It was a good thing it was so dark; he didn't want Ron to see him blushing.
"So you gave it to her?"
"Yes, I did," admitted Harry finally. "She needed a good cheering up."
He heard Ron roll over in his bed. "And you say you don't know what I'm talking about," grumbled Ron.
Harry was about to ask Ron what he was talking about when it suddenly dawned on him. "Ron!" he exclaimed, not caring how loud he was probably being. "Where'd you get that notion?"
"Gee, I wonder," said Ron sarcastically.
"Well, get rid of it."
"Hey," said Ron defensively. "Don't get mad at me."
"Good night, Ron."
"Hmm… maybe you should just call me Ronald Weasley, concerned best friend," started Ron. "Wait, on second thought, maybe amused. Yes, yes, amused. That's right-"
"Good night, Ron," Harry said again. He rolled over, ready to go to sleep. It was difficult though, considering Ron was still sniggering in the background.
* * *
Harry was in somewhat of a foul mood when he arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning. He'd managed to oversleep, and Ron hadn't woken him until he himself was getting ready to leave. It wasn't a big deal, seeing that it was a Saturday, but it still did wonders to put Harry in a grumpy mood.
As soon as he walked into the hall, he was overwhelmed by the peculiar silence. There was a small amount of fidgeting and coughing and an assortment of excited whispers, but it was nothing like the usual excitement at Saturday breakfast. Ron was nowhere to be found, but a sweeping glance over the tables told Harry that he wasn't late at all. They were, at best, half full, which led Harry to believe that Ron had simply left early to be with Anna. Parvati Patil and a large group of her giggling friends already occupied Harry's usual spot, so he slid into the vacant seat next to George Weasley. The Weasley twins looked unusually demure.
"What's going on?" whispered Harry, as it seemed to be the right tone to use at the moment.
"We're not completely sure," whispered Fred, obviously speaking for both the twins. Harry still found it uncanny how they were able to finish each others' thoughts, but he found himself doing it every once in a while with Ron.
George was quietly fiddling with one of their fake wands, and he looked up when it turned into a bouquet of plastic flowers. "It's being said that Malfoy is going to be expelled today-"
"And the new Minster is here," explained Fred with a flourish. "We're almost sure of it."
"We were `exploring' the halls yesterday evening, and we think we saw Dumbledore ushering him in," said George, "but of course, neither of us has ever seen him, so we can't be sure."
"If it is him," added Fred, "he's nothing like we imagined."
"Why?" Harry couldn't resist asking. "Is there something deformed about him?"
"Oh, no," said George dismissively. "He's just unusually short."
"That he is," agreed Fred. "He's also much younger than we expected."
"He would be the same age as my father," reminded Harry. "At least, your dad said they were at Hogwarts at the same time."
"Well, that's completely true," said Fred.
"That is young," explained George. "I forget the only Minister you've known is Fudge. They're usually even older then that. Fudge looked young in comparison to some of them."
"Yes," added Fred eagerly, "and this guy makes Fudge look decrepit."
Harry was about to say something more, but he caught sight of Ron at that moment and closed his mouth. Sure enough, his best friend had a girl on his arm when he walked into the Great Hall. Harry studied the girl, and he couldn't help but laugh.
Now that he'd seen her, he knew he'd seen Ron with her before. That wasn't what made him laugh, though. Harry laughed because, if he didn't know better, he would have mistaken her for an eighth Weasley sibling. She was very pretty, but she had a mess of extremely curly red hair and, Harry noticed, as they got closer, a good sprinkling of freckles across her nose and cheeks. When they reached the Ravenclaw table, Harry watched Ron peak around, then give her a quick kiss on the cheek before rushing off toward the Gryffindor table.
"Did you see Anna?" breathed Ron, his voice low so his brothers wouldn't hear him. Obviously, that peak had been to see if his brothers were watching. Harry didn't blame him; he knew the Weasley twins would delight in giving their little brother hell if they knew he had a girlfriend.
"I saw her," returned Harry, just as quietly. He didn't say anything more, for he knew it would put Ron on the spot.
"Well?" said Ron. "Go on. What did you think of her?"
"She looks nice," said Harry. At that moment, a burst of laughter erupted from the midsection of the table, where the giggling girls were sitting. "She's not like that, though, is she?"
Ron shook his head furiously. "I don't think there's anything out there more annoying than that. She's nice and normal. I'll let you meet her today."
Harry gave him the thumbs up sign, for at that moment Fred seemed to take a keen interest in the two of them. For Ron's sake, Harry just hoped neither he nor George had heard any of it.
"You missed out on a great dinner," said Harry loudly, though it was no more than a whisper compared to the tones they usually had to use to be heard over the din.
"I heard about it," said Ron grimly. "Apparently Malfoy was missing?"
"Dumbledore, too," said Harry. "You missed out on Snape dragging out Crabbe and Goyle, though. There aren't words-"
He stopped short, for Dumbledore had just stood up from the staff table and was working his way to the area at the front and center of the four house tables. He waved his arms, and a complete silence enveloped the hall.
"I have an important announcement to make. Last night, a visitor of great prestige was received here at Hogwarts, and he will be staying with us for several days," said Dumbledore. "I hope that everyone will be on their best behavior and show the Minister of Magic, Sagesse Bom, what excellent students we have here at Hogwarts. And, of course, I expect you to treat him with respect and welcome should you see him during his stay. Thank you." Dumbledore made his way back to the staff table, and it was only then that Harry caught sight of the extra chair that had been pulled up to the table and the figure sitting in it.
"Ron, look!" he hissed, pointing madly in that direction. Ron swiveled around, and he looked back at Harry with a grin of delight on his face.
"Awesome!" he whispered. It was apparent that most everyone had overlooked the short, stout man tucked into the table between Snape and Dumbledore. Even though he had never met Bom, Harry liked him immediately. He had dark, messy hair, and he wore plain black robes, a major contrast from Fudge's frivolous extravagance. "Think we'll get to meet him?"
"Perhaps," said Harry. He shrugged, but he couldn't help thinking how interesting it would be. At about that time, the food materialized onto the tables, and both boys began to eat
* * *
When Harry reached the hospital wing that morning, Hermione's bed was once again empty. He didn't worry this time, for he assumed she was with Madam Pomfrey, getting ready for the day. It had taken him longer than expected to get down there that morning because breakfast had run later than usual, and then he had gone with Ron to meet Anna. However, he didn't get a chance to; one of the Ravenclaw girls informed Ron that someone had spilled their drink on Anna, so she had rushed off to change. Ron had shrugged and promised Harry to bring her down to the hospital wing as soon as he found her.
Harry pulled a chair inside of Hermione's area, figuring it wouldn't be too much longer, and he was right. He had no sooner sat down than heard the door swing open. He scrambled out between the curtains and over to Hermione's side. Smiling reassurance to Madam Pomfrey that he hadn't forgot her words of caution the day before, Harry helped Hermione back towards her bed.
"You look excited about something," said Harry as soon as they were out of earshot.
"I do have something to tell you, if that's what you mean," said Hermione. She seemed to be captivated by something, almost to the point of being awestruck. She sat down heavily on her bed, looking over at her bedside table. Harry looked in the same direction, and he noticed two sticks laying there, both smooth and polished with the exception of their jagged ends.
"What's that?" he asked, taking a seat in the chair.
Hermione glance between the Harry and the sticks, and it was then he noticed the tears in her eyes. "They expelled Malfoy last night," she said happily, an almost triumphant tear running down her cheek. "Dumbledore came in here afterwards to tell me all about it. He's wanted to do so the entire time, but he left the final decision to the new Minister. Dumbledore said he thought I might like to keep the broken pieces of Malfoy's wand."
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