𝐀𝐈𝐌 𝐎𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐘𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐘┊ᴴᵃʳʳʸ ᴾᵒᵗᵗᵉʳ

43 ✥ 𝙾𝚞𝚝 𝙾𝚗 𝙰 𝚂𝚗𝚎𝚊𝚔𝚢 𝙰𝚍𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎

࿔₊° ࿔₊° ࿔₊° ࿔₊°

❝ Just like, Open sesame! ❞

࿔₊° ࿔₊° ࿔₊° ࿔₊°

𝕴T 𝖂AS 𝘈 𝕽ELIEF for Harry to return to the noise and bustle of the main school on Monday, where he was forced to think about other things, even if he had to endure Draco Malfoy’s taunting (because Crystal won't let him throw hands).

Malfoy was almost beside himself with glee at Gryffindor’s defeat. He had finally taken off his bandages and celebrated having the full use of both arms again by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom. Crystal wanted to teach him a good lesson but she was kept much busy to think of a plan.

Malfoy spent much of their next Potions class doing dementor imitations across the dungeon; Ron finally cracked and flung a large, slippery crocodile heart at Malfoy, which hit him in the face and caused Snape to take fifty points from Gryffindor.

“If Snape’s teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again, I’m skiving off,” said Ron as they headed toward Lupin’s classroom after lunch, Crystal nodded her head in agreement. “Check who’s in there, Hermione.”

Hermione peered around the classroom door.

“It’s okay!”

Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes; nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape’s behaviour while Lupin had been ill. They were also lifted from the burden to complete the unreasonable homework from Snape to which Hermione was disappointed because she completed it.

They had a very enjoyable lesson though not so much for Crystal. The reason was again a creature but she was now okay to look at it from close, touching was still a no.

When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, Hermione, Zachary and Crystal among them talking side-by-side, but—

“Wait a moment, Harry and you too, Crystal,” Lupin called. “I’d like a word.”

Crystal and Harry doubled back and watched Professor Lupin covering the hinkypunk’s box with a cloth.

“I heard about the match,” said Lupin, turning back to his desk and starting to pile books into his briefcase, “and I’m sorry about your broomstick. Is there any chance of fixing it?”

“No,” said Harry. “The tree smashed it to bits.”

Lupin sighed.

“They planted the Whomping Willow the same year that I arrived at Hogwarts. People used to play a game, trying to get near enough to touch the trunk. In the end, a boy called Davey Gudgeon nearly lost an eye, and we were forbidden to go near it. No broomstick would have a chance."

"But what's the use of planting such kind of tree," Crystal said, "I mean, it does nothing but cause damage,"

Lupin forced a small mysterious smile but didn't say anything. Crystal assumed either he didn't know or he didn't want to tell, the latter was more likely the possibility.

"I heard about the letter you sent to the Ministry," Lupin said, "They were in chaos until yesterday. Did you threaten them?"

He changed the topic. . . Crystal thought.

"Ah, of course not, I just politely told them if this happens just one more time, they'd be losing all the financial support from Calisto for one of their major upcoming projects. I didn't threaten them,"