Harry Potter - Fanfiction

Year 3 - Animagus Preparation

In no time at all, Defence Against the Dark Arts has become most people's favorite class; some of the Slytherin's also come to enjoy it.

I went to go see him on the weekend and he tested me on a number of spells he plans to teach this year and then he delved into some of the spells that I was studying in the Restricted Sections books. Being very pleased at how far ahead I am, that he also agreed to sign my permission slip for any other books I wanted to learn from in the Restricted Section of the library.

His next few lessons are also just as interesting as the first. After Boggarts, we study the Red Caps, which are nasty little goblinlike creatures that lurk wherever there has been bloodshed, waiting to bludgeon those who have gotten lost.

From Red Caps we move on to Kappas; creepy water-dwellers that look like scaly monkey's with webbed hands itching to strangle unwitting waders in their ponds.

However, Snape is in a particularly vindictive mood these days as a story travelled through the school like wildfire, of Neville's boggart being Professor Snape which he dressed up in his grandmother's clothes. Snape of course doesn't seem to find it funny.

As for my other subjects. Nobody really liked Care of Magical Creatures after the action-packed first class. Hagrid seems to have lost his confidence. We are now spending lesson after lesson learning how to look after flobberworms, which has to be some of the most boring creatures in existence. Not even I find them fascinating.

      

With the start of October, also brings the start of a new Quidditch season. The twins and Draco's minds start focusing on their training sessions and matches. And my mind starts focusing on the beginning process of becoming an Animagus; with the rainy season on...

One morning Professor McGonagall calls me to the greenhouse with Professor Sprout.

"Nyx, thank you for coming. Professor Sprout has prepared a mandrake leaf for you," says Professor McGonagall as I enter the greenhouse.

Professor Sprout hands me a vial with a single Mandrake leaf.

"We will get ready to collect the rest of the ingredients in the meantime. In a months time we will meet here again to take the leaf from you. We must just hope that it isn't cloudy otherwise we will have to restart the process again." She adds as I place the vial in my robe pocket, "make sure to place it in your mouth tonight while the full moon is out."

"It's going to be a difficult month for eating," I joke.

Professor McGonagall smiles. "Try your best to ensure the leaf stays in your mouth. But know that there is no rush to do your Animagus state so if we ever need to restart it isn't a problem."

    

That evening after spending the entire day out at the Thestral paddock, with Luna popping by in the afternoon, I enter the Slytherin common room. The students buzzing excitedly.

I sit down next to Tracey on the couch who is busy on her Potions homework. "What's everyone so excited about?"

"A notice has been put up while you were away. First Hogsmeade weekend at the end of October. Halloween." She places down her quill facing me. "Where have you been all day? I've been stuck in here all-day doing homework."

"Out and about. I've finished most of mine, just have to add a little bit more to my Transfiguration essay," I answer.

"I don't know how you finish your homework so quickly... Care to help me?" she scoffs.

I look on with a pondering thought. "What will I get in return for helping you?"

Tracey hits me with one of her rolled up essays lying next to her. "If you don't help me like a good friend," she begins to whisper, "I'll blabber to everyone about you and Draco," she teases with a sly smile.

I turn up my nose as I answer, "I don't know what you're talking about. You have no evidence backing you."

I begin to laugh as she responds quietly, "right because there are no secret meetings going on between you two."

     

Monday finally comes dragging in. It feels as though we have been sitting for hours in Professor Binn's lesson, although it's only been twenty minutes.

I place my head on my arms as I sigh softly. The worst is that it's only the first lesson of the day - In this class I chose since my first year to be seated in one of the tables at the end of the classroom, only Draco and Tracey situated on either side of me. Crabbe and Goyle seated in front of Draco, with Pansy in front of Tracey.

Professor Binns continues to drone on about a war taking place years ago between two famous wizards, when something flutters and lands by my hand.

I peep over my arm to see a piece of paper folded into a small origami bird. I peer around the class to see who it is from. Most of the students are sleepily focused on the Professor, Pansy peering out of the corner of her eye at me. Crabbe and Goyle fast asleep as they snore away.

I look over to Tracey to find her also soundly sleeping away on her arms.

My eyes then scan to Draco, and I find him looking at me. Although he quickly diverts his attention back to Professor Binns.

I open up the note to see Draco's cursive handwriting neatly sprawled out onto the paper:

'Would you like to go to Hogsmeade with me? I know just the place we can go to, where no one will find us.'

A cheerful smile spreads across my face as I read. Pansy scoffs as she redirects her attention elsewhere.

I see, out the corner of my eye, that Draco is looking over to me again. But once again when I look over to him, he looks away.

I smile yet again, is this gap moe? Would I be correct in saying this, for I have never seen Draco act like this before? I've only read about it in some of the muggle Japanese books I have back home.

I look up to see that Professor Binns still has his back to the class, so I take my quill and write:

'Tired of bragging to everyone about your battle scar I see. Let me know the time and place and I'll be there.'

I fold the note up back into the origami shape and whisper as I point my wand at it, "piertotum locomotor."

The paper bird flutters to life and flies over to Draco, landing softly on his desk.

He doesn't wait as he unfolds it and reads my response.

He breaks into a smile as he peers at me from the corner of his eye. Placing the note in his book we both return our attention once again to Professor Binns.

     

Year 3 - Animagus Preparation ~ End