𝐎, 𝐂𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐄𝐃 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐋𝐃 ⎥ "He wants a fight with
a God? I'll give him one."
﹙ from stardust we came, to stardust we return ﹚
Prisoner of Azkaban - Deathly Hollows
...
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HARRY AND ELARA WERE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO CLASSES ON MONDAY. it was a relief to return to the noise and bustle of the main school, where they were able to distract themselves. the only downside was that draco 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. draco 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.
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 behavior while lupin had been ill.
after, they had a very enjoyable lesson. professor lupin had brought along a glass box containing a hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke,rather frail and harmless looking.
when the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, harry and elara among them, but —
"harry and elara, wait a moment," lupin called. "i'd like a word."
they 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, harry. 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."
"did you hear about the dementors too?" asked elara.
lupin looked at her quickly.
"yes, i did. i don't think any of us have seen professor dumbledore that angry. they have been growing restless for some time... furious at his refusal to let them inside the grounds... i suppose they were the reason you two fell?"
