The Other Side of the Moon

Yeh've got to stroke 'em

Harry

Percy, Ron, Hermione and I headed down to Professor McGonagall's classroom for transfigurations next. We sat in the very back of the class, yet it was as though a spotlight was on me. Everyone kept glancing at me and Percy as if we were to drop dead at any moment.

I was listening as McGonagall described animagi, wizards who can transform into animals at will, but didn't even look up as she transformed into a cat. Apparently the rest of the class was about as unfocused as me.

"What has gotten into you today? Not that it matters,  but this is the first time a class hasn't applauded when i transformed," the Professor stated confused.

Once again the class turned to me, but I said nothing. Instead Hermione, who was sitting next to me, raised her hand. "Please Professor. We just can from Divination and we were reading tea leaves..."

"Say no more Ms Granger. Which one of you is said to die?"

Slowly Percy and I both raised our hands.

"Well I must say this is the first time I've seen 2 prophesied deaths, but every year Professor Trelawney predicts that one student will die. And I assure you boys that none of them have died yet. It is just how she typically likes to start her new students off.

"Now I must say that I don't hold a lot of faith in divination, it is definitely the most imprecise form of magic. True seers are also very rare and Professor Trelawney...." she didn't complete the sentence.

"You both look to be in good health to me, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. But I assure you, if you die you will not need to turn it in."

Hermione laughed, and I honestly felt better. Hearing McGonagall's sensible argument, and being out of the divination classroom makes the whole thing seem silly. Others didn't seem quite so convinced.

Ron still looked very worried from where he sat next to Percy, and I heard lavender mumble "then what about Neville's cup?"

The rest of class went by quickly and soon enough we were headed to lunch.

"Come on Ron, you heard what McGonagall said, they aren't going to die! You should eat something ," Hermione tried to push some food over to Ron, but he just pushed it around with his fork. Something very unlike him.

"You haven't seen a large black dog have you?" He finally asked.

"As a matter of fact I have. When I left the Dursley's there was one in the park," I tell him truthfully.

"It was probably just a stray," Hermione try's to assure him.

Ron looked at her as if she had gone mad. "Hermione if Harry did see the grim- that's not good. My uncle Bilius saw one, and he was dead in less than 24 hours!"

"It was probably just a coincidence Ron. Muggle towns get a lot of stray dogs, seriously. You shouldn't be worrying so much," Percy said.  This was the first thing he said since we sat down because he had been completely stuffing his face with food. He finally stopped to breath and decided to comment.

"What about you? What you seen a black dog recently?" He demanded.

My brother started laughing. We all stared at him until he calmed down enough to talk. "Yeah I've seen a huge black dog!"

Ron through his hands up, "Great! Just great! They're both dead!"

Percy started laughing again, "Ron, calm down. The dog I saw, Cerberus. As in the three headed dog that guards the underworld. Besides, that was in mid June, literally months ago. I don't really think that is any cause for worry."

Ron slapped Percy's shoulder. "You jerk. I thought you saw the grim!"

Hermione and I laughed as she pulled out a text book.

Arithmacy.

"Divination is nothing but a bunch of guess work. It's a wooly subject!"

"There was nothing wooly about the grim in their cups!" Ron protested.

"You sounded pretty confident calling it a hippo," Percy retorted.

"And you thought you saw a hat!"

"This is exactly what I mean," Hermione said calmly. "You see what you want to see. The real magic, if there is any, won't be harnessed through tea leaves."

"Your just mad because Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You don't like the fact that your rubbish at something!"

Hermione slammed her Arithmancy book closed. "If being good at divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in clumps of tea leaves I don't think I'll be studying the subject much longer! The lesson was absolute rubbish compared to my Arithmancy class!"

She grabbed her books and stomped out of the great hall.

"When was she at Arithmancy?" Percy asked. "She's been with us all day."

After lunch the three of us headed out of the castle, and toward Hagrid's hut. We hadn't seen Hermione since she stormed off, but I knew she wouldn't skip a class, especially Hagrid's first ever.

Hagrid stood by his hut waiting for the class. Once everyone was assembled he started, "C'mon now, get a move on! Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up!"

Hagrid starting walking toward what I feared was the forest; but he strolled off around the trees and five minutes later we found ourselves outside a pad-lock.

"Everyone gather around! Now, firs' thing yeh'll want ter do is open yer books-"

"How?" Draco Malfoy's cold drawling voice rang out. "How do we open our books?" He took out his book which was bound with a length of rope.

Others started to remove their books as well, and I saw that they had all bound them.

"Yeh've got to stroke 'em," said Hagrid as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. He grabbed Percy's book and ripped off the tape the bound it. The book tried to bite him, but he took his large hand and started to stroke the spine and the book shuddered and opened harmlessly.

"Oh, how silly we've all been!" Malfoy started again. "We should of guessed that we had to stroke them! Really witty, giving us books that try and rip out hands off!"

I was about to say something when Percy took a step towards Malfoy.

"Shut up, Malfoy," my brother sneered.

"So what this new Potter thinks he all big and bad? You're just like your brother. A pathetic suck up!"

Ron and I had to grab Percy and hold him back from attacking Malfoy. As much as I would of loved to see Percy beat him to a bloody pulp, I wanted Hagrid's first lesson to be a success.

Sorry if this seems like it ended abruptly, it's gonna heat up in the next chapter so I didn't want to go any farther yet.

As always please tell me what y'all think, and tell me if there are any mistakes.

Peace.