Chapter 103: Chapter 103: "Golden Mishaps at the Feast"
As everyone arrived at the Great Hall, they quickly dispersed to their respective house tables. Soon, almost all the seats were taken, leaving just a few spots open for the incoming first-year students.
Harry glanced around, his eyes settling on the staff table. He noticed that all the professors were there except for Professor McGonagall. His attention then shifted to the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, who looked even less reliable than Fletcher had.
Harry had a sinking feeling about the quality of the classes to come and sympathized with the OWL and NEWT students wondering how they were going to manage their exams with such teaching.
There was also a new face for Muggle Studies. Professor Quirrell, who normally taught the class, had taken a sabbatical to supposedly tour the world for a year. Harry, however, knew the real reason behind Quirrell's leave wasn't as harmless as a world tour.
Quirrell was actually on a quest to find Voldemort—not to revive him or anything like that, but to learn something from him so that he could be something in his life and not be laughed at ever again.
It was a fool's errand. Quirrell's quest was doomed to failure, and Harry knew that next year he would return, with Voldemort latched on to the back of his head, effectively starting a fatal countdown for himself.
As soon as Professor McGonagall walked in with the new first years in tow, the Great Hall quieted down for the Sorting Hat's annual song.
The sorting ceremony unfolded quickly, with a group of students about the same size as Harry's year. Among the newcomers was Cho Chang, a name Harry noted. He had no idea if Cedric would end up falling for her, but one thing Harry was sure of: he wouldn't let Cedric die young. In his vision, Cedric was destined to have a family and grow old.
The sorting continued, with other notable students including Katie Bell, Cormac McLaggen, Fay Dunbar, and Marietta Edgecombe, whom Harry decided to keep at arm's length. Given her future betrayal involving her mother at the Ministry, he planned to steer clear of her to prevent any secrets from leaking.
Once the sorting wrapped up, Professor Dumbledore stood up. "It's wonderful to see both familiar and new faces tonight. Before we begin the feast, I'd like to introduce Professor Cross, who will take over as your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, replacing Professor Salt."
The announcement was met with groans from many students, who had been fond of the previous temporary professor's commitment to teaching.
Professor Cross, seemingly unfazed by the lukewarm reception, stood up and offered a half-hearted wave to the crowd.
Dumbledore continued, "I would also like to welcome Professor Arif Sikander, who will be replacing Professor Quirrell as your Muggle Studies professor." Professor Sikander, with a friendly demeanor, stood and waved back at the students, who responded with applause.
With the introductions over, Dumbledore went over the school rules and concluded, "Alright, that's enough from this old man. Let's get to what everyone has been waiting for. Let the feast begin!"
At that, dishes filled with delicious food materialized on the tables, and the students, famished after a long day, eagerly started to eat.
As everyone was nearly done with their feast, Roger leaned back in his seat, patting his stomach. "That was a good meal. What's up with the Weasley twins? Do you think they are going to pull something?"
Harry considered for a moment, glancing towards where the twins were sitting. "They're probably too busy eating right now. If they're planning anything, it'll likely happen after the feast."
Reggy, curious, chimed in. "What do you reckon they're up to?"
Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure, but I'd guess the other two Marauders want to outdo Padfoot's performance from last year. They might have passed on some tricks to the twins."
Reggy seemed a bit reassured by this. "So, it should be harmless, then?"
Harry's expression was less certain. "I'm not sure. Padfoot has calmed down a bit after living with Grandfather. He knows where to draw the line now. I'm not sure if the others have started acting like grown-ups yet."
Roger nodded, half-joking, half-serious. "Well, I'll be ready to duck just in case."
Dumbledore was about to stand up and speak to all the students when the Weasley twins suddenly jumped into action. They ran to the front of the Great Hall.
Professor McGonagall quickly stood up, looking alarmed. "What are you doing, Mr. Weasleys? Get back to your seats right now," she ordered, her voice firm and commanding.
But the twins ignored her and quickly placed a mysterious box right in front of Dumbledore and ran back towards their seats, calling out, "Sorry, Professor! It's a task from our masters—we can't disappoint them!"
McGonagall's expression grew even more serious. "The Headmaster has made it clear—no pranks during the feast. I'm going to take that away," she said, walking towards the box.
Fred called out in a worried voice as he moved away, "Please, Professor, don't touch it! If you do, our masters will disown us!"
Professor Snape, who had been observing everything with a frown, grumbled, "I don't care about your masters." He pointed his wand at the box, probably trying to make it disappear or destroy it. However, his spell ended up causing something unexpected.
The box burst into a cloud of red smoke when Snape's spell hit it. Suddenly, a howler popped out, looking normal but filled with an unexpected voice.
James Potter's voice filled the hall, booming loudly, "Thanks, Snivellus, for starting our show! We couldn't have done it without you. The twins couldn't master the spell for remote activation because of the rules against underage magic."
He laughed and added, "I heard about Padfoot's show last year and how he got a lot of new fans here. I couldn't let him get all the attention, right? So, kids, enjoy this show we've put together for you!"
Then, Remus Lupin's voice came through, sounding regretful, "Professor Dumbledore, I tried to stop him. But he was too excited about Padfoot's fame and the fans, and I couldn't stop him. I'm really sorry."
As Remus's apology ended, the music picked up, leading into a stunning fireworks display. The Great Hall lit up with a cascade of colors and patterns, a visual treat of fireworks that filled the room with bursts of brilliance.
Harry, despite his reservations, had to admit the display was impressively beautiful. It looked like the marauders had learned how to create pranks that were enchanting without causing trouble—or at least that's what Harry initially thought.
As the smoke from the fireworks began to clear, Harry spotted a large, ominous-looking ball hovering in the middle of the hall. His gut told him this wasn't good. "Hide!" he yelled suddenly.
At first, the students were puzzled, still mesmerized by the fireworks display. But seeing Harry's urgent dive under the table, his friends quickly followed suit, ducking for cover. Several other quick-thinking students did the same.
Just seconds later, the ball exploded, releasing a flood of bright golden paint that splashed everywhere. It covered everything—students, professors, and even the enchanted ceiling above.
The hall quickly turned into a sea of gold. Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Flitwick had managed to protect themselves, either through fast reflexes or protective spells. Harry's friends were also spared from the mess because they had listened to Harry's warning.
In the midst of the chaos, Professor Snape stood, completely drenched in gold paint, his face dark with fury. He pointed his wand toward where the Weasley twins had been, though they had already disappeared.
Harry wondered why Snape hadn't dodged the paint. What he didn't know was that James had tweaked the fireworks to ensure Snape couldn't react in time.
"Minus one hundred points from Gryffindor for this… this… abomination! And one month detention with me, Fred and George Weasley!" Snape thundered, determined to regain control.
As everyone started to realize the extent of the mess, the initial amusement turned into annoyance. Everyone was covered in a thick, glittering layer of golden paint. The enchanted ceiling added a sparkle to their predicament, making it clear that this prank would require more than a simple cleaning spell.
The professors and students now faced the prospect of a lengthy cleanup. They would need to return to their dormitories or find a bathroom to try and scrub off the stubborn paint, uncertain if it would easily wash away.
The Great Hall was buzzing with murmurs of annoyance as students expressed their frustration over having to clean themselves up before they could even think about resting. The cheerful atmosphere from the feast had fizzled out, leaving behind the dread of dealing with an untimely mess on their first night back at Hogwarts.
Dumbledore's firm voice rose above the noise. "This is exactly why we discourage such pranks! Now, please head to your common rooms to clean up. Prefects, assist the first years."
Without the usual enthusiasm for the Hogwarts song, Dumbledore concluded the evening, signaling it was time to head out.
As the students slowly made their way out, Harry looked around at the crowd of unhappy faces. His friends were somewhat spared from the worst of the paint splatter thanks to his quick warning, but they hadn't avoided it entirely. They tugged at their robes, now dotted with paint, discussing how best to tackle the sticky mess. They also had to navigate through the paint-smeared floors.
Cedric, trying to lighten the mood, cracked a joke. "Well, at least we're all shining brightly for the start of the school year?"
Harry responded with a playful jab, "You should not have ducked, Cedric. You would have really looked like the Golden Boy of Hufflepuff then."
This quip brought a brief moment of laughter from Harry's friends, though they quickly quieted down under the stern looks from other students.
Harry exhaled deeply, realizing that the days of prank shows might be over at Hogwarts. Even those students who had been thrilled by Sirius's display last year were likely disillusioned now.
He also felt a twinge of sympathy for the Weasley twins. This stunt might make things tough for them with their peers, and Harry hoped it would dissuade them from pursuing the prank war they'd proposed on the train.
All in all, this year was starting off with a bang—a messy, glittering bang that no one was particularly thrilled about.
Chapter 104: Chapter 104: "Tutoring a Metamorphmagus"
As the second day of school began, everything at Hogwarts looked as if nothing unusual had happened the night before. The Great Hall was spotless, thanks to the hard work of the house elves who had cleaned up all the golden paint from the opening feast's prank.
Fred and George Weasley, who were now famous for their prank on the first day, found themselves in trouble. They had nightly detentions with Professor Snape, who made them clean old potion cauldrons that had been ignored for a long time. This punishment meant they had no time to think about or plan any more pranks. Additionally, many students were annoyed with them now, which made it hard for them to find allies for any prank war they might want to start with Harry. Despite this, Harry stayed on alert, careful to avoid any leftover pranks they might have set up.
Classes started again for Harry and his classmates. The schedule was much like last year's, but with one big improvement: they were doing more practical spellwork. This was a change that everyone liked because it meant they could practice casting spells more, which was more fun and interesting than just reading about them.
Defense Against the Dark Arts was turning out just as troublesome as Harry had expected. The new teacher, Mr. Cross, was proving to be even less capable than the last one. His lessons were a tedious repeat of last year's ineffective methods, consisting mainly of having students read aloud from the textbook while the rest took notes. True to form, Professor Cross found every excuse to cancel classes or avoid any real teaching, particularly any practical use of magic. Harry doubted anyone would learn anything new in DADA this year.
Despite these issues, Harry wasn't too bothered by the poor quality of the DADA classes. He used this time to practice Legilimency on Mr. Cross. During class, Harry would perform wandless Legilimency, carefully exploring the professor's thoughts when he looked around at the students. After practicing on Professor Fletcher the previous year, Harry was skilled enough to navigate someone's mind without harming them.
Harry had no trouble practicing Legilimency on Mr. Cross because the professor didn't have any mental shields, so Harry remained undetected. He also used this opportunity to check if this DADA teacher had any hidden agendas at Hogwarts. After a brief look into Cross's thoughts, Harry found out that the professor was only at Hogwarts for the high salary.
Dumbledore had increased the DADA professor's salary to attract more candidates because it was so hard to find a DADA professor this year after the unfortunate fate of Professor Fletcher last year. Even though Cross was not very qualified, he was the best among the few who applied, so Dumbledore had no choice but to hire him.
However, having Professor Cross as the DADA teacher was bad news for the students, especially those facing important exams like the OWLs and NEWTs. These exams required good practical instruction in defense spells, and Mr. Cross's lack of effective teaching left many students struggling. Among them was Nymphadora Tonks, a seventh-year student aiming to become an Auror, for whom excellent DADA grades were essential.
One day, Tonks came looking for help and found Harry:
"Hey, my dear cousin, could you lend me a hand with something?" Tonks inquired, her tone light but earnest.
Harry raised an eyebrow. "Why are you, a seventh-year, asking a second-year like me for help?"
Tonks sighed, a bit exasperated. "You know I'm aiming to be an Auror, and for that, I really need to excel in DADA. Could you help me out with the subject?" she explained earnestly.
Harry was puzzled. "Why would a seventh-year need help from a second-year like me?"
Tonks chuckled awkwardly. "Well, word in the family is that Lord Black has been coaching you in dueling. Maybe you could pass some tips my way?"
Harry considered her request carefully. "Even if I can help, why should I? My schedule's already a nightmare," he said, half-joking.
"Please, cousin. I really need your help. It won't take up much of your time—just once a week?" Tonks pleaded, her eyes conveying her desperation.
Feeling a mix of sympathy and familial duty—after all, Sirius thought highly of Tonks's mum—Harry decided to help, but on his terms.
"Alright, I'll help. But on two conditions," Harry stated, ready to negotiate. "First, our lessons stay just between us. I don't need everyone lining up for tips. If you want to help your friends, you'll have to pass on what I teach you yourself."
"Fair enough," Tonks agreed quickly.
"And second," Harry continued, a playful smirk forming, "I get to call you Nymphadora during our sessions. No fuss about it."
"No way! No one calls me that name," Tonks protested, her face twisting in annoyance.
"That's my offer. Take it or leave it," Harry stated flatly.
After a moment of consideration, Tonks relented. "Fine, but only during our lessons. And if you tease me too much, I'm complaining to Sirius!"
"Deal," Harry concluded with a grin. "So, when do we start, Nymphadora?"
Tonks tried to hide her irritation at the name but managed a grin. "Anytime you're ready, Harry."
"Let's make it today then, Nymphadora. I'll scout out a classroom for us," Harry replied, already thinking ahead.
From then on, Harry dedicated three hours every Saturday to helping Tonks with DADA studies. They didn't just focus on seventh-year material; Harry also helped fill in gaps from previous years. Due to the inconsistent quality of DADA teachers at Hogwarts, many students, including Tonks, had incomplete knowledge of the subject. While Harry wasn't concerned about the other students' knowledge gaps, he was happy to help Tonks and, by extension, his own friends.
Their sessions were highly effective. Tonks was exceptionally gifted in magic. She could pick up spells quickly after just watching Harry demonstrate a few times. Harry suspected her talent had something to do with her being a Metamorphmagus, which might make her more attuned to magic. Despite the serious nature of their study, Harry couldn't resist the opportunity to tease her by calling her Nymphadora, much to her annoyance—a detail that always amused Sirius when Harry shared stories from their sessions.
Harry also took it upon himself to help improve Tonks's natural clumsiness, incorporating weight training and balance exercises into their classes, enhancing her skills for her future career as an Auror. Despite the initial reluctance, Tonks appreciated the comprehensive training, recognizing its value in her pursuit of joining the Aurors, and fulfilling the aspirations of her family and Sirius.
Given Tonks's unique Metamorphmagus abilities, Harry knew she would likely be assigned undercover roles once she became an Auror. It was essential, then, that she was well-prepared to defend herself in potentially dangerous situations. Harry was determined to equip her with all the skills necessary for her success and safety.
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