Capítulo 33: Harry Gaunt - Chapter 33
James looked in his trunk with a frown. "Where…" He picked up a book, tossing it out and onto the bed. "Where is it."
He hadn't used it since last term, nor over the summer in his own home. "Sirius!" He turned away and called across the room. "Sirius get over here!"
James began tossing everything else that he could find onto the bed, not one of the spare blankets, cauldrons or Hogwarts robes being what he was looking for.
"What's with all the shouting?" Sirius muttered as he appeared in the doorway. He'd been in the bathroom.
"It's gone!" James gestured to the mess and to his empty trunk. "It's gone Sirius, when exactly did we last use it?"
Sirius looked at him.
"The cloak!" James shouted. "It's gone!"
"Oh." Sirius adjusted his carefully styled hair with an idle hand. "It was before summer. You remember, with Snivellus."
"Arrrr-" James pressed his hands to his head as if the world was over. "Damn, I must have left it behind."
They'd escaped through the one-eyed witch passage after hexing Snivellus, who at the time had been around some rather unfriendly seventh-years.
"Shall we go and look?" offered Sirius. "We can make it, it's only DADA. I reckon this new Professor won't care." They hadn't seemed to when the fourth-years were sent to Madam Pomfrey. "Come on, let's go."
James was in a sulk as he stared at his mess of things. His father was going to disown him, he'd said as much should James ever lose it. "Yeah..." He turned around. "Let's go."
Sirius led the way as they hurried down the tower staircase, everyone else within their house was either down at breakfast still, or on their way to class.
"Where's Peter?" asked James as they arrived in the Gryffindor common room. "We might need him."
"Dunno, with Remus probably." Sirius made for the exit. "What about-" He glanced, James wasn't following him anymore. "James?"
James was standing like a lemon, his eyes honing in on one Lily Evans. She was tucked in a chair beside the fire, reading with her flowing loosely across her shoulders.
"James, wait-" Sirius tried to stop him, but a second later James had sped off towards her. "Brilliant."
They'd never find the cloak now as Sirius hung back to let James do his thing, which as his bespectacled friend arrived and interrupted her, usually consisted of being an annoyance.
"Go away James." Lily flicked her eyes away from him and back to the book she was reading. "You'll be late."
She turned a page, looking demure in her muggle skirt.
That was odd. She wasn't dressed for school as Sirius stepped up beside James. "Lily, good morning." He said to her. "Happy second day of school."
Sirius chuckled. James too while Lily looked unimpressed. "You too Sirius," she said, though not unkindly to the friendly Pureblood. "You'll both be late. Go on."
"What about you?" returned James in concern, he was already roasting this close to the fire. "You've been here all morning?"
Lily kept on reading.
"Lily." James gently tilted her book down. "What's wrong? You're never like this."
Sirius agreed with a nod.
"I've taken the day off," she said, shuffling to get comfortable within her chair. "I over did it yesterday, so there." She returned to her book. "I'll be back tomorrow."
Since tomorrow she'd be able to avoid one Harry Gaunt, who for some inexplicable reason still made her feel cold. It was his magic, Lily felt sure of it as she leaned closer to the fire place.
"Is this about yesterday?" James asked, his mood becoming fierce at the thought of Harry Gaunt. "Did his Patronus hurt you? I knew he was bad news - Sirius, didn't I tell you?"
James looked to his friend. He'd said it more than once.
Sirius tutted. "The Patronus charm doesn't hurt people," he rebutted, though with a glance at Lily. "You were close too. And I've never seen one quite like his…"
Lily straightened. "What do you mean?" Sirius was looking off with a heavy frown. "Sirius?"
He looked back with a sigh. They were both looking right at him. "James, you should know this too. You're a Pureblood." Sirius was getting disappointed with his best friend's knowledge. "It's why when we're young, adults avoid using more than a few charms in our presence."
James blinked.
Lily shimmied to the edge of her seat. "So that's what this is," she realised, fighting the shiver that was gradually lessoning. "Gaunt's magic is still…" She soured a little. "Oh."
That was so gross.
"No no." Sirius shook his head with an easy chuckle. "You're just not used to it. A Muggleborn like you right next to a wizard like him?"
Ha, she should be comatose. Sirius shook his head. "It's like jumping out a freezing lake, then being surprised you're still cold 2 minutes later."
Harry's magic was very potent, Sirius himself hadn't felt anything like it as they'd watched from the rows up above. It was very same though, it hadn't changed since the forbidden forest. "We've felt it before. Wormy too. You'll be fine in a day or two."
And better off as well. Muggleborns just didn't have the same exposure to magic as Pureblood's and Half-bloods did.
"Sirius…" James tried to look discrete as he signalled Sirius to shut up: they were told not to say anything. "If was only briefly."
"She might as well know," said Sirius with an edge. "How else is she supposed to learnt this stuff, especially since even you don't know it." He gave his friend a pointed look. "Shall I tell the story?"
Lily wanted to say something, she raised her hand a little. "I am confused." She said. "Who's Wormy?"
James took a breath. "Peter. We all have nicknames…" He glanced at Sirius, who in-turn glanced around. "It's a secret, can you keep it?"
They were going out on a limb here. James because he liked the beautiful red-head, and Sirius because… because he was bored.
"Is it a bad secret?" Lily asked. "The kind that could get you into trouble?"
James and Sirius nodded.
Lily sighed.
"We can trust you," offered James. "I do trust you." He smiled at her, ignoring Sirius's laugh. "It started like this, we were running through the forbidden forest…"
James told the story, told Lily about how they were Animagus, their forms and what they were doing in the Forbidden Forest on the night of the full-moon.
"Remus is a Werewolf?!"
"SSH!" James looked at her dangerously. "Lily. Don't." Sirius shifted too.
She nodded. "S-sorry." She was amazed. "Carry on."
Sirius told her about following Remus's scent, a part he was still far too proud of before he told her of the man, a figure within the mist around a shallow lake.
"It was Harry." He said lowly and in a whisper. "He'd found Remus. And was dragging him along the shore across the rocky shore…"
Lily gasped. "Why on earth was he there? And this was last term?"
"Yes," said Sirius. "And we don't know. But according to Remus, he seemed to have been camping there." The three shared a look. Sirius shrugged. "He's a weird bloke, who knows what he was really up to. But here's the best bit."
Sirius leaned towards Lily's chair, followed by James who perched on the floor. "After he found us, he was totally out of it. Muttering about 'chances' and 'if only' as if we weren't even real." Sirius smiled at the attention Lily gave him. "He knew we were Animagi too, he knew how to stop Remus without killing him. And throughout the entire time, there was this feeling of cold, shivering magic all around us."
He gestured to Lily with his finger, then the fire. "You can feel it now, can't you?"
Lily wrapped her arms around her knees. "Yes, I can feel it. Ever since yesterday I've felt this awful shiver." She felt her hair fall past her ear, which she tucked back with an errant hand. "I should never have provoked him. He definitely didn't appreciate it."
It was difficult to believe even now when she remembered the enormous snake he'd cast, pure white like fallen snow. It was beautiful. Deadly. And it completely changed what Lily had thought about herself.
She'd always fancied herself to be the best in class, even among the Pureblood's like James and Sirius. But Gaunt, he was a Lord and had never been to Hogwarts. He was different, he reminded her of Dumbledore.
"Exactly." James said, shimmying towards her. "Wormy felt the same. He lives with his Grandmother who doesn't let him use magic at home. Says it's the house elf's job." He rolled his eyes. "He quite a time of it I think."
As if Peter's life wasn't rough enough. His Grandmother was completely barmy.
"But then what happened," asked Lily as she looked at them both now perched on the floor. "Did Gaunt run away?"
"Why do you call him Gaunt?" asked James instead. "Dumbledore called him Harry during the sorting. I don't see why people keep changing."
He heard a huff. It was Sirius as the sophisticated boy rubbed his face. "He asked you to, didn't he?" He looked at Lily, who nodded.
"And let me guess, you know why?" She was beginning to see a pattern between James and Sirius. "Go on then."
"Of course I know," said Sirius with an important look. He'd be a Lord one day too. "I am heir to House Black, just as James is heir to House Potter. But Gaunt-" He emphasised the name. "He's already Lord. Do you have any idea how many people will have written to him? Spoken to him as if they were friends, just to feign a close acquaintance with him?"
Sirius had experienced some of that too when he was growing up, before Arcturus had put a spot to people's pandering. "He has to maintain respect. He cannot afford not to given his Lordship."
"So…" Lily was trying to wrap her head round it. "He thinks it's disrespectful to call him Harry when we aren't friends?"
Sirius nodded. As did James for some reason.
"It is disrespectful." Sirius confirmed. "At least to someone like him. I mean, he's Lord to perhaps the most famous House within Britain. His great-great whatever it is, was Salazar Slytherin!"
Sirius threw his hands up. "Surely you can imagine what that means to us proper Purebloods," he said. "Right?"
He looked between Lily and James. "I suppose," hastened James. "But that's for after - not here at Hogwarts." James climbed to his feet to release his pins and needles. "We're all just students now."
"Yeah. That's what I thought." Lilly sat up straight. "He shouldn't be more while at Hogwarts, it isn't fair. That's why boy's like Mulciber get away with whatever they want."
"Look, I agree too," said Sirius tiredly as he rose beside James. "But in Slytherin, that's not how it works. And you can bet that Gaunt just doesn't like being called Harry by people he doesn't know. In-fact, aside from Slughorn who's too useful to push away, it's probably only Bellatrix and Cissy that are actually acquainted with him. And that's only because he came to dinner during the holidays."
Sirius had heard from Reggie last night, his younger brother still checked in here and there.
"Right, okay then." Lily seemed to decide on something as she stood from her chair. "I am going to the library. I am sick of not knowing how all this works." She stepped between them, intent on learning all she could about the things only Sirius seemed to know.
"Lily wait!"
James quickly followed as he powerwalked after her, followed once again by a suffering Sirius. "She'll have a hard time finding any books with that written down," he commented as they followed her out and into the corridor. "Could you imagine a Pureblood actually writing that stuff down?"
Not bloody likely. He couldn't imagine any of the Pureblood's having the time or the inclination to do such a thing for the benefit of Muggleborns, and Pureblood's like James were next to useless on the matter.
"You never know," offered James as they followed Lily at a distance. "Lily's great with finding the right magical books."
"Yes, but this is different." Sirius lowered his voice. "It might not have occurred to you but most Pureblood's don't want Muggleborns here at all. So whatever she finds, it might not be…"
Ah, James understood. "Well, let's get a move on then." He came behind Sirius and pushed him along. "You're the key to this Sirius. Help me out."
"I can hear you, you know." Lily glanced back with subtle scowl. "So if you're coming, hurry up. Classes have already started."
"We're coming!" James gave Sirius another push. "Come on Sirius, DADA can wait."
"But I like DADA," he lamented as he was forced to follow. "The teacher's make it fun."
But James didn't care. This was clearly more important than Sirius's fun or finding his cloak, not now Lily was here in her short muggle skirt.
~~~~~~~
"Okay class…" said Hogwarts' newest Professor beside her tidy chalkboard. "Please, settle down now." Her voice was a little nervous, barely raised above the quiet chatter of the class. "Class?"
She was quite young for a Professor, but not that young as Harry sat within the front row. He'd been forced to take the seat after arriving late, all of which was Bellatrix's fault for touching his leg during breakfast.
He'd removed it before anyone could notice, only to then be subjected to whispered questions about what he planned to do now they were officially a team.
She was impossible.
"C-class!"
The class became quiet, the thirty something year-old woman appearing visibly relieved when they looked up to attention. It was strange, Harry had thought her a man before he'd arrived here, though she was far from unattractive as she raised her wand
"Thank you." She began writing on the board. "Today we'll be beginning non-verbal casting, which as sixth-years, you'll need to know for your end of years examinations."
She turned back to them, finishing the title with a scored underline. "Split into pairs please," she instructed, before hastening to add as chairs scraped against the floor. "Your neighbours will do!"
But it was too late, the class was in a rush as they scrambled into pairs.
She sighed. She'd forgotten to introduce herself too.
"Miss?"
"Yes?"
A girl from Gryffindor stepped up beside Harry. "We're missing a few students," she said.
"Students?"
"Yes miss. My friend Lily." Mary shuffled her feet at her Professor's perplexed expression. "She's a prefect."
"O-oh. I see." The Professor seemed hurried as she thought of what to do. "I'll send a note. Thank you" She then gestured Mary away towards her table again, the other groups just settling down.
Mary hesitated, but a moment later did went back to her table.
"I am Professor Mollis," introduced the Professor now she had their attention. "If you need my help, please raise your hand and call my name."
"Professor Mollis?" Mary raised her hand.
Professor Mollis frowned. "Yes? What is it now, miss…?" She didn't know the girl's name, or any of them bar one. "I've already sent the note."
She hadn't. Mollis appeared defensive.
"James and Sirius aren't here either," said Mary, finding herself confused. "They don't usually skip, none of them do." Mary was getting worried.
"I've handled it." Professor Mollis stood up straight, just like she'd been shown as she forced a smile in her muggle looking outfit. "Any more questions?" She looked out across the classroom, glad that there were none. "Good, now turn to page 234 in your advanced textbooks."
The class did so, as did Harry since the teacher was so close to him.
"Mr Gaunt," she said. "Where's your partner?"
Harry looked up into her eyes. "There's an odd number," he explained. "I'll work on my own."
He watched her take a moment to count. She was so insecure as Harry picked through her memories.
"That won't do," she stated quietly after confirming the count. "You'll have to partner up."
"There's no-one else," returned Harry with emphasis. "Do you want me to work in a three?"
Mollis looked stricken. "No." She rubbed her head. "That's ruin the exercise. You'll have to partner with me, that's the only way."
The class who'd been listening snickered. Good luck to him, she was even worse than the last teacher they'd had.
Harry remained quiet as Professor Mollis began instructing the class step by step through the already written instructions, which was a paired exercise that specifically advised it should be done in pairs, not threes or fours.
"Practice with Lumos first," she said, her voice once again being lost to the chatter of the class. "Good… good…"
She seemed a bit deluded at how well things were going as she turned to Harry. "Mr Gaunt, please, make space for me." She stepped towards him in her high-heeled shoes, her outfit somewhat inappropriate in Harry's opinion. "We'll start like the rest on exercise one."
She slipped in beside him, straightening her dress along the outer seams.
"Okay…" Harry made sure to shuffle his chair furthest right as humanly possible. "I can already do non-verbal spellcasting."
She made a 'hmph' sound, swivelling so she could see Harry fully. "Picture your wand lighting up with the most brilliant light," she began in a story telling tone, reading word for word without even looking at Harry's textbook. "Then close your eyes, say the spell within in your mind…"
Her eyes begun to close.
"Mr Gaunt, please take this seriously." She wanted him to close his eyes, not try conceal his laughter.
"O-of course, my apologies." Harry closed his eyes and cleared his throat. "Go ahead."
"Hear the spell's echo," she whispered. "Feel the magic move…" Her expression became shifted. "Ha! HE! WHOO!"
Harry couldn't hold it anymore. She was doing sound effects.
"Mr Gaunt!"
"I am sorry-" Harry kept it together as he opened his eyes. She had a downcast frown, her mind filled with doubt. It really didn't help that she was using this bizarre educational book, which seemed to add sound effects to magic being cast. "Here, I'll read the next bit."
Harry slid the book from her hand. "Now let the magic be free, take a hold and cast the spell, let the magic run through you..." He was committed now. "Ha! HE! WHOO!"
Mollis nodded, he'd said it right. "Now try it out. Where's your wand?"
This was ridiculous, thought Harry as he slipped it out from his sleeve. "I can already cast non-verbally Professor, I told you." Harry flicked his wand and the tip lit up. "See."
He moved it around from side to side.
"It's dimmer than it should be," she noted, looking at Harry's peculiar wand as the light went out. "What's it made from, yew?"
"No." Harry tucked it away. "It's private."
She didn't seem very impressed by his response.
"And it was dim because I made it so," explained Harry. "I didn't want to dazzle you. Or anyone else."
If Harry didn't control his magic properly, he probably would cause damage to people's eyes. Lumos was actually quite a dangerous spell.
"You…" She looked at him, there was a kindness to his gaze. "You did that?"
Harry nodded. "You can't teach the class if you cannot see," he said. "It might have been best to just start with the levitation charm, at least then they can still control it with the wand movements."
Mollis stared at him. "Y-yes, you're right. I should have." She knew who Harry was, what his name stood for. "Thank you, Lord Gaunt."
She got up from her chair, she had to hurry now to correct her mistake before anyone could succeed and blind themselves. Often when casting a spell, the power was controlled through the word and how loud it was said. But when it came to non-verbal, it could go either way.
"May I be excused?" Harry said before she could go. "I can retrieve those students that are missing. They should here."
Mollis looked at Harry with relief. She'd already forgotten all about them. "Of course, thank you my lord."
A few students heard her say it, Pureblood's who in that moment glanced at Harry packing his bag.
"You'll need help my lord," said Trimble a few desks away. "Allow me to assist. Potter and Black might give you trouble."
Harry paused. Damn, they were both looking to him for approval. "Good idea Trimble-" Harry gestured the boy over, having no choice now but to actually go and look for the people he'd sworn to avoid. "-Snape."
Harry gestured him over from his spot further back.
"I am coming too!" Mary piped up from her table. "Lily and I are prefects together."
"Fine, let's go." Harry was feeling a headache coming on as Severus cottoned on. He nodded, moving out with his bag without a moments waste as he followed behind Mary. Everyone in the room had been listening, including Remus and Peter sitting at the back.
Peter didn't comment. But Remus grinned, this was something James would have pulled.
"Good… good…" Mollis ushered them both past her towards Harry and Trimble, such lovely children she thought as they disappeared though the door. "Now class." She felt much more confident now after Lord's Gaunt's guidance. "We're going to try the levitation charm, you might find it easier."
Everything would be just fine. She could be a great teacher.
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