Rating:
PG
House:
The Dark Arts
Ships:
Remus Lupin/Sirius Black
Characters:
Remus Lupin Sirius Black Harry and Hermione and Ron
Genres:
Drama Romance
Era:
The Harry Potter at Hogwarts Years
Spoilers:
Prizoner of Azkaban
Stats:
Published: 12/03/2004
Updated: 06/24/2013
Words: 120,615
Chapters: 65
Hits: 86,935

Another Prisoner, Another Professor

Marauder

Story Summary:
AU. In Harry's third year he must learn the various truths about the new DADA teacher, Professor Black, and an escaped convict, Remus Lupin. SB/RL.

Chapter 25 - Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Summary:
Harry's anti-dementor lessons aren't going as well as he would like, and everyone has advice as to what broomstick he should buy.
Posted:
10/22/2007
Hits:
1,157


Ron and Hermione were both eager to hear about Harry's anti-dementor lessons, but to Harry's surprise he found himself only telling them as little as he could. He didn't want to talk about hearing his mother's dying screams, and Black had never given him permission to tell anyone about Lupin the boggart or Regulus. Harry didn't like to keep things from Ron and Hermione; but, he concluded, he wouldn't like it if he found out that Black had been telling his, Harry's, secrets to the entire staff room.

The next several lessons were a disappointment to Harry. As hard as he tried, he couldn't produce anything more than some silver fog. Black tried to encourage him by pointing out that the silver fog was bigger than Harry's first bit of silver fog had been, but Harry was frustrated with himself.

"Maybe it's the memory," Black said one day. "Can you think of another one that might be stronger?"

The only stronger memory of pure, undiluted happiness Harry could think of was the moment that he'd found out he was a wizard and could leave the Dursleys. He concentrated with all his might, but all he got was a thicker fog that he managed to maintain for longer than he had before.

"What am I doing wrong?" he asked in exasperation, slumped in one of the armchairs opening a bar of chocolate after Black's dragon had forced the boggart-dementor back into the box.

"You aren't doing anything wrong," said Black. "You're thirteen years old and it's a very difficult charm. If you have the happiest memory you can think of, all you can do is train your mind to concentrate on it."

Harry started to make himself think about the memory during Professor Trelawney's class - it wasn't as though he'd miss anything important, he reasoned - but the sleepy heat of the tower made it hard to think about anything except how bored he was and how much he'd like to go back to bed, or at least to a different class. Next he tried it in History of Magic, but gave up that plan after leaving class and realizing that not only had he not heard half of what Professor Binns said - a common occurrence - but he didn't have any idea what the topic had been in the first place. Unwilling to let Hermione find out how little attention he had paid, Harry decided to ask Neville for his notes. Neville usually managed to take meticulous notes in History of Magic, spurred by his fear that he would fail the class and have to face the wrath of his grandmother.

"Sure," said Neville, looking pleased that Harry had asked him. "I need them back by the next class, though."

"All right," Harry said. "Oh, by the way, Neville - " He proceeded to tell Neville the story about Snape and the dead rabbit.

Neville appeared even happier. "I can deal with bleeding rabbits," he said, his face lighting up. "My gran has me skin them sometimes at home for supper."

"Just remember that during Potions," Harry said. "You can do something that Snape can't."

Neville smiled, despite the nasty look that Parvati was giving him; Lavender had overheard the words "bleeding rabbits" and burst into a fresh round of tears.

On the afternoon of Harry's last anti-dementor lesson before Quidditch practice started again, Oliver Wood found him in the common room and told him he ought to start thinking about getting a replacement broom for the Nimbus Two Thousand. "I don't think McGonagall can get you another one," he said, looking mournful; if there was anyone whose depression over the broomstick's wreck came anywhere close to Harry's, it was Wood. "She had a hard time getting you the first one, Snape just about had a fit when he found out. The only brooms we have for you to use during practice are a Cleansweep Three and a Shooting Star - "

"I've got a Shooting Star," said Ron, looking up from his homework. "You'd have better luck climbing up a goalpost and jumping to catch the Snitch."

"And the Cleansweep Three is even more ancient," Wood finished. "So the sooner you pick out another broomstick and send the order form - "

"All right," said Harry.

Eager to maintain Gryffindor's chances of winning the Quidditch Cup, everyone seemed to have advice on which broom Harry should buy. "Might as well go for a Firebolt," Ron said. He looked suddenly gloomy. "Seeing as you can afford one and all." Seamus and Dean suggested a Nimbus Two Thousand and One, but changed their minds when Harry told them this was the type of broom that Malfoy had. Katie Bell was of the opinion that he ought to get the new Cleansweep Nine, whereas Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet argued for another Nimbus Two Thousand - "Why mess with success?" Alicia said. Even Hermione, who had never quite understood the importance of Quidditch, offered to take a couple of hours away from her books and research racing brooms, but she was beaten to the task by Colin Creevey, who appeared breathless and red-faced by Harry's side at the end of dinner, holding a five-page report.

"Got any advice on racing brooms?" Harry said to Black when he arrived in his office, and then added, after a second's thought, "Sir?"

"I'm a little behind on them," Black said. He had his long hair pulled back in a ponytail, which, Harry thought, would have looked stupid on any other teacher. "If you wanted one for endurance flying, though, I'd recommend a Massachusetts Colonial. You had what before, a Nimbus Two Thousand?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "I don't know if I'll get another one, though...over the summer I kept looking at this Firebolt. I mean, if I've got to get another broom, I might as well get one I really want, right?"

"Sounds logical to me," Black said. "Now, about these lessons. I think I can manage once a week after the Christmas holidays. Does that work for you?"

"I think so," said Harry. "Wood can't make me practice every single second."

Black smiled. "I never played Quidditch," he said. "I used to do the commentary, though. Who have they got doing it these days?"

"Lee Jordan," Harry said. A thought occurred to him. "I didn't see you at the Quidditch match."

"Headache." Black picked up his wand from his desk. "Are you ready?"

Harry's concentration was the best it had ever been, but he still didn't manage to produce a fully-formed Patronus. "I saw a leg," Black said at the end of the lesson. "Definite progress."

"I wonder what it is," said Harry. "What sort of animal."

"Something that's not a fish." Black passed him a chocolate bar. "Are you sick of chocolate, or so sick of chocolate that you can't force down another bite?"

"Just sick of chocolate," Harry said, grinning.

Upon returning to the common room, he turned down Fred and George's offer to tell him all the features of various brooms and went to bed instead. It was still fairly early but Harry felt tired after nearly two weeks' worth of fighting dementors and wanted nothing more than to bury his head in his pillow and not have to think about anything else. As he got into his pajamas, he wondered what his Patronus was; perhaps it was an owl, he thought. Black's imaginary dragon had protected him from Kreacher and in the summers Hedwig protected Harry from unbearable frustration with Privet Drive.

He had put on his pajamas, taken off his glasses and got into bed when he heard a loud crack. For one wild split second he thought Dobby had returned, but after fumbling for the light and reaching for his glasses he saw a folded piece of parchment on top of his trunk.

Harry -

I still feel awful about the last match. Someone said they heard Oliver Wood talking about your getting a new broom - either go for a Firebolt (that was the broom they said he mentioned) or get another Nimbus Two Thousand. Don't get a Nimbus Two Thousand and One. I have one and its Cushioning Charm is almost completely worn out. It can have a problem with left turns as well - I'm trusting you not to tell that to the Ravenclaws, we're playing them on the twenty-seventh. Oh, and even though there's a broom shop in Hogsmeade don't order yours from there, because with the better racing brooms they have to have them sent from Diagon Alley and it'll be faster if you just order from Diagon Alley in the first place. Good luck with everything.

C. Diggory