Masked Reality

Chapter Six

The first few weeks of Harry's life at Hogwarts was ridiculously confusing, crazy... just plain horrible, really. Madam Emerald was continually running into him... no, ramming into him and pushing him down, giving him the worst staring contests that he just couldn't win. Snape and Lucius were prowling monsters, worse than Filch and Mrs. Norris. They would pounce on Harry in the corridors, and positively attack him when he was walking around alone. He felt like doing this quite often for time alone, but it was becoming increasingly difficult with such enemies. Emerald was confusing him, because she gave him the best grades out of all of his Gryffindor peers, but gave him the biggest hassle both inside and out of class. Snape and Lucius hated Harry during his Double Potions lessons with the Slytherins, and made sure to treat him more terribly then any of the other Gryffindors (even Neville!). The Slytherins were having a field day (well, field year, really) with this newfound glory, and couldn't help but tease Harry more than usual everywhere he went.

Quidditch practice was all right, save the fact that he couldn't concentrate because he kept thinking about everything else... especially knowing that absolutely, positively nobody remembered anything about his fourth year, or their year during his fourth. Therefore the rules weren't strict (quite the contrary, they'd been loosened dramatically), and Lucius Malfoy was more than probably in close contact with Lord Voldemort. He'd stopped trying to get Ron and Hermoine to remember after the first week, finally realizing that they just wouldn't remember no matter what he told them. He made a mental note that if, at any time in the future, they showed any sign at all of remembering a single thing from his fourth year, he would push them to remember until they finally did. Until then, he would try to keep calm and collect his thoughts. He wouldn't mention anything about his fourth year to anybody, not even Dumbledore or Sirius, and certainly not Malfoy.

Malfoy had also been especially cruel to Harry since school began. Knowing his father would be ready to back him up, along with Snape's solid alibi, Malfoy was getting away with everything he wanted, which was basically to torture Harry as badly as he could every day that he could, which happened to be every, single, day.

Harry had gotten personal permission from Dumbledore granting Sidney's stay, which made him happy because he wasn't sure whether or not Emerald had been telling the truth when she'd barely been able to stop Snape and Lucius from punishing him.

One day, after another grueling lesson of Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Slytherins, Emerald pulled Harry aside. She shooed Hermoine and Ron away, who made sure to remind Harry to tell them everything when he was finished. He nodded, and followed Emerald back into her classroom.

"I'm aware of your pet Kristale," she said, looking at Harry with the all-too-familiar piercing gaze. "It would be helpful if you brought her in tomorrow."

Harry looked at her intently. "But this is Defense Against the Dark Arts..."

"You know less about Sidney than you think," Emerald said quietly.

"How did you know her name?"

"You've called her to you countless times. Tomorrow, I will give you a helpful lesson that will teach you about your bird. Might I add you may want to stop looking foolish and not call her when you desire her presence. She shares your thoughts, and knows when she is needed."

Harry nodded silently, trying to break her fierce stare, but found it too difficult a task to accomplish.

"Emerald," a voice issued forth from the doorway. Emerald looked past Harry to Snape, who was, as usual, connected at the hip with Lucius. The two entered the room as Harry turned and looked at them. They both gave him a look that may as well have shot a laser through his head.

"I'll bring Sidney in tomorrow," Harry found himself saying. He gripped his bag tightly, barely stopping himself from flinging it at Snape and Lucius, whose eyes he could feel following him as he left the room.

He turned a corner and his two faithful friends were standing, staring anxiously at him.

"Well, what happened?" Hermoine asked impatiently.

"Yes, out with it Harry!" Ron said vigorously.

"She just asked me to bring Sidney in. I'll finally learn something about my bird." Harry spoke nonchalantly, and the two exchanged glances. In the past, every time Harry was confronted by Emerald after class, he would walk out all in a huff and refuse to talk about it until much later, finally telling them that she had badgered him about something ridiculous but, again, given him the highest grade in the class. Hermoine was secretly holding a grudge against Harry because he had somehow become the most hated and most loved student by Emerald at the same time. Which meant, of course, that Hermoine wasn't the best student.

After Care of Magical Creatures, again with the Slytherins, Hermoine parted ways with Harry and Ron to go to her Arithmancy class. Harry and Ron headed to Divination, none too happy about seeing Professor Trelawney once again, for another whole year.

"I don't particularly want to see what horrible fate she's decided is going to befall me this month," Harry moaned angrily as the two walked up the last flight of stairs leading to the attic-like room that was the Divination classroom.

"Me neither, and I mean that about you too," Ron said.

They eventually crawled up the silver ladder leading into the room, and stood still for a few moments to let the terrible aroma fill their nostrils and dizzy their senses.

The two took a seat at the table nearest the window, and Harry managed to push it up quite a ways, before Trelawney entered the room the same way she had every day ever since they could remember.

She started the class on tea-leaf reading for a bit of review, and let them know that not only would they be reviewing crystal ball-gazing as well, but also that Neville was going to break a good 12 teacups by the end of the week, Parvati was going to lose a prized possession by the time the Easter Banquet arrived, and Harry was going to receive a kiss of death before he left school.

Harry and Ron gave each other skeptical looks at this prediction.

Harry and Ron had just gotten to the bottom floor when Hermoine nearly ran into the two, panting and gasping for air. She bent over, gripping her sides, trying to catch her breath. Finally, she stood up, albeit with difficulty, and calmed herself enough to give them the exciting news.

"Guess what I just found out?" she asked them, looking from one interested face to the other.

"Snape and both Malfoys got eaten by the Giant Squid?" Ron asked hopefully. Hermoine shook her head, the eagerness shining plainly and brightly in her eyes.

"Er... Emerald got eaten by the Giant Squid?" Harry suggested. Hermoine shook her head again.

"The new student is going to be arriving here today! She should be in shortly, and if we go take a look when she gets here, we might be able to get a glimpse of what she looks like! Then, of course, during dinner, we'll get to see what House she gets sorted into! Exciting, isn't it?"

Harry and Ron looked from Hermoine to each other, then to Hermoine again.

"Right... Exciting." Ron tried to sound serious, but failed and started laughing.

"What's so funny?" Hermoine shouted indignantly.

"Well, it's just that you're so damned worked up about the whole deal, Herm. It's cute though." Harry made sure to add the last remark when Hermoine eyed him with a large amount of anger, then rolled her eyes.

"Oh, fine. But I'm going to get a look at her. I suggest you two come along; maybe she'll be a veela."

The three made their way down to the entrance, walking outside and shivering as they felt the freezing wind pinch them and bite them in nooks and crannies that they preferred not be fondled so severely [I'm sorry but I really like how I wrote that!!]. There was already quite a crowd of students anticipating the new girl's arrival. The trio somehow managed to swim through the many bodies and end up in front.

"Perfect, we'll get to see everything!" Ron said, satisfied.

"I wonder how she'll be arriving?" Hermoine queried curiously. "Maybe she'll come in one of the horse-less carriages, or maybe she'll be in a large carriage just like the Beauxbatons had, drawn by huge winged horses and everything!"

"Don't get too carried away, Herm... I don't think it'll be that fancy," Harry said.

Only a few minutes had passed, when everybody suddenly gasped and looked into the air. Harry, Ron and Hermoine looked up as well, wondering what was so interesting.

There was what looked like a crystal sled being drawn in the air by two beautiful birds, both the size of Sidney, except their bodies and wings were the colors of a deep sunset. Harry had a distinct feeling he was staring into an evening sky when he looked up at them.

As the two birds glided towards the ground, a figure sitting in the sled could be seen. Finally, the sled came to a full stop right in front of the crowd. The birds were letting out singsong notes, just like Sidney, and looking at the students. The figure stood up just as McGonnagal pushed her way forward, and escorted the person out of the crystal sled.

Hagrid came thundering up and clipped the ends of ropes to the glittering collars on the birds, leading them back to one of the corrals and dragging the sled with them.

Hermoine was desperately trying to see the figure's face, but they were wearing a cloak exactly like Emerald's, with a hood and everything (and the hood was up). McGonnagal led the figure through the students, who had all separated to create a pathway to the castle.

Once McGonnagal and the person were inside, everyone began talking animatedly. Hermione was more excited than she'd been before she'd seen them.

"Did you see how she came in?!? And those birds, those are just like Sidney Harry! You should go visit them!" Hermoine couldn't stop jabbering until Ron put a hand over her mouth to quiet her. She continued talking even with the barrier, and Ron rolled his eyes in frustration.

"She just won't stop once she starts, huh Harry?" Ron asked, looking at Hermoine out of the corner of his eye as she kept on talking about God only knew to herself because nobody was listening (Parvati and Lavender had briefly gone over to talk with her, but left again once they realized that they couldn't keep up with what she was talking about).

"Christ Granger, put a sock in it," rolled a voice through the hallway. Hermoine turned to see Malfoy's pale face giving her a rude glare. "You just don't know when to shut your trap, do you?"

Ron's hands were tightening into white-knuckled fists, and Harry, knowing he had to do something before his red-haired friend exploded, spoke up.

"Get off her back, Malfoy. Nobody asked for your opinion anyway."

Malfoy's gaze snapped to Harry, his cold gray eyes boring into the raven-haired boy.

"Everyone, into the Great Hall, now."

The students who had been watching the confrontation between Harry and Draco and Ron turned towards the doors leading to the Hall. A few turned back to see who had given them the order. It was Madam Emerald, who had stepped between the two boys whose distance between the other had been closing quickly with each sharp, angered breath.

"If you're as smart as your father and mother, you'll know when to hold your tongue," Emerald said to Harry, looking him over. "Stop causing fights with Malfoy; you know it's only going to result in hell for you and your friends because he's got more sure-fire sources."

That said, she took off towards the Great Hall. Malfoy gave Harry, Ron and Hermoine one last dirty look, then turned away and walked off in the same direction as Emerald.

"I wish they had gotten eaten by the Giant Squid," Ron muttered as the three headed towards the Great Hall.