New Term

The two old men exchanged a smile. "Looks like our little genius has run into a problem."

Bing Huan cast the Patronus Charm in front of them.

"Expecto Patronum."

A small silver light glimmered at the tip of his wand. "Professor Lupin said I'd already made it halfway, but I can't help feeling something's off."

Dumbledore chuckled. "He wasn't lying, my boy. You really have made it halfway."

"Expecto Patronum" x2 (Since I couldn't find any authoritative information, I decided Grindelwald's Patronus would be a phoenix, too.)

In an instant, two Patronuses flew around the room, looking just like silver-white Fawkes. "Most people's Patronuses are ordinary animals, like cats, wolves, and dogs. A few people have special creatures like Gell and me. Those special Patronuses take longer to form, especially ones that have never been seen before. They're harder to conjure than the others."

"Like how the eggs of magical beasts take longer to hatch?"

"Exactly."

"How long do I have to wait?" Bing Huan scratched his head in frustration. The silver light at the tip of his wand faded. "What if I run into a Dementor again before then..."

"Calm down." Grindelwald rose and patted Bing Huan on the shoulder. "That Lupin fellow must have told you already: the Patronus Charm is closely tied to your emotions."

"Think of the people who matter to you, and the happy memories you share, my boy. It'll appear when you truly need it."

Bing Huan stared at his wand, then suddenly seemed to remember something. "I almost forgot. There's something about Sirius's case that puzzles me. Could you tell me the details?"

"I'm sorry, my boy. Gell was still exiled from the world at the time, and I was held up by a group of Death Eaters. I couldn't get to the scene right away. I know about as much as you do."

"What was Sirius like when he was at school?"

Dumbledore thought for a moment. "I think he was quite a mischievous boy. He, Lupin, and James certainly gave Professor McGonagall plenty of headaches. But I wasn't teaching that year, so I don't know much. You could ask Professor McGonagall if you get the chance."

"Sure." Bing Huan nodded. "Wait, you just mentioned James. Who was he?"

"Harry's father."

"So Lupin was the one who came with us today?"

"That's right."

The next day, classes for the new term began.

"Hey, Potter!" A Slytherin girl who looked like a pug called out to Harry. Her name was Pansy Parkinson. She and a few of her friends pulled the hoods of their robes over their heads. "Potter, the Dementors are here! Potter! Boo-hoo!"

The group ignored them and plopped down at the Gryffindor table. George, sitting beside them, handed over the new timetable. "What's wrong, Harry? You've looked down all morning."

"It's those Slytherins," Ron said, still angry.

"That little piglet?" George sneered. "She was in the compartment next to mine yesterday. When the Dementors came, she screamed the loudest of all."

"That's not all." Fred sidled over and whispered, "If I remember right, she was wearing a red skirt when she got on the train, but it was green when she got off."

George took a hearty bite of bread. "Those monsters really are terrifying, though."

Fred sighed. "Yeah. It's like they're the bane of our existence."

George patted Harry on the shoulder. "All right, Harry, cheer up. I've got good news: our first match this year is against Slytherin. We'll crush them then."

"Hey, hey, I can't pretend I didn't hear that," Draco retorted irritably.

Fred said, "All right, Malfoy, I'll concede that you're a decent player."

George added, "But Quidditch is a team sport."

"You're not planning to take on all of us by yourself, are you?" x2

"Bloody Hell!" Ron looked at his timetable, which was "slightly" different from Bing Huan's. "Are you supposed to be in two places at once?"

Bing Huan shrugged. "Don't look at me. I'm just tagging along."

"But can you tell me how you two plan to attend three classes that all start at nine?"

"Don't worry, we've already discussed it with Professor McGonagall." Hermione took some marmalade, completely unconcerned.

The first class was Divination, held in a room at the top of the tower. The teacher was the very same Professor Trelawney who had once prophesied that Harry would defeat Voldemort.

Professor Trelawney had a very unusual teaching style, a little like a fortune-teller's. She didn't pay much attention to the textbooks, preferring instead to encourage her students to let their imaginations run wild.

She also had the students pair up and read the patterns in each other's tea leaves to predict their fortunes over the coming weeks.

The professor helped students who couldn't yet see the future interpret their tea leaves, too. Most of the readings seemed to predict something bad. When it was Harry's turn, Professor Trelawney's eyes suddenly widened. "The Grim, dear. The Grim!"

From the professor's point of view, Harry's tea leaves showed a large black dog. The book clearly stated that it was the most ominous of all signs—a portent of death.

Hermione, who had always preferred hard facts, clearly wasn't fond of this sort of teaching. After class, she told Harry and Ron not to take it to heart, then even took them to Professor McGonagall's office to ask about it.

When Professor McGonagall heard that it was about Divination, she asked bluntly, "Go on, then. Who has Professor Trelawney predicted will die this time?"

Every year, one lucky person was chosen, but unfortunately, Death didn't seem interested in the professor's predictions. Everyone was still alive and well. "As far as I can see, Potter, you're in perfectly good health, so I can't excuse you from your homework today. But please believe me: if you really do die, you won't have to hand it in."

To reassure her students, Professor McGonagall made a rare joke.

Harry felt much better, though Ron was still worried. He'd really taken that bad omen to heart. In the afternoon Care of Magical Creatures class, Hagrid had brought along a fearsome Hippogriff—Buckbeak.

"All right, class, let's open our Monster Book of Monsters."

"But how are we supposed to open it?" Malfoy asked helplessly, picking up the Monster Book of Monsters, which was tied shut with a rope.

"Ah, don't you all know?"

"Looks like you forgot to explain the book on the supply list, Hagrid." Bing Huan flipped through the Monster Book of Monsters and reminded Hagrid to show everyone how to handle it.

"Oh, you've opened it! Looks like you two get along well." Hagrid sounded surprised.

"Unfortunately, we don't. I'm just keeping it under control by force." He even showed Hagrid the veins bulging slightly on his arm.

"Just stroke the books, everyone. They'll behave themselves."

Hagrid's first class had a few minor hiccups, but thankfully it ended safely. Harry and Draco both got to experience what it was like to fly around on Buckbeak's back.

Today was the first Dark Arts Defense class of the term. Professor Lupin led the students to a classroom with no desks or chairs, only an old wardrobe.

The professor patted the wardrobe, and it began to shake violently. "Don't be nervous. There's a Boggart we just caught inside. I thought it would be perfect for some practical practice.

"Now, who can tell me what a Boggart is?"

As usual, Gryffindor's top point-earner raised her hand.

Hermione had shaken off the gloom of Divination class and answered confidently, "A Boggart is a special shape-shifting creature. It usually turns into whatever we fear most."

"Perfect answer. As Miss Granger said, a Boggart turns into whatever we fear most. But we have a great advantage over it right now. Does anyone know what it is?"

"Because there are so many of us, and we're afraid of different things, it doesn't know what to turn into?" Harry ventured.

"Exactly!"