Bones

Chapter 7

        Madam Pomfrey insisted on keeping Harry in the hospital wing for the rest of the weekend. He didn't argue or complain, but he wouldn't let her throw away the shattered remnants of his Nimbus Two Thousand. The Nimbus was beyond repair, but I could understand why he wanted to kept it close; he felt as though he'd lost one of his best friends.

        "If Snape's teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts again, I'm skiving off," Ron said as we headed toward Lupin's classroom after lunch on Monday. "Check who's in there, Hermione."

        Hermione peered around the classroom door.

        "It's okay!"

        Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes; nevertheless, he smiled at the class as we took our seats, and we burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behavior while Lupin had been ill.

        "It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he give us homework?"

        "We don't know anything about werewolves --"

        "-- two rolls of parchment!"

        "Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?" Lupin asked, frowning slightly.

        The babble broke out again.

        "Yes, but he said we were really behind --"

        "-- he wouldn't listen --"

        "-- two rolls of parchment!"

        "-- he called Hermione an insufferable know-it-all!"

        Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face.

        "Don't worry. I'll speak to Professor Snape. You don't have to do the essay."

        "Oh no," Hermione said, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"

        We had a very enjoyable lesson. Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who looked as though he were made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless looking.

        "Lures travelers into bogs," Professor Lupin said as we took notes. "You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead -- people follow the light -- then --"

        The Hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass.

        Two weeks before the end of the term, the sky lightened suddenly to a dazzling, opaline white and the muddy grounds were revealed one morning covered in glittering frost. Inside the castle, there was a buzz of Christmas in the air. Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, had already decorated his classroom with shimmering lights that turned out to be real, fluttering fairies. The students were all happily discussing their plans for the holidays. Both Ron and Hermione had decided to remain at Hogwarts, and though Ron said it was because he couldn't stand two weeks with Percy, and Hermione insisted she needed to use the library, me and Harry weren't fooled; they were doing it to keep us company, and we were very grateful.

        To everyone's delight except mine and Harry's, there was to be another Hogsmeade trip on the very last weekend of the term.

        "We can do all our Christmas shopping there!" Hermione said. "Mum and Dad would really love those Toothflossing Stringmints from Honeydukes!"