Secrets, Lies and the Daily Prophet (Alt. Fifth Year Fic)

Chapter Fourteen: Harry's Summer Lessons Begin

Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Harry stood in Professor Figg's living room and waited to hear what his first lesson was going to be. She placed some rolls of parchment on an end table and then showed him a magazine opened to a page with a brightly coloured wall on it.

"I want you to transfigure these rolls of parchment into wallpaper with this pattern on it. How good are you in Transfiguration?"

"I'm okay, I guess," he said with a sheepish smile.

"Just okay?" she said arching one eyebrow. "I suppose that means that after trying for about ten or twenty minutes or so that you eventually can get something transfigured. That's just not good enough for you Harry. You need to accomplish transfiguration quickly or don't even bother."

Harry's stomach sank. He knew that he was required to take Transfiguration and now Professor Figg was telling him he should give it up.

Her softened with him, "I love Minerva. She's my aunt, but I'm afraid her method of teaching is not as effective as it should be."

Harry was startled at that.

"I heard that Remus worked with you and helped you to be able to conjure a Patronus in your third year. Harry, you're a powerful wizard and I wish that Minerva would recognize that students need to learn to become accomplished with something small and then you'll be able to transfer that technique to larger objects. Instead of working individually with students she lectures and hopes at least for some level of competence but not proficiency. Tell me, what have you learned to transfigure?"

"Well, we learned to transfigure hedgehogs into pin cushions last year."

"Ah yes, the ever present dilemma of what to do with rampaging hedgehogs. Something that's kept me awake many a night," she said with dripping sarcasm.

Harry tried hard to suppress a smile at that, but couldn't quite manage it.

Professor Figg shook her head. "You need defensive skills Harry. Turning bunnies into slippers is useless for you. What good would it do for you to pelt a Death Eater with slippers? We need to concentrate on objects you could use to defend yourself with."

She then walked over to a cupboard and brought back a box of wooden matches. "I think after four years of lessons you should be able to transfigure this box of matches into needles in the blink of an eye. Do you think you can do that?"

Harry breathed a heavy sigh and slowly shook his head.

"Well then let's start with the matchstick to needle – your first lesson four years ago. I want to see you concentrate and get it transfigured by the time I can snap my fingers."

Professor Figg and Sirius helped Harry work on focusing his mind and energy on this task for the rest of the day. By the time it was over he could make an entire box of matches into needles and back again in the blink of an eye.

"Excellent work, Harry. Tomorrow we shall work on the parchment to wallpaper. Let's break for dinner," said Professor Figg.

Harry was feeling much better about himself and a subject that he had only had a passing interest in before. The summer was turning out much better than he had hoped. Harry knew Sirius and Professor Figg listened to the Wizarding Wireless Network to get the Daily Prophet news in the morning before he came over, but they didn't share with him any more of its coverage. His attitude improved by not knowing what lies were being told about him. And working closely with Sirius helped settle his nerves so that he soon had some nights that were dreamless and he was able to actually get a good night's sleep.