In Between Two Worlds (HP/PJO Crossover)

Chapter 106: More Fighting. Yay.

Harry knew that Hermione had meant well, but that didn't stop him from being angry with her. Ron was furious with Hermione too. As far as he was concerned, the stripping-down of a brand-new Firebolt was nothing less than criminal damage. Hermione remained convinced that she had acted for the best, started avoiding the common room. Bailey and I didn't take aside. It would be too complicated after the whole thing was over.

Wood sought Harry and me out on the night before the term started.

"Had a good Christmas?" he said, and then, without waiting for an answer, he sat down, lowered his voice, and said, "I've been, doing some thinking over Christmas. After the last match, you know. If the Dementors come to the next one... I mean... we can't afford you to-well-"

Wood broke off, looking awkward.

"We're working on it," I said. "My Uncle Rem said he'd train us to ward off the Dementors. We should be starting this week. He said he'd have time after Christmas. "

"Ah," said Wood, his expression clearing. "Well, in that case-I didn't want to lose you as Chaser, Karlee. Or you as a Seeker, Harry. And have you ordered new brooms yet?"

"No," said Harry and me.

"What! You'd better get a move on, you know-you can't ride those Shooting Stars against Ravenclaw!"

"They got Firebolts for Christmas," said Ron.

"Firebolts? No! Seriously? Real Firebolts?"

"Don't get excited, Oliver," said Harry gloomily. "I haven't got it anymore. It was confiscated. " And he explained all about how the Firebolts were now being checked for jinxes.

"Karlee I understand yours but Harry's. Jinxed? How could it be jinxed?"

"Sirius Black," Harry said wearily. "He's supposed to be after us. So McGonagall reckons he might have sent them."

Waving aside the information that a famous murderer was after his Seeker and Chaser, Wood said, "But Black couldn't have bought a Firebolt! He's on the run! The whole country's on the lookout for him! How could he just walk into Quality Quidditch Supplies and buy a broomstick?"

"I know," said Harry, "but McGonagall still wants to strip it down-"

Wood went pale.

"I'll go and talk to her, Harry," he promised. "I'll make her see reason... Firebolts... real Firebolts, on our team... She wants Gryffindor to win as much as we do... I'll make her see sense. Firebolts..."

Classes started again the next day. The last thing any of us felt like doing was spending two hours on the grounds on a raw January morning, but Hagrid had provided a bonfire full of salamanders for our enjoyment, and we spent an unusually good lesson collecting dry wood and leaves to keep the fire blazing while the flame-loving lizards scampered up and down the crumbling, white-hot logs. The first Divination lesson of the new term was much less fun; Professor Trelawney was now teaching us palmistry, and she lost no time in informing me that I had the shortest lifeline she had ever seen. Not a shock.

It was Defense Against the Dark Arts that I was keen to get to; after my conversation with Wood, I wanted to get started on me and Harry's anti-Dementor lessons as soon as possible.

"Ah yes," said Uncle Rem, when Harry and I reminded him of his promise at the end of class. "Let me see... how about eight o'clock on Thursday evening? The History of Magic classroom should be large enough... I'll have to think carefully about how we're going to do this. . . We can't bring a real Dementor into the castle to practice on... "

"Still looks ill, doesn't he?" said Ron as we walked down the corridor, heading to dinner. "What d'you reckons the matter with him?"

Bailey and I looked at each other. There was a loud and impatient "tuh" from behind us. It was Hermione, who had been sitting at the feet of a suit of armor, repacking her bag, which was so full of books it wouldn't close.