Harry Potter And The Fortunate Queen

Next Morning Chris, Ginny and Colin entered the Great Hall and took their second year time-table from Professor McGonagall.

"Aghh!" Chris made a face in irritation. "Our first class is Herbology. I can't do this."

"Herbology is a good subject Chris." Ginny said eating her breakfast.

"But I don't like it." Chris answered.

"And it's double Herbology." Colin said chuckling.

"Colin, don't, or I'll never help you at potions." Chris said with a cold stare.

"Sorry!" Colin said hurriedly and concentrated on breakfast.

"It's ok Chris. You'll survive." Ginny said smiling. "And look we have our Defence Against the Dark Arts class after Lunch."

"Great! This day couldn't get beter." Chris said sarcastically and put her head on the table.

"Why? Is it because you snapped at Professor Lupin yesterday?" Colin grinned.

"COLIN!" Chris said angrily.

Ginny laughed.

"Forget it, Harry, Dad had to go out to Azkaban one time, remember, Fred? And he said it was the worst place he'd ever been. He came back all weak and shaking … They suck the happiness out of a place, Dementors. Most of the prisoners go mad in there." Chris heard George speaking to Harry, a little far on the table.

"Anyway, we'll see how happy Malfoy looks after our first Quidditch match," said Fred. "Gryffindor versus Slytherin, first game of the season, remember?"

Chris perked up hearing this.

"Do you two want to try for Quidditch this year?" She said suddenly changing her expression into a grin.

A spoon fell from Ginny's hand. Colin gave multiple expressions: surprised, thoughtful and happy.

"But we're just in second year Chris." Ginny said quietly.

"Harry was in first year." Chris replied.

"But he is different."

"He is not any exotic animal Ginny. He is also a human like us."

"But...?"

"Ginny, it's your childhood dream to play Quidditch. C'mon it'll be fun. I'm trying."

"I'll take pictures of you both." Colin said grinning.

"You're?" Ginny asked surprised.

"Yep."

"For what? I mean Gryffindor Quidditch team have very good players. We'll not able to beat them." Ginny said skeptically.

"Ginny! Let's try at least. I'll try for chaser. You?" Chris asked.

Ginny thought for a moment.

"C'mon Ginny. It's just a trial." Colin said enthusiastically.

Ginny sighed. "Fine. We'll try together."

Chris and Colin cheered together.

"I'll talk to Wood and ask him when is the trial." Chris said grinning as they left for their Herbology class.

Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails.

"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout in her usual cheerful self.

There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before — greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Chris caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella-sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. 'I can do this.' She repeated in her mind.

Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench in the center of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of different-colored earmuffs were lying on the bench.

"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?" She said and soon lots of hand shoot in the year.

Of course after what happened last year almost everyone knows what's a Mandrake.

Professor Sprout asked a Hufflepuff girl.

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state." The girl answered.

"Excellent. Ten points to Hufflepuff." said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," He answered.

"Precisely. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."

She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were growing there in rows.

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout.

There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy. Chris, Ginny and Colin took the pink and fluffy ones by choice.

"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right earmuffs on."

They snapped the earmuffs over their ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard.

Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.

'You can do this' Chris repeated in her brain and took a deep breath.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill you, However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up. Four to a tray — there is a large supply of pots here — compost in the sacks over there — and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething."

She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder.

Chris, Ginny, and Colin were joined at their tray by a black haired Hufflepuff boy.

"Hi.. I'm... Melvin Catterick." He said nervously. "You're Chris.. Aren't you?"

Chris nodded with a smile and boy suddenly became pink. Ginny and Colin chuckled.

"Hiya.. I'm Colin Creevey." Colin said.

"Oh! Yes.. I heard about you last year." He replied and shook hands with Colin.

"I'm Ginny Weasley." Ginny said simply.

"Yes. Yes. Of course. Nice to meet you all." He said again glancing towards Chris.

Chris moved her gaze towards the work at hand. As they began filling their plant pots with dragon dung compost, Ginny whispered in Chris's ear, "You got a new admirer."

Chris rolled her eyes. The boy, Melvin, tried to talk to Chris few times but Chris politely ignored him. After that they didn't have much chance to talk. Their earmuffs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Chris spent fifteen whole minutes trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot.

By the end of the class, Chris, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Charms.

They had Chams with Ravenclaws, so the three of them sat with Luna. Chris always liked the Charms class so it was easy for her. They worked on few spells for sometime.

At last the bell rang for Lunch and they all left together for the Great Hall.

As they get near the Gryffindor table, Chris heard a clattering sound. Ron's fork fell on his plate and he was watching Harry his mouth open.

Ginny also noticed that and they intentionally sat near them. As they sat, they heard Ron speak loudly. "Hermione, if Harry's seen a Grim, that's – that's bad," he said. "My – my Uncle Bilius saw one and – and he died twenty-four hours later!"

"Coincidence," said Hermione airily, pouring herself some pumpkin juice.

"You don't know what you're talking about!" said Ron, starting to get angry. "Grims scare the living daylights out of most wizards!"

"There you are, then," said Hermione in a superior tone. "They see the Grim and die of fright. The Grim's not an omen, it's the cause of death! And Harry's still with us because he's not stupid enough to see one and think, right, well, I'd better pop my clogs then!"

"What's a grim?" Suddenly Colin said loudly looking at them.

Harry, Ron and Hermione startled looked towards them. Chris gave Colin a cold stare. Colin hurriedly added, "You all were talking loudly. Couldn't help but hear." And he put a lot of food in his mouth, for not able to speak for sometime.

"We're talking about our first Divination class." Hermione answered.

"Really? How was it?" Luna asked curiously.

"If you ask me, I think Divination seems very woolly. A lot of guesswork, if you ask me." Hermione said.

"There was nothing woolly about the Grim in that cup!" said Ron hotly.

"You didn't seem quite so confident when you were telling Harry it was a sheep," said Hermione coolly.

"Professor Trelawney said you didn't have the right aura! You just don't like being rubbish at something for a change!"

Everybody stopped. Ron had touched a nerve. Hermione slammed her book down on the table so hard that bits of meat and carrot flew everywhere.

"If being good at Divination means I have to pretend to see death omens in a lump of tea leaves, I'm not sure I'll be studying it much longer! That lesson was absolute rubbish compared to my Arithmancy class!"

She snatched up her bag and stalked away.

Ron frowned after her.

"What's she talking about?" he said to Harry. "She hasn't been to an Arithmancy class yet."

"So what's a grim?" Colin asked again.

Harry sighed. "It's a death omen. Professor Trelawney, our Divination teacher had predicted my death this year..."

Ron kicked Harry glancing at Ginny, who was stunned like Colin, Luna and Chris. Ginny noticed that and snapped, "I'm not fragile anymore, Ron."

"And so yeah. That's it. Hermione thinks it's nothing but stupid and Ron thinks it's true." Said Harry looking at Chris.

"You know I think they both are right." Chris said.

Everyone looked at her.

"How can be they both right Chris? They're saying the opposite things." Ginny said confused.

"I don't think Professor Trelawney lied or pretended but I also think we can change our future. So I suggest, if Harry thinks, it's true then he should prepare to face it, win over it, rather than feeling sad for it. You've fought death many times, didn't you? One more time wouldn't hurt. Right?" Chris said with a smile.

Harry smiled back.

"I agree." Luna said excitedly.

After lunch, Chris, Ginny and Colin walked towards the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Last year Lockhart made it the most boring subject but this year a new Professor joined. Everyone was excited. Chris was nervous.

Professor Lupin came in, smiled vaguely and placed his tatty old briefcase on the teacher's desk. He was as shabby as ever but looked healthier than he had on the train, as though he had had a few square meals.

"Good afternoon," he said. "Would you please put all your books back in your bags. Today's will be a practical lesson. You will only need your wands."

A few curious looks were exchanged as the class put away their books. They had never had a practical Defence Against the Dark Arts before.

"Right then," said Professor Lupin, when everyone was ready, "if you'd follow me."

Puzzled but interested, the class followed Professor Lupin outside.

Soon they entered the countryard.

"So today we'll learn a spell which will slow down any obstract or creatures or person." Lupin said smiling.

Everyone was listening attentively. Chris noticed even Jason Fawley, a Slytherin boy was watching Professor Lupin curiously.

"We will practise the charm without wands first. After me, please … impedimenta!"

"Impedimenta!" said the class together.

"Good," said Professor Lupin. "Very good. Now." He brought a cage. There was three small and thin birds.

"I must say, they're very fast birds. So be careful." Lupin said and freed a bird. "Watch closely."

As soon as the bird came out, it started fly like the golden snitch, at least Chris felt that. Professor Lupin hold his wand, pointed at it and said, "Impedimenta."

The bird slowed down and Professor Lupin put it in the cage. "Now. One by one. No need to panic. I'll watch you all closely." He looked around and spotted Chris. "Miss Norton. Let's start with you."

Chris came forward and took a deep breath and ready her wand. Professor Lupin freed one bird, it started to fly and without waiting Chris muttered, "Impedimenta." The spell hit the bird and it slowed down. Then others started to practice. Ginny also missed it two times then did it. Few Slytherins were practicing when suddenly a bird escaped and started to flew away. Chris had a feeling, she should catch it. "I can catch that Professor." She said and Lupin nodded. She ran towards it. It was flying fast and going in different direction, so Chris wasn't able to use the spell, she just followed it. At last Chris slowed it, when it was going into a padlock. Hagrid was taking class their. As she crossed the fence and casted the spell, Hagrid noticed her.

"Everything alrigh' there Chris?" He asked.

"Sorry. I was following this." She catched the bird.

Everyone looked back at her.

Chris suddenly had a feeling. She looked around and saw few creatures which had the bodies, hind legs and tails of horses, but the front legs, wings and heads of what seemed to be giant eagles, with cruel, steel-coloured beaks and large, brilliantly orange eyes. The talons on their front legs were half a foot long and deadly-looking. Each of the beasts had a thick leather collar around its neck. The third year students were patting those creatures. Hagrid smiled seeing Chris's curious face, "They're Hippogriffs. Beau'iful, aren' they?"

Chris smiled back coming close.

"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loudly, Chris heard him clearly. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it … "

Chris come closer to their Hippogriff, then he said to the Hippogriff. "I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you? Are you, you ugly great brute?"

In a flash the Hippogriff's front legs were up in the air to attack Malfoy. Chris was also fast, she pulled Malfoy out of the way. The Hippogriff turned towards Draco. Draco hid behind Chris and she faced the Hippogriff.

"Woah! Woah! Woah! Easy easy..." Chris said holding her arms wide. The Hippogriff tried to reach Draco but as soon as she looked at Chris's eyes. It started to calm down. "Easy! Easy!" She spoke and the Hippogriff put his legs down.

Hagrid came running. "Everyone alrigh'? Everyone alrigh'?"

"How dare you?... you bloody chicken.." Draco said angrily. The Hippogriff turned towards Draco again. Draco tried to back. "No! No! Easy!" Chris said to the Hippogriff. The Hippogriff made a sound like it was complaining to Chris. Chris turned towards Draco, "Say sorry."

"What?" Draco said in disbelief.

"Say sorry or I'll step aside and you'll be dead." Chris said sharply.

Hagrid tried to interfere but the Hippogriff turned around.

"S... so... sorry." Draco whispered.

"Loudly." Chris shouted.

"SORRY." Draco shouted.

"Here we go. He said sorry and will never insult you." Chris said patting the Hippogriff, which it clearly enjoyed.