She kept gnawing on her pen.
Yes, yes, she had to use a quill, but Hanji found using ordinary muggle writing utensils much easier than all that fancy stuff that wizards liked to write with so much. She’d tried in her first year to get used to the narrow stick of the feather but just couldn’t. Although they were bewitched with feeble Strengthening spells, Hanji’s quills never lasted for long.
Levi elbowed her, forcing her to concentrate on their assignment. She picked up her wand again and waved it, trying to transfigurate her toad, Sawney Bean, into a rabbit. Although it was one of her favorite subjects, Transfiguration was hard for her. But it pleased her to see Levi struggling as well- until he successfully turned Sawney’s webbed feet into rabbit paws.
With a new irk in her shoulders, Hanji waved her wand determinedly- too determinedly.
Sawney Bean gave an irritated ‘Ribbit!’ of protest which was quickly turned into soft cooing as it turned into a white dove, which flew around the Transfiguration classroom.
The other students sniggered heartily. With a satisfied smile, Professor McGonagall waved her wand and transfigured the thing back into Sawney Bean, who fell with a loud plop on Levi’s desk.
He probed it with his wand in disgust. “Filthy slime,” he muttered. “A bird, really?”
“Well, Mr Ackerman, I’d like to see you turn the merest matchstick into a needle,” McGonagall said unexpectedly, looming over their desk. “I kindly remind you that while Ms Bennett has the exceptional skill to turn a dragon into a thestral, you barely scraped an Acceptable in your Transfiguration OWL. Now try again.”
Hanji couldn’t help but grin gratefully at the old spinster Professor, who stretched her thin lips into a smile.
Levi was more irritable than usual since his embarrassment. He didn’t try harder or repent for his mistakes. He only waved his wand with no concentration, trying to do it the way Hanji had.
Needless to say, the only thing he managed to do was scorch the wood top of their desk, an action that had a few points deducted off of Gryffindor.
“And perhaps you’d learn to behave next time, Mr Ackerman,” McGonagall said coolly. “Off you go, now. Remember to hand in an essay about the uses of animal Transfiguration in wizarding wars and riots. Take a permission slip to borrow books from the Restricted Section of the library ahead of time, because I want it by next week. Class dismissed.”
The class disbanded, and Hanji had just remembered her promise to arrive. When she hastened in her steps, Levi questioned her.
“Is it because you’re meeting up with Bighead?” he asked quietly, offering to take her bag. “You could always say no if you don’t want to come.”
“It’s not that I don’t want to come, it’s just that I have to come.” Hanji said, exaggerating slightly. “It’s important business. Top secret.”
“Ah, of course,” Levi said sarcastically. “Just do some shit when you’re done. And hex him for me.”
She only sighed, holding Sawney Bean carefully. Thankfully there was a fellow Ravenclaw heading upstairs who agreed to hold him for her.
With her hands empty but her head full of thoughts, Hanji rushed off, hoping she wasn’t late.
Erwin's teeth were clenched in introverted impatience. He knew he went out nearly five minutes earlier than planned, but he couldn't help but think that she would have done the same if he was in her place. He was searching for a reason to be angry with her, and when he didn't, he made one. Soon he saw her approaching their chosen spot- the Hogwarts Bridge: the one near the grounds. Relief- or so he thought it was- flooded his insides and made his head feel light.
"You're here," he said, feeling like his broom descended above muggle "airplane" level with his riding it. "I'm glad you came. I didn't think you were one to obey student authorities." He smirked at her haughtily.
Hanji nodded and smiled, turning away and poking her head out of the bridge. “Some authority. You said this was an important matter. Did you find anything about Umbridge?”
In reply, Erwin ruffled through his bag for the old copy of the Daily Prophet. He brought it out, careful not to crumble it as it must have gone through a Burning spell. The picture on the cover still moved, although its occupant was fanning herself and smoothing out the creases in her burnt wall, which was covered in pictures of kittens.
“This is her,” he said unnecessarily. “Apparently she’s an important part of the Wizengamot- and also one of the Minister’s closest allies. Look,” he said, pointing at the headline. “Dolores Umbridge Appointed by Minister of Magic for the Position of High Inquisitor and Defence Against the Dark Arts Teacher at Hogwarts. Ring a bell?”
Hanji took the newspaper, skimming through the article. “This was about a month ago.”
“Exactly.”
“Were you present during her speech, Smith? It was obvious that she was Fudge’s spy.”
“That- that was exactly what I wanted to say. I think you’ve heard of the jokes going around the Daily Prophet about Harry Potter’s claims.”
Hanji’s eyebrows furrowed. “Like this?: ‘Perhaps the new professor Umbridge will have a better grip on certain crazy attention-seeking juvenile delinquents with certain scars than those past.’”
“You mean you haven’t been receiving the Daily Prophet lately?”
“I’ve never signed up for a subscription.”
“Why not?”
“None of your business.”
“Okay, that’s no problem. Has there been any talk going around Potter or, um,” he hesitated, “the Dark Lord in the Ravenclaw Tower?”
Hanji put the paper down, squinting through the sunlight down at the Black Lake. Its waves rolled lazily around, generated by the Giant Squid’s constant moving. Erwin always wondered if it ever got bored; the Giant Squid.
“Yes,” she replied quietly. “But I don’t know what to believe.”
“You’ll probably mock, Bennett, but I do.” He said seriously.
“You think he had returned?”
“Why else would the Daily Prophet be this spiteful to the headmaster? They don’t want to believe. But I know- he’s going to come back soon.”
“Maybe you’re right.”
For a moment they kept their silence, and Erwin questioned whether telling her would be the right thing to do. She barely knew him. It felt unfair to his other friends, who had no idea.
Would they even care? Probably not.
But Hanji Zoë, here… she listened to every word he said. And not the hanging-to-every-word kind of listening. She understood him perfectly. That… that wasn’t something he was used to.
He stared at her closely, looking for something to judge. Her pince-nez glasses looked like they wanted to slip off her nose and plummet into the lake, but she didn’t care to push the pair back up. She looked deep in thought, her eyes narrowed in concentration and her eyebrows furrowed.
“Is this why you’re against Umbridge?”
“Promise not to tell?”
She turned away from the scenery to face him. “Of course.”
“Yes.”
She grinned her crooked grin at him. It was beginning to feel contagious, because bit his lip.
“Ah, Eyebrows, I always knew you were different than all those other Slytherins.”
“I can’t really tell whether that’s a compliment,” he said, gradually smiling slowly as well.
“I haven’t changed my mind so far,” she said simply.
They broke their gazes and continued to stare out of the drawbridge.
Later that night, while heading back to the Ravenclaw dorms, Hanji happened to pass by a very popular person.
Harry Potter clutched his hand painfully as he walked to the Gryffindor Tower. She took this opportunity as a chance to greet him warmly enough.
“Hello, Harry,” she said cheerfully, as though she’d known him forever. Although it was midnight, Hanji acted as cheerful as a ray of sunshine. “Hey… are you all right?”
He squinted up at her, looking confused. “Erm, hi.”
“Why are you grasping your hand, then? May I see it?” Hanji leaned over, touching the frame of her pince-nez.
Harry looked a bit dubious as he let go. Looking at his hand, she knew why he looked so ashen.
On the back of Potter’s hand was a single sentence that looked as though it had been carved out with a knife: ‘I must not tell lies.’
Hanji gaped at his hand, pulling out her wand immediately. “Episkey! Oh, no, damn-“ the wound only seemed to hurt him more.
“This looks like a minor injury, but that spell won’t heal it,” she muttered, staring at his irritated face. “What happened to you? Was it a student?”
“Far from it,” Harry suddenly cursed angrily. “I had detention with that pink hag of a professor.”
“Oh… Umbridge.”
He nodded fiercely, trying to set his hand down. “There is no way I’m going to Madame Pomfrey for this.”
“You shouldn’t; great thinking …” she hesitated again before bringing it up. “Did you ask her about You-Know-Who, Potter?”
Harry’s face went slack in shock. “You- you sound like you believe that Vol-“
“No, don’t say it,” Hanji shuddered. “But yes. I don’t think the rest of the Ravenclaws do, though.”
“The Slytherins know; half of their daddies are part of Vol- sorry, You-Know-Who’s buddy circle.”
Hanji didn’t reply. Was that how Erwin knew? Were his parents Death Eaters? Then what was he going on about on Monday that his parents protected muggles? Did he mean some kind of crazy pureblood-crazed mercy kill, or was he really honest?
“Anyway- I have to do this thing every day for a week, and our match against Slytherin is near…”
“The hell does she do?”
“She makes us write lines.”
“Then how… oh. Red ink?”
Harry nodded. “I need to go.”
Hanji didn’t object. She secretly gave him a few points for Gryffindor on the way, though. That house needs them terribly.