As the siblings sat down to breakfast the next morning, the topic had changed to their new electives for next year. There were five electives to choose from and they could choose up to three of them. No student could choose more than that because some of the classes took place at the same time and there was no way to take them all.
The students could choose from Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Care Of Magical Creatures, Muggle Studies, and Divination. Arithmancy was a class where you learn the layout of creating new spells. Ancient Runes was the class to study the branch of magic that was controlled through carved or drawn symbols instead of words or wands. Care Of Magical Creatures was just as the class's name suggested, it was about learning how to care for and about magical creatures. Muggle Studies was also very self-explanatory, a class to teach about the mundane world. And Divination is the class that teaches how to see into the future using tea leaves, crystal balls, and other methods.
"Care Of Magical Creatures sounds interesting," Melody says as the three at breakfast at Hufflepuff that morning.
"That class is so up my alley," Harry smiled as he ate his pancakes. "It goes without saying that animals, magical or not, are what I love most."
"Granger would definitely be driven crazy in that class," Krinos laughed. "You could put an actual dragon in front of her and she would still lecture about how 'magical creatures do not exist.' She needs a magical reality check."
"Never have I agreed with a single statement more than that," Harry said.
"I'm questioning why they even offer Divination," Melody says.
Harry had already asked some of his fellow Gryffindors were going to sign up for. Neville had been sent letters from all the witches and wizards in his family, all giving him different advice on what to choose. Confused and worried, he sat reading the subject lists with his tongue poking out, asking people whether they thought Arithmancy sounded more difficult than the study of Ancient Runes. Dean Thomas, who had grown up with Muggles, ended up closing his eyes and jabbing his wand at the list, then picking the subjects it landed on. Hermione took nobody's advice but signed up for everything. The trio thought that she was currently lacking in common sense.
"Hey, Percy," Harry asked. "You got any advice for us?"
Percy was eager to share his experience.
"Depends where you want to go, Harry," he said. "It's never too early to think about the future, so I recommend Divination. People say Muggle Studies is a soft option, but I personally think wizards should have a thorough understanding of the non-magical community, particularly if they're thinking of working in close contact with them. Look at my father. He has to deal with Muggle business all the time. My brother Charlie was always more of an outdoor type, so he went for Care of Magical Creatures. Play to your strengths, Harry."
"Care of Magical Creatures it is, then," Krinos chuckled.
"Just might want to keep Selene hidden," Fred says.
"Or the professor might want to present her to the class," George said.
"Why is Divination even offered," Melody asked.
"What do you mean, Melody," Cedric asked. "Divination has always been taught at Hogwarts. Same as the other electives and subjects."
"But it isn't something that can be taught," Melody argued. "You either have the ability to see the future or you don't, plain and simple. We know a couple of people with the sight back home."
"Really," Neville gasped, his eyes wide.
"While not full seers, they can accurately predict events using crystal balls, tarot cards, or enchanted pools of water," Krinos says. "Gypsies are really the only ones that can make real predictions with tea leaves."
"Something tells me that most of the students in that class just make things up as they go," Melody rolled her eyes.
"Things like this are why Greek magic-users generally stay away from here," Harry crossed his arms.
"They... uh... hate people trying to teach Divination," Cedric tried to guess.
"We find it insulting that they seem to make such a delicate and coveted form of magic into a joke," Harry explained. "In Greece, seeing the future is sacred. Stories of the Oracle of Delphi have been told for thousands of years. The Oracle is very real and she would be horrified that her mystical art was being treated this way."
"It really is disgraceful to make others believe that they can see into the future even without the sight," Melody shook her head.
The British wizards actually saw where they were coming from. Plus, except for Neville, they all knew that the Divination professor was definitely not the best. None of them took Divination, but even they knew how every year, Professor Trelawney chose one student to continuously traumatize by predicting his/her death all year. Everyone knew she was a fraud, so why she was still employed as the Divination professor was beyond all of them.
"I am quite intrigued by Ancient Runes," Krinos changed the subject. "It's one of the few magical subjects here that do not require a wand."
"Runes are one of the most helpful things in a lot of careers," Percy says. "I know that our brother, Bill, needed an O in Runes in order to become a Curse Breaker."
"Does anyone ever get help with choosing classes," Harry asked. "If some subjects are required for certain careers, shouldn't students be given advice on what subjects to take for what type of job they want?"
"You three seem to have more common sense than most of our own country," Cedric admitted. "We may talk with our heads of houses about what career we want in fifth year, but advice on class choice was never given."
"I can expect that for Gryffindor," Harry says. "McGonagall is always the 'do as I say and do not ask questions' type of person. Not like she would listen to what her students would want, anyway."
"You're never going to forgive her for what she said last All Hallow's Eve are you," Melody asked.
"I'm more stubborn than any mule," Harry playfully pouted. "Do not doubt how long I can hold a grudge."
"Plus, it does seem like this is how she always is," Krinos added.
"It's true," Fred admitted.
"McGonagall never listens," George said.
"Ask for help, she says to go to a prefect," Fred said.
"Complain about a professor, she takes the professor's side," George says.
Most of the group then coughed, all of their coughs sounding a lot like the name 'Snape.' But now they had a good excuse if someone tells Snape what they said.
"Ask for help in class, she doesn't give it," Fred said.
"Go to her about a bully, she does nothing," George finished.
"That last one could be said about the entire school," Harry says. "Look at Malfoy. He struts around this school like he owns the place, using those horrible insults like 'mudblood' and 'blood traitor.' If I was a teacher here, I would punish him until he never uses words like that ever again. I do not care if he a 'pureblood' or mundane. Discrimination terms have no place in the world. Be it about blood, skin color, religion, or sexual preferences, no one should be insulted for being born the way they are."
The siblings shared high-fives. Harry felt like he should do the 'drop the mic' motion, but knew that none of the purebloods surrounding them would know what it meant. But he still felt really good at dropping probably the truest statement to ever be said in Hogwarts ever.
They soon finished their breakfast and went their separate ways. They did not have classes that day, but Harry had a Quidditch game and Krinos was doing his research in the library like he had told his brother and sister the night before.
Gryffindor's next Quidditch match would be against Hufflepuff. Wood had been insisting on team practices every night after dinner, so Harry barely had time for anything but Quidditch and homework. He was lucky for a Potions accident to have caused Oliver to break out in giant pimples the night before, or the three would not have been able to see Hagrid. However, the training sessions were getting better, or at least drier.
Harry raced up to Gryffindor Tower, collected his Nimbus Two Thousand, and joined the large crowd swarming across the grounds, but his mind was still in the castle along with the bodiless voice, and as he pulled on his scarlet robes in the locker. room, his only comfort was that everyone was now outside to watch the game. The teams walked onto the field to tumultuous applause. Oliver took off for a warm-up flight around the goalposts. Madam Hooch was about to release the balls. The Hufflepuffs, who played in canary yellow, were standing in a huddle, having a last-minute discussion of tactics.
Harry was just mounting his broom when Professor McGonagall came half marching, half running across the pitch, carrying an enormous purple megaphone.
Harry's heart dropped like a stone.
"This match has been canceled," Professor McGonagall called through the megaphone, addressing the packed stadium.
There were boos and shouts. Oliver, looking devastated, landed and ran toward Professor McGonagall without getting off his broomstick.
"But, Professor!" he shouted. "We've got to play... the cup... Gryffindor..."
Professor McGonagall ignored him and continued to shout through her megaphone.
"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their Heads of Houses will give them further information. As quickly as you can, please!"
Then she lowered the megaphone and beckoned Harry over to her.
"Potter, I think you'd better come with me," she said.
Melody must have sensed something because she soon appeared next to him. The head of Gryffindor did not protest, so she was probably going to call Melody at some point as well. The two had really bad feelings about what was going on. Something made their stomachs ache and their hearts felt like they had holes in them.
"What do you think is going on," Melody asked her brother.
"I don't know, but something doesn't feel right," Harry had his hand over his heart.
"Yeah, I feel it too," Melody had her own hand over her heart.
The sound of claws hitting the stone floor of the school got their attention. It was followed by the sound of hooves and the flapping of wings. That left only two options. One, it could be a Sharabha, a Hindu creature that is said to be part lion, goat, and eagle/hawk. Or two, the more realistic option, it was their familiars.
Sure enough, when they turned around, there was Wolf, Selene, and Frost. Frost landed on Melody's arms when she held hers up. Selene and Wolf were walking around their legs.
"Okay, this really says that something is wrong if all three come running like this," Harry said.
"Or flying, in Frost's case," Melody says.
They quickly followed McGonagall to the Hospital Wing, Melody careful not to cause Frost to fall off her arm.
"This may come as a shock to you both," McGonagall says. "We found them near the library."
The two looked at the bed she directed them to. The moment that they saw who it was, all hell broke loose. Melody's eyes flashed and every single window in the Hospital Wing shattered. Harry's teeth fanged and the footboard of another bed that he was holding broke into pieces from his grip.
On one bed was sweet and tiny Luna Lovegood. But on the one next to her... was Krinos. Both of them were as still as stone.
Harry's eyes kept changing animals, trying to find the one that would match how much anger he was feeling. Lion, gorilla, rhino, wolf, panther, eagle, bear. None of them even came close to the intense anger of a brother in pain.
Melody was worse. This was her twin, her other half, the other side of the coin that was the two of them. She could feel her heart hurting, calling out to her twin. It was taking every bit of self-control that she had not to completely lose control of her powers. Mostly because she did not want to cause the entire school to go deaf.
Wolf was not doing so well either. He kept nudging and licking his bonded's hand, trying to get him to move, but nothing worked. He knew something was wrong with him, the bond told him that, but did not understand what was really going on. Selene and Frost were just as equally confused.
"W...What... how... when..." Melody could not find the words.
"Penelope Clearwater found them outside the library," McGonagall tells them. "They had a mirror between them."
"A mirror," Harry asked.
McGonagall nodded. She soon dismissed them, telling them to get back to their common rooms as quickly as possible. The heads of houses will be addressing everyone as soon as possible. The two were almost robotic as they went back to their houses. They did not want to be separated, but they had no choice.
But even in their states of shock, their minds were still at work. They now could clearly eliminate gorgon from their list of creatures that could do this. Gorgon stone eyes do not work or weaken when mirrors are used, so they were now sure that gorgons were off the list.
Melody just sat in the Ravenclaw common room, probably the most silent she had ever been in her entire life. No one in Ravenclaw approached her, in fear of what she might do if anyone even slightly bothered her after what had happened. Melody knew she was not close or even really friends with anyone from her house, but this was really the only time she regretted that fact. There was no one for her to talk to, to confide in, or even just to rant to about all the different ways she was going to kill whoever did this to her brother.
It wasn't like she found anyone that was worth getting close to. Especially after learning about what most of the house was doing to Luna. The blond may talk about strange and unique things, but that did not mean they had the right to pick on her and call her that terrible nickname of "Loony Lovegood." Really, it was like most of them had the maturity of five-year-olds. She could count on one hand the number of Ravenclaws that have not bullied the sweet blond.
Harry was just as silent as his sister was. But, he was surrounded by his fellow Gryffindor friends. Fred, George, Neville, and Lee didn't speak to him, but just them being there gave him comfort. Harry was trying everything not to go full-on wild animal and tear the school apart to find whoever did this to his brother. He did not care when it happens, but he will find who did this to his brother and it will not be a pretty sight when he does.
He was often described as the weakest of the Gardna trio. His powers relied on animals, not a magical power that has a wide range of usages like nature and music do. But the three all knew that they had their strengths and weaknesses. Krinos, as a mage of nature, was weak to fire magic because it can burn quickly through his plants. Melody was weak to water magic since sound waves can not pass through water as easily as air or even earth. Harry was weak against beast tamer magic as it was a power that was specifically meant for summoning and controlling magical and mundane creatures. They all had their strengths and weaknesses.
The Gryffindors packed inside the common room listened to Professor McGonagall in silence. She rolled up the parchment from which she had been reading and said in a somewhat choked voice.
"I need hardly add that I have rarely been so distressed. It is likely that the school will be closed unless the culprit behind these attacks is caught. I would urge anyone who thinks they might know anything about them to come forward."
She climbed somewhat awkwardly out of the portrait hole, and the Gryffindors began talking immediately.
"That's two Gryffindors down, counting a Gryffindor ghost, one Ravenclaw, and two Hufflepuff, " said Ron, counting on his fingers. "Haven't any of the teachers noticed that the Slytherins are all safe? Isn't it obvious all this stuff's coming from Slytherin? The Heir of Slytherin, the monster of Slytherin. Why don't they just chuck all the Slytherins out!"
He roared that last part, to nods and scattered applause.
"SHUT UP," Harry yelled, much to the shock of the house.
"What's got your wand in a..." Ron did not get to finish his sentence.
"What in the name of Hades is wrong with you people," Harry scolded the house. "Just because someone claiming to be the Heir of Slytherin is doing this does not mean you discriminate an entire house because some of them are evil. These stereotypes are one of the most ridiculous things I have heard since I came into this country. Slytherin does not mean evil, Hufflepuff does not mean weak, Ravenclaw does not mean boring know-it-all. And judging by so many of you willing to throw a quarter of this country's children into prison, Gryffindor sure does not mean good."
He was just so done with stupidity at this point. He went to leave and go to his dorm room.
"Not like anyone that actually mattered was attacked, anyway," Ron sneered.
That caused Harry to freeze right where he was. All his friends also froze. They knew that this was not going to end well.
"What. Did. You. Just. Say," Harry turned his head but did not turn to actually look at the redheaded idiot.
"It was just a cat, a ghost, that crazy camera kid, a loony Ravenclaw, and two Huffle-dorks," Ron did not get the clear message of danger in Harry's voice.
"I would shut that mouth of yours if I was you, you Human Garbage Disposal," Harry growled as his amulet glowed.
"Guess the famous 'Boy-Who-Lived' is a big cry baby over his pathetic Huffle-dork brother being made a statue," Ron taunted. "Not like he matters. Everyone knows that anyone is Hufflepuff is a throw-away wizard. They don't belong anywhere, so they end up in the house of nobodies. He's better of being a... GAH!"
Harry had grabbed his throat. He changed. He grew pitch black fur and his legs changed to the hind legs of a panther. He got claws for hands. Panther ears replaced his own. He had emerald green cat eyes.
His amulet was glowing the entire time, making the wizards think that was the reason behind his change.
"Insult my brother again," Harry glared at him with his panther eyes. "I dare you."
"Gah," Ron choked on the grip on his neck.
''What's the matter,'' Harry taunted. ''Cat got your tongue. RAAA.''
He soon dropped the idiot, storming off to bed. He changed back as he walked. No one knew what to say. Except for Lee, anyway.
"Where can I get a necklace like that," his joke fell flat.
(I do plan for the siblings to tell their friends about being mystic souls, but I actually do not know when I will do it. I do plan to have Crystal Rose be a part of the Triwizard Tournament. Should I have the trio tell them in third year or fourth year?)