Chapter 579: An old bum (Edited)

On the fourth day of school, and the third official day of classes, Fish's classes finally relaxed.

Of course, the relief was only relative, as most of the students were still suffering from the intense workload.

"Fish, Hermione, stay here for a while." said Professor McGonagall after handing out another load of homework.

Once everyone else had left the classroom, she continued, "After eleven o'clock tonight, come to the Headmaster's office, where Dumbledore and I will be waiting for you."

"Eh~"

∑(`A')

Fish interrupted and said sadly, "Fish wanted to go to the Forbidden Forest to play with Shadow and the others, it's weird that it wasn't raining today nya~"

Professor McGonagall glared at him and, without a word, gathered her things and left the classroom.

"Don't you want to know what that dream of yours was about?" Hermione asked in his ear as she grabbed Fish by the arm and dragged him out.

"Yes!" Fish was flabbergasted, then said helplessly, "Then we'll have to go back to the Forbidden Forest tomorrow night..... oh no, then we'll have to go back to the Forbidden Forest the night after next nya.... it's been a busy quarter!"

(?ω?)

Fish, who naturally liked to be comfortable, was very uncomfortable with the current pace of life.

After dinner, instead of going straight back to the dormitory, Fish headed to the Astronomy Tower, where they had astronomy class tonight.

Unlike the rest of the class, Professor Sinistra began by stressing the importance of the O.W.L. exams, and then gave them a bunch of homework.

The only good news was that there was only one Astronomy class a week, so they didn't have to rush through Astronomy homework.

After Astronomy, the group sighed and went back to the common room, where there was no time for fun, so they all pulled out their homework and worked on it.

Hermione had already finished most of her homework during the break, and was now supervising Fish's "reading" of his homework, after all, they would be going to the Headmaster's office in a few minutes and they had to get Fish finished before then.

"Hey guys, want something nice to put you out of your misery?"

The twins and their best friend, Lee Jordan, were each carrying a large paper bag and selling their candy while Fish whispered about his homework with boredom.

Hermione was about to walk up to them and stop them, but she figured that even if she did, it would only take them from above ground to below ground, which wouldn't mean much.

And as Professor McGonagall already knew, the twins' candy probably wouldn't do much good.

So she merely glanced at the three of them for a few moments, then went back to supervising Fish's "reading" of the assignment.

"Finished nya!"

(≧≦)

After an hour or so, Fish let out an exclamation of glee, then plopped down on the table, like a ruined cat.

"Fish is exhausted...so thirsty..."

_(ω」∠)_

Hermione handed him something to drink in time and slipped the straw into the lazy Fish's mouth.

Fish took a couple of stiff sips from the straw before rejuvenating himself and sitting upright.

"Hermione is the best nya!".

?●ω●?

He wrapped his arms around Hermione, rubbed his cheek against hers and then transformed into a cat, jumping onto her lap.

Hermione petted the cat and pulled out a book to read.

After a while, apart from the fifth years, who were still catching up on homework, and a few seventh years who were reading, most of the other Gryffindors had gone back to their dormitories, and the few who hadn't gone to bed had found a corner and were quietly playing board games without disturbing the others.

"Fish, we should go."

Hermione said quietly, petting the cat sleeping in her lap.

(=Д`=)

With a long yawn, Fish got up, shook out his fur and rubbed himself against Hermione's palm.

Hermione grabbed Fish and headed outside.

The other students in the common room glanced around and then looked away; the Gryffindor students were too used to seeing Fish and Hermione out at night to make a sound.

After emerging from the hole in the wall behind the portrait of the Fat Lady, Hermione took the form of a small black cat and ran with Fish to the Headmaster's office.

The two kittens climbed up the revolving staircase to the headmaster's office.

"Minerva, are you there?"

|ΦωΦ)

Fish pushed open the door, peeked out furtively, and saw Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore seated.

"Fish is here, come in."

Dumbledore sat behind his desk and greeted Fish with a smile on his face.

Fish entered the office with Hermione and, with a wave of his wand, Dumbledore conjured two more chairs next to Professor McGonagall and said, "Sit down, would you like a pile of cockroaches?"

"No, thank you." Hermione refused with a dry smile.

"Fish wants it!"

(ΦωΦ)

Naturally, Fish didn't refuse.

As Fish made his way through the pile of chocolate cockroaches, Dumbledore's blue eyes looked kindly at Hermione.

"Minerva said you wanted to see me about something?"

"Yes, Professor." Hermione twiddled her fingers a little nervously. "It's about our Defense Against the Dark Arts class this year...".

Although he had heard Professor McGonagall say it once before, Dumbledore maintained his gentle smile and listened quietly to Hermione's account.

"I'm embarrassed." Dumbledore apologized before saying, "I have been remiss in this matter." He frowned, rubbing his forehead a little wearily. "But if I intervene now, I'm sure I'll wear myself out from Fudge and the others, the Order of the Phoenix has increasingly important things to do..."

Dumbledore said, he looked a little hesitant, it was clear that he really didn't want to get involved in such a petty matter.

Hermione could understand Dumbledore's concern, with Voldemort resurrected and the Ministry still dragging its feet, Dumbledore needed to focus on more important things, but she didn't want to give up just like that....

"Actually, Fish and I have come up with an idea..." said Hermione, gently biting her lip and plucking up her courage.

"Nya?"

(???~???)

Fish, who was eating his snacks, looked confused.

Hermione ignored Fish who was beside himself, and brought up the suggestion of reopening the dueling club.

"Unfortunately, that's not an option." Dumbledore shook his head with a bitter smile and explained, "Now that you know the Ministry of Magic doesn't want you to learn practical skills, why would they allow the school to set up a dueling club? I'm sure Fudge will try to disband the club."

"So this year we'll have to learn theoretical things that will be useless?" asked Hermione reluctantly.

"They're not exactly useless, the theoretical knowledge will help you master the spell."

Dumbledore began by speaking for the Ministry curriculum, then added, "The Dueling Club is a good idea, but the teachers may not be able to help you much, but there's more to the school than teachers."

"Besides," he said with a playful wink at Hermione, "It's better if Umbridge doesn't find out."

Hermione froze for a moment, then replied excitedly, "I know what to do!"

"I knew you were a clever girl." Dumbledore smiled kindly.

At that moment, Fish twitched his ears and asked suspiciously, "Yes Fish got that right, Albus, you're leaving your job to Hermione to do nya? Just like you left your job to Minerva!"

(ˇˇ)

Fish stared at Dumbledore with a serious countenance. "You're just trying to be lazy nya! You're a mean old man!".

Witty Fish had seen through everything!