The Calm before the Storm

Have no fear, Chapter six is here.

Disclaimer: I don\'t own Harry Potter or any of its corresponding paraphernalia.

Chapter 6 - Let Classes Begin

Remus stood at the head of the classroom. It was the first class of the year and it happened to be double Defence Against the Dark Arts with sixth year Gryffindors and Slytherins.
The students were milling around the classroom Slytherins and Gryffindors on opposite sides of the room.

“Alright for the first class of the year we’ll be finding out what was taught to you last year. It seems that you were given a lot of the theory but never did any practical work. Is that right?” Remus asked
“Yes Professor Lupin. Professor Umbridge never demonstrated to us what to do,” Hermione said.
“Alright for this class you will practice what was taught and I’ll help you if you need it. So jump into pairs and we’ll get to work,” Remus said.

Harry smirked as he looked and caught the eyes of the Gryffindors who had been part of DA last year.
Harry walked up to Neville and partnered up with him. He’d be able to help Neville this way and there would be less chance of accidents.

The whole double class was spent running over what they had learned last year. Remus helped where ever it was needed but he found that they seemed to have done well without having to do it for real.
When class was finished Remus dismissed them and Harry, Hermione and Ron headed for Potions.

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“Alright settle petals,” Tempest said as she walked into the classroom.

Harry looked up from the desk he was seated at and watched as Tempest strode to the front of the room.

“You can call me Tempest or Professor. Take a seat and prepare for your first Crystal, Gems and Enchanted Items class. You’ll see that there are books in front of you. These are to write down your notes in. I prefer to do practical work so the most theory you’ll be doing is reports that will be scattered throughout the year. You’ll only have to jot down notes unless I say otherwise. For your first class I’ve brought in a special item,” Tempest said as she placed her hand on something under a piece of cloth, “Can anyone tell me if they know what this is?”

Tempest lifted the clothe to reveal a gold and glass lantern that looked to Harry like a camping light he‘d seen in a camping magazine his uncle had left laying on the kitchen table. She picked it up by the handle on top and held it up for everyone to see.

No-one raised their hand and even Hermione looked stumped.

“This is LeBeau’s Lantern or the Lantern of Fertility,” Tempest said, “Write the names as a heading.”

When everyone had looked at her again she continued,

“Write down notes in dot point. The lantern was created by a pureblood wizard named Louis LeBeau in 1352. Being of pureblood he had to find a wife that would produce an heir to the family so he created this lantern. This lantern can tell the holder whether they are fertile or not, how fertile they are, whether they can conceive a child, whether they could produce a male heir, whether they were a virgin, if they had met their true love and whether they were in love with said true love or just plainly whether they were in love. In the end he found the right woman an heiress named Hannah Millier. He then proceeded to provide a service to the fellow wizards by allowing them to use the lantern. It was most commonly used on females but some males would often visit LeBeau in search of whether he were fertile of not. LeBeau died in 1479 and the lantern was passed down to his son and only heir,” Tempest stopped and watched as the students scribbled down notes when she saw them put down their quills she grinned wickedly and said, “Who’d like to be the first to give it a go. You’ll have to show the class your results so I can explain the colours but you can all have a go and your results can be kept to yourself.”

No-one raised their hand.

“Come on,” Tempest said shaking her head and leaning back against the desk, “Are you all scared or something?”

“Harry?” Tempest asked looking at him.

Harry shook his head `no` adamantly. Then she looked around the room and stopped when she caught sight of Draco.

“What about you Draco?” Tempest asked raising an eyebrow.
“Whether I’m fertile or not is no business of this class,” Draco said sitting back in his chair and folding his arm across his chest.
“I’ll do it,” Pansy said standing up.
“Thank-you,” Tempest said exasperated then eyeing the Gryffindors she said, “At least someone has guts and you call yourselves Gryffindors. Ten points to Slytherin.”

The Slytherins snickered and Pansy smirked as she walked forward.

“Now I want you to write down what words activate it and what words deactivate it as well as each colour and shape and what it stands for,” Tempest said then handing the lantern to Pansy, who grabbed it by the handle said, “Just say `Elet Veritas`.”
“Elet Veritas,” Pansy repeated.

A grey smoke began to swirl around inside the Lantern before it cleared away, in its place were a few different colored clouds and shapes.

“Okay we’ll start with what looks like a little white fairy flitting around. That indicates what? Can anyone guess?” Tempest asked.
“Virginity,” Hermione said.
“Good. Five points to Gryffindor,” Tempest said, “If the white fairy is there you’re a virgin, if not well you get the idea. Next this green cloud can anyone think of what it represents?”

No-one said anything.

“What do we usually associate the colour green with?” Tempest prompted.
“Ummm fertility,” Harry said not knowing whether he had the right answer.
“Good Harry that’s correct. Five points to Gryffindor,” Tempest said, “The green cloud stands for fertility. The darker the green the more fertile you are and the lighter it is the less fertile you are. Now what about this blue blob?”
“It would probably represent if an heir will be conceived,” Blaise said.
“Brilliant Blaise. Five points to Slytherin. Also with the blue blobs if there are two or more joined together that means twins or more.,” Tempest said, “Since you have two blue blobs you will be able to produce two male children. Now you’ll see here there are chains one red one gold. Now these chains can either be twisted around each other or separate. What does each colour stand for?”
“Red is obviously if you’re in love, That would have to make the gold whether you’ve met you’re true love,” Draco said tapping his quill on his book, “So if their twisted around each other you’re in love with your true love and if their not you are not in love with your true love but you’re in love with someone else.”
“Right Draco ten points to Slytherin,” Tempest said, “See how you have a red and gold chain but their not twisted around each other. It indicates you’re in love with someone but their not your true love. Okay last but not least is the really pretty shape that looks like and atom. It means what?”

Pansy looked at Draco sadly for he was who she loved but it seemed that he wasn’t her true love. Watching Draco write something down made her decide that she didn’t care whether he was her true love or not. He was hers and that was that.
She looked at the lantern and saw what Tempest was on about. The shape looked like an atom but it had a dark green center and the two rings around it were red and orange. It was actually quite pretty.
“Whether you can conceive or not,” Harry said.
“That’s right Harry. Five points to Gryffindor,” Tempest said, “If it’s there you can conceive if it’s not you can’t. Now if the atom shape is ever enlarged it means you are pregnant. Now to deactivate it you say `Lesiray Morzen`.”

Pansy deactivated it and handed it back to Tempest before heading back to her desk.

“When you are ready you can come up one by one and have a go,” Tempest said walking behind her desk and taking a seat.

Draco immediately rose from his seat and walked towards Tempest before anyone else could even think of going first.

“May I?” he asked motioning towards the lantern.
“You may,” Tempest said and watched Draco pick up the lantern from her desk and hold it delicately.
“You may watch if you wish,” Draco said looking at Tempest.
“You trust me enough not to tell?” Tempest asked leaning forward on her elbows.
“My godfather seems to trust you, so shall I,” Draco said simply.
“He would be pleased to hear you take his opinion so highly,” Tempest said.
“`Elet Veritas`,” Draco said and watched the lantern smoke up.

When the smoke cleared Tempest made a mental note on what it held.
She noted that Draco was very, very fertile, and that he had the genes to sire four heirs although he could not conceive himself.
Seeing the little white fairy flit through the glass she couldn’t help but smirk.

“Still a virgin Draco?” Tempest asked softly, “Rumors have reached far and wide that you are constantly engaging in sex. Why have you not squished these rumors. They’re not at all flattering and could cause complications when confronting the person who causes a twisted red and gold chain to appear within the lantern.”
Draco sighed, looked at her and said, “I have tried believe me.”

Tempest nodded in understanding.

“`Lesiray Morzen`” Draco said then placing the lantern he turned and headed back to his desk.

Several more children had their turns including Ron and Hermione, who Tempest noticed both had almost exactly the same results. It had been obvious to her the first time she noticed them interacting that they were meant to be.
Harry was the next to come up rather hesitantly.

“Harry you don’t have to,” Tempest said comfortingly when he reached her desk.
“No I want to it’s just well…,” Harry said trailing off.
“Voldermort is a part of you and you were thinking it might read him and not you and so on and so forth,” Tempest said getting up and coming round to the front of the desk where Harry stood.
Harry looked at her in shock, “How?”
“Never mind that Harry the thing is it won’t,” Tempest said leaning back against the desk, “I promise.”
Harry nodded and picked up the lantern, “`Elet Veritas`.”

They both watched the lantern and when the results appeared they were in for a shock of a lifetime.

Harry squeaked and nearly dropped the lantern.
Tempest stared at it in amazement.
There floating in the center, surrounded by a very, very dark green cloud, a white fairy, four blue blobs and a red and gold chain twisted together was the atom shape. It’s dark green center with circling red and orange rings was drawing their attention.

“It’s got to be wrong,” Harry whispered.
“Afraid not,” Tempest said then to lighten the mood she asked, “So who are you in love with?”

It turned out that Harry wasn’t the only male who could conceive in the class. Seamus Finnigan also received the atom in his results. Tempest asked them to stay back for a bit after class to talk.
When class ended the two boys packed up their stuff and walked to the front of the class where they waited for everyone to leave.

“Okay I’m not going to beat around the bush. Your ability to conceive naturally is rather an uncommon thing. Now I’m going to ask you serious questions and I know their personal but I need some serious answers,” Tempest said, she continued when they nodded, “Are either of you bisexual or gay or think you might be?”
“I’m gay,” Seamus said.
“Me too,” Harry whispered.
“Okay now are either of you seeing anyone or engaging in sex?”

Harry shook his head `no`.

“I’m seeing someone but we haven’t gone that far yet,” Seamus said.
“Okay right now what I’m going to say only applies to you Seamus but will also apply to you Harry if you should ever date. If you have sex use protection. You’re both extremely fertile and could fall pregnant easily should you forget or the protection fails. Also you should come see me or Professor Lupin to be on the safe side if you do have sex,” Tempest said.
“Professor Lupin?” both boys enquired.
“Yes me,” Remus said from the door.

Seamus and Harry spun around to see Remus walk in the door.

“I met Hermione who was sent to look for you and she said you had been kept back. I came looking for you and overheard,” Remus said in explanation for being there.
“So you know,” Harry said softly.
“It’s not something to be scared of or hate. It’s a gift. Trust me I know,” Remus said coming to stand by Tempest.

Harry looked at Remus in shock. Remus smiled at him his golden brown eyes shining.

“You can conceive too?” Seamus asked.
“Yes I can,” Remus said, “And the reason we want you to see us is so you can take a pregnancy test. Just to be on the safe side. Also if you ever need to talk my and Tempest’s doors are always open.”

Both boys nodded.

“Now you should get to your Charms class,” Remus said.
“Thanks,” Harry and Seamus said running from the room to get to class.
“That was a shock,” Remus said.
“You should have been here when we saw the results,” Tempest said, “He’s going to ask you.”
“I know,” Remus said, “Should I tell him everything?”
“If he doesn’t find out before hand,” Tempest said, “Then yes you should.”

Remus and Tempest stood there in silence for a little while.

“I have a class next I should get going,” Remus said.
“Okay. Oh do you know what Dumbledore wants. I have be summoned to his office after classes.”
“Me too,” Remus said, “I’m not sure why though.”
“Well I’ll see you there then,” Tempest said grinning.

Remus smiled at her and left.

‘You miss him so much don’t you?’ Tempest thought thinking of Remus, ‘We’re going to have a little talk about keeping things bottled up.’

Tempest went back behind her desk and carefully put the lantern in her bag. Pulling out her next classes notebooks she placed them on desks before going back and pulling out a book from her bag.
Sitting down at her desk she began to read until her next class got there.

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Harry’s last class of the day, Care of Magical Creatures, had just finished when Hagrid came over to him.

“E’llo ‘Arry. Dumbledore is wantin’ to see ya as soon as ya get back to the castle. Passwords Chocolate Frogs,” Hagrid said.
“Thanks Hagrid,” Harry said as he ran to catch up with Ron and Hermione who had started to walk back already.”

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There what do you think so far. Please review your input would be greatly appreciated.