26 Tunnel

Half an hour later, Lockhart collected the papers and rifled through them in front of the class.

"Tut, tut hardly any of you remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with the Yeti. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magic and non-magic peoples though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"

He gave them another roguish wink. Ron was now staring at Lockhart with an expression of disbelief on his face; Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas, who were sitting in front, were shaking with silent laughter. Arth had his head on the table as he contemplated life.

"...but Miss Hermione Granger knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair-care potions good girl! In fact," He flipped her paper over. "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"

Hermione raised a hand.

"Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor! And so to get down to the real business-"

He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large, covered cage onto it.

"Now be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm."

The whole room stared to tense up do to nervousness.

"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them."

As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.

"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."

Ron let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.

"Yes?" He smiled at Ron.

"Well, they're not — they're not very —dangerous, are they?"

"Don't be so sure! Devilish tricky little

blighters they can be!"

The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.

"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.

The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags, books, and Neville's ear and threw them out of the smashed window. within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.

Arth groaned before closing his eyes in frustration.

"Come on now — round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted.

He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!"

It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too.

The pixies were gradually getting closer when Arth opened his eyes and said in a tired voice.

"Stop it at once."

The room went silent as the pixies stopped and turned around to look at the source of the voice. When they caught sight of Arth, they froze as if terrified.

"Go back into the cage."

The pixies made a mad rush towards the cage and obediently sat in there not making a sound.

Arth stared at Lockhart and frowned.

"Is that good enough?"

Lockhart froze before giving a bright smile.

"Yes, well done my boy. Very professionally handled by a boy your age. I would've done it better, if my love for these tiny creatures didn't prevent me. Now- all of you have learned something today. Looks can be deceiving-"

The bell rang and everyone got up and left.

Harry, Ron and Hermione caught up to Arth with amazed looks.

"Dude, I never realized that you could speak to animals!"

"I didn't."

"But didn't you just command the Pixies-"

"I told them to stop, it's more of a talent, I am-"

"A Nature Animagus," finished Hermione.

Ron was mind blown.

"You can turn into an animal!"

"Nope, she doesn't mean that animagus, she means the other one."

"There is another definition?" Asked Harry.

"Yes," Replied Arth. "The first kind is the one that is well know, shapeshifters or people who can change into an animal, an Animagus. The second kind is a Nature Animagus, although they do have the ability to transmigrated into an animal, there are more well known for having a influence over the decisions of living creatures."

Ron frowned.

"Does that mean that Arth could be controlling our minds this very second?"

Arth let out a snort when he saw the terrified look on Ron and Harry's face.

"If I really was controlling your mind, I would have made you guys smarter. Plus, it's more like the power of suggestion, I can order weak creatures around with ease, like the pixies. Higher grade creatures will respect my opinion, like the mandrakes. A high level monster like a dragon could ignore me altogether."

"Wow..." said Harry. "That's cool. Does that mean I'm a Nature Animagus? I've talked to snakes before."

Immediately, the three of them frowned.

"What? Did you just say you can talk to snakes?"

"Is there something wrong?"

Arth frowned and glanced at Hermione and Ron who had similar faces on.

"Harry, Do you know why the Slytherin symbol is a snake?"

"No... why- don't tell me..."

"Yes," said Hermione. "Salazar Slytherin was known for his ability to talk to snakes and to make it even worse, Voldemort is one of the last descendants of Slytherin."

Harry looked dumbfounded.

"Are you trying to say... that the person who killed my parents... is my distant relative?"

Arth nodded his head slowly.

"It's okay Harry, old wizard families are interconnected by blood." Said Ron. "In fact, if I trace my ancestry all the way down the line, I'm probably related to Malfoy."

Hearing those words gave Harry some comfort and Arth could see Harry relaxing his muscles. However, Arth knew that Harry was still bothered by it.

For the next couple of minutes, they walked to their next class in silence.

The next day, Harry had to leave early due to quidditch practice, and Arth escorted him along the way until they had to separate. Arthur went to the library while Harry went down to the field.

Arth was scanning the bookshelf's for anything he hadn't read in the first year when he saw a tuff of blonde. Smiling, Arth walked up to the girl and gave her a poke.

"Hello Luna, early mourning isn't it?"

Luna rubbed the spot Arth had poked before smiling back.

"Hello Arth, fancy meeting you. Did you also get up because of the Marthendals?"

"Nope, what are Marthendals? Are they a new type of creature?"

"They look like monkeys with pale faces. They live in the water but do come out oftentimes to play, I thought I saw one staring at me through the window. I came down to escape it. Their gazed have hallucinating effects you see."

"Hmmm, did it come from the Quibbler? Might have missed that issue..."

Luna gave a bright smile.

"Nope, it's from the newest issue, I get free copies of them remember? I can lend you it if you want."

Arth received the newest edition of the Quibbler with a grin. On the front cover was THE QUIBBLER by Xenophilus Lovegood written in big red letters. There was a picture of a hideous monkey like creature with creepy eyes.

Arth read the magazine once normally and proceeded to flip the Quibbler upside down before continuing to read.

Seeing this, Luna raised an eye.

"How peculiar, may I ask why you are reading the magazine upside down?"

Arth flipped the page before answering.

"There is a section in the book where I need to read it upside down. Don't you already know that?"

"...of course, I was right to choose you as my first friend."

"I'm honored."

After both of them had finished with whatever business they had in the library, they proceeded to get up and leave. Luna, however, seemed to be going the opposite direction from the exit. Curious, Arth stopped her and asked.

"Why are you going this way? Isn't the exit the other way?"

Luna tilted her head as her blonde hair swished side to side.

"Oh right! My bad, I forgot that you were in a different house. Well... I guess it won't hurt to tell, but don't tell this to anyone else. It's a Ravenclaw secret."

Luna lead Arth towards a non conspicuous bookshelf with a dreamy but excited look plastered on her face.

She tapped into the right hand corner of the bookshelf before stepping back. A wide tunnel that could fit two people side to side appeared.

"It's a secret passageway... but where does it lead to?"

"You will see..."

They entered the tunnel and walked through for a bit when the tunnel shut close behind them. Arth took out his wand.

"Lumos."

A bright white light bursted from his wand and illuminated the tunnel. Luna took off the glasses she was about to put on.

"Magic do have many uses don't they, they make wonderful products such as the Nightroscope go out of use."

"I wouldn't say that, the Nightroscope is useful when opting for secretive missions. A glowing wand is conspicuous after all."

They reached the end of the tunnel where a clear film blocked there path from exiting the tunnel.

"Just step into the barrier, it is just an illusion."

Arth complied and stepped through the tunnel. To the side of him was a large bronze door with an eagle shaped door knocker located in the middle.

"A witch with unsurpassed talent or a wizard with unparalleled potential, which is stronger?"

Arth glanced towards Luna who was looked as though she was walking through a wall.

"Where are we Luna?"

"We are in front of the Ravenclaw Tower."

"Makes sense that the people who seek knowledge will have a hidden passage to the library... so do you guys not have a password?"

"Oh no, you've got to answer a question," said Luna.

"What if you get it wrong?"

"Well, you have to wait for somebody who gets it right," said Luna. "That way you learn, you see?"

Arth couldn't help but sigh.

"How interesting... now I regret being in Gryffindor."

Arth glanced at the eagle, a slight curve was starting to form upwards on his mouth.

"Talent is not a measure for power, only a tool for measuring potential. unless I am given more information, I will have to say that the two of them are equally matched."

The eagle went silent before responding with a monotone voice.

"Well reasoned."

The door opened and Arth walked into the Ravenclaw Common Room.