Soo this is my attempt at the word prompt for Howler on 'Professor Flitwick's Prompt of the Day' on Hogwarts Online. Hope you enjoy it :)
Disclaimer: Harry Potter isn't mine. Tis a shame really, it all belongs to JK Rowling.
Professor McGonagall stood in front of her third year transfiguration class with a red envelop in resting her hands.
"Today class we are going to be learning about the complex magic behind Howlers, now can anyone tell me anything about them?"
As per usual Hermione Granger's hand was the first in the air but, what was strange that Ron Weasley also had his hand up.
"Mr Weasley do you know anything about Howlers?" Professor McGonagall asked, shocked that a student other than Hermione was volunteering information in her class.
"I'll bet he knows a fair bit about them," Draco Malfoy sniggered not so quietly.
"What was that Mr. Malfoy," Professor McGonagall asked, a stern expression on her face.
"Umm, nothing Professor," he said, smirking.
"Are you sure Mr. Malfoy?" her tone holding no room for any 'funny business'.
"Yes Professor," Draco said, his earlier smirk having been replaced with tight smile.
"Very well then. As I was saying, Mr Weasley, what can you tell me about Howlers?"
"Well I know they can be very loud and when a person opens it the senders voice is magically magnified so it can be heard by everyone around the receiver. Also, when the Howler has finished it's message it usually destroys itself, and if it isn't opened it time then it explodes and shouts the message louder than normal."
As she got older Minerva McGonagall found that not many things could shock her any more but, this was one of the things that still could. The boy had given her an answer which was something akin to Miss Granger's, she knew of course of the Howler incident in his Second Year but she had assumed he had forgotten about the specifics. She loved Molly and Arthur dearly but Ron Weasley wasn't the brightest of the bunch when it came to Transfiguration and Charms, but perhaps she wasn't giving the boy enough credit where it was due.
"Professor, are you okay?" Hermione Granger asked, rousing her from her inner musings.
"Yes dear I'm fine, 10 points to Gryffindor Mr Weasley for that answer." She looked at Mr. Weasley and saw Mr. Potter clapping him on the back. Good for him she thought, the boy deserved some form of praise.
When it came to the practical portion of the lesson she had decided to let the class make a Howler, then she would allow one student to test theirs to see if anything had been learnt. This was purely for her own entertainment though, after so many years of teaching the same thing in Transfiguration the lessons because arduous and dull, and she had decided last night she needed to, 'spice things up'.
"Mr Weasley," she said, her Scottish accent becoming more pronounced as her excitement grew. "Since you gave us such a splendid explanation for what a Howler is, let's see what you've managed to do shall we?"
"Umm, yes Professor?" he said, smiling at Harry for reasons unknown.
"Who is your Howler for boy?" she asked, already knowing the answer and the reason why he was smiling.
"Draco Malfoy," he said, a smirk replacing the smile on his face.
"Very well then, when your ready," she said, while fighting to keep a smile off her own face. It wasn't proper for a teacher to take pleasure in another's discomfort even though that was what she had designed this lesson for. Very hypocritical of her, but at the moment she couldn't really care less.
As Ron got up to give Draco the Howler, Minerva could have sworn she saw Malfoy blanch. But, that was impossible she thought, Malfoy's didn't blanch. She shook her head to clear herself of the thought and watch the Howler start to hiss as soon as Ron had sat back in his chair. Draco tentatively opened the Howler with trembling hands and Ron's voice reverberated around the classroom.
"Draco Malfoy, what can I say? You are, with out a doubt one one of the most egotistical, vain, self-absorbed, pompous arses that I have had the displeasure of meeting. But... I love you! I really do Draco, and I know for a fact that Hermione wants to have your babies-"
Before the Howler could yell anything more, little bits of red and white parchment littered Draco Malfoy's desk. He held his wand in his hand and he barely moved, except for the steady rise and fall of his chest. Draco had blown the Howler to smithereens.
The class went into shock, they weren't sure if what they had just heard was real or not. Then, as if waiting for a cue – in this case it was the smirk that Minerva McGonagall could barley contain – the class burst out laughing.
"Mr Weasley," Professor McGonagall started once she had managed to get the class to settle down. "What an... interesting Howler. 5 points to Gryffindor for creativity," she said, the odd chuckle still escaping her lips.
After that, the rest of the class passed without any more amusing interruptions. Professor McGonagall asked a set questions and Hermione Granger answered all them, flawlessly of course. She really did love the girl and her enthusiasm for knowledge surpassed anyone else's in the class, but she wished that someone else would volunteer an answer occasionally, someone like Potter or Weasley... or even Draco Malfoy.
When class had finished Professor McGonagall asked Mr Weasley to stay behind, once he had grudgingly made his way up to her desk she asked him to sit down.
"Mr Weasley," she began, "you do realise that from now on I expect you to answer more questions in class with as much detail as you did today."
"Umm yes Professor. Truth is I only know that stuff because it happened to me," he said, thinking on his feet, "otherwise I wouldn't have been able to answer any of that stuff."
"That's how some people learn Ron, and that is why I always have a practical portion to my class. It is a shame that we can't repeat that particular practical though," she said, smiling ruefully.
"Ah, I see Professor," he said, not really understanding at all.
"Just try Ron, that's all I ask. Make your mother proud."
"Yes Professor...," he said, getting uncomfortable at being praised by a teacher. Normally they told him off for falling asleep in class. "May I go now because otherwise I'm going to loose all the potions I earned today by turning up late to Professor Snape's lesson."
"Of course," she said, dismissing him with a wave of her hand.
Once he left the confines of the classroom he met up with Harry and Hermione, "Did you see old McGonagall? I thought she was going to pass out from shock when I answered the question correctly. Thanks Hermione, I'll have to do it more often."
"That's what friends are for Ron," she said, busy rummaging around in her bag for her potions essay.
"What they for? Copying answers from?" Ron asked.
"Well, I guess so in your case," she replied with a slight chuckle.
"Common guys," Harry said, interrupting their banter, "otherwise we'll be late for the Greasy Git's lesson and I can't afford to get another detention from him this year."
"But Harry, we've only just come back," Hermione said, confusion marring her features.
"That's what I mean Hermione," he grumbled, breaking into a run leaving Ron and Hermione lagging behind.
"Last one there sets off their Howler in Snape's lesson!" Harry yelled, disappearing around the corner.
Tell me what you think? :)