Euphoria's Downfall
Harry sat as still as he could. He was afraid that a sudden movement would send Snape into a torrid frenzy. Harry knew this calmness of Snape's was just a mask, he was hiding his anger.
"What did you say Potter?" Snape asked in a hushed whisper.
"Prof. Lancaster told us not to bother with your name calling. She said it was something you did to make yourself feel better about yourself. Then she called you a "great bullying prick."
"Did she now?"
"Yes."
Harry watched as Snape pulled himself up to full height.
"Thank you Potter." Snape walked over to his desk and snapped the potion book; he had been reading, closed. Without another word he strode from the room.
"Oh, Harry why did you tell him? Now we won't learn how to make a cowardice potion!"
"Hermione… if I didn't tell him I would've gotten detention for two weeks and about 50 points taken from Gryffindor."
" I wonder where he went?"
"Ron… duh," Hermione said, "He's probably gone to yell at her and threaten her with something."
"Not saying she doesn't need a good yelling at."
Harry sighed, "Go sit down Malfoy no one is interested."
"I didn't ask for your opinion Potter, but I suppose you would defend a fellow, if not older, Gryffindor."
Harry whipped around to glare at him, "What do you mean?"
"I asked my father, he knew her back when he went to Hogwarts. Said, "She was the fighter of the school", always sticking her nose in her friends business, threatening anyone who was being rude to her friends. No doubt where she got that. She was a friend of your father."
"She was probably standing up for her friends Malfoy, something you don't know about."
Draco narrowed his eyes at Hermione; "You would be surprised what I know about Mudblood." He said.
"I'm so tired of hearing you call her that, you stupid prat!" Harry leapt up to pull Ron away from Draco, who had retreated back a few steps. Harry let Ron struggle against his hold. He was no longer as frail as he used to be.
"I swear…the next time the ugly git says something like that I'm going to bash his bloody nose in."
"Good, it'll give us one thing to be happy about."
"You, guys," Hermione interjected, "Let's not focus on the downside of things but rather the positive." Hermione turned around and walked over to help Neville with the potion homework, Prof. Snape had not yet collected.
"What positive things?" Ron muttered to Harry as soon as he was sure Hermione couldn't hear him.
Harry had to agree with Ron, the past few weeks had steadily gotten worse. The Ministry was up to their ears with fights and arguments. Sometimes Harry could hear them at night. And he was up in his bedchamber.
Defense Against the Dark Arts had started off as Harry's favorite class, but Prof. Lancaster seemed a bit disturbed the past few weeks. Her lectures were interesting and she had promised them a trip to see the dragons in a few weeks yet she had the same tired look in her eyes that Harry recognized instantly as the same weariness Prof. Lupin had.
And to add to the injury, Sirius hadn't written to Harry in a very long time. Probably the longest span ever. He missed hearing Sirius's words of encouragement.
"Where is Snape? The bell is going to ring in ten minutes! Harry, I'd never thought we would ever get a day off form potions in this way."
"Yeah, I feel bad for Prof. Lancaster, I hope I didn't get her in too much trouble." Harry said uncomfortably
"Nah," Ron brushed the comment aside with his hand, "She looks like she'd be mean if anyone questioned her."
"Ron you shouldn't make assump…" Hermione's voice trailed off as the dungeon's door opened and Prof. McGonagall walked in stunned.
"I cannot believe that Prof. Snape left his class all alone." She said incredulously, as she stormed to the front of the room, "Really, you would think he had more common sense that."
"He went to go chew out Prof. Lancaster, Professor."
"Mister Malfoy I do believe you are mistaken, I have just come from Prof. Lancaster's class. He was not in there and she was looking quite happy."
"Are you sure about that?" said Ron
"Quite Weasly. Would I lie to you?"
At the moment that Ron sat back in his chair, a quizzical expression on his face, Prof. Snape strode into the room.
"Wherever have you been Professor Snape? Surely you know not to leave a unsupervised class in a classroom?"
"Terribly sorry my dear Prof. McGonagall, but I had to relieve myself."
Prof. McGonagall looked shocked, "Well of course but…please…oh nevermind." She flung her hands in the air and walked out.
"Start putting your equipment back and hand your homework up to the front, except you Longbottom, you receive a "F" for not completing it in the amount of time I gave you."
Harry had to clear his throat to keep from laughing that had to be the funniest thing he had ever heard Snape say.
"We will continue our work on coward potions when I see you next time." He slapped his hands on the table and the Harry got up and hurried toward the door.
"I had to relieve myself!" Ron burst out laughing, "That was the best potions class ever." He declared, wiping tears from his eyes.
"We didn't learn a thing though."
"Come on Hermione, don't be a sourpuss, that was the best! Ah…hehe, I had to relieve myself." Ron burst into a fresh wave of laughter.
"Come off it Ron," said Harry in a irked voice, "I'm hungry and we won't get anywhere with you stopping to crack up every few seconds."
"That, and the fact that it's getting old," added Hermione.
"Okay, okay."
Harry rolled his eyes and kept walking; yet he couldn't help breaking into a smile when he heard Ron, chuckling quietly.
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"Please, I just have to ask her one question about the Antipodean Opaleye essay."
"Gads Hermione that's all you do is ask questions."
"Better to be well informed than stupid Harry."
The door to Prof. Lancaster's room was wide open, Harry watched as Hermione knocked cheerfully on the side of it and peered in.
"Oh I'm so sorry, I didn't know you had a guest." Hermione gasped.
"Nonsense," Harry heard a voice call out from inside the room. Prof. Lancaster's profile peered out from behind Hermione and beckoned towards Harry and Ron, "Come in all of you, I want you to meet a friend."
"Harry walked in the room timidly, out of the corner of his eye he saw Ron peer around his head.
"Guys, this is my best friend. She is the Ambassador to Italy's Ministry, Adrienne Boardman."
The woman that Prof. Lancaster was beckoning to stood up. Harry heard Ron's sharp intake of breath.
"Hi, it is a pleasure to meet you all."
"Adrienne this is Hermione Granger, Ron Weasly, and Harry Potter."
"Wow, it's really great to meet fifth years."
"How did you know we were fifth years?" Hermione asked.
"Oh I assumed that by now Harry would be a fifth year, and so I assumed you all were too."
"Did you know my father, because we have been wondering if you, Prof. Lancaster did and we just weren't sure if you knew all of his friends and my mother too, that is." Harry shrugged his shoulders
"Yes we both knew your parents, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin and, Peter Pettigrew too."
"You can imagine how sad we were when,"
"Yeas, I know when they were killed and how sorry you felt for me," interrupted Harry.
"Um, yes that too, but you see we were sort of hoping you would take all of your mother's genes, James wasn't that good to look at."
Catching the horrified look on Harry's face, Prof. Lancaster laughed, "I'm just pulling your string Harry, don't worry your father was good looking."
"So where a lot of other people." Adrienne added.
"Oh yes," Prof. Lancaster mused.
"If you don't mind me asking, Miss. Boardman, why are you at or school?"
"Oh, Hermione my darling, to help the Ministry deal with this situation."
"You mean about the valuable stuff?" Ron asked.
Adrienne opened her mouth angrily, "You told them about the Valuable's?" She flared at the professor.
"I didn't see any harm in it."
Adrienne smiled
"What do they do? The valuable's I mean." Hermione sat down on one of the chairs Adrienne handed her. Harry followed the suit.
Adrienne creased her eyebrows and frowned, "I really I can't tell you. But believe me, it is horrible, why a person would create such things is totally beyond me. Imagine if you can the worst thing possible that can happen to a wizard or witch. And if you can, that's what would happen. The reason they have such a hard time trying to place them somewhere, is if Voldemort does regain strength, then he could just go to that house and kill the occupants that live there and take it."
"And the stupid thing is," Prof. Lancaster said loudly, "Is that we have Death Eaters in the Ministry. Fudge is so stupid holding these meetings. Watch, they will finally decide on a place and a week later they will be gone, because of a Death Eater in the Ministry. Probably Lucius Malfoy, that ugly prat."
Harry smiled as Adrienne, gave Prof. Lancaster a furious look.
"It's okay," said Harry, "No one here likes the Malfoy's."
"Yes well, anyway I shouldn't let personal preference get in the way of politics," Harry watched as the Professor checked her watch, "Good god, it's after ten!"
"That okay we don't have class tomorrow."
"Mr. Weasly I don't care, you should get a good nights sleep you silly. Now go."
She ushered them out of her classroom. Harry waved at Adrienne as she disappeared behind the door.
"Wow, we have two new interesting people at our school."
"Ron we have more than just two." Said Hermione
"Two good looking new people."
Hermione cast a look at Harry and all he could do was shrug.
"Oh no!" Hermione stopped. "I forgot to ask her about my –"
"Too late Hermione, you heard what the Professor said, 'we need to get a good nights sleep.'"
Harry laughed as Ron dragged Hermione into the common room. Totally ignoring her protests.
"Well Harry, this should make Sirius happy, two of his friends are here at Hogwarts."
"Yeah, I guess. But only if they believe he is innocent." Harry crawled into his bed. The warmth was soothing to him. Harry had no problem getting to sleep that night. As he dreamt, the most peaceful visions of Phoenix's and Dragons filled his mind, allowing him to sink even further into his mind.
End
A.N.: Did that last part make any sense? If I didn't, don't worry, it made sense to me and that means it isn't some worthless piece of jumble.
I'm praying for all of the men and women who lost their lives during the recent Terrorist attack on the U.S. The people who are working out there are brave, I know it would take a lot for me to get out there and help. But God blesses them, and the people and countries that are supporting the U.S.
Hope everyone is doing good and is having a great weekend!