Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter, not me. All characters and plot that are in her books are hers.
Chapter 4 - Classes Begin
-Hermione's POV-
"What've you got first, Hermione?" Ron asked, looking down at his schedule, "I've got free time!"
Hermione looked down at her own schedule. "I have Arithmancy and Ancient Runes." She told Ron.
"I have free time as well." Harry announced after he swallowed his bite of hash brown.
"I wonder what Cle- the new girl has taking for her electives." Hermione said, catching herself in time. Lucky, neither Harry nor Ron caught her mistake.
"I don't know." Ron said, looking over at the Slytherin table. Hermione looked as well. Cleopatra was in deep conversation with -
"Is that Malfoy she's talking to?" Ron asked. Hermione nodded, somehow shocked. For some reason, she had thought that Cleopatra wouldn't make any friends in Slytherin.
"Well, she's definitely Dark, then." Ron continued. Somehow, his comment seemed directed at her, "Befriending Malfoy - what's next?"
Hermione didn't reply.
Hermione entered her first class, Arithmancy, and immediately spotted Cleopatra near the front of the class. Hermione attempted to pretend not to notice, sticking her nose into an Arithmancy book, and sat down to the right of Cleopatra. Hermione would usually jump at the chance to read her textbooks, but the words just formed indecipherable lines. It was hard to concentrate with someone who was identical to her sitting about three feet away.
"Good morning class!" Came Professor Vector's voice. Hermione's head shot up and she looked at her professor, saying a good morning with the rest of the class, who had (mostly) all gotten here on time, judging from the loudness of the greetings. Though, Hermione reasoned, there were two groups of seventh years here, the real seventh years and the seventh years from last year.
Professor Vector started roll call. Hermione didn't look away from the professor, no, not when she practically could feel Cleopatra staring at her -
"Cleopatra Flamel!" Professor Vector announced. A "present!" came from Hermione's left. Hermione whipped her head around, confused. Hadn't Cleopatra been sitting on her right?
Hermione spotted the girl on the other side of the room, still in the front row, reading a book.
Hermione was so shocked that she missed Professor Vector call out the next few names. How had Cleopatra moved so fast while escaping Hermione's notice? And the other, louder question that Hermione's mind shouted at her: Why did Cleopatra move away from her?
"Hermione Granger." Professor Vector said, pulling Hermione's attention back to the front.
"Present." Hermione announced. Professor Vector made a check on her paper and continued.
Hermione snuck another glance at Cleopatra, half hoping she was looking at her.
She wasn't.
-Cleopatra's POV-
Cleopatra stayed behind after class, ready to carry out her task. Her first class had been pretty boring, to say the least, so Cleopatra mentally went over some of the toughest Arithmancy she knew of.
Professor Vector looked up to Cleopatra from her desk, setting a stack of papers that looked like assignments for third years aside.
"How can I help you?" Professor Vector asked, her eyes boring into Cleopatra's, "I noticed that you didn't participate in the class today… would you like some help with the material?"
Cleopatra pushed down the annoyance that rose at the train of thought: that she was behind. Instead, she curtly replied:
"No, Professor, I know the material." Cleopatra paused, staring into Professor Vector's eyes, deciding the best way to convince the professor, and promptly launched into an explanation of the toughest Arithmancy, which she had been going over in class. Cleopatra smugly watched as Professor Vector's eyebrows rose above her hairline.
"So," Cleopatra finished, "I was wondering if you could give me some extra classes. I wish to become a master at Arithmancy, and have not found someone who could teach me as well as you."
Professor Vector stared at Cleopatra. Cleopatra watched as Professor Vector thought.
"You want to become my apprentice." She said. There was no doubt in her voice: Professor Vector, former Slytherin, had picked up on the Slytherin-speak. Cleopatra nodded.
"Come back tonight."
Sinistra Vector, Arithmancy professor of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, watched as the new transfer student walked out of her classroom. Not two minutes before, the girl had given Sinistra a perfect explanation of Arithmancy that most apprentices of the subject wouldn't fully grasp until a third of their apprenticeship was taught. So when the girl - Cleopatra Flamel - had practically asked to become her apprentice, a "yes" was practically on the tip of her tongue. But, instead, Professor Vector told Ms. Flamel to come back later. Professor Vector didn't want Ms. Flamel to be late to her next class, and that discussion would take awhile. For starters, the apprenticeship would start off pretty slow until the school year was over, for both professor and student had classes and homework (either grading or completing) to occupy their time.
Sinistra Vector looked into her hand held mirror, wondering how in the world Cleopatra Flamel had convinced her so quickly.
"Twenty five points to Slytherin." Sinistra whispered.
Minerva Mcgonagall was highly annoyed. On top of the stress of being Headmistress and teaching a class, the transfer student, Cleopatra Flamel, that she hand worked hard to get here wasn't even paying attention! The Slytherin girl was reading some book while her classmates studied complex human transfiguration.
Minerva decided to give the girl a few more minutes, and turned to see how her star student, Hermione Granger, was doing. Of course, she was doing spectacularly, turning her partner's, Ronald Weasley's, finger into a bear claw.
"Take twenty points to Gryffindor, Ms. Granger." McGonagall said. Hermione (as McGonagall called her in private) lit up with a smile. Minerva turned to see how the new student was doing, and was filled with fury. How dare the girl keep on reading?
"Ms. Flamel." Minerva said shortly, her lips thinning, "Since you obviously think that you are smart enough to not pay attention in class, then why don't you show us all how to do it?"
Some Gryffindors snickered. Minerva ignored them, focused on one Slytherin. Ms. Flamel stood up lazily and flicked her wand.
In her place was a peregrine falcon.
A few people screamed.
Minerva was astonished. This was what she'd been hoping for the N.E.W.T. level students at the end of the year, not in the beginning! As her mind was spinning with the implications, the girl turned back, sat down, and began reading again.
But Minerva wasn't about to let the girl go, no, not yet.
"Twenty points from Slytherin for not paying attention, and make it fifty if you don't stop!" Minerva snapped, "I will not tolerate this behavior in my class!"
Then, Cleopatra Flamel stood up, grabbed her things, and began to walk out.
"What do you think you're doing, young lady?" Minerva asked coldly. The girl looked back with a smirk.
"Leaving." She said, "I can pass my N.E.W.T.s without you, thank you very much."
And then, Cleopatra Flamel walked out of the Transfiguration classroom, never to return.
The charms classroom, which was only meant to fit about twenty to twenty five people at a time, was packed with forty two. Cleopatra sat near the front, Draco (who was now on first name basis with her), sitting on her right, and Heiress Greengrass sitting on her left. Behind Draco sat Baise, behind Heiress Greengrass sat Tracy, and behind Cleopatra sat Theodore. Apparently, Ms. Parkinson and Ms. Bulstrode hadn't passed their Charms O.W.L.
Farther behind the group sat the younger 7th years, who respectfully let the older ones have their own space.
The class began with Professor Flitwick, who's head barely rose above his desk even when he stood on a stool, taking attendance.
"Now, today we will be attempting Protean charms!" Professor Flitwick announced, and then showed the class how to do it step by step.
Finally, Professor Flitwick passed out coins to charm, smiling at the reminder of the fabled D.A. (Dumbledore's Army). Cleopatra studied the professor, and then waved her wand.
"Professor Flitwick?" Cleopatra asked politely when the Charms professor finished passing out the coins, "I've finished."
Professor Flitwick's eyebrows rose, and the said professor walked over, smiling as he saw Cleopatra's work.
"Excellent, excellent, Ms. Flamel!" He said joyfully as he watched Cleopatra change the message (which was on the outer rim) on one coin and the other coins changed to follow Cleopatra's, "Ten points to Slytherin."
Needless to say, Cleopatra had another apprenticeship by the end of class.
Cleopatra Flamel had an apprenticeship in Arithmancy and Ancient Runes with Professor Vector (who had a mastery in both), Charms with Professor Flitwick, Herbology with Professor Sprout, and Potions with Professor Slughorn, along with seventy points (counting McGonagall's deduction), a few now empty blocks where Transfiguration used to be, and an invitation to the 'Slug Club' by Friday. And the week wasn't over yet.
Cleopatra walked into her last class of the week, DADA, wary and with her wand out. She had heard some things about Alastor Moody's classes, and his brother's as well…
The class, as predicted, was in mayhem. Spells were flying towards the students from every direction, and the students were casting them back in random places. A steak of red light flew at her, and Cleopatra ducked, recognizing it as the Stunning spell. Cleopatra threw up a Disillusionment and shielding charm on herself and watched the spells, quickly finding a pattern.
Stupefy Expelliarmus Incarcerous Homium Revealo Accico Invisibility Cloak.
And then it was over. Cleopatra's silent casting had revealed James Moody was the castor. Cleopatra removed the charms upon herself, wand at the ready, and approached a stunned, bound, and wandless James Moody.
"Hello, Professor." Cleopatra said smoothly. She undid all of her spells and handed him back his wand.
"And the cloak." Professor Moody grunted, standing up. Cleopatra studied him as she did to the rest of the teachers, and then put on her best innocent face.
"The cloak? Oh, the cloak. I left it over there, professor." Cleopatra announced, pointing to where she cast the spell. Then, she gasped.
"It's gone!" She shouted, looking around at the other students suspiciously. Her gaze returned to the professor.
"I am so sorry, professor. I will find the one who took it!" Cleopatra continued. Professor Moody looked at her suspiciously, his electric eye moving in its socket. And then he laughed.
"Alright." He addressed the class after he stopped, "Partner up and practice dueling with non-verbal spells. No mauling or killing!"
And then he laughed again.
Cleopatra turned to partner with Draco, but Professor Moody held up a hand.
"Not you, lassie." He said, "Follow me."
Cleopatra turned and followed Professor Moody up to the front of the classroom, by his desk. Professor Moody turned to see the rest if the class watching them.
"Hurry up!" He barked at them, "Your parents aren't payin' for you to stand around, are they?"
The students quickly began, not wanting to get into trouble.
Professor Moody turned to her.
"You know," He said with a chuckle, "You would have had me convinced, there, if I didn't have a magical eye that could see my cloak."
Cleopatra sighed and handed over a cloak. Professor Moody growled and practically threw it back at her.
"The real one." He snarled. Cleopatra handed over his cloak with a smirk. He carefully inspected it, and then stowed it away in his pocket, which probably had an expansion charm on it.
"Alright." Professor Moody said, "At first, I thought that you were someone who came to harm the people here. Now, you've somehow convinced me otherwise. But I'm not her to interstate you. So, I am going to ask you this: what did you do wrong?"
"I should have cast the Disillusionment charm on myself before I came in." Cleopatra started, "As well as the shielding charm. Then, I should have done homium revealo first, to see where you were before any of the other spells."
Professor Moody gave her an approving nod.
Cleopatra had an apprenticeship in DADA and Transfiguration, along with ninety points in total for her house by the time Defence Against the Dark Arts ended.
-Hermione's POV-
Fifty points. That was how many points Hermione Granger accumulated by the end of the week. An all time low for Hermione, eighty being her top.
Harry said it was because the teachers were used to her 'awesomeness' by now. Hermione didn't know what happened.
Ron said it was because the new girl (Cleopatra) was stealing Hermione's top spot.
Hermione immediately defended herself, stating that Cleopatra had walked out of transfiguration. But the more she thought about it, the more Ron's statement seemed to be right. If, truly, Cleopatra could pass her N.E.W.T.s without McGonagall's help, she was in the top spot with all O's and ninety points for her house.
Hermione's resolve was firm.
She would beat Cleopatra Flamel.
Whatever it took.