Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor am I attempting to make any personal gain from this story.
Second Time Around: Year 3: Chapter 4: More Classes
After Transfiguration they headed to the Hall for lunch. On their way Harry asked, "Hermione? You were in Arithmancy with me this morning so how could you have been in Divination? The classes are on at the same time."
Everybody who heard Harry looked at Hermione, clearly very interested in the answer.
"Oh, it's not important," Hermione said, clearly uncomfortable with the question. "I've got a lot of work to do, we were given homework from Arithmancy, remember. I'd better get started." With that she hurried off in the direction of the library.
"How did she get to Arithmancy?" Ron asked. "She was with us (indicating Neville and the others) from when we left here after breakfast."
"She arrived late at Arithmancy," Harry said. "I thought she was right behind me but Daphne Greengrass confirmed Hermione had come running down the hall after she and Tracey arrived. They didn't actually see where she came from either, she just appeared from round a corner but there had been no-one there a moment earlier."
Harry, of course, knew about the time turner Professor McGonagall had given Hermione but he wasn't going to let Ron or anyone else know about it. It was Hermione's secret, after all.
After lunch they left the castle heading toward where they could see Hagrid standing near his cabin. On the way Harry pulled Hermione aside. "Hermione, I know Professor McGonagall gave you a time turner yesterday."
"How did you find out about that?" she asked.
"It's the only logical way for you to be in 2 places at once, unless someone is using Polyjuice potion to impersonate you."
Hermione was both upset and angry. "Professor McGonagall made me promise not to tell anyone about it. She had to write all sorts of letters and references for me before the Ministry would allow me to use one. Nobody is supposed to know about it."
"Well, you didn't tell me so you haven't broken any rules but if I could figure it out so quickly then so can the others. I promise I won't ask you about it again and I won't enter into any debate with Ron or anyone else about your timetable but you will need to be a bit more subtle about using it. People will only get more suspicious as time goes on."
Hermione looked around nervously, Draco Malfoy and several other Slytherins were approaching. Malfoy was watching Harry and Hermione as he walked. "We need to get to class," she finally said.
They arrived outside Hagrid's cabin where Professor Hagrid told them to follow him. He led them to an empty paddock on the edge of the forest.
"Righ' then," Hagrid began. "The 1st thing yeh wanna do is open yer books to…"
"How do we open our books," Malfoy asked loudly. He, along with the rest of the class produced books that were held closed by various means. Some had sealed them with tape, others used a belt or a length of rope while some had squeezed them into tight bags or used bullclips.
Hagrid looked around the class, disappointment clearly showing on his face. "Hasn't anyone been able to open their books yet?" he asked. Nobody responded.
"Yeh gotta stroke the spine, like this." Hagrid took Hermione's book and ripped the tape off it. The book tried to bite but Hagrid ran his finger down the spine. The book shivered and fell open in his hand. "There. Tha's how yer do it," he said, returning the book to Hermione.
"How silly of us," Draco said, loudly. "Why didn't any of us think to stroke the book."
"Righ', anyway," Hagrid appeared to have lost track of what he was saying. "Well, I should get the magical creatures, shouldn't I?"
Hagrid left them a few minutes during which time Malfoy and his fellow Slytherins mumbled uncomplimentary things about him. They only stopped when Lavender Brown squealed and pointed to the creatures Hagrid was leading toward them.
The creatures were a strange cross between a giant eagle and a large horse. Harry recognised them as Hippogriffs but was just as interested in them as everybody else was. He recognised Buckbeak and paid special attention to him. Hagrid went over the appropriate instructions for working with such large animals. Harry paid attention but noticed that Malfoy and co. weren't listening. At the end of the instruction period Hagrid said, "Righ', who wants to go 1st then?"
"Professor Hagrid," Harry said but before he got any further Hagrid interrupted him.
"Good on yeh, Harry. Come on up."
"Actually sir, I was going to suggest you ask students to repeat back your instructions before allowing anyone near the Hippogriffs. I know, for example, Malfoy wasn't listening."
As Harry said that Malfoy, along with Crabbe, Goyle and Parkinson snapped around and glared at him. Malfoy was clearly not happy about being called out.
"Is that true, Malfoy?" Hagrid asked.
"Of course I was listening. I'm not stupid you know," Malfoy snapped angrily.
"That's news to me," Ron muttered so only Harry and those nearby could hear.
"Alrigh', Malfoy. How do you approach a Hippogriff?" asked Hagrid.
Malfoy waited a second before replying. "You walk up to it and bow. If it bows back you can pat it."
"You do that an' it'll probably rip yer hand off," Hagrid growled in reply. "Harry, you tell him what yer supposed to do."
"You approach it carefully, maintaining eye contact. You stop a respectable distance and bow to it while keeping eye contact. Then you wait. If it bows back you approach closer to it and carefully reach out and touch it. If it doesn't bow back you back away. No sudden movements and always show it respect."
"Well done, Harry. I hope res' of yeh were listenin' 'cause Harry's right. No sudden movements an' always show em respect."
After that Hagrid allowed some students to approach the Hippogriffs but those who hadn't been paying attention were told to stay back. At the end of an accident free lesson the students returned to the castle. For homework Hagrid had told them to write at a report on handling Hippogriffs. He had also awarded Gryffindor 10 points for Harry correctly describing the method of approaching a Hippogriff during the lesson. Not surprisingly the Slytherins in the class were less than happy with Hagrid. Harry was happy he had averted any serious injury to any students present.
That evening Harry summoned Kreacher. He asked Kreacher to stay at Hogwarts where he would work in the kitchens. Unless Harry asked for something specific Kreacher was to perform the normal duties of any Hogwarts house elf.
The next day they had their 1st potions class for the year. Potions was generally bearable although Snape still liked picking on Neville whenever he made a mistake, something that, even with Harry's help, still happened more often than was desirable. Their 1st potion class required accurate measuring of the ingredients. Neville didn't quite get them right and Snape took pleasure in highlighting this for the rest of the class.
After the 1st few days things settled into their regular routine. The 1st Ancient Runes lesson was scheduled for the same day as the 1st DADA class with Professor Lupin. Harry, along with all the other Gryffindors were looking forward to it and they weren't disappointed. The class sat waiting were Lupin and most of the students had their books out but Harry wasn't. "I've had another vision," he said. "Remus, I mean, Professor Lupin has a practical class lined up that should be really interesting."
"Just so long as his practical classes are better than Lockhart's then it should be worthwhile," Ron said.
At this point Professor Lupin entered the room. "You can put your books away," he said. "Today we are going to have a practical lesson. If you would all like to follow me we'll get started."
At the mention of a practical lesson an excited murmur ran through the class. Practical DADA lessons were a rarity, their only previous one had been with Lockhart and had resulted in Neville and Ron needing medical treatment after Lockhart had abandoned them in a room full of escaped pixies. After that Lockhart had been banned from giving any practical lessons. During their 1st year Professor Quirrell had concentrated solely background information, really little more than an introduction to the subject.
As they approached the staffroom then ran into Peeves the poltergeist. As soon as peeves saw Lupin he began singing "Loony Loopy Lupin." The class wondered how Lupin would react.
"This is a very handy spell," Lupin said. "Watch closely. Waddiwasi."
The chewing gum Peeves had been forcing into the keyhole shot out and straight up Peeves' nostril. The poltergeist flew off down the corridor making rude gestures to Lupin as it went.
"That was cool," Dean said when he stopped laughing.
"Thank-you, Dean. Now this way." Lupin led them to the staffroom where they found Professor Snape.
"Don't bother closing the door, Lupin. I'd rather not see this. Perhaps you should be aware that this class contains Neville Longbottom. I urge you not to ask him to do anything unless Potter or Granger is holding his hand."
While the students glared at Snape Professor Lupin replied calmly, "I was rather hoping Neville would assist me in a demonstration and I'm sure he will perform admirably."
Neville looked unhappy as Snape left the room. Lupin pointed to a large wardrobe at the other end of the room. Suddenly the wardrobe lurched. "Nothing to worry about," Lupin said, "It's only a boggart."
From the reactions of some of the students it was clear they felt a boggart was something to be worried about. For his part Harry was only interested if his boggart would still be a Dementor. Lupin was speaking, "Now, can anyone tell me what a boggart is?"
Hermione's hand was up in an instant. Lupin nodded to her. "It's a shape shifter. It can take the form of whatever it thinks will frighten us the most."
"Correct, Hermione. At the moment the boggart doesn't know which of us it will encounter first. This gives us a big advantage over it. Can anyone tell me why?"
Hermione put her hand up but Lupin asked Harry instead. "Harry, can you tell us the reason?"
"Because there are so many of us, including Hufflepuffs, it won't know what to turn into," Harry said, reminding Lupin that there were other students present as well as the Gryffindors.
"Yes, of course there are. Neville, what frightens you the most?" Lupin asked.
Neville mumbled something that made Hannah Abbott who was closest to him smile.
"Sorry, Neville, I didn't catch that."
"Professor Snape," Neville said in a louder voice. Many students laughed and Neville went red.
Lupin suppressed a laugh. "Neville, I believe you live with your grandmother, correct?"
"Yes sir, but I don't want the boggart to turn into her either."
"No, no you misunderstand me. I was wondering if you could picture the clothes she normally wears," Lupin said, smiling at him.
"A green dress," said Neville, "and she always wears a hat with a stuffed vulture on it."
"Does she carry a handbag?" Lupin asked.
"Yeah, a big red one."
"Now, the charm for repelling a boggart is simple enough. You have to think of something that makes you laugh and, with that in mind say the spell 'Riddiculus'. Practice without wands, first."
The whole class shouted "Riddiculus."
"That's right. Before we begin I want everyone to think of what frightens them the most then think of a way to make it look funny. Neville, are you ready?" Lupin asked.
Neville nodded and approached the wardrobe.
"Everybody else stand back. Neville, here we go." Lupin opened the wardrobe and Professor Snape stepped out, glaring spitefully at Neville.
"Riddiculus," Neville shouted, pointing his wand at the Boggart. There was a loud pop and Snape was wearing a green dress and a vulture topped hat while carrying a big red handbag. Everybody burst out laughing.
"Well done, Neville," Lupin shouted. "Come along, who wants to go next?"
Several students from Gryffindor and Hufflepuff stepped forward to face the boggart after Neville's success. When Ron stepped up there were several screams, Ron's Boggart was, after all, a giant spider and that was more than many students could handle. Other than himself 3 Hufflepuffs, Wayne Hopkins, Sally-Anne Perks and Catherine Spinks stayed near the back. He noticed Hermione near the front but someone else always seemed to get in front of her. Finally Harry decided it was time for him to face the boggart.
He expected the boggart to turn into a Dementor and briefly considered casting a Patronus against it, but in the end he decided to treat it as a normal boggart. He stepped to the front, facing the boggart and watched as it turned into…