"Hey you two, what's up?" Hermione asked Harry and Ron as she sat down at the Gryffindor table.
"Nothing. We ran into McGonagall this morning. She didn't even shout at us and tell us to watch where we were going. I think something's happened," Ron told her.
"Yeah, this morning she kept her head down and when Ron said 'we ran into McGonagall', he meant literally. We barged into her head first and she just stepped around us and carried on walking," Harry said with concern in his eyes. "I'm actually worried. What if something bad has happened with Voldemort and we don't know because they're trying to keep it hushed up?"
"I think something has happened, now you mention it. When I went back to my common room after dinner last night, Draco was there and he looked like he'd been crying. When I asked him about it he just snapped at me and walked off," Hermione whispered. Harry and Ron could tell she was thinking about something.
Hermione turned away from the boys and began to eat her breakfast; Harry and Ron followed suit and ate the rest of their breakfast. The trio had Charms first with Professor Flitwick. Riley joined the group and began to talk to Hermione.
"Hello, are you okay?" Riley questioned, her fork halfway to her mouth.
"Yeah, I'm good, thanks. How are you? What do you have first?" Hermione replied.
"Oh, I'm okay. I have Potions first with Professor Slughorn, how about you?"
"Charms with Flitwick."
"Oh, I like that teacher. He's small."
"Yeah. Anyway, we have to go now. Bye."
"Bye."
Hermione, Harry, and Ron walked to Charms. The Slytherins also were in that class, much to the Gryffindors' displeasure. Draco and his "bodyguards" were already there. As she walked past them, Hermione accidentally walked into Draco's shoulder.
"Watch where you're going, Gra—Mudblood!" he snapped at her.
"Go and cry in the common room some more, why don't you, Malfoy?" she replied.
Draco just scowled at her and waited for the door to open. When it finally did, he walked in first and sat at the back next to Blaise Zabini. Hermione watched with interest; she was determined to find out what was going on. The next clue that something was wrong was that Blaise gave Draco a sympathetic smile and patted his shoulder. Next she saw Blaise whisper something in Draco's ear, and he suddenly looked up at Hermione and pulled a face that said, "What the hell are you looking at?" She quickly looked away and went to sit next to Harry on the other side of the room.
"Today, class, we will be learning a Summoning Spell. It's slightly stronger than the Accio, but it has the same basic rules," Flitwick explained to the class. "The spell can be found in the textbooks at the back of the room. Please keep the noise down."
Harry went to collect three textbooks, one each for him, Hermione, and Ron, and returned back to the table. He placed two of the books in front of the others and began to read the chapter related to the Partolio Spell.
The Partolio Spell resembles the Accio Spell but is stronger, making it able to bring larger objects from places further away than normal. Partolio (pronounced part-oh-lee-oh) is to be cast with the object you desire firmly fixed in your brain, e.g., say you want a spell book; first you picture the book and its title. Then you say the spell (Partolio) and wave your wand in an X-shaped motion.
The largest thing ever summoned with this spell was a wizard in Duff Town, although Ministry officials thought the spell was tampered with a little.
Harry finished reading and looked up. Hermione was already practising the spell and her desk was scattered with small things, like bobbles and paper. Ron just sat there watching Hermione and trying to copy her hand movements.
"Has everyone finished reading?" Professor Flitwick asked the class. When they all nodded he carried on. "The first three people who summon a large book from the bookcase will earn twenty points for their Houses."
Hermione looked happy at this and proceeded to think about a book, Hogwarts: A History, and cast the spell. Nothing happened.
"Better luck next time, Miss Granger," Flitwick said with an apologetic glance at her.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"What is that? Who is banging? Stop it this instant!" Flitwick ordered, after jumping six feet in the air.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
"Sir, I think it's coming from outside the door," Seamus told him.
"Oh, yes, of course." Flitwick shook his head and answered the door.
A large leatherbound book was speeding back toward the door, no doubt to bang yet again. Without knowing that the person who had summoned it was now in reach, the book continued forward at a fast pace.
Thud.
The book socked Professor Flitwick right on top of his head, knocking the diminutive teacher over. He quickly stood up and replaced his glasses and looked around, only to see the book resting on Hermione's desk; and she was smiling proudly.
"Well, Miss Granger. It seems that you have got this spell figured out. Well done. Twenty points to Gryffindor for summoning a book from two floors down," Flitwick said, rubbing his nose and head.
Ron and Harry stared at Hermione in shock.
Wow, she's talented, Harry thought with a smirk.
"What are you smirking at, Harry?" Hermione asked, looking suspicious.
"Nothing, Hermione, nothing at all," Harry reassured her with a smile.
The class ended soon after the book escapade. Hermione had Healer class whilst Harry and Ron had Advanced Defence; it was a bit similar to DADA but it was a special class for people who wanted to be Aurors. Hermione said her goodbyes and left for the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey was teaching the Healer class for the first few terms, and then a St. Mungo's Healer would be coming in to see them.
Harry and Ron had Tonks for their lesson. It made sense, as she was the usual Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher as well as being an Auror.
Last night at dinner Tonks had been properly introduced to the whole school by Professor McGonagall, as Professor Tonks. Today she had sky-blue hair with green eyes that were darker than Harry's but stood out just as much. People even began to think that they were related as Tonks and Harry seemed to know each other relatively well and he was always being asked to stay behind after class. When that happened he couldn't help smirking. Then some nosy Hufflepuff started a rumour that Harry was having a secret affair with their teacher.
Hermione was one of the few who had joined the Healer class, the others being Blaise Zabini, Lavender Brown, Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, and Isabel McDougal.
Today they were learning what to do in case they came across someone who was injured.
"First you must try to find out what sort of spell was used—whether it was a Stunner or a Deep Sleep Spell or some other type of spell. Then you have to try to move the person without actually touching them or disturbing them. I'm going to pair you all up now. I will cast a simple spell on one partner in each pair; then you must identify it and convey the person onto a bed," Madam Pomfrey told the group.
"Isabel and Lavender, you'll work together. Let me see—Blaise and Hermione; and last but not least, Hannah and Susan," Pomfrey said. Hermione grumbled; she was stuck with a Slytherin.
Madam Pomfrey walked around and cast spells on Hermione, Hannah, and Lavender. All three of them dropped to the floor and their partners had to try and help them and figure out what spell was used.
Harry and Ron's class was packed. There were all sorts of students there. All the old DA members who were in seventh year were there, and to Harry's astonishment, some Slytherin girls were there as well.
"Terry Boot, Neville Longbottom, Michael Corner, Megan Jones, Justin Flinch-Fletchley, Anthony Goldstein, Seamus Finnigan, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, and Millicent Bulstrode. Is that everyone?" Tonks asked the class.
The students shuffled a bit and nodded in response and Tonks smiled.
"Okay, today we're just going to pair up and practise disarming spells for a bit. Nothing else; if any other spells are cast you'll be out of this class faster than lightening. I'll call your pairs out," Tonks announced.
"Harry Potter and Ron Weasley; Terry Boot and Michael Corner; Justin Flinch-Fletchley and Anthony Goldstein; Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom; Megan Jones and Daphne Greengrass; and lastly, Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode. Remember—disarm only," Tonks told them with a stern glance at everyone.
"Is it just me, or does this remind you of a certain group we put together in fifth year?" Harry asked Ron with a grin.
"I think it has a bit of resemblance to the DA, if that's what you meant," Ron said, returning the grin.
It was Hermione's turn to treat Blaise and she was waiting for Madam Pomfrey to knock him out. She felt confident that she would know what to do, as she'd been studying this ever since she'd found out she'd been admitted to the class.
Hermione managed to diagnose Madam Pomfrey's spell and get Blaise to a bed in less than ten minutes, earning her ten points for Gryffindor.
Finally, all classes had ended for the day and it was time for dinner once again. Hermione didn't bother going to the Great Hall; she was going to make dinner in the Heads' dorm. When she got there she found Draco Malfoy curled up on the couch again, crying and holding a letter in his hand; but he seemed to be smiling.
