A/N: I feel kind of weird asking this, but could I kindly get some reviews on the last chapter I posted? I only received one, and your feedback is very important to me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or W.i.t.c.h.
Chapter Eight
A New Year
Will woke early, excited to be back at Hogwarts and starting her magical education again.
She quickly put on her robes, brushed her hair, and ran down the stairs to the common room and out the portrait hole. She considered taking some of the secret passages Harry had shown her last year, but decided she wanted to walk through the hallways and see everything she'd missed so much.
She ran into Luna and Irma on the fourth floor and they preceded the rest of the way to the Great Hall together, separating when they arrived to go to their house tables.
Will found Harry quickly because she spotted Ron's flaming hair through the crowd, and sure enough, Harry was sitting beside him.
"Morning Will." Ginny greeted, sliding over so Will could sit beside Harry.
"Morning." Will replied, grabbing a piece of toast. "The schedule out yet?"
"No, we'll get them after breakfast." Hermione answered, holding a coffee cup in one hand and Ron's hand in the other.
"Hope we don't have too much stuff with the Slytherins." Will muttered, glancing over at the Pansy Parkinson, who was giggling nastily with her unfriendly looking friends.
"At least we don't have Divination anymore." Harry said.
"Thank goodness for that." Ron responded.
"I wonder why though. No Divination classes, the tower being off limits." Ginny wondered aloud. "It's awfully odd."
"Odd stuff happens here every year. I do not want to get involved in anymore mysteries." Ron stated firmly, slurping his coffee.
"We might not have a choice if Voldemort gets involved." Harry reminded him quietly.
Schedules were handed out at 8:45.
"Do they always put us with the Slytherins in Potions and Defense Against the Dark Arts on purpose?" Ron growled as they walked out of the Great Hall.
"You're complaining? Do you have any idea what it's like to have Herbology with them?" Ginny said before she joined up with Colin and they went up the stairs for History of Magic.
The rest of them made their way to the Dungeons for Potions.
The door was open, so they went inside.
They received the usual glares from the Slytherins, even one from Malfoy, who, despite his relationship with Elyon, didn't really care for her friends.
Harry, Ron, Hermione and Will tried to hide themselves in the back, but knew it wouldn't work. Snape could always pinpoint them.
And then Snape swept into the room from the storeroom, looking as unpleasant as ever. "Today we are making a Bloodluss potion, used on people who have lost a considerable amount of blood from injury. The instructions are on the board. I will cheek your progress from time to time. Begin."
Will soundlessly picked up her knife, grabbed a leech and set to work.
"I hate working with leeches. They're so gross." Cornelia moaned, drying her freshly washed hands on her robes as they left the Dungeon.
"Better than rat spleens." Elyon muttered.
"Don't even mention that." Cornelia begged, pulling a face.
"What's next?" Will asked, wanting the conversation to go elsewhere.
"Defense Against the Dark Arts." Hermione answered, scanning her schedule.
"That should be good, bet Tonks'll be a good teacher." Will said happily.
"Maybe we can talk to her." Ron said.
"Why would we talk to her?" Hermione asked.
"She's an Auror, bet that's why she took the job this year with the weird stuff going on." Ron replied. "She's got to know what's going on."
"I thought you said you didn't want to get mixed up in another mystery." Will cut in, as they passed the second floor.
"I don't. I'm just curious. I mean, no Divination classes at all?"
"What do you care? We all hated Divination." Elyon said. "And remember Ron, curiosity killed the cat."
"But he's a weasel, not a cat Elyon." Came that annoyingly familiar taunting voice from behind them.
"Shove off Malfoy." Ron snapped, glaring at him.
"Friendly as ever."
"Same to you."
"Watch it Weasley, I'm a prefect."
"So am I."
"Oh, knock it off." Elyon ordered, frowning at both boys. "You're both acting like you're five."
Malfoy and Ron glared at each other one last time before Malfoy stalked off to meet Crabbe and Goyle at the classroom door.
"He's still a git." Ron growled, shaking his head.
"He is not a git. He just doesn't like you." Elyon replied, suppressing a smirk.
"Can't you do something about him?"
"It's not my job to get involved in your problems. Or his."
"All right, that's enough you two." Hermione demanded, grabbing Ron's arm and leading him away to find a desk.
Elyon and Cornelia walked off to the back, Elyon clearly fuming, while Will and Harry found seats in the second row.
Tonks entered the classroom about a minute late, and waved her wand at the chalkboard, and words appeared on the board.
Defense Against the Dark Arts
Professor Tonks-Lupin
Auror
"Good morning class. I am Professor Tonks-Lupin, although I'm perfectly fine with just Professor Tonks. This term we will be reviewing defense and attack spells, as Professor Dumbledore and I have agreed that they will serve you well with… the current state of things." Tonks waved her wand again and the writing vanished. "If there are no questions- Oh, Miss Parkinson?"
Pansy's hand retreated from the air, her cold eyes narrowed. "Are you related to that professor we had in third year, the werewolf?"
Tonks gave a false small smile. "No, I'm not related to him, but I am his wife."
A very dense silence fell over the class and Pansy backed away slightly in her chair, exchanging a look of disgust with Millicent Bulstrode.
"Well, I won't be answering anymore personal questions, so let's begin. Now, who can tell me the best spell to use on Grindylows?" Tonks said lightly.
Naturally Hermione's hand was up first.
"That was a great lesson. That'll be a great pick me up after potions." Ron said cheerfully, swinging the hand he was holding Hermione's with slightly.
"Obviously you didn't notice that Tonks was upset." Hermione replied.
"Upset?" Harry asked, waving to Cornelia and Elyon as they passed by with Pavarti and Lavender.
"I noticed it too." Will said, taking Harry's arm when he offered it to her.
"I swear, do all you girls have some kind ability to read people's emotions? It's kind of scary." Ron said.
"When she mentioned Lupin, she seemed sad, lonely even. Bet they had a fight." Hermione said, ignoring Ron's previous comment.
"They were perfectly happy at the wedding and over the summer." Harry protested, remembering seeing them twirling on the dance floor at the wedding, beaming at each other.
Hermione looked sadly at Harry. "Happiness doesn't always last forever Harry."
End Chapter Eight
