Only You Would Memorize the Page Number
"Mr. Radisson?"
Harry was doodling in his book, his mind on everything but potions. He couldn't help it. Potions were boring.
"Mr. Radisson."
There was already something that looked similar to a dog. Behind the dog was a kinda sorta lumpy log thing. It was standing on two branches and... Harry decided to stop trying to draw a werewolf. The rat he was doing a pretty good job at, though. It was more of an oval, though, than anything, so he wasn't sure how he could mess it up.
"Mr. Radisson!"
Something hard poked him in the side and Harry leapt to his feet, shouting, "Forty-two!"
The whole class was staring at him, giggles coming from behind their hands. Hermione was shaking her head with a fond smile in place.
"I am afraid, Mr. Radisson, that is not quite the answer I'm looking for." Slughorn's mouth twitched upwards in a smile. "However, thank you for coming back to class."
With a huff, Harry sat back in his chair. "Well, forty-two is the answer to life, the universe and everything," he muttered under his breath.
"I'm sure," Severus replied, his eyes trained on Slughorn. However, the black eyes eyes flickered towards him, and Harry noticed that there were deep, deep blue flecks in there that almost matched the obsidian color. "I was not aware that you read."
"Mr. Snape?"
Harry's head snapped forward, not sure what the question was, but Severus added promptly, "Stir counter-clockwise three and a half times, add a pinch of powdered Asphodel and stir precisely sixteen times clockwise to finish the potion."
"Five points to Slytherin." Slughorn continued around the class as Harry huffed again and went back to his drawings.
"I don't. Hermione mentioned it to me once and it sounded neat so I remembered it." Pouting, Harry looked over at Severus, "How come you knew the answer even though you were kinda sorta talking to me?"
"I pay attention."
"So do I... sometimes."
Severus rose an eyebrow at the younger boy, a smirk playing at his lips. "Sometimes is not enough, Radisson."
"It was enough for me to pass and get a broom." Harry leaned back and crossed his arms, giving up on the drawing. It was bad anyway.
"Life isn't only about flying."
"It should be." Harry stretched his arms over his head, a small grin in place. "Not everyone can be awesome at Potions. And I can't be brilliant at studying, either. It's too boring. I'm good at flying." Sighing happily he dropped his hands onto the table with a dull thud, "Besides, flying's fun."
Severus just made a noncommittal sound and went back to listening to their professor.
Still, Harry wanted to keep his broom. So he sighed and began to listen as well, muttering, "Stupid potions."
Hermione refrained from doing a little jig. She had a book in her hands that would tell them the basic procedure of becoming Animagi. Of course, it wasn't so simple that anyone could do it.
She had a bright smile when she entered the Ancient Runes class. There was Remus with his bag in the seat next to his, saving her the spot in the very front with him. She skipped on over and placed the book on the table. "Some light reading for later. Want to join me?"
"Is that all you ever do?" A light voice asked with disdain.
Hermione looked over her shoulder at the brunette in the walkway. "Do what?"
"Study." Mary waved a hand dismissively. "Or hang with those... boys all day. Really, you should come hang out with Lily and I. You don't want to hang out with those trouble-makers."
Hermione blinked. "I do more than study... And there's nothing wrong with Harry, Remus, Sirius, Peter, or James. They're quite fun. Ask anybody."
Lily walked in, her flaming red hair swinging with her steps. "Mary, what are you doing?"
"Just asking if Hermione wanted to hang out with us sometime. She said no."
"I believe you misunderstood," Remus spoke quietly, his head was bowed but his hazel eyes were raised and boring into Mary's.
She blushed while Lily giggled, "I'm sure it was all a mistake. Anyway, Hermione, I was wondering how you were doing in class. The test from last class is being passed back. I'll help you with anything you missed, don't be afraid to let me know, ok?"
Hermione didn't smile back, she had a tiny frown in place. "I'm sure I'll be fine. Thank you, though."
The other two girls were about to say something, but Professor Babbling entered the room and barked out, "Everyone to their seats. We had a few good test grades, but the rest were horrendous." Lily and Mary rushed over to the only other seats in the very front.
The green-eyed witch turned in her seat and sent a saccharine smile over at Hermione, who just ignored Lily.
"Miss Evans, good job, you received an Exceeds Expectations. Miss MacDonald, an Acceptable. Mr. Lupin, Exceeds Expectations. Miss Radisson, excellent job. If any of you lot need any help - and if Miss Radisson feels up to it - ask her. She is the only one who received an Outstanding. Continue to do well, Miss Radisson, and I will expect the same grade with your N.E.W.T.'s."
Hermione stared wide eyed at her test. Perfect score. She had missed nothing. "Yes'm, I'll try."
"I'm sure you will." Professor Babbling continued to hand out the tests and Hermione was just able to ignore Lily's glare.
With classes finished for the day, Hermione and Remus were heading for the Common Room. "So what was this about light reading?"
"Oh!" Hermione looked around shiftily, seeing if anyone was watching, and then pulled Remus into a secret passage way she knew. "Ok, so you know the remedy to your furry little problem? Well, it took a while, but I finally found a... somewhat answer."
"A somewhat answer?"
Hermione giggled at Remus' incredulous look. "It's more of a... guideline, I suppose. And we have to fill in everything that it doesn't say. It's what makes it so complicated."
They were heading up some stairs, Remus scratching his head. "Can I see the book?"
"Of course!" Hermione pulled her bag in front of her and began to dig around in it. "Aha, here it is!" She handed the large tome to Remus with a giddy smile in place. "It should be around page six hundred twenty-seven, I believe."
"Only you would memorize the page number." As he was flipping to the page number he asked, "Is the castle any different?"
Hermione blinked for a moment, not quite sure what Remus was asking, but then it clicked. "Oh! Not really. Just certain things happened. Stories that we've been told. They all made the castle seem like it was different, but after being here... no, it's almost the same." She gave the wall a small pat as they exited the passage.
"That's good. Found it." Remus and Hermione quickly walked to the Fat Lady's portrait with Hermione saying, 'Flibbertigibbet' and the two entered without another word.
They went over to the fireplace and sat on the ground in front of the flames, the book in front of them. As they poured over the book, they waited for the others - almost patiently.
Harry was the first to arrive, followed shortly by Peter. The two found the studious ones still pouring over the contents of the book. Harry dropped his bag on the floor by his feet and proceeded to drop his behind onto the couch. Peter found a chair and collapsed into it.
Remus pointed something out in the book, Hermione ooh'd and ahh'd appropriately and Harry snorted. Still the two ignored the room. Harry and Peter exchanged an amused glance. Using the toe of his shoe, Harry nudged Hermione's leg. "Hey!"
She squealed, jumped, falling over and practically tackling Remus. The four laughed until the last two arrived. "I think we missed something."
"I think you're right." Sirius sat on the floor, his back resting against the couch, legs extended and draped over Remus. "Didn't we make a rule saying no fun without the fun ones?"
"Erm, no." Harry grinned.
"Besides, the fun ones were already here." Peter added.
"Oh, you wound us, Peter." James clutched his hands over his heart and fell onto the couch, his head landing on Harry's lap.
"Well don't feel too left out. Those two have yet to tell us what's going on." Harry nudged Hermione with his foot again.
"I found a book that will guide us through our current project." Hermione grabbed Harry's book bag and searched for parchment, ink and quill. "It is somewhat vague, but at the same time quite helpful. Remus found references to fill in certain gaps." Hermione began writing a list. "Beginning with meditation, one must clear their mind and allow the form to speak to them. Then, and only then, can one embrace their inner animal and-"
"Blah, blah, blah," Harry pushed James off his lap and dropped to the floor with his sister. "English, Hermione. Speak English!"
Hermione huffed and continued her list:
STEPS TO BECOMING ANIMAGI
1) Meditating:
-We have to do this in order to figure out what our animal is
2) Self-Charm:
-Melding our mind with the mind of our animals and understanding why we're that specific animal and allowing that animal to take over to allow the change
-This step takes the longest time
-Remember: charms changes what the object/animal does, not what it is.
3) Self-Transfiguration:
-The actual changing, which is the easiest part.
* A/N - Elipsa: So, the book "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" came out in '79, but I'm going to pretend it came out sooner because I wanted to use the answer forty-two in here... BUT, it really did come out in 1979, in case anyone caught it. :D