The next few weeks were as normal a time at Hogwarts as Dudley had had. His classes were going much the same as ever. Transfiguration he was average. Charms decent. Potions, Astronomy and History bad. Muggle Studies good, Defence Against the Dark Arts good. Care of Magical Creatures great.
Hermione had raised the idea of them continuing their dueling practice. But with their increased workload, Dudley just didn't feel up for it.
"We should really practice patronuses," Hermione had pleaded. "I've been reading up on them all summer. I know the theory at least, and I think we can manage it."
Dean looked interest, but, like Dudley and Ron, he just felt they had too much homework to do without practicing the patronus in their spare time, as useful as it could be.
When Dudley did have a spare moment, he often found himself playing Wizard's Chess with Luna. Ron took an interest in these sessions as he was an excellent player himself, but he wasn't a good teacher. Dudley learnt more from Luna than he did Ron, and was becoming a decent player of his own. Ron was still the best, however—he could even beat Luna.
They got a surprise one potions class when they arrived to see somebody completely unexpected sat at Professor Snape's desk.
"Perce!" Ron almost shouted in shock.
The young man lifted his head, revealing bright red hair and horn-rimmed classes.
"It's Professor Weasley while in this classroom, Ronald," Percy said pompously.
"No … come on, Perce, what are you doing here?" Ron said, hurrying over to his brother.
"It's Professor Weasley," Percy corrected, "And I will explain it to you all."
"Settle down now!" he called to the Slytherins who had just entered.
"What are you doing here? Where's Snape?" Malfoy sneered.
"I'd change that tone of voice, Malfoy," Percy warned. "I will be teaching this class and I expect the same respect you show Professor Snape."
Malfoy smirked but sat down with Crabbe and Goyle.
"Still the same old Percy," Dean muttered to Ron.
"That's Professor Weasley while in the classroom," Ron mimicked.
"Five points from Gryffindor!" Percy said. "Professor Snape doesn't allow you to speak in this classroom, and I won't either."
"No, come off it, Perce …" Ron began.
"Professor Weasley," Percy said. "That I the last time I will remind you. Now, I expect you're all wondering why I am here. As you recall, last year, Professor Snape suffered an unfortunate injury …"
Dudley felt this was a rather unusual way of saying he had been savaged by a werewolf.
"… and so will need to take time off occasionally. As such, Professor Dumbledore has asked me to fill in!" Percy puffed his chest out proudly.
"Why you?" Ron demanded. "I mean, why you, Professor," he checked himself quickly.
"I received the top potions grade since a young lady called Lily Evans," Percy said.
Dudley frowned—that must be his aunt Lily. He hadn't known she had been a potions star.
"Professor Dumbledore believed—and Professor Snape agreed—that I could fill in on occasion. Mr. Crouch was only too glad to help—he can spare me on occasion to help out."
Percy turned to the board and gave a wave of his wand. Writing appeared on it. "Now, Professor Snape left instructions for me to go through the wit-sharpening potion, Patil—what does it do?"
"It erm, it makes you cleverer … no, makes you think more clearly?" Pavarti said.
"Correct, a point to Gryffindor. Davies—what are the four ingredients?"
Tracey Davies was a Slytherin student, but not part of Draco Malfoy's crowd. She was a bit of a loner—a tall girl with long black hair. "Ground scarab beetles, cut ginger roots, armadillo bile and newt spleens," she said.
'Precisely," Percy said. "Have a point for Slytherin. Now, side effects—anyone?"
Hermione raised her hand.
Dudley looked at Ron. Percy's teaching method was different than Snape's. He usually gave them the instructions and left them to it. Percy went through the ingredients carefully, highlighting the reasons each one needed to be added to the potion.
When it came to making the potion itself, Percy, like Snape, prowled the classroom. However, while Snape offered nothing but criticism, Percy showed the students what to do. Dudley and Ron had grinned at the look on Malfoy's face when Percy demonstrated how to properly grind his scarab beetles.
"That was a good lesson," Neville said. It had been one of the few times he had brewed a potion correctly—with a lot of help from Percy.
"Wish we could have Percy teaching us all the time," Dudley agreed.
"Yeah, I don't often praise Percy … and don't let Fred or George hear me saying god things about him, but he's a pretty good teacher," Ron admitted.
Beside them, Hermione giggled.
"What?" Ron asked, curiously.
"I'm just thinking about Fred and George's reaction when they see Percy in the classroom," Hermione said.
They all laughed.
"Imagine if he gave them detention," Neville said with a grin.