A/N: Here's another chapter. Enjoy :))
Chapter 146: Back to class
For better or for worse, both Harry and Selene had to go back to class the next day, even though no one actually knew how they were going to adjust. But Madame Pomfrey had declared that their blood was back to normal, and for the most part their bruises were gone; there hadn't been much else wrong with them, so they were physically able to go back to school.
They slept through the night,(so there was no saying how they felt mentally) and had been brought their bags and a change of clothes by Ron and Hermione. It had been particularly difficult to wake them up in the morning, none of them even stirring or making confused sounds at the violent shaking they had been subjected to at some point; that was up until Hermione started freaking out about being about to miss Ms Riyep's first class, completely lost all of her patience and nearly drowned them both with an Aguamenti, and even then they didn't seem particularly distressed after waking up.
Within the first ten minutes of being awake, before they even managed to make their way out of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, Selene and Harry had a combined tally of seven times fallen while standing. From what they answered when asked why they fell, a simple explanation was put together: the sensation that they were experiencing was not unlike the one you have when returning to solid ground after jumping on a trampoline for a few minutes. They felt very light, almost like they could fly, although their weight had not changed, and that confused their balance sensory receptors.
Eventually, they managed to make it to class in time, and found the room to be utterly and confoundingly lacking in personality, at least compared to the way the previous teachers had decorated it: a few basic defense rule pages from what looked like ancient books had been framed and hung around the room on the soft beige walls and a little white marble snake statue had been placed on the teacher's desk, but that was about it; nothing personal, nothing threatening, nothing. It was a little frightening though, even more so than fake Moody's threatening, because this time they didn't really know what to expect of their teacher, except for the fact that she wasn't going to be the sweetest of the sweetest; that was the only certain thing about her.
As soon as the bell rang, she showed up in the doorway coming from her quarters, effectively silencing the whole class at once. It was the first time Selene got to see her properly and noticed how tall she actually was. The long ruby red robes complemented her skin tone and her long hair had been tied in a waist length fish tail braid. There was a ghost of a smirk at the corner of her mouth as she descended the stairs to the class, each and every student attentively watching her every move, some of them barely breathing.
"Good morning class. As you know, I am Ms Riyep and I will be your Defense Against The Dark Arts teacher from now on."
"Good morning Ms Ryiep." A chorus of voices said in unison; oh, would you look at that: the Umbridge training kicked in again. Looks like the road had been paved for this teacher by the toad herself.
"As you probably have heard at the Opening Banquet, I will not tolerate insubordination from any of you. Those who do not listen and do as I say will promptly receive detention, and I sincerely believe none of you would like that. I heard that there are some unruly students in this class and I suggest they do themselves a favor and try not to argue with me." Her glacial eyes glided over the class, sometimes stopping over someone's face, but she didn't say anything.
They were in the NEWT level class so there really weren't many of them, a handful of Ravenclaws, two Hufflepufs, and their group, without Ginny of course, along with Blaise and Pansy. None of the other Slytherins had wanted to take this class. The air between them and the teacher was so tense that it threatened to snap at any move, or at least that was how Draco felt.
And the impression only grew stronger when the woman, holding both her arms behind her, her left sleeve visibly rolled up, pressed something sharp in her arm, something that they somehow ended up feeling as well in their Dark Marks. Clenching their jaws didn't stop the slight contortion of their faces at the pain, and she just grinned like the Cheshire Cat.
The rest of the class she actually taught them, presenting the curriculum for the year and starting on the theoretical part about nonverbal spells.
"Yes, worse than the toad indeed." Selene said on the way to Transfiguration, rubbing her aching forearm with an ice cube, a relieved look on her face.
"Well, at least she's actually teaching us and seems willing to do practical things as well."
"And no detentions were given yet."
"That 'yet' is making me anxious. Why do I have a feeling that the wait is actually going to make them worse?" Harry asked.
"Because it's probably going to be like that. Make us detense and then hit us when we least expect it."
"Good morning professor."
"Can I have a word Mr Potter, Ms Potter?" McGonagall told them as they attempted to head for the back row of desks.
"Of course. What is it?"
"How are you feeling? I know you're probably not exactly happy that we made you attend classes today, but-"
"Actually, we're fine. The happiness hasn't washed off yet. Right Selene?"
"Yes. Aside from tripping over our own feet a few times, we didn't have any problems today."
And they didn't have any the rest of the day or the week either. Admittedly, they both fell like rocks into bed for the next couple of days, falling asleep immediately after getting under the covers and most of the teachers kept tabs on them, almost smothering them with their worrying, but they felt the best they had in a long time.