The Blood of Ronald Weasley
Author's note to Emma Malfoy—Its funny you should suggest naming Percy and Penny's baby Briana, because I did name her that in another story I wrote, called A Promising Christmas. Just thought I'd let you know that, scary, eh? Anyway, FYI: this chapter takes place on Tuesday, picking up where the last chapter left off. I'm running out of ways to say I don't own any of this, so there, I just said it!
CHAPTER TWELVE: SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS
After breakfast, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville headed off to Potions while Ginny went to Muggle studies.
They walked dejectedly down to the dungeon like they always did, dreading the time they had to spend there with Snape and the Slytherins.
Lately, however, Snape hadn't been that bad. He seemed to be less cruel and heartless, and had actually awarded five points to Gryffindor during their last class.
Harry sighed as he opened the heavy door to the dungeon classroom just as the bell rang.
"Hurry along, everyone. I want to get started," said a female voice Harry recognized.
The foursome passed through the door and took their seats, pleased, but shocked, to see Angelina Johnson and Fred Weasley standing behind Snape's desk.
"Good morning. For those of you who don't know me, I'm Angelina Johnson. I graduated two years ago and I'll be your potions substitute for a few weeks."
At this point, Fred nudged her with his elbow.
"Oh, and this is my fiancé, Fred Weasley. He isn't staying." Angelina looked pointedly at Fred and he grinned at her.
"I just came to see that you were all set for the day before George and I have to head back to the shop for the day," he said.
"George is here too?" Ron asked.
"Yeah. Katie's filling in for a teacher as well. We apparated into Hogsmeade this morning to see that the girls had everything under control. Plus, we wanted to see the castle again. Kinda makes you homesick. Trust me, you'll miss it when you leave," Fred replied.
This caused the class to hum with excitement. They were all pleased that this was their seventh year, but also apprehensive about leaving school, getting a job, and finding a place to live.
"Who's Katie subbing for?" Ron asked.
This time, it was Angelina who elbowed Fred. Fred looked as though he was being deprived a great treat.
"Can't you guess?" he managed before Angelina elbowed him again.
"Why are you filling in for Snape, Angelina?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know why he's not here." She shot daggers at Fred, "But I wanted to make a little extra money for the wedding. That's why Katie's here too."
"If I'd known how expensive this wedding nonsense would be, I'd have said let's just elope the very night I proposed and be done with it. What a great surprise for mum and dad, eh, Ron?" Fred laughed.
Ron grinned and said, "I don't think mum would appreciate that."
"You don't mean that Fred. You're as excited about it as I am and you make no secret of it. Now get a move on so you can open up the shop. It's a good half an hour walk to Hogsmeade," Angelina admonished.
"Okay, I'm going, I'm going. You'd think the girl wanted to get rid of me," he said, heading for the door. "Oh, you three, Three Broomsticks, seven-thirty Friday night and tell Ginny too," Fred whispered as he left the classroom.
"All right, Professor Snape left some notes for you to copy down as well as a simple potion to make today. Let me put these notes on the board and we can get started," Angelina said.
While she was busy doing that, Ron leaned over to whisper to Harry and Hermione.
"Who do you think Katie is covering for?"
Hermione tutted. "Isn't it obvious, Ron?"
"Apparently not," he replied.
"Well, I'm not certain of course, but I suspect Professor Peverell," she said.
"What? How would you know that?" Harry asked.
"There's that dumb male complex again. I suspect they, erm, went somewhere together. Isn't it a big coincidence that they both took a few weeks off at the same time?"
Harry shook his head. "But you don't know for sure that Katie is in for Professor Peverell."
"I don't know for sure, but I'd place a heavy bet on it. Did you hear what Fred said?"
"Just tell us, Hermione," Ron said.
"He said, 'Can't you guess'. He was implying that, um…well, he basically said that it was Peverell. Now, be quiet and pay attention to Angelina."
Harry wondered what was going on between his two professors. They wouldn't just run off to have a sordid affair, would they? And what if it wasn't anything like that? What if the people who were in charge of the student recruits had caused some sort of problem and they had been called in to help?
The potion they were assigned to make was quite simple, and Harry was done and cleaned up with fifteen minutes to spare. Ron and Hermione were also done, and Neville was just finishing up.
"Shall we go check on the potion during break?" Hermione said quietly.
"Don't see why not," Ron replied.
"I can't," Neville said.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Got an errand to run," he mumbled.
Hermione furrowed her brow but refrained from comment. What was Neville up to lately and why did he disappear so often?
The bell rang and they gathered their book and headed straight for the second floor to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
Harry groaned as they entered the bathroom. Myrtle really wasn't his favorite person, or ghost as the case may be, but he did owe her a debt of gratitude for her help in solving the egg clue when he was in fourth year. He hadn't seen her since then; save maybe once or twice out by the lake.
Hermione stirred the contents of the cauldron and smiled.
"Right on schedule," she said.
"I wish it would cook faster. I don't like sitting around waiting for this to be ready and doing nothing to stop these people," Harry said as he slid to sit on the tile floor.
"Oh, Harry, I'm sure it's not as bad as all that. Do you really think Dumbledore left this matter completely to us? He'll just use what we find out against the students at trial, I imagine. He probably has something more up his sleeve," Hermione said, taking a seat next to Harry.
"Yeah, I guess."
Ron shot a glance at Hermione that said 'I'm worried about him.' Hermione nodded in return.
"Well, cheer up mate. Remember, Three Broomsticks on Friday to look forward to. Fred and George won't let you get away with that sour face."
Harry smiled. "You're right about that one. Is it a bachelor party, then?"
Ron shook his head. "If it were, do you think he would have invited Hermione and Ginny?" Ron laughed. "That'd put quite a damper on the party!"
"Thanks very much, Ron!"
"Well, I wouldn't want my little sister or…um…whatever you are to Fred and George at my bachelor party," Ron said.
"Girlfriend-in-law," Hermione mumbled.
Harry heard her and laughed, but Ron didn't.
"What's funny?"
"Nothing," Hermione said.
"No, what?" Ron looked puzzled.
"Hermione said she was Fred and George's girlfriend-in-law," Harry choked out between hiccups of laughter.
The tips of Ron's ears reddened but he laughed as well.
Hermione's cheeks were flushed, but she stood and said, "Break's almost over. We should start heading out to Care of Magical Creatures."
"WAIT! You haven't even visited with me! You are so hurtful!" They heard Myrtle's voice from the stall next to the one that held the potion.
Harry went in the stall to see the ghost of a girl floating over the u-bend.
"Hello Myrtle."
"Hello, Harry Potter. I haven't seen you for three years. You've grown," she said shyly.
Harry gulped. Was the ghost hitting on him?
"Uh, thanks. We'll see you in a few days, okay Myrtle?"
"Whatever you say, Harry Potter."
Okay, in the last chapter I mentioned Eloise, Bella, Lavender and Parvati as Hermione's dormates. Obviously you know who Lavender and Parvati are, but Eloise Midgen was the girl with the acne that they mentioned once or twice. I don't know if she was their age or in Gryffindor, but for my purposes, she IS. And I just made Bella up for the fun of it.