Chapter 8
Snape and Filch
"Hey! Harry! Wait up!" Ron watched as Harry turned around, finally stopping. Ron put his hands on his knees and took deep breaths.
"No running in the hallways!" Professor Flitwick squeaked at Ron.
"Sorry Professor." Ron apologized. Professor Flitwick studied Ron and left skipping. Ron shook his head. Teachers should only be so eccentric.
"What do you want, Ron?" Harry asked.
"What? Oh, that! Can I borrow your invisibility cloak?"
"You want to borrow it again?" Harry asked, exasperated. "Do you know how many times you have borrowed it for the past three months?"
"Actually, it's two months and a half." Ron said quickly. He still used it every time he went to the bathroom with Ginny on the look out.
Harry studied Ron thoughtfully. "All right, it's in my trunk."
"Thanks." Ron hurried to the trunk and brought out the silver watery invisibility cloak and hurried to meet Hermione. He found her sitting on the stairs.
"I got the invisibility cloak." Ron said to her with a rushed greeting.
Hermione looked up. "That's great, Ron. We can get the ingredients during lunch tomorrow."
"Why not now?"
"Because Filch is usually outside cleaning the hallway right at lunch."
Ron thought for a minute. "I guess you're right." He then went upstairs and laid on his bed. He couldn't sleep. What if something went wrong? He tossed and turned in the bed.
"Couldn't sleep, could you?" Ron saw Hermione, still awake. It must have been midnight now.
"No, I am too worried about tomorrow." Ron answered, truthfully.
Hermione sat down next to him. "I feel the same way. If Snape caught us, we'd be expelled! If that were true I wouldn't know what I would do. I can't go to a state school now, I don't have any records."
Ron sighed. "Maybe we could both be Hagrid's assistants."
Hermione laughed. Her voice was musical to his ears. Then Ron remembered something. "Hermione, what if somebody saw you here? This is the boy's dormitory. What if Neville wakes up?"
Hermione smiled at him slyly. "Neville won't see us."
"How do you know that?" Ron asked, skeptically.
"Because," Hermione said, "we are in the Slytherin dormitory." Hermione leaned forward until their faces were only inches apart. He saw her hair shorten and grow sleeker and her jawbone widen. Polyjuice potion! In her place was Draco Malfoy!
"Ahhhhhhhh!" Ron jumped out of the bed, screaming again. He looked around, taking deep breaths. Why did he keep having dreams about Hermione? First it had been Snape. Then there had been Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Trelawney, Filch, a hairy spider, and even Dobby!
After Ron relaxed, he looked around the room. The room seemed a little bit bright for midnight, and the other beds were empty. He hadn't woken up in the middle of the night, he overslept! Ron quickly threw back the covers and ran to the bathroom, quickly throwing on a robe and dashed into the North Tower. Everyone turned and looked at him, sweaty and dirty, gasping for breath.
"I'm sorry, I overslept." Ron quickly apologized to Trelawney. He was going to fail school! Trelawney will report him for ditching a class and he would get expelled! Ron blinked furiously and started to cry. Wait, why was he crying? This wasn't like him!
Trelawney looked surprised. "It's quite all right dear, I'll let it go this time. Don't cry. Calm down." She patted him on the shoulder, only to make Ron cry harder. Ron quickly took a seat next to Harry.
"It's okay, Ron." Harry looked more surprised than Professor Trelawney. Ron was surprised at himself, too. Since when would he cry over being late to Professor Trelawney's class?
"Don't cry." Harry said to Ron. "It's fine. You aren't in trouble." Ron nodded and covered his mouth too keep from crying. It wasn't the silent cry where tears pour down your face, or the quiet sobbing. He had started bawling. Ron kept his hand over his mouth and hiccuped. He knew nothing was wrong. He just couldn't help crying. Professor Trelawney came over to him again. Apparently he had been crying so loudly he had disturbed the class. He felt his face heat up as Parvati whispered to Lavender and they both stared at him. Neville started crying himself, he always cried when other people cried.
After Trelawney continued predicting Harry's death, the bell rang. Ron hurried outside and ran to the boy's bathroom. He peered into the mirror. Two pink eyes stared at him. He quickly washed his face and left. His eyes felt dry and he felt sleepy as he walked to lunch. He saw Hermione running up to him.
"Come on, we don't have much time." Hermione said, grabbing his hand and running with him to a quiet hall. Ron blinked hard, his eyes still hurt. They were walking down the corridor leading to Filch's office.
"We are getting the Marauder's map right now?" Ron asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Of course, Ron. I told you already." Hermione said, impatiently.
"Don't yell at me." Ron said, angrily.
"What's the matter with you, Ron?" Hermione glared at him. "He's coming. Quick!" She grabbed Ron's hand and hid behind a shelf.
Ron looked out and saw Filch with Mrs. Norris. "Sniff the air, Mrs. Norris." Filch said, with an evil gleam in his eyes. "Those third year Hufflepuffs are hiding from potions again. We have to catch them."
Hermione and Ron waited as they watched Filch leave. Then Hermione led Ron quickly down into Filch's office. They looked around the room, wildly searching for a shelf that said 'Confiscated and Highly Dangerous.'
"I can't find it anywhere." Ron said with a groan.
"It has to be here somewhere." Hermione said, still brushing her hands across Filch's desk."
"Give it up, Hermione. We are looking for an entire shelf, not a pencil. If we can't see it right away, it isn't there. Maybe Filch changed things. Come on, let's go."
"I found it!" Hermione called out excitedly from under the desk. "Not what I expected it to be though."
"What is it?" Ron bent over and looked at Hermione's hand. It was a little pink box shaped like a shelf. It was about 5 inches long, 3 inches wide and 2 inches in height. "That's the Confiscated and Highly dangerous shelf?" Ron asked with a frown.
Hermione opened it and peered inside. The box was magically set to hold anything big or small. Ron watched as Hermione reached her entire arm into the box and felt around. "I got it." He heard her say and watched as she pulled out the Marauder's Map.
Curiously, Ron continued looking inside the small pink box. He reached in and pulled out a book. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, by JK Rowling, the title read. Just as Ron was about to open it, Hermione whispered "Somebody's coming!" Ron quickly dropped the book and put the small box down. They ran out the door and slammed it right before Filch opened it at the other end. Through the dusty window they watched as Filch looked around suspiciously. Then Ron quickly motioned Hermione away.
"We got it." Hermione said, excitedly. "Now we have potions at 6 tonight. We'll go then."
"You make it sound like the easiest thing in the world." Ron hissed at her. "'let's do this or that. It doesn't matter' since when can you realize the consequences of the things you do? You are always so annoying."
Hermione looked at Ron, surprised. "What has been going on with you today?"
"'What has been going on with you today'?" Ron mimicked.
"Never mind." Hermione said. Ron rolled his eyes and walked off. He then met up with Harry in front of Charms. Tiny Professor Flitwick was standing on his pile of books, beaming at everyone.
"Today we are going to learn how fairies are able to give gifts to babies." Professor Flitwick squeaked. He then had everyone partner up with eachother. Seamus partnered up with Dean, Ron with Harry, and Lavender with Parvati. Since Hermione and Neville didn't have partners, they were stuck with eachother.
"Now," Flitwick squeaked, "the faeries actually use a binding charm. Let's take Sleeping Beauty for instance, who is based on a real story. Sleeping Beauty was the daughter of King Henry VIII."
Hermione raised her hand, like usual. "Didn't King Henry VIII only have 3 royal children?"
"True," Professor Flitwick squeaked, "but he had many mistresses and fathered many other children."
"I thought that in those circumstances Aurora isn't considered a princess."
Professor Flitwick looked slightly irritated. Lavender whispered to Parvati. Ron couldn't hear what they were saying, but he knew it was something rude about Hermione. "Well, Aurora doesn't have the title of a princess, but she technically is one, since she is the daughter of a king. Everyone knows the story of the 12 fairies who were invited to the baptizing, but one fairy wasn't and she laid a curse on Aurora. Then a light fairy had transfigured the curse-"
"How is a curse transfigured?" Hermione asked. The entire class glared at her again.
"Intangible transfigurations are not taught to you until your seventh year- " Professor Flitwick began.
"But can you tell us how it works?" Hermione asked. This went on until the end of class when the bell rang. Quickly Ron stuffed everything in his book bag and hurried with Harry to Potions.
Professor Snape was standing there, looking around at the class. Every time he saw a Gryffindor he gave a frown. Besides Hermione, the highest grade a Gryffindor ever got in potions was a 75%, and that was Parvati's grade the week Lavender had gotten sick and couldn't hang out with her. They probably made each other's grades go down, Ron thought.
"Today we shall be creating mind reading potions." Snape said in a deadly whisper. "Now, get into pairs of two and get the ingredients I have written on the board. NOW!"
The students scrambled up to get their potions. This was perfect. This time Ron decided to partner with Hermione, getting Harry stuck with Neville. Ron looked around, getting potions and herbs. Snape usually added other ingredients that were not part of the project in the ingredients pile to throw the Gryffindors off. The Slytherins had their ingredients already packed for them in small containers.
"Let's see," Ron began. "I know this green stem must be from a Foxglove flower, and this is probably the heart of a toad."
"No, that's the liver of a young chicken." Hermione corrected. "That is the heart of a toad-" After the ingredients were all assembled, Ron and Hermione went back to their cauldron. Hermione measured out the ingredients while Ron kept notes of the cauldron's actions.
"Now, these are the glass containers you will pour your potion in." Snape whispered, holding up a glass. "They are all different sizes. One person from each group come get them."
Hermione watched as Ron went up and get a set of glass containers. She winked at him. (This was the perfect moment), she thought. (If I don't do this now, I never can get a chance again.)
Ron had gotten Hermione's secret message and nodded. He then pretend to trip, and the second largest container fell into the cauldron, the contents splashing onto Hermione. She felt the icy water, even though the ingredients of the cauldron had been boiling.
Everyone turned around and looked at Hermione, and Snape hurried over. [ I hope that girl is seriously injured, I can't stand her in my class] She heard Snape think.
"Go to the Hospital Wing, Granger." Snape said out loud. "That potion lasts 24 hours. It is not anything quite serious, though you should get it checked." [Though I would rather have you never come back] Hermione heard him think.
Hermione quickly walked out of the room with Ron following her. "That was bloody brilliant!" Ron said, happily. [That was bloody brilliant] was the thought Hermione heard in his head. At least he always told the truth.
"Come on, there is another way into Snape's office." Hermione led Ron to the next room in the dungeons. There was a door that lead to the Potions room, and another door that lead behind it, where Snape's office was.
"Alohamora." Hermione whispered, and she heard a gentle click. She then turned the door open and went inside with Ron following her. There were many green potions with parts of animals inside.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Ron asked.
"We need the fang of a vampire and the scale of a dragon." Hermione answered, searching over the bottom shelves. They were searching when they heard footsteps. Ron quickly took the invisibility cloak out from his book bag and threw it over him and Hermione and they scrambled under a table. Snape walked in and drained a glass of water. He then sat and rubbed his forehead in deep thought. Hermione saw what looked like a large tattoo of a giant scorpion on Snape's arm. Hermione felt Ron poke her and turned around. Ron was pointing toward a jar that said Fang of a Vampire right next to them, which was still concealed under the Invisibility cloak.
Hermione gave Ron a thumbs up sign and reached for the jar. Slowly, without Snape noticing, she unscrewed it under the cloak and took out a bloody red fang. She then screwed the jar back on and put it back on the shelf.
"Whose there? Show yourself!" Snape bolted up. [Probably just a mouse] She heard him think, as he looked around wildly. Then Snape left and closed the door. Hermione and Ron gave sighs of relief.
Hermione and Ron continue looking around for the scale of a dragon, though they never found any. "Maybe Hagrid still has some left from Norbert." Ron suggested.
Hermione sighed. "All right, we will look for it after potions. At least the hard part of this is over." Quietly, with the invisibility cloak still on, Hermione took out the Marauder's Map.
"What was the code sentence again?" Hermione asked.
"I think it was I swear that I am no good." Ron said, thinking.
"Oh, I remember now. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Hermione recited, putting the tip of her wand on the map and watched the lines spread across. Professor McGonagall was just walking out. Hermione saw another name that seemed to be going through things. It was Peeves. He couldn't enter Snape's office, but he was standing right in front of the door and stuck his head in.
"Oh," Peeves gave a smirk and rotated his head completely around. "The fuzzball and the flameball." Peeves crackled.
"Please Peeves, don't tell on us." Ron begged.
"I say yes unless you don't say please."
"Please-"
"Yes!" Peeves replied and laughed. "I told you I would say yes, but that doesn't mean I meant it."
Hermione knew exactly what to do. Against people like Peeves you had to blackmail. "Peeves, she began, what did you do that you could be expelled from this school for?"
"I am not telling you." Peeves replied in a singsong voice. [I had stolen Dumbledore's Pensieve last week] was what Peeves actually thought.
Hermione gave a smile. "All right, I won't tell that you stole Dumbledore's penseive as long as you don't tell we broke into Snape's office."
Peeves stopped laughing. He then gave a look of pure hatred and stuck his head out the door and floated off.
"That was brilliant, Hermione!" Ron complemented. "But how did you know-"
"The potion," Hermione said. "I could read minds. For the next 24 hours, anyway."
Hermione checked again. Nobody was outside. She quickly opened the door and they got out, free. Hermione stuck the vampire fang in the pocket of her robe and tucked the Marauder's map away.
"Come on," Hermione said, "Let's go have dinner. It has been a long day."
"All right," Ron began. "Wait, Hermione, I have been acting really strangely today. I burst out crying in Divination and I don't know why. Do you? Since you are smart and all."
Hermione thought for a minute. "What did you have for dinner?"
"Chicken, beef, and some soup and blood pudding."
"What did you have for breakfast?" Hermione tried again.
"I skipped it, I was late for Divination."
Hermione thought long and hard. "When was your last period?"
"Three weeks ago."
Hermione burst out laughing, while Ron looked at her confused. "What's so funny?"
****End of Chapter 8****
Sorry this took so long, but I got hooked on Neopets, that amazingly addictive website. I had been bored 3 weeks ago because fanfiction.net was closed so I checked it out and I clung on to it. I had this half written and forgot about it until Val (thanks!) wrote a review that went into my mailbox as I was on Neopets. I hadn't forgot about this, I just kept planning to write and as soon as I got online I went straight to neopets. Also because I had so much homework.
Snape and Filch
"Hey! Harry! Wait up!" Ron watched as Harry turned around, finally stopping. Ron put his hands on his knees and took deep breaths.
"No running in the hallways!" Professor Flitwick squeaked at Ron.
"Sorry Professor." Ron apologized. Professor Flitwick studied Ron and left skipping. Ron shook his head. Teachers should only be so eccentric.
"What do you want, Ron?" Harry asked.
"What? Oh, that! Can I borrow your invisibility cloak?"
"You want to borrow it again?" Harry asked, exasperated. "Do you know how many times you have borrowed it for the past three months?"
"Actually, it's two months and a half." Ron said quickly. He still used it every time he went to the bathroom with Ginny on the look out.
Harry studied Ron thoughtfully. "All right, it's in my trunk."
"Thanks." Ron hurried to the trunk and brought out the silver watery invisibility cloak and hurried to meet Hermione. He found her sitting on the stairs.
"I got the invisibility cloak." Ron said to her with a rushed greeting.
Hermione looked up. "That's great, Ron. We can get the ingredients during lunch tomorrow."
"Why not now?"
"Because Filch is usually outside cleaning the hallway right at lunch."
Ron thought for a minute. "I guess you're right." He then went upstairs and laid on his bed. He couldn't sleep. What if something went wrong? He tossed and turned in the bed.
"Couldn't sleep, could you?" Ron saw Hermione, still awake. It must have been midnight now.
"No, I am too worried about tomorrow." Ron answered, truthfully.
Hermione sat down next to him. "I feel the same way. If Snape caught us, we'd be expelled! If that were true I wouldn't know what I would do. I can't go to a state school now, I don't have any records."
Ron sighed. "Maybe we could both be Hagrid's assistants."
Hermione laughed. Her voice was musical to his ears. Then Ron remembered something. "Hermione, what if somebody saw you here? This is the boy's dormitory. What if Neville wakes up?"
Hermione smiled at him slyly. "Neville won't see us."
"How do you know that?" Ron asked, skeptically.
"Because," Hermione said, "we are in the Slytherin dormitory." Hermione leaned forward until their faces were only inches apart. He saw her hair shorten and grow sleeker and her jawbone widen. Polyjuice potion! In her place was Draco Malfoy!
"Ahhhhhhhh!" Ron jumped out of the bed, screaming again. He looked around, taking deep breaths. Why did he keep having dreams about Hermione? First it had been Snape. Then there had been Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, Professor Trelawney, Filch, a hairy spider, and even Dobby!
After Ron relaxed, he looked around the room. The room seemed a little bit bright for midnight, and the other beds were empty. He hadn't woken up in the middle of the night, he overslept! Ron quickly threw back the covers and ran to the bathroom, quickly throwing on a robe and dashed into the North Tower. Everyone turned and looked at him, sweaty and dirty, gasping for breath.
"I'm sorry, I overslept." Ron quickly apologized to Trelawney. He was going to fail school! Trelawney will report him for ditching a class and he would get expelled! Ron blinked furiously and started to cry. Wait, why was he crying? This wasn't like him!
Trelawney looked surprised. "It's quite all right dear, I'll let it go this time. Don't cry. Calm down." She patted him on the shoulder, only to make Ron cry harder. Ron quickly took a seat next to Harry.
"It's okay, Ron." Harry looked more surprised than Professor Trelawney. Ron was surprised at himself, too. Since when would he cry over being late to Professor Trelawney's class?
"Don't cry." Harry said to Ron. "It's fine. You aren't in trouble." Ron nodded and covered his mouth too keep from crying. It wasn't the silent cry where tears pour down your face, or the quiet sobbing. He had started bawling. Ron kept his hand over his mouth and hiccuped. He knew nothing was wrong. He just couldn't help crying. Professor Trelawney came over to him again. Apparently he had been crying so loudly he had disturbed the class. He felt his face heat up as Parvati whispered to Lavender and they both stared at him. Neville started crying himself, he always cried when other people cried.
After Trelawney continued predicting Harry's death, the bell rang. Ron hurried outside and ran to the boy's bathroom. He peered into the mirror. Two pink eyes stared at him. He quickly washed his face and left. His eyes felt dry and he felt sleepy as he walked to lunch. He saw Hermione running up to him.
"Come on, we don't have much time." Hermione said, grabbing his hand and running with him to a quiet hall. Ron blinked hard, his eyes still hurt. They were walking down the corridor leading to Filch's office.
"We are getting the Marauder's map right now?" Ron asked, rubbing his eyes.
"Of course, Ron. I told you already." Hermione said, impatiently.
"Don't yell at me." Ron said, angrily.
"What's the matter with you, Ron?" Hermione glared at him. "He's coming. Quick!" She grabbed Ron's hand and hid behind a shelf.
Ron looked out and saw Filch with Mrs. Norris. "Sniff the air, Mrs. Norris." Filch said, with an evil gleam in his eyes. "Those third year Hufflepuffs are hiding from potions again. We have to catch them."
Hermione and Ron waited as they watched Filch leave. Then Hermione led Ron quickly down into Filch's office. They looked around the room, wildly searching for a shelf that said 'Confiscated and Highly Dangerous.'
"I can't find it anywhere." Ron said with a groan.
"It has to be here somewhere." Hermione said, still brushing her hands across Filch's desk."
"Give it up, Hermione. We are looking for an entire shelf, not a pencil. If we can't see it right away, it isn't there. Maybe Filch changed things. Come on, let's go."
"I found it!" Hermione called out excitedly from under the desk. "Not what I expected it to be though."
"What is it?" Ron bent over and looked at Hermione's hand. It was a little pink box shaped like a shelf. It was about 5 inches long, 3 inches wide and 2 inches in height. "That's the Confiscated and Highly dangerous shelf?" Ron asked with a frown.
Hermione opened it and peered inside. The box was magically set to hold anything big or small. Ron watched as Hermione reached her entire arm into the box and felt around. "I got it." He heard her say and watched as she pulled out the Marauder's Map.
Curiously, Ron continued looking inside the small pink box. He reached in and pulled out a book. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix, by JK Rowling, the title read. Just as Ron was about to open it, Hermione whispered "Somebody's coming!" Ron quickly dropped the book and put the small box down. They ran out the door and slammed it right before Filch opened it at the other end. Through the dusty window they watched as Filch looked around suspiciously. Then Ron quickly motioned Hermione away.
"We got it." Hermione said, excitedly. "Now we have potions at 6 tonight. We'll go then."
"You make it sound like the easiest thing in the world." Ron hissed at her. "'let's do this or that. It doesn't matter' since when can you realize the consequences of the things you do? You are always so annoying."
Hermione looked at Ron, surprised. "What has been going on with you today?"
"'What has been going on with you today'?" Ron mimicked.
"Never mind." Hermione said. Ron rolled his eyes and walked off. He then met up with Harry in front of Charms. Tiny Professor Flitwick was standing on his pile of books, beaming at everyone.
"Today we are going to learn how fairies are able to give gifts to babies." Professor Flitwick squeaked. He then had everyone partner up with eachother. Seamus partnered up with Dean, Ron with Harry, and Lavender with Parvati. Since Hermione and Neville didn't have partners, they were stuck with eachother.
"Now," Flitwick squeaked, "the faeries actually use a binding charm. Let's take Sleeping Beauty for instance, who is based on a real story. Sleeping Beauty was the daughter of King Henry VIII."
Hermione raised her hand, like usual. "Didn't King Henry VIII only have 3 royal children?"
"True," Professor Flitwick squeaked, "but he had many mistresses and fathered many other children."
"I thought that in those circumstances Aurora isn't considered a princess."
Professor Flitwick looked slightly irritated. Lavender whispered to Parvati. Ron couldn't hear what they were saying, but he knew it was something rude about Hermione. "Well, Aurora doesn't have the title of a princess, but she technically is one, since she is the daughter of a king. Everyone knows the story of the 12 fairies who were invited to the baptizing, but one fairy wasn't and she laid a curse on Aurora. Then a light fairy had transfigured the curse-"
"How is a curse transfigured?" Hermione asked. The entire class glared at her again.
"Intangible transfigurations are not taught to you until your seventh year- " Professor Flitwick began.
"But can you tell us how it works?" Hermione asked. This went on until the end of class when the bell rang. Quickly Ron stuffed everything in his book bag and hurried with Harry to Potions.
Professor Snape was standing there, looking around at the class. Every time he saw a Gryffindor he gave a frown. Besides Hermione, the highest grade a Gryffindor ever got in potions was a 75%, and that was Parvati's grade the week Lavender had gotten sick and couldn't hang out with her. They probably made each other's grades go down, Ron thought.
"Today we shall be creating mind reading potions." Snape said in a deadly whisper. "Now, get into pairs of two and get the ingredients I have written on the board. NOW!"
The students scrambled up to get their potions. This was perfect. This time Ron decided to partner with Hermione, getting Harry stuck with Neville. Ron looked around, getting potions and herbs. Snape usually added other ingredients that were not part of the project in the ingredients pile to throw the Gryffindors off. The Slytherins had their ingredients already packed for them in small containers.
"Let's see," Ron began. "I know this green stem must be from a Foxglove flower, and this is probably the heart of a toad."
"No, that's the liver of a young chicken." Hermione corrected. "That is the heart of a toad-" After the ingredients were all assembled, Ron and Hermione went back to their cauldron. Hermione measured out the ingredients while Ron kept notes of the cauldron's actions.
"Now, these are the glass containers you will pour your potion in." Snape whispered, holding up a glass. "They are all different sizes. One person from each group come get them."
Hermione watched as Ron went up and get a set of glass containers. She winked at him. (This was the perfect moment), she thought. (If I don't do this now, I never can get a chance again.)
Ron had gotten Hermione's secret message and nodded. He then pretend to trip, and the second largest container fell into the cauldron, the contents splashing onto Hermione. She felt the icy water, even though the ingredients of the cauldron had been boiling.
Everyone turned around and looked at Hermione, and Snape hurried over. [ I hope that girl is seriously injured, I can't stand her in my class] She heard Snape think.
"Go to the Hospital Wing, Granger." Snape said out loud. "That potion lasts 24 hours. It is not anything quite serious, though you should get it checked." [Though I would rather have you never come back] Hermione heard him think.
Hermione quickly walked out of the room with Ron following her. "That was bloody brilliant!" Ron said, happily. [That was bloody brilliant] was the thought Hermione heard in his head. At least he always told the truth.
"Come on, there is another way into Snape's office." Hermione led Ron to the next room in the dungeons. There was a door that lead to the Potions room, and another door that lead behind it, where Snape's office was.
"Alohamora." Hermione whispered, and she heard a gentle click. She then turned the door open and went inside with Ron following her. There were many green potions with parts of animals inside.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Ron asked.
"We need the fang of a vampire and the scale of a dragon." Hermione answered, searching over the bottom shelves. They were searching when they heard footsteps. Ron quickly took the invisibility cloak out from his book bag and threw it over him and Hermione and they scrambled under a table. Snape walked in and drained a glass of water. He then sat and rubbed his forehead in deep thought. Hermione saw what looked like a large tattoo of a giant scorpion on Snape's arm. Hermione felt Ron poke her and turned around. Ron was pointing toward a jar that said Fang of a Vampire right next to them, which was still concealed under the Invisibility cloak.
Hermione gave Ron a thumbs up sign and reached for the jar. Slowly, without Snape noticing, she unscrewed it under the cloak and took out a bloody red fang. She then screwed the jar back on and put it back on the shelf.
"Whose there? Show yourself!" Snape bolted up. [Probably just a mouse] She heard him think, as he looked around wildly. Then Snape left and closed the door. Hermione and Ron gave sighs of relief.
Hermione and Ron continue looking around for the scale of a dragon, though they never found any. "Maybe Hagrid still has some left from Norbert." Ron suggested.
Hermione sighed. "All right, we will look for it after potions. At least the hard part of this is over." Quietly, with the invisibility cloak still on, Hermione took out the Marauder's Map.
"What was the code sentence again?" Hermione asked.
"I think it was I swear that I am no good." Ron said, thinking.
"Oh, I remember now. I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Hermione recited, putting the tip of her wand on the map and watched the lines spread across. Professor McGonagall was just walking out. Hermione saw another name that seemed to be going through things. It was Peeves. He couldn't enter Snape's office, but he was standing right in front of the door and stuck his head in.
"Oh," Peeves gave a smirk and rotated his head completely around. "The fuzzball and the flameball." Peeves crackled.
"Please Peeves, don't tell on us." Ron begged.
"I say yes unless you don't say please."
"Please-"
"Yes!" Peeves replied and laughed. "I told you I would say yes, but that doesn't mean I meant it."
Hermione knew exactly what to do. Against people like Peeves you had to blackmail. "Peeves, she began, what did you do that you could be expelled from this school for?"
"I am not telling you." Peeves replied in a singsong voice. [I had stolen Dumbledore's Pensieve last week] was what Peeves actually thought.
Hermione gave a smile. "All right, I won't tell that you stole Dumbledore's penseive as long as you don't tell we broke into Snape's office."
Peeves stopped laughing. He then gave a look of pure hatred and stuck his head out the door and floated off.
"That was brilliant, Hermione!" Ron complemented. "But how did you know-"
"The potion," Hermione said. "I could read minds. For the next 24 hours, anyway."
Hermione checked again. Nobody was outside. She quickly opened the door and they got out, free. Hermione stuck the vampire fang in the pocket of her robe and tucked the Marauder's map away.
"Come on," Hermione said, "Let's go have dinner. It has been a long day."
"All right," Ron began. "Wait, Hermione, I have been acting really strangely today. I burst out crying in Divination and I don't know why. Do you? Since you are smart and all."
Hermione thought for a minute. "What did you have for dinner?"
"Chicken, beef, and some soup and blood pudding."
"What did you have for breakfast?" Hermione tried again.
"I skipped it, I was late for Divination."
Hermione thought long and hard. "When was your last period?"
"Three weeks ago."
Hermione burst out laughing, while Ron looked at her confused. "What's so funny?"
****End of Chapter 8****
Sorry this took so long, but I got hooked on Neopets, that amazingly addictive website. I had been bored 3 weeks ago because fanfiction.net was closed so I checked it out and I clung on to it. I had this half written and forgot about it until Val (thanks!) wrote a review that went into my mailbox as I was on Neopets. I hadn't forgot about this, I just kept planning to write and as soon as I got online I went straight to neopets. Also because I had so much homework.