Chapter Eleven: The Announcement
Autumn flew by faster than Hedwig on a good day. Classes were fairly simple for Leo and Jazz, since Phoenixaen prided itself on letting students work to their potential, not their year. However, Leo was having trouble in Snape's class. Not with the Potions part of it, but just with Snape in general. One day in class in December, the gauntlets were thrown.
"All right, looking at your essays, if you could even call them that, I see that only one of you can even begin to grasp the concept of the Blindness Elixir and its antidote. I'm afraid that the only way to get you sniveling dolts to learn this is to have you drink some and mix and administer the antidote to yourselves. Now, let's start with Ms. Lawson."
"Hold up, Snapey, wait a second," Leo protested forcefully. "First off I understand all this Blindness Elixir crap, even wrote 3 and a half feet of parchment on the blessed stuff, so you can't use the Elixir on me."
"Oh, yes, you did understand the concept. Full marks, I can't deny that. But you irk me something horrible, Ms. Lawson, and to see you blind will be a great pleasure."
"You know, Snape, there is one teeny little flaw in your evil plan," she looked at him, eyebrow raised knowingly.
"Oh really? What is that, Ms. Lawson?"
"If we're all blind, how can we see to make our antidotes, hmmm?" Snape just stared at her, a vein in his temple throbbing severely and his eyes shooting daggers as the class broke out into applause. "Cat got you tongue, Professor?" Leo persisted, smiling wickedly in triumph.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor! And all of you dumb asses out of my sight!" he dismissed them unwillingly and turned and left the room, defeated for now.
*****
"Is it true? Did you really stand up to Snape?" George asked Leo at lunch later on in the day.
"Yeah, why? You're acting like it's a big deal," Leo said nonchalantly.
"A big deal?! This, my friend is the most exciting thing to happen at Hogwarts in a long, long time. To think, we all thought he would turn us in to bats if we as so much looked at him wrong and it took an outsider to reveal that he is just a yellow-bellied sapsucker!" George grinned at her. "You are a celebrity right now. I wouldn't be surprised if someone doesn't ask for your autograph. Speaking of that, can I have one? Please? I totally idolize you now."
"Oh, stop it," Leo said dismissively, blushing slightly.
"All hail the defender of good, the one who rid us of evil, the great Leonor Lawson!" Fred announced as he sat down. Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Jazz soon followed him. "Because of your greatness and courage, Potions has been cancelled for the rest of the day. We all owe you a slap on back," Fred informed her, then almost knocked her into her soup as he whacked her on the back in thanks.
"You're welcome, Fred," Leo said, laughing.
"Whatever you did, you have the whole school buzzing, You'd think you saved Hogwarts from You-Know-Who or something!" Hermione told her. "I don't think it was wise to have ticked off Professor Snape this badly though. You could live to regret it."
"Nah, don't worry about it, Leo. The evil, pain in the ass, son of a."
"Ron!" interrupted Hermione.
".Deserved it. Probably will stop hating Harry so much."
"Hope so," Harry said.
"Well, you know, now that this fortunate turn of events has occurred, I think it might be a fine time to put into gear 'Operation Sticky Fingers', wouldn't you say, Leo?"
"Oooo, yes! No wait, it's too soon. Let's just keep the old date shall we?"
"Good point. All right then."
"What are you guys talking about?" Fred asked curiously. But before they could explain, or not explain, Professor McGonagall made an announcement.
"To all of you students fourth year and above, this year we are going to hold a New Year's Eve Ball. This will be something new to the school, but Headmaster Dumbledore likes dances and he wanted another one this year." Slight laughter could be heard throughout the hall. "It will be held, obviously, on New Year's Eve, beginning at 7 o' clock and ending around one. If you are younger than fourth year, you can only come if someone of fourth year or older asks you." This statement caused giggling, in which McGonagall silenced with a severe glare. "Dress robes are to be worn and you are to be on your best behavior. Attendance is voluntary. Thank you."
"Ah blimey, another dance," complained Ron. "I hate those things with a passion."
"Ah, come off it, Ron, they aren't all that bad," Fred said, giving Angelina a suggestive look from across the table.
"Hmmm, a six hour dance in which all students and faculty are detained. Gives you an idea doesn't it George?" Leo gave him a knowing look.
"Oh yes, right behind you, fearless leader."
"Eleven-thirty, New Year's Eve, Operation Sticky Fingers goes into action!" she and her partner in crime slapped hands.
"Would someone bleeding tell me what the hell is going on?" Fred shouted throwing his hands up in frustration. All he got in reply was an evil laugh from Leo.
Autumn flew by faster than Hedwig on a good day. Classes were fairly simple for Leo and Jazz, since Phoenixaen prided itself on letting students work to their potential, not their year. However, Leo was having trouble in Snape's class. Not with the Potions part of it, but just with Snape in general. One day in class in December, the gauntlets were thrown.
"All right, looking at your essays, if you could even call them that, I see that only one of you can even begin to grasp the concept of the Blindness Elixir and its antidote. I'm afraid that the only way to get you sniveling dolts to learn this is to have you drink some and mix and administer the antidote to yourselves. Now, let's start with Ms. Lawson."
"Hold up, Snapey, wait a second," Leo protested forcefully. "First off I understand all this Blindness Elixir crap, even wrote 3 and a half feet of parchment on the blessed stuff, so you can't use the Elixir on me."
"Oh, yes, you did understand the concept. Full marks, I can't deny that. But you irk me something horrible, Ms. Lawson, and to see you blind will be a great pleasure."
"You know, Snape, there is one teeny little flaw in your evil plan," she looked at him, eyebrow raised knowingly.
"Oh really? What is that, Ms. Lawson?"
"If we're all blind, how can we see to make our antidotes, hmmm?" Snape just stared at her, a vein in his temple throbbing severely and his eyes shooting daggers as the class broke out into applause. "Cat got you tongue, Professor?" Leo persisted, smiling wickedly in triumph.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor! And all of you dumb asses out of my sight!" he dismissed them unwillingly and turned and left the room, defeated for now.
*****
"Is it true? Did you really stand up to Snape?" George asked Leo at lunch later on in the day.
"Yeah, why? You're acting like it's a big deal," Leo said nonchalantly.
"A big deal?! This, my friend is the most exciting thing to happen at Hogwarts in a long, long time. To think, we all thought he would turn us in to bats if we as so much looked at him wrong and it took an outsider to reveal that he is just a yellow-bellied sapsucker!" George grinned at her. "You are a celebrity right now. I wouldn't be surprised if someone doesn't ask for your autograph. Speaking of that, can I have one? Please? I totally idolize you now."
"Oh, stop it," Leo said dismissively, blushing slightly.
"All hail the defender of good, the one who rid us of evil, the great Leonor Lawson!" Fred announced as he sat down. Ron, Hermione, Harry, and Jazz soon followed him. "Because of your greatness and courage, Potions has been cancelled for the rest of the day. We all owe you a slap on back," Fred informed her, then almost knocked her into her soup as he whacked her on the back in thanks.
"You're welcome, Fred," Leo said, laughing.
"Whatever you did, you have the whole school buzzing, You'd think you saved Hogwarts from You-Know-Who or something!" Hermione told her. "I don't think it was wise to have ticked off Professor Snape this badly though. You could live to regret it."
"Nah, don't worry about it, Leo. The evil, pain in the ass, son of a."
"Ron!" interrupted Hermione.
".Deserved it. Probably will stop hating Harry so much."
"Hope so," Harry said.
"Well, you know, now that this fortunate turn of events has occurred, I think it might be a fine time to put into gear 'Operation Sticky Fingers', wouldn't you say, Leo?"
"Oooo, yes! No wait, it's too soon. Let's just keep the old date shall we?"
"Good point. All right then."
"What are you guys talking about?" Fred asked curiously. But before they could explain, or not explain, Professor McGonagall made an announcement.
"To all of you students fourth year and above, this year we are going to hold a New Year's Eve Ball. This will be something new to the school, but Headmaster Dumbledore likes dances and he wanted another one this year." Slight laughter could be heard throughout the hall. "It will be held, obviously, on New Year's Eve, beginning at 7 o' clock and ending around one. If you are younger than fourth year, you can only come if someone of fourth year or older asks you." This statement caused giggling, in which McGonagall silenced with a severe glare. "Dress robes are to be worn and you are to be on your best behavior. Attendance is voluntary. Thank you."
"Ah blimey, another dance," complained Ron. "I hate those things with a passion."
"Ah, come off it, Ron, they aren't all that bad," Fred said, giving Angelina a suggestive look from across the table.
"Hmmm, a six hour dance in which all students and faculty are detained. Gives you an idea doesn't it George?" Leo gave him a knowing look.
"Oh yes, right behind you, fearless leader."
"Eleven-thirty, New Year's Eve, Operation Sticky Fingers goes into action!" she and her partner in crime slapped hands.
"Would someone bleeding tell me what the hell is going on?" Fred shouted throwing his hands up in frustration. All he got in reply was an evil laugh from Leo.