Chapter Two: The Defense Teacher
The next day, they had Defense class first. Ron said, "What do you think Salvini will wear today?"
"Something outrageous," Harry replied.
As they entered the classroom, Professor Salvini said, "How do you like my outfit? It's so IN I paid 40 galleons for it yesterday! See?" He held up a copy of Witch Wardrobe. On the cover was a set of pale pink robes.
"Erm, yes," they said, sucking up to the teacher.
"I tried to duplicate the look as closely as possible. It's too bad students have to wear uniforms, or everyone would copy me!"
Harry looked at the man's robes. They were the same shade of pale pink as the set on the cover and looked like a women's night gown and bathrobe. They had live flowers at the neckline.
"Yeah, I certainly would," Ron lied.
Professor Salvini started his lecture. All of the girls giggled. "Now, I might dress and care about fashion just as much as Professor Lockhart did. But I am NOT an idiot. You will work very hard in this classroom and learn a lot about Defense Against the Dark Arts. Now open Magical Defense to page six. Today, we are going to learn to repel weather, rain in particular. Who can tell me the name of the spell for this?"
As usual, Hermione shot her hand up first. "Hermione?"
"Aqualoss. It's a spell that creates a sort of blanket overhead that's waterproof. In 1916, Walter Drake used Aqualoss to bring his party through the rain and capture the skrewts that had loosed themselves from the magical creatures pen. They were attacking a whole class of helpless first years."
"Excellent, Hermione! Ten points to Gryffindor!"
Their homework assignment was to fill out the worksheet Professor Salvini handed out. Some students didn't know what to do, because all of the work in the past was written reports or showing your skills. Apparently, worksheets are a muggle invention. "This way I can be sure you aren't plagurizing, because they're charmed," Salvini explained. It was relatively easy for Harry to complete the assignment, but that was because he already knew something about it.
Their classes this year were to be the most difficult classes ever, as they took their O.W.L.'s later that year.
"This year we will work the hardest and fastest we ever will. Our O.W.L.'s are this year, so study hard. The Ministry has set new and more difficult standards. If you score below 78 percent on one of your classes' tests, you are now required to repeat the course again during the summer. It stays on your record forever, so it is pertinent that you do well," Professor McGonagall said.
"Fred wouldn't have passed potions or transfiguration," Ron said to Harry on the way back to the common room.
"Dragon's Egg," Harry said to the Fat Lady portrait. The painting opened to reveal an opening in the wall for them to climb through.
Harry and Ron sat in the burgundy leather chairs opposite the fireplace. "Ron, we need to talk."
"Yes," replied Ron, "about Hermione."
"She's changed a lot since last year."
"I know. And I don't like it."?
"Me neither... she so... sensitive! She used to be tough!"
"I know," Ron started, "She just... ERR! Annoys me so much. It's Vicky, Vicky, Vicky. She values him over us."
"She's driving me crazy... usually she just isn't like this." Harry turned around. "Hermione, you heard that!" Hermione ran off. Tears were in her eyes. She had been hiding behind a potted plant.
Ron groaned. "Great. Now she's got a REAL reason to hate us."
"Didn't we say something about her that she heard as first years?"
"Sounds right." Ron sighed. "Have you seen... oh, what's her name, Diane or something?"
"Danielle?"
"Yeah, that's it."
"No."
"It was in the Daily Prophet the other day. Cho's parents divorced."
"Really?" A look of surprise came over Harry's face.
"Her mother re-married, and Danielle's the daughter of the new husband, Joel Devore. They're from France. Danielle went to Beauxbatons there. But they came here."
"That's good." Harry looked relieved.
"I know you like her," Ron said.
"Who?" Harry blushed crimson, pretending not to know.
"You know who I'm talking about."
"Danielee?! No. Never talked to her."
"Give me a break. Do I need to spell it?"
"No. I know how-- I-T."
"Wrong. C-H-O."
"Oh, her. She's UGLY."
"Yeah, right. Then why did you try to take her to the Yule Ball last year?"
"Oh, all right," Harry conceded. "I like her a little." He changed the subject hastily. "I know YOU liked her."
"Who? Hermione? Nah. She was a last resort."
"Sure, then."
"Yeah, it's not going to be the same without her. What do you think of Salvini?"
"He seems intelligent enough for the job, but he needs to ditch the whole 'I'm so stylish' attitude."
Ron nodded. "I know. Doesn't he understand that those are women's clothes?"
Harry snorted. "Apparently not. I'm going to go work on my Divinations crap."
"Me, too. Y'know what's scary? If those ARE men's clothes."
The next day, they had Defense class first. Ron said, "What do you think Salvini will wear today?"
"Something outrageous," Harry replied.
As they entered the classroom, Professor Salvini said, "How do you like my outfit? It's so IN I paid 40 galleons for it yesterday! See?" He held up a copy of Witch Wardrobe. On the cover was a set of pale pink robes.
"Erm, yes," they said, sucking up to the teacher.
"I tried to duplicate the look as closely as possible. It's too bad students have to wear uniforms, or everyone would copy me!"
Harry looked at the man's robes. They were the same shade of pale pink as the set on the cover and looked like a women's night gown and bathrobe. They had live flowers at the neckline.
"Yeah, I certainly would," Ron lied.
Professor Salvini started his lecture. All of the girls giggled. "Now, I might dress and care about fashion just as much as Professor Lockhart did. But I am NOT an idiot. You will work very hard in this classroom and learn a lot about Defense Against the Dark Arts. Now open Magical Defense to page six. Today, we are going to learn to repel weather, rain in particular. Who can tell me the name of the spell for this?"
As usual, Hermione shot her hand up first. "Hermione?"
"Aqualoss. It's a spell that creates a sort of blanket overhead that's waterproof. In 1916, Walter Drake used Aqualoss to bring his party through the rain and capture the skrewts that had loosed themselves from the magical creatures pen. They were attacking a whole class of helpless first years."
"Excellent, Hermione! Ten points to Gryffindor!"
Their homework assignment was to fill out the worksheet Professor Salvini handed out. Some students didn't know what to do, because all of the work in the past was written reports or showing your skills. Apparently, worksheets are a muggle invention. "This way I can be sure you aren't plagurizing, because they're charmed," Salvini explained. It was relatively easy for Harry to complete the assignment, but that was because he already knew something about it.
Their classes this year were to be the most difficult classes ever, as they took their O.W.L.'s later that year.
"This year we will work the hardest and fastest we ever will. Our O.W.L.'s are this year, so study hard. The Ministry has set new and more difficult standards. If you score below 78 percent on one of your classes' tests, you are now required to repeat the course again during the summer. It stays on your record forever, so it is pertinent that you do well," Professor McGonagall said.
"Fred wouldn't have passed potions or transfiguration," Ron said to Harry on the way back to the common room.
"Dragon's Egg," Harry said to the Fat Lady portrait. The painting opened to reveal an opening in the wall for them to climb through.
Harry and Ron sat in the burgundy leather chairs opposite the fireplace. "Ron, we need to talk."
"Yes," replied Ron, "about Hermione."
"She's changed a lot since last year."
"I know. And I don't like it."?
"Me neither... she so... sensitive! She used to be tough!"
"I know," Ron started, "She just... ERR! Annoys me so much. It's Vicky, Vicky, Vicky. She values him over us."
"She's driving me crazy... usually she just isn't like this." Harry turned around. "Hermione, you heard that!" Hermione ran off. Tears were in her eyes. She had been hiding behind a potted plant.
Ron groaned. "Great. Now she's got a REAL reason to hate us."
"Didn't we say something about her that she heard as first years?"
"Sounds right." Ron sighed. "Have you seen... oh, what's her name, Diane or something?"
"Danielle?"
"Yeah, that's it."
"No."
"It was in the Daily Prophet the other day. Cho's parents divorced."
"Really?" A look of surprise came over Harry's face.
"Her mother re-married, and Danielle's the daughter of the new husband, Joel Devore. They're from France. Danielle went to Beauxbatons there. But they came here."
"That's good." Harry looked relieved.
"I know you like her," Ron said.
"Who?" Harry blushed crimson, pretending not to know.
"You know who I'm talking about."
"Danielee?! No. Never talked to her."
"Give me a break. Do I need to spell it?"
"No. I know how-- I-T."
"Wrong. C-H-O."
"Oh, her. She's UGLY."
"Yeah, right. Then why did you try to take her to the Yule Ball last year?"
"Oh, all right," Harry conceded. "I like her a little." He changed the subject hastily. "I know YOU liked her."
"Who? Hermione? Nah. She was a last resort."
"Sure, then."
"Yeah, it's not going to be the same without her. What do you think of Salvini?"
"He seems intelligent enough for the job, but he needs to ditch the whole 'I'm so stylish' attitude."
Ron nodded. "I know. Doesn't he understand that those are women's clothes?"
Harry snorted. "Apparently not. I'm going to go work on my Divinations crap."
"Me, too. Y'know what's scary? If those ARE men's clothes."