The next morning at breakfast Sallie sat between Ron and Neville. Hermione
and Harry sat
across from them. Hermione noticed that Sallie, who had been all chummy with Neville last night,
wasn't saying much to him now. That could've been because he was eating slowly with his head down,
almost in his plate. It also could've been because Sallie was a new audience for all of Ron's bad jokes.
She knew they were bad, but she laughed anyway. Hermione found she would rather have Sallie
flirting with Neville, since he looked so lonesome, so she kicked Sallie under the table. She swung
around and smiled at him but Ron was impatient and turned her back to hear his impression of Madam
Hooch. On their way to class, Hermione and Sallie were joined by Neville.
"Neville! What's up?" said Sallie. "On your way to Madam Rabatin's class Neville?" asked
Hermione. He nodded. "I don't get that class. I don't plan on living like a muggle, so I don't know
why we should be learning about it." The girls giggled.
"Well, I have to go. I'm going to meet Harry at the library." Said Hermione.
"You don't have this class?" Neville and Sallie asked at the same time. Hermione laughed,
"No, it's only for purebloods. I've lived with muggles all my life, I don't need this class," she said as
she turned and walked away. The two remaining went in and sat in the seats Ron had been saving for
them. He was about to say something when his eyes narrowed on the boy that walked in. He was
wearing Slytherin robes. Ron sneered. "This class must be split." Sallie said casually, just assuming
that Ron didn't like Slytherins.
"Do you know who that is?" He asked her. She shook her head. "That is Draco Malfoy. He's no
good. If you're lucky, you'll be able to stay away from him." Sallie looked at the boy. He wasn't bad
looking. Blonde slicked back hair, gray eyes, and a kind of silly, yet evil grin. She looked back at
Ron, who was just shaking his head. He stared at the desk and doodled. Then she looked at Neville,
as if to ask him if what Ron had said about the Slytherin boy. Neville understood and nodded. Soon
enough, Draco Malfoy himself strolled over to where the three of them were sitting.
"Who's this Weasley? Granger's replacement girl? You got sick of that annoying little twit, or
did you just want to see what the American was like? She looks pretty cozy with Longbottom doesn't
she," he said to Ron.
"Suck it Malfoy. Go find Crabbe and Goyle. They'll help you. Suck it long and suck it hard."
Ron growled at him. Sallie giggled a little under her breath. She'd never heard Ron talk like that
before, but it was obvious that he was right about Malfoy. Draco was about to retaliate, but Madam
Rabatin walked into the room.
"Draco, please sit down, you're causing a distraction. Class has begun. Welcome everyone to Modern
Muggle Living. This course is only for 7th years. This class is to teach you about the Muggle world,
and how to get along if you ever find yourself there without any help. Of course, all of you are
purebloods." When she said that Draco sneered, about to make a comment, but Madam Rabatin gave
him a dirty look. "If you weren't you wouldn't be here. We won't be using any magic in this course.
You'll learn how to cook, clean, and how to survive both on your own and without magic." The class
ran without a hitch, as the students went through their first lesson: basic cooking skills.
After class, she took Malfoy aside. "Listen, this is a learning environment but I also like my classes to
be fun. If you try anything, and I mean, *anything* to live up to the sneaky rat name you've made for
yourself, you'll be in Professor Dumbledore's office so fast that even you're big shot father won't be
able to get you out of trouble." Ron overheard and couldn't help but smile as he walked out.
He had to go meet Harry, who was spending his free time mapping out Quidditch plays on his
broom. Sallie joined Ron. She wanted a little sunshine before Potions. They approached the field and
Harry looked very distressed. "Lavender just quit the team. She said she was no good and that the
only reason she was playing at all this year was because she's a 7th year. I tried to stop her but I
couldn't! Now we're short a chaser. What should we do? We have to find one soon!"
Ron thought a moment, "Move Ginny up to chaser. She's good. It'll be easier to find a beater.
Don't worry Harry, or maybe you should, because if we don't hurry we'll be late for Potions. Snape
will love that! Let's go!"
across from them. Hermione noticed that Sallie, who had been all chummy with Neville last night,
wasn't saying much to him now. That could've been because he was eating slowly with his head down,
almost in his plate. It also could've been because Sallie was a new audience for all of Ron's bad jokes.
She knew they were bad, but she laughed anyway. Hermione found she would rather have Sallie
flirting with Neville, since he looked so lonesome, so she kicked Sallie under the table. She swung
around and smiled at him but Ron was impatient and turned her back to hear his impression of Madam
Hooch. On their way to class, Hermione and Sallie were joined by Neville.
"Neville! What's up?" said Sallie. "On your way to Madam Rabatin's class Neville?" asked
Hermione. He nodded. "I don't get that class. I don't plan on living like a muggle, so I don't know
why we should be learning about it." The girls giggled.
"Well, I have to go. I'm going to meet Harry at the library." Said Hermione.
"You don't have this class?" Neville and Sallie asked at the same time. Hermione laughed,
"No, it's only for purebloods. I've lived with muggles all my life, I don't need this class," she said as
she turned and walked away. The two remaining went in and sat in the seats Ron had been saving for
them. He was about to say something when his eyes narrowed on the boy that walked in. He was
wearing Slytherin robes. Ron sneered. "This class must be split." Sallie said casually, just assuming
that Ron didn't like Slytherins.
"Do you know who that is?" He asked her. She shook her head. "That is Draco Malfoy. He's no
good. If you're lucky, you'll be able to stay away from him." Sallie looked at the boy. He wasn't bad
looking. Blonde slicked back hair, gray eyes, and a kind of silly, yet evil grin. She looked back at
Ron, who was just shaking his head. He stared at the desk and doodled. Then she looked at Neville,
as if to ask him if what Ron had said about the Slytherin boy. Neville understood and nodded. Soon
enough, Draco Malfoy himself strolled over to where the three of them were sitting.
"Who's this Weasley? Granger's replacement girl? You got sick of that annoying little twit, or
did you just want to see what the American was like? She looks pretty cozy with Longbottom doesn't
she," he said to Ron.
"Suck it Malfoy. Go find Crabbe and Goyle. They'll help you. Suck it long and suck it hard."
Ron growled at him. Sallie giggled a little under her breath. She'd never heard Ron talk like that
before, but it was obvious that he was right about Malfoy. Draco was about to retaliate, but Madam
Rabatin walked into the room.
"Draco, please sit down, you're causing a distraction. Class has begun. Welcome everyone to Modern
Muggle Living. This course is only for 7th years. This class is to teach you about the Muggle world,
and how to get along if you ever find yourself there without any help. Of course, all of you are
purebloods." When she said that Draco sneered, about to make a comment, but Madam Rabatin gave
him a dirty look. "If you weren't you wouldn't be here. We won't be using any magic in this course.
You'll learn how to cook, clean, and how to survive both on your own and without magic." The class
ran without a hitch, as the students went through their first lesson: basic cooking skills.
After class, she took Malfoy aside. "Listen, this is a learning environment but I also like my classes to
be fun. If you try anything, and I mean, *anything* to live up to the sneaky rat name you've made for
yourself, you'll be in Professor Dumbledore's office so fast that even you're big shot father won't be
able to get you out of trouble." Ron overheard and couldn't help but smile as he walked out.
He had to go meet Harry, who was spending his free time mapping out Quidditch plays on his
broom. Sallie joined Ron. She wanted a little sunshine before Potions. They approached the field and
Harry looked very distressed. "Lavender just quit the team. She said she was no good and that the
only reason she was playing at all this year was because she's a 7th year. I tried to stop her but I
couldn't! Now we're short a chaser. What should we do? We have to find one soon!"
Ron thought a moment, "Move Ginny up to chaser. She's good. It'll be easier to find a beater.
Don't worry Harry, or maybe you should, because if we don't hurry we'll be late for Potions. Snape
will love that! Let's go!"