Chapter 6: The Classroom



They didn't have their Defense Against the Dark Arts class until the next afternoon, as a double period. Hermoine was getting used to having Patrice around. It was actually nice to have another girl to talk to. Even better, Patrice took her school work seriously. She was very much like Hermoine was, just a little different.

Hermoine pushed the door open. It let out a mighty groan. Harry, who was walking next to her, cringed. Hermoine looked back at Ron and Patrice. Ron was flirting heavily with the pretty girl. Hermoine couldn't decide if it was to spite her for going out with Viktor, or if it was something more. She hoped it was for spite.

Hermoine nearly tripped over her own feet as she surveyed the familiar classroom in disbelief. The ancient desks had been removed. The huge stone classroom was completely empty, except for seven different carpet wall hangings all around the room. Four torches lit the room. The fire place was cold and empty. Not even a bookshelf remained.

"Are we in the right class?" asked Ron, forgetting Patrice's existence for the time being.

"Um," Hermoine started. She stared at the wall hangings.

Neville, Dean and Seamus were suddenly behind them. They, too, were completely awed by the change in the room. Seamus brought out his schedule, checked it over three times, then gave a helpless shrug.

"This IS the right room," he declared. "But. . . ." He lost his words when a chuckle caught him off guard. Everyone turned to see Patrice laughing quietly into her hand.

"I want to know what's so funny," Harry said softly, giving Patrice a hard look. Patrice swallowed a laugh.

"Mrs Coeur is not what I'd call a . . . conventional teacher," revealed Patrice. Hermoine remembered the woman's odd behaviour in the Great Hall right after the Sorting. An odd thought struck her.

"How do you know that, Patrice?"

"She taught me in my first year," replied Patrice with a smile. "She tests all the kids on their first day of class to see where their strengths and weaknesses are. She also puts a slight memory charm on the kids that doesn't wear off until the second weekend of school. You won't remember what really happened to you in there," she gestured vaguely toward the wall hangings, "until she's graded your progress."

"What?" whispered Neville in horror. "A test? Now?"

"Hope you've been studying your incantations," replied Patrice softly. "If you haven't, she'll know." Harry and Ron exchanged frightened glances.

"I bet she's a perfect teacher for preparing for our O.W.L.s," Hermoine suggested cheerfully. The other Gryffindors shot her an angry glance. Patrice, however, looked mildly surprised.

"You guys haven't done your O.W.Ls yet?" Hermoine gave the new girl a sideways glance.

"Of course not. Everyone takes them in fifth year, when they are fifteen." Patrice's eyes went wide.

"I took them last year," she said, a hint of superiority in her voice.

"Really? How hard were they?" asked Dean, looking mildly interested.

"Not bad at all, but then, I studied every night." The others moaned. Hermoine took it in, and made a mental note.

The rest of the Gryffindors came in, followed by two or three Ravenclaws. Patrice began talking to Neville in hushed tones, apparently trying to reassure him about something. Hermoine watched her carefully. Something nagged at her in her mind. Patrice seemed to know too much. She always had the right answer. She had answered more questions right then Hermoine had in half her classes. It was unnerving.

There was a sudden crashing noise, much like the sound of lightning striking a tree. Hermoine looked around, and saw a figure emerging from the second wall hanging on her right. Someone let out a low "wow" from behind her. Flaming red hair was the first thing to truly become visible as the hanging shimmered like liquid silver.

Mrs. Coeur was suddenly standing in the classroom. The door slammed shut, and Hermoine heard the distinct click of a lock. Coeur's iron gaze swept over the class, resting on Patrice.

"Ah, a familiar face," she gushed. "Good. Put away your books," she said this to a Ravenclaw behind Hermoine. "You won't need them today. Today, there is a test." Harry gave Hermoine an amazed look. He hadn't believed Patrice.

The class let out a collective groan, but they slid their books to the sides.

"Good, good," she said. "Now, one at a time, I want you to all line up in front of the hanging I just came out of." She motioned to the hanging, and stepped forward. No one moved. With a little smile, Mrs. Coeur turned her youthful face toward Hermoine, Harry, Ron and Patrice.

"I'll go," Patrice said.

"Good, my dear Patrice. Hurry along then." Patrice gave Neville a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder, then she stepped toward the painting. "See you at supper!" she called to Hermoine. Then she jumped into the hanging. It shimmered, then she was gone.

Hermoine went up close to inspect the hanging. It depicted a deep, dark wood very much like the Forbidden Forest. Behind a tree, Hermoine thought she saw a girl who looked very much like Patrice. The thought gave her a shudder. She looked up at the new teacher.

"I'll go next."

"Thank you," she replied cheerily. "Good luck then, Miss Granger." Hermoine puzzled over how Coeur had known her name. Then she stuck her hand onto the hanging. with amazing speed, Hermoine was pulled forward into the tapestry, the world around her nothing more then a silver rush.