- Chapter 16 -

The Substitute

Professor McGonagall and Harry had just reached the entrance to the Great Hall, when the doors burst open and Hermione came out into the corridor. Ron, Brandy and Ginny following close behind the petite brunette.

"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed upon seeing him, and rushed up to envelope him in a hug. "You had me, er, us worried." She drew back from the embrace then so that she could see his face. "Why did you and the other professors run out like that? And why did you call out Willow's name? Did you find her? Is she alright?" Harry looked on in amusement as Hermione continued on her rant. Is was unlike her to babble like this, but he found it endearing. Deciding to let her wind down before attempting to explain, he noticed Professor McGonagall give a slight smile before proceeding on into the Great Hall. Finally, Hermione stopped her onslaught of questions. Sighing deeply, Harry began explaining as best he could. "I can't really explain it, but when my scar started burning there was some sort of flash in my mind. I got an image of Willow being dragged away from the school and just knew that I needed to get to her. As for the professors, well, I kinda get the feeling that Snape just knew too. I caught his eye before we ran out, and he had this strange panicked look on his face. I imagine the other professors thought it pretty strange to have a student and teacher rush out of the Great Hall like that, and decided to follow out of curiosity." Harry didn't know what else to say, so he just shrugged his shoulders and looked to his friends. Hermione, Ron and Ginny were all nodding in understanding. They knew that when something happened involving the scar, then it was something important and should not be ignored. "Is Willow alright?" Harry looked past Hermione to the others, surprised to find that it was Brandy who had spoken. She stood beside Ron, who along with Ginny and Hermione, were looking at the girl in shock. They couldn't believe that the girl had spoken either. She was always so shy, preferring to stay in the shadows, no matter how much they tried to encourage her to add to the conversation. Shaking himself slightly, Harry rushed to answer her softly spoken question. "Oh yes, she's fine. She's with Professor Snape now." Ron made a face upon hearing this. "She's with Snape, and you say she's fine? Harry, that's just cruel." Harry smirked as he remembered the way Willow and Snape were looking at one another. "I wouldn't worry too much, Ron. I'd say Willow is right where she wants to be." He assured his friend. Ron looked confused for an instant before what Harry had meant sunk in. Then his face screwed up in a look of disgust. "Eeeew." Laughing, Harry draped an arm casually over Hermione's shoulders. "Come on, we'd better hurry or we will be late for our first class." With that the group trudged off. Ron, Harry and Hermione to Potions. Ginny and Brandy to Transfiguration. *~*~*~*~*~*~* Remus and Giles had just made it Hagrid's hutt, when the front door opened and the half giant stepped out to meet them. "Well, mornin' Prefesser Lupin, Mr. Giles. What yeh got there?" Hagrid said, motioning to the shapeshifter floating behind them due to a levitation spell. "Good morning, Hagrid. I'm glad we caught you. This shapeshifter was caught while trying to kidnap Miss. Rosenberg." Remus explained. "Willow? Is she all righ'?" Hagrid asked in concern. He rather liked the red headed witch who had visited him often before the school term had started. An instant dislike for the creature that now floated before him filled Hagrid. Then a thought occured to him. "Wait a minute. 'Ow'd it get ter Willow in the firs' place?" "We have no idea, Mr. Hagrid. It would seem that someone let it into the school itself. That is how it managed to grab Willow." Giles answered. "But who in ther righ' mind would do somethin' like that?" It was Remus who answered. "Nobody knows, Hagrid. Not even Albus. He ordered us to take care of this." Je gestured to the still gloating form. "I figured you might have a place to keep it until we can find out anything useful from it." "Sure thing, perfesser. Got a cage out back that I use fer keepin' class subjects in." Hagrid motioned for Remus and Giles to follow as he started around the corner of his hut. When they reached the cage, Hagrid opened the door and Remus manuovered the inert form inside. Hagrid then firmly latched the cage door and allowed Remus to place a locking spell on it to ensure the creature wouldn't escape. "Well, I say we'd best hurry. It wouldn't look good for a professor to be late for his own class, now would it?" Lupin stated, replacing his wand into the pocket of his robe. "Yes, quite right. and I did promise Minerva that I would sit in on her class today. You know, freshen up on the subject a bit." Giles added. Remus looked at Giles curiously, but didn't say anything. "Yeh two go on. This 'ere shifter ain't goin' nowhere." Hagrid assured them with a bright smile. "Might could use it fer a lesson, once Perfesser Dumbledore finishes with 'em, that is." There was a hopeful expression on the gentle giant's large, hairy face. Remus and Giles chuckled. "Perhaps Hagrid, perhaps." Was Lupin's reply. As the men moved away from the hut, they did not notice the shadow that approached the cage from the direction of the forbidden forest. The three were out of sight when a black shrouded form silently approached the cage. After a quiet murmur, the locking spell was broken and the cage door swung open. A few more murmurs and the creature was released from it's paralyzed state. The creature crawled out of the cage and rose to look at the person who had come to it's rescue. Only to find a wand pointed right between it's bugged eyes and to hear a whispery voice. "Adava Kedavra." In a flash of green light, the shape shifter crumpled lifelessly to the ground. The shrouded figure murmured again, and for the second time that morning, the shifter's body was levitated into the air. It floated silently behind the figure as it disappeared into the midst of the forbidden forest. *~*~*~*~*~* Harry, Hermione and Ron entered into the dungeon classroom where Potions was taught, to find the headmaster himself sitting at Snape's desk. Ron and Hermione looked at each other a bit confused, but Harry just had a knowing smile on his face. The three walked to their desk and sat down, waiting for Dumbledore to explain the whereabouts of Snape. "Good morning, students. I must inform you that Professor Snape is a bit indisposed and shall not be teaching class today. And due to an unfortunate mishap, Miss. Rosenberg will not be attending any classes as well." Harry noted the worried looks on most of the Gryffindor student's faces. The Slytherin's looked worried as well, but if it was because a mishap had occured to one of their housemates or simply because Snape wasn't there to coddle them, he didn't know. He heard a few Gryffindor's whispering amongst themselves about the situation, before Dumbledore cleared his throat and everyone quieted down again. "Now, if I am correct in assuming that there was a potion to be brewed today?" Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling like gems as he looked at Hermione, who was already getting from her desk to assemble the needed ingrediets for the Memory potion they were brewing. Harry and Ron hurried to follow her and pretty soon the other students were gathering ingredients as well. Before long there were two dozen cauldrons filled with the beginnings of the potion and not another word was spoken of the absent student and professor. *~*~*~*~* "Now students, we are going to begin learning human transfiguration today. So if you would all please take your seats, we shall begin." Professor McGonagall stood before her Transfiguration class. Ginny and Brandy had just taken their seats when there was a slight knock at the classroom door and Giles walked inside. He smiled to Professor McGonagalll, who the girls both noticed began to blush slightly as she motioned for Giles to take a seat off to the side of the room. "Rupert, so good of you to join us. Class, Mr. Giles will be sitting in on the class today. He used to attend Hogwarts at one time and was quite good at transfigurations if I remember correctly." She glanced shyly at Giles who smiled brightly back at her, causing her blush to deepen. "Ahem, now then, as I was saying. We are to begin human transfiguration today. Can anyone tell me what the first thing a witch or wizard should do when attempting such a task?"

As a few student's hands shot up, Minerva noticed the pleased look on Rupert's face and knew she was right to have chosen this particular lesson.

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TBC...