Chapter Eight
The Unexpected Question
The next morning at breakfast, new course schedules were handed out.
"We end everyday with the Slytherins!" screamed Ron.
"Oh, Ron, it's not that bad," Hermione remarked. "It's not like you have to hold each others hands."
After breakfast, Ron, Harry, and Hermione had Charms with Professor Flitwick. Their lesson on Summoning Charms came incredibly easy to the three friends due to the fact that Ron and Hermione had helped Harry learn them for the Tr-Wizard Tournament.
Next was Care of Magical Creatures, the class everyone had been waiting for. No one knew anything about the new teacher, and they were all anxious to meet her.
"Welcome to your first Care of Magical Creatures class," said a women in strange clothing that the class presumed to be of muggle status. "My name is Medora Salia and I will be teaching this class."
The class was silent. No one could believe she wasn't wearing any wizard robes.
"As you can see," she continued, "I am not wearing wizard robes. I feel that they dampen my creativity and that they are so boring. I mean, they are all alike," she said. "Muggle clothing, however, is just so diverse.
"Well, enough about clothing, this is Care of Magical Creatures class, is it not? Please open your books to page thirty-seven," she said.
The whole class followed her orders, except for Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle.
"Who does she think she is? Wearing muggle clothing on wizarding grounds. She obviously is not a proper witch," said Malfoy with a snicker.
"I heard that, Malfoy is it? Well, obviously it is you who isn't a proper wizard," said Professor Salia.
"I happen to come from a long line of pureblood wizards thank you very much," he said in defense.
"Oh, I know all about your family Malfoy. I could tell the class things that would have you running for your life. So, if you don't want me to let the cat out of the bag, I suggest that you show me a little more respect," she said.
For the rest of the class, nobody said anything, hoping that Professor Salia didn't know anything about their own families. At the end of the lesson, everyone had learned one thing, don't talk in Care of Magical Creatures Class.
After a delicious lunch, Ron and Harry headed off to Divination, while Hermione went to Arithmancy.
Divination classe was held in the North Tower. Professor Trelawney insisted on keeping the room dark and burning various scented candles. The class went as usual. Professor Trelawney did not fail to predict Harry's death, not once, but in two different scenarios. The first had Harry dieing in a brutal duel with an enemy, and the second had him bieng attacked by the Giant Squid in the lake. Nobody found this the unusual, however, because she predicted Harry's death in every class.
Normally Harry left Divination in a dismal mood. But today was quite the contrary, he was in an exceptionally good mood. The class he had been most anxious to attend, Defense Against the Dark Arts, was next. He hadn't seen Professor Lupin in a good long time, and in Harry's opinion he was one of the finest professors Hogwarts ever had.
When they entered the classroom, Harry, Ron, and Hermione took three seats right in front of Professor Lupin's desk. Almost immediately after they had sat down, they heard the voice of Draco Malfoy coming down the corridor.
"What a load of rubbish, don't you agree. Having that- that thing teaching again. Before you know it we'll have all been eaten alive."
"Oh can it Malfoy," Harry suddenly yelled out.
"Oh, look, it's little baby Potter. To scarred to stay home for the summer so you had to come back early," Malfoy taunted.
"If I were you I'd sit down and be quiet," said a familiar voice.
"Oh... uh... sorry sir, I mean professor," Malfoy said with a snicker, then took his seat.
"Hello class," said Professor Lupin. The only people who responded were the Gryffindors.
"Today we will begin our study on Immortality Potions," he said.
"Shouldn't we study that in Potions class?" asked Hermione curiously.
"Well, Hermione, an Immortality Potion is a very advanced Dark Arts potion, Therefore, it is taught is This class. I am merely going to teach you about it and what you can do to harm a person who has used it," he replied.
Most of the class, excluding Malfoy and his friends, were hooked onto Professor Lupin's every word.
"Now, Immortality Potions are extremely difficult to create. If someone correctly made one, they would have to know how to use it, which is hard enough.
After completing the concoction, you must recite a special spell. This spell will cause the potion will make every mortal bone in your body no longer that. You are neither mortal nor immortal. You are not really anything but every inch of your body is full of magic. If for some reason someone tries to kill you, you will automatically heal yourself.
"However, in the case of Lord Voldemort,"
The whole class, except Harry who was perfectly accustomed to hearing and saying Voldemorts name, drew a gasp. They had never heard a teacher say it, ever.
"Sorry for saying his name, but I see no reason For not addressing a person by their name," Lupin said apologetically.
"Anyway, continuing on. He was hit with Avada Kadavera, the killing curse, as Mr. Crouch undoubtedly taught you last year. He used it to it to try to kill Harry, but it reflected off of Harry's head," he said as if Harry was nowhere to be found. "When it hit him, he was left without a body. Since he couldn't die, he was no more than an entity, looking for a host until he grew strong enough to regain a body of his own., which he did at the end of last term. Something I'm sure he hadn't expected, happened when he took Harry's blood,"
The class gasped yet again.
"As I was saying," he said, " after he took Harry's blood, he unknowingly put some mortality back into himself. So now, logically, he could be killed if he hasn't taken the potion again.
"Any questions?" he asked
"You don't know what you are talking about! The Dark Lord has already taken care of that obstacle. Nothing can stop him now!" Malfoy blurted out suddenly.
"How do you know so much about the Dark Lord Mr. Malfoy?" asked Lupin.
Again the class quivered.
"J...just a guess?" Malfoy said and slid down into his chair.
"Anyway, I have some reading materials up here. Please pick one of each on your way out. I want each of you to write an essay about Immortality Potions, one roll of parchment long, due next Monday," Professor Lupin said as the bell rang.
"Well, that was an interesting lesson," Ron said as they left the classroom.
All through the week, Ron and Harry had talked for long nights alone in the dormitory about his feelings towards Hermione. On Halloween, Ron startled Harry in the corridor.
"I'm going to do it tonight after the feast!" he said excitedly.
"Do what?" asked Harry.
"I'm going to ask Hermione to be my girlfriend," he replied.
"Oh, well good luck! I hope she says yes." Harry said supporting.
"Thanks, now I've go to go and practice what I'm going to say to her," and he ran off.
All through the feast Ron was a ball of nerves. Finally it was time for the feast to end.
"Hermione, could I ask you something in private," Ron said nervously.
"Sure," she said.
"Well... umm... I was.. What I meant to say was, will you be my girlfriend?"