Yet Another Harry Potter Story
Chapter Six – What May be Fair
"Hermione," said Ron, cocking his head and staring at her strangely. "You look- odd."
"Yeah," Harry agreed. "What's wrong?"
"My timetable," Hermione answered distantly, shaking her head. "They left out NEWT Potions."
"Oh, yes, that's really a tragedy. No Potions. How will you ever survive?" Ron said sarcastically. "Get over it already. I'd've given anything not to have had Potions last year."
It was their first real day of classes, but their second full day of school. The sixth and seventh years had had their first real day at Hogwarts off because Professor McGonagall had spent the majority of the previous morning lecturing them on the importance of which NEWT classes they chose, and gave each student a piece of parchment which told them which classes they were eligible for based on their OWL scores. Hermione, of course, had qualified for everything, and hadn't dropped any classes. Harry and Ron had both dropped Divination at last, but out of sympathy for Hagrid, they had both remained in Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, though, had not been at the Welcoming Feast two nights previously, and, as they had been last year, Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew that they would be slightly jumpy until he returned. However desperately he wanted to drop Potions, Harry had decided to stick with it, as his will to be an Auror surpassed this desperation. He was surprised that he was even eligible for NEWT Potions, as he hadn't gotten an O in it on the OWLs.
"Are you sure you didn't just look it over when you checked off your classes yesterday?" suggested Harry. "I mean, you did get an O on your test didn't you?"
Hermione looked at him evilly. "Of course I did. And I filled out my forms when I was signing up for classes magically, so it's highly unlikely that I made a mistake."
"True," Harry admitted. "Well, we've got Potions second today, so why don't you just come and ask Snape what happened?"
"But I can't skive off Arithmancy!" Hermione exclaimed, horrified. "And I highly doubt that Snape will be reasonable."
"Why don't you tell Vector that you have to go see Snape, and if there was a mistake go to McGonagall and ask her to change your schedule?" asked Ron.
"And Snape doesn't yet know who stole the boomslang skin from his privates stores in second year," Harry added, grinning. "So I think that you're safe."
"I guess so…" Hermione said reluctantly, poking holes in her waffle.
***
When Harry and Ron got to Potions that day, they knew exactly why Hermione didn't have NEWT Potions on her schedule. There was only one class for each subject now, and the sixth year Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, Slytherins, and Hufflepuffs all had the same classes together. One quick glance around the room told them the reason.
Over the heads of all their male year-mates, they spotted one lone girl. Pansy Parkinson.
"Why wouldn't Snape want girls in his class?" asked Ron under his breath.
"Because he's a sexist pig?" Harry guessed, keeping his voice equally low.
"This is really very odd," said Ron, sounding pleased with himself, as though he had justified the situation.
Harry, not noticing, said, "I don't know how he got away with it; McGonagall would never let him do this, and isn't she in charge of class placement?"
"Dunno," Ron replied. "Uh-oh, Snape's noticed us…."
"Potter! Weasley!" barked Snape angrily. "You're late! Take your seats! Ten points from Gryffindor!"
"It's no good to argue," Harry muttered, poking Ron in the ribs. "Come on."
"Today we will be learning about-" Snape paused, his eyes glittering maliciously. "And may I ask what you want, Miss Granger?" he asked, and all heads turned toward the doorway. By the look on her face, Harry and Ron could tell that she already knew why Potions wasn't on her schedule. Snape's mouth twisted itself into an evil grin. "I don't recall you being in any of my classes."
"Er, I took a wrong, erm, turn," she stammered, looking unnaturally frazzled. "I didn't mean to come down here- good day!" And with that, she turned around and sprinted out of the dungeons, one arm over her face.
***
"Excellent, Nagini," the man sitting in the chair whispered. "All is going according to plan. My old- excuse me- my new servant is powerless to stop me." The snake on the ground next to the seat hissed its approval, its eyes the same inky black slits as its master's. It rose on its tail so that it could see its master clearly. The man in the chair patted it absently.
"Wormtail!" he snapped suddenly. "Fetch me my Absconditum!"
The terrified servant lurking in the shadows of the enclosed room murmured a brief, "Yes, Master," and scurried away. A moment later, he returned, carrying an opaline white, perfectly spherical orb. It was not a crystal ball, but a device made with his own blood, the blood of a snake, and stone of his father. He was extremely proud of it, and it could never be replaced.
"Ah," he said quietly, caressing the surface of the globe gently, pleased with the image inside. "All is going according to plan. Little Harry Potter and his friends- ahem, friend- will not be able to figure out what is right under their noses. This time, there will be no mistakes. I will monitor the situation for a month, and then we will leave."
The snake hissed its approval once more, and the servant nodded meekly. He desperately hoped (although he was in debt of the black-haired boy) that this time, Lord Voldemort's plan was flawless.
***
As though she knew her master was thinking of her, the second servant fingered a sparkling sapphire jewel that hung discreetly from her neck. Dark brown, almost black hair fell in gentle waves to the middle of her back, and huge brown eyes framed in long lashes stared back at her from her looking-glass. She was the very picture of innocence, and that was why she was so important. She waved her wand once, and the surface of the mirror rippled and changed to reveal someone with a long hooked nose and greasy black hair. When she thought left, he went left. When she thought right, he went right. She toyed with him for a moment, amusing herself, then flicked her wand once more and began to adjust her hair. This was going to be very easy.
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AN: Lots and lots of little tiny clues in this chapter. And that's all I'm going to say!! And it's really thanks to Mr. Baka (lol) that I figured out my plot. ^ - ^ Please review!!!
--Juli