Chapter four ~ Professor Delvarney.
Harry slept all the way through the night for the first time in weeks. In fact Ron had to shake him awake in the morning.
"Come on, Harry, we're gonna be late."
Harry dressed quickly and the two of them rushed down to breakfast, Hermione glared at them as they entered. She almost threw the paper at them.
"Read that." She said, glaring.
Harry and Ron glanced over the paper, too scared not to obey.
MALFOY CLEARED
In a unanimous decision by the courts yesterday, Lucuis Malfoy, once a school governor, currently employed by the ministry was cleared of all charges. He was apprehended on the charge of supporting he-who-must-not-be- named and an accomplice to murder. He was cleared on both of these charges through lack of substantial evidence.
Lucius Malfoy, 42, has over the years made many generous donations to such worthy causes as St Mungos. His son, currently attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, received eight out of nine possible OWLs.
The other people apprehended with Mr Malfoy are still awaiting trial.
"What?" Harry asked as he put the paper down on the table.
"Lack of evidence!? Doesn't our word count for anything?" Hermione said angrily.
"Evidently not, mudblood." Draco Malfoy muttered as he walked past their table.
Ron made to get up but Harry pulled him back.
"Ignore him, Ron. He's not worth it." Hermione said, angrily as she scowled at his back. "Come on we're going to be late for defence against the dark arts."
They set off to the classroom and cued up outside. Draco Malfoy was already there, with his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.
"I think we're with the Slytherins." Ron said.
"Clever, Ron." Harry replied.
Two minutes later Professor McGonagall arrived. she pushed open the door and let the students' in. as they all sat down she stood at the front of the class, with a look of annoyance on her face.
"Unfortunately Professor Delvarney is not available to take the lesson, I shall be taking it for her. Please got out your parchments and books."
This request was met with a groan, which was immedianlty silenced by McGonagall's menacing stare.
"Turn to page three and make notes on the blocking technique." She said briskly, sitting down at the desk and picking up a quill. "I have my own work to do, so keep the noise down."
It was half way through the lesson when the door opened and a young woman appeared in the doorway.
She had long brown hair, with blond highlights and large hazel eyes. Her face was a picture of concern and worry, she tried to brush this away with a smile, but Harry could see through it, he had done it plenty of times in the past. She was roughly thirty-five years old, and had an air of beauty about her in a simple way. Her appearance was somewhat scatty and it was clear Hermione disapproved. The teacher looked almost fragile, and Harry doubted her ability to defend herself.
"Ah, Minerva, you've been covering for me." She looked extremely tired and her robes were torn and dirty. She smiled around the classroom, with a sigh.
McGonagall stood up. "How was it?"
"I think you should go to the hospital wing." Delvarney said, slowly.
McGonagall suddenly looked concerned. "What has happened?"
"It's a wonder he's still alive. Dumbledore's down there with him now, he might have to go to St Mungos. He should have gone there first, but he so stubborn." She said, quietly.
McGonagall smiled grimly. "Yes, Calico, I know. I shall go there now."
Delvarney nodded, and McGonagall left the room. She turned to face her class.
"I am sorry for my late entrance, class. Next lesson will be practical, I assure you. for practical ability is the most important thing in my subject, you never know when you may have to defend yourself. This year will be studying various techniques, including blocking, mirroring, counter curses, anti-jinxes and antidotes. I believe you studied dark creatures in the third year, and have been taught about the three unforgivable curses in your forth. So this year, we will be mainly concentrating on your duelling abilities. Any questions?"
she scanned her eyes around the room, not a single hand was in the air. She sat back down at her desk.
"You might as well carry on with your notes until the bell goes." She said. Five minutes later the bell rang out and the pupils were dismissed.
"What do you think of her?" Harry asked.
"What I think of her is irrelevant, did you hear what she said to McGonagall?" Hermione asked.
Ron nodded. "Yeah.so what?"
"The person in the hospital wing, it's Snape."
"Huh? How'd you work that one out?" Harry asked.
"Well, it has to be doesn't it?" Hermione asked, as they walked to their next lesson, Care of Magical Creatures.
"We could ask Hagrid."
"He probably doesn't know, because they've only just returned." Hermione replied.
"Well gather roun' that's it gather roun'. Today we gonna look at Zouligs. Now can anyone tell me wha' sorta creature a Zoulig is?"
Hermione's hand shot into the air.
"Yes, Hermione?"
"A Zoulig is a bird like creature that can survive in any climate and environment, including under water."
"Exactly, now I only got a few so your gonna av ter share. Take one each and spend the lesson getting' ter know it. they're very faithful creatures bit like phoenixes."
As Hagrid walked round to examine their progress Harry pounced on him.
"Hagrid, what's going on?"
"Don't know what yer mean 'Arry."
"I mean with Snape and Delvarney."
"Oh that."
"Yes that. I have a right to know. I went to an Order meeting but they didn't talk much 'cause I was there."
"I don't think I should be tellin' you this, Harry."
"Please Hagrid, I need to know what's going on, who is on my side." Hermione had stopped working to listen and Ron was pleading with Harry.
"I'm not the one ter tell yer, Harry. Nope it shouldn't come from me, you ask Dumbledore, or Calico I bet she'd tell yer. But it cant come from me."
Harry returned angrily to the Zoulig.
"Why cant Hagrid just tell me, I have more right then anyone to know what's happening." He said angrily.
Hermione nodded wearily. "So are you going to ask Dumbledore?"
"Or Delvarney?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged. "I don't know."
For potions they had McGonagall again, to Ron's delight, Snape was still in the hospital wing.
As they were walking to dinner that night, a witch bumped into them.
"Oh I am terribly sorry.wait aven't I seen you lot before? Oh you're the people who visited Gilderoy at Christmas."
Harry instantly recognised her as the witch from St Mungos.
"Don't suppose you could tell me where the hospital wing is?" she said with a smile. "I've been called out, I don't usually do house calls."
"Of course we'll show you." Hermione said, as they double backed along the corridor. They reached the hospital wing and Calico Delvarney came running out.
"Oh there you are, it's in here." she stopped at the sight of Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"They showed me the way." The healer explained.
"Very well, you three must return to dinner." She said, and with a sweep of her cloak returned into the hospital wing with the healer following her.
Harry peeped round the door before it clanged shut. "Couldn't see a thing, the curtains were up. But Dumbledore was in there." He told the others as they set back off to dinner.
"It looks like Snape is really ill."
A/N hey, I think this is a cliffy!! Lol!! Anyway please tell me what yer think!
Harry slept all the way through the night for the first time in weeks. In fact Ron had to shake him awake in the morning.
"Come on, Harry, we're gonna be late."
Harry dressed quickly and the two of them rushed down to breakfast, Hermione glared at them as they entered. She almost threw the paper at them.
"Read that." She said, glaring.
Harry and Ron glanced over the paper, too scared not to obey.
MALFOY CLEARED
In a unanimous decision by the courts yesterday, Lucuis Malfoy, once a school governor, currently employed by the ministry was cleared of all charges. He was apprehended on the charge of supporting he-who-must-not-be- named and an accomplice to murder. He was cleared on both of these charges through lack of substantial evidence.
Lucius Malfoy, 42, has over the years made many generous donations to such worthy causes as St Mungos. His son, currently attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, received eight out of nine possible OWLs.
The other people apprehended with Mr Malfoy are still awaiting trial.
"What?" Harry asked as he put the paper down on the table.
"Lack of evidence!? Doesn't our word count for anything?" Hermione said angrily.
"Evidently not, mudblood." Draco Malfoy muttered as he walked past their table.
Ron made to get up but Harry pulled him back.
"Ignore him, Ron. He's not worth it." Hermione said, angrily as she scowled at his back. "Come on we're going to be late for defence against the dark arts."
They set off to the classroom and cued up outside. Draco Malfoy was already there, with his two cronies, Crabbe and Goyle.
"I think we're with the Slytherins." Ron said.
"Clever, Ron." Harry replied.
Two minutes later Professor McGonagall arrived. she pushed open the door and let the students' in. as they all sat down she stood at the front of the class, with a look of annoyance on her face.
"Unfortunately Professor Delvarney is not available to take the lesson, I shall be taking it for her. Please got out your parchments and books."
This request was met with a groan, which was immedianlty silenced by McGonagall's menacing stare.
"Turn to page three and make notes on the blocking technique." She said briskly, sitting down at the desk and picking up a quill. "I have my own work to do, so keep the noise down."
It was half way through the lesson when the door opened and a young woman appeared in the doorway.
She had long brown hair, with blond highlights and large hazel eyes. Her face was a picture of concern and worry, she tried to brush this away with a smile, but Harry could see through it, he had done it plenty of times in the past. She was roughly thirty-five years old, and had an air of beauty about her in a simple way. Her appearance was somewhat scatty and it was clear Hermione disapproved. The teacher looked almost fragile, and Harry doubted her ability to defend herself.
"Ah, Minerva, you've been covering for me." She looked extremely tired and her robes were torn and dirty. She smiled around the classroom, with a sigh.
McGonagall stood up. "How was it?"
"I think you should go to the hospital wing." Delvarney said, slowly.
McGonagall suddenly looked concerned. "What has happened?"
"It's a wonder he's still alive. Dumbledore's down there with him now, he might have to go to St Mungos. He should have gone there first, but he so stubborn." She said, quietly.
McGonagall smiled grimly. "Yes, Calico, I know. I shall go there now."
Delvarney nodded, and McGonagall left the room. She turned to face her class.
"I am sorry for my late entrance, class. Next lesson will be practical, I assure you. for practical ability is the most important thing in my subject, you never know when you may have to defend yourself. This year will be studying various techniques, including blocking, mirroring, counter curses, anti-jinxes and antidotes. I believe you studied dark creatures in the third year, and have been taught about the three unforgivable curses in your forth. So this year, we will be mainly concentrating on your duelling abilities. Any questions?"
she scanned her eyes around the room, not a single hand was in the air. She sat back down at her desk.
"You might as well carry on with your notes until the bell goes." She said. Five minutes later the bell rang out and the pupils were dismissed.
"What do you think of her?" Harry asked.
"What I think of her is irrelevant, did you hear what she said to McGonagall?" Hermione asked.
Ron nodded. "Yeah.so what?"
"The person in the hospital wing, it's Snape."
"Huh? How'd you work that one out?" Harry asked.
"Well, it has to be doesn't it?" Hermione asked, as they walked to their next lesson, Care of Magical Creatures.
"We could ask Hagrid."
"He probably doesn't know, because they've only just returned." Hermione replied.
"Well gather roun' that's it gather roun'. Today we gonna look at Zouligs. Now can anyone tell me wha' sorta creature a Zoulig is?"
Hermione's hand shot into the air.
"Yes, Hermione?"
"A Zoulig is a bird like creature that can survive in any climate and environment, including under water."
"Exactly, now I only got a few so your gonna av ter share. Take one each and spend the lesson getting' ter know it. they're very faithful creatures bit like phoenixes."
As Hagrid walked round to examine their progress Harry pounced on him.
"Hagrid, what's going on?"
"Don't know what yer mean 'Arry."
"I mean with Snape and Delvarney."
"Oh that."
"Yes that. I have a right to know. I went to an Order meeting but they didn't talk much 'cause I was there."
"I don't think I should be tellin' you this, Harry."
"Please Hagrid, I need to know what's going on, who is on my side." Hermione had stopped working to listen and Ron was pleading with Harry.
"I'm not the one ter tell yer, Harry. Nope it shouldn't come from me, you ask Dumbledore, or Calico I bet she'd tell yer. But it cant come from me."
Harry returned angrily to the Zoulig.
"Why cant Hagrid just tell me, I have more right then anyone to know what's happening." He said angrily.
Hermione nodded wearily. "So are you going to ask Dumbledore?"
"Or Delvarney?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged. "I don't know."
For potions they had McGonagall again, to Ron's delight, Snape was still in the hospital wing.
As they were walking to dinner that night, a witch bumped into them.
"Oh I am terribly sorry.wait aven't I seen you lot before? Oh you're the people who visited Gilderoy at Christmas."
Harry instantly recognised her as the witch from St Mungos.
"Don't suppose you could tell me where the hospital wing is?" she said with a smile. "I've been called out, I don't usually do house calls."
"Of course we'll show you." Hermione said, as they double backed along the corridor. They reached the hospital wing and Calico Delvarney came running out.
"Oh there you are, it's in here." she stopped at the sight of Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"They showed me the way." The healer explained.
"Very well, you three must return to dinner." She said, and with a sweep of her cloak returned into the hospital wing with the healer following her.
Harry peeped round the door before it clanged shut. "Couldn't see a thing, the curtains were up. But Dumbledore was in there." He told the others as they set back off to dinner.
"It looks like Snape is really ill."
A/N hey, I think this is a cliffy!! Lol!! Anyway please tell me what yer think!