A/N: Chapter #3 revised.
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Finally in the Great Hall, Hermione had to endure only a few more minutes before the feast would be over. She was able to avoid any further contact with her two best friends, and anyone else for that matter. She sat alone at the end of the table, with the new first years around her, never saying a word.
When the feast finally ended, she started to call the first years, only to be stopped by Professor McGonagal, "Hermione, would you please come here for a moment? I must speak with you."
Professor McGonagall waited until almost all of the students had left the Great Hall before talking again, "I'm very pleased to say that last year you were at the very top of your class. I will expect no less from you this year. I had noticed last year that you didn't seem to be challenged at all in either Charms, or Transfiguration. I would like to enroll you in an advanced placement for both of those courses, but your schedule just doesn't allow it. I dare say that you want to go back to using the time-turner, but there is a better solution. You have been enrolled into a class called Egnah Cxe. It deals with very advanced charms and transfiguration."
"Wait a minute, I've heard of that class before. In Hogwarts, A History, it said that class used to be offered but was stopped because of very low participation. It was something like there weren't any students who wanted to travel that far... no that can't be, the Divination tower is the farthest away, yet students travel there everyday for class."
"About that, well, the classroom is very far away, but that won't be a problem. And its not that the class was stopped, its just that the students, I regret to say, weren't qualified enough to attend that specific class. You, Hermione, are very much overqualified," beamed McGonagall.
"What do you mean? I have a full schedule already, and there is no way I can waste studying time trying to find a faraway classroom for advanced Charms and Transfiguration. Especially when I already would have homework in those courses."
"Oh, but you will not be required to take a regular Charms or Transfiguration class. Regretfully, for you were my best student. During the time your fellow Gryffindors will be taking normal Transfiguration and Charms, you will be attending Egnah Cxe, then, every other weekend, you will have a class on Saturday night, and on Sunday you will return."
"At least I won't have to look at Ron or Harry or any of those slut-
"Are you and Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley fighting? I daresay you have a problem with any of the Gryffindor girls. I do think they are maturing into fine young ladies, even if they are more interested in Divination."
"I hadn't realized I was speaking. Sorry."
"Hmm?" said McGonagal, coming back from a rant on Divination, "Oh yes. That's quite all right. You will have company in your special class though."
"What do you mean? As far as I know there isn't one student that can hold a light to me"
"Why Granger," Hermione recognized a voice coming from her far left, "Don't flatter yourself. I'm sure that I could hold the tiniest Muggle lamp up to you. If you ever got me to touch it that is."
"Forget it. I'm not taking this class if Malfoy's in it."
"Looks like your stuck there, Granger. As much as I don't want to spend any time with you, I was selected for this class and can't back out of it. Neither can you."
"I most certainly can back out of it. Just watch me. I won't go!"
"Fine! Try to back out of it. I daresay you will like the results."
"Mr. Malfoy! Do not insult any student.." as McGonagal lectured on, Hermione slipped from the room.
'No one is going to make me go to some stupid class on advanced Transfiguration and Charms with Malfoy. I'll take the regular boring class any day. At least then I can sleep during class.'
*************
The next morning all the students at Hogwarts received their schedules for the new year. At first glance Hermione's look like the rest of her classmates, then she picked it up. A shock went through her fingers and a mesmerizing blue light flashed in the time block for her Transfiguration and Charms classes. A small puff of smoke soon cleared and Hermione saw the difference in her schedule immediately. In place of Charms and Transfiguration, were the words Egnah Cxe.
"Woah, Hermione. You should know by now that you can't change your schedule by charming it. What happened?" asked Semeaus curiously.
"I didn't charm it you idiot. Mind your own business. What's it to you if I charmed my schedule?" Hermione snapped.
"Well.. I .. nothing, nothing," replied Seameus, mumbling as he turned towards a different friend.
Hermione was about to yell at Professor McGonagall for keeping her in that class when a small silver-grey owl caught her attention.
"Ow! What did you bite me for?" she asked it.
The owl promptly stuck out its leg, which was carrying a letter addressed to her. Hermione quickly snacked the letter. She wasn't expected any mail from her parents, or anyone else for that matter. The seal on the back of the owl was from the Ministry of Magic. She had no idea what they could want with her.
"........Dear Ms. Hermione Granger,
We are very pleased to hear that you will be attending the Egnah Cxe class. We are happy to finally have Hogwarts students attending. It has been so long, and it was rather embarrassing at the International Ministry of Magic Meetings whenever that topic came up. I must impress upon you how important it is to do well in this class. A lot will be depending on you to show the world what Hogwarts stands for. But, if it so happens that your grades start to slip in this class, you will be very, very sorry. Do not disappoint me.
Signed, Cornielus Fugde, Minister of Magic....."
'What in Merlin's name is he talking about?" Hermione thought, "Why does he care so much about a class, one that I am *not* going to take. And why would the International Ministry of Magic ever talk about a class at Hogwarts. I knew this guy was batty, but I didn't think he was totally obliviated. Whatever, I have to find Professor McGonagall and get out of this class."
Just as Hermione reached the Head Table she noticed that the professor she was looking for had disappeared. Looking desperately around, Hermione was surprised to notice that almost all of the teachers had left their seats, and the noise level in the Hall was almost silent. Where was everybody?
"Miss Granger?"
Hermione swiftly turned around to be face to face with Professor Dumbledore.
"Surely you remember that classes start at 8:00 sharp? And with only two minutes till the hour most everyone is expected to be in their classrooms, getting ready to start the new trimester. But, no matter, what is troubling you?"
"Its just my schedule. Professor McGonagall had signed me up for some AP classes and I would much rather just take the regular courses offered."
"I assume you are talking about Egnah Cxe."
"Yes, I would like to drop that course."
"That is not possible. You see, the Egnah Cxe class is for the very best in Charms and Transfiguration. You and Mr. Malfoy have been selected to participate in the class. It is not your choice."
"What do you mean it's not my choice? Don't I get to pick which courses I would like to take? Normally I would just love to have a super advanced course in my favorite classes, but with Malfoy? Never! I can barely survive being in potions with 15 students sitting in-between us, and you are trying to convince me to attend a class where he and I are the only ones there?"
"Ms. Granger, I would love to sit here and elaborate on the class and why you can't get out of it, but I just don't have the time. I will let you know that the minister of magic is very proud of both you and Mr. Malfoy and I don't want you to let him down. God knows we need the ministry's support at times like these. But I have to go owl him and you have to attend you first class. You wouldn't want to start off the year having to catch up on missed classwork would you?" With that Professor Dumbledore bowed and turned to leave.
When Hermione thought he was out of range she exclaimed, "That would be wonderful, actually. Maybe I won't even show up to my first class."
"What was that Ms. Granger?" paused Dumbledore at the door.
"Nothing, Professor. Nothing at all."
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A/N: See? Its longer. Please Review!
***********
Finally in the Great Hall, Hermione had to endure only a few more minutes before the feast would be over. She was able to avoid any further contact with her two best friends, and anyone else for that matter. She sat alone at the end of the table, with the new first years around her, never saying a word.
When the feast finally ended, she started to call the first years, only to be stopped by Professor McGonagal, "Hermione, would you please come here for a moment? I must speak with you."
Professor McGonagall waited until almost all of the students had left the Great Hall before talking again, "I'm very pleased to say that last year you were at the very top of your class. I will expect no less from you this year. I had noticed last year that you didn't seem to be challenged at all in either Charms, or Transfiguration. I would like to enroll you in an advanced placement for both of those courses, but your schedule just doesn't allow it. I dare say that you want to go back to using the time-turner, but there is a better solution. You have been enrolled into a class called Egnah Cxe. It deals with very advanced charms and transfiguration."
"Wait a minute, I've heard of that class before. In Hogwarts, A History, it said that class used to be offered but was stopped because of very low participation. It was something like there weren't any students who wanted to travel that far... no that can't be, the Divination tower is the farthest away, yet students travel there everyday for class."
"About that, well, the classroom is very far away, but that won't be a problem. And its not that the class was stopped, its just that the students, I regret to say, weren't qualified enough to attend that specific class. You, Hermione, are very much overqualified," beamed McGonagall.
"What do you mean? I have a full schedule already, and there is no way I can waste studying time trying to find a faraway classroom for advanced Charms and Transfiguration. Especially when I already would have homework in those courses."
"Oh, but you will not be required to take a regular Charms or Transfiguration class. Regretfully, for you were my best student. During the time your fellow Gryffindors will be taking normal Transfiguration and Charms, you will be attending Egnah Cxe, then, every other weekend, you will have a class on Saturday night, and on Sunday you will return."
"At least I won't have to look at Ron or Harry or any of those slut-
"Are you and Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley fighting? I daresay you have a problem with any of the Gryffindor girls. I do think they are maturing into fine young ladies, even if they are more interested in Divination."
"I hadn't realized I was speaking. Sorry."
"Hmm?" said McGonagal, coming back from a rant on Divination, "Oh yes. That's quite all right. You will have company in your special class though."
"What do you mean? As far as I know there isn't one student that can hold a light to me"
"Why Granger," Hermione recognized a voice coming from her far left, "Don't flatter yourself. I'm sure that I could hold the tiniest Muggle lamp up to you. If you ever got me to touch it that is."
"Forget it. I'm not taking this class if Malfoy's in it."
"Looks like your stuck there, Granger. As much as I don't want to spend any time with you, I was selected for this class and can't back out of it. Neither can you."
"I most certainly can back out of it. Just watch me. I won't go!"
"Fine! Try to back out of it. I daresay you will like the results."
"Mr. Malfoy! Do not insult any student.." as McGonagal lectured on, Hermione slipped from the room.
'No one is going to make me go to some stupid class on advanced Transfiguration and Charms with Malfoy. I'll take the regular boring class any day. At least then I can sleep during class.'
*************
The next morning all the students at Hogwarts received their schedules for the new year. At first glance Hermione's look like the rest of her classmates, then she picked it up. A shock went through her fingers and a mesmerizing blue light flashed in the time block for her Transfiguration and Charms classes. A small puff of smoke soon cleared and Hermione saw the difference in her schedule immediately. In place of Charms and Transfiguration, were the words Egnah Cxe.
"Woah, Hermione. You should know by now that you can't change your schedule by charming it. What happened?" asked Semeaus curiously.
"I didn't charm it you idiot. Mind your own business. What's it to you if I charmed my schedule?" Hermione snapped.
"Well.. I .. nothing, nothing," replied Seameus, mumbling as he turned towards a different friend.
Hermione was about to yell at Professor McGonagall for keeping her in that class when a small silver-grey owl caught her attention.
"Ow! What did you bite me for?" she asked it.
The owl promptly stuck out its leg, which was carrying a letter addressed to her. Hermione quickly snacked the letter. She wasn't expected any mail from her parents, or anyone else for that matter. The seal on the back of the owl was from the Ministry of Magic. She had no idea what they could want with her.
"........Dear Ms. Hermione Granger,
We are very pleased to hear that you will be attending the Egnah Cxe class. We are happy to finally have Hogwarts students attending. It has been so long, and it was rather embarrassing at the International Ministry of Magic Meetings whenever that topic came up. I must impress upon you how important it is to do well in this class. A lot will be depending on you to show the world what Hogwarts stands for. But, if it so happens that your grades start to slip in this class, you will be very, very sorry. Do not disappoint me.
Signed, Cornielus Fugde, Minister of Magic....."
'What in Merlin's name is he talking about?" Hermione thought, "Why does he care so much about a class, one that I am *not* going to take. And why would the International Ministry of Magic ever talk about a class at Hogwarts. I knew this guy was batty, but I didn't think he was totally obliviated. Whatever, I have to find Professor McGonagall and get out of this class."
Just as Hermione reached the Head Table she noticed that the professor she was looking for had disappeared. Looking desperately around, Hermione was surprised to notice that almost all of the teachers had left their seats, and the noise level in the Hall was almost silent. Where was everybody?
"Miss Granger?"
Hermione swiftly turned around to be face to face with Professor Dumbledore.
"Surely you remember that classes start at 8:00 sharp? And with only two minutes till the hour most everyone is expected to be in their classrooms, getting ready to start the new trimester. But, no matter, what is troubling you?"
"Its just my schedule. Professor McGonagall had signed me up for some AP classes and I would much rather just take the regular courses offered."
"I assume you are talking about Egnah Cxe."
"Yes, I would like to drop that course."
"That is not possible. You see, the Egnah Cxe class is for the very best in Charms and Transfiguration. You and Mr. Malfoy have been selected to participate in the class. It is not your choice."
"What do you mean it's not my choice? Don't I get to pick which courses I would like to take? Normally I would just love to have a super advanced course in my favorite classes, but with Malfoy? Never! I can barely survive being in potions with 15 students sitting in-between us, and you are trying to convince me to attend a class where he and I are the only ones there?"
"Ms. Granger, I would love to sit here and elaborate on the class and why you can't get out of it, but I just don't have the time. I will let you know that the minister of magic is very proud of both you and Mr. Malfoy and I don't want you to let him down. God knows we need the ministry's support at times like these. But I have to go owl him and you have to attend you first class. You wouldn't want to start off the year having to catch up on missed classwork would you?" With that Professor Dumbledore bowed and turned to leave.
When Hermione thought he was out of range she exclaimed, "That would be wonderful, actually. Maybe I won't even show up to my first class."
"What was that Ms. Granger?" paused Dumbledore at the door.
"Nothing, Professor. Nothing at all."
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A/N: See? Its longer. Please Review!