Chapter 2: Classes From Hell

"Yes, Harry. That's right--"

"QUIET, Hermione! Quiet!" Professor McGonagall barked. "Now, Hatrabbitrabbithat...Withouttherabbit...and the hat."

Ron was the first to recover from her yelling, and he then turned toward Hermione. "What has been up with her

lately? The past few days she acts as though she wants to kill you."

"She probably does," said Harry whispering.

"That is it, Miss Granger! I have just told you to be quiet!"

"But...I didn't..." Hermione began, but her sound was drowned out by McGonagall yelling.

"50 points from Gryffindor!"

Hermione again tried to speak, "But, professor. It wasn't me talking. It was--"

"How dare you try to blame this on your fellow Gryffindors! 10 more points, you foolish girl!" And before

Hermione could even begin to protest, she screeched once more, "And 10 more for your cheek!"

McGonagall now went back to her lesson about turning a rabbit into a hat.

Hermione seemed to be having the most trouble with trying to transfigure her rabbit. Every time

she tried it would burst into feathers. She would transfigure it back to normal, but again and again it would

mysteriously go wrong.

"You're a bit off lately, Hermione," Ron told her, barely making a sound.

She gave him a look that would rival McGonagall herself, and he was quickly shushed.

"You could be doing worse..." Harry started.

"SILENCIO! SILENCIO! SILENCIO!" Professor McGonagall shrieked, swooping by their desks, swishing her wand,

and then looking straight at Hermione. She smiled. "Pathetic," she stated, coolly. "I do believe you will be

needing Remedial Transfiguration, you silly girl, for such a awful showing!"

All three looked at the ground.

"I have not seen such idiocy since Rubeus Hagrid blew up a pet rabbit he owned 20 years ago, so an additional...

*20*...points from Gryffindor!"

Hermione scoffed in shock.

"What was that, Miss Granger?" she inquired, "A further 5 points will be taken! Good-day!" McGonagall yelled as

the class had just ended.

Both Harry and Ron's mouths dropped open in disbelief.

"And you, two," the professor began, now looking at them before they had a chance to leave, "50 points each will be taken

for hanging around such a complete moron!"

She waved her wand at them a few move times. They guessed it was to remove the charm that was placed upon them.

Hermione, Harry, and Ron quickly sprinted out of the classroom without even looking back, and now entered the hall.

"Ten points for running in the hallway!" screamed a voice from inside the classroom. It was the professor.

"What?!" protested Hermione, the effects of McGonagall's silencing spell now wearing off.

"EACH!" barked Professor McGonagall.

***

"She's off her rocker," Ron whispered, as the three made their way to their first Defense Against The Dark Arts class with

Snape as the *permanent* teacher.

"Yeah, and we've got Slytherins in every class this year!" Harry stated.



"*And* McGonagall already took 225 points from us!" began Ron, as they entered Snape's class, "225 points!"

"Silence," said a voice, "You are well aware that the only yelling in this classroom comes from me. 25 points from

Gryffindor! Disrespecting professors is a serious offence. I do believe another 225 points in addition to Professor

McGonagall's 225 will prevent this from happening again," stated Snape silkily, as he gave them a murderous look.

Ron stood there in shock.

"Well, sit down, you idiot boy!" Snape spat.

Snape walked up to his desk and addressed the class, "Today, we will be covering the Avada Kadavra curse.

I of course will not be performing it." Snape eyed Harry. He was amazed that the professor had not asked him to

be a volunteer for the curse.

"Would anyone like to explain what this curse does?" Snape inquired looking around.

Hermione's hand flew into the air, but the professor somehow managed not to see it.

"Does anyone know? No? I thought as much," Snape stated smirking.

"Sir," Hermione began.

"Miss Granger, do not speak unless you are spoken to! How can I teach if you are constantly interrupting my lessons?"

"Professor, I don't think..."

"Clearly...25 points for your stupidity."

Snape walked up to Hermione's desk and leaned toward her, "As I was saying, today we are discussing the

Avada Kadavra curse. Over your heads as it may be, excluding the Slytherins," Snape explained, "I expect you to

grasp a basic...understanding of it."

"You will write 12. That's right, Mr. Weasley. I said 12...inches of parchment on...The Effect of the Avada

Kadavra Curse on Mudbloods," Snape smirked knowing that no one would dare defy him.

Snape picked up a book and began to read. Hermione glanced at it and noticed the title: 101 Ways to Kill a Mudblood...

Bloodily. He seemed to be quite enjoying it and let out a few soft laughs.

An hour passed by, and Snape slammed down book making the whole class jump. "Silence!" he screamed even though

no one was talking. "Cease all writing. Turn in your essays. Mr. Longbottom, do not forget to write your name

or I will forget to grade it. And Mr. Weasley, do not continue writing when I have asked you to stop. 5 points from

Gryffindor."

The students hastily gathered into a line and each handed the professor their parchment. Snape glanced at a few of

them and whispered, "Too short." as he waded the unacceptable essays up and disposed of them.

Harry was the last to turn in his. He walked up to Snape's desk. Harry placed his essay on the desk,

and the professor swiped at Harry's paper, knocking it on the floor. "Opps. How clumsy of you, Potter," Snape

said curtly. Harry and Snape both reached to pick up the essay. Snape quickly snatched it, and Harry noticed

a Chocolate Frog Card, with Dumbledore on it, had fallen out of Snape's robes. Harry went to pick it up. While he

was doing this, the professor tapped Harry's essay. Hermione could have sworn he had heard Snape mutter an "evanesco"

under his breath.

"Potter, what is this?! I assure you I do not need an extra bit of parchment. It is not as if I am as poor as

your pathetic excuse for a friend Weasley. Where is your essay?!"

"I just handed it in to you, sir," Harry said, growing angry.

"Do not lie to me, Potter! This paper is blank. A zero once again. And 50 points from Gryffindor. See that it

does not happen again."

"Er, sir..." Harry managed to get out through his gritted teeth.

"What do you want?" Snape snapped.

"You dropped this," Harry stated holding out the card.

"Stealing from me again I see? Have you no shame? 50 more points from Gryffindor! Let's try to keep our sticky

fingers to ourselves. Sit!"

Snape moved back over to his desk and sat down. "I think we should now have a pop quiz, don't you..." Snape's

head whipped toward the class. "...Miss Granger?"

Hermione bit her lip so hard that she started to bleed.

"Your silence means that you agree. Question 1: Why are Gryffindors such dunderheads? Question 2: Why does Potter

think he is so special? Question 3: Why are Slytherins so good looking? Question 4: Why do the Weasleys insist on disgracing

pureblood wizardry? Question Five: Why does Mr. Longbottom continue to come to my class when he knows he is wasting my time?"

The students began writing quickly on their parchment. "And a bonus for you Miss Granger. Since you are more interested in

watching me than working on your assignment, I trust you can answer this. List 20 ways to kill a Mudblood...bloodily," Snape

said evilly, "An example would be slitting their throat and ripping out their--"

"Severus!" Dumbledore said, appearing at the doorway.

"Headmaster," Snape responded, suddenly whipping his head around to face him.

"I understand you have a Miss...Susan Bones...in your class."

"That is correct."

"I would like to speak with the...*Hufflepuff*...in my office," Dumbledore spoke softly, smirking.

"WHAT?!"

"I would like..."

"Yes, I heard you! She is a Hufflepuff?!"

"It's true, Severus. It's true!" Dumbledore said happily.

"500 points from Hufflepuff!"

Ron burst into laughter.

"And 20 from Gryffindor for your snide vocalization," Snape said, spitting more every minute.

"You do realize of course, Severus, that Hufflepuff will now have a score of negative 432 house points?"

"Be that as it may, I would like to exercise my right to remove house points."

"Very well, Severus. Miss...Bones...this way," Dumbledore whispered, smiling.