Chapter 16
After class, Harry, Ron and Hermione jogged to catch up with Katherine Evans who had left just a bit earlier, claiming that she needed to get ready for the next class. The girl was rather far ahead of them; she seemed rather distracted and slipped through the crowds of students with graceful ease. The three had to dodge and bump into people to keep up with her pace. Katherine ducked down a hallway, the hallway that led to the dungeons.
Hermione jerked on the boys' sleeves, "Look where she's going!"
Ron frowned, "To Snape."
Harry started down the hall, "We're gonna find out what's going on."
The three crept down the stone stairs that led to the dungeon classroom where Snape taught his lessons. The door was open a crack, the three huddled up to listen in. The space was cramped, but from their position they could hear rather clearly the conversation that was going on in the classroom.
"-Could've jeopardized your position in this school." Came Snape's voice, sounding rather annoyed.
"Sorry sir, it will not happen again." Came another voice. it belonged to Meredith Banes, she was standing in front of Snape's table with her head lowered.
"Professor Snape, don't worry sir, I'll make sure to keep an eye out-" Katherine said trying to be supportive.
"Shut up." Meredith suddenly snapped at Katherine, her fists were clenched, and she was looking up, her eyes narrowed.
"Meri!" Katherine said in surprise, apparently taken aback by the sudden nastiness of the girl.
Meredith leaned close to the table and whispered something to the Professor, who in turn frowned and got up, starting for his storage closet. But as he passed by the door he whipped out his wand and pointed it at the door, calling out "Foris pateo!" The door snapped open and the three students were left huddled. Snape gave a sinister grin and barked an order, "In, NOW!"
Meredith was grinning, crossing her arms over her chest, and Katherine bore a look of genuine confusion. She nudged Meredith, whispering, "Should've let them go. now he's gonna punish them."
Meredith cast a serious look to Katherine, "They deserved it, and the stupid brats shouldn't be listening in."
Professor Snape was gleefully deducting points from Gryffindor while Harry, Hermione and Ron stood feeling rather frustrated and embarrassed.
"Professor?" Hermione spoke up.
"What?" Professor asked with a glare.
"Where's Aconite?" Hermione asked, a little smile tugging at her lips.
Snape turned around and glared at the two older students, "I assume you have something to do with that information leaking out?"
Meredith yawned, "Why would I waste my time speaking to little twits."
Katherine grinned sheepishly, "Who's Aconite?"
Professor Snape rubbed at his temples, a headache coming on.
Hermione persisted, standing up a bit taller, "Where is she?"
Snape gave a growl, "It is not your place to question a teacher, nor your superiors, now shut up while Gryffindor still has some points left." Hermione snapped her mouth shut, choosing to end the argument as is.
Professor Snape, satisfied that the girl was quiet, started to issue their punishment. "For skipping class.and sneaking around listening in to private conversations. and for arguing. and for the events the other evening.. Well let's see, I'll have you three on my hands for longer than I'd like to disclose." He paused a moment, "Meredith, you'll be supervising their detention this evening. I need them to collect some gnome schrooms from the eastern part of the Dark Forest. You believe you can handle that?"
Meredith looked rather annoyed, "Why should I have to take care of handling your punishments?"
Professor Snape glowered, "Because I said so." He paused, "And I trust that you'll be taking Marron out with you this evening."
Meredith cast a quick look to Katherine who was frowning.
Before the students could even begin to question further, Snape started ushering them out roughly. "Miss Banes will come to your dormitories this evening at 12 o'clock this evening.. be ready, because if I get any reports of you three refusing the punishments will be severe." He pushed them into the stair well and slammed the door.
Ron stuck his tongue out at the closed door, while Harry and Hermione got themselves up. "Honestly, the manner he has!" Ron complained.
Hermione sighed, "Just leave it Ron."
Harry gave a look of determination, "He's definitely hiding something."
Ron shrugged, "Yeh, maybe it's gotta do with that Marron thing."
Harry thought a moment, "I wonder what that is."
Hermione explained as she started up the stairs, "Marron is French for red."
"Uh. how do you know that?" Ron asked, trotting after.
"Remember in 4th year when the Beauxbatons and the Durmstrangs came to our school? Well I picked up a French dictionary so that I could understand what was being said." Hermione said with a grin. "You wouldn't believe what those students are comfortable enough to say when they think nobody knows what they are saying."
Harry smiled, "You're unbelievable 'Mione."
Hermione hid a blush and said with a bit of authority, "We'd best be getting to class. We can figure out what this Red is later."
Later that evening, exactly as planned, a loud knock came on the door of the Gryffindor house. Harry, Ron, and Hermione could hear word rapidly being thrown at the closed door, though they were muffled they sounded along the lines of: "Stupide! Peinture stupide! Vous perdez mon temps avec des mots inutiles! Je n'ai aucun besoin de mot de passe, vous grosse femme à bulbe! Ouvrez la porte!" and in reply came the Fat lady complaining about how rude the visitor was being. The three got up to their feet; it was going to be a long night. They opened the door and saw a rather flushed Meredith furiously chattering at the portrait that guarded the door. She was talking so fast in French that even Hermione couldn't tell what slurs she was throwing at the painting. But they obviously upset the Fat lady because she was red in the face and was wagging her finger screaming back, "You foul mouthed little-Little child!!!"
Harry, Ron and Hermione slipped out, closing the door. Meredith turned a cold look to them, "Let's get this over with." She turned on her heel and started walking down the hall. The three drudgingly walked after. Hermione cautiously tried to strike up a conversation with the older student, "I had no idea you spoke French Meredith."
Meredith didn't make eye contact, "Shut up."
Hermione backed off and joined Harry and Ron again. Ron looked furious, he hissed to Hermione, "She can't treat you like that! It's uncalled for."
Meredith started down the stone stairs, ignoring their conversation, eager to get outside.
After class, Harry, Ron and Hermione jogged to catch up with Katherine Evans who had left just a bit earlier, claiming that she needed to get ready for the next class. The girl was rather far ahead of them; she seemed rather distracted and slipped through the crowds of students with graceful ease. The three had to dodge and bump into people to keep up with her pace. Katherine ducked down a hallway, the hallway that led to the dungeons.
Hermione jerked on the boys' sleeves, "Look where she's going!"
Ron frowned, "To Snape."
Harry started down the hall, "We're gonna find out what's going on."
The three crept down the stone stairs that led to the dungeon classroom where Snape taught his lessons. The door was open a crack, the three huddled up to listen in. The space was cramped, but from their position they could hear rather clearly the conversation that was going on in the classroom.
"-Could've jeopardized your position in this school." Came Snape's voice, sounding rather annoyed.
"Sorry sir, it will not happen again." Came another voice. it belonged to Meredith Banes, she was standing in front of Snape's table with her head lowered.
"Professor Snape, don't worry sir, I'll make sure to keep an eye out-" Katherine said trying to be supportive.
"Shut up." Meredith suddenly snapped at Katherine, her fists were clenched, and she was looking up, her eyes narrowed.
"Meri!" Katherine said in surprise, apparently taken aback by the sudden nastiness of the girl.
Meredith leaned close to the table and whispered something to the Professor, who in turn frowned and got up, starting for his storage closet. But as he passed by the door he whipped out his wand and pointed it at the door, calling out "Foris pateo!" The door snapped open and the three students were left huddled. Snape gave a sinister grin and barked an order, "In, NOW!"
Meredith was grinning, crossing her arms over her chest, and Katherine bore a look of genuine confusion. She nudged Meredith, whispering, "Should've let them go. now he's gonna punish them."
Meredith cast a serious look to Katherine, "They deserved it, and the stupid brats shouldn't be listening in."
Professor Snape was gleefully deducting points from Gryffindor while Harry, Hermione and Ron stood feeling rather frustrated and embarrassed.
"Professor?" Hermione spoke up.
"What?" Professor asked with a glare.
"Where's Aconite?" Hermione asked, a little smile tugging at her lips.
Snape turned around and glared at the two older students, "I assume you have something to do with that information leaking out?"
Meredith yawned, "Why would I waste my time speaking to little twits."
Katherine grinned sheepishly, "Who's Aconite?"
Professor Snape rubbed at his temples, a headache coming on.
Hermione persisted, standing up a bit taller, "Where is she?"
Snape gave a growl, "It is not your place to question a teacher, nor your superiors, now shut up while Gryffindor still has some points left." Hermione snapped her mouth shut, choosing to end the argument as is.
Professor Snape, satisfied that the girl was quiet, started to issue their punishment. "For skipping class.and sneaking around listening in to private conversations. and for arguing. and for the events the other evening.. Well let's see, I'll have you three on my hands for longer than I'd like to disclose." He paused a moment, "Meredith, you'll be supervising their detention this evening. I need them to collect some gnome schrooms from the eastern part of the Dark Forest. You believe you can handle that?"
Meredith looked rather annoyed, "Why should I have to take care of handling your punishments?"
Professor Snape glowered, "Because I said so." He paused, "And I trust that you'll be taking Marron out with you this evening."
Meredith cast a quick look to Katherine who was frowning.
Before the students could even begin to question further, Snape started ushering them out roughly. "Miss Banes will come to your dormitories this evening at 12 o'clock this evening.. be ready, because if I get any reports of you three refusing the punishments will be severe." He pushed them into the stair well and slammed the door.
Ron stuck his tongue out at the closed door, while Harry and Hermione got themselves up. "Honestly, the manner he has!" Ron complained.
Hermione sighed, "Just leave it Ron."
Harry gave a look of determination, "He's definitely hiding something."
Ron shrugged, "Yeh, maybe it's gotta do with that Marron thing."
Harry thought a moment, "I wonder what that is."
Hermione explained as she started up the stairs, "Marron is French for red."
"Uh. how do you know that?" Ron asked, trotting after.
"Remember in 4th year when the Beauxbatons and the Durmstrangs came to our school? Well I picked up a French dictionary so that I could understand what was being said." Hermione said with a grin. "You wouldn't believe what those students are comfortable enough to say when they think nobody knows what they are saying."
Harry smiled, "You're unbelievable 'Mione."
Hermione hid a blush and said with a bit of authority, "We'd best be getting to class. We can figure out what this Red is later."
Later that evening, exactly as planned, a loud knock came on the door of the Gryffindor house. Harry, Ron, and Hermione could hear word rapidly being thrown at the closed door, though they were muffled they sounded along the lines of: "Stupide! Peinture stupide! Vous perdez mon temps avec des mots inutiles! Je n'ai aucun besoin de mot de passe, vous grosse femme à bulbe! Ouvrez la porte!" and in reply came the Fat lady complaining about how rude the visitor was being. The three got up to their feet; it was going to be a long night. They opened the door and saw a rather flushed Meredith furiously chattering at the portrait that guarded the door. She was talking so fast in French that even Hermione couldn't tell what slurs she was throwing at the painting. But they obviously upset the Fat lady because she was red in the face and was wagging her finger screaming back, "You foul mouthed little-Little child!!!"
Harry, Ron and Hermione slipped out, closing the door. Meredith turned a cold look to them, "Let's get this over with." She turned on her heel and started walking down the hall. The three drudgingly walked after. Hermione cautiously tried to strike up a conversation with the older student, "I had no idea you spoke French Meredith."
Meredith didn't make eye contact, "Shut up."
Hermione backed off and joined Harry and Ron again. Ron looked furious, he hissed to Hermione, "She can't treat you like that! It's uncalled for."
Meredith started down the stone stairs, ignoring their conversation, eager to get outside.