Chapter 16
Snape is falling in love
September seemed to come and go quickly. What with the loads of homework as well as Quidditch practices thrice a week, the trio didn't have much free time available to themselves.
One day, as Harry was heading upstairs to his room to make it an early night, Neville came up behind him, getting his attention.
"Hey, Harry! Come with me. Look! Watch this,"
Neville told Harry, as Harry followed him into the deserted common room. Once there, he closed his eyes, concentrating feverishly. With much surprise and not a little shock, Harry suddenly saw black stripes and white fur appear upon Neville's face, until a moment later...he was a white tiger.
"Whoa," Harry said in awe, seeing Neville's distinguishing mark almost immediately. Upon his broad tiger face, along his nose, just below the fierce yellow-green eyes, was situated a black star. Then, the tiger seemed to shimmer, and almost melt back into Neville once more. "Great work, mate! Now, just you wait...right here."
Harry ran out and went and got both Hermione and Ron. "Go on, then, Neville...show them," Harry urged him. Neville turned back to a tiger again and then back to himself once more.
"We have to show this to Professor McGonnagal," Harry announced with a grin. Hermione and Ron nodded their assent, and grabbing a hold of Neville, they all headed down to Professor McGonnagal´s office.
The Tranfigurations Professor looked up as four of her students suddenly appeared at her door, puffing and panting. "Yes, Mr. Potter? Just how may I help you and your friends?" McGonnagal asked, just the tiniest bit curious.
"Just watch this, Professor," Harry prompted, smiling at Neville, who took the hint and promptly turned into his tiger form. McGonnagal screeched softly, and jumped back in her chair. "My word!" she exclaimed, her eyes still large.
"I think we need another one of those forms, Professor," Harry declared, smiling.
"I do suppose you would at that, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonnagal answered, opening a drawer of her desk, and pulling out the required form. "Here you are, Mr. Longbottom. And...congratulations, my boy."
"Thank you, Professor," Neville said, somewhat subdued, but still excited. Harry took the initiative, and urged them all out of her office and back toward their own tower.
Friday came and with it a strange request of them from both Fred and George. "Look. Can you three please come and watch our lesson?" Fred asked, just a bit desperately. "I swear! That woman has it out for both George and me!"
"We'd love to, of course. But, er, I don´t really think McGonnagal would let us come," Harry reasoned.
Fred's shoulders sagged, but George smiled, and rounded on Harry. "But, Harry, haven't you still got that Invisibility cloak of yours, mate?" George said.
Harry shook his head and couldn't help but grin. "All right then," Harry said. "We'll come, you two. But you owe us all...big."
And, that having been agreed upon, Harry, Ron, Hermione and the twins made their way downstairs toward the Tranfigurations classroom. Just outside the door, Harry covered Hermione, Ron and himself with his father's Invisibility cloak, and watched the twins open the door and walk on in. Harry and his friends dashed silently after them and found a unused corner to stand and observe the goings-on.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen," McGonnagal intoned briskly as they made their way toward her. "Right now, you two," McGonnagal began. "Last time, you deduced precisely which animal you will become in animagi form. Now I would like you to concentrate upon that very animal's form. Come with me, if you please."
She stood them both in the middle of the room. "Now, if you would both be so kind, boys...concentrate."
It wasn't too long before George sprouted a tail, and Fred became covered in fur. Harry and his friends watched in amazement as Fred and George seemed to melt into the sinuous forms of two young adult male snow leopards. Hermione had to step on Ron's foot to keep him from exclaiming in surprise.
George, in his snow leopard form, had the distinguising mark of a reddish ring about his right eye, while Fred sported a similar mark, only about his left eye instead.
"Good. Very good, gentlemen," McGonnagal congratulated them. "Now, to turn yourselves back, simply concentrate---yes, again---upon your own normal human forms," McGonnagal instructed them firmly. In the span of several minutes time, the Weasley twins successfully turned themselves back and capered about, shouting in sheer joy of accomplisment.
"Silence, you two! Do you intend to wake the entire castle with your din?" McGonnagal reproached them firmly.
"Sorry 'bout that, Professor," the twins offered by way of an apology.
"Of course, boys. After all, it's not every day one becomes an Animagi," McGonnagal reasoned, then smiled a small smile. "I will see you two back here this very next weekend."
"Er, excuse me, Professor...but, well, haven't we made it now? I mean, aren't George and I the real item now?" Fred asked.
"Both yes...and no, Mr. Weasley," McGonnagal told them sternly. "You both still need to learn discipline, as well as exactly how to control yourselves in your animal forms," McGonnagal said. "Now, good day, and I shall see you again this upcoming weekend, gentlemen."
"Right, good day, Professor," Fred said, dragging George out the door while smiling, closing the door behind themselves. Of course, they had forgotten one small, yet very important item...that Harry and his friends were now trapped within the room with the unsuspecting Professor McGonnagal. Their first impulse was to try to sneak out, but they knew that if they opened the door, McGonnagal would most likely catch on to them, and the jig would be up. So Harry decided---most prudently---to wait.
As they stood uncomfortably still under the cloak, Professor McGonnagal began to talk to herself. "I simply cannot belive just how many student have become Animagi now. Let's see... theirs Mr. Longbottom, the Weasley twins, and the Trouble Trio." Ron snickered softly at the nickname their Tranfiguration instructor had coined for them.
Ron's mirth was cut short as the door to the classroom suddenly opened, and in walked Sylvia Sprout, the Herbology Professor, as well as Madam Poppy Pomprey and Xiomara Hooch.
"Ah, there you are! Aren't you coming, Min?" Xiomara asked, her hawk-like eyes glittering.
"I have asked you time and time again, Xiomara, to never call me 'Min'," McGonnagal said sternly, standing up to stretch. "Whatever. Well? Are we going or are we not?" Madame Hooch asked, which set them all to giggling, as they all left the classroom.
"Oy now. What's gotten into those four, eh?" Ron asked.
"Sorry. Haven't got a clue, Ron," Harry said, as he drew the Invisibility cloak off of them all, much to their relief. It had gotten hot and stuffy under that cloak. "Come on," Hermione urged them, "let's go." The three headed out into the hall, and started walking. As they walked quickly past Professor Bat´s new office, they heard a muffled clunk.
"Cloak on?" Harry whispered to his friends. Hermione and Ron nodded quickly, and Harry covered them once more with his father's trusty Invisibility cloak.
Harry led them to the door, and then opened it slowly to reveal a most disturbing sight...well, at least to the three of them. Right there, before their unbelieving and horrified eyes, Professors Snape and Bat where standing before the far wall, kissing passionately. Harry and Hermione were forced to put their hands over Ron´s mouth to stop him from making some loud and disparaging remark. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor in this situation, Harry grabbed Ron by the hand and led them out of the room quickly, easing the door closed with the barest of snicks. Harry pulled them along, all the way up the Gryffindor Tower to the common room.
There Hermione finally removed her hand from Ron's mouth. His face was screwed up into a look of immense loathing and shock. He shook his head, grumbling loudly, "That was probably the most disgusting thing I've ever seen!"
"Oh, I don't know, Ron," Hermione said at first, but then she looked as if she were ill. "All right...you were right, it was disgusting."
"Well, whatever the case, we now know why Snape's been acting so strangely lately," Harry determined. "Disgusting as it might be, it works out rather nicely for us. Look, Professor Bat likes us all, and so, Snape knows that he won´t get anywhere with her if he's his normal nasty self with us."
"I still liked the thought that he doing all this just because he wanted to be popular for once," Ron said, shaking his head, and grimacing.
Harry put a hand over his stomach. "Um, tell you what...let´s think of something else, shall we?" Harry suggested.
"Oh, yes!" Hermione said at once. "How about we discuss the latest direction we intend to take with S.P.E.W."
"Do you mean to tell me that she's still going on with that?" Harry asked Ron, who just shook his head quietly at Harry.
"Look, Harry. Just let her be, all right. She's not hurting anyone now, is she? No, and she's not going to stop, mate," Ron whispered aside, so that only Harry could hear him. "Good night, 'Mione," he then said and kissed Hermione on the cheek.
"Good night, love," she said with a smile, and then they all headed off to bed.
Snape is falling in love
September seemed to come and go quickly. What with the loads of homework as well as Quidditch practices thrice a week, the trio didn't have much free time available to themselves.
One day, as Harry was heading upstairs to his room to make it an early night, Neville came up behind him, getting his attention.
"Hey, Harry! Come with me. Look! Watch this,"
Neville told Harry, as Harry followed him into the deserted common room. Once there, he closed his eyes, concentrating feverishly. With much surprise and not a little shock, Harry suddenly saw black stripes and white fur appear upon Neville's face, until a moment later...he was a white tiger.
"Whoa," Harry said in awe, seeing Neville's distinguishing mark almost immediately. Upon his broad tiger face, along his nose, just below the fierce yellow-green eyes, was situated a black star. Then, the tiger seemed to shimmer, and almost melt back into Neville once more. "Great work, mate! Now, just you wait...right here."
Harry ran out and went and got both Hermione and Ron. "Go on, then, Neville...show them," Harry urged him. Neville turned back to a tiger again and then back to himself once more.
"We have to show this to Professor McGonnagal," Harry announced with a grin. Hermione and Ron nodded their assent, and grabbing a hold of Neville, they all headed down to Professor McGonnagal´s office.
The Tranfigurations Professor looked up as four of her students suddenly appeared at her door, puffing and panting. "Yes, Mr. Potter? Just how may I help you and your friends?" McGonnagal asked, just the tiniest bit curious.
"Just watch this, Professor," Harry prompted, smiling at Neville, who took the hint and promptly turned into his tiger form. McGonnagal screeched softly, and jumped back in her chair. "My word!" she exclaimed, her eyes still large.
"I think we need another one of those forms, Professor," Harry declared, smiling.
"I do suppose you would at that, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonnagal answered, opening a drawer of her desk, and pulling out the required form. "Here you are, Mr. Longbottom. And...congratulations, my boy."
"Thank you, Professor," Neville said, somewhat subdued, but still excited. Harry took the initiative, and urged them all out of her office and back toward their own tower.
Friday came and with it a strange request of them from both Fred and George. "Look. Can you three please come and watch our lesson?" Fred asked, just a bit desperately. "I swear! That woman has it out for both George and me!"
"We'd love to, of course. But, er, I don´t really think McGonnagal would let us come," Harry reasoned.
Fred's shoulders sagged, but George smiled, and rounded on Harry. "But, Harry, haven't you still got that Invisibility cloak of yours, mate?" George said.
Harry shook his head and couldn't help but grin. "All right then," Harry said. "We'll come, you two. But you owe us all...big."
And, that having been agreed upon, Harry, Ron, Hermione and the twins made their way downstairs toward the Tranfigurations classroom. Just outside the door, Harry covered Hermione, Ron and himself with his father's Invisibility cloak, and watched the twins open the door and walk on in. Harry and his friends dashed silently after them and found a unused corner to stand and observe the goings-on.
"Good afternoon, gentlemen," McGonnagal intoned briskly as they made their way toward her. "Right now, you two," McGonnagal began. "Last time, you deduced precisely which animal you will become in animagi form. Now I would like you to concentrate upon that very animal's form. Come with me, if you please."
She stood them both in the middle of the room. "Now, if you would both be so kind, boys...concentrate."
It wasn't too long before George sprouted a tail, and Fred became covered in fur. Harry and his friends watched in amazement as Fred and George seemed to melt into the sinuous forms of two young adult male snow leopards. Hermione had to step on Ron's foot to keep him from exclaiming in surprise.
George, in his snow leopard form, had the distinguising mark of a reddish ring about his right eye, while Fred sported a similar mark, only about his left eye instead.
"Good. Very good, gentlemen," McGonnagal congratulated them. "Now, to turn yourselves back, simply concentrate---yes, again---upon your own normal human forms," McGonnagal instructed them firmly. In the span of several minutes time, the Weasley twins successfully turned themselves back and capered about, shouting in sheer joy of accomplisment.
"Silence, you two! Do you intend to wake the entire castle with your din?" McGonnagal reproached them firmly.
"Sorry 'bout that, Professor," the twins offered by way of an apology.
"Of course, boys. After all, it's not every day one becomes an Animagi," McGonnagal reasoned, then smiled a small smile. "I will see you two back here this very next weekend."
"Er, excuse me, Professor...but, well, haven't we made it now? I mean, aren't George and I the real item now?" Fred asked.
"Both yes...and no, Mr. Weasley," McGonnagal told them sternly. "You both still need to learn discipline, as well as exactly how to control yourselves in your animal forms," McGonnagal said. "Now, good day, and I shall see you again this upcoming weekend, gentlemen."
"Right, good day, Professor," Fred said, dragging George out the door while smiling, closing the door behind themselves. Of course, they had forgotten one small, yet very important item...that Harry and his friends were now trapped within the room with the unsuspecting Professor McGonnagal. Their first impulse was to try to sneak out, but they knew that if they opened the door, McGonnagal would most likely catch on to them, and the jig would be up. So Harry decided---most prudently---to wait.
As they stood uncomfortably still under the cloak, Professor McGonnagal began to talk to herself. "I simply cannot belive just how many student have become Animagi now. Let's see... theirs Mr. Longbottom, the Weasley twins, and the Trouble Trio." Ron snickered softly at the nickname their Tranfiguration instructor had coined for them.
Ron's mirth was cut short as the door to the classroom suddenly opened, and in walked Sylvia Sprout, the Herbology Professor, as well as Madam Poppy Pomprey and Xiomara Hooch.
"Ah, there you are! Aren't you coming, Min?" Xiomara asked, her hawk-like eyes glittering.
"I have asked you time and time again, Xiomara, to never call me 'Min'," McGonnagal said sternly, standing up to stretch. "Whatever. Well? Are we going or are we not?" Madame Hooch asked, which set them all to giggling, as they all left the classroom.
"Oy now. What's gotten into those four, eh?" Ron asked.
"Sorry. Haven't got a clue, Ron," Harry said, as he drew the Invisibility cloak off of them all, much to their relief. It had gotten hot and stuffy under that cloak. "Come on," Hermione urged them, "let's go." The three headed out into the hall, and started walking. As they walked quickly past Professor Bat´s new office, they heard a muffled clunk.
"Cloak on?" Harry whispered to his friends. Hermione and Ron nodded quickly, and Harry covered them once more with his father's trusty Invisibility cloak.
Harry led them to the door, and then opened it slowly to reveal a most disturbing sight...well, at least to the three of them. Right there, before their unbelieving and horrified eyes, Professors Snape and Bat where standing before the far wall, kissing passionately. Harry and Hermione were forced to put their hands over Ron´s mouth to stop him from making some loud and disparaging remark. Deciding that discretion was the better part of valor in this situation, Harry grabbed Ron by the hand and led them out of the room quickly, easing the door closed with the barest of snicks. Harry pulled them along, all the way up the Gryffindor Tower to the common room.
There Hermione finally removed her hand from Ron's mouth. His face was screwed up into a look of immense loathing and shock. He shook his head, grumbling loudly, "That was probably the most disgusting thing I've ever seen!"
"Oh, I don't know, Ron," Hermione said at first, but then she looked as if she were ill. "All right...you were right, it was disgusting."
"Well, whatever the case, we now know why Snape's been acting so strangely lately," Harry determined. "Disgusting as it might be, it works out rather nicely for us. Look, Professor Bat likes us all, and so, Snape knows that he won´t get anywhere with her if he's his normal nasty self with us."
"I still liked the thought that he doing all this just because he wanted to be popular for once," Ron said, shaking his head, and grimacing.
Harry put a hand over his stomach. "Um, tell you what...let´s think of something else, shall we?" Harry suggested.
"Oh, yes!" Hermione said at once. "How about we discuss the latest direction we intend to take with S.P.E.W."
"Do you mean to tell me that she's still going on with that?" Harry asked Ron, who just shook his head quietly at Harry.
"Look, Harry. Just let her be, all right. She's not hurting anyone now, is she? No, and she's not going to stop, mate," Ron whispered aside, so that only Harry could hear him. "Good night, 'Mione," he then said and kissed Hermione on the cheek.
"Good night, love," she said with a smile, and then they all headed off to bed.