Chapter 23

In which Harriet schemed and finally succeded

The next morning, Hermione Granger had shot up from the bottom of the totem pole in Gryffindor House to the top of the second year Gryffindor's rank by single handedly regain the part of the points she lost by following Ronald Weasley's harebrained car flight and by solving the pixy problem of Lockhart's first DADA class.

Harriet heard the story from Pansy, who heard it from Susan Bones of Hufflepuff, a member of their feminist movement. Susan's aunt is Madame Amelia Bones, the Head of DMLE, and Harriet immediately used this knowledge to the fullest by handing her notes of Lockhart's books discrepancies to Pansy to be forwarded to Susan. It was almost as thick as the seven books put together. (And what kind of class required seven handbooks for a year anyways? She wondered if all the seven years had exactly the same curriculums if what she saw in the common room was an indication)

After breakfast, Harriet and Pansy, who happened to share the DADA class walked together with their friends.

"I heard from the other years, they all had a pop quiz about Lockhart." Pansy said.

She had gained a network of gossips from all the houses. 'Know Thy Enemy' she said when Draco asked her about her friendship with the other houses.

"Oh? Anything interesting?"" Harriet asked her curiously.

"No, unless you have a crush on Lockhart and memorized all tidbits about the guy." Pansy tittered condescendingly. "What a silly notion, right? The guy wrote so much about himself that I could barf. Moreover, did you know that he wrote a book about household spells? What a disgrace!"

She ranted for a while about how Lockhart should have been a charm professor instead, but Harriet was rather worried about his performance if his defense book said anything at all.

The class was rather boring, though they did have the stupidest test Harriet ever saw. She was fuming when they walked to Herbology.

"What did you need to know his favorite color for? Will it help when you face…I don't know, Cornish Pixies?" she complained.

Her friends sniggered around her, lilac was a rather tame color after all.

"Something must be done about that guy. I don't want to waste a year learning about him." she said determinedly, her friends nodded in agreement.

Sadly for them, discrepancies in Lockhart's books doesn't exactly prove him an inept teacher.

"My Aunt is looking into it." Susan had said when she caught her near the DADA classroom. "But she said that even if he plagiarized his book, it's not grounds for him to be taken into custody, and Hogwarts Employment Contracts has this clause that said that he couldn't be fired unless he was convicted for something."

At that moment, a third-year girl came out from the classroom with glazed eyes and disheveled appearance. Harriet and Susan looked at each other.

"Do you think what I think?" Harriet asked.

Susan nodded and stealthily, they approached the door to the DADA classroom. The view inside had them paled and they quietly went the way they came in and ran to catch the girl that passed them by earlier. The girl was still in a daze, so they led her to the hospital wings, where they passed her to Madame Pomfrey.

The school matron's eyes narrowed, and she shooed them away before taking care of the girl. The heartbreaking scream and sobs shook the corridor where the Hospital Wings were located, and the two girls shook with it.

"Grounds enough for you?" Harriet asked, terrified.

"I think we need to send a letter to my Aunt." Susan was tearful, the girl was a housemate of hers, and she'd gotten a detention with Lockhart for 'poor mark in Defense Test.'

"And I think we need to find a prefect to help us extract a memory." she said shakily. "My Aunt taught me, but I don't think I could do it right now."

Her hands were shaking really badly.

Harriet hummed and shook her head.

"I have a better idea."

She took Susan's hand and led her to the Potion Classroom.

"Professor Snape." she knocked three sharp raps into the door.

The dour Professor opened the door and raised an eyebrow.

"Ms. Potter and Ms. Bones, how may I help you?" he asked.

Harriet looked at Susan, who nodded at her.

"We need you to help us extract our memory, Professor. After that, maybe you can help to take over Professor Lockhart's detention?" she asked the Professor.

"And why would I do that?" Professor Snape asked silkily.

"At least the girls, Professor, we can't just let them be…We just can't!" Susan burst into tears as she pleaded.

Professor Snape looked startled and led them to his quarters, and summoned Mipsy to bring them some tea. He turned to Harriet who was trying to calm Susan.

"Can you explain what happened, Ms. Potter?" he asked seriously.

"Susan and I were talking in the DADA corridor when a girl came out of the classroom. She was disheveled, and her eyes were glazed. Susan and I thought that it was strange, because lesson time was over, and the classroom should be empty, so we peeked inside, and…and…" Harriet blushed red.

"Professor Lockhart was inside…" Susan said tearfully. "He was sniffing a knicker…so we ran back to Sally Anne, and took her to the Hospital Wing."

"Madame Pomfrey sent us out. I don't know what she did, but the girl was screaming and crying when we left. It's scary." Harriet said.

Professor Snape's eyes hardened. "You are sure?"

The two girls nodded.

"We are willing to give our memory." Susan said, wiping her tears as she clutched into her teacup.

"You're Amelia Bones' niece, aren't you?" the Professor asked with a slight smile. "I will help you to take your memory, and I will talk to the other Head of House to take over the detentions and check on those who's already having a detention with Professor Lockhart. Merlin, it's been a month, who knows how many girls have been compromised."

The two girls nodded solemnly as he eyed them critically. After he helped them with the memory, he walked them to their respective dorms.

"If anything at all bothers you, come to your Head of House or Madame Pomfrey." he told them as they dropped Susan at the Hufflepuff's dorm. "I'll ask Mipsy to keep an eye on you both. Feel free to call her at any time. She'll be ready with hot chocolate."

"Thank you, Professor." Susan said demurely before closing the door.

"My Lady…" Professor Snape eyed the young girl cautiously.

Harriet was fuming. How dare he! How dare he do something like that in her castle!

"Severus, can we feed him to Thomas' Medusa?" she asked crossly.

"Uh, no, because My Lord is the only one who knows how to get to her." He eyed the sparkle of lightning and the smell of ozone cautiously.

At this point, perhaps it was safer for Gilderoy Lockhart if Severus potioned him with the Draught of The Living Dead and hid his body under a Fidelius Charm. Not that he particularly wanted to do that. In his opinion, Lockhart deserved what was coming to him.

"You will inform Lucius, of course. I will not have that…worm endangering students in my school." she said tersely.

"Did the Headmaster know of this?" she whirled to him, making him jump back in reflex as a bolt of lightning scorched the spot he was standing in before.

"No, I don't think so. Professor Dumbledore won't let him teach otherwise." his mind went back to the essay they had to write about Witches and their appropriate age for doing anything. Wait, maybe he should tell the Headmaster about Lockhart's transgression. He might benefit from the Class.

"Go and tell him. I'll be fine from here." Harriet dismissed him, muttering about talking to Neville in the morning.

Severus bowed and left her to her thoughts. He knew that she'd be safe, being an heiress of the founders and being shadowed by Lucius' former elf. First thing first, though, he had to apprise his fellow Head of Houses about the detention and the students. Those are the most important things.

In the morning, the Great Hall was quiet, some girls missing, and Professor Lockhart wasn't at the breakfast table. Professor Dumbledore came at the tail end of breakfast, followed by a young man that looked like he just graduated from Hogwarts. The young man winked at Harriet when she caught his eyes.

She raised an eyebrow.

"Attention please. I'm sure you all noticed the absence of a Professor and some of your classmates. Professor Lockhart resigned from his post last night, and your classmates are currently being examined by Madame Pomfrey and her associates. Some of them may join you soon, and some may not. I ask all of you to respect their privacy. Do not ask or harass them unless they confide in you by themselves. Please be considerate, they are going through a hard time. DADA classes will be taken over by Mr. Clarence Higgs. He is an alumnus of Hogwarts, recently finishing his mastery in Defense. He is kind enough to take on the position in such a short notice. Please give an applause to Professor Higgs!" Professor Dumbledore announced.

"Thank you. I am glad to be offered a position directly after achieving Mastery in DADA. I hope I can share my knowledge with you all. I've always loved Hogwarts, so it is an honor for me to be able to return as a teacher, see you in class" Professor Higgs said before sitting beside Severus.

Harriet's eyes narrowed when she saw Severus nod politely to the young Professor, who turned to her and grinned in a familiar way.

Wait a minute! Is that…Quasimodo? Her eyes returned to Professor Higgs' eyes, and he waved Quasimodo's feet at her cheekily.

What is Thomas doing here? As a teacher again, no less?!