Chapter Three
When Hogwarts awoke on Monday, it was a beautiful and warm September day. They made their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast, and were given their timetables by Professor McGonagall. Over cornflakes, porridge and toast, they glanced over them.
"Excellent morning, double Transfiguration and then Charms," said Adam, sprinkling large amounts of sugar on his porridge.
"Oh, but then we've got double Potions and History of Magic after lunch..." groaned Ron.
"At least it's not double Potions first thing on a Monday," joked Chris. "Although, I suppose that would be classed as torture..."
"Mail's here," commented Hermione, as a huge variety of owls began to swoop into the hall. A large grey owl swooped down in front of Kate. She took the thick envelope from it, ruffled its feathers, and it took off again.
"Ah, it's our patrol times." Kate handed out the notes to her sixth-year friends. "Where have you guys got?" She opened her own note. "Oh, great. I've got the dungeons, final shift. What about you guys?" Kate listened with envy as her classmates reeled off the much easier locations they had been given. Kate finished her breakfast, and was lazily glancing over a copy of the Daily Prophet when McGonagall came sweeping up the hall towards her.
"Miss Johnson, may I have a word before the lesson?" She looked slightly anxious.
"Of course, Professor." Kate swung her bag over her shoulder and followed McGonagall to her office. She sat in the chair opposite McGonagall's desk, somewhat confused. The Professor sat down behind her desk.
"Katharine, you may be wondering why you have been assigned the dungeons as your patrol?"
"I have been wondering, yes, Professor." Kate accepted the offered biscuit. "I'm also wondering why a seventh-year wasn't assigned; I'd have thought that the dungeons were fairly risky to be patrolling late at night."
"Professor Dumbledore has great confidence in your abilities, Miss Johnson. You are an excellent witch, and your defence skills are better than those of some adult witches and wizards I've met. The Headmaster feels that you are more than capable."
"Thank you, Professor." Kate couldn't help but smile.
The morning lessons went by quickly. The sixth years were eager to be starting Human Transfiguration, and so seemed to be working harder than ever that morning. Charms with Professor Flitwick was always good fun; especially so that morning as he commented on the excellence of the charms used on the puddings near the end of the previous term.
After lunch, the sixth years dragged themselves down the stone steps that led to the dungeons. It was with some apprehension that Kate entered the dungeon and slipped into her usual seat at the back next to Chris. Severus Snape swept in, and silence fell.
"You are all sitting in this classroom this afternoon because you have opted to take Potions on to NEWT Level. As such, I expect a high level of effort in my lessons, and I expect your work to be of the highest standard. If anyone fails to meet these standards, they shall be punished accordingly." The gazed around coolly at the class, his gaze resting for a moment on each student.
He set them all to work on an antidote, informing them at the end of the lesson that at the end of October he would be testing them all on different antidotes to different poisons. "I hope that by testing each of you on something different that you will all learn a lot instead of learning from your fellow classmates." The bell rang. "Class dismissed." Kate had almost escaped, when- "Miss Johnson, a word."
Kate reluctantly turned from the door, and shut it. "Is there something wrong, Professor?"
"Sit down, Miss Johnson." Kate sat at a desk at the front of the room, suddenly feeling incredibly nervous. "That was some excellent work in class today, Miss Johnson."
"Thank you, Professor." Kate shifted uncomfortably. She hated the long silences that Snape tended to leave between sentences.
"Katharine, I must ask you something." Kate looked up at Snape- he rarely used first names. The only time he had used her first name recently was during the summer. "With regard to the events of the summer, I must ask that you do not tell anyone that it was I who saved your life. Naturally, the staff knows, but I do not think it wise for such a fact to become common knowledge throughout the whole school."
"Of course, Professor. I understand."
"You may go, Miss Johnson."
"Thank you, Professor." Kate hurried along to History of Magic, wondering why on earth they had to take it at NEWT level. Still, she thought, it's an easy subject now we've got self-writing quills.
