Flight of theImagination
Chapter Four
Harry awoke in the morning to find himself heading to breakfast after quickly dressing and getting ready for the day. He hadn't eat much at all at the feast yesterday, and found himself extremely hungry at the time.
"Harry, morning…" Ron said as the met in the commons.
Hermione, who had awoken with a bad headache that morning from reading too late the previous night, soon joined them.
"Seriously, I'm surprised you haven't got glasses from all that reading."
Hermione looked at him. "Well, if you must know, I was rereading Hogwarts, a history. I bought my own copy."
"Well, good for you," Ron said sarcastically.
They reached the feasting hall and started on their breakfast that day. Harry gobbled down all his toast in no time and Ron looked at him, speechless while Hermione frowned, looking at something that seemed like her class schedule.
Ron groaned. "Really, must you take out that thing? You just have to remind me…"
Hermione shrugged. "Well, we are here for a reason…"
Ron groaned again.
Other Gryffindors soon joined them.
"Up early, guys?" Dean asked happily. Ginny took a seat next to him.
Ron scowled.
Soon, the others filed in and there was a loud chatting noise that filled the atmosphere.
"I'm going to get to class right now, best not to give Snape a chance to have a go at me at the first day of the year." Harry said, standing up from the table.
"Oh, wait. I'll go too." Hermione said, gathering up her book bag. "I need to get to class early today anyway."
"Don't you go to class early everyday?" Ron said, still scowling, looking at his sister, who ignored him and went on talking with Dean, Lavender, and a few other people from Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, including Luna Lovegood.
"Oh, cheer up Ron. There's no reason for you to have a go at us just because you're unhappy at your sister." Hermione said. As she said this, Harry felt that this sentence had been used on him before too. He had been too impatient, too rash the years before. "Besides, Dean's actually a great guy…" She went on.
"Great," Ron said sarcastically. "Then why don't you go out with him…oh, but wait…you have your darling Vicky…"
"Don't call him 'Vicky'!" Hermione snapped back at him, pulling Harry's arm to get out the dining hall. "Just because it took you years to notice me doesn't mean it took other people years as well! Let's go, Harry…Ron, are you coming or are you going to sulk there all day long?"
Harry and Hermione had already turned into the long corridor towards Potions class, something Harry despised, not because he was bad at it, but because Professor Snape seemed to hate him so, and vice versa.
Hesitating, Ron gathered up his books too and ran after them.
"Hang on, I'll got too. Snape can't be that bad in the mornings, can he?" Ron said, catching up to them. Harry and Hermione exchanged glances and looked at Ron, bewildered. Ron's ears turned slightly pink and he said quickly, "I mean, perhaps he's changed. I dunno, just a thought."
Harry gave a scoff. "I doubt that…"
They walked slowly to the dungeons at their own pace, dreading the class.
"Do you think Snape really gives Remedial Potions classes?" Ron asked.
Hermione shrugged. "Why? Do you think you'll need them?" She looked at him, frowning.
Ron shrugged. "I dunno, you see him every year, it seems like he's always getting on us." Ron replied.
They entered the class, a few Slytherins glancing and sneering at them.
"Oh no," Hermione turned away. "It's that Pansy Parkinson girl." She sat down and immediately took out a book to cover her face under.
"Come on, Hermione." Ron said, sitting next to her as Harry sat on her other side. "She can't be that bad…I mean, if she's Malfoy's girlfriend, she must be—"
"What's this, Weasel?"
Malfoy's voice rose behind them and the boys turned, Hermione still buried in her Potions book. Malfoy made his way to their desk, sneering. Pansy Parkinson joined him, laughing like a hyena.
"Trying to insult us behind our backs, huh? Well, you're not doing a good job, are you now?" He laughed and turned to Harry, who glared at him. "Like I said, Potter, you cross the line and it'll be a week of detention for you all."
"Well, luckily for you, we're also prefects," Hermione said, suddenly coming from out of her book. "And unless you leave, you'll be getting detention as well." She snapped. Harry and Ron looked at her.
"Oh, it's too bad you came out from your book, you looked so good with it." Pansy said, shrieking with hideous laughter as she clung onto Malfoy.
Harry and Ron stood up, wands raised.
"Harry!" Neville's voice came, but they ignored it.
"Harry! Ron! Sit down!" Hermione urged, pulling them down; they didn't budge and had their wands still risen. "Class is about to start! Don't get in trouble today!" She pleaded.
"Yes, Weasley, listen to your girlfriend, now." Malfoy snickered.
"Shut it, you." Ron said, his ears red. "I'll hex you."
"You? You can barely hex anything." Malfoy laughed. "I'm surprised you got a wand, Weasel. I thought your father was a poor bloke." He turned to Harry. "Bet you lent it to them, didn't you, Potter? You wanted to help these useless, dirt-driven, traitors…"
Harry and Ron made a move to strangle him.
"Potter! Weasley! Sit down or it'll be 10 points from Gryffindor!" Snape hissed as he emerged into the room.
Harry and Ron glared at him in disbelief.
"But, Malfoy…he provoked us…" Ron sputtered as Harry sat down, stuffing his wand inside his pocket and beckoning Ron to do the same.
Snape smiled a horrible smile. "You mean to tell me, that you cannot manage your anger at your current age? My, my, that explains a lot…" He smiled at them. Malfoy snickered from the back of the room. "Should I take a few more points from Gryffindor then?"
Harry could almost feel the smile of Malfoy's face burn into him.