Chapter 14
The morning of the magical exhibition found Hermione and Draco finalizing the preparations in the headmasters office. Seventeen first years representing all four houses volunteered to showcase their magic.
"Mr. Malfoy, if you don't mind, I would like to speak to Miss Granger alone," Dumbledore suggested.
"Certainly. Later Shorty," Draco said with a wink. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Now Miss Granger. I assume you've made absolutely sure that your particular "feat of magic" will cause no harm?"
"Yes sir. You and I will drink the antidote beforehand so that we can assure no harm will come to anyone. No worries, headmaster."
"Very well. I look forward to this evening. Have a good day of classes."
Leaving his office, Hermione smiled.
He knows I'm doing some kind of magical potion, but not that I'll be doing it all wandless. This is going to be great
Around seven that Friday evening, the students of Hogwarts eagerly gathered in the great hall to see what feats the seventh years would exhibit. First up was a Hufflepuff named Ayden Foote (the highest ranking Hufflepuff). With graceful waving of his wand, he started off by raining flower petals from the ceiling, that turned into snowflakes, that finally ended up as pieces of bubblegum that plopped to the floor.
Turning to the staff table, he said "Professor Sprout, could you hold on to your chair please?"
Muttering a spell and pointing his wand, Professor Sprout with her sitting in her chair, was gracefully levitated and floated across the room to the platform where Ayden was. Upon landing, Ayden said "Orchideas" and a bunch of flowers popped out of the end of his wand and were presented to the blushing professor. Ayden bowed and the students applaused.
The evening continued, with many "oooh" and "ahhhs" from the first years. This also gave the staff an opportunity to see how their charges peformed before their NEWTS. The last three were Harry, Draco, and Hermione. Harry's act was simple but impressive. He conjured a powerful stag patronus that trotted about the room. Even the seasoned seventh-years watching were impressed, as some of them had yet to cast a patronus. To finish his exhibition, Harry muttered "anima" then barely touched his forehead with his wand. He transformed into hawk, flew around the great hall and landed on the staff table in front of Dumledore. Seconds later he returned to human form sitting cross legged on top he table. He shook hands with Dumbledore then hopped down and joined the crowd. The applause he received was the most so far.
Now everyone was sitting on edge waiting to see what the head boy and girl would do. Draco stood on the platform and disappeared with a small pop. He reappeared a second later behind the staff table. Dissapearing again, he appeared behind Ginny, giving her a peck on the cheek. He continued in this manner for several minutes, no one knowing where he would show up. This was a first class exhibition in apparation, and Draco had perfected it. His last apparation had him ending up the same place Harry had, taking an apple from the bowl in front of Snape, biting into it, disappear, then show up again sitting next to Ginny.
Last but not least, Hermione was the platform setting up a medium sized table. She handed a cauldron to Professor Snape (earning her a raised eyebrow), ladle, stirring spoon, and various potion ingredients to various students about the room. She finally handed her wand to the first year named Glasser who she had helped out a couple of weeks ago.
"Could you hold this please? I won't be needing it," Hermione said.
"What will you be doing Miss Granger?" Mr. Glasser asked.
"Oh, you'll see, Mr. Glasser, soon enough," she replied with a wink.
She nodded to Dumbledore, who nodded in return. Snape and McGonagall looked each other questioningly.
What is she up to? they both wondered.
What she did shocked everyone. She started performing wandless magic! Even McGonagall and Snape stood up, wanting a better view. No student in recent memory had demonstrated a proclivity for it. No one even knew she was studying the subject. Arm slightly extended, palm up, she said concentrated hard saying "Accio cauldron!"
The cauldron flew from Snape's surprised hands to Hermione's waiting ones. Placing it on the table, she 'accio-ed' the remaining implements from around the room and ingredients and started the potion. The crowd was mesmerized as Hermione twirled her finger above the cauldron making the spoon stir the potion. Looking at her watch, testing the potion with a thermometer, Snape felt a sense of pride watching her.
Wandless, yes wandless magic and look at the care she takes with the potion. Now if I only knew what you are brewing? Snape thought.
Looking at Mr. Glasser in the front row, she asked him smiling,
"Ready Mr. Glasser?"
He silently nodded his head, eyes wide.
"Okay, I would request that everyone please stay seated," she said.
Seeing that the potion was ready, she looked straight at Snape while extending her arms, placing her hands together above the cauldron, she wiggled her eyebrows at him.
Is she doing what I think she's doing? McGonagall mused.
She spread her arms to the sides, and a gentle lavender fragrance wafted around the room. Snape immediately knew what potion she had brewed.
Cheeky gir! he thought as he drifted off to sleep.
The potion she had wandlessly brewed and cast about the room was a simple, harmless sleeping potion that would last for 5 minutes. Hermione and Dumbledore had drunk the antidote before the exhibition before the show.
"Well, Miss Granger. I would dare say you surprised us all. I'm not sure how your head of house is going to react at being put to sleep. Wandless magic? I didn't even know you were studying the craft. Fifty points to Gryffindor."
Hermione took a chair, placed it on the platform, then took a seat. Leaning back, she propped her feet on the table looking again at her watch. Another couple of minutes and they, well, everyone should be waking up. With her hands behind her head, feet propped up, she watched everyone wake up. Yawning and stretching as if they had taken a good nap, every sleeper in the great hall looked in astonishment at Hermione.
Hermione spoke,
"The lesson in this is as follows: With focused study and determination, can you see what one small witch can do? Remember what all of us showed you this evening, and within seven years of hard work, you'll be doing the same. Accio wand, thanks Mr. Glasser."
With thunderous applause that startled Hermione, she made her way to Dumbledore to shake his hand.
Congratulations, Hermione. Impressive indeed. Snape thought.