Chapter Eight

Of Mice and Marbles

Harry, Ron and Hermione hurried up from the dungeon to the 4th floor classroom where they would take transfiguration. Professor Mc Gonagall was not in the classroom but at each spot on the tables was a small mouse in a glass case. They took their seats and waited for everyone to arrive. Shortly after Ginny appeared with a distressed look on her face followed by Draco with his normal smug look. Ginny took a seat next to Hermione and Draco took one a few rows back to Ginny's right. Hermione looked at Ginny and noticed her robe was buttoned wrong.

Leaning into her she whispered "Ginny I think you need to go fix your robe."

Ginny looked down and got slightly pink in the face.

"I must have buttoned it wrong this morning I'll be right back."

Ginny stood and left no doubt for the girls' lavatory. Draco followed her with his eyes shaking his head. Hermione gave him a bug off you git look and turned her back to him. Next came in Neville, Seamus and Dean. Followed by Blaze and Patti. Cho scooted in last with Professor Mc Gonagall sweeping in behind her. Ginny snuck back in as the Professor was heading towards her desk.
"Good Morning Class," Professor Mc Gonagall said

"Good Morning Professor, the class responded as one.

"Today's lesson is to change your mice into marbles. Everyone take out you wand." She then picked up a mouse in her hand and raised her wand in the other. Tapping it three times

"Vera Verto" The mouse turned into a large purple marble that she laid on her desk.

"Now all of you try it. " She instructed

Everyone took to the task of turning his or her mice into marbles. Draco made it happen almost immediately. This just made Hermione mad and made her work all the harder, soon enough she too turned the mouse into a red marble. Draco had taken to throwing his green marble up in the air and catching it. One by one they all turned their mice into marbles. The last one to do it was Ginny. She tapped her mouse way to hard and suddenly it turned into a solid black marble that exploded on her desk with a sharp crack.

"Miss Weasley," Professor Mc Gonagall said sharply "You need to calm down and concentrate. What ever is bothering you is no reason to act like that in my class. I think you need to leave and work out your issues. If you do not think you can come in here calmly then you should see Headmaster Dumbledore and have yourself removed from my class."

Ginny picked up her stuff and left the class. Tears welling in her eyes as she walked away. Draco looked at her and smiled cruelly when he saw her tears. Ron was half out of his seat when Professor Mc Gonagall stopped him.

"Mr. Weasley! Sit down or you can join your sister outside my class"

Ron sat down with Harry reaching up and pulling him down by the front of his robe

"Relax, class is over in a few minutes and you can check on her if you want to" Harry whispered

"Very good class, you may take your marbles with you and practice. Everyone is to read chapter 3 in your books before our next class." She continued

The bell then rang and every one stood, pocketing their marbles. Professor Mc Gonagall waved her wand and refilled the glass cases with new mice for her next class. Ron rushed out of the room with Harry and Hermione in tow but once he hit the hall he realized there was nothing he could do. He had no idea how to help his sister. He shrugged his shoulders and changed directions heading to the Great Hall for lunch.