Hogwarts. Day. Corridor. Hermione.. with a book in her arm, smiling.. as she walked through the corridor. Second years will be more amazing than first years.

She now made her way to greenhouse, Professor Sprout class. As the cost is clear, Snape appeared out of nowhere before her. She stopped.. gasping.. back a bit.

Their eyes meet up. "Good morning, Miss Granger".

Snape noticed Hermione held her book tightly as she looked up at him. Did he scare her? He missed her but.. she was scared of him.

"Class?"

She nodded. "Professor Sprout class, Professor Snape".

"Indeed. About what happened between Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley did you.. involve any that incident Miss Granger?" Hemione frowns. Snape asks her again. "Did you?"

"No. I wasn't".

"Good. Now get your feet back to class!". Snape snarled, his robes flowing behind him as he walked in the corridor.

Hermione felt weird about him more than ever. "What is wrong with him?"

The Whomping Willow sulks in the courtyard, slings strung about its injured branches.

Castle walls.. revealing the exterior of greenhouse three, where students hurry inside for the beginning of class. As Harry and Ron enter, Seamus, Neville and some of the other Gryffindors hover nearby.

"Detention. On the first day?" ask Neville.

"That must be some kind of record". Seamus laughed.

Hermione stares up. "I should think you'd count yourself lucky that's all you got".

"I should think you'd mind your own business". Ron answered her.

They glare at each other. "Snape asked me before I got in here!" She grit her teeth.

"Then Snape should mind his own business".

Hermione rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Professor Sprout, a squat little witch, taps her wand on a stack of pots.

"Morning, everyone! Good morning, everyone!"

"Good morning, Professor Sprout!" All students said together.

"Welcome to Greenhouse Three, Second Years. Now, gather around, everyone. Today, we are going to report on Mandrakes. Who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?"

Hermione raises her hand. "Yes, Miss Granger".

"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is used to return those who have been Petrified to their original state. It's also quite dangerous. The Mandrake's cry is fatal to anyone who hears it".

Sprout's nod with a smile. "Excellent! Ten points to Gryffindor! Now, as our Mandrakesare still only seedlings, their cries won't kill you yet. But they could knock you out for several hours, which is why I have given each of you a pair of earmuffs for auditory protection. So, could you please put them on, right away? Quickly!"

Ron frowns. He's gotten a bright pink fluffy pair. When the class is ready, Professor Sprout leads them to the garden area.

"Flaps tight down, and watch me closely. You grasp your Mandrake firmly, you pull it sharply up out of the pot..."

Sprout grasps one of the Tufty Plants before her... and pulls. Harry gasps. Instead of roots, a small, muddy, extremely ugly baby pops out of the earth, leaves growing right out of its head.

"Got it? And... now you dunk it down into the other pot and pour a little sprinkling of soil to keep him warm".

Neville's eyes roll back. He faints. Professor Sprout plunges the bawling creature deep into a pot.

"Uh, Longbottom's been neglecting his earmuffs".

"No, ma'am, he's just fainted".

"Yes, well, just leave him there. Right! On we go! Plenty of pots to go around. Grasp your Mandrake, and pull it up!"

Hermione pulls it up. So does everyone.

Moment that. "Those things could make someone deaf forever".

"Just look at Neville".

"I'm fine. Just fainted".

Diagon Alley. Snape wandered around the place.. the meantime .. His eyes caught silver blonde hair walking at Knockturn Alley.

Lucius Malfoy.

A place filled with numerous shops devoted to the Dark Arts. Unusual, sinister and sometimes dangerous individuals walked around and shopped in the area.

Snape trails behind him. Lucius went to the Borgin and Burkes store. "Ah, Lucius.. selling or buying?" ask Mr. Borgin. "I hope that what you're selling is worth more than before".

"Did I ever sell something unworthy, Borgin?" Lucius snarled. "I do believe Mr. Potter's presence is here.. I can scent him".

"Mr. Potter? When?"

Lucius pulls something out from his robes. An enchanted necklace and curse..

"This necklace was found in the muggle world. It belongs to a woman named Maria Anne Encarte. She cursed this necklace for a century.. so when someone touches.. they died immediately".

"I heard that name before. Maria".

Mr. Borgin whipped his hand towards the book. The book float.. laid on the table in front of Mr. Borgin. He began to search for Maria Anne Encarte in the book.

"There love". He looked up. "There she is".

Mr. Borgin pushes the book to Lucius. Lucius looked down with interest.

"Born in 1310. That 14th century. She cursed the necklace because.. a group of towns accusing her for being a witch. Before she died.. herself witnessed all her family die right in front of her. And the town began to take her family wealth".

"The necklace is the one she is living with .." Mr. Borgin nodded. "Excellent. How much will I get from this .. necklace".

Moments later. Lucius left the store. He felt someone was following him there.. he turned to look behind. Nothing.

Resuming his walk, with a walking cane always with him since.

"Feeling sentimental.."

A silky voice came out of nowhere that Lucius jumped to look for. Snape comes out from his hiding place, facing Lucius.

"Stealing".

Lucius chuckles. "Severus. I didn't know you were here. And what brought you here in Knockturn".

"I was all around here for my needs".

"That's good".

"Indeed". Snape studied him a bit. "I don't want to ask you about the necklace you found, Lucius. I hear you said Potter".

Lucius nods, saying. "Yes. With Weasley's and that muggle girl!"

"Do not.. say.. muggle, Lucius. The headmaster is unpleasant to hear. Including me. I was born that way".

"Your filthy father doesn't deserve to live. If I were you, Severus. I kill him. Your pathetic mum.. such an honor to defend him!"

Snape smirking. "Do not question my authority, family matters, Lucius. I'm not interested to hear".

"Of course. Will you be interested that Gilderoy Lockhart wins women's hearts that include the muggle herself".

Lucius smirks at him. He leaned closer to Snape. Whispering. "I heard that the witch had a crush on him."

Snape watched as Lucius left the place. Immediately Snape went back to Hogwarts.

Gilderoy Lockhart's classroom. Day. Gilderoy Lockhart paces before the class. Hermione and the girls hang on his every word, while Harry and Ron eye the large, covered cage rattling mysteriously on his desk.

"Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the DarkArts teacher... me!"

Ron's lift his eyebrow.

"Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-times winner of Witch Weekly's Most-Charming-Smile Award- but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at him. Huh, huh, huh... hee, hee..."

Lockhart awaits laughter. A few students smile weakly.

"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books. Well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about. Just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in..."

Lockhart begins to circulate papers. Harry and Ron examine the questions. Ron whispers to Harry.

"Look at these questions. They're all about him"

"What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?"

"What is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?"

"When is Gilderoy Lockhart's birthday and what would his ideal gift be?"

Harry and Ron talk to each other. Unbelievable things they must face.

"You have thirty minutes. Start - now!"

As quills begin to dart across pages. Hermione answers by all her heart.

Moments later. Lockhart rifles through the completed exams.

"Tut, tut. Hardly any of you remembered my favorite color is lilac. But Miss Hermione Granger knew that my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil and market my own range of hair care potions. Good girl".

Hermione beams. Lockhart's expression suddenly darkens. "Now- be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind. You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. I must ask you not to scream. It might... provoke them!"

A pale Neville draws back, Harry and Ron lean forward. Lockhart lets the tension build, then whips off the cover. Inside the cage are several electric blue creatures eight inches tall, with pointed faces and wings, they rattle the bars and pull bizarre faces at the students.

"Cornish pixies?"

"Freshly caught Cornish pixies!" Seamus snorted with laughter. "Laugh if you will, Mr. Finnigan, but pixies can be devilish tricky little blighters. Let's see what you make of them".

Lockhart flings open the cage. Hermione screamed. Everyone in Lockhart's is screaming. Especially girl students.

Instantly, the pixies rocket about, spraying the students with ink bottles, breaking beakers and shredding books.

"Ha! Come on now- round them up, round them up, they're only pixies!"

The two pixies seize Neville by the ears, lift him into the air, and begin to circle the ceiling.

Just stay there!

"Ah! Aaah! Aaah! Aah- aah! Hey, get me down!"

"Get off me!" Hermione screams again.

"Stop! Stop! Hold still!" Harry swats the pixies by the book away from Hermione. The pixies attempted to play with her bushy hair.

Meanwhile. Lockhart brandishing his wand. "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" The spell has absolutely no effect. A particularly obnoxious pixie makes a face, seizes Lockhart's wand and tosses it out the window.

Hee, hee, hee!

Yeeee-haw!

Wheee!

Lockhart joins the stampede to the door.

"I'll ask you three to just nip the rest of them back into their cage!"

Slamming the door, he's gone. Harry, Ron and Hermione stand blinking. Ron swats a pixie gnawing his ear.

"What do we do now?"

Hermione slammed the book down the ground, raising her wand up the ceiling.

"Immobulus!"

The pixies freeze in mid air. Neville was shaken but not hurt. Hung above the ceiling he looks at Hermione.

"Why is it always me?"

Later. Seventh floor. Corridor. Students walk out from Gilderoy Lockhart's class fresh from the pixies, Hermione, Ron, Harry and Neville walk. Hair askew. Robes shredded, they sigh.

"Can you believe him?"

"I'm sure Professor Lockhart just wanted to give us some hands-on experience". says Hermione.

"Hands on? Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing! We know you have a big crushed on him.. he's a stupid professor ever in Hogwarts".

"Rubbish! read his books. You'll see all the amazing things he's done".

"He says he's done".

Hermione growled. Ron spoke back. "Like you always with Snape. You defend him".

"I did not!"

"Yeah. When me and Harry talked or insulted Snape.. you burst to anger as we mentioned his name right in front of you. You stood for him, the same you stood for that bloody beauty just now. and look what he done".

Sighs, continue. "You suggest we read his book. Hermione.. he didn't do anything but worthless. I bet all the books he's in are lies." Exhaling. "That's enough. Hermione".

"Well, just forget it then. I'm sure he wasn't. Perhaps he's not". Hermione breathes heavily.