Beta: None, as AriArlene is busy with classes.
Original Release Date: 1/8/16
Disclaimer: I do not own anything in the canon Harry Potter universe or any other universe.
Chapter Forty – Practical Application
"Remus has had an interesting idea of professors sitting with the students every so often to be more approachable" states Professor McGonagall as the rest of the staff sit in the Staff Room.
"I would rather do such a thing and have a student feel more comfortable in asking me for help than to seem like a cold and distant professor" remarks Remus.
"I disagree with such a silly notion. It can lead to students become…lax in their respect given to their professors" states Snape cooly.
"Of course, that would have been avoided. I however don't foresee too many students becoming problematic in giving respect or lack thereof" states Remus.
"I like the idea, but not as much as possibly allowing the students mingle amongst themselves. Perhaps at the last meal on Fridays or over the weekend even? It could help strengthen old friendships and create new ones as well" pipes up Professor Flitwick animatedly.
With a twinkle in his eyes, Dumbledore speaks, "I quite like the idea of allowing the students to mingle amongst themselves, fostering new friendships between the houses. I think allowing the students to do so on the weekends would be quite acceptable. All in favor, say 'aye'."
"Aye!" choruses most of the professors.
"Not in favor, say 'nay'" instructs Dumbledore, waiting for a response.
When not a single 'nay' is uttered, Dumbledore turns to Snape and asks curiously, "Severus, you haven't voiced your consent or dissent on the matter. Is there something on your mind?"
With his soulless black eyes staring back at the headmaster, Snape replies coldly, "I wish to be clear on this matter, Headmaster, that while I do not approve of this matter despite its benefits, it does not personally affect me. However, I would like to have a section clarified in that while students CAN change tables that they aren't going to be FORCED into such a matter."
"Of course not, Severus. They can remain at their own table daily if they so choose" answers Dumbledore calmly.
"Then I see no reason to object" states Snape emotionlessly.
"Wonderful!" exclaims Professor McGonagall.
"I will vehemently object to the notion of professors sitting amongst the students however" states Snape firmly.
"Another time then.." states Dumbledore.
In the Gryffindor Common Room, the four third years inspect their second generation Omni Play units that had arrived in the wooden crate.
"But what is so different from the older model?" wonders Neville out loud as he turns the device over in his hands.
"Slightly stronger material and apparently a camera on the back, at the top of the device and in the middle. Supposedly to help identify items such as creatures, plants, amongst other things" answers Harry as he reads over the folded piece of paper included in the crate.
"Interesting" states Neville holding up both the new Omni Play and the original model, gasping as the words, 'Transferring Account' and numbers fly across the screen from the older model to the second generation model. Seconds later 'Transfer Complete' and '100 %' appear on the second generation device before winking away into nothingness.
Holding up their own units, Harry and Hermione quickly have the same result before seconds later a familiar blonde haired female appears on Harry's Omni Play.
"Hello Harry Potter, how are you?" inquiries Luna.
"Luna, I suppose you got an Omni Play from the Marauders Emporium a few minutes ago?" asks Harry.
"I did, but please don't ignore my question" answers Luna kindly.
"O-oh, right. I'm doing quite well, how about yourself?" asks Harry caught slightly off guard.
"Quite well, thank you. You wouldn't know why Professor Lupin and Mr. Black have sent me one, do you?" answers Luna.
Shaking his head, Harry replies, "I haven't a clue."
"Ok, thanks" states Luna in her normal tone as the video call ends.
Peering into the crate, Ron calls out, "Uh, there are three more in here."
"Two of those are ours, younger brother" calls out Fred from across the as he and George make their way to crate, selecting two of the three devices out of the crate and disappearing up the stairwell to their room.
"I wonder who gets the last one?" wonders Neville aloud.
Continuing to read the included note, Harry finally answers, "Looks like it's Ginny's."
"Why her?" states Ron looking up from his device.
"Why not me?" answers Ginny from the door to the common room, hands on her hips.
Walking over to Ginny, Harry hands her the second generation Omni Play with a brief murmuring thanks as she receives it from him.
"I'll say it again Ron, why not me?" demands Ginny staring daggers at Ron.
Mumbling something incoherent but not answering, Ron keeps his eyes elsewhere, exploring the Omni Play. Sitting down beside Hermione on the couch, Ginny turns the Omni Play over and over in her hands before asking no one in particular, "So why did I get one? I mean, I can see Harry, Neville, and the twins, but the rest of us?"
"I'm going to take a guess that it is due to us being together over the summer with Remus, but past that I haven't a clue" answers Harry as he explores through the familiar interface of his Omni Play.
Spending another half an hour playing around with their new found devices, the common room slowly empties as students head off to bed.
The next morning after finishing their morning exercising routine, the Gryffindor students arrive in the Great Hall and begin to eat. Noticing students and teachers alike entering, Neville remarks, "I haven't seen Hagrid yet."
"Do you think that he has been let go from teaching?" asks Hermione quietly.
"I hope not. I don't know who they'd get to teach Care of Magical Creatures on such short notice" answers Harry.
"I agree with Harry, besides which Malfoy hasn't died, or we would have heard more about it. Let's not dwell too long on it, and if he doesn't show up, we can go visit his home and see what's bothering him" adds Neville.
A few days later on Thursday in double Potions class that had just begun with Gryffindor and Slytherin students, the door opens wide as Draco swaggers in, right arm in a sling and bandaged up.
"Mr. Malfoy, take a seat to Messrs Potter and Weasley; they can assist you in today's lesson" instructs Snape before continuing to give directions.
"Mr. Weasley, please cut Mr. Malfoy's roots" instructs Snape as he prowls the room, watching as the students handle their potion ingredients with care, or lack thereof.
Exiting the dungeon, Ron remarks snidely to Harry, "I think Malfoy is feigning constant injury."
Shaking his head, Harry replies, "I think you're right. His wound didn't look too bad from our perspective, but perhaps he had a tendon or something cut that still hurts. But let's not worry about that so much and talk about what we might see in Defense Against the Dark Arts today."
"Right, I forgot we have that after lunch. What do you think we'll do?" inquiries Ron curiously as they make their way to the Great Hall for lunch.
Shrugging his shoulders, Harry answers, "I think he'll welcome us all back and either start us on some creature we need to learn to defend from, such as a Dementor, or assign us something interesting to read and learn about."
"How about you not worry about my class and focus on where you are going?" chuckles Remus appearing in front of them.
"Sorry professor" chorus Ron and Harry.
Sitting down at their table, Hermione remarks, "Well that was an interesting Potions class with Shrinking Potions. If it could only affect a certain area of the body, say a swollen arm, magically enlarged toe, the possibilities are very high."
"Then why don't you research it and write a paper on it?" suggests Harry jokingly.
Face lighting up in delight, Hermione bubbles while quickly scrawling down some notes on a spare bit of parchment. "That is a wonderful idea, Harry! It would be terribly fascinating to help push the progress of the magical world forward."
Smiling, Harry responds, "Wonderful, but be warned that not everyone will be as open minded as us to changing the ways that some things are done. There have been many witches and wizards who have sent Howlers to Sirius and Remus for selling what they do, saying that it hasn't been done that way before, and now isn't the time to change what works. So just keep it as quiet and to the smallest group of people possible, or someone might try to interfere with your research. Just to warn you."
"Thanks Harry" smiles Hermione.
Turning to Neville quietly eating, Harry asks, "Something on your mind, Neville?"
"Huh? Oh, just thinking about our Ancient Runes class this morning" states Neville, going back to being quiet.
"Hmm. Well, we have Defense Against the Dark Arts this afternoon, followed by Muggle Studies, so you might want to finish it before getting into class" jests Harry, cracking a smile with Ron.
Finishing their meal and heading to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, the four quickly find themselves not the only students eager to having a competent professor for once. As the door is unlocked and opened from inside, the students swarm into the classroom, staking out their preferred seats.
Several minutes later as more students enter and take their seat, the bell rings and Remus clears his throat before smiling and announcing, "I welcome you all back for this your third year of magical education. To begin with, you all are allowed to use your Omni Play when reading is assigned both in class and out of class as to allow you to not have to weigh your bags down as much. However, when we do such reading in class, you are NOT permitted to send communications to other students, whether or not you are finished with the assigned reading. If multiple students are found to be abusing this privilege of bringing their Omni Play to class, and are found to be communicating with anyone, then I shall revoke the privilege, and everyone will have to bring their physical book to class, no exceptions. Any questions?"
Looking around at the lack of hands, but obviously excited individuals sitting on the edge of their seats, Remus announces once more, "Then let us be off to the staff room for a practical application lesson. You can leave your bags here if you wish."
As the class makes their way to the staffroom, many students titter with anticipation for what they would face in their lesson. Opening the door into the wood paneled room with mismatching chairs, Remus leads the way in where Snape sits in a corner, staring with his coal black eyes at the group.
With a silky soft growl, Snape states, "I would watch out for Mr. Finnigan, he is prone to making things spontaneously combust."
Giving Snape a half smile, Remus answers, "I'll keep that in mind next time I need a pyrotechnic show."
Wordlessly Snape strides out of the room, his robes as black as his eyes, billowing out behind him as the door closes softly behind him.
"Today we shall be facing a boggart. Has anyone read the book into what boggarts are?" inquiries Remus as he looks around.
Hand shooting into the air, Hermione is challenged by both Neville and Harry's hands also rising.
"Yes Miss Granger?"
"Boggarts are shape-shifters that turn into whatever a person fears the most" answers Hermione.
"Correct. Does anyone know how a boggart is defeated?" inquiries Remus looking around the room.
With only two hands jumping back into the air, Remus states, "Yes, Mr. Longbottom?"
"With laughter, sir."
"Very good. There is a trick to besting a boggart, and that is to have two or more people to face a boggart when you confront it. By thinking on what would make the boggart no longer frightening and instead funny. Let's begin with a wandless incantation of the spell. Repeat after me, 'Riddikulus' " states Remus.
"Riddikulus" choruses the entire class.
"Please line up and you all will each take a turn to face the boggart" announces Remus.
Several hilarious minutes later, Ron steps forward and the boggart transforms into a giant spider, causing Ron to shudder visibly. "A tap dancing spider!" shouts a girl from the group of finished students.
"No, make the spider be on rollerskates!" shouts a boy from the group.
As laughter reverberates throughout the room, Harry steps forward and the spider unable to keep its balance from the skates transforms into a Dementor. The room goes quiet before Neville jumps in and helps by having Snape and the Dementor getting married, both still wearing black. As laughter begins to grow, Harry trades off with Neville as Voldemort appears over the corpses of his parents and grandmother.
"Riddikulus" states Harry as Voldemort fades, screaming out as he did in the Chamber of Secrets as the Basilisk fang was thrust into the Horcrux, the boggart disappearing with a pop afterwards.
"Well done, well done to you all. You all have been the best class of third years out of all four houses. Let us make our way back to the classroom before the bell rings" announces Remus as the students make their way back to the classroom.
Hours later and certainly after Muggle Studies, the four Gryffindor students sit down at their house table before Dumbledore gets to his feet, raises his hands for quiet, before announcing, "It has been decided that all weekends hence forth, that students will be allowed to change from their house table to other house tables. Now, let's feast!"
With the food appearing on the serving platters, the student body begins to dig into their food with gusto, and with the ability to change tables beginning on the weekend, there was a lot to talk about amongst the students.
Author note: Thank you all and welcome to 2016! As a random tidbit, I haven't read the reviews from the last chapter before writing this section, but I hope everyone had a wonderful and safe past few weeks.
-Lonewolf420 – Thank you for the multiple reviews. :) I like your naming idea of Personalized Individual Music Player, however it is slightly redundant. But I appreciate the idea (and maybe I'll attempt to work something like that into a future creation, there are more to come). I won't speak definitely, but Moody may come back, or he may not. Essentially this fanfic has a general idea built for it, but most chapters are written as it comes off the top of my head. I think I meant in chapter 39 to have it say that Hagrid would be the replacement teacher, but I know I didn't specifically say who he was replacing. I'll look into it and make some changes. :)
-TeacherGirl – Hermione left her Omni Connect (I may need better names for these devices), essentially the rectangular and wooden box that allows her to place books and other physical items in, at home. I have clarified it in chapter 39. Thank you. :) Now to Harry willingly taking Divination, I didn't want him to be taking the exact classes as Neville and Hermione, and even just a single class difference wouldn't have made it enough of a difference for my plan (that will reveal itself long on down the line). But yes, he isn't stupid and knows what he is doing. Ron would like to stay with a friend, and since he and Harry are working on a game together, why not stick with him?
-Katiek121 – I have not played Catan before, but I shall look into it. I was thinking more of a Final Fantasy Tactics Advance version, with the same sized squares, different unit types (mage, soldier, thief, etc), but with aspects that aren't in that game, and will be described when it is released in the story (I need to nail some aspects down and verify that my ideas aren't haven't already been used in a game, so no one can yell copycat at me.) :)