Potions was more difficult than Teddie had expected.
Instead of being in the Potions classroom, like they had been every other year, they were called into the Great Hall and expected to prepare and concoct the potion in front of an examiner. Again, thankfully, Teddie had Professor Marchbank, which she was thankful. While Professor Tofty had apologised for his unprofessional manner and she had accepted said apology, she didn't feel like being examined by him on her lack of knowledge when it came to Potions.
Professor Marchbank seemed like the old motherly type of person, and while Teddie knew she couldn't favourite examiners, she did like Marchbank out of anyone else.
"Are you ready, Miss Green?" Professor Marchbank asked as Teddie took a deep breath and looked down at her Potions list. She felt her stomach drop as she realised, she needed to recreate the Draught of the Living Dead and felt momentarily sick. She had almost messed this one up in class, had Theo not been there to correct her.
Teddie nodded, numbly and set to work when Professor Marchbank told her to start. She made sure to read each line over twice, her eyes dragging from one word to the next very carefully to be sure that she didn't make a mistake. By the end of the hour, and when Professor Marchbank called for her to stop, Teddie felt a little better and was sure that she hadn't failed.
She left the Great Hall with Daphne, taking their places on the Marble Staircase as they revised for Tuesday's Care of Magical Creatures exam while Theo and Blaise did their current Potions. Once the four of them had completed both their practical and written portions, they returned to the library, which had become a sort of safe haven for many fifth- and seventh-year students.
On Wednesday, fifth year students sat their Astronomy theory exam in the Great Hall. This time Teddie was sat near the front and had no visual on her friends, she was about to glance around for Theo when time was called to start and she was forced to look back at her exam paper as not to be accused of cheating.
The exam, in Teddie's opinion, went well enough. She was sure that she had got all the names of Jupiter's moons correct, but she wouldn't stake her life on it, but she was confident enough to believe she'd get at least a 'E' in the subject.
Just like Daphne and Blaise had last Thursday morning off while Teddie and Theo sat their Ancient Runes exam, Teddie and Theo had this Thursday off while Daphne and Blaise sat their Divination exam. The pair had chosen to isolate themselves in the Slytherin common room after breakfast, their noses pressed to their Astronomy books for the practical exam that was set for that evening.
"Personally, I can't wait to drop Divination," said Daphne, dropping onto the leather armchair with a sigh and a bounce. "Don't get me wrong, I think I'll get at least a D in the theory, but I may get higher in the practical this afternoon."
Teddie glanced at Blaise. "How about you?" she asked.
"Oh, I got a T on the theory," said Blaise without missing a beat. "Why did I let you talk me into Divination?" he asked Daphne.
Daphne gaped at him. "I took it because you asked me!" she shrieked.
Teddie rolled her eyes and glanced at Theo.
"The term oblivious comes to mind," Theo whispered, leaning over so that only Teddie could hear him.
Teddie sniggered into her hand.
~X~
After dinner that evening, Teddie took an hour nap before regrouping with her friends in the Common Room and going over last-minute revision notes for Astronomy. At eleven o'clock she, and the rest of the fifth year Slytherins, made their way up to the North Tower and were greeted by the fifth year Gryffindors, all of whom were waiting for be let up into the Astronomy Tower.
At eleven thirty, Professor Marchbank opened the tower door and permitted them entry. She gave them a chance to find a suitable place next to an available telescope and then distributed their exam papers.
"You will have two hours to complete your exam," said Professor Tofty, as he made sure that each student was far enough apart to not see anyone else's booklet, but still have access to a telescope. Teddie found herself on her stomach between Theo and Daphne.
The night sky outside was perfect for stargazing - cloudless and still. The grounds were bathed in the silvery moonlight, and there was a slight chill in the air. Teddie carefully set up her telescope, feeling Daphne's legs brush against her own as she hooked her right ankle behind her left one and kicked her legs into the air.
At exactly midnight, Professor Marchbanks called for everyone's attention. "You may begin," she instructed.
Teddie scribbled her name at the top of her star chart, and adjusted her telescope searching for her first constellation. She may have barely scraped by in her theory, but she was confident that her practical would be more illuminating. The constellations and planets were, in myths and legends, linked back to ancient gods, and if there was one thing that Teddie knew quite a bit about it was Myths and Legends.
Half an hour past, and Teddie was three-quarters of the way through her star chart when she was startled by a resounding BANG as the double doors leading to the Entrance Hall opened and light spilled out onto the lawn. The doors were, coincidentally, located directly beneath where she was been laying.
"Holy -" Teddie squeaked. She jumped and looked around, shooting Professor Marchbanks and Tofty an apologetic look before returning her attention to her telescope As she re-adjusted the scope to find Venus, she kept one eye on the figures now striding across the lawn towards Hagrid's hut, and her brow furrowed as she couldn't help but wonder why.
Teddie put her eye back to her telescope and looked up at Venus. She jotted a few things down on her star chart when the booming barks of Fang, Hagrid's boarhound echoed across the grounds. By now, Teddie noticed, she wasn't the only person that had noticed the figures on the ground, or their intentions on waking Hagrid up at this time of the morning.
Lights turned on inside Hagrid's hut, and Teddie felt her heart thud against her chest. The door opened to the hut opened, and six figures passed through. Silence fell over the grounds once more as the door closed behind them
"I don't remember Hagrid's hut being a constellation or planet, Miss Green," said Professor Marchbank.
Teddie jumped and glanced over her right shoulder. She smiled, sheepishly, and bent her head back towards her star chart.
Readjusting her telescope, Teddie caught Theo's gaze from the corner of her eye and subtly nodded at Hagrid's hut. He looked away, but she saw him glance towards the grounds and knew that he had caught on to what she was silently telling him. Something was going on, and she was curious to know what.
Silence fell again, and despite wanting to know if everything was alright at Hagrid's, Teddie forced herself to return to her exam. She searched for the Moon with her telescope, and then jotted down its position on her chart. She was in the process of searching for Jupiter when there came a roar from the distance that echoed through the darkness.
Several people ducked out from behind their telescopes to see what had happened, and Teddie's gaze instantly returned to Hagrid's hut.
Professor Tofty gave a little dry cough and called, in a soft tone. "Try and concentrate, now, boys and girls," he said.
Most people returned to their telescopes, but Teddie looked to her right, over Theo's head, and spotted Harry watching Hagrid's hut intensely. He caught her gaze, and she could see the fear reflected in his emerald eyes.
"Ahem - twenty minutes to go," said Professor Tofty.
The warning caused several people to return to their star charts but Teddie and Harry remained staring out at the darkness, waiting to see what would happen next down at Hagrid's. A few minutes later, the door to the hut burst open and Hagrid stormed out, his fists raised as six red stunners hit him from all sides.
"No!" Hermione yelled.
"My dear!" said Professor Tofty in a scandalised voice. "This is an examination."
But no one was paying attention anymore. Jets of red light were still flying beside Hagrid's cabin, yet somehow, they seemed to be bouncing off of him. He was still upright and still fighting. Cries and yells echoed across the grounds; a man yelled 'be reasonable, Hagrid' and Hagrid roared 'Reasonable be damned!'
A tiny figure bounded out of the hut, barking and charging at the men surrounding Hagrid. Teddie watched as Fang took a running leap at one of the men, and a well-aimed stunner caught him in the chest.
"Fang!" Teddie cried.
"Really, Miss Green, please," said Professor Marchbank.
Hagrid gave a furious howl and lifted the culprit into the air. There was a tense gasp as Hagrid threw the man through the air, and he landed in a heap a few feet away from the forbidden forest.
"Look!" squealed Parvati. She was leaning over the parapet and pointing to the foot of the Castle where the front doors had opened again. More light spilled out onto the dark lawn and a single long black shadow was now rippling across the lawn.
"Now, really!" said Professor Tofty anxiously. "Only sixteen minutes left, you know."
But nobody paid him any attention.
"How dare you!" the figure shouted. "How dare you!"
"It's McGonagall," Daphne whispered.
"Leave him alone! Alone, I say!" said McGonagall. "On what grounds are you attacking him? He has done nothing, nothing to warrant such -"
Hermione, Lavender, Parvati, Daphne, and Teddie screamed as, no less than four Stunners shot towards McGonagall. They collided with her and, for a split moment she looked luminous, illuminated by an eerie red glow, then she was lifted right off her feet, landed hard on her back, and moved no more.
"Galloping Gargoyles!" shouted Professor Tofty. "Not so much as a warning! Outrageous behaviour!"
"COWARDS!" bellowed Hagrid, his voice causing trees to shake in the forest. "RUDDY COWARDS! HAVE SOME O' THAT - AN' THAT -"
Teddie's eyes widened as she watched the people nearest Hagrid drop like stones. When they didn't move, she figured that they were knocked out cold. For a moment, after knocking down several men, Hagrid bent at the waist, and Teddie held her breath. Had he finally succumbed to the Stunners? How many more could he take before caving?
But Hagrid soon straightened up and this time it looked like he had a sack on his back.
"It's Fang," Theo whispered, glancing at Teddie and noticing the fear on her face. She nodded numbly, her eyes tracing the limp, lifeless body of the boarhound.
"Get him, get him!" screamed Umbridge.
Teddie clenched her jaw. "Get her, Hagrid," she whispered, furiously.
Daphne half-glanced at her friend.
But Hagrid was backing away from the battle. Once he was at the edge of the Forbidden Forest, he turned and run, disappearing into the darkness with Fang still hung around his neck.
There was silence.
Silence on the grounds, and silence in the Astronomy Tower.
Teddie swallowed, her mouth dry and her hands were shaking. She wasn't sure if they were shaking with rage or fear, but she had to unclench them and flex her fingers to calm down.
"Um… five minutes to go, everybody…" said Professor Tofty in a feeble attempt to get everyone to focus again.
But even as she tried to fill in the last half of her star chart, Teddie found her mind wandering. The image of Hagrid sprinting away from his hut with Fang slung around his shoulders was haunting, and she was sure she'd see it later when she got into bed.
But what worried her the most was Umbridge. Why had she attacked Hagrid, and what did she have in store for Hogwarts now that the end of year was upon them?