Chapter Four: Leprechauns and Tulips
After lunch Harry, Hermione and Ron headed off to DADA excited and a little nervous about meeting their new professor for the first time.
"Wonder what's wrong with this one then," Ron commented.
"What do you mean wrong?" Hermione asked.
"Well we've never really had a normal DADA professor have we? They've all been evil, or slightly mad."
"Lupin was not mad," Harry defended, missing his old professor and friend.
"No I suppose not, but he was the most normal one and he was a werewolf," Ron said.
The three fell into silence and continued pondering their new professor as they walked the rest of the way to class.
As they entered they noticed most of the Slytherins already seated listening to Professor Avarus tell them a story about a Leprechaun that he captured but later had to kill due to the violence exerted from the creature.
"I did gain a fair bit of wealth for a few weeks, but Leprechauns, creatures similar to elves, have their own magic. The only difference is Leprechauns are much more vicious and dangerous. Nearly bit my hand off once too and I would not advise trying to catch one, the price is not worth the reward," he finished as the rest of the students took their seats.
"Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts. I know that due to recent events there is a lot less dark magic in this world, but you never know when something else may come along," he said with a rather sinister look on his face before he smiled, revealing a set of pearly white teeth.
The class passed uneventfully and Hermione found her mind wandering over to Malfoy. She began comparing him to Avarus. They were both arrogant beyond the capacity of a normal human, but they were both also extremely attractive.
I do prefer Draco's blonde hair and light eyes to Avarus's dark hair and eyes though…Hermione froze at that thought and as if he had heard her Malfoy turned to look at her before smirking and turning away.
He couldn't have heard my thoughts…could he? No, no definitely not. That's impossible what are you thinking Hermione? The problem was that she was so busy thinking she didn't even realize that she had thought of him as Draco instead of Malfoy.
Hermione jumped as Harry shook her out of her thoughts and she noticed the rest of the class had already left. She got up and joined her two friends as they made their way to Transfiguration once again curious about yet another new professor.
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As they sat in the Gryffindor common room later that evening they were discussing their new professors and classes a bit more rather than working on their DADA essay that was due tomorrow on the difference between a pixie and a fairy. Hermione found this boring and tedious since everyone knew that the main difference was that fairies could do magic and pixies were usually just obnoxious, vicious, biting little creatures.
"I really like Professor Lepor," Ron stated thinking back to Transfiguration that afternoon. "She doesn't walk around like McGonagall who always looks as if she's eating those lemon drops that Dumbledore always tried to force on everyone." Harry and Hermione laughed at this remembering Dumbledore imploring them to try a lemon drop nearly every time they were in his office for some reason or another.
"I do like her too," Harry agreed. "She's very pretty and intelligent."
"Yeah, if only I were older."
"Ron! How could you talk like that about a professor?" Hermione said with shock.
"Oh come off it Hermione we all saw how you looked at Professor Avarus. Plus, at least I didn't go as far as Seamus," Ron replied indignantly.
"And I recall someone having a little crush on Lockhart," Harry added slyly.
"Oh please. I don't know what you're talking about. I'm going to bed and you two should as well," she finished.
"What about our essays?" Ron asked.
"I'm done. I guess you two can't go to bed yet then. Have fun because you're not copying off mine." And with that Hermione marched up to her dormitory only to hear Lavender gushing about how good Malfoy looks this year.
"He's gotten taller and more muscular," she was saying to Parvati.
Hermione shot them both a quick glance before changing and hopping into bed. They realized she wanted to go to sleep so both girls turned out the lights and went to bed leaving Hermione with dreams about a certain blonde haired Slytherin.
Down in the common room Harry and Ron were still discussing the more favorable aspects of Professor Lepor, which did not include her intelligence or teaching abilities…
Their conversation replayed the events of that afternoon.
"Good afternoon class, and welcome to NEWT transfiguration," Professor Lepor chimed. The boys in the class sat transfixed on the professor and the girls rolled their eyes. "Now our main goal this year is for you all to pass your NEWTs, so we will work hard, but I promise it will be as fun as I can possibly make it. Now please take out your wands."
The class did as they were instructed and sat eagerly awaiting further directions. "As you can see we will be transfiguring these pebbles. Can anyone tell me what the incantation flosmutatum will turn them into?" Professor Lepor asked glancing expectantly at the class. One hand snapped into the air.
"Yes dear? By the way whenever you are called on please state your name so that I can start learning them all."
"I'm Hermione Granger, and that incantation will turn the pebbles, or any small solid object, into a flower of the caster's choosing," Hermione stated as if reading this from a script in her mind.
"Very good, Miss Granger you just earned your house 10 points. You may, as Hermione stated, make it any kind of flower you like all you have to do is picture in your mind the type of flower and repeat the incantation flosmutatum."
The class immediately began, but the spell was a lot more difficult than it sounded. After two tries there sat a lovely, white and purple tulip on Hermione's desk. Harry and Ron looked despairingly at her. "Hermione that's brilliant," Professor Lepor said as she examined the tulip. "Another 10 points for Gryffindor." She then turned to look at Harry and Ron. "Perhaps you could help your friends," she suggested before walking around to inspect the other students' progress.
Hermione sighed and quickly helped the two boys. After five tries Harry had managed to turn his pebble into a yellow rose. Ron had a little more difficulty and kept turning his pebble into what was meant to be a sunflower, but instead resembled a dried out twig with yellow leaves.
A half hour later Ron beamed as he finally managed to form a beautiful sunflower. The rest of the class had successfully transfigured their pebbles as well and the class was dismissed.
"Oh Ron, that's lovely. Do you like mine?" Luna asked while she smiled at Ron with her big, blue and slightly vacant eyes.
"Erm…yes, what is it exactly?" he asked, looking at what looked like some sort of small animal crossed between a duck and a lion.
"It's a hybrid. It's part marigold and part daffodil. My father used to grow them before he was killed. He named then Maffodils," she responded brightly. It's not as beautiful as your sunflower though, I must say."
"Well, you can have it…I mean if you, err…want," Ron said rubbing one hand on the back of his neck nervously.
"Why yes, I'd love that! Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I'd like you to have it," Ron admitted, turning red when his voice cracked at the end. Luna didn't notice though, she simply smiled sweetly, picked up the flower and strolled away.
Across the room Seamus bravely gave his red rose to the professor who gave him a rather stern, McGonagall-ish look before smiling and thanking him for the flower.
Wow, way to go Seamus Harry thought to himself.