Chapter Four
Two days had passed and Alaina had the same classes that she had the previous Monday. She had decided to have her older classes, fifth year and above, perform the basic physical fitness test so that she could determine each student's level of conditioning. She watched as the sixteen year olds filed in, most of whom had the laces of their trainers attached to their backpacks.
"Good morning, class. Everyone grab your PT gear and follow me. We are going to the Quidditch pitch, and will be using the team changing rooms. You all have ten minutes to be ready.
It was closer to fifteen minutes before the students were all gathered at the pitch. Alaina walked over to the different groups, handing them what appeared to be some sort of bracelet. She then set up a piece of parchment and odd looking blue quill on a table.
"I want everyone to divide into pairs. As soon as you are all paired up, you are each to take the device I handed you and attach it snugly to your wrist. When you have done this, take a seat on the grass." Alaina watched as the students complied, all of them looking curiously at her. "Everyone ready? Good. Now, I will explain what we are doing today. This is a test. I am going to test your strength, flexibility and stamina. The bracelets I gave you will tell me two things. How much you can do, and how much effort you put into each task. This is a method used by every military service to determine the conditioning of its recruits. First, you will be doing sit ups. May I have a volunteer to assist me with a short demonstration?" One of the Slytherin girls, Tracey Davis, raised her hand. Alaina nodded and beckoned the girl toward her.
"Thank you, Miss Davis. Five points to Slytherin." Alaina lay down on the grass, with her knees bent and feet flat. "Miss Davis, I need you to hold my feet down." The girl complied, and Alaina promptly crossed her arms over her chest. "You need to place both arms over your chest and touch your elbows to any part of your thighs." Alaina proceeded to demonstrate. "Are there any questions?" No one spoke up and Alaina nodded. "One partner will hold the feet. You will have two minutes to do as many sit-ups as possible. At the end of that time, you will switch places, and I will time the other fifty students. Your bracelet will count your repetitions and effort, and it will be recorded on the parchment over there. This will prevent cheating. Everyone ready? Begin." Alaina walked around, keeping time on her watch, and observing. She called the two minutes, and ordered the students to switch places. After another two minutes had passed she allowed the students to rest while she explained the push up portion of the test. She then instructed the students to do as many push ups as possible in the allotted two minutes. When they finished, she smiled.
"Well done everyone. The last part of the test is a run/walk. You are to complete eight laps as quickly as possible with a combination of running and or walking. I will be running with you, and once again, your bracelet will record your time, and I will keep track of everyone's laps. We are going to do a little warm up. I have noticed that quite a few of you are not giving your best effort, and it will reflect on your grades. I will grant some leeway if you do well on your run. However, if those of you who think that you are too special for this, I hope that you are special enough that a failing grade is also acceptable." Alaina ignored the mutterings, and demonstrated stretches and calisthenics that most of the students copied. Five minutes later, she gathered the group together, and stood next to the first row.
"Everyone ready to go? Then double-time, march." Alaina was impressed by a few of the students, but had to force herself to stay calm while watching two small groups behaving as though they were on a Sunday stroll. Over a half hour later, the last student crossed the finish line, and Alaina walked to the table where the parchment waited.
"Some of you did very well, I'm happy to say, and some of you did very poorly. I have a few points to give and deduct. The top boy and girl for sit-ups were Mr. Zabini and Miss Granger. For push ups, Mr. Thomas and Miss Bulstrode. For the run, Mr. Potter and Miss Greengrass. The best effort overall goes to Mr. Longbottom and Miss Davis. Each of you can take ten points for your house. However, Misters Malfoy, Goyle, Weasley, and Nott, along with Misses Parkinson, Brown, and Patil have cost their houses five points each for no effort whatsoever." Alaina frowned as the Malfoy boy stood up and glared at her. "Is there something that you would like to say, Mr. Malfoy?"
"What's the point of this? Running around like a bunch of mudbloods…"
"Twenty points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy." That further enraged the teenager who continued to rant and whose language deteriorated further. Alaina quickly found her patience at an end.
"Two hundred points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy, and you will be in detention for a month. Class dismissed." Alaina strode off the pitch, and headed for her rooms. She wanted a hot shower and time to calm down.
After cleaning up and getting dressed, this time in blue robes over her distinctly muggle clothes, and enjoying her cigarette, Alaina grabbed her wand and headed toward the door. She had to admit that she wasn't surprised to see an irate Potions Master glaring at her when she opened it. Sighing, she stepped back from the door to allow the man in.
"You took…two hundred points…" Alaina listened to Snape's rant for five minutes before walking over to her desk. A small pensieve sat there, and Severus watched as the woman lifted her wand to her temple, a silvery strand attached to the tip as she placed it in the bowl.
"That is my memory of this mornings' class, Professor." Snape glared at her as he strode over and stuck his finger in. Alaina watched calmly as a myriad of emotions showed on his face. Finally, the memory ended, and Snape turned toward her.
"I…apologize, Mackenzie. You had every right to…good day, Mackenzie." Alaina watched as the man walked down the hall, robes billowing behind him. She quietly shook her head and went to lunch.
Alaina watched the students as they entered the Great Hall. She saw a flicker from the Gryffindor table and turned her attention toward it. Alaina's eyes narrowed as she immediately recognized a very strong Glamour on one of the students. Alaina had suspected for a while the boy was hiding something, and she reached for the necklace she always wore and carefully rubbed it. A gasp escaped her lips when she looked at the boy again.
"Is something wrong, Alaina? Alaina looked at Minerva and nodded.
"Minerva, one of your students is wearing a very powerful Glamour. This charm," Alaina indicated her necklace, "allows me to see through them." Snape frowned as he turned toward her.
"Which one?" Alaina took a deep breath.
"The Potter boy, Severus. His face is a very large bruise. I can only guess the extent of the damage that he is hiding under his robes. Does anyone have a clue what could be the cause of this?" Alaina was surprised when Minerva immediately turned to Albus.
"I told you not to leave him there. I told you those muggles were abusing him. You refused to listen. For Merlin's sake, Albus, all the signs were there. What teenager begs to stay at a school year-round?" Alaina shook her head as the older witch continued to berate the Headmaster.
"Minerva, Albus, we can play the blame game later. We need to find out the extent of the injuries and heal them the best way we can." Minerva nodded.
"I'll tell Harry to report to the Hospital wing…" she stopped as Alaina shook her head.
"Minerva, the boy has gone to a great deal of trouble to hide this. The hospital will not be the best place for him. Abuse victims need a place that they feel comfortable and secure. Potter will need around the clock care until his injuries are better." Alaina then turned to Snape. "Severus, do you remember that potion I gave you a while back?" He nodded and she smiled. "I have the recipe in my quarters. Can you brew it?"
"Why can't you?" Snape asked before he could stop himself. Alaina smirked and shook her head.
"I suck at potions. Always have and always will. I don't have the patience for it. So, unless you want your lab to look like a war zone, keep me out of it."
"This is all well and good, but where are we going to put Harry to heal him?" Minerva turned to Albus. The ancient wizard looked at Snape who sighed heavily.
"Bring him to my quarters after lunch. Mackenzie, will you go get that recipe?" Alaina nodded and stood up. Snape turned to the others. "I will get things ready." As the two were leaving, Albus finally spoke.
"Alaina, why do you think this is best?" The younger woman sighed and shook her head.
"Because I've been in his shoes." With those words, Alaina walked out of the Great Hall and headed back to her quarters.
A/N: My muse got away from me and decided to give Harry a bigger role than I originally intended. Here is a little more background on Alaina—she's tough, but fair. Good at DADA, Charms and Transfiguration. Yes she is an Animagus…a timber wolf, to be exact. She sucks at potions, is lousy in math, has no inclination for languages, and sleeps through Astronomy. Next chapter up soon. I am writing out another fight between Sev and Alaina that will end up building even more tension. Soon lemony goodness will erupt.