The Carrows' Calling
Disclaimer: All J.K. Rowling's. None of this is ours. So sorry about the really short chapter last time. Hope you like this one! R&R!
Chapter Three
Time:
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
8:00-9:00
Breakfast
9:00-10:00
Potions
G&S
Transfiguration G&S
Charms
G&S
D.A.D.A
G&S
Muggle Studies G&S
10:00-11:00
Transfiguration G&R
Charms
G&R
D.A.D.A
G&R
Muggle Studies G&R
Divination
G&R
11:00-12:00
Charms
G&H
D.A.D.A
G&H
Muggle Studies G&H
Divination
G&H
Potions
G&H
12:00-1:00
Lunch
1:00-2:00
D.A.D.A
G&R
Muggle Studies G&S
Divination
G&S
Potions
G&S
Transfiguration G&S
2:00-3:00
Free Period
3:00-4:00
Muggle Studies G&S
Divination
G&R
Potions
G&R
Transfiguration G&R
Charms
G&R
4:00-5:00
Divination
G&H
Potions
G&H
Transfiguration G&H
Charms
G&H
D.A.D.A
G&H
5:00-6:00
Free Period
6:00-7:00
Dinner
7:30
Curfew
She looked down at her timetable. Potions first. Slughorn's fine. He doesn't really care, Ginny thought. She rushed down the stairs to the common room where Neville was waiting for her.
"You didn't have to wait for me, Neville," she said.
"I didn't. But I wanted to," replied Neville. They exited the common room and began their way down to the Great Hall.
"What do you have first?" asked Ginny.
"Charms, you?"
"When do you have Defense Against the Dark Arts?" asked Ginny, completely ignoring Neville answer.
"Right before lunch," replied Neville. "Why?"
"I was wondering if you would have him before me. Then you could tell me his class," explained Ginny. "I'm wondering what's he's like." But from last night, I think I could tell, Ginny thought.
"Oh," said Neville. In the short time of their conversation, they had reached the Great Hall. Once again, Ginny felt the cold and unwelcoming feeling that Snape and his henchmen radiated from their golden thrones, ruling the world. They entered the Great Hall and sat down at their seats. Again, there was no chatter, just sounds of forks and plates colliding, students eating their second breakfast of the year. Ginny, not wanting to be in the cold freezing room for any longer, she ate her breakfast quickly and told Neville that she would be in the common room. Right before Ginny left, she scanned the staff table. Everything seemed normal. Other than the fact that it's dead quiet and bloody cold. She found herself lost in her thoughts and began to wander the halls. She ran her fingers over the stone walls, avoiding the portraits. Snape never said they couldn't, and classes hasn't started yet. The clock tower struck 8:30. She hurried back to her dormitory and grabbed the things that she needed for the first block. Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms, Ginny thought, that's not too hard. It took her some time to find Slughorn's classroom, even though she started looking for the class fifteen minutes early.
As she entered the room, Ginny realized that she was the only Gryffindor in a room filled with Slytherins. Colin hadn't arrived yet. Good thing Slughorn likes me, thought Ginny. She grabbed a seat in the back and waited patiently for Professor Slughorn to come. At last, when it seemed like forever, he came through the door.
"Ah, welcome, welcome back students!" He spread his arms and smiled. "Today we will be starting with a potion that you may already know of. Can anyone name this?" Slughorn gestured to a cauldron on his left. Ginny immediately recognized the black, bubbling, mud-like liquid as Polyjuice Potion. She raised her arm up; but was left unpicked. Potions flew past, mostly everything in the lesson was review from last year. And most surprisingly, she didn't get any jeering from the Slytherins. Perhaps maybe now they know the dangers of the school, thought Ginny. The minute Potions finished, Ginny rushed out the room and hurried to Transfiguration. Luna would be there, and she had to talk with her. McGonagall's classroom was easy to find and Ginny wondered why. Perhaps she wants to help her students more. After yesterday, it seemed more and more likely. Ginny entered the Transfiguration classroom and sat down and waited for Luna to come. A few minutes later, she walked in. Ginny waved to Luna, indicating that she could sit beside her. Luna hurried over, her blonde hair swinging behind her and sat down.
"Hey Luna. How was your first class?" asked Ginny.
"Good. Charms was fun today. You?"
"Eh. Potions was fine. When do you have Defense Against the Dark Arts or Muggle Studies?" asked Ginny.
"I have Muggle Studies right after this and Defense Against the Dark Arts after lunch." replied Luna. "What about you?"
"I have Defense Against the Dark Arts same time as you and Muggle Studies right after."
"Oh good. I won't have to go through the torture on my own, ironic, isn't it?" said Luna, clearly joking. Ginny nodded. She was thinking about the detention she had in a few days.
"What do you think they will make me do this Wednesday?" Ginny said, referring to her detention.
"Oh, probably make you write lines or clean the classroom without magic. Nothing that's too hard," Luna said reassuringly. Yes. Luna is right. They'll probably make me write lines. Nothing too bad. But after seeing Professor McGonagall this morning, she thought otherwise.
"Tell me about Muggle Studies at lunch," said Ginny. "I wonder what they're like."
"But after yesterday, I think I could tell," said Luna darkly. Right then, Professor McGonagall marched in.
"Alright everyone. Hope you had a relaxing summer. We will be starting today with transfiguring a turtle into a teapot, wordlessly," said Professor McGonagall. "You have one hour. You may begin." Professor McGonagall handed out the turtles. Ginny started on her work, slowly but surely, and saw improvement on her turtle. When she looked beside her at Luna, she saw that Luna was almost finished.
"How do you do it so quickly?" asked Ginny in awe.
"I dunno. It just speaks to me, as they say," replied Luna. Ginny looked around her and saw that some of the other Ravenclaws were also having trouble. Professor McGonagall was walking around the desks, helping anyone who needed it. Ginny turned her focus back to her half-turtle-half-teapot. Soon, after of what it seemed like forever, Ginny completed her teapot. She leaned back and sighed in relief.
"Time's up! Class, please bring your teapots to my desk and you may leave," said Professor McGonagall. Ginny scooped up her teacup and placed it on Professor McGonagall's desk. She told Luna that she had Charms and had to go. She rushed out of the room and found her way to Flitwick's classroom. The class passed quickly, and soon Ginny was on her way to lunch. She ate quickly—her friends were probably still in class—and left the Great Hall. Ginny found herself lost in her own thoughts and began to wander the halls once again. It still doesn't feel like home. While she was wandering, the school clock tower struck one o'clock. Damn it, thought Ginny. I'll be late and another detention is the last thing I need.
She hurried to her dormitory, threw down her things and grabbed her books. She rushed to find the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. Ginny soon found the classroom by scent, it smelt like Professor Carrow himself; of rotten onions and old socks. The entire class was already there.
"Miss. Weasley, you are late," said Professor Carrow, a look of glee on his face. "Detention, come for details after class." Ginny hurried to her seat beside Luna and glared at Professor Carrow as she sat down. Great, now I have two detentions. He began the lesson.
"Today, you little dingbats, will learn the importance of the Dark Arts," said Professor Carrow. "And let me set this straight, this is not Defense Against the Darks Arts, but the Dark Arts. You won't need the Defense Against the Dark Arts if you know Dark Arts. Oh, how much fun it is to Crucio someone! " The look on his face was pure happiness, as if the idea of torturing someone was the best thing in the world.
"Are Miss. Carrow's lessons like this one?" asked Ginny to Luna in a hushed tone.
"Yes, just a tad bit dumber. But I never knew stupidity ran in genes," replied Luna. Ginny stifled a giggle. The lesson went on, with Professor Carrow rambling on about a bunch of crap. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Professor Carrow dismissed the class with no homework, which was surprising, because it seemed like he wanted to give the students the hardest time ever. Ginny approached Professor Carrow's desk for her detention.
"Since dear Headmaster Snape gave you detention with me already, you will go with my sister on Thursday, same time," Professor Carrow said with glee. Wow, he looks so disappointed to give me detention, thought Ginny sarcastically.
"You may leave," said Professor Carrow. Ginny rushed to leave his disgusting, dark and stinky classroom. Or maybe it smells like that because he's in here, Ginny thought. She slammed the door shut and heard Professor Carrow snicker behind her. Wow, he's even happier than Snape to assign me detention. She hurried back to her common room; she had a free period. Ginny gave the password to the Fat Lady and entered the common room. She saw Neville sitting in a nearby armchair and rushed to join him. She dumped her things into the armchair across from him.
"How was class, Neville?" asked Ginny.
"Fine. Professor Carrow is an idiot. I have never heard anything more stupid to come out of someone's mouth. Not even Draco's," muttered Neville.
"Agreed. Professor Carrow is a blockhead. I didn't get anything from him. 'This is not Defense Against the Dark Arts, it's the Darks Arts now,'" mimicked Ginny. She sighed. Neville rubbed his eyes.
"When is your detention again?" asked Neville.
"Oh yeah. I forget to tell you, I got another detention from Professor Carrow during 'The Dark Arts'," complained Ginny.
"Another detention! Ginny, you ought to be more careful!"
"Yep. Thursday, same time as the last one," sighed Ginny. Neville didn't reply, but stared off into space, in his own world.
"Neville?" asked Ginny hesitantly.
"Yeah?"
"I'm going to get my things ready for my next class. See you later?" asked Ginny.
"Yeah, sure. Go ahead," Neville replied. Ginny grabbed her bag and rushed up to her dormitory. There, she dropped her current class things and grabbed her Muggle Studies book. She planned to upstage Professor Carrow as much as possible. Ginny read as much as possible from her Muggle Studies book, absolutely sure that Professor Carrow wouldn't teach from it. Ten minutes to three o'clock, Ginny grabbed her Divination book, ran downstairs to the common room and exited, not looking in any direction on her way out. Ginny walked in the hallway to the Muggle Studies classroom, taking her sweet time, knowing she had time and didn't want to get to the classroom any sooner than she needed too.
Once Ginny got to the the entrance of the classroom, the first thing she noticed was the smell. It smelt worse than the Dark Arts classroom, worse than Snape's old classroom for Potions, worse than Fred and George's dirty socks. It smelt like foot odor, as if Professor Carrow hadn't washed her feet in months. The very thought of that repulsed Ginny. It was like stepping into a room filled with roadkill. She almost stepped out of the classroom, but forced herself to keep her pride. Ginny wiped all emotions off her face and sat down at the desk farest from the front of the classroom. She set her things on her lap, in case any of the things that the room smelt like went on the desk. Ginny patiently waited for the Slytherins to arrive. She'd hoped that they would be silent and not bother her, but alas, you can't have everything in the world. The Slytherins walked in rowdy and loud. Great, Ginny thought, this is going to be so much fun. Ginny ignored the Slytherins as much as possible. Much to her luck, none of her fellow classmates sat next to her, they were all at the front of the classroom. Ginny still didn't see Colin. Now that she thought of it, she only saw him at the beginning of the day.
Soon, Professor Carrow came striding in. Please have this be done with. Professor Carrow came to a stop at the front of the classroom, leaning on her desk.
"Ok, today you idiots will start on the reasons that muggles are poison to the wizarding world and all muggle-borns should be charged for stealing magic," said Professor Carrow, beginning class. Not this again, thought Ginny, who had heard enough of this nonsense from the press.
"I'm going to hand out this pamphlet for all of you spoiled brats to read and I will tell you a few things about the pamphlet," said Professor Carrow. She handed out the papers and Ginny didn't even glance at it. She guessed that it would be filled with loads and loads of crap about muggles and muggle borns. Ginny was correct when Professor Carrow began to talk about the pamphlet. Ginny quickly tuned out Professor Carrow's beyond shit lesson. Muggle this, muggle that, this is crap; you're just too stupid to realize that we are all related to muggles and that we do rely on them sometimes, thought Ginny angrily. It took all of her self control to stop herself from spitting her thoughts out to Professor Carrow's lesson. Screw her, fumed Ginny. Screw all of this. Snape. Voldemort. Death Eaters. Ginny raised her hand. Professor Carrow turned around and walked towards her desk in the back.
"Miss. Weasley?"
"I can I say something?" asked Ginny, sarcasm dripping from her words.
"Of course, fire away," replied Professor Carrow, her voice unbearably sweet. Ginny was instantly reminded of Umbridge. She tried not to barf.
"But if muggles didn't exist, we wouldn't be alive, would we?" objected Ginny.
"Yes, but we have helped muggles throughout our lives," replied Professor Carrow, in the same disgustingly sweet tone.
"Then why would we have to kill them? They do nothing to us, we don't do anything to them. Then everyone's happy," said Ginny.
"Muggles take up the entire world. While we have to hide our true selves from them. So they don't grow insane," snapped Professor Carrow. By now, the entire class was watching the 'discussion' between student and teacher.
"Yes, but it's not their fault that they were born muggles. Or having weak minds. Or, maybe, you're the one having the weak mind. The one without a heart— the heartless little brat," spat Ginny. Professor Carrow looked at her in shock; how dare she speak to her like that. Then, Professor Carrow raised her hand and slapped Ginny across the face.
Ginny was so shocked, she fell out of her seat. The look on Professor Carrow's face was fear. Why would she be scared? She's not the one being hit, thought Ginny.
"Get up, you insolent little jerk!" Professor yelled at Ginny. Ginny crossed her legs and arms and sat on the floor stubbornly.
"No."
"Why you little—" Professor Carrow began.
"Language, Professor," Ginny said mockingly. Professor Carrow glared at Ginny.
"Fine, have what you want! I'm reporting you to Professor McGonagall and she'll see what to do with you," said Professor Carrow, mind set on what she was doing. "It wouldn't be good if Miss. Weasley here got another detention, would it?" Ginny still sat stubbornly on the floor.
"GO! LEAVE THIS CLASSROOM UNLESS YOU WANT A NICE CRUICO!" yelled Professor Carrow. Ginny continued to sit on the floor; legs and arms crossed. She stuck out her chin defiantly and closed her eyes—she wanted to look calm and collected when she wasn't. Ginny's body shook with fear, but Professor Carrow was too absorbed in her anger to notice. She's not really going to do it, is she? Professor Carrow was breathing heavily and her hair was dangling around her face; it was filled with anger and her dark, endless eyes burned with fire. Ginny stayed where she was, ignoring what Professor Carrow had just said.
"Fine, a nice Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen up your body," spat Professor Carrow, still panting from anger. Ginny's eyes flew open. Surely she wouldn't do it, thought Ginny. But then again, she is vile enough to. As Professor Carrow began to draw her wand and point it at Ginny, the door swung open. Ginny's head whipped around; her flaming red hair lashing in Professor Carrow's face. Professor Snape stood in the doorway, his robes still settling onto the ground from his trip to the classroom.
"What is going on in here—Professor Carrow?" He said, emphasizing his tone on the word 'Professor'. Professor Carrow seemed to have pulled herself together quickly and replied,
"A little girl here found it amusing for her to talk back to me." Ginny's eyes darted back to Snape.
"Ah, Miss. Weasley. Yet again we find you breaking rules. Taking the path of the two dunderheads in your family now?" mocked Snape. Ginny couldn't keep her temper in.
"At least I have a path to follow. You didn't. Or did you make your own path in killing people when they're at their weakest point? And you!" Ginny spat and turned to face Professor Carrow. "Only cowards decide to Cruciate under-aged witches." But to Ginny's surprise, Professor Carrow's mouth began to curve into what looked like a smile.
"Ah, Professor Snape, this young lady has certainly gone crazy. Me? Me? Me decide to torture a lovely young lady like her?" Professor Carrow said in her sickly sweet voice. Ginny thought she saw Snape gulp and blink.
"Of course, we ought to send her to Madam Pomfrey and have her checked," Snape said, finalizing the statement. Ginny's jaw dropped and Professor Carrow must've noticed because she said,
"See, look at how shocked she is! We really must get her to the infirmary," said Professor Carrow, faking concern for Ginny. "I'll take her there."
"No, Alecto, you will not. You will send her Professor McGonagall—after all she is her Head of House, and tell her to take her there. You still have a class to teach," said Professor Snape firmly.
"Of course," replied Professor Carrow, her grin leaving her face.
"Now move along Miss. Weasley—I do believe you have somewhere to go? And the rest of you! Back to work. I shall leave them with you now, Professor Carrow," said Professor Snape. As if you were the one teaching, thought Ginny. Ginny grabbed her bag and rushed out of the room; she didn't want Snape to catch up to her. Ginny made the many turns to Gryffindor Tower, where Professor McGonagall's office was. Once Ginny got to the tall, spruce door with a bronze, lion-headed handle, she hesitated. Should I really be disturb her? Snape will never have to know, and if he does find out, I'll be the one getting in trouble. Not Professor McGonagall, thought Ginny. But then again he could blame it on her. And she'd be pretty mad at me if I didn't tell her what happened, thought Ginny. She finally made her choice, took a deep breath, and raised her hand to knock.
Author's Note:
We really hope you enjoyed this chapter, we will post more if you reivew! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, REVIEW! We are begging you!