Chapter 8 – An 'O' in Potions and the Patronus
Friday rolled around as the first week of classes were drawing to a close; Harry so far was having a blast. Every single class he had to date were fun and engaging, Ancient Runes turned out be rather fun practicing various forms of seals and calligraphy, Arithmancy was to the bespectacled boy a really advanced form of algebra, making him wonder why this wasn't taught in first year as it would help in Potions. Muggle Studies however turned out to be laughable, having spent twelve years raised in a very muggle home the wizards prospective of muggles was nowhere near close; he and several muggle born students Hermione included spent most of the class explaining to the teacher various things talked about. But considering he and most of the muggle born knew about the subject, it would be an easy O and volunteered to explain things for the professor and their fellow pureblood students.
But this day brought two classes to the forefront, Double Potions with Slytherin and Defense Against the Dark Arts in a mixed class with Slytherin, Ravenclaw, and Hufflepuff. Harry was dreading potions like he done the previous two years, so he wasn't expecting anything different. The only bright point was after lunch and DADA, though Harry suspected Ron and Blaise were going to spend class ogling Mana probably earning them slaps to the head by Tracey and Hermione.
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Upon reaching the dungeons Harry spotted Draco conversing hotly with Daphne, "Your father actually supports your betrothal?"
Daphne kept her eyes cold and distant looking at the blonde haired ferret impassively, "Was it not clear on the train and the several times in the common room I explained it to you, get it through your thick skull Malfoy," she glared coldly. "I am betrothed to Harry Potter, do you need it said in a different language to understand, I don't know troll if that's language I need to speak."
Draco's faced turn pink face screwing up in anger, "You dare to insult me!"
The blonde haired girl looked bored for a second, "I have it on very good authority that your father is the descendant of a troll," this earned her several snickers from Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, and Ron, "you certainly didn't inherit anything from your mother, her manners, good looks, or intelligence."
Whatever Draco's reply was going to be died in his throat when he saw Harry finish his descent. Draco sneered a bit backing towards the door to the potions classroom, "One of these days Greengrass, Potter will be dead and you'll be begging me to make you mine."
Daphne's eyes flickered coldly, "Rest assured Malfoy I'd rather join Harry in the grave than be your plaything." Draco turned after growling.
Harry waited until Draco and his goons turned before gently running his hand along Daphne's shoulder, feeling the tension slowly ease out of her. She looked up at him and smiled slightly just as the doors to the classroom, "Common room meetings getting bad?"
"They would be unbearable, but he's afraid I'll tell you what he'll say and you'll take his trust. Pansy Parkinson's father voided the Marriage Contract after Lucius returned to the Malfoy estates. Something about not wanting to be associated with a knutless Death Eater."
Harry raised an eyebrow, "So Malfoy is broke?"
"Without the Black dowry he only has so much, as it is the Nimbus 2001's Lucius bought last year to get Draco on the house team was confiscated by Gringotts except Draco's," Daphne whispered as they took their seats. Ron sat with Hermione, as Harry's eyes danced at the justice that was finally done against Draco and his father. "Your godfather is doing more things to screw over Death Eaters dead than he ever done while he was alive."
"Heh, got to believe most of that dowry went to fund some of the Death Eater causes, if Voldemort ever does manage to come back, I see a killing curse with Malfoy's name all over it," Harry stated.
"Couldn't happen to a nicer bloke," Daphne snorted just as the doors to Snape's office fling wide however Snape entered looking a little more reserved than normal as his eyes travelled over his students.
"Five points to Mr. Potter and Ms. Greengrass as well as Mr. Longbottom and Ms. Davis for inter house unity," Snape stated and almost smirked at the surprised expressions on the four. "Now this year we will be sixteen potions, some of which you'll be allow to take with you, today we will be starting with the Wolfsbane Potion, does anyone besides Ms. Granger know what this potion is used for?" he did smirk this time seeing Hermione blush.
To his surprise he saw several hands go up, "Ms. Davis?"
"Wolfsbane Potion is used to make those who have Werewolfism become more docile during nights of the full moon," Tracey responded.
"Excellent, yes, that is exactly what it does five points to Slytherin," Snape stated. "This is the potion that we will be brewing, it is a very time sensitive potion as most must be done during the full moon so do not expect to be done by the end of class. So for this class you will simply need to set up your ingredients, turn to page twelve in your book and begin. A little reminder, the book is merely a guideline if you have more effective ideas on how to prepare your ingredients please do not hesitate to go with your gut."
The rest of class was quiet Harry actually took what Snape said to heart and experimented he found things he never thought of before, after cutting, stripping, and squeezing various ingredients and putting them in vials for making the potion at a later class, he wrote down what worked in a notepad. What was really surprising was Snape's lack of criticism or hovering, once he made the assignment he only got up twice and that was when a student asked a question. The rest of the time he sat at his desk grading what look to be the end of term essay's from their second year. Harry began to wonder if Snape's new disposition was because of his parents will reading, but he wasn't going to look the gift horse in the mouth and he wasn't about to lose this grace period. His potions class was actually pleasant and he was determined not to rock the boat. Snape stood up near the end of class, "I'm handing back your end of term essays once you've received them, you may gather up you ingredients and set in the alcoves that I have designated for your potions, the next part of this potion will not be done until the night of the first full moon, Gryffindor's Head of House has already been informed," Snape stated as he handed back the essays, he didn't even look at Harry when he handed the boy back his essay. Harry looked down and was stunned at what he got, I got an O on a potions essay.
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Daphne was trying hard not to giggle at her betroth's expression, but it was just to funny, he was currently staring at his essay while eating a sandwich like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. Ron had no such restraint he was laughing, "Go on Harry, you've gotten O's before."
"Yeah but never in Snape's class, the most I've ever gotten is an A, it's right bazaar," the bespectacled boy stated. He shakes his head folds up the paper and writes a quick note as Hedwig was sitting on his book eating a piece of ham. He slipped the letter in an envelope and tied it to Hedwig's leg. The owl hooted looking at the address before flying off.
"Who did you send the essay to, Harry?" Tracey asked.
"Sent it to Gringotts, I told them to have it bronze and framed," Harry stated this cause everyone around him to laugh.
XXX
The Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers in Harry's previous year's classroom reflected the teachers personalities, Quirrell who played at being afraid of the very subject he taught had garlic, Wolfsbane, and various other wards against dark creatures. Lockhart was a vain egotistical lying narcissist. Hence he decorated his classroom with various pictures of himself. Yugi Moto's classroom showed the man had a taste for Egyptian archeology showing various forms of hieroglyphics, ancient runes, and photos of Pharaohs, but also a distinct flavor for ancient Egyptian forms of magic which long predates most of European magic. Harry took one look at Hermione and had to chuckle at how much his longtime favorite bookworm was turning her head left and right to take in the room.
"Greetings class," Yugi appeared from his office flanked by Arcana and Mana as they descended the stairs. "Welcome to your first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson, allow me to formally introduce myself. Yugi Moto, Order of Merlin 1st Class, Current Deputy Director of the Auror's behind Madam Amelia Bones, my aides are Arcana and Mana, if I'm called away on Auror business they will be honored to teach you in my place. This year I'll try to catch you up on spells and curses that you're previous two DADA teachers hadn't taught you. But for the first part of the month I'm going to teach you something important, something that'll prevent the Dementors from harming you should they get too close. I am going to teach you the Patronus Charm. Now the incantation for this charm is Expecto Patronum," he paused hearing each of them recite the incantation. "Yes very good, now the Patronus is very difficult spell to master it requires the castor to think of a powerful happy memory real or imagined it doesn't matter. I want you all to focus on your happiest memory, close your eyes and allow the memory to come to the forefront."
He watched the faces of each of his students, "Do you have your happy memory," looking at each student nod, "Good now recite the incantation."
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" several wands fizzled, others let out streams of bright silver, only one gave shape which was surprising came out in the form of a silver stag another one came in silver blob.
"Very good Mr. Potter, 20 points to Gryffindor and Miss Greengrass, 20 Points to Slytherin," Yugi was practically beaming at the results.
"Um, Professor do all Patronus's come out like that?" Hermione asked looking at Harry's patronus.
"The shape of a patronus is usually determined by the family line, unless a person is emotionally connected to another person outside the family," Yugi stated. "The Potter and Perevell family patronus has always been a majestic Stag, Harry's mother when she was here according to our esteemed Charms professor originally was a cheerful tabby cat, until she fell in love with James Potter then it transformed into an elegant doe," Yugi moved along where his students stood and came to stop in front of Daphne noting she looked confused, "Do not fret Miss Greengrass I sense your emotions maybe in flux, The Greengrass family charm was the fearsome Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake, your sister was able to perform one earlier in the week. Can only imagine what that lightening rod of joy and cheer felt was her happy memory," he turned to the others. "For the rest of class I want you to practice the Patronus and try different happy memories as maybe the ones you chose weren't happy enough."
Throughout the two hour class the words Expecto Patronum what be called out and thru various trail and errors most of the class was able, Hermione's eventually took the shape of an otter, Ron's took the shape of a bobcat, so on and so forth, Tracey had a falcon, Blaise transformed into a large Praying Mantis, only two hadn't been able to make a Patronus, Malfoy who's family life was anything but cheerful, filled with rules and his father grilling into his mind that smiling was weak. Then there was Daphne who could make a Patronus but unable to give it a shape, the reason she knew was the fact she was deep down afraid. "That'll be all for class, no homework, just keep practicing the patronus, Miss Greengrass please stay."
Daphne nodded keeping up her Ice Queen persona to hide her worry from her friends, as they each told her they'll meet at dinner. She turned to her professor who sat on one of the desks watching her, "Did I do something wrong professor?" she asked shifting her feet.
"Quite the contrary Miss Greengrass you and Mr. Potter did exceptionally well today, however I notice you were a bit pensive a second before each Patronus which is why it came out in a blob," Yugi stated. "Now no one is present save me and my aides, so calm yourself, find your happy memory and show my your true Patronus."
Daphne took a deep breath focused on the memory like he stated and without any linger fear, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" swishing her wand out the elegant form of a doe launched from the end of her wand trotting around coming to the point where Harry's stag had been standing most of class and began sniffing the ground before moving its head back and forth looking for something.
Yugi nodded cupping his hands underneath his chin looking at the blonde haired girl, "I see so I take Mr. Potter doesn't know of your feelings?"
Shaking her head Daphne, "We've only known each other for maybe a month; I don't want to scare him away, but I've had a crush on him since first year. But I'm so blasted cowardly, if his godfather hadn't of died I probably never of gotten the courage up to say anything to him, he'd probably end up with Weasely's sister or Hermione."
"I know how you felt at one time," Yugi replied watching the blonde girl look up in shock, "It is hard to see the object of your affections and fear their reactions if you come on too strongly too soon. My advice is probably something you've thought about already, be a friend to him first, simply be a keystone to his arch and everything will happen. You are in charge of your own destiny, Miss Greengrass."
Daphne nodded and smiled faintly before picking up her bag and leaving, Mana giggled after the girl left, "That is so romantic, don't you think Arcana?"
The Dark Magician rolled his eyes, "I don't have an opinion on the romance but both hers and Mr. Potter's auras are very old it's as if they been recycled many times, they are by far the strongest witch and wizard of the their generation."
The star haired young man sat back turning to his two aides, "I saw it too, judging by the age of the auras I'd say dark ages around or during the time of Merlin," he mused a few moments before walking up to a painting and staring at the woman in it a look of deep sadness beginning to etch onto his normally stoic face, "Times like this I really miss Tea."
Mana frowned sadly before walking up behind him putting her arms around him, "Please do not be sad my Pharaoh, Lady Tea always wanted you happy."
Yugi took a few calming breaths glancing over his shoulder at Mana, "Thank you Mana, but can you please stop calling me Pharaoh I'm not Atem even though I look more like him now."
Mana let him go, giggling and rubbing the back of her head with one eye close and her tongue out, "You still are Atem's descendant so that make you Pharaoh if Magical Egypt ever went back to a monarchy."
Yugi sighed shaking his head, "If you must call me something, please call me Yugi or Professor while I'm in class."
"Of course my Pharaoh," Mana said cheerfully and started giggling more when Yugi start hitting the railing to the stairway with his head.
Author's Note: While most understand the grading scale for Hogwarts if you're reading this as you've probably read the novels before or seen the movies but let me show you the grading scale anyway encase there are readers that don't understand it.
O – Outstanding which is an equivalent to an A
EE – Exceeds Expectations which is an equivalent to a B
A – Acceptable equivalent to a C
P – Poor this is a D
T – Troll and you get an F
For those that do know this grading scale please ignore the author's note not much to say otherwise.