Chapter 4
"That is the utmost rare opportunity to ever have the chance of having a famous wizard and witch to teach in our school. Much less having none than Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Aka, The Curse-Breaker and The-Most-Powerful-Witch-In-Hogwarts!.", said Cho, with excitement in her voice.
"You forget one more thing about Randy and Merula Jackson, Cho." Lavender grinned. "They are the very first wizard and witch to be married from two different houses in Hogwarts. I mean, whoever thought or heard of a Gryffindor Wizard would both fall in love and marry a Slytherin Witch?."
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Well, duh, it's Professor and Mrs. Professor Jackson." Hermione eyed her two best friends. "Those two are legends in their separate houses and the ones responsible for first-year wizards and witches to hope and pray that they will be sorted in one of their houses, just because they use to wear the house colors and use to sleep or do other things in their dorms."
"Exactly!.", said both Cho and Lavender with enthusiasm.
Hermione smiled proudly at being praised for her intellect. Since yesterday after officially meeting one of her new professors, the young Granger can not help but smile at the idea of helping her professors both find the next vault and the mystery behind it. Not only did it excite her but also it excited Draco as well. From yesterday and after the event at the bookstore, Hermione had met up with Draco in a dark alley so they can both talk and not be seen together in the public eye. The two different house members discussed their plan on what to do when they reached the castle. They wanted to share their idea plan with Harry, Ron, Cho, and Lavender, once all of them meet up in the great hall during study time.
Hermione could not help but smirk wickedly at the waiting plan that she and Draco had thought. For some strange reason, it felt pretty amazing to smile this way. Hermione can not understand why smirking so untrustworthy felt so right and not the complete opposite. She wanted to tell either her friends or the teachers about this but immediately turned down those options. No, she wanted to go to someone who is highly recommended in the field. Someone who happens to be a former self-proclaimed official greatest and strongest witch of Hogwarts.
The young confused Gryffindor has both felt and thought that she deserved to be Merula Jackson's only personnel student. Believing in herself that she is on her level of perfection of being the best of the best witch. Of course, she has her works speaking for her from last year and so forth. To be completely fair and honest with herself, it was Draco who encouraged her into thinking this way and believing it to be mighty true without a single doubt. And in return, she too had encouraged Draco into believing in being Randy Jackson's personal pupil.
"Hey, Hermione, do you think that Mr. and Mrs. Jackson is on the Hogwarts Express?." asked Cho, having a hopeful facial expression.
Hermione broke her train of thought and looked at her friends, "Huh?."
Lavender rolled her eyes, "She asked if you think that Randy and Merula are on the train?. Seriously, Hermione, get your head out of the clouds."
Hermione frowned a bit after hearing the last sentence from her friend. It did not take long to change her frown into a calm expression and said, "Well, based on the information that I gathered from Professor Khanna, both Randy and Merula loved riding the train to Hogwarts. He said that riding the Hogwarts Express has never gotten old to them."
"So that means...", Cho started to grin from ear to ear, "They are on the train!. Oh, Hermione, you have got to let me and Lavender meet them!."
"Yeah, and manage to get their official john hancock!." said Lavender, before grabbing her chart and then running through the wall to reach the other side to Hogwarts Express.
It did not take long for Cho and Hermione to follow their friend to the other side as all three rushed to put their luggage up. Then the three were in the search to find the famous 'Curse Breaker' and 'Greatest Witch of Hogwarts'. And speaking of the two, Randy and Merula were discussing strategies on what part of the castle they will begin their night investigations after the second day of their first teaching. Randy had his large notebook in his hands that contained information and motioned artwork of everything that involves around all the vaults that they encountered over the years of being students. Thinking that he should update it. As for Merula, she just got done with turning her regular hairstyle back into her old fashion messy wild style that she used to wear back when she was a Slytherin.
"Perfect. Absolutely fantastic!.", Merula grinned when looking at herself in a small mirror she packed before looking at her husband, "What color lipstick and nail polish should I put on, love?. Green?. Dark Green?. Or Black?."
Randy paused from looking at their notebook and said with a sly smile, "Black. It fits you well. Especially when you are wearing your house colors."
"Oh, you are such a romantic wizard, Randy. My one and only perfect soulmate," said Merula, laying her head on Randy's left shoulder and smiling peacefully.
Randy smiled as he put his arm around his woman and the two began looking through the book together. Little did they know that they had an unexpected visitor.
"Professor Jacksons?."
Randy and Merula had both reluctantly turned to the door entrance of their train cart to see none other than the young Malfoy himself. Draco had on his school uniform and looked at his new teachers and wanted to talk with them before the train leaves its only station. Both Randy and Merula had different emotions upon seeing Draco. For Randy, it was calm and glad to see the boy and interested to hear what he wanted. For Merula, however, she despised seeing the young Malfoy.
For one reason, Merula remembered the time when Lucius Malfoy visited Hogwarts to do a school inspection in their third year at Hogwarts. Remembering it very well at that time, Randy, herself, Rowan, and Penny were looking for the vault of hallucinations, and the creature that both guards and lives there. That memory has never faded away in Merula's head as if it was like yesterday.
"Good Morning, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. I hope that I did not interrupt anything." begin Draco.
"Well, of course, n...", Randy got stopped by Merula.
"Yes, you are interrupting us.", Merula spoke with distaste in her voice.
"Oh, I apologize for that. Really, Mrs. Jackson," said Draco, before his eyes caught sight of the book in Randy's hands.
It did not take long for Merula to follow where the young Malfoy's eyes were looking as she quickly pulled the book out of her husband's hands. Then she closed the book shut before putting it back in her travel pouch that was beside her. After this, she turned back to Draco who had a curious look on his face as to what was in the book that she did not want him to see. However, they decided to find out later on once they arrived at Hogwarts.
"Can we help you with something?." said Merula, getting to the point with an impatient look.
"Um, now I know this sounds kinda unheard of and confusing but...", Draco tried to think hard of a perfect way to say what he wanted to say to them. Well, Randy in particular.
"Try us." encouraged Randy, adjusting his glasses along with having a look of interest on his face.
Draco nodded in understanding before finding the right words to say and said, "Mr. Jackson it would mean the wizarding world to me if you will have me as your personal mentee."
Merula raised her brow. Trying to get her own mind to comprehend what the young Malfoy has requested of her husband. As for Randy, he looked surprised to hear anything like this coming from someone much less a Malfoy. With that in mind, Randy can easily hypothesize that if young Draco came to ask of him to be his personal mentor then, the young Granger will do the very same with Merula as well. Still, it did not sound like a bad idea to Randy. To him, it sounded interesting and fun but then again, it is strange to hear such a request especially if it is coming from a Malfoy boy. Let alone wondering about why Draco wanted him to be his personal private teacher in the first place.
As for Merula on the other hand, she refused that idea based on what had happened in the past. Merula refused for herself and her husband to be distracted or get sabotaged by Draco. No, she will not return to Hogwarts and not resume the hunt for the vaults, all because of having the same Malfoy child get involved and prevent them from solving the mysteries of the Chamber of Secrets.
"Forget it.", Merula began with a displeased look. "I and Randy are not picking favorites let alone giving private lessons."
"Wait, but…", Draco was about to protest against the refusal with a displeased face.
"End of discussion, Malfoy!." said Merula, using her inside voice and serious tone.
Draco looked back at Randy with hope in his eyes. Hoping that the veteran former Hogwarts Gryffindor student would convince his wife otherwise. Randy can read the beg in Draco's eyes as he truly wanted to be a personal student of his. Now, as memory serves, Randy does remember how little Draco had sabotaged their trap that Penny had worked so hard to build by hand in order to capture the vault's creature. And then he remembered the little boy had purposely ruined his and Merula's portion project in Snape's class, by adding five pixie wings and two frog tears which caused the brew to blow up along with the pot and made Rowan and Penny take the fall.
And based upon that incident and the distraction from not getting to the vault of hallucination until the last two weeks of school. Once after hearing the information from Merula from last night, it stands to reason that Draco might or might not be sent by his father to stop him and his wife from working on the investigation search for the Chamber of Secrets. Especially if this is an attempt to both bring back Voldemort and kill Harry at the same time. That is one thing that Randy will not stand or tolerate to happen now that he and Merula are returning to Hogwarts. After all, this is not his or Merula's first rodeo.
"I have to agree with my wife on this one. Sorry, Draco, but I have to reject your request to be my personal student. Besides, I have not got the chance to step foot in my own classroom." said Randy, removing his glasses and putting them up.
Draco frowned a little bit before exiting out of their cart without saying goodbye or seeing them at the feast. Merula ignored the boy's reaction and got up to go find the cart woman to buy more sweets while leaving Randy to resume back to the book.
Unfortunately, for Merula, she reached up to the cart woman and found Hermione and the girls at the same time.
"Mrs. Professor Jackson," Hermione spoke with enthusiasm and gave the woman a big smile.
"For fuck sake, why me?." thought Merula with a sigh and said, "Can I help you and your friends, Ms. Granger?."
"You know my name?.", Hermione can only grin now. "The great Merula Snyde Jackson knows my name!."
"Yes, yes, I know who you are, Hermione.", Merula turned her attention to the girls beside Hermione. "And what are your two names?. If you two don't mind me asking."
Cho stepped forward and spoke with confidence. "My name is Cho, Mrs.Professor Jackson. Cho Cheng."
"And my name is Lavender. Lavender Brown. It's an honor to meet you, ma'am. Is Mr. Jackson in the very back of the train by any chance?." asked Lavender.
Merula would tell them to forget about it and leave herself and Randy alone but however, she had her interest in the young Granger. With no hesitation, she nodded in answer before motioning Cho and Lavender to go right on ahead. The two grinned widely before racing down to find and speak with Randy while leaving both Merula and Hermione all by themselves. Hermione refused to turn back now on her plan and she was not going to look weak in front of her role model. As for Merula, she had to give a little bit of respect to the young witch since she is one of the three that found the vault that she, her husband, or their friends had difficulty finding in their final year.
"Alright, Hermione, what is on your mind?. And please make it quick, I do want to enjoy the long ride to Hogwarts," said Merula, after paying for her live chocolate sour worms.
"Uh, right.", Hermione nodded and needed to get to the point or else. " I was hoping that you'll have me as your personal successor. You see, I'm well known as a strong sturdier, and never know when to stop at my own risk. So…what do you say?."
Merula took a bit of her worm while giving a thought as to what is going on. First, Draco wanted to be Randy's pupil, and now Hermione wants to be the same as her. This was quite interesting and dared to see how good the young witch is but can not do so.
"Just because you, Ron, and Harry had found and entered the vault that we've been searching for in our seventh year, does not mean you'll use that as a waiver to get my interest to be my personal student," said Merula.
Hermione got a little bit upset by this and wanted to say something back but also remembered her backup plan if her direct attempt had failed on her. And so she told the woman good day and told her that she sees her at the feast, and walked to her cart that she settled in with a wicked grin on her face.
(A/N): Sorry about making this chapter short, but will make it in the next chapter. Until next time, Excelsior!.