Chapter 3
The First Week of School
The next morning Pansy and I waited for the boys in the common room before heading down to breakfast. I needed to make sure I had back up in case Harry decided to try and talk to me again.
While we were waiting, Graham Montague, the captain of the Slytherin quidditch team this year, came up to me to see if I would be on the team this year. Montague was in his seventh and final year of school. He played as a chaser, same as me. I was hoping for a good quidditch season because last year's season was canceled for the Triwizard Tournament.
"Yeah, of course I want on the team this year." I answered.
"Right, you've been practicing this summer?" Montague questioned me. "I seem to remember you living with muggles."
"I spent the summer with the Malfoy's," I said. "So I got lots of practice in."
"Okay, good." Montague said, nodding his head. "I assume Malfoy is going to want-"
"I'm going to want what?" Draco asked, walking up to us.
"Quidditch," I said, turning to him.
"Yeah, count me in." Draco said to Pucey.
"Tryouts are this weekend," Montague said to us. "Be there."
"You're making us tryout?" Draco complained.
"I need you there because we need two new beaters for this year's team." Montague rolled his eyes. "It's just a formality, you two are a shoo in." He waved goodbye and left for the Great Hall.
"Let's go eat," Pansy said, her stomach growling.
Hogwarts felt different so far this year. Usually when I walked by people they'd mutter something about me being the 'evil' Potter twin; however, I noticed, on my way to breakfast, that people were muttering about my brother's 'madness' instead of mine. It was nice to not be the one talked about in a bad way for a change.
Breakfast was in full swing when we arrived. We ended up finding some seats near the end of the Slytherin table, closest to the staff table. The one good thing about sitting so close to the staff table was the fact that we were given our class schedule first. Professor Snape walked down from the staff table near the end of breakfast and handed out schedules.
"Herbology, Double Potions, Divination, and Double Transfiguration." Pansy said, reading the list out loud.
"So we won't get a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson until tomorrow." I said. "Guess we'll have to wait to find out what Umbridge is like."
"We've got a bit to walk to get to the greenhouses, we better go." Zabini said as he stood up from the table. The rest of us followed suit, and we headed down to the greenhouses together.
Greenhouse three was the building we were in for today's lesson. The building smelled like freshly dug earth, plants were covering almost every inch of the building. This was the same greenhouse we used in our second year when we were learning about mandrakes. Once we were all gathered in, Professor Sprout began to talk.
"Welcome, welcome," she said with a smile. She had on her patched hat over her short gray hair. Like always, her robes were covered in a healthy coat of dirt. "This year is an important year. You will all be taking the O.W.L's at the end of the school year. It is my job to prepare you for this exam. You'll be given homework designed to help you study everything you have learned the last four years as well as all the new information you will learn this year."
"Great," Pansy whispered, "more homework."
"Today, we will be reviewing mandrakes." Professor Sprout said with a smile. She continued her lecture about mandrakes, and we were all given the task of repotting them. With earmuffs protecting us from the cries of the mandrakes, the class spent the hour and half of class working. At the end of class Professor Sprout assigned an essay covering the topic of mandrakes and their uses to be turned in next class.
We had Double Potions next, so when the end of class bell rang we hurried through the school grounds and down to the dungeons. I was feeling a bit anxious for potions because we share the class with the Gryffindors. It was going to be the longest I would be in a room with my brother since last school term. Not only that, but our next class after potions was divination, another shared with the Gryffindors.
Once we arrived at the Potions classroom, most of the Gryffindors had already arrived. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were already sitting at the back of the classroom. I led the way to the front of the classroom and sat down, doing my best to not look in Harry's direction. I heard the classroom door open and the class instantly quieted down.
"Settle down," Professor Snape said as he swept across the room. "Before we begin today's lesson, I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination. During which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an acceptable in your O.W.L or suffer my displeasure." Snape's gaze lingered on Neville Longbottom, who was known for not doing well in his classes.
"After this year, of course, many of you will cease studying with me. I take only the very best in my N.E.W.T potions class. Which means some of us will certainly be saying goodbye." This time Snape's gaze settled on Harry. The pair of them never really got along, but it wasn't like they tried to get along either. "But we have another year to go before that happy moment of farewell. So whether you are intending to attempt N.E.W.T or not, I advise all of you to concentrate your efforts upon maintaining the high pass level I have come to expect from my O.W.L students.
"Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level, the Draft of Peace. A potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned, if you are too heavy handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep. So, you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing. The ingredients and method are on the blackboard." He flicked his wand at the board and the ingredients and instructions appeared. "You will find everything you need in the store cupboard," another flick of his wand and the cupboard opened up. "You have an hour and a half. Start." Chairs scraped the floor as everyone stood to gather the needed ingredients.
The potion that Professor Snape assigned to us was, so far, the most difficult to make. The ingredients needed to be added in the exact order with the exact measurements. The mixture had to be stirred exactly the right amount of times, first clockwise then counterclockwise. The heat of the flame under the cauldron needed to be lowered to exactly the right level for a certain amount of time before the final ingredient needed to be added.
"A light silver vaper should be rising from your cauldrons now," Professor Snape called out with ten minutes left to go.
Snape walked around the room, examining everyone's potions. He rarely ever gave out compliments, even to us Slytherins. As he passed by the table Draco, Zabini, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and I were sitting at, he merely nodded at Draco and me, and told the rest they needed to work on their potion crafting skills.
"Potter, what is this supposed to be?" We heard Snape say from behind us. We all looked around to find Snape at Harry's table.
"The Draft of Peace," Harry responded, tensely.
"Tell me Potter," said Snape. "Can you read?" Draco laughed next to me.
"Yes, I can." Harry said stiffly.
"Read the third line of the instructions for me, Potter." Harry squinted at the blackboard at the front of the classroom.
"Add powdered moonstone, stir three times counterclockwise, allow to simmer for seven minutes then add two drops of syrup of hellebore." I could see Harry's face drop. Clearly, he had missed a step.
"Did you do everything on the third line, Potter?" Snape questioned him, a sneer on his face.
"No," Harry said quietly.
"I beg your pardon?"
"No," Harry said louder. "I forgot the hellebore."
"I know you did, Potter. Which means that this mess is utterly worthless. Evanesco." Snape waved his wand over Harry's cauldron and the potion within vanished. "Those of you who have managed to read the instructions, fill one flagon with a sample of your potion. Label it clearly with your name and bring it up to my desk for testing. Homework, twelve inches of parchment on the properties of moonstone and its uses on potion making to be handed in Thursday."
The class started to bottle up our potions and turn them in. It wasn't until my friends and I were on our way out of the classroom that Harry attempted to approach me again. He had taken advantage of not needing to walk up to the front of the classroom and waited for me by the classroom door.
"Chloe," Harry said as we approached the door. Crabbe and Goyle stepped in front of the group protectively.
"Leave us alone," Crabbe grunted at Harry.
"Chloe, you can't ignore me forever." Harry called out as we pushed our way past him.
"He's a bit thick isn't he?" Pansy said as we headed towards the Great Hall for lunch. "Doesn't he get that you don't want to talk to him?"
"He's right though," I sighed. "I can't avoid talking to him forever."
"Sure you can," Draco said.
"Well you, Crabbe, and Goyle can't keep guard all the time. We don't all share the same classes." I pointed out. "Pansy, Zabini, and I have divination next but you three decided to take arithmancy."
"Then it'll be up to Pansy and Zabini to keep him away from you," Draco said as he gave the two of them a meaningful look.
"Yeah, yeah," Pansy said as she waved her hand. "We can keep him away."
We arrived at the Great Hall, which was filled with students sitting at their house tables. The ceiling was cloudy, and it looked like it had started to rain. We made our way to the Slytherin table and sat down near the entrance of the hall. A variety of sandwiches were already on the table along with fruit, salads, and little pastries. I grabbed myself a ham and cheese sandwich and some grapes and started to eat.
The end of lunch bell rang and we all stood to make our way to our class. Pansy, Zabini, and I waved goodbye to Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle as we went our separate ways. The walk to North Tower was a long one, and at the end of it we still had to climb up the ladder and through a trapdoor.
The Divination classroom was always lit dimly, the scented fireplace was the main source of light. Small tables littered the room, all of which had leather bound books on them. The tables, chairs, and overstuffed poofs were not lined in pretty straight lines but rather were placed scattered about the room. Pansy, Zabini, and I wound our way through the room and picked a table near the fireplace. I could feel Harry's eyes on the back of my head as I moved through the room.
"Good day," said Professor Trelawney as the class settled down. "And welcome back to divination. I have, of course, been following your fortune's most carefully over the holidays and am most delighted to see that you have all returned to Hogwarts safely. As of course I knew you would. You will find on the tables before you copies of The Dream Oracle by Inigo Imago. Dream interpretation is a most important means of divining the future and one that may very, probably, be tested in your O.W.L. Not of course that I believe examination passes or failures are of the remotest importance when it comes to the art of divination. If you have the seeing eye, certificates and grades matter very little. However, the headmaster likes you to sit the examination, so…" her voice trailed away softly. It was clear to the class that Professor Trelawney considered her subject to be above examinations.
"Turn please to the introduction and read what Imago has to say about dream interpretation. Then divide into pairs, use The Dream Oracle to interpret each other's most recents dreams." My heart sank, my last dream was about Cedric. "Carry on."
Pansy opened the book on the table in front of us, and the three of us put our heads together to read the introduction. Fortunately for me, this class was not a double period. By the time we were all done reading the introduction, there was only ten minutes left of class. I insisted that Pansy go first to tell me what her latest dream was, and when she was done giving me every detail she could the end of class bell rang. Professor Trelawnley gave us the homework of keeping a dream diary for a month as we all packed up our things.
Leaving the classroom was always a pain in the ass. We had to single file our way out, which gave Harry another chance to attempt to talk to me. I stood in line, between Pansy and Zabini, when he walked up.
"Oy," I heard Zabini say from behind me. "You need to leave, Potter." I remained forward facing, ignoring the conversation behind me.
"Chloe," Harry said, ignoring Zabini. "We seriously need to talk."
"She doesn't want to talk to you." Zabini sneered at him. "So just go away."
"Yeah, go away." Pansy said. She had turned around when Zabini started talking. "You are not wanted here."
"Chloe, please, I need to talk to you." The line moved as students slowly filed out of the classroom.
"What part of 'she doesn't want to talk to you' do you not get?" Zabini glared at Harry.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Harry spat at Zabini. I could hear the frustration in his voice. It was now Pansy turn to go out the trapdoor.
"Sure I do, Chloe does not want to talk to you." Zabini responded. It was the first time Zabini had used my first name. "She made it very clear when she left you for the Malfoys." He was trying to push Harry's buttons and it worked. If it weren't for Ron, who grabbed Harry, he would have punched Zabini in the face. Finally, it was my turn to leave the classroom. I hurried down the trapdoor to find Pansy waiting for me at the bottom of the ladder.
"Your brother is really annoying," Pansy said as I jumped off the last step.
"Tell me about it," I said, rolling my eyes. "It's almost like he can't take a hint. I have a feeling I'm going to have to tell him myself to leave me alone. I can't expect you and everyone else to keep him away from me forever."
"Whatever you want to do," Pansy said with a shrug. Zabini joined us at the bottom of the ladder.
"Your brother is really annoying," he said as the three of us headed towards the transfiguration classroom.
"I said the same thing!" Pansy laughed.
"He was just about ready to punch me," Zabini chuckled.
"I noticed you used my first name," I said casually. Zabini and I had never been super close to each other. Not even Draco used his first name and the two of them knew each other a lot longer than I knew them.
"A tactic to further upset your brother," Zabini shrugged. "Don't expect me to continue using it."
"Fair enough," I said with a chuckle.
I was grateful that we didn't share Transfiguration with the Gryffindors. We shared this class with the Hufflepuffs, a much easier going group. However, when I walked into the classroom a few of them whispered behind their hands. I thought I heard Cedric's name a couple of times as I passed them to the middle of the classroom where Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were already sitting.
Like with Snape, when Professor McGonagall entered the classroom silence fell. She strode to the front of the classroom, her robes sweeping behind her. Like usual she had her hair in a tight bun, a pointed green hat on top. Like all our other teachers today, she started the lesson with a small lecture about the importance of O.W.L. exams.
"You cannot pass an O.W.L.,' said Professor McGonagall grimly, "without serious application, practice and study. I see no reason why everybody in this class should not achieve an O.W.L. in Transfiguration as long as they put in the work.
"Today we are starting Vanishing Spells. These are easier than conjuring spells, which you would not usually attempt until N.E.W.T level, but they are still among the most difficult magic you'll be tested on in your O.W.L."
Professor McGonagall passed out snails to everyone in class after showing us how to cast the spell. I realized that we saw Professor Snape perform this spell earlier in potions when he cleared Harry's cauldron.
By the end of the period, only a small handful of students were successful in, at least, partially vanishing their snails. While mine didn't vanish, I would say it did get a bit lighter by the end of class. I had more success than Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle at least. Professor McGonagall assigned an essay on the uses of the vanishing spell, to be turned in next class.
"I hate that we got so much homework to do," Pansy complained on our way down to the Great Hall for dinner.
"We better take some time tonight and work on it," I said grimly. "We don't want to get behind on it." Pansy groaned with displeasure.
In the Great Hall, I noticed a bunch of mutterings and whispers surrounding my brother. Apparently Harry had a shouting match with the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Umbridge. I heard Cedric's name being dropped constantly, especially around the Gryffindor table.
"If Professor Umbridge doesn't like your brother, maybe she'll be a good teacher." Pansy said with a small chuckle. "I like anyone who doesn't like him."
"Sounds like they argued about the Dark Lord," Draco said lazily. "She's from the Ministry, so she'll be pushing the idea that he isn't back." Draco and I made eye contact, remembering when Voldemort visited the manor over the summer.
"Let's just agree with her and not get on her bad side," I said as I piled potatoes and chicken on my plate.
"Agreed," Pansy, Zabini, and Draco said at the same time.
That night in the common room we worked on our essays assigned that day. I was halfway through with my potions essay when I felt like giving up. I looked up from my work and saw that Crabbe and Goyle decided to play a match of gobstones instead of doing their essays. I rolled my eyes, surely these two weren't going to get many, if any, O.W.L's.
"Are we going to get homework like this every day?" Pansy complained. She had her brow furrowed in frustration.
"I think we will," I sighed. "So far all the teachers have started class by talking about our O.W.L's. Homework is a way to make us study for them."
"I hate it," Pansy grumbled as she wrote a few more words on her herbology essay.
We worked for another half an hour before heading off to bed. As I laid under the covers of my bed, I thought about the day. I let my thoughts wander over my classmates, to the teachers, then the O.W.L's. Would Cedric have advice for me if he were still here?
The next day we had History of Magic, Double Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Double Care of Magical Creatures. Both Professor Bins and Professor Flitwick started their lectures about O.W.L's. I had a feeling we were going to hear about them in every class. Bins assigned eighteen inches on a goblin rebellion and Flitwick assigned twelve inches on Summoning Charms.
We ate lunch in the Great Hall between our first two classes. The entire time Crabbe and Goyle were complaining about the amount of homework they were going to have to do tonight.
"That's what you get for not doing any last night," I said unsympathetically as I grabbed myself some pumpkin juice. Zabini, Pansy, and Draco all laughed at my words, making Crabbe and Goyle's faces go red.
The next class we had was Defense Against the Dark Arts. Finally, we were going to properly meet Professor Umbridge. She was already sitting at her desk when we arrived at the classroom. She was wearing a pink cardigan and a black velvet bow on her head. We all sat down, my group sat in the middle of the room, and waited.
"Well," she said when the whole class had sat down. "Good afternoon." A few people muttered a 'good afternoon' as a reply. "Tut, tut. That won't do now will it? I should like you, if you please, to reply 'good afternoon Professor Umbridge.' One more time, please. Good afternoon class."
"Good afternoon Professor Umbridge," we all said together.
"There now, that wasn't too difficult was it?" She said in a sickly sweet voice. I had a hard time not rolling my eyes at her. "Please put your wands away and get out your quills." We did as we were told as Umbridge used her wand to put words on the blackboard. The words 'Defense and Against the Dark Arts a return to basic principles' appeared.
"Well now, your teaching in this subject has been rather disrupted and fragmented hasn't it?" Stated Professor Umbridge as she turned to face the class, her hands clasped in front of her. "The constant changing of teachers, many of whom do not seem to have followed any Ministry approved curriculum, has unfortunately resulted in your being far below the standard we'd expect you to be by your fifth year. You will be pleased to know, however, that these problems are now to be rectified. We will be following a carefully structured, fairly standard, Ministry approved course of defensive magic this year. Copy down the following, please." She tapped the blackboard again, the first message disappeared and was replaced with:
Course Aims
Understanding the principles underlying defensive magic
Learning to Recognize Situations in which defensive magic can legally be used
Placing the use of defensive magic in a context for practical use
She gave us a minute to copy down the board. The sounds of quills on parchment filled the room as we silently did as we were told. Once we were all done copying what she wanted us to, she continued to talk.
"Has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?" The class muttered confirmation. "I think we'll try that again. When I ask you a question I would like you to reply 'yes Professor Umbridge' or 'no Professor Umbridge. So, has everyone got a copy of Defensive Magical Theory by Wilbert Slinkhard?"
"Yes Professor Umbridge," we chanted back to her.
"Good," said Professor Umbridge. "I should like you to turn to page five and read chapter one, Basic for Beginners. There's no need to talk." She turned and sat down at her desk and watched us read the first chapter.
I read the chapter, which wasn't that long, and looked around the room. Crabbe and Goyle both had blank looks on their faces as they stared at their books. Pansy was still reading, but she also looked fairly bored. Draco was also finished reading and was looking around the room. When we made eye contact he rolled his eyes, indicating he didn't think much of the textbook.
Soon the class was almost over and everyone had finished reading the first chapter. Professor Umbridge stood up again and smiled at all of us. Her beady black eyes and squashed face made me feel like she was a toad eyeing an insect to eat.
"Does anyone have any questions?" She asked the class. I glanced over at the Ravenclaws, who we shared this class with, and noticed Lisa Turpin had put her hand up.
"Yes, miss?" Umbridge asked, smiling.
"Lisa Turpin," Turpin responded. "I heard from a friend in Gryffindor that we won't be using any actual spells in this class, is that true?"
"Why would you need to use any spells in my class, Miss Turpin?" Umbridge asked, still smiling.
"There is a portion of our O.W.L that will require us to be able to perform defensive magic," Turpin said, frowning. "How do you expect us to be able to pass our exams if we aren't able to practice?"
"You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk free way." Umbridge answered in a falsely sweet voice. The class looked around to each other, confused. "I do not wish to criticize the way things have been run at this school, but you have been exposed to some very irresponsible wizards in this class, very irresponsible indeed. Not to mention extremely dangerous half breeds."
"Are you talking about Professor Lupin?" Terry Boot interjected.
"In my class, you need to raise your hand if you have a question or comment." Professor Umbridge said. Boot put his hand in the air and she ignored him. "Like I was saying, you have been exposed to dangerous spells in this class. They have been inappropriate for your age group and potentially lethal. You have been frightened to believe you will be facing dark attacks everyday. It is my understanding that my predecessor not only performed illegal curses in front of you, but on you as well. Now, it is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations. As long as you have studied the theory long enough, there is no reason you should not be able to perform the spells under carefully controlled examination conditions." Once again, the class looked around at each other with confusion written on all of our faces.
The bell that signaled the end of class rang and Professor Umbridge told us to write up a summary of the first chapter of the book for the next class. As the class filed out of the classroom, I heard some of the Ravenclaws muttering about how it wasn't fair they wouldn't be able to practice spells before our O.W.L.
Pansy, Zabini, Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, and I trudged down towards Hagrid's cabin. Professor Grubbly-Plank was waiting for us. She was standing behind a long table that had a bunch of sticks on top of it. The air outside was cool now, and occasionally I felt a drop of rain hit my head. We gathered around the table and waited for the Gryffindors to show up.
When they finally showed up Professor Grubbly-Plank began the class talking about our O.W.L's. I was seriously getting sick of hearing about our examinations. Did every single teacher have to lecture us about the importance of them? Sure the exams will determine what kind of magical career we could go into, but the amount of pressure was insane.
Today's class was on bowtruckles. These funny little creatures looked like sticks in order to blend in their environment. According to Grubbly-Plank, if bowtruckles were in a tree then the tree was of wand quality wood. In order to get the wood a witch or wizard would need to distract the bowtruckles with woodlice or fairy eggs.
I could feel Harry's eyes on me the entire class. However, being surrounded by my friends kept him at bay. Even at the end of class, he didn't try to approach me. I saw him mutter some words to Hermione before heading up to the castle with Ron. She stayed back, exchanged a few words with Professor Grubbly-Plank, and then slowly made her way to me.
We were about halfway to the castle when she came up from behind. I heard Goyle tell her to go away, but she ignored him. She went around the group and stopped right in front of us.
"Out of the way, mudblood," said Draco irritably. She ignored him as well.
"Chloe," she eyed me carefully. "Can we talk?" I bit my lip, debating whether or not to talk to her. I nodded slowly and gestured for the rest of the group to go ahead of me. Draco gave me a look of concern before he left with the rest of the group.
"What do you want?" I asked when everyone else was out of earshot.
"Chloe," she let out a small sigh. "We are worried about you. You didn't return any of my letters this summer, and you've refused to talk to your brother so far this year. I just want to make sure you're okay." I rolled my eyes at her.
"I'm as fine as I can be, Granger." I responded. I could tell that by using her last name I hurt her feelings, but I didn't care.
"Please, just talk to Harry. He's been going crazy with worry all summer long. I don't understand why you would have left your family for the Malfoy's."
"I did what I needed to do," I said. "You don't really think I'd want to be around Harry after he did nothing to save Cedric, do you?"
"It wasn't his fault," Hemione insisted. "You-Know-Who killed him, you know that. You also know that the Malfoy's are in league with You-Know-Who, why put yourself in more danger?"
"I was not in any danger this summer," I crossed my arms defiantly. "And I do not need you or my brother worrying about me. I have my own friends to help me, so please tell my brother to leave me alone. If I ever decide to talk to him, I'll be the one to initiate it." With that I left her standing in the light pouring rain.
When I reached the Great Hall, I quickly looked up and down the Slytherin table to find my group of friends. They were all the way at the end nearest the staff table, eating dinner. I walked over to them and sat down next to Pansy.
"So what did the mudblood want?" She asked as pushed around the rice on her plate.
"Apparently they are worried about me," I said as I scooped myself a bowl of potato soup. "She thinks I was in danger this summer, since I was at your place." I added, looking at Draco.
"They would think you were in danger," he scoffed in annoyance.
"Seriously, Harry was the one attacked this summer, not me." I laughed. "I didn't need to use magic outside of school to protect myself." Draco and I made eye contact again, both of us thinking about when I used the Cruciatus Curse on Pettigrew. But that wasn't in self-defense, it was revenge. I also didn't get into any legal trouble for it.
The rest of the school week went by in a flash. I spent most of my free time trying to keep up with all the homework the teachers were assigning. Hermione must have also told Harry what I said because he stopped trying to catch me after classes. This was going to be my first year of school without my brother by my side.
AN: Thank you for reading chapter 3, please leave me a review!