“11 12j Wednesday - Morning Classes” Part 2
Severus Snape, Hermione Granger, Staff: Filius Flitwick, Albus Dumbledore, Septima Vector, Slytherins: Draco Malfoy, Theo Nott, Blaise Zabini, Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, Tracey Davis, Daphne Greengrass, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode, Alberta Runcorn, Hunter Hutchinson, Gryffindors: Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil, Ravenclaws: Mandy Brocklehurst, Kevin Entwhistle, Steven Cornfoot, Darius Inglebee, Stewart Ackerly Hufflepuffs: Hannah Abbott, Megan Jones, Ernie Macmillan, Others: Sunny, Slinky, Mafalda Hopkirk, Rita Skeeter, Reginald Cattermole
Mentioned briefly: Staff: Poppy Pomfrey, Minerva McGonagall, Slytherins: Flora Carrow, Hestia Carrow, Sheldon Shafiq, Torsten Touchstone, Tomasina Touchstone, Bartholomew 'Bart' Burke, Gryffindors: Fay Dunbar, Georgina Smith, Dennis Creevey, Ravenclaws: Morag MacDougal, Eddie Carmichael, Hufflepuffs: Salome Smith, Susan Bones, Others: Corban Yaxley, Pius Thicknesse
Originally Published: 2018-11-04 on
AO3Chapter: 097 part 2
The original version of this chapter exceeded livejournal’s maximum post length. It’s been split in two parts.
The seventh year N.E.W.T. Charms class is very nearly an over-subscribed course. With a headcount of twenty-nine, there are more students enrolled here than in any single other class, and if the teacher were anyone but the remarkably even tempered Filius, he or she would have long since complained.
All but two Gryffindors and two Slytherins are taking Charms, as are all the Ravenclaws save Mandy Brocklehurst, whose love of music demanded she reluctantly pass on her Head of House's class in favour of the music course she takes with Gryffindors Fay and Georgina. On Wednesdays, that's the Muggle Music class, and unsurprisingly there are no Slytherins enroled; Goyle only joins them Mondays for the regular double Music lesson. Normally, Megan Jones sits in Muggle Music with them along with five other Hufflepuffs. She won't be there this morning, and Mandy, Fay, and Georgina will be amongst the first outside of her House to learn she's permanently pulled out of the school.
There are only four Hufflepuffs in the Charms class - Hannah, Susan, Justin and Ernie - and they can't seem to stop whispering amongst themselves. Despite the Draught of Peace, Hermione is still a little self conscious, or perhaps it's more accurate to describe the response as a purely intellectual one thanks to the Potion. Idly, she can't help wondering if all that whispering is still about her. Salome Perks, Smith, whatever isn't in the class, but then neither is Megan, and Hermione wasn't at breakfast and hadn't had the hint of a chance to hear any of the rumours as to why she's left school.
Yet.
The Snakes, too, are behaving oddly. There are five girls in the class, and they're spurning the three boys. Not too noticeably, naturally, they're Slytherins after all, but Hermione can see a difference to yesterday, as she'd had occasion to observe them a little more closely. She has no idea what's going on, and of course no one is likely to tell her.
On top of the bickering, the fighting between her and Ron - and Harry, too, honestly - the class has a really weird atmosphere, and Hermione is only too happy when it's over.
As the last student leaves the classroom, Severus flicks the door shut and summons Sunny again.
"Can you tell me where you found this collection of potions?"
"Sir means those potions?" He asks pointing a knobby finger at the pile Severus has set aside. "Potions is in Crabbe's trunk, Master of Potions, Sir. Many, many potions is in his trunk."
Severus has a sinking feeling as he hears it.
This is particularly bitter.
Crabbe has an incredible assortment of Potions, certainly greater quantities of each of them than any one person could ever need, and Severus is forced to acknowledge he's probably dealing in them. It leaves him more than a little uncomfortable, as he'd done much the same as a student in his sixth and seventh years, once he'd been... cut loose and needed to define a niche for himself. He'd spent five years rejecting many of the offers of friendship within his House that would have come at the expense of his relationship with Lily, and then from one day to the next, she'd very publicly cast him aside.
Whether or not she was right to do so - and in retrospect, he can certainly see some of her points; bloody Nora, he'd seen many of them at the time - that left him needing to find a place for himself within the House.
With his talents, his interests? Dealing in potions had been the obvious answer. And quite honestly, he had desperately needed the money. That the brewing had accounted for much of his free time had only helped. It gave him the perfect excuse not to be more like Mulciber or Rosier, not to have to spend more time either trying or not to fit in. Neither were good options at the time. He was able to leave a great many things ambiguous, he'd have so gladly done - or not, depending on the audience - something or another with the others, but he was frightfully sorry, he had a cauldron waiting...
As they invariably profited from his Draughts, no one ever complained or questioned the excuse.
Well, not much.
A clear difference between what he had done and what Crabbe seems to be doing being that he hadn't had the Galleons to purchase the potions and Crabbe hasn't the skills to brew his own. There's a huff of sardonic laughter, at least he hopes Crabbe isn't trying to. That would probably be worse.
It's odd having to evaluate his own behaviour through the eyes of a staff member.
Then as now, many of the potions are run of the mill things meant to provide a supply of innocuous potions such as Pimple-Vanisher in a pinch.
But naturally it doesn't stop there.
The last even reasonably organised (and isn't it strange to apply that term in any sense to Crabbe) Potions Dealer he knew of was Carmichael from Ravenclaw, who had graduated last year, apparently leaving a void Crabbe has decided to fill. From the assortment of potions now on his desk, Severus is forced to admit, Crabbe might even be a far sight better at this than Carmichael ever was.
In fact, it was Miss Granger who had rumbled him trying to sell a Mental Enhancement Potion to Potter and Weasley for their O.W.L.s a year and a half ago and turned Carmichael in. That put him within their sights.
Severus doesn't smirk (much) as he sits there thinking of the irony that she's now married to a one-time Potions pusher herself.
"How far along are you with the search?" Severus asks his elf.
"Sunny saves the Crabbe's things for last, Sunny does. We is almost finished Master of Potions, Sir."
That's not quite true; the real work is probably just starting. The ones that aren't immediately evident need to be identified after all, but they may be coming to an end of the supply. "Very well. Return these, please and see what else you can find." The elf vanishes almost before he finishes speaking. Eager thing. He and Miss Granger have quite a bit in common.
His next class enters, but no one finds it the least bit odd that the Professor sits there carefully analysing and apparently grading Potions. All in a day's work. What could be more natural?
Severus works steadily away at it until just before lunch, by which point there are only a small handful he can't identify without testing. That's the point he's forced to get creative. He Summons a number of phials, some agar and dyes and sets about creating a set of fake 'potions' with the same colourings and viscosities as the potions he's retaining, the identified ones he won't be permitting the students to keep and the ones he still hasn't pinpointed.
He could just take them all without replacement, of course, especially as he rather suspects he won't wish to return the three mystery potions either. But this approach allows him to determine what they are before he makes that judgment. Handling the job this way lends him the appearance of knowing more than he currently does, while guaranteeing there's no risk to the students as he analyses them. It's theatre, pure and simple, but it's a simple tactic that will be helpful moving forward as he has no doubt whatsoever that simply voicing a ban on certain substances isn't likely to actually prove... effective.
When has it ever.
Ultimately, the more powerful certain students think he is, the more skilful, the less work he'll have in the end.
Sunny is so good as to place the fakes where he'd found their doppelgangers, and Severus pockets the originals. It's unlikely anyone will have call to realise they're missing before he's done. He can identify the remainder in his own time, and then have Sunny remove the fakes or replace the originals, as necessary. Setting a jar of Insalacious Saltpeter on his desk for Slinky, he locks and wards his classroom, making the adjustments to permit the elf access, and heads to the Library to take care of his next set of errands.
When class finally ends, Harry grabs Ron and bolts. It's been demonstrably successful before, and it certainly seems like a good idea now. Hermione probably wouldn't have cared even if she hadn't taken the Draught. And it's not like they're in Arithmancy with her anyway.
Ravenclaws Entwhistle and Cornfoot go on ahead to Vector's class with Hannah and Ernie. Strangely, Malfoy and Nott seem eager to leave Greengrass, er, Daphne and Davis behind and dart off, following soon after the others. The girls are giving them the cold shoulder anyway, and Theo... MacDougall and Madam Snape were both in Charms with him, and right now he seems to have a pressing need for some fresh air. At this point Theo is fairly anxious to avoid... almost the entire the universe, really. Certainly all witches, and most definitely any Muggle-borns, and Muggle-born witches... Merlin. They're basically an unholy intersection of things he most desperately needs to never encounter, ever again.
What Hermione needs just now is to speak to Professor Flitwick about the attack on fourth year Hufflepuff Newton Kurz last night and she stays behind after class.
Daphne spots her dawdling and stops in the doorway to ask, "Hermione, aren't you coming to Arithmancy?"
"I need to speak to the Professor first, Daphne, but I'll be right along."
Daphne surprises her by volunteering to wait for her, and Tracey slots into place beside her. Personally, she is certain this will end badly, but having encouraged the others to see to it the Professor won't have to act on the Protection Vow, this is actually the best way for them to do so. Well, probably. But she can't quite stifle her sigh as she joins Daph, damn her eyes.
But then again, there aren't any other Gryffindors in Arithmancy, which should help minimise the potential trouble. (It also makes the class decidedly more enjoyable, but that's beside the point.)
"Professor, do you have a moment?" Hermione asks as she approaches his desk.
"Of course, Miss... Madam Snape. What would you like, my dear?"
"I wanted to talk to you about the duel that took place last night between several boys from your House and three others."
Hermione tells him a little about the duel. He's aware, of course, having had a wand in the treatment of some of the casualties, but he was less cognisant of the details of the events themselves.
"Still, eighty points, Madam Snape. That was quite a lot. Was the fighting truly that extreme? Especially, I beg your pardon, but especially as the two individuals to remain in the Infirmary overnight were two of the recipients of just that point loss."
"It shouldn't matter what the total was, Professor, although I can appreciate that it might be vexing for you as it's your House." Filius' expression shows the rebuke sat, and doesn't he just find that fact amusing... Strange little man, the Professor. "But that total is solely dependent on how many participated. The issue should be the twenty points I took from each of them separately for their actions, and I feel that was warranted.
"In fact, given the total number of boys who participated, if we were to factor that into the equation, it probably should have been higher." Technically she had done, to the tune of ten more points a nose, but that distinction won't help her drive her meaning home and she just so happens to neglect to mention it. "To be perfectly frank, I'd have given them detention if I could have.
"That's what I wanted to speak to you about. If Hunter Hutchinson and Dennis Creevey hadn't come to Kurz' assistance last night, and fought bravely against unfair odds to help him, I shouldn't like to think what would have happened..."
Tracey and Daphne, standing by the door, silently exchange glances at the mention of their younger Housemate. They hadn't expected her to praise him.
"Here again, Madam Snape, in all fairness, you have to admit the hexes two of my House endured were much worse than what they swished out. I brought Mr. Kurz himself back to his House last night, he was quite recovered, and I happen to know neither Mr. Hutchinson nor Mr. Creevey were in the Infirmary at that time. By contrast, Mr. Inglebee is still in Poppy's care."
"This wasn't some organised duel, Professor. This was a fight, and a dirty one. By the time Hunter and Dennis found Kurz, he was already effectively out of commission. Goodness knows, that wasn't an accomplishment; it should have been easy enough to achieve when he was so badly outnumbered. And that left those two boys who came to his aid also outnumbered by a factor of two to one. You can't expect them to play nicely under those conditions. You can't even expect any great accuracy from them, which I gather was part of the problem with Dennis' hex, wasn't it?" Filius finds himself having to stifle a smile. Bright witch, Madam Snape. And every bit as much a formidable opponent in a debate as in a duel.
Except then the mood seems to shift, and Filius is left regretting that he hadn't picked up on it sooner.
"Your boys attacked Newton Kurz four to one in a dark hallway at a time and place where he was lucky that anyone saw, and luckier yet that those who did weren't the sort to turn away. It was a disgraceful act of extreme cowardice from your students, and only luck kept it from ending any worse for Kurz..." Hermione's hair has begun crackling, she may be beginning to tap into her inner Madam Pince, and she's clearly agitated by what happened. Truth be told, she'd be much more so without the Peace in her, but Filius isn't particularly strict and not given to harsh punishments, and he most certainly isn't used to the Prefects lecturing him on his reasonably permissive tendencies. He takes her response for a marked one. Ron would be very happy to tell him otherwise. Merlin, she hasn't even set a flock of angry birds onto him yet. He really hasn't got anything to complain about.
Ruefully, it now occurs to Filius that he can imagine why these circumstances might be so upsetting for the witch. "I can see where you might find that especially worrisome..." He begins, and he means well, he really does. Hermione unfortunately hears only half the message and none of the intent and finds it frankly insulting.
"Anyone should find that especially worrisome."
"No, of course, Madam Snape." His little hands shoot up in surrender. "I didn't mean to suggest otherwise." He looks to the two girls standing by the door and considers how to phrase this circumspectly. "I assure you, my dear, I most definitely didn't mean to suggest it wouldn't be. You're right, obviously, that behaviour was unacceptable. The boys will be serving detention in addition to the point loss you assigned, I guarantee you. It's more than right. I merely meant..."
He trails off as it won't do her any good to say what he meant with others listening. It might not even do all that much good to say what he was thinking even if they were in private. He isn't at all sure how she's holding things together. She's a nice young woman and an excellent student, and he hates to think what she's had to endure these past few days.
Instead he tries to express that.
"You are doing alright? The Headmaster's solution... You're coming to rights?"
Hermione blushes just as furiously as the Draught will allow, but when she answers, her voice is steady enough. "It's a little late for second thoughts."
"Of course, of course, my dear. I wasn't trying to suggest... But that doesn't mean..." He stops, inhales and tries again. "If you should have any problems, please know my door is open to you. I know... Well, he can be difficult."
"You don't think the Professor is the problem?" Her indignation is clear.
Almost as if prearranged, the Slytherin witches withdraw quietly just out of sight. It doesn't do much to stop them hearing the conversation, though. That's probably not a coincidence.
"No, no, of course not...."
"Because he most certainly isn't." She crosses her arms and stands there tapping a foot, and probably wouldn't be happy to hear she bears a remarkable resemblance to Molly Weasley just at the moment.
"I didn't mean to suggest that either. I'm very sorry my dear, I don't seem to have broached that well at all. I simply meant if you find yourself wanting to speak with someone, you may come to me any time. That's all I was trying to say."
She'll accept the olive branch before things get any worse. Goodness knows, she's already hexed one staff member this week. "Thank you, Sir. I appreciate the offer," she replies as she turns to leave. It's a bit grudging and doesn't sound nearly as appreciative as she'll be later when she has time to consider it, but the context leaves her currently unable to see the generous offer in a more kind light.
Filius, fortunately, isn't offended. He really does have a sweet disposition, and he knows his approach had been... subpar. Difficult situation the witch finds herself in, difficult times, yes, very difficult for them all.
He resolves to do better next time.
Daphne and Tracey fall in wordlessly beside Hermione as she leaves the room and they walk to Arithmancy in silence. It's unusual, but even more oddly not uncomfortable. Each of the young women has a number of thoughts to pursue.
Mandy Brocklehurst is the only student in their Arithmancy class who isn't also taking Charms. As the Ravenclaw is just coming from her Muggle Music class, from which Megan Jones had been so conspicuously absent, she's the first one to join their number beyond the two Hufflepuffs present to have heard any of the news about their Muggle-born classmate. She loses no time in whispering the latest goss to fellow Ravenclaws Kevin Entwhistle and Steven Cornfoot as she hops into her seat.
The whispering continues as the boys, both more practical and sceptical than Mandy, turn to Hannah Abbott and Ernie Macmillan demanding confirmation. Hannah acknowledges Mandy frankly seems to know more than they do, although they're able to confirm Megan's left the school, and bolstered by that Mandy fills all four of them in about Megan's move to Canada, of all places.
The reverent tones in which that's whispered could leave one wondering just what they teach the students about other countries at the school. (Bugger all.)
Much speculation ensues, some of it about the plural form of 'moose', oddly enough. (Although it makes perfect sense within the conversation at the time.) They're nearly in agreement that it isn't 'meese' or 'mooses', and 'mice' was just a thoroughly stupid idea, thank you, Steven. Kevin has no idea what they're on about until Ernie clarifies 'elk'.
They could have just said so in the first place.
Hermione tries not to take the whispering personally and wonders if she's growing paranoid.
Fortunately, she doesn't care too much either way just now.
Tossers.
The Slytherins continue to have a clear division of the sexes, or clear if one watches properly. Most don't.
But then Hermione doesn't seem to have anything better to do...
Professor Vector calls the classroom to order, about to begin her Double Arithmancy lesson.
"Good to see you back, Mr. Macmillan," she addresses the Head Boy. Ernie blushes when he thinks about why he'd missed the last class. Shameful, his behaviour was, just shameful.
"Thank you, Professor," he manages, although general disinterest ensures no one but Hannah really registers his discomfort, but then that's part of what makes them friends.
"Everything back in working order, I trust?" As if he'd answer that if it weren't. Teachers ask the oddest things.
But Ernie's had a chance to think about and regret his behaviour from yesterday, the actions, worse - the words - that had led to his hexing. And honestly Nott looks like a ball of nerves today. With Ernie's ego, it wasn't much of a leap to decide that reaction was due to having to face him.
"Oh, quite," he answers Professor Vector. Looking at Nott, he says, "It's all good. Everything is quite alright."
And it is for a while. At least until lunch.
A/N:
So I started posting this thing a year ago, and I wanted to just take a moment to thank everyone for making the past year such a lovely experience. I'm still sort of thrown that so many people are reading it. Thanks once again to everyone who has commented (no, wait, almost everyone... right. lol), kudoed, bookmarked or just plain read the wicked long thing. You guys rule. ❤️
Also, 500k words in a year. Oof. ('Do you use your hands a lot?' they asked. ;-))