Spectrum
Tell me a secret~
- Location
- Behind you~
Well, the funny thing about 'prophecies' is that if you extend the timescale far enough, most of them will come true...
A Skirt's Not So Bad [Harry Potter]
- Thread starter Tekomandor
- Start date
Pretty much every single silly prediction the comes up for divination class that wasn't explicitly tied to an event in the narrative ends up coming true, but at some point you have to decide if it's "that's divination working as intended" or "the author thought it would be funny".
Chloe Sullivan
Subdefective
- Location
- 1630 Revello Drive, Sunnydale CA
headcanon acquired
Also wow but I love your take on Divination class. Divination was always Best School in D&D and I'm psyched to see it be more useful here.
Year Three, Chapter Six
- Location
- Australia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Year Three, Chapter Six
Harry arrived at her transfiguration class immediately after divination just ahead of a tide of whispers and odd looks. Not that she wasn't used to being the centre of rumour, but Harry felt a little unnerved by the whole incident. She knew, of course, that tea reading was imprecise and very subjective - but still, she had seen something that looked a lot like the Grim during the summer.
"And just what has our Professor of Divination predicted for your first lesson this year?" Professor McGonagall asked as her class continued to talk quietly.
"Th-the grim, professor," Dean Thomas said, studiously not looking at Harry.
"And I suppose she saw it in Miss Potter's teacup? Rest assured Miss Potter, that Professor Trelawney finds the most dramatic omen and loudly tells the entire class about it every year. None of the featured students have died yet," McGonagall said. "We Hogwarts professors often like to start the year with a little drama - for example, today we will be learning about Animagi. A most advanced piece of magic, but one of relevance to our studies this year," McGonagall continued, walking towards her desk.
Then, without any warning whatsoever, she turned right into a tabby cat. There was only a brief flash of whirling light, and certainly no incantation or wand movement. Then, after jumping down from her desk, the tabby cat turned back into the professor. The incident with the grim was almost instantly forgotten, as everyone gave off a round of applause.
Harry listened to McGonagall's lecture keenly, making detailed notes. The Professor didn't actually explain much about how one became an Animagus, but Harry thought the fact that she talked about the process more in terms of length and complexity rather than the difficulty of the magic was interesting. She started to think, and her mind wandered to the notebook hidden within her trunk.
She was brought out of her planning by the rather less exciting portion of the lesson, and the assigning of homework, but Harry had all but forgotten the Grim by the time the transfiguration lesson ended.
"I'm not so sure about divination. Professor Trelawney seems to actually know something, but those tea leaves were awfully imprecise and subjective even for her," Hermione said.
"You're just saying that because you're bad at a subject for once, " Ron said.
"I am not," Hermione snapped back, and the two of them continued in that vein until they made it to lunch.
"So you got the Trelawney special this year, Harry?" Fred asked at lunch, grinning.
"She told us we'd suffer rejection and failure, then achieve our goals anyway. She knows her stuff, but she's a mad old bat. Saw a Grim in Diggory's tea leaves too, didn't she Fred?" George said.
"Mind you, we did hit him particularly hard with a bludger that year. Thought I'd knocked his head off for a moment," Fred replied.
Harry winced at the thought.
Care of Magical creatures was outside, and the weather was perfect for it. The only things that had the potential to sour it were that Ron and Hermione weren't talking to each other and that Gryffindor shared the class with Slytherin. Harry's book was still bound in its leather strap, as were most of the classes. Neville had his open, and it seemed to be as placid as any other book.
"You all got your books? Good, good. Now, who's got theirs open?" Hagrid asked, looking around the crowd.
"Um, I managed to Professor," Neville said. His voice broke a little, and Harry winced. She was glad she'd never had that particular experience, and never would.
"Excellent, come up here and explain to the class how, "Hagrid said, motioning Neville to come forward.
"S-so you just have to, um, stroke the spine, I guess," Neville said, awkwardly. Harry stroked the spine of her snarling book, and it fell silent at once.
"See, not so hard after all. Ruddy bookshops, not telling people how to open the books. Anyway, go and take five points to Gryffindor, Neville. Now, I got something really special for you all today, but you need to be on your best behaviour. I don't mind a little messing around when we're working with flobberworms, but the creatures we're studying today can be right dangerous if you're not careful. Anyone not taking it seriously will be cleaning out the Thestral paddock for detention, and let me tell you does an all-meat diet make their dung stink," Hagrid said, as he led them to a clearing on the edge of the forest.
"What is this school coming to - letting an idiot like that teach," Malfoy said.
"Dumbledore has gone senile. Letting Potter into the girl's dorms, allowing this obvious half-breed to teach..." Daphne Greengrass, a blonde girl who often hung around Pansy Parkinson, said quietly.
"I'd rather have Harry as a roommate than you, Greengrass. She's not a stuck up little junior death -" Lily Moon, a muggleborn girl from one of the other third-year Gryffindor girl's dorms, began in a rather louder voice.
"Watch your tone, mudblood," Pansy Parkinson said, her voice full of venom.
"Why don't you watch your tongue, Parkinson. I'll have none of that blood prejudice nonsense in my class, thank you very much. Twenty points from Slytherin and you be grateful it isn't more," Hagrid said, rounding on the brewing confrontation. Pansy went white - she would not be popular in the Slytherin dorms after losing twenty points on the first day of lessons. Harry thought Pansy was almost considering asking for a week of shovelling Thestral dung instead.
Waiting there in the paddock were a dozen or so of the second strangest horses Harry had ever seen. They had the body, rear legs, and tails of a horse, but the front legs, wings, and head of an eagle. Each front claw had talons like curved daggers, and Harry knew that one swipe could probably cut her in half.
This, she thought, was definitely starting the year off with a little drama.
"Hippogriffs! Aren't they beautiful?" Hagrid said, and Harry was forced to agree. Hagrid's standards of beautiful creatures tended much more fang-covered than Harry's, but the Hippogriffs really were majestic animals. "Now, the thing you need to understand about Hippogriffs is that they're proud creatures. Insulting one's a sure way to end up dead. Come on, you can get a bit closer," Hagrid said, as he ruffled the feathers of the largest Hippogriff casually. It nuzzled its head against Hagrid, seemingly happy.
Everybody else seemed to back away even further from the paddock wall, but Harry, Ron and Hermione moved a little closer. Maybe it was their excess of hands-on experience with fearsome monsters, Harry thought.
"If you want to make friends with one, first thing you have to do is approach him slowly, then bow. Don't get close enough to be in talon distance, mind you. Harry, why don't you give it a go?" Hagrid said, and Harry thought that perhaps Trelawney had been right to see the Grim in her future.
That being said, Harry Potter was nothing if not brave. She hopped the fence and slowly walked towards the lead Hippogriff. She bowed low, keeping her eyes on the animal's talons.
"That's it Harry... back away-" Hagrid said, as the Hippogriff at first didn't respond. Then, slowly, it returned Harry's bow. "He seems to like you. I reckon you're safe to go pat him, Harry. Buckbeak likes 'em just behind the ear," Hagrid said.
Harry cautiously approached Buckbeak and softly stroked behind his ear. Like with Hagrid, he nuzzled at her with his head. She wasn't nearly as tall or as large, so it took some effort to stay on her feet, but Harry smiled all the same.
"Well done, well done Harry. Take ten points for Gryffindor I reckon. Now, if you all come back for your NEWTs, you'll get to ride one of these," Hagrid said. The class then came forward and most managed to pat a Hippogriff. Hagrid handed out what seemed to be whole ferrets, and a few people were allowed to throw them to their Hippogriff.
"If even Longbottom can do it, how hard can it be?" Draco said as he approached Buckbeak. Draco's bow was a little stiff, but Buckbeak bowed back and allowed Draco to pet him. "You're probably tame, aren't you? Just a show animal the oaf-" Draco said, only for Buckbeak to rear up. His claws shone in the afternoon sun, and Harry knew that they were a deadly weapon.
"Protego!" she shouted, and a shimmering shield of energy appeared between Draco and Buckbeak. The Hippogriff's claws sparked off the pearlescent barrier, and he turned to Harry. Buckbeak snorted, looked disdainfully at Malfoy, and went over to sit down next to Neville.
"WHAT DID I SAY?" Hagrid roared, running over. "Insulting a Hippogriff like that... you're as thick as your dad. A week's detention, Malfoy," Hagrid said, and Malfoy rounded on him.
"You - you don't speak about my father like that. He'll hear about this - I'll appeal this! You'll be out of here within the week!" Draco shouted, red-faced and angry. He stormed off, and a worried-looking Pansy Parkinson chased after him.
"Thanks for the help, Harry. I reckon Buckbeak only meant to scare him, but that was a fine bit of magic back there," Hagrid said as the lesson ended.
"Will you get in trouble? Malfoy's dad has a lot of influence with the governors," Harry said, a little worried.
"Don't you worry about a thing, Harry," Hagrid said, though Harry thought he sounded a little worried.
Malfoy did indeed appeal his detention all the way up to the Governors, who claimed that a week's detention was excessive for a 'simple mistake by a beginner student'. Harry thought that having to be saved by her was probably punishment enough for Malfoy, though. Remembering how tired she had been after the previous night's midnight reading, Harry headed to the library just after her last class.
"Madam Pince? I need to go into the restricted section," Harry said. She really hoped her pass was still valid.
"What for? Younger students don't need - oh, it's you, Miss Potter. Do you have a pass?" the stern librarian asked. Harry showed her the slip of parchment Dumbledore had happened to leave behind for her.
"It appears to be valid. I will be confirming its validity with the Headmaster, you understand. Allowing such access to a third-year student is highly unusual," she said, as she led Harry over to the locked gate that separated the restricted section from the rest of the library. Madam Pince tapped it with her wand, spoke something too low for Harry to hear, and the gate swung open.
"Thanks, Madam Pince," Harry said.
"Don't tarry too long," Madam Pince said, and Harry got to work. She pulled out her notebook and started to search. Unlike defending against Dementors, it seemed that the restricted section had quite a bit to say about becoming an Animagus. The ritual looked long, annoying, and tedious - but Harry thought being able to secretly transform into an animal would be worth it. She daydreamed of finding out she was a phoenix Animagus, or something equally ridiculous all during dinner. Maybe a dragon Animagus, she thought.
Nobody was a dragon Animagus, or a phoenix Animagus for that matter. There were some who assumed the forms of more ordinary magical animals, but even they turned into kneazles rather than dragons. She would feel rather silly if she spent a year sticking roots inside her mouth and meditating in thunderstorms only to discover her form was a rabbit or a fish.
Harry did try and work on figuring out all the labyrinthine steps of the ritual, but schoolwork and her friends pulled her away. She devoted an hour here of there, and that was all for now.
Harry arrived at her transfiguration class immediately after divination just ahead of a tide of whispers and odd looks. Not that she wasn't used to being the centre of rumour, but Harry felt a little unnerved by the whole incident. She knew, of course, that tea reading was imprecise and very subjective - but still, she had seen something that looked a lot like the Grim during the summer.
"And just what has our Professor of Divination predicted for your first lesson this year?" Professor McGonagall asked as her class continued to talk quietly.
"Th-the grim, professor," Dean Thomas said, studiously not looking at Harry.
"And I suppose she saw it in Miss Potter's teacup? Rest assured Miss Potter, that Professor Trelawney finds the most dramatic omen and loudly tells the entire class about it every year. None of the featured students have died yet," McGonagall said. "We Hogwarts professors often like to start the year with a little drama - for example, today we will be learning about Animagi. A most advanced piece of magic, but one of relevance to our studies this year," McGonagall continued, walking towards her desk.
Then, without any warning whatsoever, she turned right into a tabby cat. There was only a brief flash of whirling light, and certainly no incantation or wand movement. Then, after jumping down from her desk, the tabby cat turned back into the professor. The incident with the grim was almost instantly forgotten, as everyone gave off a round of applause.
Harry listened to McGonagall's lecture keenly, making detailed notes. The Professor didn't actually explain much about how one became an Animagus, but Harry thought the fact that she talked about the process more in terms of length and complexity rather than the difficulty of the magic was interesting. She started to think, and her mind wandered to the notebook hidden within her trunk.
She was brought out of her planning by the rather less exciting portion of the lesson, and the assigning of homework, but Harry had all but forgotten the Grim by the time the transfiguration lesson ended.
"I'm not so sure about divination. Professor Trelawney seems to actually know something, but those tea leaves were awfully imprecise and subjective even for her," Hermione said.
"You're just saying that because you're bad at a subject for once, " Ron said.
"I am not," Hermione snapped back, and the two of them continued in that vein until they made it to lunch.
"So you got the Trelawney special this year, Harry?" Fred asked at lunch, grinning.
"She told us we'd suffer rejection and failure, then achieve our goals anyway. She knows her stuff, but she's a mad old bat. Saw a Grim in Diggory's tea leaves too, didn't she Fred?" George said.
"Mind you, we did hit him particularly hard with a bludger that year. Thought I'd knocked his head off for a moment," Fred replied.
Harry winced at the thought.
Care of Magical creatures was outside, and the weather was perfect for it. The only things that had the potential to sour it were that Ron and Hermione weren't talking to each other and that Gryffindor shared the class with Slytherin. Harry's book was still bound in its leather strap, as were most of the classes. Neville had his open, and it seemed to be as placid as any other book.
"You all got your books? Good, good. Now, who's got theirs open?" Hagrid asked, looking around the crowd.
"Um, I managed to Professor," Neville said. His voice broke a little, and Harry winced. She was glad she'd never had that particular experience, and never would.
"Excellent, come up here and explain to the class how, "Hagrid said, motioning Neville to come forward.
"S-so you just have to, um, stroke the spine, I guess," Neville said, awkwardly. Harry stroked the spine of her snarling book, and it fell silent at once.
"See, not so hard after all. Ruddy bookshops, not telling people how to open the books. Anyway, go and take five points to Gryffindor, Neville. Now, I got something really special for you all today, but you need to be on your best behaviour. I don't mind a little messing around when we're working with flobberworms, but the creatures we're studying today can be right dangerous if you're not careful. Anyone not taking it seriously will be cleaning out the Thestral paddock for detention, and let me tell you does an all-meat diet make their dung stink," Hagrid said, as he led them to a clearing on the edge of the forest.
"What is this school coming to - letting an idiot like that teach," Malfoy said.
"Dumbledore has gone senile. Letting Potter into the girl's dorms, allowing this obvious half-breed to teach..." Daphne Greengrass, a blonde girl who often hung around Pansy Parkinson, said quietly.
"I'd rather have Harry as a roommate than you, Greengrass. She's not a stuck up little junior death -" Lily Moon, a muggleborn girl from one of the other third-year Gryffindor girl's dorms, began in a rather louder voice.
"Watch your tone, mudblood," Pansy Parkinson said, her voice full of venom.
"Why don't you watch your tongue, Parkinson. I'll have none of that blood prejudice nonsense in my class, thank you very much. Twenty points from Slytherin and you be grateful it isn't more," Hagrid said, rounding on the brewing confrontation. Pansy went white - she would not be popular in the Slytherin dorms after losing twenty points on the first day of lessons. Harry thought Pansy was almost considering asking for a week of shovelling Thestral dung instead.
Waiting there in the paddock were a dozen or so of the second strangest horses Harry had ever seen. They had the body, rear legs, and tails of a horse, but the front legs, wings, and head of an eagle. Each front claw had talons like curved daggers, and Harry knew that one swipe could probably cut her in half.
This, she thought, was definitely starting the year off with a little drama.
"Hippogriffs! Aren't they beautiful?" Hagrid said, and Harry was forced to agree. Hagrid's standards of beautiful creatures tended much more fang-covered than Harry's, but the Hippogriffs really were majestic animals. "Now, the thing you need to understand about Hippogriffs is that they're proud creatures. Insulting one's a sure way to end up dead. Come on, you can get a bit closer," Hagrid said, as he ruffled the feathers of the largest Hippogriff casually. It nuzzled its head against Hagrid, seemingly happy.
Everybody else seemed to back away even further from the paddock wall, but Harry, Ron and Hermione moved a little closer. Maybe it was their excess of hands-on experience with fearsome monsters, Harry thought.
"If you want to make friends with one, first thing you have to do is approach him slowly, then bow. Don't get close enough to be in talon distance, mind you. Harry, why don't you give it a go?" Hagrid said, and Harry thought that perhaps Trelawney had been right to see the Grim in her future.
That being said, Harry Potter was nothing if not brave. She hopped the fence and slowly walked towards the lead Hippogriff. She bowed low, keeping her eyes on the animal's talons.
"That's it Harry... back away-" Hagrid said, as the Hippogriff at first didn't respond. Then, slowly, it returned Harry's bow. "He seems to like you. I reckon you're safe to go pat him, Harry. Buckbeak likes 'em just behind the ear," Hagrid said.
Harry cautiously approached Buckbeak and softly stroked behind his ear. Like with Hagrid, he nuzzled at her with his head. She wasn't nearly as tall or as large, so it took some effort to stay on her feet, but Harry smiled all the same.
"Well done, well done Harry. Take ten points for Gryffindor I reckon. Now, if you all come back for your NEWTs, you'll get to ride one of these," Hagrid said. The class then came forward and most managed to pat a Hippogriff. Hagrid handed out what seemed to be whole ferrets, and a few people were allowed to throw them to their Hippogriff.
"If even Longbottom can do it, how hard can it be?" Draco said as he approached Buckbeak. Draco's bow was a little stiff, but Buckbeak bowed back and allowed Draco to pet him. "You're probably tame, aren't you? Just a show animal the oaf-" Draco said, only for Buckbeak to rear up. His claws shone in the afternoon sun, and Harry knew that they were a deadly weapon.
"Protego!" she shouted, and a shimmering shield of energy appeared between Draco and Buckbeak. The Hippogriff's claws sparked off the pearlescent barrier, and he turned to Harry. Buckbeak snorted, looked disdainfully at Malfoy, and went over to sit down next to Neville.
"WHAT DID I SAY?" Hagrid roared, running over. "Insulting a Hippogriff like that... you're as thick as your dad. A week's detention, Malfoy," Hagrid said, and Malfoy rounded on him.
"You - you don't speak about my father like that. He'll hear about this - I'll appeal this! You'll be out of here within the week!" Draco shouted, red-faced and angry. He stormed off, and a worried-looking Pansy Parkinson chased after him.
"Thanks for the help, Harry. I reckon Buckbeak only meant to scare him, but that was a fine bit of magic back there," Hagrid said as the lesson ended.
"Will you get in trouble? Malfoy's dad has a lot of influence with the governors," Harry said, a little worried.
"Don't you worry about a thing, Harry," Hagrid said, though Harry thought he sounded a little worried.
Malfoy did indeed appeal his detention all the way up to the Governors, who claimed that a week's detention was excessive for a 'simple mistake by a beginner student'. Harry thought that having to be saved by her was probably punishment enough for Malfoy, though. Remembering how tired she had been after the previous night's midnight reading, Harry headed to the library just after her last class.
"Madam Pince? I need to go into the restricted section," Harry said. She really hoped her pass was still valid.
"What for? Younger students don't need - oh, it's you, Miss Potter. Do you have a pass?" the stern librarian asked. Harry showed her the slip of parchment Dumbledore had happened to leave behind for her.
"It appears to be valid. I will be confirming its validity with the Headmaster, you understand. Allowing such access to a third-year student is highly unusual," she said, as she led Harry over to the locked gate that separated the restricted section from the rest of the library. Madam Pince tapped it with her wand, spoke something too low for Harry to hear, and the gate swung open.
"Thanks, Madam Pince," Harry said.
"Don't tarry too long," Madam Pince said, and Harry got to work. She pulled out her notebook and started to search. Unlike defending against Dementors, it seemed that the restricted section had quite a bit to say about becoming an Animagus. The ritual looked long, annoying, and tedious - but Harry thought being able to secretly transform into an animal would be worth it. She daydreamed of finding out she was a phoenix Animagus, or something equally ridiculous all during dinner. Maybe a dragon Animagus, she thought.
Nobody was a dragon Animagus, or a phoenix Animagus for that matter. There were some who assumed the forms of more ordinary magical animals, but even they turned into kneazles rather than dragons. She would feel rather silly if she spent a year sticking roots inside her mouth and meditating in thunderstorms only to discover her form was a rabbit or a fish.
Harry did try and work on figuring out all the labyrinthine steps of the ritual, but schoolwork and her friends pulled her away. She devoted an hour here of there, and that was all for now.
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- Pronouns
- They/Them
"Well, I can't say she's wrong Harry. You've got one of those bird things, a butterfly - hey, that's nice. Positive transformation. Maybe Madam Pomfrey will come up with something new for you. Then the club - that's for an attack. And, uh, there is a dog-looking bit but that's not in the book," Ron said, a little awkwardly. Hermione, meanwhile, was still consulting her table of tea leaves.
*****
Animagus! The tea leaves are right!
*****
Animagus! The tea leaves are right!
- Location
- Somewhere!
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I don't see what would be so bad about being a rabbit animagus, really. I think there was a harry potter game that let you turn into a rabbit to sneak through places?
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Listen, if you're a Wizard, do you really want to be pulling yourself out of a hat all the time?
Strawberry
Dessert Faerie
- Location
- Derbyshire, UK
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Ahh, animagus transformations and way more competent teachers. Something's in the water at Hogwarts this year!
- Location
- ferreries
Shouldn't this be death eaters and third-year?
- Pronouns
- They/Them
I assume in the first case it's her words being cut off.
- Location
- Australia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Yeah, she got cut off. But thanks for spotting the year mistake!
- Location
- The great frozen north
Harry's response to all the bad omens in her cup seems quite subdued. Though sadly, at this point it's entirely believable for them to react with news of "shit's fucked, better bunker down" with relatively little surprise.
So Ginny's a perselmouth now? Interesting, might be useful in the future. Also, Harry's terror when she encounters the Dementor is well done!
So Ginny's a perselmouth now? Interesting, might be useful in the future. Also, Harry's terror when she encounters the Dementor is well done!
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- Location
- Earth, Sol System, Virgo Supercluster, Earth-1218
I'm loving the more competent teachers and the explanation that Third Year starts off with a bit more drama for every class, which explains Hagrids Hippogriffs and the gloom and doom portents quite well.
Interesting that they're aware of Animagi at the start of the year, I wonder how long it'll take to put that and the Grim Harry saw near Hermione's together?
Interesting that they're aware of Animagi at the start of the year, I wonder how long it'll take to put that and the Grim Harry saw near Hermione's together?
Harry and Ginny are shaping up to be a cute couple. Harry is definitely interested in the ladies as evidenced by the "crushed when she introduced the other girl as her girlfriend" bit.
It's been a while since I shipped Harry / Ginny. Canon Ginny, book and movie, was a bit bland to me, but this one is the right balance of innocent and traumatized to make her a possible ship.
Is it wrong that I kind of hope Luna joins them as an Aro sometimes housemate, sometimes bedmate, who doesn't really get "dating" but finds the two of them understanding and comforting? (Feed my Flaming Nargles kick)
It's been a while since I shipped Harry / Ginny. Canon Ginny, book and movie, was a bit bland to me, but this one is the right balance of innocent and traumatized to make her a possible ship.
Is it wrong that I kind of hope Luna joins them as an Aro sometimes housemate, sometimes bedmate, who doesn't really get "dating" but finds the two of them understanding and comforting? (Feed my Flaming Nargles kick)
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- Location
- Wingmaiden's Reach, the Near Roofs, Town
- Pronouns
- She/Her
I would like to echo the general consensus of really, really liking this take on Trelawney.
Rabbit form would be cool!
I'd accuse you of bias, what with the cute-girl-with-rabbit avatar; but rabbits are objectively awesome and cute and amazing and so obviously there can't be any bias in this matter.
Rabbit form would be cool!
Harry is a girl; please be careful with pronouns! Misgendering hurts even when it's accidental.
Sandy River DL
(Verified Destroyer Leader)
- Location
- Lake Michigan
- Pronouns
- Her/She
I'm assuming that was a typo, given that he called Harry 'her' in the first sentence.
- Location
- The great frozen north
Dang it... Sorry about the constant pronoun troubles. Edited the post.
Zedman7054
Eternally 3rd
- Location
- United States
Oh God! That's simultaneously the funniest and saddest thing in this story so far.
...Shit...Trelawny's got a near perfect record in this world doesn't she? The predictions she gets at the start of third year are things that'll happen by the end of their seventh year, aren't they.
I would also assume that the "Fates" she predicts that session can be subverted if they are simply on guard for them.
I would also assume that the "Fates" she predicts that session can be subverted if they are simply on guard for them.
Year Three, Chapter Seven
- Location
- Australia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Year Three, Chapter Seven
On Thursday, Harry had the unenviable experience of double potions first thing in the morning. She thought, perhaps, that the teachers had shown at least a little mercy and not made it first thing Monday morning. She'd heard constant rumours about one class who'd had that happen, and legend had it that Gryffindor had gone into negative points several times that year.
"Double potions first thing... that should be illegal," Ron said into his cereal. Nobody disagreed - not even Hermione, who looked a little tired at the idea herself.
"We need to get going unless you want to be late," Hermione said, after a moment. Harry got her book bag, and the trio started towards the dungeons. It was only after everyone was seated that Snape emerged, batlike, from his office.
He immediately began to berate random Gryffindors about their uniforms, their posture, the organisation of their potions kits, and more. It was only nearly fifteen minutes into the lesson did Harry realise Snape hadn't so much as looked at her for the entire class. She felt her unease grow as the lesson went on, sure that Snape had some diabolical plan in mind for her.
And yet, the end of the lesson came and went without Snape so much as uttering 'Potter' once. He hadn't tried to correct her on minute uniform violations or lamented her brewing technique. He hadn't even looked up when she'd handed in her shrinking solution. He didn't even respond, just writing down an 'E" for her grade.
"What'd you do to make Snape ignore you like that, Harry? Neville asked on their way to defence.
"I've got no idea, Neville," Harry said, honestly. She didn't know what was up with Snape, but she'd take him ignoring her over his previous behaviour.
"Do you think the new Defence Professor will be any good?" Lavender Brown asked Harry. She'd been asked that question a few times, her various end of year exploits apparently making her their year's resident expert on Defence Against the Dark Arts.
"I think he knows what he's doing, which is more than you could say for Lockhart. But I dunno if he's a good teacher or not. Snape knows what he's doing with potions, and look how he turned out," Harry said.
"The textbook he set was interesting. Not at all like your standard DADA textbooks," Hermione said, thoughtfully.
"Only you could call a textbook interesting, Hermione," Ron said, shaking his head.
They'd already gotten their textbooks, parchment, ink, and quills out by the time Lupin entered the classroom. Now that she could look at him up-close and in daylight, Harry saw just how heavily scarred and weary he looked. His robes were shabby, and Harry could see the tell-tale signs of repeated castings of mending charms.
"Well, it's good to see you all survived double potions. Books and parchment away, please. Today will be a practical lesson, as will a great many of our future lessons. No more acting out scenes from dubiously true books," Lupin said as he wrote his name on the blackboard. The entire class laughed at his reference to Lockhart and started to put their things away.
"This year is a special one for Defence Against the Dark Arts. You've learnt basic spells to help you escape danger or signal for help in your first year. In your second year, you should have learnt a basic disarming charm and how to deal with common but dangerous pests, like pixies. This year, your third year, is where it gets interesting. We're going to cover the basics of everything from fighting off another wizard to dealing with your first truly dark creatures. It might get a little scary at times - but this is where the subject you all imagined when you heard the words 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' starts," Lupin said. With a flick of his wand, he sent small booklets flying towards each student. Everyone was grinning at one another. Even if he did turn out to be evil, it sounded to Harry like Lupin's lessons would be a lot of fun.
"That is our syllabus for the year, along with books to read up on in the library for each subject. Essays and note-taking are for homework, not classroom time. Now, with all that said, if you could all wait outside the classroom? Leave everything but your wands here. We're going to have to go to our practical example today - not you Miss Potter, I just need a quick word with you," Lupin said. He walked over to her as everyone else filtered out.
"Professor Lupin?" Harry asked, confused.
"You're not in trouble, Miss Potter. Do you happen to know what a Boggart is?" Lupin asked. Harry, having read her textbooks cover to cover during her stay with the Dursleys, nodded. "So you can see why I might ask you not to take part in actually confronting it today?" Lupin said.
"I - I understand, Professor," Harry said, though she was disappointed.
"If you'd still like to try it, you're welcome to come back here after classes have finished. I'd just really rather not have angry letters from parents after Voldemort appeared in the middle of the third-year defence class," Lupin said.
"I - I hadn't considered that," Harry said, and then she joined the rest of the class outside. Lupin led them down the corridors, and Harry realised where they were going - the staffroom.
"What did Lupin want, mate?" Ron asked.
"Just wanted to ask me to do the practical bit after classes instead of with everyone else," Harry said.
"Are you sure, Harry? That's... unusual," Hermione said, and Harry shook her head.
"I think you'll probably agree with him after this class," Harry said. She wasn't sure what her Boggart would be, but Voldemort was a good guess. Although, she thought he would probably appear as Riddle for her after the last year.
As the door to the staffroom opened, Harry saw that it wasn't totally empty. Snape was sitting in an armchair, one of the many mismatched chairs that adorned the room. Most of them had been pushed to the side, and a table had been moved out of the way too. A large - and familiar to Harry - wardrobe sat at the other end of the long room from the door. He looked up in surprise as Lupin entered and then sighed deeply as he saw the class. As the last student entered, and Lupin went to close the door, Snape got up.
"Leave the door open, Lupin. I'd rather not have to witness Longbottom wet himself," Snape said, as he walked towards the door.
"I think Neville will do wonderfully. In fact, Neville, why don't you come up here and assist me with the first stage of this?" Lupin said, with a bland smile. Neville looked extremely nervous, even after Snape had left. As Snape let the door slam behind him, the wardrobe rattled ominously.
"Wh-what's in there, Professor Lupin?" Neville asked.
"A Boggart. Can anyone tell me what a Boggart is?" Lupin asked the class. Hermione put up her hand, and Lupin pointed to her.
"It's a shapeshifter - it can take the form of whatever frightens us the most," Hermione answered.
"Good, that's exactly right. I asked the staff to leave this one in its hiding place so we could have this lesson - boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces that are also highly magical. They're one of the dark creatures you're most likely to encounter in everyday life - luckily, they're also one of the easiest to defeat if you're aware of what's happening. Boggarts don't deal well with a well-prepared witch or wizard - nor can they affect a group. What really finishes one-off is laughter - but it's hard to laugh at your worst fear. So, if you're on your own, your best bet is a little charm - the Riddikulus charm," Lupin said, demonstrating the wand movement.
The entire class was listening to him eagerly, and Harry thought that defence this year would be very different from defence with Lockhart. As Lupin led them all through practising each element of the spell without the others - first the incantation without a wand, then the wand movement without the incantation - Harry wondered if her Boggart really would take the form of Tom Riddle. She still had nightmares about the chamber, but in the light of day, she could remember Riddle's terrified face as she destroyed the diary.
"Good work, everyone. Now, Neville, what would you say your worst fear is?" Lupin asked.
"Pr-professor Snape," Neville said, blushing as red as Ron's hair. People laughed, not in a mean spirited sort of manner. Neville even grinned apologetically at them.
"An understandable fear! Now, I think I have just the thing for this - the most important part of this charm is to keep an image of your fear transformed to something funny clear in your minds!" Lupin said as he withdrew a photograph from his robes. It was folded over, and Harry could see a girl in a Hogwarts uniform through Lupin's scarred fingers.
"Is that-" Neville began to ask, but Lupin just nodded before Neville could finish the question.
"Now, do you have something funny in mind, Neville?" Lupin asked.
"I- I think so, Professor," he said. Lupin stood back and opened the wardrobe with a wave of his wand. Snape seemed to step out of the wardrobe, his black robes billowing in a phantom wind.
"Mr Longbottom -"" the Boggart began, only for Neville to brandish his wand at it.
"Riddikulus!" he shouted, and the Boggart transformed. It shrank, the hair grew, and an awful case of acne covered what was clearly a teenaged Snape's face. His robes were still sized for his adult self, and the Boggart nearly tripped over the suddenly over-large black robes.
"Mr Longbottom!" He shouted, only for his voice to break. The entire class began to roar with laughter, all glad to see Snape (or at least the illusion of him) humiliated.
"Excellent work Neville - now, form a line and you can all have a try!" Lupin said, and one by one the rest of the class turned the Boggart from a nightmare to a joke. Everyone was laughing, and Harry felt herself not even minding not getting to have a go with everyone else. Neville had even earned ten points to Gryffindor for facing the Boggart first, and Harry saw a spring in his step all day.
After her last class that day, she met Lupin in the defence classroom. The wardrobe wasn't there, but there was a wooden chest that rattled ominously.
"Thank you for your understanding today, Harry. Do you still want to try your charm on the Boggart?" Lupin asked.
"I would, yeah," Harry said. She had been trying to think all day about what her boggart would be. She had considered a number of options, from the obvious (Voldemort) to the personal (Herself as a boy). Still, she couldn't narrow it down.
"Very well," Lupin said and stepped backwards. The chest swung open, and Harry knew she'd been stupid. The hooded figure rising from the chest stunk off rotten meat and saltwater, its visible flesh a slimy, plaid grey. The Dementor in front of her slowly advanced towards her, and Harry felt the panic rising inside her. She remembered the chamber, remembered all her nerves burning as Riddle tortured her. She was back in the cupboard under the stairs. She had to be a boy again.
Yet, as awful as it was, Harry could still move. She could still think. She broke through the panic and remembered that it was just an imitation. A dark spirit in a Dementor costume.
"Riddikulus!" She shouted, and the dementor transformed into Draco Malfoy in a cheap Dementor costume and grey face paint. Lupin struggled not to laugh, failed, and banished the Boggart back into the chest.
"Well, I had expected your boggart to be Lord Voldemort. A Dementor... that suggests that your fear is of fear itself," Lupin said, pensively. Harry didn't say anything, lost in thought. "Your reaction to the Dementors does not make you weak, Harry. The worst most of your peers have suffered is the unexpected death of a relative or a pet. To have faced what you've faced and still be here instead of running for the other side of the world... that takes true courage," Lupin said, smiling at her.
"Thanks, Professor. For letting me do this without everyone watching. And, um, for what you said," Harry said, feeling very nervous.
"So what was your Boggart?" Hermione asked that night as they got ready for bed, quietly. Hermione's Boggart had taken the form of the white queen from the chessboard in their first year.
"A Dementor," Harry said. She wasn't sure what being afraid of fear itself said about her.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, worriedly.
"I'm - I'm fine. It wasn't as bad as the real thing," Harry said, feeling angry for a moment before she caught herself.
" I didn't mean that you were weak or anything, Harry," Hermione said, noticing Harry's hurt look.
"I know. Professor Lupin said something similar," Harry said, looking out the window. She could see the Dementors patrolling the boundaries of the grounds, tiny black figures occasionally made visible against the night sky by obscuring the stars. She tore herself away from the window and went to bed, hoping that she wouldn't now have nightmares about the Chamber and the Dementors.
On Thursday, Harry had the unenviable experience of double potions first thing in the morning. She thought, perhaps, that the teachers had shown at least a little mercy and not made it first thing Monday morning. She'd heard constant rumours about one class who'd had that happen, and legend had it that Gryffindor had gone into negative points several times that year.
"Double potions first thing... that should be illegal," Ron said into his cereal. Nobody disagreed - not even Hermione, who looked a little tired at the idea herself.
"We need to get going unless you want to be late," Hermione said, after a moment. Harry got her book bag, and the trio started towards the dungeons. It was only after everyone was seated that Snape emerged, batlike, from his office.
He immediately began to berate random Gryffindors about their uniforms, their posture, the organisation of their potions kits, and more. It was only nearly fifteen minutes into the lesson did Harry realise Snape hadn't so much as looked at her for the entire class. She felt her unease grow as the lesson went on, sure that Snape had some diabolical plan in mind for her.
And yet, the end of the lesson came and went without Snape so much as uttering 'Potter' once. He hadn't tried to correct her on minute uniform violations or lamented her brewing technique. He hadn't even looked up when she'd handed in her shrinking solution. He didn't even respond, just writing down an 'E" for her grade.
"What'd you do to make Snape ignore you like that, Harry? Neville asked on their way to defence.
"I've got no idea, Neville," Harry said, honestly. She didn't know what was up with Snape, but she'd take him ignoring her over his previous behaviour.
"Do you think the new Defence Professor will be any good?" Lavender Brown asked Harry. She'd been asked that question a few times, her various end of year exploits apparently making her their year's resident expert on Defence Against the Dark Arts.
"I think he knows what he's doing, which is more than you could say for Lockhart. But I dunno if he's a good teacher or not. Snape knows what he's doing with potions, and look how he turned out," Harry said.
"The textbook he set was interesting. Not at all like your standard DADA textbooks," Hermione said, thoughtfully.
"Only you could call a textbook interesting, Hermione," Ron said, shaking his head.
They'd already gotten their textbooks, parchment, ink, and quills out by the time Lupin entered the classroom. Now that she could look at him up-close and in daylight, Harry saw just how heavily scarred and weary he looked. His robes were shabby, and Harry could see the tell-tale signs of repeated castings of mending charms.
"Well, it's good to see you all survived double potions. Books and parchment away, please. Today will be a practical lesson, as will a great many of our future lessons. No more acting out scenes from dubiously true books," Lupin said as he wrote his name on the blackboard. The entire class laughed at his reference to Lockhart and started to put their things away.
"This year is a special one for Defence Against the Dark Arts. You've learnt basic spells to help you escape danger or signal for help in your first year. In your second year, you should have learnt a basic disarming charm and how to deal with common but dangerous pests, like pixies. This year, your third year, is where it gets interesting. We're going to cover the basics of everything from fighting off another wizard to dealing with your first truly dark creatures. It might get a little scary at times - but this is where the subject you all imagined when you heard the words 'Defence Against the Dark Arts' starts," Lupin said. With a flick of his wand, he sent small booklets flying towards each student. Everyone was grinning at one another. Even if he did turn out to be evil, it sounded to Harry like Lupin's lessons would be a lot of fun.
"That is our syllabus for the year, along with books to read up on in the library for each subject. Essays and note-taking are for homework, not classroom time. Now, with all that said, if you could all wait outside the classroom? Leave everything but your wands here. We're going to have to go to our practical example today - not you Miss Potter, I just need a quick word with you," Lupin said. He walked over to her as everyone else filtered out.
"Professor Lupin?" Harry asked, confused.
"You're not in trouble, Miss Potter. Do you happen to know what a Boggart is?" Lupin asked. Harry, having read her textbooks cover to cover during her stay with the Dursleys, nodded. "So you can see why I might ask you not to take part in actually confronting it today?" Lupin said.
"I - I understand, Professor," Harry said, though she was disappointed.
"If you'd still like to try it, you're welcome to come back here after classes have finished. I'd just really rather not have angry letters from parents after Voldemort appeared in the middle of the third-year defence class," Lupin said.
"I - I hadn't considered that," Harry said, and then she joined the rest of the class outside. Lupin led them down the corridors, and Harry realised where they were going - the staffroom.
"What did Lupin want, mate?" Ron asked.
"Just wanted to ask me to do the practical bit after classes instead of with everyone else," Harry said.
"Are you sure, Harry? That's... unusual," Hermione said, and Harry shook her head.
"I think you'll probably agree with him after this class," Harry said. She wasn't sure what her Boggart would be, but Voldemort was a good guess. Although, she thought he would probably appear as Riddle for her after the last year.
As the door to the staffroom opened, Harry saw that it wasn't totally empty. Snape was sitting in an armchair, one of the many mismatched chairs that adorned the room. Most of them had been pushed to the side, and a table had been moved out of the way too. A large - and familiar to Harry - wardrobe sat at the other end of the long room from the door. He looked up in surprise as Lupin entered and then sighed deeply as he saw the class. As the last student entered, and Lupin went to close the door, Snape got up.
"Leave the door open, Lupin. I'd rather not have to witness Longbottom wet himself," Snape said, as he walked towards the door.
"I think Neville will do wonderfully. In fact, Neville, why don't you come up here and assist me with the first stage of this?" Lupin said, with a bland smile. Neville looked extremely nervous, even after Snape had left. As Snape let the door slam behind him, the wardrobe rattled ominously.
"Wh-what's in there, Professor Lupin?" Neville asked.
"A Boggart. Can anyone tell me what a Boggart is?" Lupin asked the class. Hermione put up her hand, and Lupin pointed to her.
"It's a shapeshifter - it can take the form of whatever frightens us the most," Hermione answered.
"Good, that's exactly right. I asked the staff to leave this one in its hiding place so we could have this lesson - boggarts like dark, enclosed spaces that are also highly magical. They're one of the dark creatures you're most likely to encounter in everyday life - luckily, they're also one of the easiest to defeat if you're aware of what's happening. Boggarts don't deal well with a well-prepared witch or wizard - nor can they affect a group. What really finishes one-off is laughter - but it's hard to laugh at your worst fear. So, if you're on your own, your best bet is a little charm - the Riddikulus charm," Lupin said, demonstrating the wand movement.
The entire class was listening to him eagerly, and Harry thought that defence this year would be very different from defence with Lockhart. As Lupin led them all through practising each element of the spell without the others - first the incantation without a wand, then the wand movement without the incantation - Harry wondered if her Boggart really would take the form of Tom Riddle. She still had nightmares about the chamber, but in the light of day, she could remember Riddle's terrified face as she destroyed the diary.
"Good work, everyone. Now, Neville, what would you say your worst fear is?" Lupin asked.
"Pr-professor Snape," Neville said, blushing as red as Ron's hair. People laughed, not in a mean spirited sort of manner. Neville even grinned apologetically at them.
"An understandable fear! Now, I think I have just the thing for this - the most important part of this charm is to keep an image of your fear transformed to something funny clear in your minds!" Lupin said as he withdrew a photograph from his robes. It was folded over, and Harry could see a girl in a Hogwarts uniform through Lupin's scarred fingers.
"Is that-" Neville began to ask, but Lupin just nodded before Neville could finish the question.
"Now, do you have something funny in mind, Neville?" Lupin asked.
"I- I think so, Professor," he said. Lupin stood back and opened the wardrobe with a wave of his wand. Snape seemed to step out of the wardrobe, his black robes billowing in a phantom wind.
"Mr Longbottom -"" the Boggart began, only for Neville to brandish his wand at it.
"Riddikulus!" he shouted, and the Boggart transformed. It shrank, the hair grew, and an awful case of acne covered what was clearly a teenaged Snape's face. His robes were still sized for his adult self, and the Boggart nearly tripped over the suddenly over-large black robes.
"Mr Longbottom!" He shouted, only for his voice to break. The entire class began to roar with laughter, all glad to see Snape (or at least the illusion of him) humiliated.
"Excellent work Neville - now, form a line and you can all have a try!" Lupin said, and one by one the rest of the class turned the Boggart from a nightmare to a joke. Everyone was laughing, and Harry felt herself not even minding not getting to have a go with everyone else. Neville had even earned ten points to Gryffindor for facing the Boggart first, and Harry saw a spring in his step all day.
After her last class that day, she met Lupin in the defence classroom. The wardrobe wasn't there, but there was a wooden chest that rattled ominously.
"Thank you for your understanding today, Harry. Do you still want to try your charm on the Boggart?" Lupin asked.
"I would, yeah," Harry said. She had been trying to think all day about what her boggart would be. She had considered a number of options, from the obvious (Voldemort) to the personal (Herself as a boy). Still, she couldn't narrow it down.
"Very well," Lupin said and stepped backwards. The chest swung open, and Harry knew she'd been stupid. The hooded figure rising from the chest stunk off rotten meat and saltwater, its visible flesh a slimy, plaid grey. The Dementor in front of her slowly advanced towards her, and Harry felt the panic rising inside her. She remembered the chamber, remembered all her nerves burning as Riddle tortured her. She was back in the cupboard under the stairs. She had to be a boy again.
Yet, as awful as it was, Harry could still move. She could still think. She broke through the panic and remembered that it was just an imitation. A dark spirit in a Dementor costume.
"Riddikulus!" She shouted, and the dementor transformed into Draco Malfoy in a cheap Dementor costume and grey face paint. Lupin struggled not to laugh, failed, and banished the Boggart back into the chest.
"Well, I had expected your boggart to be Lord Voldemort. A Dementor... that suggests that your fear is of fear itself," Lupin said, pensively. Harry didn't say anything, lost in thought. "Your reaction to the Dementors does not make you weak, Harry. The worst most of your peers have suffered is the unexpected death of a relative or a pet. To have faced what you've faced and still be here instead of running for the other side of the world... that takes true courage," Lupin said, smiling at her.
"Thanks, Professor. For letting me do this without everyone watching. And, um, for what you said," Harry said, feeling very nervous.
"So what was your Boggart?" Hermione asked that night as they got ready for bed, quietly. Hermione's Boggart had taken the form of the white queen from the chessboard in their first year.
"A Dementor," Harry said. She wasn't sure what being afraid of fear itself said about her.
"Are you alright?" Hermione asked, worriedly.
"I'm - I'm fine. It wasn't as bad as the real thing," Harry said, feeling angry for a moment before she caught herself.
" I didn't mean that you were weak or anything, Harry," Hermione said, noticing Harry's hurt look.
"I know. Professor Lupin said something similar," Harry said, looking out the window. She could see the Dementors patrolling the boundaries of the grounds, tiny black figures occasionally made visible against the night sky by obscuring the stars. She tore herself away from the window and went to bed, hoping that she wouldn't now have nightmares about the Chamber and the Dementors.
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Strawberry
Dessert Faerie
- Location
- Derbyshire, UK
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Ah, not putting Snape into a dress to be laughed at was a good choice, thank you ♥
- Pronouns
- They/Them
Was Snape not bothering Harry something that happened in canon? I can't remember.
- Location
- Australia
- Pronouns
- She/Her
It's not something that happened in canon, no.
- Location
- Somewhere!
- Pronouns
- She/Her
Lily resemblance getting stronger, or something? I could see snape being kinda wanting to avoid thinking about that.