𝐋𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 ;𝐑.𝐖𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐥𝐞𝐲

"I'm just that good."

By Monday, Draco was out of the hospital wing and Malfoy's bandages had come off. He celebrated the use of both arms by doing spirited imitations of Harry falling off his broom during the match and by potions lesson he had done this so many times Ron cracked and flung a large slippery crocodile heart at him.

Of course, with his luck Snape saw this and 50 points were taken away from Gryffindor.

"If Snape's taking Defence Against the Dark Arts again, I'm going off sick,' said Ron, as they headed towards Lupin's classroom after lunch. 'Check who's in there, Hermione.'

"My dads back." Rachelle said.

Hermione peered around the classroom door anyway.
'It's OK!'

Professor Lupin was back at work. It certainly looked as though he had been ill. His old robes were hanging more loosely on him and there were dark shadows beneath his eyes; nevertheless, he smiled at the class as they took their seats, and they burst at once into an explosion of complaints about Snape's behaviour while Lupin had been ill.
'It's not fair, he was only filling in, why should he set us homework?'
'We don't know anything about werewolves –'
'– two rolls of parchment!'
'Did you tell Professor Snape we haven't covered them yet?' Lupin asked, frowning slightly.
The babble broke out again.
'Yes, but he said we were really behind –'
'– he wouldn't listen –'
'– two rolls of parchment!'
Professor Lupin smiled at the look of indignation on every face.

Their professor promised to speak to Snape, and told them they didn't have to do the essay.

"Oh no," said Hermione, looking very disappointed. "I've already finished it!"

"I could've started on it but I chose not to." Rachelle said.
"Did you ever intend on doing it?"
"Nah. But I could finish it in thirty minutes." she dismissed.
"It took me all weekend!" Hermione said indignantly.
"I'm just that good." Rachelle grinned at her and turned her attention back to the lesson at hand.

Professor Lupin had brought along a glass box containing a Hinkypunk, a little one-legged creature who seemed as though he was made of wisps of smoke, rather frail and harmless-looking.

'Lures travellers into bogs,' said Professor Lupin, as they took notes. 'You notice the lantern dangling from his hand? Hops ahead – people follow the light – then –'

The Hinkypunk made a horrible squelching noise against the glass.

When the bell rang, everyone gathered up their things and headed for the door, Harry, Rachelle, Ron and Hermione amongst them, but –
'Wait a moment, Harry,' Lupin called, 'I'd like a word."

Ron, Rachelle and Hermione waited outside.

Soon, Harry emerged, looking slightly happier then before and told them that Lupin agreed to give him Anti-Dementor lessons next term.

"He's going to teach you the Patronus charm." Rachelle stated nonchalantly.

"It's like this shield of happy energy that takes on either a corporeal or non-corporeal form. Basically the opposite of the Dementors. And it chases them away." she replied when she received confused looks.

"When did you become Hermione 2.0?" Ron asked.

Hermione smacked Ron over the head.

"It's probably the thing that Dumbledore used to get the Dementors away from the pitch." supplied Rachelle.

•••

Two weeks before the end of the term, it started snowing. The once muddy grounds were now covered in a glittering frost.