Hunted AIAOY 3

Chapter 7

"I'm quitting school."  Ron grumbled, trying his hand at the Charms exercise again and failing miserably.  A pile of attempts was mounting next to him.

"You've said that once a week for the past two and near-a-half years."  Hermione answered flatly.  "Clearly, you aren't."  She caught Rebecca's eye and gave her a grin.  

The Infunde charm, as it was, was particularly complicated.  It required mental discipline and a recalling of a past event.  Once the memory was held at the front of your mind, you could cast the spell and transfer your mind's image onto a surface.  

Rebecca loved it.

The transferring of a mental image to the physical was the most magical thing she had learned yet and she had a knack for it that sent Ron into a frenzy.  

"Excellent work, Rebecca!"  Professor Flitwick clapped his hands as he made his rounds, checking the time.  "It's quite alright students, we will be focusing on the Infunde charm until the end of term.  Perfection is not where one starts but where one aims to get with hard work, after all."

The bells tolled across campus, sending the students scurrying out.  "I don't get it, I remembered it just fine."

"It's not about just remembering."  Rebecca said, shaking her head.  "You've got to put yourself back then too."

"How the hell am I supposed to do that?"  Ron asked, digging around in his bag for a snack.  "I forgot a bloody-Thank you."  Rebecca held out a biscuit from her own bag, raising an eyebrow until Ron took it and stuck his tongue out at her.  "I'm still going to be cross.  At least until the match, then I'll be fine."

"Why?"  Harry asked, trying to make his best friend make sense.

"Because I'll get to watch you crush Hufflepuff and that is always a mood-lifter."  Ron answered drolly.

"Hey!"  Fred ran up beside them, panting.  "It's your Defence day, right?"

Rebecca nodded.  "Are you alright?  You look-"

"It's Snape today, Lupin's out."  Fred checked the time, cursing.  "I had to warn you, he's in a foul one."

Rebecca and Harry sighed, Hermione linking her arm through Harry's while Rebecca gravitated towards the back of their group.  "Thank you for telling us.  You won't be late, will you?"

Fred grinned.  "I'll just say I was with you, McGonagall won't need anymore explanation."

Rebecca laughed, pushing him back towards the direction he'd come in.  "Better hurry or you'll be late to practise too and no one wants that."

Fred shuddered, nodding seriously.  "You're right.  Oliver would lose his mind.  I'll see you later!"

Rebecca shoulder her bag tightly, walking happily despite the fact that now they would have to deal with Snape two days in a row.  Charms had gone magnificently, everyone was getting along, it was easy to look up at the day ahead.

And then Snape entered the classroom with a wave of fury washing off of him.  He waved his wand at the windows so the shutters slammed shut, bathing them in darkness.  He only stopped when he was at the front of the classroom, staring back at the wide-eyed students with distaste.  "Turn to page 394."

"Excuse me, sir."  Hermione raised her hand, seeing the topic of the section Snape directed them to.  "We haven't started nocturnal creature defenses, yet.  We've just begun Hinkypunks and Red Caps."

"Quiet."  Snape droned, directing their attention to the board.  "Which of you can tell me the difference between an Animagus and a werewolf?"

Rebecca sat, quietly reading through the text.  There was no point in raising her hand in a Snape-led class because no matter how perfect her answer, there would be fault in it.