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Chapter Thirty-Two

The next morning Headmistress McGonagall made a rather pointed announcement.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. It is my unfortunate duty to make an announcement that I should not have to make. So. A locked door is exactly that: locked. And they are locked for a reason. If you do not have the code to unlock a door, and that code does not include Alohomora, do not open it. Nor should you persuade someone else to open it for you. We have had one incident of this misbehavior; we will not have another. If we do, the offenders will be sent home. Are we clear?" She glowered at the Beauxbatons table. All the girls had the good grace to look ashamed, except for one. She just looked sullen.

The Durmstrang boys whispered amongst themselves, realized that the announcement was aimed more at the other school, and settled to see what might happen.

Hogwarts students had also heard all about the mess. They mostly turned to stare at the Beauxbatons table, whispering and grumbling.

After her announcement, Headmistress McGonagall looked at the Durmstrang table. "Professor Krum? I believe you had something to announce?"

Viktor Krum stood, offered her a Russian style bow and said, "Da, I do. As Professor of Flight, I have joined with your own Professor Hooch to offer a Quidditch clinic today. Beginning at 3pm in the stadium. There will be a clinic for Seekers, Keepers, and other positions. There will also be a clinic on broom-handling and an obstacle course. Please bring your brooms and join us."

Yusuke eyed Ron, who looked like he was about to burst. "Hermione, take your oar. I'll take mine. Yes?"

Hermione, who had gotten much more secure due to Yusuke's teaching, nodded. "Ok. It does sound like fun. I haven't had a good fly since summer."

Neville, who was good enough on a broom, decided to take the Beater's clinic, just for the fun of it.

Yusuke, Hermione and Neville didn't have a class, so they headed for the juku. A few students had complained that they didn't and had been told, by various professors, that they too could skip classes; all they had to do was be at least two weeks ahead on their workbooks and have read all the optional assignments up to date. And pass the weekly tests that the three took.

None of the other students took them up on the offer, not even any Ravenclaws.

The Ravenclaws realized how much work the group put into their 'privilege' The Hufflepuffs weren't interested. And the Slytherins had been told, by Snape himself, that they weren't eligible.

Hermione had found some books on Transfiguration that she thought were interesting. They all settled in to read a book and take notes. They'd change books and, after everyone had read all the books, they'd compare notes and discuss each book.

Yusuke eyed the book he was reading for a moment then announced, "This book is ... rubbish. It's mostly wrong. Hermione-chan, why insist we read this one?"

Hermione barely looked up from her book. "Because it is wrong. So very wrong. I thought we could read it, come up with all the ways it's wrong and write a letter to the editor of the Magical Times. It's way past time that authors answered for the things they write. And the Prophet! Don't even get me started on that."

Neville, who'd suffered through an attack by Rita Skeeter over the summer agreed, adding. "And that bitch Rita Skeeter. I'd like to know how she finds out the things she does. She ...er ... outered my parents."

Hermione sighed. "I read that, and it's 'outed.' She deserves to be fried like an okonomiyaki."

Yusuke made a face at that picture. "If I find out that she's been snooping on me, she'll meet a sticky end. Very sticky."