Hidden Slytherin

Chapter 12 I'm No Longer A Danger To Society

Defence Against the Dark Arts class, or Defense for short, was held on the third floor. Jane quickly discovered that their classes were split between two houses in this case the Slytherins and the Gryffindors. The houses sat on opposite sides of the room, with only a few comingling. She didn't think there was a specific rule about it but had a theory. She had recognized a few of the last names from her modern history book. It focused on the war that had taken place some years prior, but she was sure most of these peoples parents had been involved. She also noticed how even the book mentioned that more Gryffindors fought against the Dark Lord and more Slytherins supported him. She felt like pointing out that this was all based on what equated a personality test performed by a sentient hat.

Distracting her from her thoughts, a cloaked figure strode up the aisle of desks and tapped the chalkboard with her wand. The chalk flew up and wrote the name of the class, a page number and some notes.

"My name is Professor Brindlemore, and I will be your instructor for Defence Against the Dark Arts. This means that when you get into trouble, you will know what to do or at least how to survive. Any fooling around and you will not be invited back. Yes, some of the creatures we'll be learning about might seem silly to some but this class is for when things go seriously wrong. We will be starting on pixies, then moving on to brownies, Gnomes, and will-o'-the-wisp. Please have read the relevant chapters before next class."

Brindlemore then leaned over her desk to pull out a cage of maybe five blue creatures that were humanoid in shape, other then the wings ad no taller than her hand.

"Now, pixies, more specifically Cornish pixies will generally leave you alone in less bothered. The trick is what to do when you have bothered them..."

And the lecture went on like that. Brindlemore covered habitats, behavioral patterns and spells to help deal with an enraged pixie. She then moved on to brownies, coving the same areas and even showing them one. Before the end of class she announced their homework, two pieces of parchment on the behaviors and habitats of pixies and brownies and any similarities between the two, due next class. She also reminded them to do the reading.

Jane and her friends headed back to the great hall for lunch, eating quickly before going in search of the library. Jane sat a table, Roman claiming the chair to her left and Neryssa sitting across from her. Draven sat in the last seat by Neryssa. Pulling out her text book, she reluctantly focused on her homework, finishing quickly so she could look at the books around her. Jane finished the last touches on her work and pushed the parchment away, hastily repacking her bag.

Her friends looked up confused.

"Where are you going," whispered Neryssa. Roman was staring her down. Jane thought he may have been asking the same question.

"To look at the books," she whispered back.

Draven frowned. "You should finish the homework first though."

"I'm already done," Jane smirked.

Draven and Neryssa both looked shocked and Neryssa began to sputter.

"You could help us then."

Roman had already gone back to writing his own paper, seemingly uninterested in the conversation.

"If you need it I'll help but you're doing fine. I'll still be in the library, just come find me if you need help." With that she headed into the aisles. Jane must have spent at least an hour looking through books. She found one on a spell that could make a witch or wizard able to turn into an animal at will, called an Animagus. She would have to look into that further. Heading to the librarian, Jane asked to take out a stack of books. After a very unpleasant conversation with Madame Pince which had her cheeks hurting from forcing a smile and her jaw clenched, she was able to slip them into her bag. She went back to check on her friends, asking if anyone wanted help. When it was clear they were all good and Jane had checked over Neryssa's work twice, she headed back to her dorm to drop off her books, check on Smudge, and to read her letters.