𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐥𝐞 | h. granger

xlii | animagi vs werewolves

CHAPTER FOURTY-TWO
animagi vs werewolves

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𝐓𝐑𝐔𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃, Dakota Dursley did not leave Hermione Granger's side. Sure there were times when she couldn't watch her every move for suspicious activity, like at night when they returned to their separate houses, but for the most part, she was stuck to the brunette like glue.

Hermione didn't mind Dakota's company, in fact, she liked it more than she probably should. It was nice to have the company of a fellow girl after hanging out with Harry and Ron all the time in the Gryffindor common room.

Hermione and Dakota spent most of their time out of classes in the library or outside in the courtyard. Thanks to all the extra time they've been spending together, they realized that they had a lot more in common than both coming from Muggle families. As it turned out, Dakota was more knowledgeable about magic than what she was letting on in classes. She'd adapted a new I don't care attitude and was trying to perceive herself as a bad girl to be taken more seriously by the Slytherins, who already judged her for the part she played in saving the school twice in addition to her parentage.

Hermione, of course, thought Dakota was being totally barbaric, but she'd be lying to herself if she said that she didn't like the blonde's new style. It seemed to really suit her well, and there was something about the idea of being best friends with a bad girl that excited her in ways that she didn't quite understand.

"You really shouldn't put your gum there, Kody," Hermione gently scolded as Dakota put her chewed up gum on the underside of their desk. "It's against the rules."

"When there are no teachers around, nothing is against the rules," Dakota stated, smirking. Hermione shook her head with a sigh, unable to stop herself from chuckling softly.

Professor Snape came storming into their Defense Against the Dark Arts class instead of Professor Lupin. He flicked his wand at the windows, closing the shutters to darken the room. Dakota wasn't frightened of Snape, but his unannounced entrance made her stomach sumersault with unease.

Snape reached the front of the class, whipping around to face the room full of students. "Turn to page three-hundred and ninety-four," he said coldly. They opened up their books and did as he ordered, Ron flipping there one page at a time.

"Excuse me, sir," Harry spoke up. "Where's Professor Lupin?"

Dakota whacked him on the back of his head with her wand. When he turned to look at her, she shook her head, silently telling him not to question anything.

"That's not really your concern, is it, Potter?" Snape asked. "Suffice it to say that your professor finds himself incapable of teaching at the present time," he said as he walked down an aisle between desks to get to the projector in the back of the room. "Turn to page three-hundred and ninety-four," he repeated, turning on the projector before flicking his wand at Ron's book, fed up with his slow pace.

Ron jumped before taking a look at the page. "Werewolves?" he frowned.

"But, sir, we've begun learning about red caps and hinkypunks," Hermione said, turning around to face Snape. Dakota tried to turn her back around to face the front, whispering for her to not question him, but she ignored her and continued, "We're not meant to start nocturnal beasts for weeks."

"Quiet," Snape hissed.

"I'm sure he has a reason for not sticking to Lupin's lesson plan," Aliyah said as she suddenly appeared beside Lyra at their shared desk.

"When did you come in?" Lyra asked her in a whisper, her brows creasing together. She turned to Dakota in the row next to her. "Did you see her come in?"

Dakota shook her head, mouthing, I'm onto them, as she motioned between Hermione and Aliyah.

"Now, which one of you can tell me the difference between an animagus and a werewolf?" Snape asked as a presentation showed on the screen at the front. Hermione and Aliyah both raised their hands. Snape ignored them. "No one? How disappointing."

"Please, sir," Hermione spoke again. Dakota gave up trying to stop her and slouched back in her chair, twirling her wand between her fingers. "An animagus is a wizard who elects to turn into an animal. A werewolf has no choice. With each full moon, when he transforms, he no longer remembers who he is. He'd kill his best friend if he crossed his path. Furthermore, the werewolf only responds to the call of its own kind."

Draco howled, making Crabbe beside him laugh.

"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy." Snape shot Draco a look before slowly walking forward to Hermione and Dakota's desk. "That is the second time you've spoken out of turn, Miss Granger. Are you incapable of restraining yourself, or do you take pride in being an insufferable know it all?"

Dakota's jaw dropped slightly, her brows creasing together. She glanced at the wand in her hand, her first instinct being to curse Snape right then and there. Hermione, sensing what she was thinking, snatched it from her before she could do something that would get her in trouble.

"Five points from Gryffindor," Snape decided. "As an antidote to your ignorance, and on my desk by Monday morning, two rolls of parchment on the werewolf with particular emphasis on recognizing it."

As the class groaned, Harry protested, "But, sir, it's Quidditch tomorrow."

Snape approached Harry and Ron's desk, placing his hands down as he leaned in intimidatingly close. "Then I suggest you take extra care, Mr. Potter. Loss of limb will not excuse you. . .Page three-hundred and ninety-four."

As Snape began the lecture on werewolves, Dakota rolled her eyes with an annoyed sigh, dipping her quill into the ink so that she could take notes. She could already tell that it was going to be a late night writing this essay so she wouldn't miss Harry's Quidditch match tomorrow.