SPARKS FLY | fred weasley x oc | YEAR 3

chapter 11- the tree and the shack

Thwap!

I flinch as the noise echoes through the classroom, the shutters on the windows slamming shut. I turn to see Snape, cloak billowing behind him as always, strutting to the front of our Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Ron and I exchange a questioning glance over our shared desk.

"Turn to page 394." Snape mumbles aggressively.

"Where's Professor Lupin?" Harry asks.

"It would seem that he finds himself unable to teach at the present moment." He sneers as he races to the back of the classroom where a projector wheel is set up. I unroll my parchment while Ron lazily flips the pages, but suddenly the book plops open to the correct page.

"Werewolves?" He reads and his eyes widen.

"But sir," Hermione squeaks from beside Harry. "We aren't meant to start nocturnal beasts for weeks."

"Did you see her come in?" Ron whispers to Harry and I, both of us shaking our heads.

"Miss Granger." He snaps and begins his lecture on the werewolf. "Can anyone tell me the difference between a werewolf and an animagus?" Hermione's hand instantly shoots up. "Nobody? How disappointing." He sighs with pursed lips.

"Please, sir." Hermione pleads. "An animagus chooses to become an animal, a werewolf has no choice."

"Miss Granger, you will learn not to speak out of turn. Five points from Gryffindor." All the Gryffindors in class groaned in unison. "Quiet." He began his lecture going through the main headings in the chapter, quills scribbling furiously as he spoke at lightspeed. At the end of the hour my hand was cramping.

"Now, I expect five pages on my desk by Monday morning." Another groan. "Focus on the werewolf origins and signs to recognize them." Mumbled complaints continued as we shuffled out of the classroom.

"I can't believe he would do that to us, especially on a weekend!" Ron whined as we entered the Gryffindor common room.

"I can. It's Snape, he's never had any regard for our personal lives. Why would the end of term change that?" I grumble as I plop onto the sofa next to Harry. Ron soon joined, but Hermione just stood there. She had her hands on her hips and was almost scowling at us. "What?"

"Have you all seriously forgotten what today is?" She was fuming.

"It's...Friday?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"Today was the hearing."

Hermione had been constantly checking on Hagrid, badgering him with questions about Buckbeak and the execution. When the day finally arrived she was a nervous wreck. All day she was solemn and moped around. We had all tried to cheer her up, but after seeing her cry over her soup at lunch, we knew she was going to be inconsolable. She insisted that before dinner we go to Hagrid's hut.

"Hermione, he doesn't want us around." Ron protested as we walked down the south corridor.

"Well, I want to see him. He shouldn't be alone." She insisted, quickening her pace.

"Wait, Hermione. There's no way he's going to let us stay down there." I was trying to reason with her. Hagrid for sure wasn't going to let us stay there while they chopped off Buckbeak's head.

"She's right." Harry agreed. "We also have a strict curfew; inside the castle after dark. Dumbledor will have our heads if he sees us strolling through the door after sundown."

"I don't care." She yelled as we crossed the south bridge. "Hagrid is our friend and he shouldn't be alone right now." The boys and I shared a nervous glance before catching up with her. She was stopped in the archway that led out of the castle and onto the skinny path to Hagrid's hut. I skidded to a stop behind her and saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle all crouched behind a rock looking down at the small house.