Harry Potter and the Year After

Chapter Thirty-six: Into the Slytherin Common Room

Chapter 36: Into the Slytherin Common Room

Harry managed to keep Hermione out of his head for the double period of Transfiguration, but only just. He knew she'd want to study together probably every night... He hoped he'd have lots of reasons to evade her.

From Transfiguration, he said goodbye to Hermione and Ron. After watching Ginny talk with Draco for a few minutes, he headed to the Owlery and sent a reply letter to Rita Skeeter. Then, he sent a letter to Andromeda before heading to the third floor to the Arithmancy classroom. It was time to meet Professor Vector for his Defense Against the Dark Arts independent study.

"Hello, Professor Potter," said Professor Vector. She stood when he entered the classroom and her overlong red velvet robes billowed behind her as she strode forward.

"Hello, Professor Vector. Nice to meet you," Harry said. He shook her proffered hand.

"So let's be brief. I know we're both quite busy. Please have a seat," she said quickly. She had a loud, clipped voice that Harry oddly appreciated. He knew she wouldn't mess about just by her tone. Harry sat in the nearest seat and she sat down at the desk in front of him, turning the chair to face him.

"This will be a true independent study." She pulled a paper from her pocket and began unfolding it. "You will come to this classroom only for a final exam during my office hours the week of finals before you sit for N.E.W.T.s. You won't have a midterm exam." She laid the paper down in front of him and Harry looked down at it. There was a date at the end of the school year written down at the top of the page. Other things were written down on the paper too, but he looked back up at her when she continued to speak. "Your final will be practical examination only. I assume you have the text required. Instead of a written midterm and final or any sort of formal classes, after reading each chapter, you shall write thirty-six inches in summary with anecdotal or researched evidence of the efficacy or lack thereof of the spells, enchantments, counter-enchantments et cetera of the chapter. You may owl or deliver each of these in person as you desire, or deliver them all at once once you are finished completely. There will be no time constraint for these. They simply need to be finished by the end of the year. If you need assistance, please come to my office hours which are actually right now for the next two hours once a week. Any questions?"

"Er...," Harry looked down at the paper again and skimmed it. It seemed that everything she just said was written on this paper. Thirty-six inches. There had to be more than twenty chapters in the text, though he hadn't checked for sure. He thought it would probably have been easier to actually take the class instead of independent study. At least this wasn't Neville's tactic. "No. No questions. Not yet anyway."

"Well then, good luck to you this year," she said and stood up once more. She offered her hand again and Harry quickly shook her hand as he stood up from his chair. He took the paper and folded it as he walked out of the classroom.

At least it was quick. He automatically walked back downstairs to the Great Hall where dinner was in full-swing.

"Get the wrong time?" Ron asked as Harry sat down across from him. Hermione sat next to Ron.

"No, she's just very—"

"Smart," Hermione interrupted, picking up her glass of water. "I really appreciate her way of getting to the point."

"She just assigned me all my work for the whole year. I can turn it in whenever I want. I just have to do the final in person and it's a practical exam only."

"Well, that's not so bad, is it?" Ron said, raising his eyebrows.

"Wow, that'll take quite a bit of discipline," Hermione said. Harry glanced around and noticed that Ginny wasn't anywhere to be found at the Gryffindor table. He was worried for a second that maybe she was sick when he finally spotted her.