Defence, Pretence, Offence (Hecatemus Book #2)

Chapter 14 - Smoothing Over

Most people had spent Saturday flat out doing nothing. It had been a hard week and rest and relaxation had been the order of the day. However, on Sunday everyone was a bit livelier, especially when, after lunch, the class lists were posted in each common room.

There were three groups for each class: Advanced, Ordinary and Basic.

"Basic," Ron all but shouted after he got to the list first, "basic for both potions and medical magic. I'm not basic."

Harry moved in to take a look. Sometimes it was useful to have everyone trained that it wasn't a good idea to encroach on his personal bubble, because he had a chance to read the list unopposed. On the first scan he found his and Draco's names in every advanced group except Apparating and Transfiguration, both of which he was excused from.

"Of course you're in basic for potions, Ron," Harry said, "Snape hates us."

"You're not," Ron complained.

"That's only because Draco is a potions genius and we have to be put in the same groups," Harry replied. "Snape will probably make me sit next to Draco and do nothing the entire time in case I blow something up. Look at what he did this week. And as for Medical Magic," he added, "you know Madam Pomfrey said some people have an aptitude and others don't. You're in advanced for Flying, Offensive, Shielding and Duelling and I think those are the most important for defending Hogwarts."

That seemed to mollify Ron a bit, but Harry didn't expect that to be it.

"Ordinary for Potions?" came from Hermione. "That man!"

Harry hadn't spotted that, he'd been more focused on Ron. Snape was outdoing himself in nastiness; everyone knew Hermione was up there with Draco when it came to potions.

"Oh," Hermione said before she really got going.

Harry looked back at the sheet just in time to see Hermione's name glitter and vanish from the ordinary group for potions and reappear in the advanced one.

"Looks like Dumbledore or Professor McGonagall agreed with you," Harry said and grinned at his friend.

"Wouldn't be the Hogwarts we know and love if Snape and McGonagall weren't arguing about something," Seamus commented.

That much was very true. However, Harry was more worried about the general atmosphere of the room as everyone found out what classes they had been assigned to. No one liked being told they weren't the best, but Gryffindors definitely didn't like being told they were the worst, even though it wasn't like that at all.

All the summer classes were advanced beyond what they were learning in school. Even the basic groups, apart possibly for Snape's, would be doing things above the normal curriculum. It was obvious people were forgetting that.

"Bloody Slytherins had taken all the top places," he heard someone mutter.

[We need to head this off,] he said to Draco.

[Agreed.]

[Any ideas?]

[Not off the top of my head.]

They needed something to take everyone's mind off the classes. Once they were all used to the idea and the classes started he was sure everyone would remember that basic wasn't anything of the sort.

[How about a party?] he asked.

[You want the throw a party?] Draco sounded unsure.

[In the Room of Requirement,] Harry said as the idea began to grow in his head. [The house elves will help I'm sure and I know Seamus has something we can play music on.]