Professor Lupin was not in class the day before the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. In his stead, Professor Snape was teaching the Defense Against the Dark Arts class. "Where's Professor Lupin?" Harry wanted to know when he entered the classroom ten minutes late. "What's wrong with him?"
"Nothing life-threatening," Snape answered. Draco could see that his godfather wished it otherwise. Why did Snape hate Lupin so much? Harry took the seat beside Draco, an annoyed look on his face as Snape took five points from Gryffindor.
"As I was saying before Potter interrupted Professor Lupin has no left any record of the topics you have covered so far–" Draco was nearly certain that Lupin had done so. Snape just wanted to teach them his own curriculum instead.
"Please, sir," interjected Hermione, "we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, and Grindylows. We're just about to start–"
"Be quiet," Snape snapped at her coldly. "I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Lupin's lack of organization." Because that's a valuable piece of information, Draco thought to himself sarcastically.
"He's the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we've ever had," Dean Thomas admitted. A murmur of agreement rose from the class. Granted, anyone was better than Quirrell and Lockhart.
"You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly over-taxing you. I would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and Grindylows." Snape turned to the back of their textbooks. "Today, we shall discuss werewolves." Draco straightened in his chair, an interested expression flitted across his face.
Unlike Hermione, Draco hadn't read all of their textbook. He'd certainly always been interested in learning about these creatures, he just hadn't known it would be this year. Excitement course through him.
"But sir," said Hermione, Draco knew it must be killing her to drivege from the lesson plan. "We're not supposed to do werewolves yet, we're due to start Hinkypunks–"
"Miss Granger," Snape said. Draco could hear the annoyance in his voice. "I was under the impression that I was teaching this lesson, not you." He glanced around the room as Hermione's cheeks pinked. "And I am telling you all to turn to page three hundred and ninety-four." The room echoed with the rustling of pages. "Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" Everyone sat in motionless silence. Hermione's hand shot straight into the air. "Anyone? Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between–"
"We told you," Parvati interrupted suddenly, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet, we're still on–"
"Silence!" Snape said. "Well, well, well, I never thought i'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one." Draco frowned at this, where was Snape going with this? "I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are..."
"Please, sir," Hermione pleaded, whose hand was still in the air. She looked pained, like it was physically hard for her to not explain. "The werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf–"
"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," Snape told her. "Five points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all." Anger filled Draco instantly.
"You asked us a question and she knows the answer. Why ask if you don't want to be told?" Draco's voice held an eerie calm to it. Snape considered him for a moment.
"Ten points from Gryffindor," Snape told him. "Be careful, Malfoy. If I ever hear you criticise the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."
YOU ARE READING
The Brave at Heart
Fanfiction"He could only imagine what his father was going to say when he heard. Oh, he had really done it this time. His father had once told him he was a disgrace to the Malfoy name and now he really was. It wasn't supposed to have gone this way. He was sup...
