HP8 (On Hold)

Lessons Again

The next morning they received their timetables at breakfast.  Harry and Ron had always taken the same lessons so would continue to be in the same class, Hermione would also be in all there lessons, but she was taking an extra subject at NEWT level so that would take up more of her time.  Harry also compared his timetable with Ginny and was delighted to see that she would be in not only the same Defence against the Darks Art class but Charms as well. 

Both Ginny and Hermione had a lesson first period,, so they grabbed the necessary books from their dormitory and dashed off together.  Ron and Harry had a free session to start with so spent the time in the common room.  The only other students there were Ernie MacMillan who was sitting on one side and Lavender Brown with the Pravati twins, who were sitting on the opposite side of the room. 

Harry and Ron sat down on one of the sofas in the middle, Ron giving Lavender a covert wary glance. 

“Well here we are Harry back at school for the last time.”  He mentioned, “Doesn’t feel that long ago does it that we were in the first year.” 

“Dunno about you Ron, but to me it feels an eternity ago that we first started, I guess its because so much has happened each year, they seemed to fly past at the time, but now I can hardly remember what it was like when we started.”

They chatted for the whole of the first period of the adventures they had had in all the years they had been at Hogwart’s, not only the major incidents but also lots of the little things which had occurred and which they both laughed and cringed about as they recalled them.

They had a Transfigeration class second session, so they made their way early to the lesson to make sure they would be on time, Professor McGonagall had always been there teacher in this subject, but now she was head they assumed that they would be getting a new teacher.  They chatted as they made their way to the classroom whether this was a good or bad result.  Although very strict and tough as a teacher, they had always been able to keep up with the class, and they concluded that this was due to Professor McGonagall.  

Harry had another indicator of how his status had changed as they made their way to their first lesson, they rounded a corner to find Peeves the poltergeist lobbing ink pellets at a group of 1st year girls, Harry shouted out, “Oi Peeves leave them alone, it’s only their first day.”  Normally Peeves would have just turned on Harry and Ron and started pelting them with pellets, which had been Harry’s plan, a shield charm would have protected them, but no, Peeves turned saw Harry, bowed his head and said, “Sorry Mr Potter sir, just having a little bit of fun with the newies.”  And he whooshed off down one of the corridors.  Harry and Ron looked at each other and just shrugged, the 1St year girls gave them timid smiles and dashed off. 

Hermione joined them as they stood waiting outside the classroom, “If this is what seventh year is like, I think were in for a tough time, we just got a whole stack of homework and the lesson was much more complicated than I remember them being.”  She mentioned. 

Harry and Ron glanced at each other and grimaced, if Hermione had found a lesson tough at year seven level, Hermione was continually rated as one of the most gifted witches ever to attended Hogwarts, so what chance were they going to have. 

To their surprise Professor McGonagall appeared in the corridor and ushered them into the classroom, once they were all seated she addressed them.  “Welcome back to Transfigeration.  As you know normally the head doesn’t take lessons, but as we are so pushed with the timetable, I volunteered myself to take this one class, as I know you all so well and how much I need to push you.  As I mentioned at the feast yesterday, your NEWT exams will be taken once I decide that the class has reached the necessary standard.  This means that the quicker you get through the syllabus the sooner you can take the exam, in which case you could either take it a lot sooner than your other subjects, or if your complete dunderheads then you may have to wait till the end of the final term.”