Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 11

To everyone's excitement, October 30th finally arrived and we all waited impatiently and watched the clock, hoping six o'clock would come sooner, when it was time for the other schools to come to Hogwarts.

The last classes were supposed to cut half an hour shorter. Everyone was thrilled, because we had Potions with Snape. Everyone, except for me.

I was growing so fond of Potions that in the time I was at Hogwarts, I spent all my free times in the library, reading books about different potions, in order to take my mind off things.

That day before Potions class, I got there about an hour earlier, trying to make a potion I had read about the previous day, having an idea for a joke.

Just as other students were arriving, I drank a few drops of the potion I had just made, and it turned out to have been made successfully. Because, as planned, my nose started to get larger and larger.

Throwing my dark brown hair all over my face and wrapping my black cloak around me, I stood on a chair nearby, saying in a deep, slow, and dangerous voice which imitated Severus Snape,

"Attention, class!" and soon, everyone's eyes were on me. "I am Professor Snappy, your potions master! And I would like to put my abnormally large nose in people's business!" Everyone sniggered at that.

I then pointed my finger at Harry, shouting, "POTTER! Ten points from Gryffindor for existing!" The sound of laughter got louder and louder.

Everyone was now roaring in laughter, but quickly, it fainted away when a stern voice yelled from the other end of the class, "DETENTION, Miss Hooper!"

I gulped, spotting Severus Snape by the doorway, as he sent the deadliest glare at me. Not uttering another word, I quietly sat down next to Ron and Harry, who were having a hard time controlling their sniggers.

When the class was over, I ran towards the door, trying to get away before Snape could get the chance to talk to me about my detention.

But I wasn't in luck that day. "Not so fast, Miss Hooper!"

Damn it, just a few inches and I would've been out of sight, I thought in frustration, making my way back to Snape.

"Where did you think you were going?" said Snape grimly.

"To see Madam Pomfrey, Sir." I said. "I would rather not be stuck with this nose, you see?"

"Oh, but I think it suits you beautifully, Professor Snappy." He said sarcastically, in a dark tone.

"Nah, it only looks good on you." I said teasingly, trying to hold back a snort.

"How dare you!" He snapped, getting closer to me. "Is everything a joke to you!?"

"Only funny things are."

His blood boiling, he tried to remain calm in order to say with a sinister grin on his lips, "Then I hope you'll find your detention just as funny. Because you will be crying when you're done cleaning the kitchen tonight, I promise you."

"But, Sir! It's the feast tonight!"

"Which is why the house-elves will surley need help cleaning it up afterwards." He said. "You'd wish you knew how to use magic, wouldn't you?"

***

The arrival of the other schools seemed to get my detention off my mind. Although before going out of the castle to join everyone else in awaiting them, I paid a quick visit to Madam Pomfrey so she could turn my nose back to the way it was. On my way out, I came across Lee, Fred and George who started patting me on the back, having heard the story of my imitation.

"I knew you'd fit perfectly into our club." George said, a satisfied grin on his face.

"Yeah," Fred nodded brightly. "You made us all proud, Professor Snappy."

But soon, our conversation was cut short when we spotted Beauxbatons arriving in a carriage carried by large flying horses, and shortly after that, Durmstrang's ship appeared from the lake.

We all joined one another in the Great Hall, where Dumbledore appeared the Goblet of Fire on a stool and talked about the tournament.

I felt a sharp pain in my heart again as it started beating faster and faster. The thought of Cedric's death was like a dagger to my heart, and I couldn't stop thinking about the cries of Mr. Diggory as he held his son's lifeless body.

I wanted to save Cedric from his terrible fate, but I knew I had to think it all through. To make a rash decision would only lead to worse outcomes. The only way, as Dumbledore had said, was to act only a short time before his death, to prevent bad changes in the timeline.

My eyes tried ro search for Cedric from where I sat behind the Gryffindor table, but it seemed impossible to spot him in such a crowded hall, specially now that it was fuller than ever.

As I remembered from the books, supposedly Cedric was to throw his name in that same night, not wanting to enter with everyone else watching him the next day. Therefore I had to act tonight.

When the feast was over and everyone started to leave, I tried to blend into the crowd to avoid catching Snape's eyes. After such a delicious meal, I wanted nothing more than to go up to our dorm and sleep. But my luck failed me one more time that night.

"Hooper!"

I groaned as I heard Filch calling me, causing me to stop.

"Mr. Filch, I promise I'll go to the kitchens tomorrow! I'll even clean it two nights in a row! But tonight–"

"No excuses, Hooper!" He retorted. "It's Professor Snape's orders. Follow me."

Sighing in defeat, I followed Filch down the stoney corridor and we stopped by the portrait of a bowl full of fruit.

Filch raised his hand and tickled a pear. Soon, the pear came to life and gave a little laugh, and then the portrait opened up, revealing the enormous kitchen, filled with little house-elves.

"Well, get to work, then," said Filch with a nasty grin, before leaving me alone.

A few house-elves came rushing towards me, instructing me to sweep the floor, just like other students who got detention in the kitchen used to do until then.

I actually didn't have a bad time with the elves keeping me company and bringing me all sorts of food, which I had to refuse all politely, saying that I was too full.

Before leaving, a few of them made me promise that I would visit them more often, and I agreed happily, having enjoyed their cute company. The house elf I had bonded with the most was named Mickey; he must've been one of the kindest elves to have ever existed.

They waved at me with happy faces and so saying my goodbyes, I opened the portrait and left the kitchen.

But I hadn't taken more than a few steps that I stopped in my tracks, coming upon someone I wasn't expecting to see now.