Possessiveness and Other Such Oddities

Temerity

hi!!! this chapter is longer than usual and it contains a bunch of spells of my own making, so a list of all of them and their meanings are in the notes below (for those who are interested). also, as usual, a lot of creepiness from our lovely minister.

Being back in his own bed (and next to Tom's soothing magic) had done Harry wonders, and by the time morning came around, he was well-rested and in a decent mood.  He was beyond grateful that today was his self-study day so that he could catch up on his classwork after the debacle and recovery of the past two days.  

Harry brushed his hair and teeth, put on his school uniform, tied his tie, and meditated for 30 minutes before putting on his socks and shoes. Ever since he had gotten competent in occluding some odd four years ago, he had stopped meditating every morning, but now that he had to rebuild them, it looked like he was going to pick up the habit again.

Michael was still sleeping, so Harry shouldered the task of waking up Terry. It took three alarm clock charms, an aguamenti, physical manhandling, and several stinging hexes, but Terry eventually rolled out of bed and unhappily got ready for the day.  The alarm clock charms woke up Michael, so he, too, blearily got ready.  They pointedly did not mention the thing with the Minister, something Harry was beyond grateful for.

The three of them exited their dorm and were greeted by an anxious-looking Hermione and Draco, though they hid it admirably, Harry just knew them too well.  He smiled and linked arms with them, and they all walked to the Great Hall.  Everyone was mostly there, and he received plenty of sympathetic looks from his peers in other houses.  Harry sat down next to Lisa, Luna, and Anthony and served himself some french toast. 

People gave Harry anxious looks throughout breakfast, but he paid them no mind and conversed with his friends instead, gleaning what had happened the past two days from them.  He tried his best to push all thoughts of the Minister out of his mind, but he wasn't very successful.  Thank Merlin today was his self-study day. 

"I have an announcement to make," Headmaster Snape called out, his voice amplified by a sonorous. 

The students quieted down immediately and waited with bated breath to hear what the Headmaster had to say.  Many were startled by his announcement, especially Harry and his friends. 

The Headmaster said, in a blasé tone that belied his true feelings, "The Minister has decided that, for the rest of the days of the week, he will be observing several classes to better learn about the students.  A schedule of his observation is in front of each student, so peruse that to your heart's content."

Harry's stomach dropped.  That was his schedule, mocking him in black letters.  Divination, Double Astronomy, and Care today, but today was his self-study day.  What he was more worried about was the Double Charms, DADA, and Transfiguration tomorrow and the Potions, Double Alchemy, and Advanced Arithmancy on Friday.  Hermione and Draco both looked vaguely nauseous as they came to the same conclusion as Harry. 

At least he had a day to mentally prepare before he had to face the Minister.  He looked to his friends taking Care and Astronomy (unless you had the sight, you couldn't take NEWTS Divination, and Luna wasn't in her NEWTS year yet) and exchanged anxious, sympathetic looks.  Whatever the Minister was up to wasn't going to go well for anyone. 

Instead of dwelling on his anxiety, he ate the last few bites of french toast, and when the Great Hall was dismissed, walked straight to the library.  His assignments were already written in his school-distributed charmed notebook that teachers wrote a little summary of the class and the homework.  His friends rotated in and out of his table at the library, the only constant presence being Hermione, who had the same study day as him.  Draco and Cho dragged them out of the library for lunch, but otherwise, he spent the entire day catching up and reviewing.