WARNING: CURRENTLY BEING RE-WRITTEN - Old version will be removed when it is caught up (description below is not updated)
Hope Mikaelson had never meant to get expelled from Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was a total accident. Mopi...
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HOPE LISTENED AS HARRY AND RON EXPLAINED THEIR ENCOUNTER WITH HAGRID that they had the night before.
"But he can't really think we'd continue Care of Magical Creatures!" Hermione said, her face clearly distressed. "I mean, when has any of us expressed...you know...any enthusiasm."
"That's it, though, innit?" Ron said through his mouthful. "We were the only ones who made the most effort in classes because we like Hagrid. But he thinks we liked the stupid subject. D'ya reckon anyone's going to go on to NEWT?"
"I am." Hope mused, a knowing smirk on her face.
"Your joking, right?" Ron whispered, astonished.
Hope shook her head. "I like the subject; how can you not find all the creatures interesting? When I grew up, I never knew such creatures existed, and then my life is flipped upside down and dragons are real, how could you not want to learn about them? Imagine seeing one."
"Trust me, you do not want to meet a dragon." Harry grimaced, taking a sip from his orange juice.
"Have you?" Hope raised her eyebrow.
Before Harry could reply, Professor McGonagall made her way over to them and passed around their timetables.
Hope may have run out of time to ask more questions about a dragon, but she certainly wouldn't forget.
The three of them had felt bad for badmouthing the subject afterwards, but Hope didn't mind. She liked the subject and that was all that mattered, she didn't care what others thought. She was quite looking forward to the first lesson she had with Hagrid.
After their first lesson of the day, Ancient Runes, Hope and Hermione met the boys in Defence Against the Dark Arts. The room was gloomy as they took their seats at their desks. Hermione sat next to Hope, pleased that she wasn't going to be the odd one out anymore.
"I have not asked you to take out your books." Snape spoke, as he walked between the desks to the front of the classroom.
Hermione quickly dropped her book back into her bag and Hope stifled her laugh with her hand.
"I wish to speak to you, and I want your fullest attention. You have had five teachers in this subject so far, I believe." Snape's eyes scanned the room. "Naturally, these teachers will all have had their own methods and priorities. Given this confusion I am surprised so many of you scraped an OWL in this subject. I shall be even more surprised if all of you manage to keep up with the NEWT work, which will be more advanced."
Snape prowled around the room; his voice lower. "The Dark Arts are many varied, ever-changing, and eternal. Fighting them is like fighting a many headed monsters, which each time a neck is severed, sprouts a head even fiercer and cleverer than before. You are fighting that which is unfixed, mutating, indestructible. Your defences must therefore be as flexible and inventive as the arts you seek to undo. These pictures—" On the board, pictures flickered to life from the projector. "Give a fair representation of what happens to those who suffer, for instance the Cruciatus Curse, feel the Dementor's kiss, or provoke the aggression of the Inferi's."
"Has an Inferi been seen, then?" Parvati asked, "Is it definite, is he using them?"
"The dark lord has used Inferi in the past. Which means you would be well-advised to assume he might use them again. Now... you are, I believe, complete novices in the use of nonverbal spells. What is the advantage of a nonverbal spell?"
Hermione's hand shot up the fastest.
"Very well, miss Granger?"
"Your adversary has no warning about what kind of magic you're about to perform. Which gives you a split-second advantage."
"An answer copied almost word for word from the Standard Book of Spells, Grade Six." Snape dismissed. "But correct in essentials. Yet, those who profess in using magic without shouting incantations gain an element of surprise in their spell casting. Not all wizards can do this, of course, it is a question of concentration and mind power which some—" Snape's eyes landed on Harry, "lack. You will now divide into pairs. One partner will attempt to jinx the other without speaking. The other will attempt to repel the jinx in equal silence. Carry on."
Hope partnered with Hermione and made sure to take it easy on her. Being a first-born witch, magic came easily to Hope. She had mastered non-verbal spells a while ago. Some Terra Magic spells she could do non-verbally, but she always found Natural Magic spells easier.
She took thedefensive stand as Hermione practiced the jinxes. After ten minutes, lightbounded from Hermione's wand, but Hope blocked it easily with protego. The two witches stared at each other in accomplishment and set off to repeating it.
"Pathetic, Weasley." Snape said, snapping the two girls out of their silent duel, they were trying to see who could successfully cast the tickling charm first without being blocked. "Here, let me show you."
Snape turned his wandon Harry, that Harry responded instinctively, completely forgetting about beingnon-verbal. "Protego!"
His charm was so strong that Snape was knocked off balance and hit a desk.
"Do you remember be telling you we are practicing nonverbal spells, Potter?"
"Yes."
"Yes, sir."
"There's no need to call me 'sir', professor." Harry retorted without thinking.
Several people gasped, Hope snorted.
"Detention, Saturday night, my office." Snape glared. "I do not take cheek from anyone, Potter... not even 'the chosen one'."
Snape turned to face the rest of the class. "Next lesson we will be studying other types of magic. Terra versus Natural."
Hope's face went white as his eyes landed on her; a knowing smirk plastered on his face.
She joined the boys in the common room during their free period, making a head start on her homework. She started Ancient Runes whilst the boys tried to complete Snape's homework.
After lunch, she headed to Care of Magical Creatures, as the others stayed behind. They sent her guilty looks, trying to explain how the lessons wouldn't be that great.
She denied every accusation. Care of Magical Creature's would be one of the most interesting subjects she ever took.
