Chasing The Keeper

Too Many Snapes

The day of the N.E.W.T's crept up fast, as well as our operation and the ball. Meanwhile, a flourishing black-market trade in aids to concentration, mental agility and wakefulness had sprung up among the fifth- and seventh years.

The morning of the N.E.W.T's and the O.W.L's was bright and beautiful. When I rubbed my eyes awake I could hear the sound of birds chirping loudly out of the dormitory window. The sun shone through the window, landing softly on June's still asleep face as she lay in the bed next to mine. Her hair was now black, she said she had to accommodate the gloomy occasion of the N.E.W.T's

I smiled for a moment, before getting up and out of bed. My nightgown hung loosely on my shoulders as I admired myself in the mirror for a moment. I imagined the Celestial Ball dress on me for a second. Tomorrow would be my dance practice with Oliver... Funny isn't it, the morning of the N.E.W.T's yet my mind is occupied with anything but.

~~~

The dining hall was astir as we entered armed with droppers hidden in the sleeves of our robes. Just a few droplets in every spoon including our own would be enough. We walked around, pretending to find places to sit at. My first target was Percy Weasley. His long nose was scrunched and so far in the Herbology textbook, one would think that he would fall right into it if he bent forward any further. I swooshed quickly past people as quickly as possible and even spilling some of the droplets down on the tablecloth. I saw my friends do the same on opposite ends of the dining hall. It was only when we sat down, did we use our last few drops and splashed them onto our spoons.

Right after we finished the food appeared on the table. The main dish was oatmeal, just our luck. Everyone's focus was drawn off their books and to the food. I saw the staff take a seat at their table at the front, scanning the students. I eagerly ladled the oatmeal into my bowl and shovelled a large spoonful into my mouth. Even with a large amount of oatmeal, Snape's polyjuice left a foul aftertaste.

I felt my body morph, and I saw the people around me as well. The dining hall erupted in laughter and confused squealing. There were Snape's popping up everywhere, and they were all wearing robes too tight for them, differing in tightness from student to student. The real Snape's usually paper-coloured face was paler than ever before, his thin lips contorted into something between a scowl and a smile. I could see his fist gripping tightly together, almost losing circulation.

I pulled out a small pocket mirror and looked at myself. Sure enough, Snape's long and scrupulous face was looking sternly back. I looked over at where Oliver sat, and he was looking directly at me, his jaw hanging open. I blew him a small kiss, and he pretended to pant.

"Everyone affected please go to the nursing wing!" Dumbledore boomed, but I could see he looked thoroughly amused, and all the professors behind him (save Snape) were on the verge of tears from holding in their laughter.

Sarah glanced at her watch and motioned a five with her hand.

5...4...3...2...1...

Everyone's bodies began to morph back. The face staring back at me in the mirror was now my own again.

"Whoever was behind this you are in big trouble" Sighed Dumbledore into his large hand and sitting back down in resignation, a small, barely visible smile playing on his lips.

I looked over at Oliver again and winked, this time as my usual self.

"You looked hotter like that," He mouthed, and I snorted.

~~~

Up first was the Transfigurations N.E.W.T. McGonagall's watchful eye scanned the room for auto answering quills, and other gadgets to help cheaters. I sighed and looked down at the first question; Describe step by step the standard procedure of what to do when transfiguring an animate object back to its original state.

~~~

The rest of my exams went rather smoothly. Astronomy and Potions were both fairly easy classes for me. It was the lab part of the astronomy N.E.W.T at 9 o'clock. I saw June stationed at a telescope a couple of seats away from me, scribbling confidently down on her paper, intermittently looking into the scope. I knew this was the one subject she excelled at, because she romanticized the stars, as they were often focal points in her writings. I, on the other hand, struggled with the lab portion of astronomy. I knew what stars looked like and what they could tell and mean, but that didn't mean I knew I could easily find them. I reprimanded myself for not spending more time at the astronomy tower, studying.

By the time N.E.W.T's ended, I was completely exhausted. I came back to my dorm at around eleven and collapsed into bed shortly after.