🥀ℙ𝕣𝕚𝕟𝕔𝕖𝕤𝕤: ℍ.ℙ🥀

ℚ𝕦𝕚𝕕𝕕𝕚𝕥𝕔𝕙: 𝕐𝕖𝕒𝕣 𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖

Snap! Snape pulls down a screen over the blackboard, turns.

"Turn to page 394.", He says in his monotone voice.

As the students eye Snape with guarded curiosity, Malfoy finishes scrawling something on a bit of parchment and balls it up in his hands. As he opens them, a moth flutters from his palms.

"Excuse me, sir, but... where's Professor Lupin?", Harry asks.

"That's not really your concern, is it, Potter? Suffice it to say, your Professor finds himself incapable of teaching at the present time. Page 394."

Snape waves the moth away, blows out a candle and a slide show begins. An ancient woodcut of a horrific beast flickers at the front of the room. Ron frowns down at his book.

Werewolves?", He mutters.

"But, sir, we've only just begun learning about Red Caps and Hinkypunks. We're not meant to
start nocturnal beasts for weeks --", Hermione starts to say.

"Quiet!"

"When did she come in? Did you see her come in...", Ron asks Harry who shakes his head. The ginger boy turns to face Emily, who is staring at Hermione in shock.

He mouths the same question to her and she shakes her head as well.

"Now. Which of you can tell me the difference between an Animagus and a werewolf?", As the class stares mutely at a slide of an attacking werewolf
, Hermione waiting desperately for someone to respond to Snape's question, the moth flutters by Harry.

Swat! He pins it to his desk. A tiny cloud of moth dust mushrooms into the air and Harry lifts his palm. Malfoy's parchment has reappeared.

"No one? How... disappointing.", Snape blatantly ignores Hermione.

"Please, sir, an Animagus is a wizard who elects into an animal. A werewolf has no choice in the Furthermore, the werewolf actively hunts humans responds only to the call of its own kind-", Malfoy lets out a low howl.

"Quiet, Malfoy! Though one must admit to feeling your pain. That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger. Tell me. Are you incapable of restraining yourself? Or do you take pride in being an insufferable know-it-all?"

"He's got a point, you know.", Ron mutters to Harry who is staring at the parchment from Malfoy.

He has drawn a caricature of Harry in his Quidditch robes being struck by lightning over and over.

"Five points from Gryffindor!", Snape says before addressing the class.

"As a antidote to your ignorance, I prescribe two rolls of parchment on the werewolf by Monday morning, with particular emphasis placed on recognizing it.", Suddenly he snatches the parchment from Harry's hands and eyes it.                 

"Not exactly Picasso, are you? I hope you demonstrate more talent on the Quidditch pitch this weekend then you do as an artist."

"If not, I fear you'll perish, given the weather forecast. Until that time, however, you'll forgive me if I don't let you off homework. Should you die, I assure you... you need not hand it in.", As Snape turns away, Malfoy sniggers with Crabbe, Goyle and Pike. Harry glances down at the drawing once more just as a real rumble of thunder sounds.

/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/
Lightning strikes one of the golden quidditch rings and the clouds bloom with icy blue light.

Far below, in the stands, rain lashes the sea of umbrella's. As one flies free, soaring end over end into the sky, the crowd explodes and two Quidditch squads -- Gryffindor in Scarlet, Hufflepuff in Canary -Yellow -- shoot into the air.