Dark Pasts { A Harry Potter Story }

Chapter 40 - The Room of Requirement

On Monday afternoon, Hermione and I took our usual seats at the back of the class beside Harry and Ron and pulled out our parchment and quills, as well as our copies of One Thousand Herbs and Fungi. People were talking and laughing around us, but they all fell silent immediately when Snape closed the door with an echoing bang.

He walked to the front of the class and slowly turned around, his eyes scanning across the many faces looking up to him. "We will be preparing a Strengthening Solution today. Instructions—" he waved his wand toward the board, "are on the board."

He then proceeded to pair up people as he walked between the desks.

"Weasley you will be with Granger and Potter with Rosier as to prevent any more... ruined attempts on your part."

Hermione reluctantly switched seats with Harry and I went to gather the ingredients as he set up the cauldron.

As we were performing the instructions, we saw Umbridge walk in with her clipboard. She began to interrogate Professor Snape, and I listened closely as I waited for my solution to boil.

"You applied first for the Defense Against the Dark Arts post, I believe?" She asked him.

"Yes."

"But you were unsuccessful?"

"Obviously," he replied, causing Ron, who was just beside him, to snicker. Once Umbridge had turned around, he whacked Ron in the back of the head, making me wince and focus on my solution again.

After a while of cutting, boiling, and mixing ingredients, I noticed Harry seemed completely disinterested in the task, which explained why he kept almost adding the wrong ingredients. I walked to the front desk to grab an empty vial and returned to see Harry almost ruin our solution.

"Salamander blood, Harry!" I moaned as I grabbed his wrist. "Not pomegranate juice!"

"Right, sorry," he said vaguely as he continued to stare into the distance, completely ignoring my annoyed grunts and sighs.

I felt exhausted after potions and simply could not wait for the day to end.

"What's wrong with you?" I asked Harry as we walked out of the class. "You almost made our solution explode because of your carelessness!"

Harry shrugged, making me sigh in annoyance.

"His mind's too busy thinking about Cho, that's what," Ron said with a chuckle, which only made me angrier, for some reason.

***

The next day was particularly warm and sunny for late autumn so Harry, Ron, Hermione and I decided to go outside to study. We lounged in the shade of a large beefy tree on the edge of the lake and worked in silence. Hermione and I were already up to date with our homework, so we studied a little for our Potions test that was scheduled for the next week before simply enjoying the beautiful weather. We simply talked about a bunch of things as her bewitched needles flashed and clicked in midair beside her, making more hats and scarves for the house elves.

It didn't take long before Harry and Ron became bored and suggested we go back inside to eat. Hermione scolded them on the importance of doing their homework properly and not at the last minute as we walked. We stopped before the doors of the great hall as we noticed a new notice.

— By order of —

The High Inquisitor Of Hogwarts

All Student Organizations, Societies, Groups, And Clubs are henceforth disbanded. No Student Organization, Society, Group, or Club May exist without the knowledge and approval of the High Inquisitor. Any student found breaking this rule will be expelled.