The Forgotten 7th Year

Classes with the Carows

Sorry for the late update, I've hard serious writers block with this.

WARNING some possible trigger factor ahead.

Neville's POV

The first day of school dawned gray and dismal. A cold sleet pelted the windows of Gryffindor Tower, as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes, and looked around.

Without Harry, Ron, and Dean, the Dormitory seemed strangely empty and quiet.

It was a mark of my and Seamus's talent, that every possible surface was in disarray. Clothes and books were strewn across the floor, and of plants were placed on every windowsill, trying to soak up a nonexistent light.

Seamus had a poster of the West Hamm Football Team, that showed how much he missed his best friend.

I got dressed, and stumbled down stairs. It seemed as though the whole of Gryffindor house was there; playing wizard's chess, and exploding snap.
But, apart from the occasional bang, no one was talking. The silence stretched, until it seemed likely something would snap. The tension in the room was palpable.

I sat down by Ginny, and, not wanting to break the unearthly silence, glanced at her questioningly.

She answered my unspoken question.

"Muggle Studies. It's compulsory for everyone now.
And, almost everyone's taking Defense Against the Dark Arts, so two Carow classes. I have a feeling they won't be fun.
I have double DADA with the Ravenclaws At least it's just Gryffindors. Won't have to put up with Malfoy, and pretend like I don't know what's on him left arm. I don't have to pretend that he didn't poison Ron. That he didn't let Death Eaters into the castle. Pretend that Bill's scars would still be there if he hadn't set Grayback loose on Hogwarts. THAT IT'S NOT HIS FAULT DUMBLEDORE'S DEAD!" Ginny is shouting now. She notices and lowers her voice. "Ron, Harry, and Hermione would be better equipped to deal with everything if Dumbledore was still here. And Harry might not have left me..."

I don't know what to do. So I do nothing, and bring her into a hug.

***

As I walked into Muggle Studies,  our new teacher gave me a calculated look. Many other students were already seated, along with Seamus and Lavender.

"Take a seat." Alecto Carow looks down her nose at me.
"Now that we're all here, I'd like to lay down some simple rules.
Their will be no whispering, muttering, talking, fidgeting or otherwise making noise in my class. The only time you are permitted to speak is when I call on you, and you will address me as Professor or Professor Carow.
No eating eating will be permitted in my class. There will be no contradicting me in my class. You may not read any books apart from, The Brutality of Muggles by Corban Yaxley."

Lavender raises her hand, but speaks before she is called on. She has an agitated look on her face.

"But Professor, Yaxley is a known Death Eater. You can't possibly expect us to-"

Lavender's interruption draws the eyes of the class to her. She shrinks under our new Professor's gaze, and her sentence trails off.

"Come here." Lavender stands. Every step she takes seems as though her feet are made of lead. She inches towards the woman at the front of the class.
An annoyed expression crosses Professor Carow's face, and she marches over to the trembling student, and grabs her by the hair.

When she speaks, her voice is as cool and even. And that was what made my heart pound against his chest.
"I was under the impression that I was teaching this lesson, not you Ms?"