The Three WItches and Hogwarts' Mysteries - 4 Years Later
They had gone their own paths, but had sooner or later reunited. They had gone through their second, third and fourth year together like magnets that would never leave each other. Within every danger that blocked their path, they had defeated the danger with the power of friendship and love. And now they have begun their fifth year of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Nothing could go wrong… right? Authors: Golden Phoenix and Lulu Scamander
Last Updated
05/30/22
Chapters
29
Reads
1,175
Is He Back?
Chapter 3
As Amelia had suspected, the Ministry of Magic was indeed interfering with Hogwarts. Umbrige always roamed the corridors, her wand in her hand at all times. When one’s shirt was untucked, she would use her wand to tuck them in, which made whoever had not untucked their shirt feel like they had been spanked on their rear end. The same thing happened with ties. But when they were done properly by Umbridge, it would feel as though someone put both their hands on your throat for a second or two. That made students take better care of their uniform. The trio realised that everyone was staring and pointing at Harry. Their first lesson was Transfiguration, and Professor Mcgonagall started off by saying how important the O.W.Ls were.
‘...what you must remember is that these examinations may influence your futures for many years to come! If you have not already given serious thought to your careers, now is the time to do so. And in the meantime, I'm afraid, we shall be working harder than ever to ensure that you all do yourselves justice! I do not accept students into N.E.W.T. classes unless they have achieved “Exceeds Expectations” or higher at Ordinary Wizarding Level. I expect each and every one of you to work hard and achieve at least “Acceptable” in their O.W.L.- yes, you too, Longbottom.’
Neville looked panickedly at her and she nodded as if to say: “Meet me after your lessons in my office”.
‘So, today we are starting Vanishing Spells. These are easier than Conjuring Spells, which you would not usually attempt until N.E.W.T. level, but they are still among the most difficult magic you will be tested on in your O.W.L.’
They began practising the Vanishing Spell (Evanesco) and since it wasn’t Double Transfiguration, they finished quite fast.
‘Your homework for today is to practice the Vanishing Spell and write me a twenty or thirty inch essay about it. You can count on it to come in your O.W.L. test. Class dismissed.’
Isabell looked at the timetable as they exited the classroom. Their next lesson was Defence Against the Dark Arts… with Umbridge. When they entered the D.A.D.A classroom, they found Professor Umbridge already seated at the teacher’s desk, wearing the fluffy pink cardigan of the night before and the black velvet bow on top of her head again. The trio were again reminded forcibly of a large fly perched on top of a large pink toad.
‘Please take your seats. And wands away. There will be no need to talk.’
‘We’re not going to do any magic?’ Isabell whispered to Amelia and Olivia.
Everyone looked bewildered as they tucked their wands back in their bag. They realised that there was a pile of books near Umbridge. The books started floating in midair and glided in between desks, so that when a book stopped near a student’s desk, it would position itself on the desk and stop floating.
‘As you know, the Ministry cares about the students’ education at Hogwarts. Alas, you do not need the books that you were required to purchase in Diagon Alley. The Ministry of Magic has published a book which does not risk your mental and physical health. These books that you have received are more safe and do not require any magic. Now-’
‘Then how are we supposed to defend ourselves?’ someone suddenly yelled.
It was Albert, standing up and glaring at Umbridge.
‘Defend yourselves from what exactly?’ Umbridge spoke calmly with her girlish voice.
‘I dunno… maybe, You-Know-Who.’
Several people gasped, others went pale. Umbridge’s toad-like face started to change. Her voice lost its girlish tone and was now dark.
‘You have been informed that a dark wizard has risen to power. That is not true!’
‘It is! Harry saw him with his own eyes and he killed Cedric!’
‘Cedric Diggory’s death was a tragic accident-’
‘SOUNDS LIKE YOUR BIRTH!’ Albert yelled, his body fuming.
‘Enough, Mr. Foxglove! You will receive a detention in my office tomorrow at eight in the evening!’ Umbridge shouted, then, her serious face went back to its original state.
Olivia looked horrified, while Amelia and Isabell looked concerned. Albert sat back down and crossed his arms. He didn’t bother even touching the book that was placed on his desk.
‘It’s true! Voldemort’s back!’ Harry said.
‘Detention to you too, Mr. Potter. For a week because you said He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named’s name.’
‘You’re just afraid of the truth! Voldemort is back!’
‘Harry, don’t-’ Hermione Granger whisper-shouted, her face shocked and pale.
‘He is back,’ Isabell said. ‘Fudge is just too afraid to admit that it’s true.’
‘Would everyone like to have detention for a week? You-Know-Who hasn’t risen to power! Class dismissed!’ Umbridge shrieked.
‘He is back!’ Olivia and Amelia said.
‘DETENTION TO YOU TOO! I DID NOT EXPECT SUCH BEHAVIOUR FROM SO MANY STUDENTS!’
Umbridge walked away from the classroom as her little feet stomped on the ground.
‘That hag! Honestly, why would Dumbledore agree to such a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher! No magic?’ Olivia hissed as they exited the classroom to go to their next class, potions.
‘I don’t think he even had a choice,’ Isabell replied as she carried her bag.
‘I don’t think we should really have said that he was back…’ Amelia muttered. ‘This is my first detention. Emily will chop my head off.’
‘You don’t call her your stepmother?’
‘Why should I? I think I can call her what I want.’
They all silently went out of the classroom and started to descend some stairs to go to the dungeons, which was where their Potions class was. They finally reached the classroom and went inside, patiently waiting for Professor Snape.
He entered, then quickly slammed the door behind him. Like all of the other teachers, he began by talking about the importance of the O.W.Ls.
‘I think it appropriate to remind you that next June you will be sitting an important examination, during which you will prove how much you have learned about the composition and use of magical potions. Moronic though some of this class undoubtedly are, I expect you to scrape an “Acceptable” in your O.W.L., or suffer my... displeasure.’
Snape’s greasy black hair reached just above his shoulders and his dull black eyes examined each and everyone for only a second or two. Neville shivered when he felt Snape’s eyes on him. Snape was wearing his typical black cloak, as though never intending on changing his style of clothing. Snape then began writing on the black board next to him with his wand. He wrote all the instructions as everyone waited for him to finish. It surprisingly only took him twenty seconds to write on the whole board.
‘Today we will be mixing a potion that often comes up at Ordinary Wizarding Level: The Draught of Peace, a potion to calm anxiety and soothe agitation. Be warned: If you are too heavy-handed with the ingredients you will put the drinker into a heavy and sometimes irreversible sleep, so you will need to pay close attention to what you are doing. Begin.’
‘My dad was right. These O.W.Ls seem to be exhausting,’ groaned Isabell as they began taking out ingredients for the Draught of Peace.
‘Wait till you see the pile of homework Snape will give us,’ said Amelia as she handed Olivia, Isabell and Albert cauldrons.
‘Add powdered moonstone, stir three times counterclockwise, allow to simmer for seven minutes, then add two drops of hellebore syrup,’ Snape instructed when everyone gathered the required ingredients.
Amelia and Isabell cautiously put some powdered moonstone into their cauldron. They stirred it in perfect sync three times counterclockwise, just like Snape had instructed them to do. Olivia and Albert did the same. Albert decided to read the full instructions on the book while the moonstone simmered for seven minutes:
Add powdered moonstone until the potion turns green.
Stir until the potion turns blue.
Add powdered moonstone until the potion turns purple.
Allow to simmer until the potion turns pink.
Add syrup of hellebore until the potion turns turquoise.
Allow to simmer until the potion turns purple.
Shake powdered porcupine quills vigorously until they are ready and then add until the potion turns red.
Stir until the potion turns orange.
Add more porcupine quills until the potion turns turquoise.
Allow to simmer till the potion turns purple.
Add powdered unicorn horn until the potion turns pink.
Stir until the potion turns red.
Allow to simmer until the potion turns purple.
Add more powdered moonstone until the potion turns grey.
Allow the potion to simmer until it turns orange.
Add more powdered porcupine quills until the potion turns white. Stirring
Simmering lowers heat. Add exactly 7 drops of hellebore.
Snape seemed to be giving them different instructions, which made Olivia and Albert quite suspicious. But they, along with Amelia and Isabell, just decided to follow Snape’s verbal instructions. After they were done, Snape walked around, his black cloak trailing behind him. He examined Neville Longbottom’s cauldron first. The potion was supposed to be white, but Neville’s potion was completely black.
‘Next time you fail, Mr. Longbottom, I will make sure that potion will be tested on your pet toad,’ Snape sneered as Neville shrunk with fear and embarrassment.
Snape kept walking around the classroom, giving each student a discouraging sentence or a threat. He finally reached Amelia, Albert, Isabell and Olivia’s table. Snape bent down and looked at Isabell’s potion first, his crooked nose an inch away from the white liquid.
‘You only added six and a half drops of hellebore. Reasonable attempt… I, however, highly expected it to be blue, Ms. Bluesky…’
Isabell looked like she was going to attack Snape. He walked over to Amelia. He looked at Amelia’s potion, which was pure white as it was supposed to be, sifting it with his black narrowed eyes. He contemplated Amelia’s potion for a long moment then finally spoke:
‘You allowed the potion to simmer for only six minutes and fifty eight seconds. Accuracy is required in potion making, and it seems like you lack it, Ms. Clearwater. The brewing of this potion should be ninety minutes, not eighty nine minutes and fifty eight seconds. Your next attempt should be better than this one, Clearwater.’
Amelia was taken aback. Snape ignored her expression and walked over to Albert, his potion in front of him and waiting to be examined. Snape’s eyebrows seemed to arch only a few millimetres when he saw Albert’s perfectly brewed potion.
‘The first time in my career that I saw one student actually follow the exact instructions. One point to Ravenclaw,’ Snape said, though his voice had no happy tone in it.
‘He deserves more than that- Olivia began.
‘Enough, Ms. Dragonheart. It’s not like your feebly made potion would even reach the advances of Mr. Foxglove’s Draught of Peace.’
Snape went to her potion, ready to criticise it in any way. But he couldn’t. It was just like Albert’s. Snape was speechless and Olivia grinned at him.
‘Five points from Ravenclaw. Potion making isn’t about teamwork,’ Snape finally said.
‘That wasn’t teamwork. We worked alone, not together!’ Albert said.
‘Mr. Foxglove, would you and Ms. Dragonheart like to have detention?’
Olivia and Albert shook their heads.
‘Class dismissed. Your homework is a twenty inch essay on the properties of Moonstone in potion making,’ Snape said coldly.
Isabell, Amelia, Albert and Olivia hastened to pack their bags and exit the classroom.
‘Imagine giving someone who did a perfect potion one point!’ Olivia yelled.
Albert was surprised she mentioned it, but he grinned slightly.
‘Snape’s the worst. “I only put six and a half drops” of hell syrup or whatever its name is. And then Amelia only simmered the potion for six minutes and fifty eight seconds. Two seconds never harmed anyone, honestly!’ Isabell said.
‘It’s Snape, what do you expect?’ Amelia said.
They all continued to talk about Snape as they headed towards the Herbology Gardens.
