Puppet Strings (Hogwarts x Reader)

Chapter 7

"Miss Potter," said Snape in a voice of deadly calm, "I was under the impression that I am teaching this lesson, not you. And I am telling you all to turn to page 394, now."

The class did as they were told. After a moment, Y/n grumbled but did the same.

"Which of you can tell me how we distinguish between the werewolf and the true wolf?" said Snape.

Everyone sat in motionless silence.

"Anyone?" Snape said. His twisted smile was back. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even taught you the basic distinction between the two?"

This prick, Y/n thought. This nasty, greasy little prick.

"Well, well, well, I never thought I'd meet a third-year class who wouldn't even recognize a werewolf when they saw one. I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very behind you all are..."

"A very good idea, Professor," Malfoy said, beaming.

No one made a sound throughout the rest of the lesson. They sat and made notes on werewolves from the textbook, while Snape prowled up and down the rows of desks, examining the work they had been doing with Professor Lupin.

When the bell rang at last, Snape held them back.

"You will each write an essay, to be handed in to me, on the ways you recognize and kill werewolves. I want two rolls of parchment on the subject, and I want them by Monday morning. It is time somebody took this class in hand."

Y/n and the others left the room. When they were out of earshot, Y/n finally let herself loose.

"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Y/n said. "Why's he got it in for Lupin?"

"I don't know," said Emi pensively. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon. And you're lucky you didn't get any points taken away for speaking out, Y/n."

"We're in Slytherin. That man would rather get bitten by a snake than take points from his own house," Y/n replied lowly.

***

The next day, Y/n made it very very obvious that she loved Harry with all her heart, because she willingly went out into the pouring, thundering rain to watch his Quidditch match. Sol and Emi stayed behind, not thinking it was worth it, but Val came along, though she forewent her usual eye-lined look. It would have gotten ruined within moments.

A lot of students still did show up for how bad the weather was. Everyone ran down the lawns toward the Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious wind, umbrellas being whipped out of their hands as they went.

Soon both teams were meeting on the field—Gryffindor in scarlet red, Hufflepuff in canary yellow. The Captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood, the Gryffindor captain, but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded.

Y/n saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount your brooms." Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant—they were off. Y/n watched as Harry rose fast, but his Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind.

"Never again," Val said loudly to her over the wind as rain pelted both their faces. "I am never doing something like this for you ever again."

It was hard to see anything. They could hardly hear the commentary, and Y/n could have sworn that once or twice Harry came very close to being unseated by a Bludger.