ghost stories - h. potter

Eight

e i g h t

The next day in Defence Against the Dark Arts, Hermione knew that she was going to keep a very close eye on Belle. The girl was different, that's for sure, and if she really did come from the Praevideat family, she could see everyone and everything that had died during the war.

If she could, Hermione understood why she hadn't told anyone. With the vast amount of those that had perished during the war, hundreds of people would probably give a limb to talk to Belle, just to speak to their loved one. Of course, Hermione didn't understand how the entire Clairvoyancy thing worked, but she figured that if Belle trusted her enough to tell her, then she would ask questions.

"Morning," Belle greeted the trio quietly, sliding into the seat that Harry had saved her.

"Morning, Belle," Hermione smiled at the Ravenclaw girl. Ron gave her a cheery grin and Harry just gave her a small smile. She returned it, the pair staring at each other for a moment before looking away, Belle becoming slightly flustered while Harry's cheeks reddened.

Ron and Hermione saw this exchange and glanced at each other in confusion. Ron had told the brunette that Harry had run out of the common room last night, but he had no idea what happened after that.

Had they met up, perhaps? Hermione wondered. Had something happened?

No, she thought. They've known each other for just over a month and besides, Harry had Ginny, right?

"What d'you suppose we'll be learning today?" Ron asked Belle curiously. Defence Against the Dark Arts had become one of his favourite subjects and he had taken a liking towards Professor Frenche, or Clarice, as she preferred to be called.

"No idea. Clarice wouldn't tell me," Belle replied. It was true, Belle had asked her sister plenty of times about what they would be learning over the next few weeks as she had dropped a few, subtle hints that it would be exciting.

"Good morning everyone!" Clarice burst through the doors to the classroom, waving her wand. Immediately, the books that each of the students had placed on their desks were whisked back into their bags and the desks piled themselves in the corner of the room.

"You won't be needing books or desks today," Clarice informed the students as they all stood up. The chairs followed the desks and were stacked neatly on one side of the room, leaving the floor open and spacey.

"Ooh, I love practical lessons," Hermione said eagerly as Clarice smiled at the students.

"Over the course of the next few weeks, you're going to be receiving a very large amount of homework from each of your teachers to get you ready for your NEWT exams. Now, I know you've probably heard this speech in every class but your NEWTs determine what career you go into once leaving Hogwarts. If you want to become an Auror or a Hit Witch or Wizard, it's incredibly important that you do well in Defence Against the Dark Arts. Therefore, over the next few months, rather than asking you to write down the properties of spells or hexes, you're going to be learning them. You're at liberty to choose whatever spells you want, so long as your partner, who will remain your partner, is okay with it. Your homework is only to perfect the spells you have chosen to study." A few of the students cheered at this and many of them had large grins on their faces as outbreaks of excited chatter rippled throughout the class.

"You may choose your partners and I will be here to assist you in any way possible. Be warned, any dangerous charms such as the Unforgivable Curses or anything that may seriously harm another student will not be permitted. If said spells are to be used, it will result in endless detentions, even expulsion."