Chapter 15

Grace could tell that after what happened, something had changed, not only her, but other students too seemed to notice that many professors and some students were giving Harry more attention than usual.

Grace chuckled, and Harry gave her a helpless smile. ” Stop laughing.”

” Sorry, it’s just… how can I put it? Suddenly you have bodyguards everywhere. If we were in the Muggle world, people would think you’re some kind of wealthy heir.”

” Maybe… I should talk to Dumbledore about this.”

Grace looked behind as she heard someone calling Harry. ” Or talk to Professor McGonagall,” she whispered. Then she pushed Harry toward Professor McGonagall, greeted the professor first, and left.

~

Grace went to the Room of Requirement. Several key events would happen one after another after Black’s attack, events that she could do nothing about, even if she wanted to prevent them from occurring.

Shaking her head, she focused on the potion she was making. Aside from the important events surrounding Harry, the holidays were what she was really looking forward to. She would finally be able to go home and see her parents after such a long time.

Thinking about it made her smile. She would use everything she had learned from the previous world to make her parents’ lives more comfortable than before.

She finished her work after a few hours. Looking at the potions she had prepared over the past several days, she was confident they would sell easily in the Muggle world, so she planned to make more before going home.

” This should be enough for today.” She put everything into her pouch. ” Quidditch is coming. Although Harry and I know how to use the Patronus Charm, it would be better to have a backup plan. Should I talk to Dumbledore?” Grace murmured to herself.

After some thought, she decided against it. Almost all the professors, including Dumbledore, would be at the Quidditch match. If she mentioned it in advance now, Dumbledore would definitely start having suspicions.

Besides, if she could figure out that Dementors would be drawn to the game even without knowing future events, she was certain Dumbledore could think of it too. Whatever happened next would be up to him.

She couldn’t help but sigh. It was better not to interfere, otherwise, Dumbledore might just include her in Harry’s circle of people he kept close and involved in everything.

~

Harry skidded to a halt outside the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, pulled the door open, and dashed inside.

” Sorry I’m late, Professor Lupin. I- “
But it wasn’t Professor Lupin who looked up at him from the teacher’s desk, it was Snape.

” This lesson began ten minutes ago, Potter, so I think we’ll deduct ten points from Gryffindor. Sit down.”

But Harry didn’t move,” Where’s Professor Lupin?” he said.

Grace felt hopeless as she watch Harry not miving at all ‘ I better talk to Harry about Snape or else I’ll definitely won’t be able to ask Snape for help if Harry keep being rude to him ‘

” He says he is feeling too ill to teach today,” said Snape with a twisted smile. ” I believe I told you to sit down?”

Harry wanted to say something more when he notice how Grace giving him a signal not to talk anymore, he swallowed back his word and apologize, he slowly walk to his seat and sat down.

Grace breath a sigh of relief, while Pansy Parkinson gave her a mocking smile, Grace lowered her head hiding the blush on her face but her ears still give away

Pansy was confuse as to why Grace reaction is different from what she expected, and instead.. blushing
‘ Maybe she’s holding back her shame and anger, that’s why she’s turning red ‘

” Deduct five more points from Gryffindor,” Snape looked around at the class,” As I was saying before Potter interrupted, Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so far-“

” Please, sir, we’ve done boggarts, Red Caps, kappas, and grindylows,”
said Hermione quickly, “and we’re just about to start-“

” Be quiet,” said Snape coldly. ” I did not ask for information. I was merely commenting on Professor Lupin’s lack of organization.”

” He’s the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher we’ve ever had,”
said Dean Thomas boldly, and there was a murmur of agreement from the rest of the class.

Snape looked more menacing than ever.
” You are easily satisfied. Lupin is hardly overtaxing you- I.. would expect first years to be able to deal with Red Caps and grindylows.Today we shall discuss.. werewolves,” said Snape.

” But, sir,” said Hermione, seemingly unable to restrain herself, ” we’re not supposed to do werewolves yet, we’re due to start hinkypunks- “

” Miss Granger,” 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.” He glanced around again,” All of you! Now!”

With many bitter sidelong looks and some sullen muttering, the class opened their books.

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

Everyone sat in motionless silence, everyone except Hermione, whose hand, as it so often did, had shot straight into the air.

” Anyone?” Snape said, ignoring Hermione. His twisted smile was back.
” Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn’t even taught you the basic distinction between- “

” We told you,” said Parvati suddenly, ” we haven’t got as far as werewolves yet, we’re still on-“

” Silence!” snarled Snape. ” 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….”

Grace knew of course about werewolves however with how Snape right now she didn’t dare to show off her knowledge ‘ But if I answer Snape might like it after all he hates werewolves, but is it okay? But no knows that Professor Lupin is a werewolf, so it should be fine to answer right?’

Grace finally raise her hand, and caught Snape’s attention

” Very well.. Miss Ashworth?”

Grace stood up slowly, meeting Snape’s sharp, searching gaze. ” Sir, a werewolf can be distinguished from a true wolf by several key features. A werewolf’s snout is shorter and broader, its eyes are human-like in shape and often glow faintly in low light, and its tail is noticeably shorter and less bushy. Unlike ordinary wolves, which avoid human settlements unless desperate, werewolves are drawn to places where humans gather, especially during the full moon. Also, their tracks are larger and more human-shaped in the arrangement of the toes, rather than the tight, narrow print of a true wolf.”

She spoke clearly and calmly, keeping her tone neutral,no hint of showing off, just straightforward knowledge. The room went quiet, even Hermione turned to look at her in surprise, while Harry blinked, wondering where she had learned such details.

Snape’s expression didn’t soften, but the sharp edge in his eyes dimmed just a little, as if he hadn’t expected such a precise, well-ordered answer.

” Acceptable,” he said at last, though his voice was still dry and unimpressed. ” At least someone in this class has paid attention to actual magical theory, instead of wasting time on trivial creatures that pose no real threat to anyone with half a brain.”

He turned his gaze back to the rest of the students, his lip curling. ” Miss Ashworth has just demonstrated what you all should have been capable of, had your previous lessons been anything more than idle games. Now.. write down the differences she mentioned, along with the proper methods of repelling a werewolf, and the dangers of any careless approach. I want a foot and a half of parchment from each of you, due at the start of our next lesson. And don’t think you can copy each other’s work.. I shall know.”

As the class scrambled to pull out quills and parchment, Grace sat back down, her heart beating a little faster. She risked a quick glance at Snape, who was pacing slowly between the desks, his hands clasped behind his back. He hadn’t deducted any points from her, which she took as a small victory. Pansy Parkinson shot her a look of annoyance clearly upset that Grace had managed to gain Snape’s attention without getting scolded.

When the bell finally rang, everyone packed their things quickly, eager to escape the heavy atmosphere. Grace waited for Harry by the door, and as they stepped out into the corridor, he leaned over to her.

” That was brilliant, Grace! How did you know all that?” he asked, lowering his voice so no one else would hear.

” Just… extra reading,” she said with a small smile, glancing back to make sure Snape wasn’t following. ” Harry, listen.. about how you acted earlier. I know you like Professor Lupin, and Snape is.. well, he’s Snape. But if you keep talking back or refusing to follow his rules, he’ll only make things harder for you and the Gryffindor. And honestly? He knows more about Defense and Dark creatures than almost anyone here. If you ever need help with something tricky, or even if you just want to learn properly, it’s better to stay on his good side, at least enough that he won’t refuse you.”

Harry scowled a little, kicking a loose stone along the floor. ” He hates me, Grace. He always has.”

” Maybe,” Grace said softly. ” But hate and respect are different things. If you show him you’re serious about learning, and not just arguing every time, he might just surprise you. And… I might need to ask him for help with something later. I’d rather he didn’t hold your behavior against me too.”

Harry looked at her, confused, but nodded anyway. “Alright, alright. I’ll try… not to snap at him next time. But I can’t promise anything if he says something rude about Lupin.”

Grace sighed, but smiled. It was better than nothing.