The Girl Who Saw Tomorrow » Harry Potter

1.15 | Hogwarts High Inquisitor

Transfiguration was not being inspected on the fine Monday morning, and neither were either of the double Potion lessons they had.

When Margaret got her essay back in Potions, however, she had to pause and openly gape at the paper, blinking slowly at the grade scrawled in the top right corner.

"I have awarded you the grades you would have received if you presented this work in your O.W.L," Snape says with a smirk, as he swept among them, passing back their homework. "This should give you a realistic idea of what to expect in your examination."

Margaret blinked down at her paper, ruffling through it to see if he had made any comments.

'Can do better' was scribbled in longhand below the conclusion of her essay. Was this some sort of a joke?

Margaret looked at Snape as he glided back to the front of the class and turned to face them.

"The general standard of this homework was appalling. Most of you would have failed had this been your examination. I expect to see a great deal of effort for this week's essay on the Various Varieties of Venom Antidotes, or I shall have to start handing out detentions to those dunces who get D's."

Draco Malfoy sniggers and says in a carrying whisper, "Some people got D's? Ha!"

Margaret narrowed her eyes at Draco's essay but it was too far. Shooting a fleeting glance towards Snape, she saw that he had taken to waving his wand to note the recipe on the blackboard for the potion they would be required to make in this class.

Seeing as he was distracted, Margaret let her vision turn slightly red - causing everything to became sharper, more enhanced. She could clearly see Draco's grade now.

It was an E - Exceeds Expectations, the second-highest passing grade.

Margaret blinked, a scowl gracing her face at the discovery as her eyesight returned to normal before she realised that Hermione was looking sideways to see what grade she'd received.

Margaret quickly slid her moonstone essay under the table, onto her lap as discretely as possible, wanting to keep the information private for the moment. Although she'd be lying if she said she wasn't curious about Hermione's grade.

As the potion-making began, Margaret once again took to following Hermione's actions, but this time she could recognize most of the ingredients due to her thorough study of the subject this past week. Her Strengthening Solution was the same clear turquoise shade of Hermione's, who had smiled and nodded in appreciation. It wasn't as hard as the Draught of Peace they had to brew in the last lesson.

Harry and Ron had managed to create a passing potion as well, even if it was slightly blue.

As the long bell echoed through the dungeon after the students of their class had submitted a vial of their respective potions, everyone started heading out.

Margaret wanted to be out of there as soon as possible but was stopped in her tracks by no one else than Snape himself.

"Miss Xenakis," he says simply, halting her, as well as Harry, Hermione and Ron. Even Neville paused to look at her with concern. She nodded at him reassuringly, and he nodded back rather unsurely before following the other students out.

"Yes, Professor?" Margaret asks, turning around to face him.

At the precise moment, Draco Malfoy passed her. She shot him a side look when she caught him looking at her but he looked away without meeting her eyes, their arms brushing slightly.

"A word," Snape tells her, sweeping behind his desk and sitting down.

Margaret turns to give a nod to her worried friends, noticing Harry glaring at Snape for stopping her. He shook his head and stormed out of the classroom, followed by Hermione and Ron.