Hogwarts: Through the Veil of Time

"Malfoy is the only Seeker in the faculty. There is no replacement for him. Or is the information I know unreliable?

"Well, that seems to be it.

"As for Hagrid... Someone said that Potter is friends with him. Only the deaf in this castle hasn't heard about the conflict between Malfoy and Potter. To ruin Hagrid's life is to ruin Potter's life. Injuring a new professor in class, and a half-blood at that, is a reason to blow up such a scandal that Hogwarts will be in turmoil for a year, and Dumbledore's chair will be shaking. I'm sure such a wizard must have enemies.

"It's all so complicated…" Justin scratched his head. "Are you sure Malfoy thought all this through?"

"Oh, no. He's as dumb as a brick.

Those walking nearby laughed.

"He probably came up with this plan on the fly. It's worth remembering how negatively he spoke about the very fact that the professor was Hagrid."

The conversation died down on its own, and it was Hermione who chose that moment to speak.

"Hector, hello.

"Hello.

"We need to talk.

"It's not for two minutes, right?

"Of course!

"I have Runes now, and then we have lunch. Sit down at our table, we'll talk.

"Um... Okay, I'll do that.

Hermione quickly ran off in a direction known only to her, and Potter followed her. My comrades had no idea where the runes room was, and they themselves still had to go to their classes. So I was left alone in the middle of the corridor. All that was left was to hang my robe on the crook of my elbow and start looking around in bewilderment. It seemed like this would be my first absence. Oh, if only lunch would come sooner…

Realizing my unpleasant situation, and specifically the lack of any understanding of where I should go, I thought about a rather simple thing. Who should I ask? Looking again at the empty corridors around me, I came to the only correct conclusion: if I wanted to get to class at all, I should ask in the teachers' room.

Without wasting another moment, I quickly headed to the already familiar office where the practice of the Law Enforcement Officer was taking place. I met almost no one along the way, but there was nothing surprising about that "five minutes before the start of the next lesson.

Having reached the necessary doors and knocked out of politeness, I opened them and entered a spacious office, unchanged from my last visit, except that the cabinet with the boggart was missing. My fault, of course, but at least they didn't bring a new one.

"Mr. Granger?" came McGonagall's voice, standing next to the table and explaining something to a lanky red-haired senior in a Gryffindor uniform. "Is something wrong?"

"A banal lack of knowledge of where my next lesson will take place.

"As far as I remember," the professor adjusted her small glasses. "You should be starting additional classes on Ancient Runes now?"

"You know?" I was a little surprised.

"Of course, Mr. Granger, "the professor nodded. "As the Deputy Headmistress, I am responsible, among other things, for drawing up the schedule, as well as for certifying applications of various kinds. Including for additional subjects. Mr. Weasley.

McGonagall turned her gaze to the lanky redhead. The boy had already been standing at attention, so to speak, but now he stood even taller than before, and that seemed absolutely impossible.

"Yes, Dean?

"You understood the essence of my assignment, didn't you?

"Certainly.

"Excellent. Then, please, accompany Mr. Granger to Rune's office. Your class is on the same floor, right?

"Yes, Dean. I will," nodded the curly red-haired Weasley, cheerfully turning to face me and heading for the exit.

I nodded gratefully to the professor and left the office following Weasley, whose lapel bore the prefect's badge. We walked in silence, not saying a single word. But words were not needed to understand the type of guy "an efficient office worker. He would make an excellent assistant, although he only values ​​those who are higher in status than him. And he probably has a personal list of the most important people.

We reached the right office fairly quickly. The elder Weasley stopped at the open doors and turned to me.

"Ancient Runes classes are being held here," he said in a dry, stern voice, imitating McGonagall. "Come in, there's still time."

"Thank you…

"Percy Weasley," he nodded.

"Hector Granger.

"I know.

Percy continued down the hallway and I entered the classroom.

Only five students from different faculties, not counting me "a few young wizards in our year chose Ancient Runes as an additional subject. The room itself was quite ordinary, without any details that would make it clear that this is a rune room. Although, there is one difference "the walls are not stone, like everywhere else, but with a very decent wooden finish, which favorably distinguishes the room from the others.

"Hm? Another one? What then...

The voice belonged to a middle-aged, black-haired woman who was sitting at the teacher's desk. Her robe was a thick, dark red, and the fabric itself gave off a feeling of "heaviness" "this is the impression usually produced by velvet. In her hands she held a parchment, and every little thing in the way she sat, held this very parchment, looked at it, all this gave away some kind of displeasure and hopelessness. This sorceress looked at me only for a few moments, returning to studying the parchment.

"Come in, young man, sit down. We'll start right now...

You don't have to ask me twice "I quickly headed to one of the free large tables. Having taken out of my backpack everything I needed in the form of a textbook, notebook, parchment, quills and other office supplies, I quickly looked over those present. Three Ravenclaw robes. One of the guys is called Anthony Goldstein, I think. Hermione, the only one from Gryffindor, is sitting at the desk closest to the teacher and is diligently reading something in a book. Interesting. It seems that my agreement to chat, along with an invitation to the faculty table for lunch, knocked her off her train of thought, and she missed the fact that I would have Runes. Like her. But no, she looked around, found me with her gaze and somehow even breathed a sigh of relief.

Daphne was sitting next to me, and I quickly nodded to her in greeting. The girl's gaze read: "And then he...". I should have sat closer. Why? I find mild hostility funny, as well as equally mild goodwill, and this is true for all ages. Without crossing the line, you can rock such reasonable people to funny reactions. But the main thing is not to cross the line.

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