138 Werewolves

"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..."

"Please, sir," said Hermione, whose hand was still in the air, "the werewolf differs from the true wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf —"

"That is the second time you have spoken out of turn, Miss Granger," said Snape coolly. "Five more points from Gryffindor for being an insufferable know-it-all."

Hermione went very red, put down her hand, and stared at the floor with her eyes full of tears.

Arth frowned.

Snape was being unusually vile today.

Ron said loudly, "You asked us a question and she knows the answer! Why ask if you don't want to be told?"

The class knew instantly he'd gone too far. Snape advanced on Ron slowly, and the room held its breath.

"Detention, Weasley," Snape said silkily, his face very close to Ron's. "And if I ever hear you criticize the way I teach a class again, you will be very sorry indeed."

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.

"Very poorly explained... That is incorrect, the kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia... Professor Lupin gave this eight out of ten? I wouldn't have given it three..."

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. Weasley, stay behind, we need to arrange your detention."

Arth, Harry and Hermione left the room with the rest of the class, who waited until they were well out of earshot, then burst into a furious tirade about Snape.

"Snape's never been like this with any of our other Defense Against the Dark Arts teachers, even if he did want the job," Harry said to Hermione. "Why's he got it in for Lupin? D'you think this is all because of the boggart?"

"I don't know," said Hermione pensively. "But I really hope Professor Lupin gets better soon..."

Arth was so deep in thought he didn't notice a word they were saying.

Hermione had to shake him a few times in order to gain his attention.

"What's wrong Arth? Why are you so quiet? Are you not angry about Snape's attitude?"

Arth mindlessly waved her off.

"Yeah, Professor Snape was unusually out of hand today..."

Arthur thought back to a couple days ago when Professor Snape And Dumbledore we're talking in the Great Hall at night.

He remembered how Snape seemed to suspect a certain person with unusual hatred. And how Snape just flipped to the very back of the textbook and gave them a lesson on Werewolves.

Even if Snape wanted to challenge the students with a hard topic, there was no reason to go to the back. It was highly unusual and irresponsible as a teacher. Something Snape wouldn't do usually.

He must have been trying to convey something.

Professor Lupin was also absent today, was there a correlation?

Ron caught up with them five minutes later, in a towering rage.

"D'you know what that bitch is making me do? I've got to scrub out the bedpans in the hospital wing. Without magic!" He was breathing deeply, his fists clenched. "Why couldn't Black have hidden in Snape's office, eh? He could have finished him off for us!"

Arth frowned.

"First of all, cleaning without magic is pretty easy. Secondly, If Sirius Black hid in Professor Snape's room, I don't think Professor Snape would've gone down without a fight."

"Are you siding with Snape?" Said Ron with narrowed eyes.

"Nah, I just expect for someone who wants to teach defense against the darks at least has the ability to defend himself."

"Lockhart?"

Arth rolled his eyes.

"He as an arrogant idiot who overestimated himself. He doesn't count."