The Mistake
Chapter 1
The Mistake
It was a bright sunny day at Hogwarts, School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Being a Saturday, there wasn’t a lot of schoolwork to be done for most of the students who just lounged around either in their house common rooms or moved about the castle. Well, those of which who weren’t absolutely terrified of the escaped Wizarding criminal, Sirius Black, who had broken out of Azkaban that previous summer. Hermione Granger, on the other hand, had mountains of homework to do, as she had taken on so many more classes than most other students at the school, and more than either of her best friends, Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley could believe possible. When it comes to magic, it would be very unlikely that there’d be any other student, especially one in their third year who would know more on the subject than Hermione. Which is why when she approached Harry and Ron, who were sitting in the Great Hall eating lunch, they were surprised to hear that she needed their help.
“Hermione,” Said Ron. “You know that I say this as your friend, and that I mean absolutely no offence, but you’re a bit of a know-it-all. Honestly, it’s normally us who go to you for help.” Harry nods in agreement.
“I know, I know.” Said Hermione in exasperation. “But Professor McGonagall has set me extra homework this week, and it’s a little.. Confusing. She also gave me a note to enter the restricted section for it.”
“What?” Harry and Ron exclaimed simultaneously. Hermione pulls the scrap of parchment with McGonagall's note, indeed giving her permission to enter the restricted section of the school library. The restricted section housed many spellbooks, most of which pertaining toward the Dark Arts and other banned subjects within the school. It’s not very often that students get to go in there at all, let alone someone in their third year.
After agreeing to help, and finishing their lunch, they follow Hermione to the Library, who then holds the parchment to Madam Prince, the aged librarian witch, who studied the parchment intensely. After a few minutes of examining the parchment from every possible angle, she finally relented, and handed the key to the restricted section to Hermione. As Harry and Ron tried to follow her, however, she stopped them.
“Only Miss Granger has permission for the Restricted Section, boys.” Madam Prince said. “You two will have to do something elsewhere while you wait for her.” And she directed them away from Hermione and to a small sitting area. They sat there for about fifteen minutes until Hermione came back out and returned to the front desk of the library with four or five ancient looking books.
“I’d like to take these out so I can study them for my transfiguration homework please.” Hermione said to the librarian. Madam Prince looked at the books, and then back to Hermione and then back to the parchment given to her by McGonagall before she waved Hermione off, who took the books with glee, and they then hurried to the Gryffindor common room. “Fortuna Major” Hermione said, as the Fat Lady portrait swung open permitting them access.
Inside the common room, there were many Gryffindors either crowding around one of the few tables or relaxing on the sofa in front of the fire. After looking around, they thought it best to try and find somewhere more quiet to do Hermione’s homework. “You woke me up just to leave again?” The Fat Lady called after them, with noticeable frustration in her voice as they descended the stairs away from Gryffindor tower.
After roaming around the school for a while, they eventually settled on an empty classroom on the third floor, and Hermione placed the large books on the table in front of them.
“Hermione,” Said Harry cautiously. “What exactly sort of Homework did Professor McGonagall set you?”
“It’s rather advanced transfiguration,". Said Hermione. “It’s transfiguring the microscopic particles in the air around us into a living creature. But it’s risky, which is why the spellbooks were in the restricted section. Witches and wizards have killed themselves attempting it.”
“SERIOUSLY?!” Exclaimed Ron “Professor McGonagall must have lost her mind! What’s she thinking teaching you something like that?”
“It was elective homework.” Hermione admitted. “She gave me a choice of the standard course homework, which I would need to complete each week… or, she offered me this alternative because she knows how full my timetable is.”
This response did nothing to alleviate the boys’ concerns, which Hermione must have picked up on. “Obviously she thought I could do it, or else she wouldn’t have given me the assignment".
Hermione sat down and opened the first spellbook, and looked for the incantation for the spell. Harry and Ron each taking one of the other books and looked as well.
After about an hour, Hermione jumped up and shouted, startling Harry and Ron. “Bloody hell, Hermione!” Said Ron. “You just about gave me a heart attack!”
“Sorry Ron.” Hermione apologized. “But I’m pretty sure I just found it.” she points to a page which has a diagram of a wizard uttering an incantation, and then a horse appearing. “Brilliant work, Hermione.” Said Harry. “We’ll give you some space so you can perform it" Harry and Ron used levitation to clear away a few desks before retreating to the edges of the classroom. After which, Hermione drew her wand, and took a deep breath.
“Micro equo orbis.” Said Hermione, wand pointed at the centre of the room. As soon as she said it, there was a blinding flash of white light from the end of Hermione’s wand. After a couple seconds of blindness, all three of them began to overbalance and fall forward. As soon as their hands hit the ground, the light subsided, and as they looked at each other, they each gasped in surprise.