Even as she finally left the Kitchen, Hermione still could not understand the House-elves' stubbornness.
Kleis's polite rebuff had left her dejected all the way back to her dormitory. Even when Su Er comforted her, she still looked crushed.
That gloomy mood lasted several days...
Harry and Ron, on the other hand, were entirely unaffected. They kept working on the secret inside the Golden Egg. Even in class, the two were distracted, never giving the lessons their full attention-except in Snape's classes, of course.
During Thursday's Transfiguration Class, Professor McGonagall lost her temper again.
"Potter! Weasley! If you have so much to say, please go outside and finish before coming back in! Look at your guinea fowl. If this were your end-of-year examination, I would have no objection to giving you a 'P'!"
"Even Mr. Longbottom's transformation is far better than yours!"
A ripple of quiet laughter ran through the classroom.
Harry and Ron lowered their heads guiltily. Fortunately, Professor McGonagall did not hound them the way Snape would. Instead, she shot them an angry look, then raised her wand to write on the blackboard.
"Today's homework is-explain, with examples, what adjustments must be made to the Transfiguration Spell when transforming between species. Hand it in next Monday."
The bell rang just as Professor McGonagall finished speaking.
The young wizards began gathering their books, ready to leave.
"Wait, I have a few more things to tell you." Professor McGonagall's voice brought them to a halt. "The Yule Ball is approaching-this is a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament, and an excellent opportunity for us to socialize with people from other countries."
"Pfft..." A young witch let out a shrill giggle. It came from the girl sitting in front of Su Er. Oh, yes, this was a joint class for Hufflepuff