The next day Harry met Hermione after finishing his sword class, and her workout. They went inside for showers and breakfast. When getting ready to separate at the bathrooms, Harry grabbed Hermione's hand causing her to stop and look at him with a question.
Harry said, "The older students share bathrooms, I want you. Now." Hermione grinned and nodded, following Harry into the boy's bathroom.
Both Harry and Hermione went over to the dirty clothes bin, and stripped off. Harry then holding Hermione's hand went into the showers. They both had a fun time cleaning, then performing oral on each other. On exiting Hermione, just toweled off ignoring the few boys present.
Neville also bare, grinned and appreciating the view said, "Thank you for the view, and more importantly, I will now feel safe inviting Hanna to wash my back." before heading into the shower.
Ernest came in at that point, took a look at the naked Hermione, blushed before jumping in a shower and pulling the curtain. There was a bellow from Neville, "Budge over to another shower! The only bloke whose hands I want on my dick are mine own!"
Ernest yelled, "Sorry, didn't see you in here."
With a sigh Neville said, "Apology accepted, now MOVE!"
Down at breakfast everything was fine, and Harry and Hermione were cuddling, enjoying the afterglow of their morning exercise both before and during the shower. The Daily Prophet showed up. Harry expected more information on the train dementors, and wasn't disappointed.
SIRIUS BLACK AND BELLATRIX LESTRANGE ESCAPE FROM AZKABAN! By Rita Skeeter. Two days ago, our students were attacked by dementors. We found out the reason is because ministry authorities unknown, sent them to retrieve two escaped prisoners from Azkaban. That's right good witches and wizards. The unescapable prison has allowed two very dangerous individuals to get out!
Sirius Black was placed in prison for assisting He-who-should-not-be-named to find, attack, and kill the Potters. He is also believed to have killed 13 muggles during his murder of Peter Pettigrew, OM3. The other is Bellatrix Lestrange, who assisted her husband and brother-in -law as well as Barty Crouch Jr in attacking the Longbottoms. They drove the parents of Neville insane with crucio exposure. Neville Longbottom survived because he had been hidden in a closet and was not found before these four foul individuals were caught.
We have no idea how these two villains were able to escape. We do know, none of the AURORs stationed there were injured. As of this morning, the ministry in its 'cough' wisdom 'cough' has decided to stage 100 dementors around Hogwarts. The two individuals who survived the attacks from these villains will be there. We can only hope, no dementor slips control again, and leads to the death of a student. All this risk to our children in the ministries attempt, to be seen doing something competent. Maybe Heir Black will do us a favor, and just kill them all…the dementors too.
Harry just shook his head after reading the article. He then finished his breakfast and cuddled with Hermione while she quickly ate and read the paper, too.
Harry and Hermione went out for COMC. Hagrid was teaching COMC as it's new professor. They were introduced to Hippogriffs and warned how to treat the proud creatures. Insulting them was a sure way to incite an attack. After asking if anyone would approach, Harry calmly walked up to the paddock. He jumped the fence and looked at them. They were tossing their fierce hawk heads and looking back at Harry.
Harry picked out the apparent leader, a Hippogriff a head taller than the others and slightly in front of the herd. Harry walked up, and stopped about 3 feet outside the talon range. He then bowed, keeping his eyes on the Hippogriff. After holding the bow for 30 seconds, Buckbeak bowed back, Hagrid was ecstatic, "Good job Heir Potter! 5 points to Hufflepuff. Now walk confidently with no sudden moves and pet his beak and neck." Harry did so. Buckbeak shook and head and leaned into the petting.
Hagrid said, "Well, that should have taken a couple of visits! You could ride him now. Just get on his back in front of the wings. Do not step on the wing joints, he won't like that." Harry looked at the wings, readied himself and jumped into the air while holding his neck feathers and he was soon sitting in front of the wings.
He yelled "Let's go Buckbeak!" and the giant creature launched itself into the air. Harry found some rough under feathers like a mane and worked his hands into them. He gripped with his thighs and they soared around the castle and back to the paddock. There was a thump and he was back on the ground. "Thank you Buckbeak. You were magnificent! Would you carry my mate? She is important to me. I want the strongest to carry her."
Buckbeak snapped his beak with a loud CLICK! a few times and nodded. He them bent down.
Harry turned and called out, "Come here Hermione. He said he will carry you."
Hermione then following Harry's lead, walked up to the great beast and patted his beak. Harry just picked her up and swung her on top. He said, "Dig under the neck feathers at the base and wrap your hands around that coarse hair. It makes a great handle. OK?"
Hermione with wide eyes said, "OK" wrapping her hands in the under hair. The feathers she was sitting on were tickling her bottom…and other places. Damn Wizarding Britain for not allowing Witches to wear slacks. Her Knickers were not protecting her, and those poking feathers were causing all sorts of interesting sensations. Ah well.
Harry commanded, "Take care of her Buckbeak, GO!"
Buckbeak launched into the air to a scream from Hermione which turned into a laugh of exhilaration! Hermione yelled, "Around the castle Buckbeak, you are great!" They flew around the castle a few times and returned. Hermione on landing slipped off and gave Buckbeak a big hug. "Thank you Buckbeak you were magnificent!" Buckbeak snapped his beak a couple of times and stood fiercely proud at the compliments.
Once Hermione was back beside him, Harry said, "Thank you for protecting my mate, Buckbeak." And he bowed to which Buckbeak returned a low bow. After the bow Harry pulled Hermione close in a hug. Hermione then whispered in his ear, "Those feathers were tickling my fanny and made me wet and horny. You will be licking my itching pussy after class."
Harry just grinned at her saying "Challenge accepted."
Hagrid was beside himself, "That was magnificent Harry. 20 points! Wonderful job creating trust. You have a knack for winning the respect of dangerous creatures. Not surprising for a Black Lord, but great!"
Harry after grinning at Hermione turned to Malfoy, "Hey Draco! Give it a go?"
Draco replied happily after seeing Hermione enjoy her flight, "You bet! Introduce us?"
Harry just laughed, and grabbed Draco dragging him forward. "Buckbeak! This is my brother Draco. He is a great wizard. He deserves to ride the best too." Buckbeak turned to look at Draco. "Bow NOW!" and Draco gave a low bow. Buckbeak after a few seconds bowed back. Harry just pushed him forward.
Draco stumbled forward and stood up, glaring at Harry who was grinning. Draco looked up at Buckbeak and quickly pet the beast. He then said, "You are magnificent. May I ride you?" Buckbeak crouched lower, and Draco braced and pushed up, mounting correctly. Harry yelled, "Bury your hands under the neck feathers and grab the hair underneath. Hang on to that! Go!"
Draco then does a couple of spins around the castle, and came back for a landing. He then got down laughing. "Thank you Buckbeak. That was great!" He bowed and Buckbeak bobbed his head back. Draco ran over and smash hugged Harry, "You oaf, I almost pissed myself when you pushed me in range of that beak."
Harry shrugged and said, "Buckbeak is fine. I knew you would handle it."
Hermione said worryingly, "What is that idiot doing?" They turned to see Nott petting Buckbeak while he said "You really are a great dumb brute." Suddenly there was a flash, faster than most could see, and Nott was screaming like a little girl getting her first paddling. Buckbeak just galloped away.
Nott was crying and holding his arm while he yelled, "I'm dying! Look at me! The dumb beast killed me!"
Hagrid worriedly said, "You're not dying. He barely scratched you."
Harry came over and grabbed Notts arm, "Let me see the injury. I am in Healer training."
Nott wincing at Harry manipulating the arm but couldn't pull it away, "I need a real healer. Not some half-trained oaf."
Harry, glanced up at Nott from examining the arm, "What you need is a proper caning for endangering the whole class with your clowning!" Harry pulls out some Dittany and healed it right up. "There, all healed! I suffer more during my sword practice every week!"
Turning to Hagrid, Harry imperiously ordered, "PROFESSOR Hagrid! The usual punishment for purposefully endangering himself and his fellow classmates is level 3 discipline! Send this fool to Master Snape for CANE 5! He earned it!"
Nott looked scared. He yelled, "Level 3 is Bare 10, not Cane 5!"
Harry replied with a sneer, "You are a 3rd year now! Punishments are more severe, as the risk is higher! You purposefully endangered yourself and the two students with you. Cane 5!"
Hagrid firmed up and realized Harry was correct. Nott did this, not him. He then ordered, "Heir Potter is correct. Go to Master Snape and tell him I don't want to see you again without a well caned bottom. GO!" Hagrid then turned to Harry and said, "As you are a healer apprentice, I won't insult you by giving you points. I Will report to your Master your excellent control and treatment of an injured patient. Nicely done, Healer Potter!"
Harry nodded his appreciation, and went to help the other students get over their realization these creatures were dangerous if you were stupid!
Greengrass just watched Harry with admiration, and interest in her eyes. Harry was in control of the situation from the start. She was going to enjoy working with a real Lord Black this generation. Arcturus' son Orion was a complete disappointment, but it looked like Arcturus over compensated and created a true old-fashioned Black Lord. She would have it so much better than her parents did with Orion. This will be interesting. Now to find a way into his bed. She then looked at Hermione. Ah! He really is old-fashioned. That's so cute.
Draco glanced at Daphne, he quietly sing-songed, "I know what you are thinking."
She just glared at him and Draco continued, "Just have Hermione take you to his bed. If you try to supplant her, she will have him kill you, if she can't."
Daphne looked at him and said with some contempt, "I already figured that out."
Draco with approval, "Good, I need your cute bottom to distract Snape so his cane goes your direction." He teased.
Daphne with scorn for such simplistic misdirection said, "Yeah right, I am a few years too young for him. Sure, all of his female apprentices have slept with him their 7th year, but it's because he is trying to find someone to replace Lily Potter in his heart, not get his dick wet."
Draco with open admiration, "Your information sources are prodigious. My compliments."
Daphne replied with another smirk, "Wait until you see what happens with the new year. It's going to be glorious. We will see if Hermione retains control, or Lyra takes it away."
Draco glared at her. "You have a seer."
Daphne shrugged, "And now when Harry stops removing her ability to sit comfortably, Lord Black will too."
All in all, the first COMC was successful.
That evening was the first lesson for the new apprentices. Harry and Hermione again collected them after lunch and escorted them to the college. After letting them in, Harry explained the seven doors and said on Friday, we brew potions so we go straight to the lab.
Harry and Hermione entered the lab. Hermione said, "You will hang up your robes and put on your lab apron. You have pegs labeled with your name besides the back door. Do not touch any of the brewing stations along the wall. They are assigned as needed and interfering in someone else's brewing will get you caned. If something is going catastrophically wrong, hit the big RED button on the wall. Obviously, hitting that button without a good reason is a guaranteed high-level caning. The ten stations in the middle of the room are for this class. As the newest apprentices you two will get the two closest to Master Snapes desk in front. Pick one each. You will be there for the year. You will keep it clean and ready for class. Not having clean equipment and ready for Friday class is a caning offense."
Daphne worriedly asked, "Is anything not a caning offense?"
Hermione answered with a shrug, "Nothing of consequence to my knowledge. If you are caned, you will then make a bruise balm to treat your wounds. This is part of your training and punishment. Being able to brew successfully while in extreme discomfort is…hard. Failure is not tolerated as you may not stockpile and must use freshly-made balm. The healers in the school are oathed to not heal a disciplined bottom without the permission of the professor who injured it. Presenting your bottom untreated to the next class will result in further caning. That has driven away apprentice failures. I have not seen it, but have been told it was unpleasant to watch, much less experience. Go to your seats and await Master Snape."
Draco motioned Daphne to pick. She picked the one on the right. Harry went behind her. Draco grabbed the one on the left with Hermione behind him. Harry fist bumped George who slid in behind him and Fred did the same to Hermione who was in front of him. Harry laughed to see Hermione fist bumping Fred and she made a funny face. Snape came in and everybody quieted down.
On reaching the front, Snape started walking back and forth between his desk and the two front student tables. He said, glancing at everyone, "All right everyone, we have two prospective apprentices here today." Continuing to walk back and forth across the front of the classroom, "This is a special college. I graduate the most successful potioners in England, and soon to be, all of Europe. I accomplish this by demanding the best. You give me the best, or you give me pain…your choice. Obviously, if you choose pain too many times…you're OUT! This is not a school for the faint-of-heart or dilettante. This place takes dedication and willful sacrifice."
"What we do here is dangerous, and requires serious discipline. Therefore, the consequences of foolish or lazy work is also serious. The lightest punishment is cane 5 bare. The most is…well more than anyone wants to experience. I intend to teach you to brew glory, bottle fame, even put a stopper in death…but I will not do so if you are not completely engaged, and guarantee not to waste…my time."
Snape then handed both Draco and Daphne a contract. "This is the apprentice contract I use for this class. You will note that unlike the standard contract, it will allow you to study other subjects and because of your ages, among other reasons, I do not use the standard Master/Apprentice bond. Most masters can just order their apprentices to do things, and they are forced by the bond. Since I do not have this, I use my cane to remind you what happens when you fail to carry out my orders successfully."
Looking again, at the two of them, "To convince me you are actually able to survive my class, this coming Tuesday, if you return with the signed contract, you will both be given cane 3, so you have an idea of my punishments. Do not return if you do not expect to be my apprentices…and feel my cane. Here is your next assignment. Have it completed properly on Tuesday as it covers what we are brewing today. Assignments are given on Tuesday, including the potion to be brewed on Friday. Assignments are handed in on Friday and you then brew. If I found the assignment bungled bad enough, you will be caned at the beginning of class the following Tuesday."
"I hope to see you on Tuesday with your signed and authentic contracts, but only if you are willing to sacrifice and work hard to become potioners. Get out." Both Draco and Daphne left the class with the contracts and worried expressions on their faces.
Once they left, Snape had his apprentices brew Skele-gro. Hermione immediately started her calculations and spent 20 minutes verifying every way to optimize the potion. She then looked up the 6 ingredients and knew how to maximize essence in 4. She worked carefully and was happy with her preparation. Once done. She ladled it into a beaker.
Snape said, "OK everyone place your potions on Apprentice horny bint's sex desk."
There was some snickering from the twins, but Hermione with her nose in the air, just snootily said 'Old news Master."
Snape said, "Hermione, you judge first." Hermione went up and judged all 6 medical-grade. A is good, B and C are 30% better. D 20% better yet E 20% better and F 35% better.
All 6 evaluations are similar. Master Snape said, "Explain how you became an intermediate apprentice, Miss Granger."
Harry, Fred, Elanor are quietly yelled "Yes!" while the others "All right!"
Hermione with a grin, "I didn't let my emotions create tunnel vision. I paused, and did my proper calculations. I used the 4 ingredient essence improvements I was aware worked, and then I kept calm and meticulously followed my plans…while listening to the brew for hiccups. There was a slight drift for which I was able to compensate by altering the stir pattern 90 degrees to stop the drift and spin it back on track. All in all, I was happy with how things went. I am looking forward to other ways to increase quality and yield master."
Master Snape, said with a smile, 'Congratulations, you are now the second youngest intermediate apprentice…ever."
And Hermione, lunged forward and hugged Snape with tears in her eyes, "Thank you for not giving up on me Master."
Snape gave her a quick hug and gently pushed her away, "You are very welcome Intermediate Apprentice Horny bint." And everyone laughs good naturedly.
Snape then said, "Oh George? You are on the cusp of advanced. Start thinking about your advanced project." And everybody cheered for him.