Cursed Wolf II

Chapter 4
Cancelled Class, New Teacher

The first year at her new school Hermione commuted. She took the train most days or her father drove her to class. Everything was going fine until the end of her second year. She was in her chemistry class doing her final exam and when she became nervous, the vials started to explode one after the other until the room was full of smoke setting the fire alarm as well as the sprinklers off. The students were happy about it. Everyone was got a second chance at taking the test and all got passing grades. Hermione got the highest grades of course, but was afraid to go back to the school so she transferred to a school located between where her grandmother and her parents lived.

Hermione changed her major as well from Pharmacy to Journalism.

Hermione felt it was time to leave her parent’s house. So the day before school started her parent helped her move into a dorm with an American student, named Kat who was into X-Files and a number of other fantasy series. Hermione had hidden her powers from everyone but her parents, even her boyfriends had no idea she was a witch.

For a first time in a long time Hermione dreamt of a black wolf with haunting green eye following her in the woods. It was a comforting dream, though she didn’t know why. She had had it before but didn’t know when, perhaps when she was child.

The first day of her classes, when she went to her last class of the day called ‘What make us do things?’ it was her Psychology class, she was surprised to see a note on the door that said, ‘Class cancelled go to the Headmaster office to pick a new class’.

Hermione went down to the office where there was a long line of students getting a list of alternate classes. She had two to pick from ‘Minds at War’ the strategy of war and how we can win the fight, and ‘The Supernatural: Can you believe your eyes.’ Some called it ‘Thing’s that go bump in the night.’

Kat walked up to her “Your class was cancelled? You better hurry and pick one or they’ll pick it for you. I’d pick ‘The Supernatural’ last term the teacher’s a loony but she nice and its an easy class.”
Hermione got in line and at her and said,

“Minds at War?” they asked even though it really was a statement.

“Wait I wanted the other class.”

“It’s full but you can go to the class and see if anyone is dropping it so you can get in. It’s meeting now in Hammond Hall 203.”
Hermione ran over to the building, into the lobby and up the stairs. There were students hanging outside the classroom so Hermione entered and saw a seat in front of the class. Looking around she saw there were a few empty seats. There were two girls giggling a lot. One was laughing and shushing the other but giggling herself as they looked at a boy sitting in the front row.
He was sitting one seat away from Hermione, dark hair and round glasses looking at a list on a clipboard he put his head down on the clipboard for a moment but he suddenly looked up at the clock, got up and left the room.
Hermione looked at the clock; the class should have started by now. She looked around the room again. A tall boy sat in the empty chair next to her in front. He had brown hair and blue eyes. He was very good-looking she noticed as he leaned over to her,

“Where’s the teacher?” he asked her.

“Don’t know,” she answered.

“I heard she’s nutters but it’s easy stuff,” he said looking at her smiling,

“Hi I’m Cedric,” holding out his hand.

“Hi, Hermione.” shaking his hand.

The door closed in the back of the class and the boy who was sitting down before was now standing looking around the room. He made his way to the front of the classroom and asked, “Is anyone dropping this class?”

Silence.
“Anyone trying to add this class?” he asked.

Someone in the back said, “You’ll have to wait until the teacher gets here and ask her if you can get into the class. So you might as well sit down and wait like the rest of us.”

“Em. Thanks.. Well you don’t have to wait. The teacher’s here,” and he plopped his book on the teacher’s desk.
“Now who is trying to add this class and who is wants to drop it? But first let me explain this class. In this class we will discuss what people in the world think, their beliefs, and fears; their culture, religion, gender, environment or their own neuroses. Paranormal studies and things that go bump in the night.
IF you think we are going ghost busting and try to catch or exercise ghosts I’m afraid this class will disappoint you.”

Hermione heard a student moan and asked,” Excuse me, but where is Professor Trelawney?”

“Sabbatical.” the young teacher said, “I’m teaching this class for next few months my name is Harry Potter. I heard someone say this class is like the X-file? Well not really maybe more like Scully’s research. We will read about UFO’s but we are not going to search the skies for flying spaceships.”
The class laughed.

“Now, we will read about ghosts, are they real or not? What cultures and religions believe in them, what kinds are there, and what isn’t a ghost. Let’s just start with that. Sometimes in life there are things that make you wonder if there are things we can’t see or understand. Let me give you an example and no it’s not a creepy ghost story.” Leaning against to desk he continued,

“I know a woman, her husbands brother’s wife, that’s her sister in-law in case I confused you, who’s parents died suddenly in a car accident. Her sister in-law was of course devastated. They were in the church at the funeral service. It was a nice warm day and the windows in the church were open. In the middle of the service” he paused and smiled,

“A small bird flew in, a sparrow, and everyone watched this bird fly above the woman’s and her family’s heads. The priest stopped talking and the bird landed in the woman’s lap. Her son or daughter, one of the young kids who were sitting next to their mom leaned over and stroked the bird for a few minutes. The bird then flew into the air, circled their heads again and then flew out the window. Now is that nature little quirks or a sign from the parents saying goodbye or them saying don’t cry we’re fine?”

Hermione got a chill.

“Now for next class I want you to read Ghosts, Images from the Past, Chapter 1. You can get it at the bookshop or they have a few copies in the library. Your grade depends on your attendance, class participation, research the subjects and we will see how you do on tests or papers. I ask for you to turn off your cell phones. If you use a computer in my class for taking notes great, but if I find you playing games I will have to ask you to take notes with pen and paper from then on.”

Hermione took out notebook and wrote down the assignment and turned off her cell phone.

“Now for all of the people on my list,” he said as he held up his clipboard,
“Please come up and tell me if you are staying.”
Hermione sat in her chair looking at the line of people who were staying and the people who wanted to add the class. She got in line and she heard,

“Put your name on the waiting list. Come back tomorrow to see if there’s room.”

She stepped up and before she could say anything, he handed over the clipboard and said, “Write your name down.”
She looked at the list, which was the class list and not the waiting list,

“Excuse but this is the class list where the waiting list.”

“You’re in this class now,” her new teacher informed her.

“I don’t have to wait?” she asked.

“You’re the only one who wrote down the assignment and turned off the phone. So you’re in.”
So for the next couple weeks Hermione learned about ghosts. She got to class early and with her diet coke and sat outside the door and reviewed her chapters and her notes. The teacher arrived to the classroom early too and let her in the class. They started talking about ghosts, phantoms, poltergeists, banshees and demons. At one class they just talk all the way through just the two of them talking, about trapped souls to reincarnation. By the end of the 3rd week everyone asked to go to a real haunted house.
The professor said, “I’m not allowed to take my students to a haunted house but they could go on their own or go on a tour try to take a picture of a ghost or a recording of voices.”

Hermione managed to flirt a little with Cedric went from helping him with papers to dating him. They decided to check out the haunted woods a few miles away but Cedric was more interested in snogging then looking for ghosts.

It was dark and cold even with torches it had an eerie feeling to it. Story was that a peasant girl who was keeping an eye out for her boyfriend so they could run away and get married haunted the woods. People would see her pulling her family cart to the market stop and look around for her boyfriend who was very rich, both were betrothed to another people. Legend says they got caught and she was married off to her betrothed. She died a few years later of a broken heart not being able to be with her love. The boy got married to his betroth years later and mourned the peasant girl for the rest of his life.

While waiting and looking for the girl Cedric kept kissing Hermione and insisted she must be cold, wanting to put his arms around her and more.
They waited for the time when the ghost was seen most, about 11:00 pm.

Hermione thought she heard something and ran to investigate leaving Cedric behind. She ran through the woods, suddenly she felt like she was flying through them, her legs going faster and faster, her feet hitting the hard ground. She stopped and looked but for what? The ghost or something else she was not sure.

Hermione started sprinting again hearing something behind her, foot steps? An animal scurrying in the leaves? Her body just wanted to run. So she did. When she stopped her head was hot and pulsing. What was she doing? Why was she running? She looked up and saw about eight meters away a faded figure on a dirt path pulling a cart. She was just a girl, younger than Hermione. The ghost was looking around and then she smile and Hermione saw another figure run to the girl, they embraced. He handed herand she put it in her pocket. He then handed her something very small and then he took off a string she was wearing around her neck. The girl looked at what was in her hand and smiled at him. It was a ring; she slipped it on to her finger. The boy untied the knot on the string kissed the ring on her finger and squeezed her hand. She slipped the ring off, adding it to the string and then put it back around her neck.

Hermione thought she heard it jingle. The boy pointed a wand on the ring it changed, making it smaller. The two kissed and faded away.

She began walking back to where Cedric was or where she thought he was. She looked around and he was gone. She listened as hard as she could to see if she could hear him.

Hermione hiked around in the forest for an hour slowly noticing how different it looked from moment to moment. Hermione heard something behind her but saw nothing, but felt eyes on her.
She called out Cedric name but there was no answer back, just a rustling of leaves on the ground or was it.


Hermione got scare and shouted for Cedric again and again. She heard something behind. Hermione jumped back and fell over a tree root. A moment later Hermione felt a pair of hands helping her to sit up,

“Hermione?” Cedric whispered in a strange voice, “You alright?”

“Yeah just thought I saw something, where have you been?” she asked as he helped her to her feet. His arms held her as she got her balance and then held her for another moment gently. It was nice, comforting, instead of him trying to hold her like a straight jacket all the time.
“I was with the other students, who dragged me out here, they’re trying to take a picture of the apparition,” he said.

Hermione looked at the figure in the dark, it didn’t sound like Cedric. He was too short to be him. She stepped back away from the stranger almost falling again.
“Who are you?” She asked.
He turned the torch on to his face, and Hermione saw it was her professor,

“Professor?”

“Cedric said he lost you and I came to see if I could help track you down,” the teacher told her, “and when we not in class you can call Harry.”

“Thanks. Where are the rest of the students? I saw two ghosts back that way,” pointing from the direction she had just came from.

“Ghosts, you saw more than one?” the teacher asked.

“Yes.” and they started to go back to where the students and Cedric was waiting for a ghost to appear.
Hermione and Harry told them that the ghosts were on the path through the woods not to far.
Cedric kept walking slower and slower than the rest of the students,

“Slow down Hermione. Lets just hang back a bit and he stopped and put his arms around her waist and started kissing her.

“Come on Cedric, Hermione. We don’t want to loss anyone again.” Harry shouted at themfrom time to time from a few yards ahead.

Hermione felt odd as they walked. The group got to the spot where Hermione saw the ghosts and the students set up their cameras. They waited and waited.

One of the students, Mike looked at Hermione with an uncertain tone in his voice asked,
“Are you sure you saw something here?” Resting his camera on his beer belly.

“Yes,” Hermione insisted walking over to where the ghosts were.

“The young girl here and the boy appeared just there,” pointing at a spot a few yards away.

Mike looked skeptical as three other photographers did in the touch light.

“You don’t believe me?” Hermione posed.
She looked at Harry,

“I believe you,” Harry said, “but the ghosts may not appear again until the same time tomorrow night. Unless something else happen here too.”

They disbanded for the night and planned to come back the next night.
Cedric walked Hermione back to her dorm, they sat on the couch snogging. Hermione broke the kiss and asked him,
“Do you believe I saw ghost tonight?”

“Yeah I believe you saw them. Romantic how some people fall in love like that.”

“Romantic? It’s tragic. To love someone so much and not be with them. She died of a broken heart and he mourned for her for the rest of his life. That’s horrible.”

“I thought girls liked that romantic stuff Romeo and Juliet? That Titanic movie,” Cedric said.

“Well I don’t. I rather not fall in love at all then go through that,” Hermione commented suddenly feeling very emotional. Cedric sighed and laid back on the sofa,
“I guess this would be a bad night for me to stay over then?”

“You can stay over, I’m just not in the mood, ok?” Hermione answered.

“When will you be? I mean a boy can only wait so long Hermione. Your not a virgin are you?” Cedric asked.

“No,” Hermione sneered at him, “I’m not a virgin. I told you I’ve had other boyfriends. I just want to wait, I don’t want to have sex just to have sex maybe I want a little more this time.”

“You put out for them, why not me?” he whined.
Hermione got up and unlocked the door,
“You know this would be a bad night for you to stay over.”

“You’d get more it if you gave in more.” Cedric whined.

“I can wait for more. I’m tired of giving and giving and all I have to show for it is a bruised heart and ‘fucked her till someone hotter comes along’ stains on my bed sheets.”
Cedric leaned over and gave her a sweet kiss on her lips and said,
“Let go of the past, you can’t change it.”

“I’m not trying to change it, just trying to learn from it. Goodnight,” and then she closed the door.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Next day Hermione got to class early as usual and but there was ladder in front of the classroom, not blocking the entrance but being an archway to the room. Hermione looked around and didn’t see any maintenance worker or work being done.

She moved the ladder aside and pushed open the door.
There sitting on top of his desk was Professor Potter with a big smile on his face.
“What’s so funny?” Hermione asked.

“We are doing experiment today,” Harry explained.
She then noticed all the desks were facing the door.

“Let’s see who moves the ladder and who doesn’t,” the professor said as he moved the ladder back in front of the door.

“Let me guess we’re doing superstitions now.” Hermione laughed out.
One by one the students moved the ladder to come in. Each time the professor quickly moved the ladder back in front of the door. A few students shouted to the teacher that a ladder was in the way. A few moved it completely out of the way for others to get by saying “it might fall if you hit it, besides its bad luck.”
Not one went under the ladder. The teacher started a discussion of superstition with the class,

“How many of you carry a good luck charm, a rabbit’s foot, a four leaf clover or stone?” The professor’s voice faded into the background as Cedric leaned over and started to talk to Hermione.

“I’m sorry for last night. I got lacrosse practice this afternoon and a game tomorrow. Do you think you can come and cheer me on?” Cedric asked.
“I’ll try. I was going to see if I could get job on the school paper this term. I’ll need the money for paying my bills and stuff. If not I’ll see if I can get a job in Sally’s Bath. I’m really low on my funds. I can’t afford to eat out this week.”

After class Hermione went to the school newspaper she waiting in line for thirty minutes.
Finally she sat down in front of the editor. The Editor looked at Hermione and said,

“We don’t have any real jobs opening yet, but if you want to submit a story, I’ll take a look at it and we see how it goes from there. I won’t lie to you; I have a list of students who want to be journalists a mile long. Give me something good and we’ll talk. Give me crap don’t bother coming back till next term,” pointing to the door.

“What are you looking for?”

“Something that will interest the readers, your fellow students, you figure it out.”

Hermione had one idea that she could write about, starving and bored students; where to eat for cheap and free entertainment. She went to the neighborhoods movies theatre, the bookstores and the library that were off campus and the parks.

After a few hours of digging here and there Hermione was in the library looking up old campus newspapers to see what was written before she was about to call it a day and get something at the cafeteria. Hermione heard someone mutter something somewhere in one of the aisles behind her and then heard something that sound like a shelf full of books falling from high above.
She got to her feet and looked down the aisles. There she found her teacher Professor Potter knee deep in books. He looked guilty for moment looking up at her,
“Sorry! Didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“Are you ok?

“Yeah, these books haven’t been touched in years, and all the covers are stuck together, see?” showing her the books attached to each tearing in places.

“Do you need some help getting them back up?”

“That would great. Thanks,” He picked a few up stepped on the stepladder and raised his arm to put the books back on the shelf but he let out as moan of pain.

“What wrong?

“One got me in the arm,”

Here let me do it then

She stepped up on the stool and the professor gave Hermione the books one by one.

“Last one”, the teacher commented as handed it her, they were eye level. She looked in to his eyes they were a beautiful green surrounded by long black lashes. His eyes had a light to them but also a kind of sadness, they looked back into hers and for a long moment she was lost in them. Then there was laughing around the end of the aisle, the professor looked to see who was there. When he looked back his eyes lost their light and it was like a wall came up in them. Hermione turned and reached up, putting the book up on the shelf.

“Thanks for the help” he said rubbing his shoulder, “I’ll let you get back to your studying.”
“Oh I was just finishing up research for the paper. I’m leaving.”
He coughed and cleared his throat,
“A lot of dust on these books, I got to get a drink.”

“I’m heading to the cafeteria to get a bite to eat,” Hermione mentioned.

“I’ll go with you,” he said. Hermione swore she saw his eyes light up for a moment. Going back to table she grabbed her book bag.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Hermione was in line with her drink looking at the food when she looked in her wallet seeing she had enough change for the drink and nothing else.
Harry came up behind her and said, “I can get this one.”
Hermione looked at him and shook her head,

“No I’m not that hungry anyway.”

“If you want something Hermione just ask me,” Harry said.
Hermione mind spun, closing her eyes for a moment, she thought of her Grandmothers house and the gate.

“Hermione, it’ll be my treat.” Harry said.

“Wow! That was strange. I just had a déjà vu or something.” Hermione said aloud.

“What?” her teacher asked.

“Oh nothing,” Hermione said as he noticed she was holding up the line. She collected her change and paid for her drink.

“Can you go grab a table I’ll be there in a minute,” Harry asked.
Hermione found a table and put down her things. A minute later the professor was putting down his tray of food across from her.

“Hermione, do us both a favor,” he asked.

“What?” Hermione posed, for a moment in her mind she saw a figure in the dark looking down at her, she could feel a warm sensation go through her, feeling a bit vulnerable, then the vision or memory was gone. He put a plate of food in front of her and said,

“Eat.”
She looked down at the dish. Fish and chip laid on the plate with a fresh lemon cut in half.

“Oh you didn’t have to...”

“Yeah I did. You looked so hungry, looking at the food. I can’t have one of my best students starve.”

“I didn’t see this there. How did you know I love fish?” she asked picking up the lemon half and squeezing it on the fish.
She looked up at her teacher, he stared at her for a long moment and then blurted out,

“Brain food, Fish is brain food. Your very smart you must eat a lot of fish,” and he took a long gulp of his drink.
Hermione laughed and ate her dinner with her professor. He asked her question after question. How are your classes, dorm life, your roommate. When was the last time she called her parents?

“You’re very young for a professor,” Hermione commented, “How did you get into this …field?”

“Well I’m not really a professor, just glorified student teacher actually. I don’t feel comfortable being called professor but I think it would be stranger being call Mr. Potter by students that are the same age or older then myself. Please feel free to call me Harry outside of class I wish the students could call me by my first name but they may not take me serious then. I got the job because I was qualified and no one else wanted it. The class was a joke I heard from the other teachers. I wanted to make it a bit more serious, though paranormal studies aren’t taken seriously by a lot of schools.”

“I think it’s fascinating. I like things like that, so does my roommate.” Hermione admitted.

They talked about this and that until the eatery closed.

Hermione was walking down the stair with Harry when she saw Cedric and it dawned on her she could have gone to see him practice.

“See you in class Hermione.”

“Yeah see you in class Harry,” Hermione said.

“Hi Cedric,” he came up to her and kissed her, “How was practice?”
He was cover in dirt and smelled like a boy’s locker room.

“It was great. We are going to beat Gales tomorrow,” giving her another kiss.

“I’m pumped,” he said as he put his arm around her.

“Why don’t you go hit the showers and I’ll go put my books in my dorm room,” Hermione suggested.

“Come over to my place, some of the team are coming over then we are going to watch the match at the pub,” Cedric said.
~ ~ ~ ~

Hermione dropped her books off and changed, it was getting colder at night now and she did feel like freezing while waiting to get in to the pub.
She met Cedric at his place and most of the team. Then went over to the pub were she was promptly ignore by Cedric palling about with his team mates until they got bored. Everyone was being pushed out and they headed to Cedric’s place. Many of them nudging him raising their eyebrows to signal if he was going to ‘get some’ Hermione was annoyed at all innuendos Cedric teammates were going on about. Cedric came up to her and asked if they could talk in his room. As soon as they were alone Cedric started snogging her he suggested she get comfortable on his bed.

“Cedric I’m not going to have sex with you just because your friends are here to cheer you on or to feed YOUR ego.”

“Well just stay for a while you’re supposed to be my girlfriend. Why not take off your sweater, I’d like to cuddle with you on the bed and I think that will get you warmed up.”

Hermione sat on the bed and pulled off her sweater to reveal that she had a camisole on.

“That looks pretty,” Cedric said in her ear. It wasn’t long before they were laying down on the bed kissing. Cedric undid his jeans sliding Hermione hand to feel his hard on. Hermione broke the kiss and sat up,

“I asked you not to pressure me and what do you do?”

“I didn’t say anything I just wanted you to feel me that’s all.

“It’s getting late I have to work on my story.” Hermione admitted.
Cedric got up and pulled Hermione to her feet helping her slid the sweater over her head.
“I knew we weren’t going to do anything tonight but you can’t blame a guy for trying,” Cedric admitted smiling.

He walked her back to her dorm. Hermione worked on her story for a while but felt cramps coming on. She took some pain relievers which made her sleepy, she started to nod off. Dragging herself to bed, she heard Kat come from a date. Hermione was out as soon as her head hit the pillow; she kept dreaming the same dream over and over. Hermione dreamt of a wolf chasing her and she’s running but all the while wanting it to catch her and fiercely biting her throat and when it did she has an orgasm.

The next morning Kat asks Hermione who she dreamed about noticing that Cedric hadn’t spent the night with her and that she moaned and panted in her sleep most of the night.

Hermione blushed, “I didn’t dream of anyone I had a weird nightmare. A black dog or wolf was chasing me and biting me.”

Kat laughed, “You know what the means ... Your sexual frustrated. Or you’re afraid of dogs. Lets look it up in my book.”
A moment later Kat had out “Dreams and what they mean”. She thumbed though it.

“Here it is wolf is often a symbol of loneliness or predator behavior in dreams. If you dream of a wolf, you are probably in a situation where you lack friendship or companionship. Or you feel others are preying on you.”
Kat looked in another book and read aloud,
“To see a wolf in your dream, symbolizes beauty, solitude, mystery, self-confidence and pride. You are able to keep your composure in a variety of social situations and can blend in with any situation with ease and grace. You are a loner by choice. Negatively, it represents hostility and aggression. It may also reflect an uncontrollable force or situation in your life. In particular, if the wolf is white, then it signifies valor and victory. You have the ability to see the light even in your darkest hours”

“Which one is it?” Hermione asked Kat

“What color was the wolf, what is it doing?”

“Black, chasing me” Hermione said.

Kat closed the book and smiled at her and said.

“Hermione it’s just a dream. Maybe you should start dating someone else if Cedric isn’t what you want in a boyfriend.” Kat remarked.

“People don’t go crazy because they don’t have sex. Do they?” Hermione asked aloud.
“No but they do get bitchy and make life miserable for everyone else.” Kat commented.

“That only because I’ll be having my time soon,” Hermione whined.
Hermione was in the library again looking at a few more newspapers. She kept looking around. She didn’t know why she just felt like she hadn’t found something. That afternoon she went to Cedric’s game and cheered him on. Hermione got a few nasty looks from a few girls who were louder then she was at cheering on Cedric, Cho Chang and Lavender Brown being among the group shouting loudly. It was getting cooler out and Hermione was getting bored as the game went on.

“Enjoying the game?” a voice male asked. Hermione turned to see her Professor there.

“It’s alright, you?” Hermione asked.

“It’s alright, More fun if you playing and keeping warm.” Harry said.

“Yeah,” Hermione agreed.
Hermione was moving back and forth trying to keep her feet moving so they wouldn’t be so cold and she bounce in to Harry not once or twice but three times. She apologized and he laughed it off to saying it wasn’t a problem, smiling at her as though he was happy she nearly knocked him over.

Hermione heard a cell phone go off and Harry had one in his hand reading a message,

“Excuse me.” he said as he left to make a call. A few minutes later he was back,

“Well Hermione I’ll see you in class on Monday and here,” handing her a cup and disappeared in to the crowd.

She took off the lid. Hot cocoa, Hermione sipped at it, she could feel it warming her toes and fingers. She thought ‘Harry’s so sweet, yesterday dinner and today hot cocoa. Then she thought... Psych teacher goes psycho on female students.’ you read about it all the time.’

The game ended with Cedric team winning. The team ended up in the pub that night again; Cedric had his arm around Hermione, but she wasn’t feeling good by then and told Cedric she was going back to the dorm. She left the pub and looked for a cab. Once more she looked in her wallet and didn’t have enough money to for a ride home.
She returned to the pub to ask Cedric for some money when she saw his arm around Cho, eyes glancing into his in a flirting way, and their faces getting closer than they should.
Hermione went up to Cedric and looking at him,

“Cedric I need some money to get home.”
Cedric looked a little surprised to see her

“Hermione, eh this is not what you think we just kidding around.”
He pulled out some money and gave her enough to get home and said,

“I’ll call you tomorrow,” giving her a hug and quick kiss.