Chapter 39.2- Doom Days

“Well done, Miss Perkins. Fifteen points to Ravenclaw for an amazing performance” Flitwick said, heralding the applause. She looked up at me, shocked to be recognised but I just gave her a smile and joined the applause.

“Well done to you as well, Mr. Potter. That’s some good teamwork skills I’m seeing” He said, and even the urge to scowl from the reminder of what this punishment truly was could not beat the pride I felt at seeing the little girl succeed at a spell she’d previously found difficult. It was the same kind of joy new associates showed when their first draft finally managed to make it through my desk with no revisions, and it reminded me of a different time. A different, much less magical life.

“Now, class dismissed” the half-goblin said as the bell rang to signify the period’s completion.

“Thank you Professor Potter” the girl said, seeming to think something over for a second, and as I caught a glimpse of it, I made sure to push the idea of kissing me on my cheek as far to the back of her mind as I could. Instead, she gave me a hug that I returned very thankfully before sending her on her way to her Potions Class.

“Does that mean I don’t have to do this anymore?” I asked, more than sick and tired of the time being wasted.

“Whatever could you possibly be talking about? You’re excellent at this and that should mean I get you to do it even more. The last time Miss Perkins successfully cast a spell in a classroom setting before you were assigned to her was close to a year ago in Professor Lupin’s Defence Against the Dark Arts Class where she managed what I’ve been told was a singularly impressive disarming charm. Now look at you getting to perform week in and week out.” He said.

“Well, if I’m doing such a good job, then it should be enough motivation for you to tell me what I missed about the Dumbledore and Voldemort fight.”

“Not that good a job, unfortunately. I will give you a hint, though. Go back and count every spell used by both parties.” He said before turning and waddling off to his desk to prepare for the next class.

“Can I go now?” I asked.

“And deprive Miss Edgecombe of your charming personality? Perish the thought.” Oh what I would give to wipe that smirk off his face. Still, the fact that I knew this now meant that the me that would use the time turner in a few hours to go practice in the Room of Requirement would know to do that, and had probably already figured out whatever it is there was to learn from the duel and even now was probably implementing it into our fighting style. Because while I could not use legilimency on Flitwick for fear of being caught, I had a hunch that part of this whole improving teamwork bit he had me doing was to slow down my progress. Whether on Dumbledore’s behest or not was yet to be seen but it could go either way.