The Naughty Witch of Magical Academy

I had always admired her.

Hermione Granger was the most brilliant witch of her generation. She was also very beautiful and I had a crush on her since first year, when I met her in the train that took us to Hogwarts. She was the first girl to receive the highest grade on a school subject and for many years she was the only one to pass all her classes with an "O" in her N.E.W.T. exams. She even had a boyfriend during our last year at Hogwarts but he broke up with her before graduation.

I remembered how sad I felt when I saw them together, kissing under some oak tree, while they were waiting for Ron and me to join them after quidditch practice.

The break-up happened two weeks later and it was a big surprise for everybody. I remember that it happened right after we saved Ginny Weasley from the Chamber of Secrets. Harry, Ron and I did not have time to rest because our headmaster had already summoned us again, telling us that Ginny's attacker has not been caught yet and there was no proof that he died inside the chamber with Ginny's petrified body. He also gave us some recommendations about the new DADA teacher and told us that there would be another student in our class - Draco Malfoy, who will be returning from his stay in Paris to finish his studies.

The new teacher arrived at Hogwarts on Monday and we started our first class in DADA on Tuesday morning, so we did not have time to meet him before then. We were all eager to see him because it seemed like everyone would be interested in knowing who this teacher could possibly be!

After we sat down at our desks and started reading our books, Professor Lupin came into the classroom with a tall guy dressed in black robes behind him.

"This is your new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor," Professor Lupin announced, pointing at the tall guy behind him. The guy remained standing where he was and looked into the class with dark eyes while his silver hair moved slightly as if it was blown by a slight wind or by magic.

"Professor Snape has agreed to come back from his holiday and teach you for the rest of this term," Professor Lupin said with a smile on his face, but nobody else smiled back at him except for Professor Snape himself who looked like he did not enjoy this joke of his old friend's at all! When nobody laughed at their headmaster's joke, Professor Lupin lowered his hand back down at his side and added: "I hope you will all give him a warm welcome... starting now." Then he turned around and walked out of the classroom, leaving Professor Snape alone in front of us!