Rising from my seat, I decided to answer clearly as I saw the issue, since I had read about them, and in principle they were quite familiar creatures to me.
"Uncertainty, sir."
"Explain."
"If one does not specifically look for the already insignificant signs of a werewolf in a person, one might not discover their nature until the very end. A werewolf could be a neighbor. One could easily ignore the signs in everyday life, and then you go to borrow salt from him on the night of a full moon. That is when you get torn apart."
"Exactly," Snape nodded. "That is where the insidiousness of werewolves lies. Differences from Animagi? Crabbe."
The bulky boy stood up.
"Well… an Animagus transforms by choice. A werewolf, during the full moon."
"Behavioral traits? Goldstein."
"Aggression toward humans, bloodlust, fearlessness until it sustains significant damage. Much smarter than an animal."
"Exactly," Snape nodded, and the slide changed again. "A werewolf in wolf form is a bloodthirsty animal with a capacity for learning like that of a human…"
Another ten minutes were spent questioning us in a similar manner, during which Snape extracted fragments of knowledge from us, turning them into concise points.
"Now lower your gaze to page three hundred ninety four. Read and take notes according to the nuances discussed."
For the remainder of the lesson we took notes, listened to Snape criticize both today's notes and those from previous lessons, and then he assigned what was a record amount of homework for Defense by current standards. It did not affect me, but the others were outraged. Children, what can you do? They never want to work. For the most part.
By evening the weather worsened. All night the wind howled outside the window, and raindrops tapped against the glass, occasionally giving our ears a break. Did it bother me? Not at all. The others, however, tossed and turned, waking repeatedly.
Saturday morning began with nerves, but not for me. Any morning of mine is exercise, drills, shower, breakfast. The others were nervous. The weather outside was awful: a cold wind blew, thick clouds covered the sky, rain poured down. Because of such weather, the headmaster even turned off the illusion of the sky on the Great Hall ceiling, as it was oppressively realistic.
"How are you?" Cedric asked, approaching. "You will manage in weather like this?"
"Not a problem, I suppose," I shrugged.
"Good. Do not overeat."
"Deal."
After breakfast our team headed to the locker rooms, just like the Gryffindors. They did have to go much farther, though. Changing into our yellow house uniforms and grabbing our brooms, we went out into the rain.
"Goggles, for those who need them," Herbert held out seven pairs of pilot style goggles. "**Impervius** already applied."
"Naturally," wincing at the rain, everyone reached for them except me. "Hector?"
"I am better this way."
"As you wish."
We quickly reached the stadium and entered a sort of antechamber beneath the stands. You could sit, lie down, jump, hang from a bar, something for any mood. And there was no wind or rain here, which mattered.
"So, ladies and gentlemen," Cedric smiled at us as we stood in a circle. "Even if we play Quidditch for the sake of the game itself, for what some consider a perverse pleasure of risking our lives, still… we will not give the Gryffindors any slack."
"You bet!"
The antechamber gates began to open, as if this were not a Quidditch stadium but the Colosseum, and we were gladiators about to face lions. In some way, that was true. Well then, time to fly.
---
Despite the terrible weather, the Quidditch stands were filled with students. Gusts of wind could tear umbrellas from hands, but the kids did not lose heart, already raising a clamor, even though the Hufflepuff and Gryffindor teams were only just heading to the center of the pitch. Madam Hooch, the flying instructor and today's referee, was waiting for them there. Some students, like the professors, wrapped themselves in rain cloaks. Here and there, various banners enchanted against water could be seen. Only that saved them from getting soaked, and the paint from running.
"I see," a familiar voice sounded next to Hermione, "no weather can keep you in the castle."
"Malfoy?" the girl was surprised, as were the nearby housemates.
Though there was no reason to be surprised. This time the Slytherins had positioned themselves right next to the Gryffindors. From this side of the stands, the wind blew at their backs, not in their faces, making it easier to watch the game.
"And what are you doing here with your friends?"
Malfoy, in his green and silver rain cloak, looked disgustingly dry and pleased, as did his classmates.
"I got curious who the faithful friend of the Boy Who Lived would be cheering for. And I could not miss the chance to witness the grief of defeat on your faces."
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Hermione protested.
"Just take a closer look."
Hermione looked more closely, gripped by a strange feeling of mild fear and anxiety, but the bad weather made it difficult to see what she was supposed to notice. Was something wrong with Harry, or the twins, or the chaser girls?
"And meanwhile our players are on the field!" Lee Jordan's voice, the ever present commentator, was somewhat muffled by the raging elements, but still perfectly audible to everyone in the stands.
"This year more than half of the Hufflepuff team has changed! Let us see what the newcomers will show us! So, Oliver Wood and Cedric Diggory have shaken hands! The players mount their brooms…"
The whistle of Madam Hooch sounded, audible even here, and all the players shot into the air on their brooms, and a moment later two Bludgers and the Snitch followed, instantly vanishing from sight.
"The referee throws in the Quaffle, and…" Lee Jordan was going wild as usual, infecting everyone with his enthusiasm. "The Quaffle is with Granger!"
Hearing the surname, Hermione choked on the air she had drawn in to shout encouragement to her house team.
"He neatly slips past Angelina, Katie. Come on, girls, just a bit more agility! George sends a Bludger toward the Hufflepuff chaser! Oh! A brilliant feint, I must admit!"
It was not easy to see what was happening on the pitch in fine detail, so many had to piece together what they could see with Lee Jordan's commentary to build a complete picture.
"Granger breaks through toward the Gryffindor hoops, what speed! Wood is ready to meet him fully armed… incredible acceleration and a spinning Quaffle opens the scoring in Hufflepuff's favor! Why am I cheering anyway?!"
"How could he?" Hermione exclaimed. "Without consulting anyone!"
"Without consulting you, you mean?" Lavender Brown smirked beside her, only her face visible from her rain cloak.
"Excellent," Malfoy sneered. "Now all that remains is to wait for your team to be crushed on all fronts."
"They will not," Lavender pouted, elbowing Hermione. "Tell them. We have the best lineup!"