Wow. I really need to work on this bugger. Oo; Sorry about the delay! R/R!

Spell Three¡ Hay Una Criatura Que se Llama Chupacabra!

Day had barely broke the next morning when Harry was awakened by screaming coming from the Common Room. Leaping out from under the covers and tripping on them twice, he ran down the stone stairs in his pajamas. Ron tackled him and dragged him into a crude barrier made of the tall-backed chairs and a few couch cushions.

"What are you..?" Harry gasped, fighting out of Ron's death grip. "What's going on? I heard screaming..!"

"T-That was me!" whispered Ron, who was clearly in a state of sheer terror. "I think…well…there's some sort of creature wandering around!"

"A creature?" asked Harry, raising one eyebrow. "Are you feeling alright?"

"YES!" Ron yelled, grabbing Harry by the collar and shaking him. "It's. On. The. Couch."

Risking a look, Harry shifted so he could see the couch clearly. Sure enough, there was a black scaly creature with red spikes curled up and sleeping on the couch. Harry lowered his head once more and stared at Ron. Ron was shivering.

"What is it?" he mumbled, hoping Harry knew.

"I have no idea," Harry replied to Ron. "I would have to ask Hermione."

"Ask me what?" Hermione said, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she stood on the other side of the barrier.

"For the love of…Hermione, get in here!" Ron screamed, grabbing her arm and pulling her in. She toppled over and landed on Harry. "Bloody hell, didn't you see the…THING!"

"Huh?" replied Hermione, standing up and brushing herself off. "Oh! You must mean Cherry! I suppose I forgot to tell you guys!"

"That THING has a name!" cried Ron, staring at her in utter shock.

"That 'thing' just so happens to be my new pet," growled Hermione, returning the cushions and chairs to their normal places with her wand. "And her name is Cherry. She isn't dangerous at all!"

"What is she, exactly, Hermione?" Harry asked boldly, helping Ron to his feet.

"Cherry is a rare Chupacabra," she explained. "I got her from Mexico."

"Wait. 'Chupacabra'?" Harry repeated, not sure he had heard her correctly. "As in 'the sucker of goats'?"

"The same," confirmed Hermione, picking the cat-sized creature up. "Wake up, Cherry! Meet Ron and Harry!"

Cherry shifted her head and the slowly opened her eyes. They were big, black, and shiny with small red slits for pupils. Cherry blinked a few times, then smiled broadly, revealing two rows of razor-sharp teeth. Ron make a tiny squeaking sound and hid behind Harry. Tilting her head in confusion, Cherry flicked her snake-like tongue.

"Is the skittish one Ron?" Cherry asked in English, which surprised Harry.

"Yes, and the one he's behind is Harry," laughed Hermione.

"A pleasure to meet you, Harry," greeted Cherry, extending her clawed hand.

"Yeah…" Harry said politely, shaking her claw warily.

"Well, I'm going down to breakfast," Hermione announced, walking off with Cherry in her arms. "See ya guys there!"

"Is it safe now?" Ron asked, peering over Harry's shoulder.

"I'm…not sure," Harry replied, scratching his head.

: Potions :

Assuming their usual seats, Harry, Ron, and Hermione opened up their bags and began setting up their ingredients for the antidote they were making that day. Cherry was curled up on Hermione's head, but now had changed color to orange with yellow spikes. The door slammed and Snape floated in, now sporting a black eye patch over his right eye. He glared down the Gryffindors who were snorting and giggling over it. Then his eyes fell on Hermione, but more importantly, Cherry.

"Miss Granger," he began, venom in his words. "What is that on your head?"

"Eh?" stammered Hermione, smiling innocently. "A Chupacabra?"

"A Chupacabra," Snape repeated with a sneer. "Is a forbidden pet on Hogwarts grounds, and most importantly, in my classroom. They are simply not allowed."

"Oh really?" countered Hermione, crossing her arms and sneering right back. "I think, Professor Snape, that you will allow Cherry to stay."

"And how, Miss Granger, do you suppose that?" he hissed back with narrowed eyes.

"You like your other eye, right?" she said, a brief twinkle shining in her eyes.

"…" Snape backed away slowly with a look of horror, then immediately went about teaching as if nothing has happened and took no more notice of Cherry.

Smiling triumphantly, Hermione kicked up her feet and pulled a cookie from her pocket. Munching on it merrily, she helped Ron and Harry with grinding up snail shells. But the sound of eating brought Snape's attention back to her. He glared and swept over to their table. He stood, glowering over her.

"So, I see you're eating in my class again," he said, tapping his foot in annoyance.

"Yeah. Wanna try taking it again?" she replied mockingly, reaching for her wand.

"…no," he answered in a reserved and twitchy voice. Something was telling him that it was a bad idea…and that it had something to do with his other, wounded eye.

Hermione began to laugh so much that it brought tears to her eyes. But, suddenly, the cookie that she still had in her mouth fell and lodged itself in her throat. She fell to the floor coughing and sputtering to the riotous laughter of the Sytherins and Snape. Cherry's eye's narrowed and she hissed threateningly. Snape stopped laughing instantly as Cherry launched herself at his face, claws bared. While he ran screaming with the mighty goat sucker attached to his face, Harry and Ron helped dislodge the cookie from Hermione's wind pipe and helped her back to her seat.

"GAHH!" screamed Snape, rushing out of the room. "Not the other eye! GET IT OFF! AGH!"

"So, I suppose we have a free period," Hermione commented cheerfully, as if nothing had just happened.

"Hermione Granger?" asked a timid voice from the doorway. "I am supposed to give you this note. Was that madman with the snarling creature on his face Professor Snape?"

"Yeah, don't mind him," sighed Hermione, taking the note.

The girl standing before the class had long purple hair and deep, happy blue eyes and a pair of silver robotic cat ears. She smiled brightly and waved at everyone.

"It says here that you're a transfer student from Japan!" Hermione read, smiling. "You're name is Chi?"

"Yes, my name is Chi," she replied with a bow. "I am a Gryffindor."

"Oh!" laughed Hermione, pointing to her crest on her uniform. "Looks like you got the wrong set! You grabbed a Hufflepuff uniform, Chi."

"I did?" she gasped, looking at her blue crest, then to Hermione's red one.

"Don't worry," assured Hermione, making room for Chi to sit next to her. "We'll get it fixed at lunch."

"Okay!" said Chi cheerfully as she took her seat.

A few minutes later, Snape barged back into the classroom. All chatter ceased. Around his forehead was a bandage and he was covered in scratches. He glared at them all, and mysteriously didn't remember who's fault the attack had been. Ignoring his confusion, he sat at his desk and went over his notes. Hermione grabbed Chi by the arm and directed her to Snape's desk.

"Professor!" she said, pointing to Chi. "We have a new student!"

"Yay," he moaned, not looking up.

"Oooh!" Chi gasped, staring at his bandages. "You have ouchies!"

Chi then proceeded to rapid-fire poke all of his wounds, including his eye. When she stopped, finally, he fell to the floor, writing in pain and screaming. The bell rang and Hermione smiled evilly.

"I like you already, Chi," she said, leading her out of the room.

No one stayed to help Snape, who recovered a few minutes later. He again had no recollection as to why he was in such pain nor why he had an intense hatred of cookies, Chupacabras, and girls with purple hair. But it was there…and it was something. Snape locked the door to his room and made his way out of the dungeons and toward the sweet aroma of food. Lunch would surely make him feel better, right?

Poor Snape. He had no idea about the things that were about to happen. Then again, neither do you. But, alas, you'll have to wait and find out…just like poor Snape. Ha. I laugh.

End Spell Three

What is going on at lunch?

Does Hermione have anything to do with it?

Did you recognize Chi as a character from a manga?

Will Ron and Harry figure out what's up with Hermione?

Will I ever figure out that I need to go to bed on a school night?

Find out some, or all, of these things in... Spell Four: Lunch-Time Mayhem!