The Strange Times of Harry Potter

By J. Lynn & Carol Grace

It started out as a perfectly normal day. Harry got up a bit late, pulled on his robes and ran to the Great hall for breakfast. Just when he got there things... went odd. The first thing Harry saw was Ron Weasley bouncing off the walls. In fact, not just the walls, he was also bouncing off the ceiling, the floor, the chandelier and any other surface in the hall. However, this wasn't the most disturbing thing going on. Up at the teacher's table is a large, old, claw foot bathtub filled with bubbles. Inside of the bubbles sat... Professor Snape, taking a bath in the middle of the great hall. The oddest thing about that was, no one seemed to think this was unusual.

Something isn't right... Harry thought, and being Harry Potter, he went up to investigate.

When he'd gotten as close as he felt comfortable with getting to his bathing professor Harry paused to consider his options. He could go over there and demand to know what was going on, but that would mean getting closer to his soapy professor. No. That was right out. Or... He could -

"Harry? Is there a problem?"

Harry turned to reply to the headmaster, and came face to whiskers with a large, bushy squirrel. "Harry, are you alright?" the squirrel said.

Harry blinked a few times. He squinted. Finally he spoke. "Headmaster?"

"Yes Harry?" The squirrel replied.

"I didn't know you were a squirrel animagus."

"Harry, are you quite alright?" the squirrel - er- headmaster replied. The squirrel's scratchy paw reached up to touch Harry's forehead, "Severus."

Snape paused in the middle of a spirited rendition of "Rubber Ducky You're The One," "Yes, Headmaster?"

Before the Headmaster/squirrel could reply Hermione walked by clutching a stink cabbage blossom and murmuring what sounded suspiciously like a poem.

"Oh woe to you, woe to me!

Once in my heart you were like a tree.

But you pushed my hand

You horrible man

& now a flower you'll be."

"Hermione? What are you doing?"

"Oh Harry my dear,

I'm glad you are here!

For I find my self in great peril

A way must be found,

Of changing the grounds

Lest follow me everyone there'll."

She gestured to the rest of the student's in the hall.

"I have not a prayer

If you would help me beware,

The terms of my curse

Are to speak only in verse

Till the circumstances we can repair."

Harry blinked. Well, this was odd.

To be continued...