Hermione's musing came to a close when Professor McGonagall handed her timetable to her. She studied it some, she had potions first thing this morning and it was doubled. Without waiting on anyone else, she picked up her bag and left, taking her time to get to potions. She hadn't even bothered to find out if Harry got accepted into the class or not, but she wouldn't be surprised if he did, granted Professor McGonagall said she would try to help him out.

Hermione checked the door as she got there, it was unlocked and went inside, she sat down behind a cauldron and took out her things to work on in potions. She also took out a normal muggle notebook and pen, these things had been a lot cheaper than the ink and parchment. She wrote down some of the stuff she was still trying to figure out.

1. Find books on discovering identities of oneself to find out who I really am.

2. Still waiting on the letter from the Auror department on that retched Mr. Toliver who stole my money for school.

3. Dumbledore would have told the Order about not being able to pay for school.

4. Anyone in the order could be my benefactor.

5. I've been given a box, paper, a potion, a few notes, from said benefactor.

6. The books were surprising. How did he know I liked to read? Unless he had been told certain things.

She didn't feel anyone behind her until it was too late and the milk white fingers snatched the notebook away from her.

"You can't possible be working on feet, I haven't given any out Miss Granger." His silky voice hit the silence and Hermione closed her eyes.

She opened them back up and turned to look at him, he had a twitch at the end of his mouth, and then looked at her with his black eyes. "The Order was told, no one had the funding to pay for the two years. Financial obligations were already placed on them in other areas." He handed her back the notebook. "As for Mr. Toliver, continue perusing that venue."

She watched him as he walked towards his desk. No one was still in the room yet. "I don't like being under obligations to someone I don't even know."

Professor Snape turned as he got to his desk, "If you benefactor doesn't want to be known he won't be. If I were you, I'd concentrate on your school work and leave that foolishness of trying to figure out who that person is alone."

Hermione knew Professor Snape wouldn't be of any help on the benefactor. But what he had said about Mr. Toliver had merit. She looked back at him, she could see he had moved to sit behind his desk and was reading a parchment.

"Do you think the Aurors will help?"

"If any fraud was committed," Professor Snape lowered the parchment and looked at her, he had that serious look in his eye she had seen him do on several occasions. "Then yes. They will help. How much money did he take from you?"

"Enough for me to finish school for the last two years. I wouldn't be under obligations of a benefactor."

"Then continue with the Toliver situation. You could deal with this benefactor after the Toliver situation is resolved." Professor Snape raised the parchment and continued reading.

Hermione studied her Professor, that was the most civil conversation she had ever had with the man. The last one she could remember with him was the one she had when she had gotten the letter from her adopted father. He had been sarcastic, then almost skeptical and then authoritarian teacher again. There was a definite change in her professor from last year to this one. It was idiotic and ludicrous to think, she wondered if her professor sitting in front of her could be her benefactor.

Her musings were interrupted as the NEWT students started coming into the room. Harry entered and found a table to sit by himself. He glanced at her, Hermione could see a forlorn look to this eye. When Ron entered she wondered how on earth he had managed to scrape that grade. But the most impressive was Neville coming in behind Ron. Neville's nervous gaze settled on her and he made a beeline straight for her and sat beside her.

"I want everyone to spread out now!"

Everyone jumped at the command and started spreading out. Hermione noticed there were only five Gryffindors in the room. She gulped, but she also noticed two Hufflepuff and seven Slytherin and eight Ravenclaw in the room. They had combined the NEWT potion class.

"Put away everything, but one quill." Snape said as he stood up and waved his wand, in front of them was a test. "If any of you fail to pass this test, you'll be dropped from this class." He sat back down.

Hermione looked at the test. What is this? They already proved they could do this class, isn't that was what passing the OWLS had been about?

Hermione looked back up at Snape. For the love of Merlin this man is mean. Arrogant, unrefined, pompous-ass, bat dropping, rabid Professor. She glared at him, she couldn't help it, this was so like the professor she had always tried to impress and never could.

Snape narrowed his eyes at her. Hermione held the eye contact. She felt a slight tickle to her ears. 'I suggest you get started, Miss Granger, before I start taking points.' She heard clearly whispered in her ear from him. She didn't know what that spell was as her eyes widened in surprise, because the old professor she had known would have said something out loud to the class.

She looked back down at the parchment and wrote her name at the top. Then the tickle faded away from her ears. Hermione snorted, it was rather funny, who would have thought her professor would know a whispering spell. She went back to her test and started answering questions with a flourish. She heard a pop and looked up, Neville's hair was now sporting a green color. Then she heard another pop about the same time and saw that Draco Malfoy was now sporting a red color. Snickering was heard all over the classroom. That wasn't the only thing that had happened. Besides changing hair colors, some had it go into weird fashions, Snape had rigged the test so by the end of it, if you at least remained remotely close to your original form you passed with flying colors.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief when she answered her last question. Her and one other student remained unchanged. She looked around at Ron and had to hide her horror filled look, he looked like an orangutan, scratching away with his quill on the test. Harry had green hair that was in pigtails and a long nose that looked like Pinocchio when he lied. Other than that he looked fairly human.

A few other students had turned into animals also by the end of the test. Snape was now walking through them with smirks, some he passed and scowled, like with Harry.

"Those of you, who are still in your human form, I'll see you tomorrow for class. Dismissed."

Hermione gathered her book bag and started working her way out of the room. Harry walked up to her, they both looked at Ron with horror.

"I can't believe Snape." Harry said with disgust after they were far enough away from the dungeons.

Hermione had missed Harry, and talking with him, more than she had missed Ron. "Just be glad you are still in the class Harry."

Neville had caught up to them, "Oh man, he's chewing everyone out that didn't pass the test." He was walking on goat legs.

Harry turned and looked at him, "does the goat legs mean you are still part human?"

Neville blushed, "yeah, he said I barely passed. Poor Ron, he's going to have nightmares from this."

Hermione and Harry agreed.