The Yellow Room of Insanity

Twenty years after Katz and Sirius were married....

"You are the worst student that has ever walked the corridors of this school!" Snape railed, causing Neville to crumble in fear. "I hope that you die someday soon, so that you may never darken my doorway again!"

Harry sighed. He was so sick of this. Every single lesson, Snape would go on and on about this. Today, however, it was worse, because Neville had not only melted his cauldron; he had also melted four other cauldrons, one of which contained a very special potion that Snape was preparing for Madame Pomfrey.

The door burst open, and a young woman, clad in purple, strode up the aisle, stopping just in front of Harry. "Severus Snape, you leave that poor child alone," she commanded.

Snape paled. "P-p-potter!"

"Yes, Professor?" Harry asked, thinking, 'He sounds like Quirrel!'

The young woman turned. "He means me, Harry dear," she said, before turning back to Snape. "I think you mean 'B-b-black!' Snapey-poo," she said sweetly. She held up her left hand, palm down, so he could see the sapphire ring she sported on her ring finger.

"So you did marry him," Snape commented vehemently. The students were watching this exchange with interest.

"Of course! Now, if I were you, I'd let these students go, or you might find that you can teach an old dog new tricks," she threatened.

Snape swallowed. Harry was amazed. He had never seen Snape this scared. "You all--you all may go," Snape stuttered.

The woman smiled, turned, and patted Harry on the shoulder. "Meet me in your Common room after dinner," she whispered. He nodded, dumbstruck.

Harry headed to his dorm before going to dinner, as Potions was the last class he had that day.

"Black," Hermione muttered. "You don't think she's--?"

"She very well could be," Harry answered, "though Sirius never mentioned being married, and I never saw a ring."

"I think she's weird," Ron piped up.

"I think she's cool," argued Hermione. "She totally had Snape quaking when she threatened him."

"I think he wet his pants!" Seamus exclaimed suddenly, causing Harry, Ron, and Hermione to edge away.

Dumbledore stood up. "Dear students and staff," he said, "I have aannouncement to make." He paused.

And paused some more.

More pausing.

Dumbledore seriously did not seem like he was going to make that announcement.

The students were getting restless.

"Then make it already!" someone yelled from the Slytherin table.

"I am pleased to announce that we will have some former students joining us this month. They wish to help out, seeing as they have no concerts at this time. Each one will be helping out with a core class. And hopefully, they will be here soon...."

ont color="Black">There was silence.

Concerts? Harry mouthed to Hermione and Ron. They shrugged.

More silence.

The food was getting cold.

They waited.

The tapping of a foot was heard.

The doors slowly opened, and four young women entered. One of them was the one who had scared Snape.

The students gasped.

"Ah, here they are!" Dumbledore exclaimed happily as they walked up to the staff table.

"You're late," McGonagall observed.

The young woman whom Harry recognized grinned cheekily. "A witch is never late, Professor McGonagall. Nor is she early. She arrives precisely when she means to," she said.

Professor McGonagall sighed and shook her head.

Dumbledore was chuckling. "I would hope so. Now, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce you all to the members of Flaming Rose."

There were several gasps among the girls.

"Flaming Rose? Omigosh! They're like, the best 80's group ever!"

"They play 90's, too!"

"They're the best!"

"Can I have your autographs?"

"Oh, bugger." This last statement was made by the woman in purple. "I knew they'd do this. Please, Professor, just get on with it."

"As I was saying," Dumbledore continued, "these are the members of Flaming Rose. This young lady in purple is Kathleen Potter - er - Black. She plays lead guitar, and will be helping Professor Flitwick out.

"The young lady in green is Jessica Lee. She will be helping Professor Snape" - the Potions teacher moaned - "and will try not to play any pranks, am I right?"

Ms. Lee nodded, somewhat sullenly.

"The young lady in blue here is Chanhassen Delashmitt. She plays keyboard, and will work with Professor McGonagall. And the last young woman is dear Phoenix Destiny, who plays bass guitar. She will help Professor Sprout.

"And since I know you're all dying to hear them, they will play their hit, 'Obsidian,' for you now."

The women wal over to a small stage where their instruments had been set up.

"A one, a two, a one, two, three, four!"

They began. The girls were screaming, the guys were grumbling about sappy love songs. However, this wasn't really sappy. It was... rocky. And it had a nice beat. Harry found himself bobbing his head and keeping time with his foot.

[A/n: If you wish to see the lyrics, go back to Chapter 2.]

When they were finished, there was a mad rush to get autographs.

"SILENCE!"

Dead silence. Everyone froze.

"Now," Dumbledore continued, "I would like the prefects to help these ladies with their instruments and baggage."

Harry stood up. So did Hermione, Draco, Terry Boot, Susan Bones, and Ginny.

"I said prefects."

Harry and Hermione sat down.

"But the Head Boy and Girl are to lead them to their place of accommodation."

Harry and Hermione stood back up.

Draco was grumbling as he went into the Entrance Hall and picked up two suitcases. He followed Harry, Hermione, and the four women to the fourth floor, where they stopped in front of a portrait of a small girl in a yellow dress.

"Legolas," said Hermione.

Ms. Lee squealed. "Isn't that just like him, Katz?" she asked of Ms. Potter - er - Black.

The other three women nodded.

"Mae govannen," the portrait replied.

"Hannon le," said Ms. Lee as the portrait swung open. They stepped inside. (1)

"Oh, it's the same yellow room!" cried Ms. Dewhatsit. Draco couldn't remember.

He was planning to get out of there as quickly as possible, but as soon as he made one move towards the door, Ms. Lee had him by the ear.

ont color="Black">

"OW!"

"Not so fast, little Malfoy," she calmly stated.

"I'm not little," he protested.

"You are smaller than your father. You are little."

Draco grumbled a reply.

"'Scuse me?"

"How could you know my father? You're much too young. He's at least ten years older than you."

Ms. Lee laughed gaily. "Did you hear that girls?" she asked of the others. "He said his father is at least ten years older than me!"

The other women burst into laughter.

Ms. Potter - er - Black came over and said, "Draco, your father is younger than me."

"And Katz is the youngest of us."

"Katz?"

"Yes Harry?"

"I - I think I've heard of you...."

"From who?"

"I'll uh - I'll tell you later."

"Okay. Now, everybody except Harry and Hermione out!"

"Wait! Can I keep him?" Ms. Lee asked, putting an arm around Draco.

"Ask his father," Ms. Potter - er - Black replied, picking up her suitcase and guitar.

Ms. Lee let him go. "Yeah, right."

Draco got out of there as soon as she let him go.

The women staked out their rooms before coming back into the main one.