You look like a startled chipmunk.
In Charms Sirius is the only one to make his feather levitate with Wingardium Leviosa. He earns five points for Gryffindor and looks so smug. James tries to teach us Tamil in Herbology. In Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall seems to hate all of us even though she’s our Head of House. She doesn’t award any points to Gryffindor during the entire lesson.
History of Magic is the most boring lesson in the world. I try to take notes, but start falling asleep. I decide to suck on a flavor changing lozenge to keep me entertained. Sirius wants one, so I share. I have a whole package of them in my dresser.
The lozenge does nothing to pique my interest in Professor Binns’ lecture. Sirius and James spend most of the lesson playing hangman, Remus giving them nasty looks. I draw a picture of the giant squid I overheard someone talking about. It’s pulling Professor Binns into the lake.
After study period we all go outside and what do we see plucking chips out of the water but the giant squid! I knew it was real. Remus seems surprised.
“First week over, what do you reckon? Time to start stirring the pot,” James says. He’s lying in the grass with his hands behind his head. We all are.
Sirius and James decide to attack the Slytherins with spitballs in Potions on Wednesday. They seem to really hate the Slytherins, but we’ve only been at school for two days and I haven’t seen a Slytherin do anything troublesome. Maybe they are planning something against us I don’t know about.
Remus and Sirius get in a fight about it. When Sirius starts tickling Remus the fight essentially ends. I’ve never seen any fight end in tickles and a game of chase. The other boys are way faster than me. Or maybe I’m just keeping my distance from their grabby hands.
It was all for the best that I’m slow because James sits on Sirius and threatens to fart on him. I wonder if I should talk to some of the boys in the other houses. Or maybe some of the girls.
As we’re walking to dinner, I have to fart and it comes out louder than I expected.
“Peter!” Sirius and James both say, whipping round to look at me
“What?”
They look at each other then start laughing. I look at Remus who holds out his hands and shakes his head. At least I didn’t fart on anyone.
We build a card tower in our room with an exploding snap deck. As I’m placing a card near the top, the whole thing explodes and I yelp as my eyebrows catch fire. I tap my face with my hands to extinguish the flames but I can tell the damage is done. Sure enough, when I go look in the bathroom mirror, my eyebrows are mostly gone leaving me with a permanently startled expression.
“It’s not funny,” I say to the others who are all laughing, even Remus.
“Is so, you look like a startled chipmunk!”
I don’t want to play cards again, and I can’t go downstairs looking like I do. I get ready for bed and look at my chocolate frog card collection. I hear James, Sirius, and Remus playing late into the night. I bet they think I fell asleep.
On Saturday I challenge James to a game of chess. I don’t tell him I’ve been reading a wizard chess book my granddad gave me since I was eight. It’s been two years since I lost a game. I think James is going to be a terrible sport about losing but he isn’t, which almost makes it worse. He offers to rematch with me later.
I go upstairs and open the package my parents sent me this morning. It’s full of sweets. Sirius keeps asking for food anytime I eat, so I decide to hide my bounty, but there isn’t anywhere the box fits where it’s out of sight. Instead, I stash the sweets in various places throughout my drawers, my trunk, and even in my bed. I’ll notice if something goes missing.
Remus comes into the room.
“Alright, Peter? What are you up to?”
“Nothing.”
Remus gives a nod and goes to sit on his bed, pulling out a book.
“Are you a pureblood?” I ask.
Remus lowers the book. “No.”
“Oh!” This is surprising for some reason. “James and Sirius are.”
“Yeah.”
“So am I.”
“Right.” Remus lifts his book.
“Which one of your parents is a muggle?” I ask.
Remus doesn’t lower his book.
“Unless . . . are they both . . .”
“My mam,” says Remus.
“Wow.”
Remus finally lowers his book again. “Look, are you some kind of blood purist or something?”
“What!” I nearly jump at the affront. “No. I think it’s cool. Well, I don’t know anything about muggles, they’re so different, aren’t they? Fascinating.” I seem to be saying all the wrong things as I watch Remus’ eyes get narrower.
“Muggles aren’t very different from wizards,” he says.
“They aren’t?”
Remus rolls his eyes and shakes his head.
“What are they like?”
“They are exactly like us.”
“But they can’t do magic,” I point out.
“Fine, then in every other way.”
I think about this. My family talks about blood status like it carries weight, but they don’t slander anyone who isn’t a pureblood. Actually, I think my parents feel bad for muggles. Maybe they feel bad for muggleborns and half-bloods too. I can’t tell if it’s my mood, but I suddenly feel a wave of sympathy for Remus and his half-blood status. He does look a bit pathetic.
“What about —”
He cuts me off. “Look, I’m not feeling well. Gonna lie down and have a nap.”
“Okay, I’ll be quiet.”
Remus sets his book on his nightstand and pulls his curtains closed. I decide to pick up the book, and I’m glad I do because it’s all about muggles. It turns out muggles are as fascinating as I imagined. The main character, James, becomes an orphan when his parents are eaten by a rhinoceros. Then he has to live with his nasty aunts who are positively cruel, punishing him, calling him names, making him do all sorts of chores, and forcing him to sleep on bare floorboards like he’s in prison.
Something magical occurs and a giant peach grows on the tree in their yard. James ends up escaping in it and making a bunch of new friends who are all giant, talking insects.
I don’t finish the book because the dormitory door opens with a bang, giving entrance to a laughing Sirius and James. I’m worried Remus is going to wake up and realize I stole his book, which I really only borrowed. I hurry across the room but don’t get it back on his nightstand before he pulls back his curtains.
We look at each other, the book still in my outstretched hand.
“You were right,” I say. “Muggles aren’t so different. They even have some magic.”
Remus looks from my face to the book in my hand. “Yeah, they do.” He smiles a bit, and I smile back.
“You can read it, when I’m through if you want.”
“I read most of it already.”
“Still.” Remus shrugs. “Finish it tonight, I have another I’m about to start.” He opens his nightstand and pulls out another muggle book. I can tell because the cover is all shiny and it’s positively miniscule compared to our textbooks. The words The Hobbit are printed in fancy lettering across the front.
“Okay, thanks.” I clutch James and The Giant Peach to my chest.