Chapter 11
Hogwarts was an amazing place, but it sure wasn’t the easiest to travel. You had an endless amount of corridors, doors that led nowhere, or to the completely wrong location, and possibly worst of all, the moving staircases. They did what they wanted, taking you places you didn’t need to go, all while you held on for dear life, not to fall of. The four of them all agreed that having their common room on a lower floor was really for the best.
“Where are we even going?”, Susan complained. “We have been going around in circles, look there’s that ugly painting of a cow again.”
“Well we are looking for the history of magic classroom.” Justin said, “It really should be around here.”
“Why hello there my friends, do you perhaps need help getting somewhere?”. From a wall a ghost of a round friar came floating in. Justin startled and hid behind Harry.
“What is it Justin?”
“I-I really don’t like ghosts. I never thought they would be real either, but here we are talking to one. Just let me stand here for now please?”
“Of course Justin, I’m sure you’ll get used to them in time. I am actually terrified of snakes, so I know how you feel about being scared.”, Harry replied, making sure to comfort him.
“Thanks Harry.”
Susan went forward to speak to the ghost. “Yes please sir, could you help us? We need to find the classroom for history of magic.”
“Ah good old professor Binns then. Follow me my little Hufflepuffs, and I’ll help you get there. The poltergeist Peeves is around here somewhere, but you’re with me so it should be fine. Now let us hurry!”, the ghost replied to Susan.
Their little group of four finally arrived at the right classroom, and well on time too. They all thanked the friar and went inside to choose a seat. This class was being shared with the Slytherins, so just in a few moments after they entered, Draco and the group of boys from Slytherin arrived as well. Remembering about her promise to Harry, Susan went up to Draco.
“Hey Malfoy, can we go over there so I can talk to you?”
“I guess so Bones, what do you want?”
“Look I have realised I was rude toward you on the train. I wanted to apologise. My aunt is the head of law enforcement, so I have grown up hearing all about who did what in the war and so on. But it was wrong of me to judge you on who your family are, and for that I apologise.” Susan said with a small bow.
“Very mature of you Bones, I accept the apology. To start over, hello I am Draco Malfoy, a pleasure to meet you.”, Draco said while holding out his hand.
“And a pleasure for me as well. My name is Susan Bones.”, she said taking his hand.
They both started giggling a bit at the seriousness of it all, but as purebloods, they knew they had to have a certain kind of decorum around others. Heading back to the rest of the students, Susan saw Harry mouthing a thank you to her. She nodded and went to sit again.
“Oh hey let me introduce you guys.”, Harry said. “These guys are: Draco Malfoy, Blaise Zabini, Theodore Nott, Gregory Goyle, and Vincent Crabbe. And us Hufflepuffs are: me Harry Potter, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Susan Bones, and Hannah Abbott.”
Everyone greeted eachother, even though most of them had met before. Harry felt good about having people around that he hoped to have as friends. He kept thinking back to his old school and how lonely he had been. Without Dudley here people actually wanted to talk with him, and he was going to do the most of it all. The bell rang, making him come back from his thoughts, and they all waited for the professor to show up, since he wasn’t already there.
Where could he be, Harry started to wonder, when he heard gasps around the room, as a ghost came floating out of the blackboard. He felt Justin tense up next to him, so he slowly put his hand on Justin’s arm to calm him down. Justin looked at him smiling and nodded as a thank you.
“Hello students, welcome to history of magic, where we will go through the ages, making you have an understanding about our world.”, the professor said with the most uninterested voice ever. He sounded totally passionless about his job. Well this class would be boring, Harry thought.
Professor Binns soon started a lecture on a goblin war from the 1400’s, making them all start to doze off, it being the first class of the day in combination with the professor, soon made some students fall asleep. Harry was trying to take notes, but as he looked around him he saw Hannah doodling, Blaise and Theo were playing tic-tac-toe, and Crabbe and Goyle had fallen asleep. Remembering professor Sprout’s speech about always doing your best, he sat up straighter and started to focus on the lecture after all.
It had been a gruelling hour for them all, so they couldn’t help but take a breath of relief, leaving the classroom.
“That was the biggest waste of time I have ever experienced.”, Draco said. “We need to start a study group to be able too get through history. Do you Hufflepuffs want to join?”
Harry was the first to agree and the others soon followed. The first day and already made a study group, Harry thought. It certainly was looking up for him. Saying goodbye to the Slytherins, Harry and the others started to make their way toward the defence class. Without too much trouble, they got there just as the bell rang, so they quickly went inside and chose their spots. Harry decided to sit next to Hannah during this class.
Professor Quirrell was a relatively young professor, he had earlier been the teacher of muggle studies, but now held the defence position. He always had a purple turban on his head, and a strong smell of garlic was following him, in fact his whole classroom stunk of garlic. Supposedly this was because during his travels he had met some vampires, that he now was scared would find him. The poor guy also struggled with a stutter, making him almost impossible to follow. Harry felt bad for him, but he felt himself getting a headache sitting here looking at him.
“H-h-hello s-students. I am p-p-professor Quirrell, and I will b-b-be your teacher of d-d-defence against the d-d-dark arts.”
Oh boy, Harry thought. This teacher will also be a problem. What a great day it is turning out to be. First an uninspired ghost, then a stuttering mess. Hopefully he’ll at least teach us something useful.
Unfortunately the professor spent the lesson having a lecture about what they would be learning this term, so Harry was happy when the bell rang again. His headache had gotten worse every time Quirrell came near, so he almost ran out of the classroom and waited on his friends.
“Wow Harry you were fast getting out of there, everything ok?”, Hannah asked.
“Not really I just got such a weird headache, but I think it will be fine after we have some lunch.”, he replied.
“You’re in luck then my friend, since it is time to head down for lunch.”, Hannah continued. “Onward to the great hall!”
They all laughed with her and started their journey. Getting to the great hall wasn’t much of a hassle, since it was on the ground floor, and most routes led there. As they sat down at the Hufflepuff table to eat, a shadow fell on them when a large bird appeared.
“Hey Raphael I’m so happy to see you buddy.”, Harry said to the raven that had just landed on his shoulder cawing. “Do you want some bread? Here you go.”, Raphael accepted his offering, and started to eat happily.
“That’s a large bird Harry, is it a raven?”, Justin asked.
“Yeah this is Raphael, I got him as a birthday gift this year. He’s just as good as any owl, and I really feel connected to him.”, Harry said while stroking Raphael’s feathers.
“Well I think he’s beautiful.”, Susan said. “You can see he likes you back as well.”
“You hear that Raphael? Susan thinks you’re beautiful.”, Raphael cawed as an answer to that and looked at Susan, before taking off, leaving them to continue their lunch.
“So what lesson is after lunch?”, Hannah asked.
“Just a double period of charms, then we are done for the day.”, Justin replied.
Great, charms sounded fun to Harry, but he also knew they had the class with the Gryffindors, which meant he would probably run into that menace of a red-head again. He told the other guys this, so they purposely stayed in the hall after being done eating. His plan failed though as a hand was placed on his shoulder.
“Hey mate time to get to class, I’ll show you the way so you don’t have to walk around with them duffers.”, the read-headed boy said.
“And what made you think I’d leave my friends and housemates, to go somewhere with you?”, Harry said irritated.
“Come on, you should have been a Gryffindor with me, it’s just how it is. You don’t need these people, they are just leftovers, unlike you.”
“Well the hat chose Hufflepuff for me and I couldn’t be prouder. Even better I don’t have to share a house with you of all people. You come around here and insult my friends and me, thinking I’d become your friend? How stupid can you be Weasley? Listen closely to these words, leave me alone!”, Harry yelled and ran out of the great hall. The rest of the Hufflepuffs looked at Ron as if he were the biggest enemy of all. Getting all red, Ron headed back to the Gryffindor boys and went away with them.
“Come on guys, let’s go catch up with Harry.”, Susan said.
Justin and Hannah agreed, and the three of them went out in search of Harry.
Meanwhile Harry had reached the charms classroom. Knowing he was a bit early, he sat outside and waited. Hearing someone come his way, he wished with all his might that it wouldn’t be Weasley.
Looking up he saw that it was the bushy haired girl that had arrived.
“Hi there, you’re here early as well.”, Harry said smiling at her.
“Oh hello, I usually am the first to arrive, so eh yeah I guess I’m early.”, she said blushing.
“Nothing wrong with that. Right I should introduce myself, sorry for the rudeness. My name is Harry Potter, nice to meet you.”
“I am Hermione Granger, I’ve read everything about you so I know who you are of course.”
Harry’s heart sank hearing that, he didn’t like people assuming things about him, or being obsessed with the fame.
“It must have been horrible for you though Potter, your story plus all the pressure put on you by being in the spotlight. I could never have handled that.”, she said.
Huh Harry thought, it seemed like she didn’t care about the fame part of him. Maybe they could have a real conversation.
“Thanks for not fangirling over me, people often assume I’m comfortable with that. They act like they know me just because there were books written. Please call me Harry, Granger, it’s nice having more people to talk with.”
“Oh please call me Hermione then Harry. I’m sorry you get surrounded by such people.”
“Mhm it isn’t easy, especially with people like that Weasley in our year. He’s been horrible toward my friends, and then acting like he should be my friend. That’s a fanboy if I ever saw one.”
“That Ronald Weasley is just awful, he’s been bullying a boy in our year, and he isn’t very nice to me either, just because I like learning.”
“Sounds like we feel the same about him then. Hey that’s something we have in common!”, Harry said laughing. Hermione giggled back at him.
“So how has your first day been so far Hermione? Did you want Gryffindor?”
“Well both yes and no, from what I read I might have fit in better in Ravenclaw, but the hat said it saw something in me worthy of Gryffindor. Also it was the headmaster’s old house, so that is nice too. It was a bit tough last night, I’m not used to sleeping around others and we are five girls in our dorm.”
“FIVE people? We share in pairs, which I’m very thankful for. I would not like feeling cramped up in a room with that many boys, especially if I had sorted Gryffindor.”, Harry said with a shudder.
“That sounds like heaven, only one other to share with. Quiet and calm so I could study. Not listening to gossip and girly stuff all the time.”
“Hopefully it will get better Hermione. I’m excited about charms at least, people say so many good things about professor Flitwick.”
“I’ve read that beside being a charms master, he also was a duelling master when he was younger, so he should know all kinds of charms to teach us.”, Hermione said.
“That’s so cool! Can’t wait then. Oh look here comes my friends, let me introduce you to them. Hey guys this is Hermione Granger, she’s in our year in Gryffindor. Hermione these are my friends: Hannah Abbott, Susan Bones, and Justin Finch-Fletchley.”, Harry said as the others walked up to them.
Everyone said hello to eachother, and started talking for a bit. Then came the time to head in for their last class of the day. Harry had been surrounded by Hufflepuffs, so Weasley didn’t get a chance to come near him again. The group walked over to one side of the room and sat down. Hermione had walked back to the Gryffindor side.
Professor Filius Flitwick was a very small man, not in mind, but in body. He had goblin heritage running through him, so he had stayed small even while ageing. This had never stopped him at all, he went on to a mastery of charms and became an acclaimed duellist, with many victories under his belt. After he felt the need to stop with the duelling, he had settled in well as a professor at Hogwarts. He was head of Ravenclaw house, and one of the more well liked teachers.
“Good afternoon students, and welcome to charms class. It is very exciting to see a new group of students, and I hope you all will take this seriously and do your best. Now since this is a double period, we will start with some theory, then move on to a practical part. We are going to try the wand lighting charm of ‘Lumos’. Very handy to use in dark areas. Now take out your books please, and start with chapter one.”
After an hour of reading and being lectured on the importance of both wand movement, and pronunciation, it was finally time to take out their wands and try their first magic at Hogwarts.
Around the room cries of Lumos was heard but nothing had happened yet. Harry looked at his wand and started to focus on it producing light, he wanted it to shine brightly. Saying the incantation, Harry looked up and saw that indeed the tip of his wand was lit by a bright ball of light.
“Very well done Mr. Potter, five points to Hufflepuff.”, professor Flitwick cheered. “Oh and look, that is well done to you as well Ms. Granger, take five points to Gryffindor as well.”
Hermione had gotten hers to work right after Harry, so Harry felt proud of her and sent a smile her way. Looking at his friends he saw mixed results, Susan was getting it, Justin’s wand flickered in and out, and Hannah had not gotten it to work yet. By the end of the lesson most people had made light of some kind.
“All right students the time has come to part for the day, I will be testing you on lumos next time, so practise, practise, practise.”, the professor said with a smile, just before the bell rang out.
Finally done with the first day, the group decided to head back down to the common room until dinner. Getting there went smoothly, and Hannah knocked on the right barrel, making the door open.
“Can’t believe our first day is over, I felt tortured this morning, but I really liked charms.”, Hannah said.
“Well I kinda liked defence even though professor Quirrell has a stutter, but Binns was awful.”, Harry said.
“That we can all agree on.”, came from Susan.
They all nodded back. After relaxing for a few hours, it was time to head out to dinner. First though as professor Sprout had said, they were going to be paired up with their mentors.
“Listen up kids, we have made a list here to partner you with your own third year student. Boys with boys, and girls with girls. It is just for the reason that you should feel comfortable we pair with the same gender. Now come and find your partner, so you can head up to dinner together.”, Josephine said to them all.
Looking at the list, Harry saw that he had been partnered with Cedric Diggory. He had seen Cedric around in the common room. Cedric was really tall for third year, he had fairly long brown hair, and light grey eyes. He had heard some of the girls talk about how handsome they found him. Harry just saw a normal boy with a kind smile coming toward him.
“Hello Harry, I’m Cedric. No need with calling me by my last name.”
“Hey Cedric, well call me Harry then as well please. Nice to meet you.”
“And you too. So let’s head up for dinner, I know I am starving right now.”, Cedric said.
So Harry followed Cedric out of the common room, and toward his first, normal dinner at Hogwarts.