First Day at Hogwarts
Hayley Potter sat at a leather sofa in the Slytherin common room at the crack of dawn. She couldn't get even a wink sleep, she kept tossing and turning in her new four-poster bed.
The bed was the softest and warmest bed she had ever laid on but even that wasn't enough to make her fall asleep. The other girls in her dorm room had fallen asleep pretty much quickly.
She shared the room with Pansy Parkinson, Daphne Greengrass and Millicent Bulstrode. It was just the four of them, the first year's girls so there were only four beds, two beds on either side. A huge window overlooked something that she couldn't make out in the dark but there was something definitely moving outside.
The interior was all clad in Slytherin colors; Green and Silver. The bedsheets and covers were green as well as the posh rugs that adorned the room's floor. The curtains however were silver, both on the four-poster and the window. They each had a study desk by their beds, made from rich mahogany.
Everything in there was rich, posh and luxurious, something she never had in life. And now that it was at her disposal, she still couldn't sleep.
Because Harry wasn't there.
She had tried to imagine that the soft snores coming from the next bed were Harry's but she still knew it wasn't actually Harry but Pansy.
She gave up on sleep and had lain awake, staring at the canopy of her bed. Was Harry also feeling the same? Was he also having difficulty falling asleep? Or was he already in deep sleep?
She didn't want to think about that so she gave up and had instead started exploring. The common room was big enough to fit three to four drawing rooms from the Durselys' house. It had somewhat of a circular shape.
There was a small pit in the middle of the common room which was clearly a sitting area as the leather sofas were arranged in a circle surrounding a small fireplace built in the floor.
As she came closer, she could feel the warmth of the burning wood and she sighed as she snuggled against the sofa, wrapping her cloak around her. She realised the fireplace was enchanted to vanish any smoke that escaped through.
It was more like those electric fireplaces back in the muggle world.
She still couldn't believe how her life had changed in just one month. She was in a magical school, about to study magic. She was also excited for the classes, for the different and new things she was going to learn.
Maybe she should have read something from her new course books. She was always at the top of the class in the muggle school, but here...
It was totally different now. Would she be able to keep up with the others who had grown up seeing magic all around them?
Well Hermione Granger had known a lot about the Wizarding World and she was also from a muggle family, not knowing anything about having magic until the letters came to inform just like how the twins came to find out.
So maybe it wouldn't be that much difficult. She looked at the grandfather clock, tucked away in a corner and saw it was half past six now. A few voices sounded from the corridors that led to the dormitories, indicating the students had woken up.
A pair of older girls entered the room and started chatting away, not noticing her quite yet. Then, the brunette one came to flop down beside her and jumped. Hayley let out a yelp too.
The other girl with glasses quickly had her wand out, pointing at her, ready to perform spells.
As her eyes landed on Hayley's shocked face, her shoulders relaxed, putting away her wand.
"Bloody hell! A first year!" The brunette exclaimed.
"I thought those menacing Weasley twins had thought of another awful prank!"
"What are you doing here, girl?" The brunette asked, an unpleasant and impatient look crossing her face.
"I couldn't sleep."
She observed her for a moment then sighed. "It's almost time for breakfast. Go and change, so you can come with us. Otherwise you are going to get lost."
She nodded and quickly ran to her room. The others were still sleeping but she didn't try to wake them up. She quickly dressed in her new school robes, with green outlining and the Slytherin emblem. She tucked away her wand inside a pocket especially made for carrying wands. She came rushing down the corridor where the older girls chatted, straightening her green and silver tie.
"You are Hayley Potter, aren't you?" The brunette asked. She nodded.
"I am Vanessa Flint. A seventh year." She introduced herself then pointed to her friend who was looking at Hayley with a bored expression. "That's Elle Phillips. Also seventh year. Come on."
With that she followed them outside, the long, dark stone corridors of the dungeons still cold that she clutched her robes tightly around her.
"Looking at her reminds me of my first year," Vanessa was saying to her friend, "How nervous I was."
Elle let out a small laugh, "Yeah. Me too. It all feels so nostalgic. I can't believe we are already in our seventh year."
They reached the Great Hall and it felt strange to find it so empty after last night's feast. There were a few older students gathered at their house tables. Most of them were Ravenclaws. There were few of them at the Hufflepuff and Slytherin table as well. She glanced at the far end of the hall to look at the Gryffindor table and found just two students.
She seated herself opposite to the girls. They chatted as they waited for the breakfast to appear. "So..." Vanessa started, "Tell me why there's no mention of you in the books when your brother is plastered all over them."
Hayley had no idea what to say to that. She barely knew that herself. But she raised her eyebrows, "Shouldn't I be the one asking that?"
Elle cocked an eyebrow at her but then threw back her head and laughed. "Indeed you should."
Hayley shrugged her shoulders, "I barely know about the Wizarding World. Maybe I am not in those books because I don't have a scar or something."
Vanessa was in deep thought then said, "Hmm... My father told me you were found with Harry Potter with not much as a scratch. Perfectly intact. Or at least that's what Dumbledore's report to Wizengamot said."
"W-wiz... Sorry. What?" She stumbled over her words.
"Oh right. You don't know," Elle rolled her eyes, then provided, "It's like a court or council where they gather around to punish criminals, in simple terms."
"That's exactly their only purpose." Drawled Vanessa. "It's part of the Ministry of Magic."
Well at least she knew what the Ministry of Magic was. Hagrid had explained it to them on their ride to London.
She looked around the hall and asked, "Why are there so few students around? Last night the hall was packed."
"It's because it's still early. The usual time for breakfast is 7:30."
Soon, the breakfast appeared but in small portions as if whatever magic that conjured the food knew there were less students to feed this time around. She took a piece of toast and started to spread butter on it. Then piled up some eggs onto her plate as well.
Just like the dinner last night, the breakfast was also tasty and delicious. She took a sip of pumpkin juice as she nimbled on her toast. When the older girls finished, they left the table and disappeared through the huge double doors of the Great Hall.
She waited there after finishing her breakfast, not knowing what to do next. She wished she had grabbed a book from her bag. She should also start wearing a watch.
She stood up and went to the Entrance Hall, admiring the great marble staircase, when a bunch of Gryffindor students came descending down it.
Was that the way to Gryffindor common room? Would Harry be coming down from that way?
She leaned against a wall, not knowing for how long she waited, when more students from different houses started to fill in. She saw her fellow first years from Slytherin climbing the stairs that led to the dungeons.
Malfoy scowled as he saw her looking their way, Theo waved and Pansy stopped mid wave, stealing a glance at Malfoy.
She waved back to Theo and gave the pale brat a manacing glare. She wasn't sure what she should offer Pansy. At the end, she decided to offer her a smile.
She waited for several more minutes and finally Harry came descending down the stairs with Ron Weasley. Percy Weasley not far behind.
She felt like she could finally breathe properly. She leapt forward, now running towards her brother.
"Harry!"
Harry's face lit up as soon as he saw her. He opened his arms and engulfed her in a tight hug. She let go, and stepped back, "Where have you been? I have been waiting for you for ages!"
He looked tired, his eyes were red behind his glasses and he suppressed a yawn.
"Sorry. I was waiting for others to wake up. I didn't know the way." They entered the Great Hall together and she followed them to the Gryffindor table.
Harry said as they sat, "I missed you, Hayley! I couldn't sleep."
She sighed tiredly, "Me too. That's why I already had breakfast with some older girls from Slytherin."
They chatted as Harry amd Ron ate their breakfast. Soon enough the hall was packed with students, buzzing with conversations and the scraping of utensils against the plates.
Some Gryffindors eyed her suspiciously, some even asked why a Slytherin was seated at the Gryffindor table but the Weasley twins quickly shut them up.
Then Professor McGonagall came when the dishes had vanished holding out some papers in her hand. It was the students's timetables. She handed one to Ron then Harry and was about to hand hers over when she paused.
"Miss Potter. What are you doing here?" She asked, her voice soft but still stern.
"I am sorry, Professor. I thought I could sit here with Harry." She provided nervously. What if she forbade her from sitting here?
The older witch offered her a small smile but still gave her a stern look, "Of course you can but right now, you should be hurrying back to the Slytherin table. Professor Snape's distributing your timetables. Go on. Hurry!"
She looked back at her house table and surely enough, Professor Snape was disturbing smiliar looking pages. She quickly said her goodbye to her Harry and Ron and ran to the Slytherin table.
She came to a halt right in front of Snape and he looked down at her with the same look of distaste he gave her last night. She gulped.
"So you finally remembered you are Slytherin, not a Gryffindor." He said viciously, looking over at the Gryffindor table. He handed her her timetable sheet and marched away. She heaved a sigh and slumped down in an empty seat beside Daphne.
She heard Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle laughing at her. Ignoring them, she looked over her timetable and noticed there was only one class they shared with the Gryffindors and it was on Friday. Double Potions with Snape.
As the classes started, she realised it was more to magic than swishing her wand and saying complicated spells. There were a lot of complex mannerisms to each subject.
They had to study the night skies through their telescopes every Tuesday at midnight and learn the names of different stars and the movements of the planets.
They also had to go outside to the greenhouses behind the castle three times a week for Herbology classes, taught by a little witch called Professor Sprout, where they learned about different plants and fungi, their uses and how to take care of them.
The History of Magic class was taught by an actual ghost, Professor Binns who rambled on and on about Goblin Rebellions and it soon became clear it would her least favourite subject.
Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call and gave an excited squeal when he called out her name. Charms class was actually interesting as she took notes of everything Professor Flitwick wrote on the blackboard and spoke during the class.
Professor McGonagall was again different. Hayley realised she was the kind of teacher who expected great work from her students as she stared down at them sternly.
"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time.
After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, Hayley had made some difference to her match. She really couldn't believe her eyes she gaped at the needle in front of her. Professor McGonagall had given her a proud smile and held up her work for everyone to see. She went red and smiled. Then to her utter disappointment, the teacher held up Malfoy's needle and approved his work as well.
The pale brat gave her a smug smile as they both were awarded five points for their efforts.
The class she wasn't looking forward to was Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Quirrell was a nervous and stammering mess just like the first time she met him. And like that time, she still didn't feel right in his presence. She knew something was wrong about that professor but everyone else seemed to like him. Like there was nothing wrong with him. She wasn't someone to judge poeple on their appearance or but she couldn't help it. There was definetly something wrong with him.
Not to mention the horrible stench coming out of his turban. It was garlic to ward off vampires, the others speculated. Nonetheless she was happy to get out of his classroom as they made their way for lunch.
Breakfast, Lunch time and Dinner time were the only times where she could meet Harry. They both were so busy with schedules that they couldn't make time to meet in between. She had adjusted to her new sleeping arrangements, even though it was still a bit difficult to fall asleep. But nevertheless, she managed to get some hours of sleep.
It was Friday now. She was having breakfast at the Slytherin table when Pansy grumbled beside her. "Double Potions with Gryffindors. I don't want to make a fool of myself in front of Professor Snape and those idiots."
"Don't worry, Pansy. I have heard Professor favours Slytherin's and absolutely hate Gryffindors. So we'll be fine." Blaise Zabini, a dark skinned first year boy said with a shrug of his shoulders.
Pansy relaxed a bit. It was finally Friday and Hayley was going to share a class with Harry. She was both excited and nervous. In these last five days, it became clear to her that her Head of House did not like her and Harry.
Just then the mail arrived. Countless owls fluttered in carrying letters, packages and numerous stuff for students from their families. Hayley never received any so she was surprised when her owl flew in, carrying a letter in his beak.
She had finally given the owl a name, Ollie.
Ollie dropped the letter on her plate, then swept back to land on her shoulder. She hastily opened the letter and read the words written in an untidy scrawl:
Dear Hayley,
I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?
I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Ollie. I have also invited Harry.
Hagrid.
She beamed at the letter and quickly wrote back a reply to Hagrid:
Dear Hagrid,
Thank you for inviting me. I am very happy to read your letter and I can't wait to see you.
See you at three.
Hayley.
She folded the parchment and gave it to Ollie who flew away carrying her reply. Her mood had recovered immensely and now she was looking forward to going through the day.