English
The morning of their first official day of classes, the Gryffindor first-years gathered in the common room, still half-asleep and grumbling as they waited for their timetables.
Alice Fortescue, the Gryffindor Head Girl, stood in front of them, looking far too awake for this early in the morning. She was a seventh-year with short dark hair with red streaks, and she had the kind of authority that made even James Potter sit up a little straighter.
"Alright, first-years!" she called, holding a stack of parchment in one hand. "These are your timetables. Keep them on you at all times, or you’ll end up lost and late. And trust me, you don’t want to be late to McGonagall’s class.”
Sirius exchanged a glance with James, both of them smirking. James leaned over and whispered, “Sounds like a challenge.”
Alice, who clearly had the experience of dealing with troublemakers, narrowed her eyes. “Don’t even think about it, Potter.”
James grinned, looking far too pleased with himself as she handed him his timetable.
Sirius took his next, scanning the subjects,
Monday- English literature, Potions, Divination, Magical Theory, Transfiguration, History of magic and muggle
Teusday- Charms, Art, Transfiguration, Care of magical creatures, History of magic and muggle, geography
Wednesday- Charms, English literature, Potions, Defense against the dark arts, charms, Ancient runes
Thursday- Potions, Geography, Herbolagy, Arithmancy, History of Magic and muggle, charms
Friday- Defence against the dark arts, English literature, Herbolagy, geography, Astronamy, charms
As the first-years started dispersing, Remus glanced over at Sirius’s timetable and nodded. “I heard McGonagall teaches English Lit. She’s supposed to be brilliant.”
Sirius’s face lit up. “We actually get to read books in school?”
James peered over his shoulder. “Wait, what kind of books?”
Remus shrugged. “Probably classics. Shakespeare, Dickens, that sort of thing.”
James groaned. “Ugh. I was hoping for something exciting.”
Sirius rolled his eyes. “Shakespeare is exciting if you actually pay attention.”
James raised an eyebrow. “Are you seriously saying you like reading?”
“Obviously,” Sirius scoffed.
Remus, who had been quiet up until now, finally spoke. “Shakespeare’s not bad,” he admitted. “Better than Dickens, at least.”
Peter, standing beside them, made a face. “I don’t think I like reading much at all.”
Sirius gasped in mock horror. “I think that’s the most tragic thing I’ve ever heard.”
James chuckled, throwing an arm around Peter’s shoulders. “Don’t worry, Wormy. We’ll get through this together.”
Remus sighed, already looking tired. “We have McGonagall first. If you two talk through her class, you’ll be dead by lunch.”
Sirius and James exchanged a glance.
“Worth it,” Sirius said.
“Definitely,” James agreed.
By the time they arrived at their first lesson, Sirius was genuinely excited. He had always loved reading. Books had been his escape from home Here, at Hogwarts, he could actually enjoy it without his mother sneering at him for wasting time on "Muggle nonsense."
McGonagall stood at the front of the classroom, looking as sharp and intimidating as ever in her emerald green robes. The class settled quickly as she swept her gaze over them.
“Literature,” she began, “is one of the greatest tools of human expression. It has the power to change minds, to challenge beliefs, and to tell stories that will outlive all of us. You will give it the respect it deserves.”
James leaned over and whispered, “Blimey, she takes this seriously.”
Sirius smirked. “Good. So do I.”
McGonagall’s sharp eyes flicked in their direction, and both boys instantly sat up straight.
“For this term,” she continued, “we will be studying Macbeth. A story of ambition, power, and the consequences of unchecked desire.”
James groaned softly. “I knew it was going to be Shakespeare.”
Sirius elbowed him. “It’s good, you idiot. There’s murder, betrayal, ghosts”
James narrowed his eyes. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
As McGonagall started explaining the historical context, Sirius found himself genuinely engaged. He scribbled notes in the margins of his parchment, already forming opinions about the themes and characters.
James, on the other hand, was already losing focus. His quill tapped rhythmically against the desk, and after about fifteen minutes, he tore a small scrap of parchment from his notes and scribbled something down.
He flicked it toward Sirius.
Sirius caught it with ease and unrolled it under the desk.
"You actually like this stuff?"
Sirius smirked, grabbed his quill, and wrote back.
"Yes, it's intresting if you actually pay attention"
He flicked the note back. James read it and suppressed a snort, shaking his head. Another note landed on Sirius’s desk.
"If you like it so much, what happens in this play? Give me the short version."
Sirius rolled his eyes but wrote quickly.
"Guy gets told he’ll be king. Kills the king. Goes mad. Wife goes mad. Everyone dies."
James raised an impressed eyebrow.
"Alright, that actually sounds interesting."
Sirius smirked and wrote,
"Told you."
McGonagall’s voice cut through their silent conversation.
“Mr. Black. Mr. Potter.”
Both boys immediately snapped their heads up.
“Would you like to share your thoughts with the rest of the class?” she asked coolly.
James looked at Sirius. Sirius looked at James.
“Uh,” James started. “Sirius was just explaining the plot of Macbeth to me, Professor.”
McGonagall raised an eyebrow. “Is that so?”
Sirius, ever the performer, nodded. "James thought that Macbeth just really liked stabbing people, I had to give him so context."
McGonagall’s lips pressed together, but Sirius swore he saw the faintest twitch of amusement.
“Then I expect you both to write a detailed analysis of the first act for next lesson.”
James groaned. “Brilliant.”
Sirius smirked and whispered, “You walked right into that one, mate.”
James just elbowed him under the desk.
As the lesson went on, Sirius found himself enjoying it more and more. Hogwarts wasn’t just magic, it was stories, it was knowledge.