Another first Day
After DADA, Josephine made her way to Potions and was happy to see that Ominis was also in the class.
“Hi,” she said as she sat down next to him
“Hello, Jo. Nice to finally have someone to sit next to besides Sebastian.”
“Hey!”
Josephine chuckled as Sebastian let out an annoyed humph.
“Well I’m glad that I could help you escape for a bit,” Josephine said
Just then a man with thick, brown hair and a slight limp made his way into the room and Josephine immediately knew that this was Professor Sharp- she just hoped he was better than Snape.
“Hellp class. I hope your summer holidays were all enjoyable,” the professor said and Josephine immediately sighed in relief knowing that she would like this professor. “Today we’re going to be brewing an Edurus potion which protects the drinker from injury. It is a quite essential potion for dueling.”
Josephine immediately made quick work on her potion- gathering the ingredients and making all the right stirs. Not before long she had brewed an adequate potion for the professor to examine.
“Well done, Miss Dawson,” Professor Sharp said as he examined her potion, “10 points to Gryffindor.”
Josephine just stood there in shock as she was so used to Snape ridiculing and belittling her during potions- and he would never have given her house points in a million years.
“Thank you, Professor,” Josephine quickly said after recovering from her shock.
“Miss Josephine, I would like to speak to you after class,” Professor Sharp added, making Josephine’s stomach drop.
She immediately began to relay the conversation she had with the professor wondering what she would have possibly done wrong.
“Uh oh,” Sebastian said when Sharp turned to examine another student’s potion.
“I’m terrified now,” Josephine said
“He’s never done that before,” Sebastian added, only fueling her anxiety.
“Sebastian, stop,” Ominis said, facing Josephine. “Professor Sharp is quite nice and usually patient- I would know, he’s Sebastian and I’s head of house. He probably just wants to help you get caught up.”
Josephine sighed at Ominis’ intelligent explanation, knowing that was what was probably going to happen. Once again her trauma had gotten in the way of her logical thinking.
The class ended only shortly after that with Professor Sharp assigning the next chapter to read for homework. Josephine anxiously watched as Ominis and Sebastian left the room, her anxiety once again coming back up.
“You do not need to worry, Miss Dawson,” Professor Sharp said, startling Josephine. “I am not here to harm you. I merely want to understand what you already know as I am aware of your peculiar situation as the rest of the staff here is aware.”
From the look in his eyes Josephine immediately knew that her professor knew the true story of how she was her.
“So, let me ask: What type of potions knowledge have you learned so far?”
“Well I took potions for six years before…everything ...But it wasn’t quite a good class. The professor was pretty rude to us and always belittled us. He was also the head of Slytherin- as you are - and would favor his house over the others. He would even call my girlfr- my friend Hermione an ‘Insufferable know-it-all’.”
Professor Sharp’s expression immediately darkened.
“I assure you, Miss Dawon, that I am not like him. I do not value one house over another and I want all my students to learn here and enjoy the class. I am your teacher not your warden, I can assure you that.”
“Thank you, Professor Sharp. That means a lot- you have no idea.”
When Josephine returned back to her dorm that night, her head of house, Professor Weasley, informed her that she would have to take a trip to Hogsmeade the following day to get a wand as sadly she wasn’t able to take the one she used to use and she couldn’t keep using a borrowed one.
“I believe that it would be best for a student to escort you to Hogsmeade,” Professor Weasly said “Did you happen to have anyone in mind?”
“How about Ominis Gaunt?”
So far, to Josephine, he was really the only friend she’d made so far. Yes, she was friendly with Sebastian and Natty, but they felt more like acquaintances.
“While it's lovely that you’ve made a friend out of Gryffindor house, I do believe that if you want to bring Ominis it would be wise to bring his friend Sebastian Sallow along as well. Seeming as Ominis is visually impaired, he may not be the best guide. Alas, though, I shall send an owl out tonight.”
“Thank you professor.”
The next day Josephine received an owl from Sebastian to meet him and Ominis at the bottom of the steps at the central hall.
“Are you ready to go?” Sebastian asked as Josephine approached the two friends.
“Yup,” she happily replied as the two began the walk to Hogsmeade.
“Thanks for thinking of Ominis and I. Your owl arrived just in time as the librarian was about to give me a detention-”
“Because you snuck in after hours,” Ominis added pointedly, making Josephine giggle
“That’s besides the point! Anyways, I was trying to get into the library and she caught me and was about to give me detention until your owl arrived and I told her that Professor Weasley needed me at that time.”
“I’m glad I could help.”
“So what do you have to get in Hogsmeade,” Ominis asked, wanting to change the subject
“A new wand from Ollivanders,” Josephine replied, “I’ve just been using a borrowed one.”
“Wait, you dueled me with a borrowed wand!” Sebastian said, absolutely flabbergasted
“Indeed I did,” Josephine said, smirking at Sebastian, which made Ominis laugh.
“I can’t believe this,” Sebastian muttered to himself as the two approached the entrance of Hogsmeade.
While Josephine had of course been their many times - mostly for countless dates with Hermione to the Three Broomsticks as well as Flourish and Blotts - she still was in awe of Hogsmeade. It really was quite beautiful. Also, same as Hogwarts, it felt brand new as the majority of the store were different as well as all of the people. Josephine still felt as if she was in some alternate universe, or a dream that she would wake up from any day now.
“So you just have to go to Ollivanders?” Ominis asks, snapping Josephine out of her thoughts.
“Yeah, that’s it.”
“Well you two can head to Ollivanders,” Sebastian began, “I have to stop by a shop and get something for my sister, Anne.”
“Oh, I didn’t know you had a sister.”
“Yeah. She’s…sick,” Sebastian said, obviously uncomfortable with discussing the topic
“Well I hope she gets better,” Josephine said kindly
“Thanks,” he replied before departing from the two.
Josephine and Ominis then began to make their way towards Ollivanders.
“So…um…I was wondering if I could ask you a question,” Josephine said, nervously twiddling with her thumbs
“Of course,” Ominis said warmly, easing Josephine’s mind.
“You don’t have to answer! But I was wondering exactly what your wand does for you when It glows red? Is it like a cane? Does it alert you when there's an object in her periphery?”
“Precisely. It’s hard to explain exactly but it is almost sentient in the way that it helps me get around.”
“That's cool!” Josephine said, making Ominis smile
“Yeah it is, I guess.”
Stepping into Ollivanders, Josephine quickly ran the bell to alert the wandmaker of their presence. Gerbold Ollivander quickly made his way to the new student and Josephine internally smiled as there was certainly an uncanny resemblance to the Ollivander she knew.
“Oh, hello! I was wondering when the new transfer student would make her way to my shop!”
“Hello, sir,” Josephine said
“Well let’s get you sorted, shall we?” Ollivander asked as he made his way to the large shelves of wands.
After a moment of rifling through his options, Ollivander pulled one out before opening the box up to a light brown wand.
“12 inches, Unicorn hair, and slightly supple.”
The moment Josephine grasped the wand the lamp on the desk exploded making Ominis duck as he covered his ears with his hands.
“Tut, tut. No worries. Let me try something else,” Ollivander simply said before going back to the shelves.
“Ah, I think this one might be it. 11 inches, Phoenix feather, and springy.”
Josephine smiled as that was almost the exact type of wand that she initially had, although the design was different- this wand was dark brown chestnut with a vine-like design weaving around it. It warmed her heart as it wasn’t too different from Hermione’s wand.
The moment Josephine took hold of the wand she felt the magic pulse through her just as she had seven years ago. It felt nostalgic in a way.
“I think we’ve found the one,” Ollivander said happily as Josephine gave him a knut, still shocked at how low the prices were in the 1890s.
After exiting Ollivanders, Ominis and Josephine quickly met back up with Sebastian.
“Did you get everything you needed?” Sebastian asked
“Yeah. We’re good to go,” Josephine said
As the three students turned to make their way out of Hogsmeade, a thunderous roar was heard as a troll emerged into the streets. The three students quickly whipped their wands out, preparing for an inevitable fight.