First Day of School
September 2nd, 2003
The alarm went off at six o’clock in the morning.
“Here we go,” sighed Irwin audibly turning off the alarm with his wand.
“Good morning my beautiful goddess,” he said kissing her on the forehead.
“Are you sure its morning?” she groaned.
“It’s six AM and we’ve got three triplets to get up,” he chuckled, “and they’re all starting school today.”
“I’ll take Gawain and Gryffyn if you get Gwenith.”
“Have you ever tried dragging our daughter out of bed?” he asked as they both got dressed in their robes for the day.
“Which is why I have to get up two, but you only get Gwenith,” she nodded as she brushed out her hair and plaited it into one plait down her back.
“Fair enough,” said Irwin, as he did up his shoelaces, “ready steady go?”
“Go,” she nodded as she pulled on her robe over her dress.
Anne headed through to the boy’s bedroom whilst Irwin went to deal with Gwenith who slept like the dead.
Anne turned on the light in the boy’s bedroom and began to wake them gently.
“Gryffyn,” said Anne sitting down on his bed, “it’s time to get up sweetheart.”
He groaned slightly but then opened his eyes.
“Are we starting school today?” he asked excitedly.
“Yes, you are,” she nodded, before moving onto the other bed.
“Morning Gawain,” she said gently sitting down on his bed.
“Gawain?” she called slightly louder.
He opened his eyes and looked at her.
“School?” he muttered drowsily.
“Yes poppet,” she beamed.
“Do you two want to pick your clothes for today then?” she asked getting off of his bed.
“Jeans and T-shirt!” said Gryffyn cheerfully.
“Ok, but you’ll to take a jumper as well in case you get cold.”
Gawain was going through his chest of drawers and carefully picking out an outfit.
He passed her a pair of blue trousers and a blue and green striped jersey. Then he found a pair of green socks and a pair of underpants which he also passed to Anne.
“That’s my big boy,” said Anne beaming at Gawain as she helped Gryffyn pick out a jumper in case he got cold.
She helped the boys brush their teeth and hair, and then helped them get dressed.
“Can you two pick out some shoes please?”
Gryffyn picked out a pair of red trainers which clashed horribly with his purple t-shirt, but that was kind of the point, Gawain chose a pair of green converses which Anne helped him to do up.
“There you go,” she said as she did up Gawain’s laces.
“Don’t my two boys look handsome today?” she beamed.
“Are we going to school now?” asked Gryffyn.
“No,” she chuckled, “breakfast first, then school.”
They headed downstairs where the table was set for breakfast.
“Morning Kreacher!” said Anne as she sat down at the table.
“Morning Mistress Anne,” he nodded as he brought over a large pan of porridge.
“That looks wonderful Kreacher,” she beamed as she started to dish out the porridge.
“Can I have chocolate chips in my porridge?” asked Gryffyn as Anne added raisins and brown sugar to Gawain’s porridge and stirring it for him.
“That’s a bit unconventional son,” said Irwin as he and Gwenith sat down.
Gwenith was wearing a Cinderella costume.
“Isn’t it a bit unconventional to send our daughter to school in a Disney princess costume?” asked Anne raising her eyebrows slightly.
“How else do you think I persuaded her to get out of bed?” he said adding golden syrup to his own porridge and Gryffyn’s.
Anne added some chopped fresh strawberries to her porridge and started to eat her breakfast.
“Duck!” yelled Irwin as he saw an own flying towards the open window.
They all ducked and the new family owl, who was also called Scardi dropped a letter on the table.
The Scardi that Landon and Gwen had bought Irwin ten years ago had died a few months ago, so they had got a new owl and also called him Scardi. But the new Scardi wasn’t particularly well trained yet, he had tendency to fly into people or crash into things.
Scardi dropped the letter into the toast rack, and then flew away to the top of the china cabinet.
“At least there was no mess this morning,” said Irwin in relief as they all went back to their breakfasts.
He picked the letter out of the toast rack and looked at the envelope.
“It’s addressed to everyone,” said Irwin, “do you want to read it Annie?”
Anne nodded as Irwin handed her the letter. She opened the envelope and pulled a letter.
“Dear Mum, Dad, Kreacher, Gryff, Gwenny and Gawain,
How are you all? You’re probably all eating breakfast as you get this because Scardi is ruddy hopeless but give him time, he’ll learn.
Hogwarts is just as amazing as you both described it, I can’t wait to start classes tomorrow!
To surprise no one, I am Ravenclaw!”
“That’s my girl!” said Irwin punching his fist in the air.
“I saw Uncle Arthur, Uncle Nev and Uncle Julian during the sorting, they all waved as I came in.
There was a lot of muttering as my name was called out, but I just ignored it as you’ve taught me to Dad.
Uncle Julian gave me a double thumbs up as I sat down at the Ravenclaw table.
Aislynn waved at me from further down the table where she was sat with the fifth years.
A ghost called the Grey Lady introduced herself to me and said that she knew you both Mum and Dad, she’s going to help us get used to Hogwarts and show us around and help us find the classrooms.”
“Good old Helena,” muttered Irwin.
“There are ten girls in Ravenclaw in my year, we’ve been put in two dorms, five beds in each room. The two dorms have a large bathroom in between them so we can pop through to each other’s dorms.
I’m the only muggleborn in our house but everyone’s really friendly, Tristan Selwyn, Julian’s younger brother is in my house. I haven’t had much of a chance to talk to him yet but he seems really nice.
One of the other girls in my dorm is called Katie Fisher, and she’s a half blood, her Dad’s a muggleborn. Diana has already made friends with Katie’s cat Hazel. Katie seem’s very impressed that Diana is not just a cat but a kneazle.
Aislynn’s just come in to check that we’re all alright, she says to say hi from her. I’ve got to go now, we’re going to have a huge sleepover with all the girls in one dorm, so we can get to know each other properly.
I miss you all already, I love you all loads, Olivia Scamander.”
“Mistress Olivia seems happy,” said Kreacher.
“I should hope so,” said Irwin.
“She’s been begging to go for five years since Averett and Aislynn started,” nodded Anne.
“Speaking of school,” said Irwin, “let’s get a move on!”
“Ok kids,” he said getting up from the table, “let’s go grab our coats and bags please.”
Anne helped the children into their coats as Irwin fetched the three backpacks.
“Gawain,” said Anne as she handed him his bag, “I’ve put The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe in here for you, it’s the sequel to The Magicians Nephew.”
“What’s a sequel?” asked Gwenith.
“What’s a magician?” asked Gryffyn.
“A sequel,” explained Anne as she helped Gwenith on with her backpack, “is the next book in a series, and a magician is a type of wizard.”
“Oh,” nodded Gryffyn.
“Let’s go then,” said Irwin.
They walked out of the house and Irwin took hold of Gwenith and Gryffyn’s hands.
“Gawain,” said Anne crouching down slightly, “I need you to take my hand and don’t let go.”
“Apparate?”
“Yes sweetheart.”
Gawain clenched firmly onto Anne’s hand as they apparated to school.
There was a brand-new sign that had just been put up on the wooden gate reading Elm Grove School.
Anne smiled slightly as they walked up the path.
“Morning students,” said Sirius who was hanging out the window waving at them all.
“Hi Uncle Sirius!” called Gwenith and Gryffyn waving back up at them.
Although they had sent Olivia to the local muggle school, it was different with the rest of the children.
When the triplets had been born only a month after Victoire Bill and Fleur’s first child, they realised that between the Weasley’s, the Lupin’s the Scamander’s and the Potter’s they’d have enough for a small school by the time that everyone had finished having children.
They hadn’t been wrong, there had been three more children born after the triplets, Dominique Bill and Fleur’s second child who was now one, Molly Percy and Audrey’s first child who was now three and then Lucy who was six months old and Molly’s younger sister. And on top of that, both Ginny and Angelina were pregnant.
Remus had already been home-schooling Teddy and Hope whilst Tonks worked, but today was the first official day of the Elm Grove school, and they had four new students Victoire, Gryffyn, Gwenith and Gawain. This meant that the school now had a grand total of six students.
“Morning Professor Sirius!” called Irwin laughing as Sirius nearly fell out of the window.
Anne went into the house with Gawain and Gwenith whilst Irwin and Gryffyn talked to Sirius.
“Hi Dora,” said Anne as she bumped into Tonks who was on her way out of the door for work.
“Hi Anne,” she chuckled after nearly tripping over the doormat.
“Hi Gwenny, hi Gawain.”
“Hi Aunty Dora,” said Gwenith.
“I’m starting school today,” said Gwenith proudly.
“I know,” she nodded, “I’m married to one of the teachers.”
“He’s the handsome one,” she added in a stage whisper.
“We know which one Remus is thanks Dora,” said Anne going into the house.
Anne walked into house with Gawain and Gwenith. Remus was in the middle of setting up the classroom where Anne had originally studied when she was a small girl.
There was three long tables with about four chairs at each table, there was lots of books on one wall and there was also a set of cubby holes with the name of each child painted next to one of the holes.
“Hello Professor Lupin,” smiled Anne.
“Sweetheart,” he beamed running over and pulling her in for a hug.
Anne walked into the room and noticed that there was a framed photograph on an otherwise empty wall.
One was a photo of Anne, Harry and Remus, were about eleven in the photo. Underneath was engraved Class of 1990.
“My first ever pupils,” said Remus reminiscently looking at the photograph as he leaned on one of the tables.
Remus’ hair was starting to grey as he was now forty-three.
“I hope we did you proud,” said Anne looking at the photo.
“Whatever you two do will always make me proud,” said Remus putting an arm around her.
“Why don’t we put your bags away?” suggested Anne.
They walked over to the cubby holes and found the correct places to put the bags. Gwenith’s cubby hole had her name painted in lilac and a tiny butterfly, Gawain’s cubby hole had his name painted in blue and a music note.
Teddy and Hope came running downstairs having just finished getting up not long after this.
“Hi Aunty Annie,” said Teddy waving.
“Hello Anne,” said Hope hugging her around the knees.
“And how is my favourite goddaughter today?”
“I’m your only goddaughter,” said Hope looking up at her.
“Which is why you’re my favourite!” said Anne giving her a kiss.
Teddy was now seven and today his hair was a sea blue. Teddy’s favourite colour was blue, so his hair was a different shade of blue most days.
Hope was nearly six. She had chocolate brown eyes and light brown hair like her father’s. Hope’s hair had been plaited into a half up and then tied off with a pink ribbon to match her jumper.
Hope ran off to play with Gwenith and Irwin came inside with Gryffyn.
“Now then Gryff,” said Irwin firmly kneeling down to talk to him, “are you going to behave yourself?”
“Yes Daddy,” he sighed.
“Are you going to do whatever Uncle Sirius, Uncle Remus or Aunty Angelina ask you to do?”
Gryffyn scrunched up his face for a moment.
“Gryffyn James Scamander, I need you to promise me.”
Gryffyn exhaled deeply.
“Yes Daddy,” he nodded.
“Good boy,” said Irwin getting back up.
“If you get any trouble of him.”
“We know where you live Scamander,” said Sirius coming into the classroom.
“Fair enough,” chuckled Irwin.
Irwin went to go help Gryffyn find where to put his backpack.
Irwin looked at his watch.
“We need to get a move on Annie or we’re going to be late for work.”
“Gawain,” said Anne kneeling down.
No answer, so she tried again.
“Gawain?”
He looked at her curiously.
“You like Aunty Angelina, right?”
Gawain nodded.
“Ok, well she’s going to look after you for me, Daddy and I have to go to work now, we’ll come pick you up at five o’clock, alright?”
Gawain nodded again.
“I love you Gawain,” she said with tears in her eyes, “you be a good boy for me.”
Irwin put an arm around her and they started to head for the door.
“They’ll be fine Annie,” he muttered, “they’re with family.”
“I know, I’m just worried about Gawain.”
“The miracle worker that is Angelina will do her magic,” he assured her.
Gawain ran in front of them as they were about to go out of the house.
“What is it poppet?” asked Anne as they both crouched down.
Gawain gave her a big hug.
“It’s ok sweetheart, we’ll be back this evening.”
“We’ve got to go Annie,” said Irwin who was crouching down next to her.
Gawain then gave Irwin a hug too.
“Bye bye Daddy,” said Gawain as he gave his father a hug.
“Well I wasn’t expecting this,” chuckled Irwin, “physical contact and talking.”
Gawain let his father go and Anne and Irwin walked to the property line and then dissaparated to the Ministry for work.
“You ok Gawain?” asked Teddy joining him in the doorway.
Gawain inclined his head slightly before nodding.
“Why don’t I show you your desk?” suggested Teddy, “Angelina and Vicky will be here before you know it.”
They went to go and get Gawain’s backpack from his cubby hole and moved it over to his desk.
“You’re going to be sitting with me,” said Teddy leading them over to one of the tables.
“This is your place,” said Teddy pointing to Gawain’s name which had been put on a little sign by his seat.
Gawain nodded and sat down and looked around, waiting expectantly for something to start.
Teddy shrugged and sat down at the other end of the table leaving space for Angelina in the middle.
Gryffyn was playing with Hope and Gwenith.
“I am so sorry Remus,” said Fleur as she came running into the classroom with Victoire and Dominique, “I hope we’re not late!”
“No, you’re not late,” chuckled Sirius, “we haven’t even started yet.”
“Domi is teething,” she groaned, “she wouldn’t sleep all night, I’m going to try and get her home to get some sleep now.”
“Ouch,” muttered Sirius, “I remember when Harry was teething, he tried to bite my finger off!”
Fleur hurried back out of the room to get Dominique back to bed.
“You ok Vicky?” asked Teddy.
“My baby sister won’t stop screaming,” said Victoire.
“That must be annoying.”
“It’s ok,” said Victoire as she joined the others playing, “Daddy put a silencing charm around my room, I can’t hear a thing.”
“I’m not late, am I?” asked Angelina slightly breathlessly as she came into the room.
“You’ve not been running, have you?” asked Sirius raising his eyebrows.
“I’m three months pregnant, not made of china,” she said scowling at him slightly.
“No Angelina you’re not late,” said Remus, “it’s only just nine o’clock.”
“Ok kids!” called Sirius loudly, “everyone get to your seats please.”
Gryffyn, Gwenith, Victoire and Hope stopped playing on the ground and rushed over to their seats after grabbing their bags.
“Welcome to the first day back,” said Remus standing at the front of the classroom, Sirius was standing next to him, and Angelina was leaning against the wall.
“Now I know for some of you this is the first time you’ve ever been to school,” he continued, “just out of curiosity, how many of you can read?”
Teddy and Hope shot their hands in the air as did Gawain.
“Good, well that’s a good start, Sirius, Angelina and I are going to be your teachers.”
“Remus is in charge though,” butted in Sirius “as he’s the ‘responsible one.’”
“Yes, thank you Sirius,” muttered Remus.
“I am going to be teaching you all how to read and write, as well as maths and some muggle history.”
“So Uncle Remus is the brainy one which is why he call him Professor Remus,” said Sirius, “can everyone say Professor Remus?”
“Professor Remus,” chorused the class.
“Well done, I however am the fun one, or the cool one.”
Teddy put his hand in the air.
“Yes Teddy?”
“I thought Uncle Harry was the cool one?”
“Yeah that’s right,” nodded Gryffyn.
“I thought he said that Uncle Sirius was the crazy one?” asked Hope.
“Yeah he is,” nodded Victoire, “cool Uncle Harry and crazy Uncle Sirius.”
“Well anyway,” said Sirius, “I am the fun one, which means that I get to do all the fun stuff like teaching you lot how to fly as well as helping Professor Remus over there, which just leaves our glamorous assistant, Angelina.”
Angelina glared at Sirius with her arms folded over her chest, she had agreed to help with the teaching, if nothing else to keep herself from getting bored whilst George and Ron ran the joke shop every day, but she had not signed up to be a ‘glamorous assistant’ to anyone. There was also the fact, that she seemed to have a special connection with Gawain, he would talk to her, so she was going to help him in class.
“Angelina,” said Remus, “why don’t you go sit next to Gawain.”
“Hi Gawain,” said Angelina sitting down next to him, leaving a space between her and Teddy.
Remus gave Teddy some maths problems to work on and then he and Sirius began teaching the rest of the class their alphabet.
“Ok Gawain,” said Angelina, “the first thing we need to do is test your reading level, have you brought a book with you?”
Gawain nodded and pulled his book out of his backpack.
“Could you read the first chapter to me?”
Gawain nodded and started to read out loud in a toneless voice.
He read her the first chapter of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, occasionally stumbling over longer words, but Angelina helped him sound those out.
“Well done Gawain,” said Angelina beaming, “I think that deserves a gold star, for such good reading.”
Angelina went up the front of the classroom and put a gold star sticker on the sticker chart by Gawain’s name.
“Now then,” said Remus clearly, “we have our first sticker on the chart, you all get stickers for good work, the person who gets the most stars by the end of each week gets a special prize!”
After reading, they had story time, and then lunch. After lunch they did maths, and then music time, and then they all played in the garden whilst they waited for their parents to come pick them up.
Gawain read his book under a tree, whilst the others played a game of tag.
“You ok Gawain?” asked Remus coming over to check on him.
Gawain nodded as he turned the page on his book.
By the time that Irwin and Anne got back from work to pick them up Gawain had just finished his book.
“Hi poppet,” said Anne joining him under the tree.
“Hello,” said Gawain as he finished the last page.
“I see you’ve found my favourite tree,” she said sitting down, “I used to spend a lot of time reading under her when I was a little girl.”
“Professor Remus?” he asked as he passed her the book.
“Remus would join me sometimes yeah,” nodded Anne, “but sometimes it would be Luna.”
“Did you enjoy school?” she asked.
“I got four gold stars, we even had music time,” he nodded.
“That’s nice,” she smiled, “you enjoy the book?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good, because there’s five more in the series.”
“Mummy?”
“Hmmm?” she muttered as she watched Irwin chase Gryffyn and Gwenith around the garden.
“Does the person who wrote these books not like magic?”
“What do you mean sweetheart?”
“Well in the first book there was an evil magician, in the second book there was an evil witch, does the person who wrote these books not like magic?”
“I think the author likes magic, it’s just coincidental that the villains in his first two books of the series are magical.”
“Oh,” he muttered.
“Do you want to go home; we can have some tea.”
“Pasta?” he asked hopefully.
“Pasta,” nodded Anne as she up from sitting under the tree.
Gawain got up and Anne took his backpack.
“We ready to head home Annie?” asked Irwin.
Irwin took Gryffyn and Gwenith’s hands and Anne took Gawain’s and they all apparated back to Calleg Lywn.
“Can we play in the garden before tea?” asked Gryffyn.
“Are you two not tired yet?” asked Irwin as he pulled off his robe and his tie.
Gryffyn and Gwenith shook their heads.
“You’ve got a ten second head start,” he beamed as he rolled up his shirt sleeves.
Anne and Gawain headed inside.
“Do you want me to find you the next book?”
“Yes please,” he nodded.
They went through to the sitting room and Anne pulled the box set of Narnia books off of one of the bookshelves.
She put The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe back in the box and then handed them to Gawain.
“It’s heavy,” he muttered as he passed her the boxset.
“They’re yours now.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” she beamed, “I don’t need them anymore.”
They headed up to Gawain and Gryffyn’s room. It was quite clear which was Gawain’s half of the bookshelf, and which was Gryffyn’s.
Gryffyn’s were on the top three shelves, there was a jumbled assortment of toys and picture books, and pictures he had drawn.
Gawain’s were on the bottom three shelves and were neatly organised. The first shelf had picture frames of Gawain and his family, one of the pictures was of the day the triplets were born, Olivia was holding Gwenith, Irwin Gryffyn and Anne was holding Gawain. Another picture was from when Gawain was two, Olivia was reading to him, one of the others showed Newt introducing Gawain to a bowtruckle. The second shelf was full of notebooks that Gawain had started to write down all his ideas in. The final shelf held his books, which were organised by size.
“Do you want to find somewhere to put your new books?”
Gawain nodded and found space for his set of Narnia books on the bottom shelf of his and Gryffyn’s bookcase.
“Which book’s next?”
“The Horse and His Boy,” Anne told him.
“Ok,” he nodded before getting out the next book.
“You need to have tea first sweetheart,” she pointed out.
They had a dinner of pasta with olive oil served with peas and ham.
After dinner Anne passed the boys room and saw Gryffyn climbing on the bookshelf trying to get one of his books down from the top shelf, and Gawain was screaming at him.
“Don’t touch my stuff!”
“I’m not touching it,” protested Gryffyn as he narrowly avoided knocking off one of Gawain’s photo frames, “I’m trying to get to my dragon!”
Gawain huffed and levitated the dragon down for him.
“Thanks Gawain,” he said smiling as he hugged his stuffed dragon.
Gawain grumbled and went back to writing down about his day in his notebook
“Gryff,” said Anne from the doorway, “don’t touch your brother’s things, and don’t let me catch you climbing that bookcase again, it’s dangerous.”
“I won’t,” said Gryffyn beaming as she left, “let you catch me!”