Broadschool's Learning Revolution

Chapter 1 – Got To Get Back To Hogwarts!

-1-

Alec ducked as another tongue-tying curse flew over his head, regretting that yet again, he had allowed his father convince him to stay at another year at this school. While he begrudgingly agreed that, yes, it was more sensible to wait until after he finished his OWLs before transferring to somewhere – anywhere – else, he still hated the idea of being subject to such lively surroundings and loud, insensitive younger students.

Dragging his case behind him as he searched for an empty carriage, he was relieved to spot Nellie and Theresa alone in the corner of the third he checked. Honestly, his two friends had been his only comfort ever since – well… for nearly a year now.

"Alec!"

Alec graced his friends with one of his increasingly rare smiles they greeted him in near unison.

Stowing his case under his seat, he flopped down opposite them rather ungracefully, allowing the strain of the summer to melt away. He would miss them when he left.

"Bad journey?" Theresa asked sympathetically.

Unlike his Nellie and Theresa, who lived in Essex and London respectively, Alec lived down in Cornwall, meaning that he not only had one of the longest journeys of anyone, was forced to rely on the Knight Bus to transport him to King's Cross each year, as his cases made it impossible to fly, and he suspected muggles wouldn't take too nicely to an owl on their transport systems.

Alec was prevented from confirming Theresa's inquiry when there was a tentative knock on the door of their compartment. While Alec was still recovering from his surprise, Nellie was already waving to the girl peering through the window, signalling her to join them.

Alec was again struck by surprise when the door opened to reveal an angel. Admittedly, this angel was wearing jeans and a t-shirt proclaiming "C'est La Vie", but surely someone so stunning couldn't be a mere mortal?

He was so absorbed in these thoughts, he was startled to feel Theresa kick him under the table that protruded from the windowsill. Suddenly aware that everyone – including the angel – was staring at his, he self-consciously cleared his throat, and eloquently followed with a:

"Sorry, what?"

Theresa cringed in second-hand embarrassment, while Nellie seemed greatly amused by his distraction.

"I was just introducing everyone to Sarah, here." Nellie smirked, gesturing to the angel, who was now blushing prettily.

"Oh, um, right, um, I'm Alec." He managed to stutter, sticking his hand out somewhat awkwardly to greet her.

"Sarah." She replied, seeming torn between shyness and a mask of confidence.

Alec tried to ignore the fluttering in his chest as their hands touched, scolding himself for his self-perceived lack of control.

"I just transferred from Beauxbatons." She explained, to which Theresa replied;

"Oh how wonderful! Alec wants to go there next year! You'll have to tell him all about it!"

Alec told himself that he was imagining the slightly disappointed look that he could have sworn flittered across Sarah's face at that news.

"Oh, you're leaving?"

"Um, possibly. My father wants me to finish my OWLs first."

"Yes, Papa was reluctant to let me move this year, but he agreed after-" She cut herself off suddenly with a short cough. "He um, my cousin told him how great the teachers are here."

The other three politely ignored the brief distress that had crossed Sarah's face, sensing that it wasn't something she was willing to share quite so soon after their introduction.

"So you're going to be in Fifth Year with us then?" Nellie asked, sensing a change of topic was needed.

"Yes! Oh, yay, I was hoping I'd be with you! What subjects are you taking?"

Alec's attention drifted away as the girls quickly fell into deep conversation.

-2-

About an hour after the train had finally left the station, the conversation was interrupted as the door burst open, announcing the presence of one Peter Vincent.

Cocking an eyebrow as he leaned confidently against the doorframe, he proceeded to thoroughly ignore Alec, as he greeted the others.

"Hello, ladies, nice summer I presume? And whom might this beautiful lady be?" He asked, noticing Sarah.

"Well, she might be called Sarah, but why don't you ask her yourself and find out?"

Alec and Theresa shared a look of exasperation, long resigned to the hostility between Nellie and Peter that, strangely, their friends seemed to rather enjoy.

Alec scowled as he watched Peter smoothly approached Sarah, drawing her hand to his lips as he murmured her name, smirking slightly as he noticed a blush gently spreading across Sarah's cheeks, though, unbeknownst to him, more from embarrassment than being flattered.

"Oh, get lost, Peter." Nellie snapped, annoyed at the Slytherin's obvious flirtation for reasons she didn't care to examine.

Peter straightened as he turned to face his – his friend? Enemy? Um… His Nellie. Wait, no, not his Nellie, not like that! Just – Nellie! Yes, just Nellie. Just Nellie.

"Ah, Nellie! Nellie, Nells, Nell, back to torture me for another year, I see!"

"Couldn't resist." She fake simpered, the loathing in her eyes blatantly displaying her true emotions.

"Well, who could blame you? Honestly, I feel sorry for you; it must be so hard to have to stare at someone so handsome all the time."

"You wish!"

Alec groaned quietly as he let his head fall back against his seat. Not those words. Anything but those words! Neither of them could ever resist a challenge, and those words were famous for leading to duels between the forever quarrelling pair. They hadn't even made it to Hogwarts yet!

"Oh, no! Not wish, Nellie. Dear, sweet, Nellie, never wish! I know so. Why else would you seek me out at every opportunity?" A teasing smirk lit up his eyes as he leaned closer to her.

"I-I-I… Well maybe you've forgotten, but it was you who came to find me, Peter!" Nellie stuttered, praying that the sudden and unexpected warmth in her cheeks wasn't visible.

Peter straighten abruptly.

"Well- Well- I needed to speak to Alec! You being here was entirely coincidence!" He scrambled, smoothing his impeccable shirt.

Alec raised an eyebrow as he raised his head, surprised at being brought into the conversation. Normally the two were far too involved in each other to notice there was anyone else around. He caught Sarah's eye across the carriage, offering what he hoped was a reassuring smile as he observed the slightly amused bewilderment in her gaze.

"Alec?" Nellie asked, suddenly feeling rather deflated. Stupid her, thinking that Peter Vincent of all people would have sought her out.

"Um, yes, Alec." Peter confirmed, turning to face him. "I, um, wanted your advice on, um… Quidditch! Yes, quidditch. I wondered, um, what did you think about the triple spin that the Falcon's did at the game last week?"

"Erh…" Alec did a remarkable job of stifling his amusement at his sort-of-friend's avoidance technique. "They did it well?" He nearly asked, wondering if this would satisfy Peter.

He didn't really know what to say about it. Even to a Quidditch enthusiast like him, there was only so much that could be said about the fairly common-place defence move.

"Right! Yeah, just what I was, um, thinking. Right! Well, thank you! Um… I'll just, um…" Peter backed out of the carriage awkwardly, before seeming to forget that the glass panel in the door allowed its occupants to see his hasty retreat down the corridor.

A moment of silence fell over them.

"Well, that was weird." Theresa commented brightly, subtly scrutinising Nellie's reaction.

Nellie, however, was far to confused to register that anyone had spoken.

"Are they…" Sarah cleared her throat awkwardly. "Are they always like that?"

"Always." Alec answered ruefully, sensing her well-concealed unease. "You get used to it. Eventually." He offered.

"Oh."

Silence.

For the second time in as many minutes, it was left to Theresa to break the silence.

"So, Alec, how was your summer? Anything good happen?"

Alec felt a small smile break across his face as he gazed – what he thought was discreetly – at Sarah.

"Yeah. Yeah, it did."

-3-

The remainder of their journey passed relatively uneventfully, with the exception of when the Honeydukes' Trolley came round. Alec had impulsively bought Sarah a chocolate frog, and then, to cover up his embarrassment, had bought a box of Every Flavour Beans for everyone else to share. Chris' birthday present would have to wait until after their next allowance was sent.

Apart from a minor disturbance when Peter's notorious prankster of a cousin, Elsie, decided to announce her return by letting off a Drone Jinx, the Sorting was equally uneventful, and Alec soon found himself lost in bored contemplation of the charmed ceiling. None of his friends had any siblings joining that year, and if it hadn't been for Nellie prodding him in the side, Alec might have even missed his angel being proclaimed a Ravenclaw.

He tried to ignore the disappointment that swept over him. After all, Theresa was bound to take Sarah under her wing, so it wasn't like he wouldn't see her at all, but he couldn't help feeling slightly bitter that there would be no chess matches or other chances to see the firelight of the Gryffindor Common Room glinting off her hair. At least not any time soon.

Momentarily forgetting his sorrows when a large platter of potato wedges and fried chicken appeared in front of him, Alec allowed Nellie to coax him into conversation with the rest of their year's Gryffindors.

Unbeknown to him, on the next table Sarah was admitting to herself that she was a little disappointed too. She was immensely grateful for Theresa's enthusiastic welcome, but she couldn't help the edge of regret that tinged her happiness when, half way through the feast, she glanced over to the Gryffindor table to see Alec engaged in a lively conversation with Nellie and a few others.

She quickly told herself that she was being stupid – that she couldn't possibly justify being jealous about a boy she had only met that day talking to someone else, but she couldn't deny that she was. She cursed her romantic side as she realised that yet again she'd found herself such an utterly unattainable crush.

Feeling the weight of someone staring at him, Alec looked up and caught her eye across the two tables. The smile and slight wave that he offered was hesitantly returned, and they both found themselves rather distracted for the remainder of the evening.

To his great surprise, Alec found himself reluctant to leave his classmates' company after the feast, but he had to fulfil his new duties as a Prefect of escorting the new Gryffindors up to the tower. He must have been imagining things, but he could have sworn that this year they were even smaller and louder than the midgets that now made up the Second Year. He was certain that his year had never been so rowdy.

Easily navigating the ever-changing corridors of the castle, Alec paused only briefly to greet the girl that he'd sat next to last year in Transfiguration and vaguely remembered as being a Chaser on the Hufflepuff Quidditch team, (Diana?), before continuing to lead his charges towards the Grand Stairwell. Unconsciously allowing a frown to crease his forehead as the cacophonic clamour of excited students echoed off the stone walls, Alec hoped this year would pass quickly.

And please, please let it be less eventful than the last.

But maybe it wouldn't be so bad if it involved a certain new Ravenclaw…