A/N- Thanks to my lovely reviewers, and those who put me on story alert. Ah, and I forgot to put a Disclaimer up last time so-
Disclaimer- I ProperT do solemnly swear that I am up to no high jinks. I'm not making any profits off this. All the familiar names, places, settings, and whatever else I could be sued for does not belong to me. It belongs to JK, Warner Brothers, Scholastic, and whoever else needs some credit. And that goes ditto for the first chapter too.
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First Year, First Hopes Pt. 2
Friday night catches David and I slowly headed towards the DADA classroom.
"So you're definitely sure about this?" he asks me.
He's asked me this question about 300 times already just since Lunch. He acts as if we're about to get jumped. Not that the thought hadn't crossed my mind or anything, but I doubt Professor Harmony would set us up to get jumped.
So I nod my head again and give him a look.
"Okay then. But remember this was your idea." He says with a huff.
I ignore him as we're getting closer to her chambers.
"What if we get hurt and can't attend the Halloween feast tomorrow?" He asks.
I stop.
That's actually plausible, isn't it?
"You see," he says.
I just shrug my shoulders and keep going. Chances are that at a social affair such as the Halloween feast, David would be sitting with Flint and our two other dorm mates Stanton and Zabini, so I could care less if I would miss such an affair.
I can hear David sigh behind me, but he follows none the less. We reach and I knock on the door. A moment later, Professor Harmony opens the door with a smile on her face.
"Glad you made it. Come in."
I walk in to see 6 other kids sitting in the room.
From Hufflepuff, the MacMillian twins- their name are something like Timmy and Tommy or John and Sean, you know something to that twin effect.
From Ravenclaw there's Davies and Coroner.
And to much my surprise there's Potter and Weasley.
"Do I need to make introductions?" Professor Harmony asks.
I start to shake my head but she says them anyways.
"I'm sure you know Albus, you just partnered him the other day, and that would be Rose next to him. Gryffindor's they are. At this table are our resident Hufflepuffs Derrick and Eric."
See, something to that twin effect.
"And last but certainly not least, Roger and Michelle from Ravenclaw."
I nod to show I understand. David does the same.
"And these two here are Scorpius and David from Slytherin. Grab that last bench boys,"
The benches are arranged in a square. We sit on the last bench placing us opposite the Gryffindors, with the Ravenclaws on our right, and the Hufflepuffs on out left.
"So now that everyone is here, bare with me while I explain what the point of this group is for our newcomers- the Ravenclaws and the Slytherins."
Of course we trade glances with the Ravenclaws.
"Well the idea for this started when Al here-"
"Can I tell it?"
It's Weasley who asks this.
"Of course Rose, be my guest." Professor Harmony states.
She stands and smiles before she starts-
"Around my house I'm always seeing my mum do magic without speaking-"
At this I immediately look at Potter who only smirks before putting his attention back on his cousin.
"And my mum answered that some people can do non verbal magic. So first I asked who else I knew who could do it, and so she named some people in the family who could do it sometimes… but anyways that's getting off the story."
She takes a breath and begins again.
"So then I asked, if I could do non verbal magic? And she said I first have to learn verbal magic. And I asked why? And it was the first time my mum didn't have a quick answer on something. In fact she seemed to think about it really long. I actually had to call her name again. And when she looked at me she just said 'because you don't start learning non verbal magic until you reach your sixth year at Hogwarts.'"
She took another breath and got excited as she spoke again.
"So I realized that wasn't one of my mum's concrete answers. So I asked 'why not learn both at the same time?' And this time she really didn't know what to say, she just ended up saying 'it's probably way too difficult at a young age Rose', which from my mum just means she didn't want me to try it. And that's why we're here."
She said with a smile and sat down.
"I think you may have skipped some other parts Rose," Professor Harmony said with a smile, "but I'll finish those."
Professor stood back up.
"Well, after Rose learned all this, she got the idea that she would try and learn non verbal magic on her own. But she wasn't getting anywhere, and so she approached me and asked did I know if it was possible for a first year to learn non verbal magic, or are they really too young?"
I must admit I was paying rapt attention to all this.
"And I answered honestly that 'I didn't know and that it's hard enough just learning verbal magic when you're a first year and that non verbal magic might be a bit of a stretch.'"
At this, Professor Harmony turned to me.
"But I also told her that I'd be willing to help her try and figure it out, if she wanted some help with it. And that was about three weeks ago. At first it was only Rose and I, but we weren't getting very far. So I thought it might work better if we had more people. And so she got Al. And then Al and Rose thought Derrick and Eric might be good. And then they all thought Roger and Michelle would be good. And then that left the Slytherins."
By now everyone was looking at David and me.
"Now just between us nine, I'll admit that having Markell Flint, Stanley Stanton, or Flaime Zabini in this little group did not go well with me personally."
Everyone laughs at that- even I manage a smile.
"And I will also admit that anyone from the little group of Slytherin witches Peony Parkinson, Orissa Gamp and Courtney Smith didn't sit well with me either."
Everyone smiles.
"But I also didn't want to discriminate against a house. Luckily Al mentioned that Scorpius didn't talk already. In fact he thought-"
"I thought you could probably already do non verbal magic."
Potter said unabatedly.
"Yes, that's what he thought. And then Rose added that David wasn't as bad as everyone else in Slytherin, and that maybe we should ask them." Professor Harmony finished.
So that's why Potter kept giving me funny looks, and why Weasley probably stood up for me in the hallway that day.
"So now everyone knows why were here, and how they got to be here. Is there anything anyone would like to say?"
At this the Coroner girl raised her hand as she stood.
"Yes Michelle?"
"Just so I'm sure, we're here to see if we can learn non verbal magic in only our first year?"
"Yes that's the aim." Professor Harmony answered.
"Excellent"
And Michelle smiled and sat back down.
"Anything else?"
I glance over towards David. He looks at me.
If you haven't figured it out by now, David seems to understand what I'm trying to say, even though I haven't said a word. And so in the look I give him he understands what I want to know and stands.
"Yes David?" Professor Harmony asks.
"Have you guys accomplished anything so far?"
Which is exactly what I wanted to know.
"No, not yet." She states.
David looks at me. I just shrug my shoulders.
"Can we think about this?" He asks.
"What do you mean can you think about it?"
It's Weasley.
"Rose calm down." Professor Harmony states.
David and I trade smirks.
"But-" she starts.
"It's okay, they have the right to think about, don't they?"
"I guess…" she admits stubbornly.
"Besides I suspect it's that Slytherin blood in their veins telling them to make sure they're not putting in effort on a waste of time. It's sort of like your Gryffindor blood made you bold enough to even attempt this. And Ravenclaw Michelle's thirst for knowledge that makes her eager to begin. And Derrick and Eric were a bit skeptical as well, but they promised they'd try hard, just as most Hufflepuff's will always do. Let them be them, that was part of the reason we added more people wasn't it?"
"Yes Professor." She said though she wasn't as upset as before.
"Good. Now, will you two be thinking about it while staying here today, or will you be leaving and giving us an answer when you decide?"
At this David looks at me, and I nod.
"We'll stay."
"Brilliant." She says simply, and then asks, "Now tell me some things you guys have all learned so far in your wand using classes?"
"We've learned how to transfigure needles into matchsticks and vice versa." Rose says immediately.
"We also learned the levitation spell in Charms." Davies says.
"Good, I think we'll use that Roger, since I don't have any match sticks or needles. Plus I'm sure non verbal Transfiguration is a lot harder that non verbal Charms." Professor Harmony says.
And then with a flick of her wand she's conjured eight feathers that are floating in front of each of us.
"Grab a feather kids." She says.
We all grab one.
"Place your feather on the floor. Wands out- and you might want spread your benches out a bit, so there's space."
We begin to move our benches back, and pull our wands out.
"Now have you all successfully pulled off the levitation charm?" Everyone says yes except me.
"Don't worry Scorpius, I'm way ahead of you. But now if the rest of you are ready, I first want you to do it a couple of times verbally, just to get your wand movement right, and the right pronunciation going. It's even more important that those things be right when you attempt non verbal magic."
The rest of the group starts trying to make their feathers fly. I see off the bat that Rose's is already off the ground.
"So Scorpius, let's talk a bit, shall we? Or should I say I'll talk and you nod?" She says with a smile.
I walk over with her to a corner of the room away from everyone else.
"So, I'm sure you aware that I currently know you're failing Transfiguration, and Charms?"
I told you all Professors talk. I nod.
"And as you also know, they've all tried various methods and ways to get you to talk. Even Headmistress McGonagall has tried. But do you remember when I told you I had staff meeting that day?"
I nod.
"Well after that meeting I approached the Headmistress and discussed this group with her. Now at first she didn't approve, said it could be dangerous and listed a whole host of reasons why I shouldn't continue. But then I mentioned that the group- and I emphasized 'group'; said they wanted you to be one of the Slytherin participants."
At this I see her smile.
"Once she heard that, she almost smiled." Professor Harmony said with a smirk.
Headmistress McGonagall's usual face consisted of a thin lipped expression. Though it's said it's not hard to make her smile, she insists on keeping up the thin lipped face.
"Then she started listing all the reasons why she could make this one allowance just to see how it goes. And that I should keep her posted yada, yada, yada, etc, etc, etc…"
She laughed. I smiled.
"Anyways, while your classmates are testing non verbal magic with stuff they've learned to do verbally already for you it'll be straight non verbal, which means that it might take you longer- and if that's the case I don't want you to be discouraged."
At this she gives me a look that begs me to understand. I nod.
"Right, but on the other hand I think you might be a bit faster at certain things. I don't know what things, but we'll find out together, ok?" She asks.
Really? I give her a curious expression.
"I'm assuming you want to know why I think you might do better?"
I nod.
"Well, what I've learned about magic, is that once you know you can do it, it all pretty much gets easier from their. So I'm of the opinion since you'll be doing nothing but non verbal magic, it'll get easier for you to pull it off once you know the mechanics of what goes into it. That you'll familiarize yourself better with it. Does that make sense to you?"
Not only does it make sense, it actually gives me hope. I can feel myself smiling as I nod.
"Good, now I don't know what you usually do in Transfiguration and Charms, but if you weren't I want you to start paying attention to what's going on. Wand movements and pronunciation's is the key. Watch the Professor closely, and when a student gets it, watch them do it as well. David does alright in my class; hopefully he's decent in other classes too. This is why we have pairs for this little group. So hopefully you guys can help each other out. Think you can do that?"
Of course I pay attention in the classes. There are moments when I'm sorely tempted to try the magic, but I don't.
I nod and give Professor Harmony a small smile.
"Good, now do you think you know the proper wand movement for the Flotation spell?"
I look at the others floating their feathers in the air and think I can do it.
I nod.
"Good then show me."
I pull my wand out and do the swish and flick motion I remember Flitwick doing in class.
"Not bad. First try?" she asks.
I nod.
"Well, you need more Flick, like this."
She gives a demonstration of more Flick.
I try again,
"Better, now keep trying."
I do this for about five more tries.
"That's good, now I trust you've heard the proper pronunciation , but just in case you haven't it's 'Win-gar-dee-um Le-vee-o-sa' now repeat that in your head."
I begin to do so. She let's me do that for about a minute.
"Right. So now the key is to match the wording with the Swish and Flick. Like so, 'Wingardium Leviosa'"
I watch as the Flick comes down just as the v sound comes in. She does it a few more times- each time the Flick comes down just as the v sounds.
"Think you got that?" she asks.
I nod.
"Good. Now let's watch the whole group try."
We head back to the group.
"Okay then, everyone think they're ready to start?"
"Yeah" Potter says eagerly.
"Alright then, everyone give it a shot nonverbally."
And I watch as Weasley is the first to try. Her feather doesn't move. And even though I think she's annoying, I have to admit she's Brilliant with her wand. If she can't do it, that doesn't leave much hope for the rest of us.
Everyone else starts to get to work. I look down at my feather. And start to focus.
'Wingardium Leviosa, Wingardium Leviosa, Wingardium Leviosa"
On the last one I tried it with the swish and flick. Nothing happened.
"Come on now don't be discouraged. Trust me when I tell you some sixth and seventh years can't do it either. Or adults for that matter."
A half an hour later and no floating feathers from anyone, she speaks.
"Okay everyone that's our hour. We'll try again next Friday."
"Aww, can't we stay longer?" Weasley asks.
"Nope I want to make sure you guys have plenty of time to get to your common rooms"
"Then can we at least do this twice a week?" Potter asks.
She seems to think this over.
"Well I suppose, but the next day wouldn't be a set day like Friday. Between detention duties, patrol duties, marking papers, and just plain ole leisure time a Professor's duties are never done."
"Please" Potter begs.
Doesn't the boy have any sense of decency? Pleading with those bright green eyes like that?
"Okay, we can meet Tuesday same time, how's that sound?" she asks.
"Yes"
Almost the whole groups said yes together.
"Okay, okay, now get out of here."
And everyone starts to leave. David and I are the last to step out of the room, but when we step outside we see that the whole group is still standing there.
I quirk an eyebrow at them.
"We waited because we- Ow," Potter is interrupted by an elbow from Weasley into his ribs.
"I mean, I wanted to know if you really don't know how to do non verbal magic already?" He says correcting his previous sentence, but adds "But you guys want to know the same if you're still here Rose."
She gives him a look, but he doesn't seem to care as he rubs his ribs.
"Of course he can't do non verbal magic. If he could have he would have by now don't you think?" David drawls.
Personally I think a drawl is annoying, but my father drawls, and so does my grandfather, so I'm sure if I spoke I would too. And it's just another reason to keep my mouth shut if you ask me.
"Well, he could hide it, couldn't he? I mean if everyone knew he could do non verbal as a first year, no one would ever leave him alone, would they?" Potter states.
At this David gives me a look. I guess Potter's words, made sense to him. They did to me a bit. I shake my head.
"No, he can't." David replies.
"Oh, ok then," Potter says simply.
"What about the group?" Weasley says as she elbows Potter again.
"Stop doing that Rose or I'm telling your mum. Besides, ask them yourself, they're standing right there you know?"
At this Weasley sort of gives us a scared look over. It's quite funny actually, and I smirk at her. It seems to annoy her.
"Well? What is it?" David quizzes.
She's caught off guard by David's sudden words, and begins to blush.
"Erm…Are you two stay… I mean, going to stay or not?" She finally asks while still blushing.
Is that all? I nod.
"That's everything then." Potter says happily.
"Wait Al," she says stopping him before he can go. "You can't tell anyone else. The Headmistress knows but that's it really. So you're going to have to make up something if anyone asks. And if you're not going to show up, just make sure you let someone else know, ok?"
David and I both nod. So do the Ravenclaws.
"I guess that's it then." She states.
"Finally." Potter remarks.
Everyone starts to head off towards their common rooms, but it seems David and I have the Gryffindors following us.
I stop to turn around and face them.
"Erm…" Weasley says.
I quirk my eyebrow again.
"Yes we were following you." Potter says outright.
"How do you know if that's what he was going to say?" Weasley says looking at her cousin.
"Well if it were me, I'd want to know if I was being followed." Potter states.
"He could've been turning around because he forgot something."
"Like what?" Potter asks looking actually bewildered.
"It doesn't matter what Al, he just could have." Weasley practically yells at him.
I look at David to see if he's as entertained as I am by their arguing, and see he's smiling too. But I realize this could go on for a while and nod to David.
"Are you going to tell us why you were following us?" he asks.
They stop arguing and look at us. Then they exchange looks.
"Oh, well I think you're interesting." Potter says simply.
"Al, that's rude." Weasley says.
I don't know whether to laugh or be mad at his blatant honesty.
"And I don't know why Rose is here, especially since her dad told her stay away from you, and she's scared he'll find out we hang out regularly." Potter adds just for good measure, as if he's purposely trying to get her mad.
"Al, you didn't have to tell them all that." She says turning very red.
"What?" Potter asks with that same bewildered expression.
At this David and I start laughing- a quiet laugh for myself.
"What's so funny?" They both ask.
"You two," David replies.
At this Weasley seems to turn even redder, while Potter seems to think on it.
"I guess we do sound funny hun?" He admits.
"Forget it, I'm leaving."
And Weasley storms off.
"What's got her wand in a knot?" David asks just as she turns the corner, "She's the one that came after us. If anything we should be mad."
"I don't know, she was a bit weird…"
"Only a bit?" David asks.
"Well yeah. She doesn't usually turn all red like that when we're arguing, but the arguing itself is normal."
I can only shake my head in amusement.
"So, wanna hang out?" Potter asks.
"What?" David asks thoroughly surprised.
I almost said the same thing, and considering I don't speak, well you get my point.
"You know, hang out? Watch the Quidditch practices, make fun of girls, play exploding snap, hang out?"
"Potter, we're Slytherins." David states seriously.
"So?"
"You're a Gryffindor."
"So?"
"Why would we hang out?"
"Because we wanted too,"
I must admit the simplicity of his answers is an attractive quality. I mean to be able to simplify everything like that is good. I didn't mean it made him attractive.
"And why would we want to hang out Potter?" David asked.
"Because we get along."
"But we don't get along. We don't even know each other." David said sounding annoyed.
"Then we hang out so we can know each other."
"But that's why we don't know each other, because we don't want to."
At this Potter seems to stop and think as if just getting David's meaning.
"So… you don't want to hang out?"
"No"
"Because I'm a Gryffindor and you guys are Slytherins?" He asks.
"Exactly."
"Ok, but that's a rubbish reason to not to get to know someone, you know?"
"We don't make the rules."
"Yeah you just follow them. Forget I said anything, I thought you two were interesting, but I guess you're just like everyone else in your house after all. Later"
And Potter turned around and started to walk away.
But for some reason his words have cut a little too close too home… or should I say cut a little to close to house.
'Just like everyone else in your house'
If there's one thing I'm not, it's just like everyone else in my house. And I don't like the insinuation that I am.
"Can you-"
Before David can even finish his sentence I take off after Potter. I'm not exactly sure which way is the Gryffindor common room, but I know it's up in a tower, so I head for the stairs.
I'm in luck. He's a few flights up on the moving staircases. I try to wave to get his attention, but he doesn't see. I pull out my wand.
I can't do non verbal magic, but I know a quick flick of my wand can still usually get me a few sparks. So I flick it. And sure enough a few sparks fly out.
Luckily the staircase has just stopped moving in the right spot and he looks at where the sparks are coming from. I wave my arm at him.
This seems to be funny because he smirks. I start to walk up, and he starts to walk down. We meet on a staircase that moves just as we both step on it.
"I used to think these things were neat, but they're bloody annoying." He states.
I just nod as I try to catch my breath in a dignified manner.
"So… what brings you up this way?" He asks with a smirk.
I just shrug my shoulders. It's not like there's a way I can say, 'I'm not like the rest of my house, and I don't want you to think that way.' Or is there?
"You don't know? I find that hard to believe." He states after the shoulder shrug.
I nod. And then put out my hand for him to shake, hoping he gets my meaning.
He looks at my hand.
"So we can hang out then?" He asks.
I just shrug one shoulder this time, as if to say 'okay, but not all the time.'
"That's good enough Malfoy."
And Albus Potter shakes my hand.
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A/N- First year done. The next chapter will have a huge jump in time. But don't worry, as the story progresses you'll get a bunch of sort of flashes back to the in between years, ok? And I gotta work tomorrow so I may not be able to get an update up, but I'm gonna try. If not there's always Friday. Later Days ;)