After lunch in the Great Hall, Albus Potter hurried up the stairs, with one of his father's most prized possesions, The Marauder's Map, in his hand. He passed the Serpentine Corridor and walked into Classroom 3C with Louis and Rose on his sides. The room was already seated with the first-years of Slytherin.
Professor Molly Weasley was in the front of the room, face in a book called 'Tales of Beedle the Bard".
When everyone was seated down, Professor Weasley stood up, took a deep breath, and began her lesson.
"Good afternoon, class. I am Professor Molly Weasley I," she took an indignant glance in Molly Weasley II's direction, "your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher this year. We will be learning various spells this year, as well as learning about numerous magical creatures, which will be futher elaborated in your third year at Hogwarts. Now, on with the lesson."
"Professor Weasel-y. Ha! Not any good at D.A.D.A. or duelling, as a weasel,"a voice erupted from the back of the room. It belonged to Scorpius Malfoy, an oily boy with an even oilier father.
Professor Weasley's ears seemed to prick up at the slightest mention of her name. "Now, now, Mr. Malfoy. Don't follow your father's old ways."
"My father was a great man. He was a skilled dueller, unlike you, Professor Weasel-y."
"Five points from Slytherin, Mr. Malfoy." This seemed to shut him up
"Mr. Malfoy, will you please come forward?" Shaking, Scorpius walked to the front.
"Take out your wand." This sounded more like an order than a request. Albus had a feeling he knew what was to happen.
Scorpius pulled his hawthorn wand out of his robe.
"Duel me," came the professor's voice.
Brandishing his own wand, Scorpius circled his teacher, scanning for weak spots, while Professor Weasley stood absolutely still. Scorpius made a few false alarms, but she didn't even flinch.
Tired of waiting, Scorpius uttered a single word,"Tarantallegra!"
Before the charm even took effect, Professor Weasley whipped around and slashed her wand through the air.
The force of her non-verbal Shield Charm was so powerful, Scorpius fell backwards, and hit a desk.
Flushing and turning pink, little Scorpius hurried back to his own seat.
Professor Weasley waved her wand and small mirrors floated onto the desks of the first-years.
"Today, we will be trying to perform the Knockback Jinx, Flipendo. If performed correctely, it can be used to physically repel or knock down people and objects, and blast apartfragile objects, like mirrors." She held up the small fragment of glass.
"Whoever can perform the jinx accurately by the end of the lesson will each earn ten points for their house. Begin!"
Albus had been taught a few simple spells, like the Wand-Lighting Charm, by his father, but this was all new to him.
"Yes, almost there. No, not quite. There you go, just a little bit more." Professor Weasley went around the classroom, inspecting all different sorts of Knockback Jinxes.
Albus took a deep breath, and swished his wand, speaking the words,"Flipendo!" The mirror on the table cracked, leaving a jagged line in the middle.
He tried again. "Flipendo!" The mirror shattered.
The only students with broken mirrors on their tables by the end of the lesson were him, Rose and… Scorpius.
"As promisied, twenty points to Gryffindor and ten to Slytherin." Professor Weasley smiled and winked in Albus' direction.
"Duelling Club is coming up. Feel free to sign up on your House's notice board."
Charms was actually quite fun.
Professor Flitwick, Deputy Headmaster, Head of Ravenclaw House, and Hogwarts Charms Master was tiny. He had to stand on a pile of books to reach his desk, and he spoke in a squeaky voice.
"Good morning class. Today, we will be trying the Levitation Charm, Wingardium Leviosa. But before that, let us practise the hand movement. It's basically 'Swish and Flick'. 'Swish and Flick'."
The class imitated his movement.
"Very good. Now, get on with the charm, with feathers. Please take them from the feather box.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" The feather lifted a little bit, then some more, and soon it was flying above Albus' head.
"How on earth did you do it, Al?" asked Louis, whose feather still would not budge an inch.
This was one of the few spells his father had managed to teach him before attending Hogwarts. This was one of the easier ones. His brother James had almost managed to cast a Patronus. He had seen silvery sparks emerge from his wand, but had flickered and vanished almost instantly.
The azure sky was a brilliant shade of dark blue by the time Charms ended. Dinner was served in the Great Hall. The return trip to the dormitories was tiring.
After signing his name on the Gryffindor notice board for Duelling Club along with Louis, Rose and Molly, Albus slumped onto the bed almost instantly after he changed into his pajamas. His snowy owl, Hedwig II, stared at him with large, obsidian eyes, as if reading his mind for traces of owl food. It wasn't any later than nine when Albus was snoring lightly.
The morning class went through quite smoothly, with Professor Slughorn awarding twenty points to Gryffindor for Albus and Roses's outstanding performance in Potions.
History of Magic was unbearably boring. The subject was taught by Professor Binns, a ghost, who had a habit of calling his students weird names. Albus got Mr. Portter, which made his name sound like
The first lesson was about the Headmasters of Hogwarts, which Albus knew all about, considering he was named after two Headmasters.
Lunch came, and the trio rushed to the Great Hall for their first Duelling Club meeting.
The Great Hall was already packed with students from various year-levels. Professors Flitwick and Weasley were standing on an empty table, waiting for the bell to ring.
Albus noticed a stern-looking Professor McGonagall lurking at the back of the hall, as if inspecting his every move, and figured out that she was not the woman you would want to cross this particular day.
"Okay everyone!" came Professor Weasley's voice. "Welcome to Duelling Club! Here, one can master the art of duelling, something you will not be able to learn in normal classes. Let us start with a demonstration of professional duelling. Filius, will you please…"
As Professor Flitwick raised his wand over his tiny head, the hall became silent. Professor McGonagall was still slumping against the wall.
"Blimey!" whispered Louis in Albus's ear as Professor Flitwick slashed his wand, cutting through the air. Professor Weasley moved just as quickly. Her Shield Charm was enough to send the Charms Master flying.
He was back on his feet just as his opponent sent a snake down his way. With a flick of his wand, the snake disappeared. Another swift movement, and a burst of fire in the shape of a snake, erupted from his wand.
Professor Weasley easily blocked it, and the snake slithered away from the table… straight at Professor McGonagall. Except Professor McGonagall wasn't there. Instead, a brown tabby cat was on the table. It leaped into the air... and morphed into the Headmistress.
Professor McGonagall whipped her wand out of her cloak before shouting,"Expecto Patronum!" A small silver cat scurried out of the wood, and jumped at Professor Flitwick.
There was an irrating noise before the ground trembled. The doors to the Great Hall opened, and in came two truly mystifying creatures. They had the hed and torso of a regular man, but starting from the waist, was the body of a horse. One had a large scar on his body. Albus had been educated by his father on these particular creatures.
Centaurs.
They galloped up to Professor McGonagall. The scarred one spoke,"Firenze is dead."
