Chapter 2: New Professor
"Hello students!" Ramsay boasted as he entered the room.
"Hello Professor Ramsay." they chorused back.
"Today….we won't be doing anything because it's too bloody dark in this dungeon." He slammed his stack of books down onto the front table. "Seriously! How did any of you learn in here?" Some of the students stifled snickers. "It's impossible to tell the difference between Horse Nettles and Nightshade in this light. It would be all too easy to add Death Camas instead of Wild Garlic. No, no, no, this won't do." He tied a white apron on and whisked out his wand. "You." He gestured towards Goyle, who flinched at the outstretched wand. "You're in charge of clearing out clutter. Take two students with you." He grabbed Blaise and a Ravenclaw girl. "You." Now it was Hermione. "You're in charge of organizing the ingredient shelves. Toss out anything expired or virtually empty. Take two people with you." She brought Luna and Ron with her. "And you two." The wand swished back and forth between Harry and Malfoy. "Break out your wands and start charming some fake skylights in here. I want it sunny and bright." Before they could argue he turned around and started upgrading the desks and tables.
"I'll do this half," Malfoy said, pointing at the ceiling, "and you take the rest." Harry decided to keep his mouth shut and get to work. To be honest, it was a little tricky to get the skylights to work. There were a lot of layers to it and charms wasn't quite his strong suit. The first time around it quickly clouded up and started raining on him. The second time it was sunny but shutters appeared that kept opening and closing, going light and dark and light again, making such a loud clap each time that the others started laughing. Ironically the third time was the one that worked. Looked like paned glass, with indirect sunlight, and some light clouds drifting by. He frowned when he looked over and Malfoy was already working on his third one. At least his looked the same so they weren't going to have different designs. He had just finished his second one when a head of silver-blond came into his side vision. "Having trouble, Potter?" Harry immediately opened his mouth to snap back before he processed the fact that the question was asked without any sarcasm.
"Er, I guess I'm a little slower than you at this. Want to do one more while I do the other?" Malfoy nodded, his face a mask, and they looked up, charming the ceiling side by side. "Thank you." Harry mumbled, not looking over.
"Hmm." The other boy grunted in response.
"Well done, boys!" the professor smirked. "Just the right amount of light and it all looks the same too. Wonderful." He clapped them on the shoulders and walked away to check on the other students. The desks had all been made over into a light beige wood, and the workbenches were no longer black with built up spills; now they were a light gray with granite looking tops.
"I heard he's famous in the muggle world." Malfoy said. Harry looked over in surprise. Were they really going to have a normal conversation?
"What's he famous for?" He had to admit he was quite curious.
"He's some kind of chef or something. Yells at a lot of people and makes them feel inferior." Harry raises his eyebrow, thinking he really didn't seem like that so far. "Guess that's just with full-grown adults though. Kids and teens he's real patient with."
"Interesting. Guess he'll be good for the first years."
Malfoy nodded and jumped up to sit on the workbench closest to them. Harry leaned back and crossed his arms. "I know it was you." Harry looked over, his eye catching on the other's long legs. "I know you're the one that said not to boo at the new Slytherin kids."
Harry shrugged. "It was just an idea. No reason to be negative towards kids that young." Malfoy nodded, his jaw moving like he was working the words out in his mouth. 'He has a nice jawline.' Harry's thought blurt out. What the hell? Where was that coming from?
"Thank you….for that." Malfoy finally said. "It actually meant a lot to our house."
He looked like he was ready to bolt out of his skin from having to say that to Harry so he decided to not make a big deal out of it. "No prob. Like I said, no reason to be mean to kids."
"Harry!" Hermione shrieked from across the room. He rushed over and pushed past the other kids that had started crowding around her.
"Hermione! What is-" He stopped and saw the small python that was wrapped around her hand.
"I'm sorry." She apologized, blushing at the commotion she caused. "It startled me. It just came out from behind the bottles and wrapped around me." She looked up at him. "Do you think you can still talk to it?"
Harry hesitated. Now that Voldemort was gone, could he still speak Parseltongue? He leaned down and Hermione raised her hand a bit to meet him. The snake turned its little green head towards him. Hello. It hissed. Well, he could still understand it, that was for sure.
He let his mind blank a little, just thinking of the sound of snakes hissing. "Hello." He hissed back.
You speak me. Its head turned, looking at all the students. Lot of large creatures. Scared.
"Can you guys back up a bit? Its scared from everyone crowding so close." Harry interpreted. "What's your name?"
Don't know. Never told one. I am girl. Born here. Left here. Eat mice sometimes. Listen to large creatures come and go.
Harry held out his hand and the snake went to him. "She's been here for a little while. Snape must have bred her and forgot about her."
"She seems to like you, mate." Ron smiled. She curled around his arm, climbing up until she went under his robes, peeking out from behind his neck, draped over his shoulder.
"I suppose I'll keep her." Harry smiled too.
"Well you'll have to name her, of course." Luna piped up from the back.
"Andromeda." he blurted out. The snake hissed pleasantly and laid against his skin. He had to chuckle a little. "I think she likes it."
"Alright, students. Back to work please." Ramsay clapped his hands. "Ms. Granger, please be careful for anymore. We don't need you getting bitten by something venomous."
