Chapter Three: An Interesting History of Magic Class
I somehow managed to make it to the Great Hall in one piece and sat down at the Hufflepuff table, to eat my breakfast, which today consisted of some porridge and strawberry jam on toast. As I spread the jam on my toast, and took a bite, I couldn't help but look through the gaps made by some first year's heads and glanced down the Ravenclaw table, searching for Cho. I found her and for a minute I think I stared at her. I must of, because a friend of hers whispered something in her ear and her gaze landed straight on me. Cho and her friends seemed to be amused at something. One of the first years, followed my gaze, looked at Cho, then back at me, grinned and said. "Umm. They're laughing at you because you have a bit of strawberry jam on your chin." I stared at the first year coldly for a second, then thankfully. I raised my hand and wiped the jam off my chin. "Thanks for the heads up." I told the first year. When I looked to where Cho was sitting, I realised she had gone. Darn it. I thought.
After breakfast, I decided to go to my first lesson of the day: History of Magic. As we sat and listened to Professor Binns drone on and on about the troll rebellion that we have heard thousands of times, I decided to tell him exactly that so I put my hand. "Yes, Mr Diggory?" He asked, with a bored tone of voice. "Professor Binns sir, umm, you've told us about the troll rebellion every single year since our first year. I think everyone's sick of it, learning the same thing every year, being told the same information every year." I said, hoping not to offend the old, ghost teacher. "Is that so, Mr Diggory?" He asked. "Does anyone else agree with Mr Diggory?" His last question was greeted by silence which was broken by the snores of my classmates. Binns floated in mid air, in mid thought. After a minute he said. "I see what you mean Mr Diggory. I have had a lesson planned for centuries, but every headmaster has never allowed me to tell you about a dark time in our history." He said, and then muttering something, every one of my classmates woke up. "Before I begin class, I need you to promise that you wont tell any younger students what I am about to tell you." Everyone promised. So Binns went on to tell us about what people used to do to people like us if they ever found us. Some pretty gruesome stuff, that's for sure. It didn't end with the tying of witches to the stake and being burnt alive, oh no. that was just for public satisfaction. Instead of burning them til they died, they were burnt until half-dead. As they were untied from the stake, they were knocked out. The crowd all believed they were dead. The dead bodies were then transported to an underground building under the police station. It was later known by us as the equivalent of the Gestapo head quarters torture chambers. The poor souls of our ancestors and the innocents were tortured until they gave up. From there, if they cooperated quickly, it was a quick death. But if they refused to give up, it could be a slower, painful one. No wonder the previous headmasters didn't want us knowing. It's not exactly ones cup of tea. The history went on; the Nazi's took that idea and punished any witches or wizards they found in the same way. We only know about this due to the fact that some lucky people escaped and told their stories to relatives before disappearing forever. Binns told us that his very own great great grandfather had worked in the one under the police headquarters in Baker Street. He worked there ever since he found out his own son married a witch and watched in horror as his son died as a result of his wife's magic, just before she had a son. "My great great grandfather was horrified as to what happened to his son; he never forgave his daughter-in-law and personally tortured and killed her. He couldn't kill the baby. He didn't have the heart to. So he looked after the poor little kid who never knew his parents and lived a normal life. He never came to Hogwarts as he was a squib, and so my great great grandfather didn't have to kill him." Professor Binns said. The bell then went. That was a most interesting lesson. Everyone filed out of the classroom, off to wherever they had to go next.