Marie Josephine looked at Fred and James from across the Hall. They were sitting with Molly, Roxanne and two other boys she did not know. She sighed. Houses sucked. The only friends she had made were already caught up in their lives. And even though the girls in her dorm were nice they were so girly and gossipy. They woke up hyper early to get ready when Marie Josephine only needed to wake up fifteen minutes before breakfast and still managed to be on time when they didn't. Leo was sweet but a little shy and Ward was a right down idiot. He had a broomstick up his ass, that was for sure. Hot, definitely, but stuck up.
After breakfast, she was supposed to meet the Headmistress for a quick test of her abilities as a witch. She was a little worried. Sure, she was smart but she was lazy. She didn't work more than what was asked, and more often than not she did barely that. She had the ability to multi-task so even though she did not pay attention in class, she was able to remember things her friends did not. Sighing, she picked her bag and left the Hall unnoticed. She had asked the girls how to get to the Headmistress's office and focused on the turns and staircases Gemma had told her to take. Ten minutes later, she found herself in front of a Griffin statue that she recognized as the entrance to McGonagall's office. She sighed in relief.
"Ms. Wright, glad to see you found your way. How are you today?" Professor McGonagall asked from behind her.
"Hello Professor! Yes I asked Gemma for some help."
"Good, good. Ginger Newt" she said and the Griffin spun revealing a spiral staircase. Marie Josephine climbed the stairs behind the Headmistress. She motioned for her to sit at the chair across from her at the desk.
"I'm going to quickly test you. May I ask, first of all, what you wish to do after you are done with Hogwarts?"
"Well, I would like to play Quidditch professionally, but I'd like to work with dragons afterwards."
"Well, that sure is ambitious."
"I know, but technically realistic. I have been on Beauxbaton's Quidditch team since my first year, and I've already had a scout contact me in France. My parents only required I finished my seventh year. But then we moved here so the deal was cut off."
"Oh, I see. And what about dragons?"
"Well, at first I thought about Magical Creatures in general, but then I read this interesting article about dragons being the least understood magical creatures. Even more than Centaurs, who are actually really cut out from human society. So that spurt my interest for dragons more specifically. Especially because there are still many species to discover…"
"Yes, I get the idea, Ms. Wright. You do realize that a Quidditch carrier is extremely short so you're going to have to take the courses you would take if you were going into dragon studies. Which means that you need quite a few NEWTs. Now your grades from Beauxbatons show you're a really good student only you do not work for subjects that do not interest you and are, how do you say it? Laid back? You remind me very much of Sirius Black and James Potter. They were quite the lazy and prankster type, but geniuses and powerful wizards."
"Oh." Marie Josephine did not know what to say. She was being compared to two of the most famous heroes of the British Wizarding Wars. Even though she was trying her hardest not to hyperventilate and blush, she was positively failing.
"Well, then what classes am I required to take?"
"Transfiguration, Advanced Potions and Charms, Defense, Advanced Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. Those are the requirements. You're welcome to take one other of these five options." McGonagall handed her a piece of parchment. "Of course, you don't have too, but I strongly advise Ancient Runes. It will be a plus over other candidates, and a lot of documents about dragons are written in ancient languages."
"Well, I took Ancient Runes and Civilizations in Beauxbatons, I'm sure I'll manage that class. But they didn't require for me to take Herbology, so I don't know how that'll happen."
"Oh, don't worry, I'm sure Professor Longbottom will be glad to tell you about a few books you can read, and he'll surely let you have access to the greenhouses of the younger years if you need to."
"That would be great, thank you professor. And do you think I could fit Arithmancy too?"
"Well, yes, but are you sure you want that much work? Arithmancy is one of the most difficult courses we've got."
"I am well aware, Headmistress, but I have never struggled in Arithmancy before, I believe I will manage, thank you."
"Well, if you think so. In Transfiguration, we work on human transfiguration for the most part of seventh year. And then there's moving transfiguration: transfiguring living and non living objects into mobile and fully functioning objects."
"Oh, I think I'll be fine with both of those." Marie Josephine transfigured her brown eyes to pink and back to prove her point. The she pointed her want to the other chair and transfigured in to a cat and back."
"Very good, Ms. Wright. For charms, you need to cover charms with up to four words, as well as some simple non-verbal spells. Those will mostly be for Defense as well."
"Four? Oh, um, maybe I'll need help for charms then, I don't think it's quite the same as what we covered in France. But I can do a few simple silent spells though."
"Alright, I shall see with Professor Astons if we can schedule some extra hours at least for the first term. For Defense, our program is rather intense, so you might be a bit behind. In seventh year, we do a sort of review of the previous year, studying both creatures of the Dark and dueling and such."
"I honestly believe Defense will not be a problem professor, but I will talk with Professor Thomas if I find myself struggling."
"If you wish. For Care, perhaps we should try and find an arrangement similar as for Herbology, yes. I'm sure Professor Hagrid would love to have you keep him some company after class. And finally Potions."
"Well, to be honest, it depends on the type of potion. I am not too bad at healing potions but others I am rather terrible. I quite dislike Potions, you know." The Headmistress did not answer for a second, and Marie Josephine feared she had said something wrong.
"Well, there's not much I can do about that Ms. Wright. You need your NEWT in advanced Potions or you can say goodbye to your career with dragons."
"Very well, then I'll work for Potions and I'll get my NEWT." McGonagall nodded in aprovement. With a flick of her wand, she conjured a parchment with Marie Josephine's schedule. Since she was taking an extra option, she had no free periods. Plus she had to take extra Herbology and Care. Plus Potions. The girl held back a constricted sigh. 'Well, that's what ambition gets you, sweetie.' She thought bitterly.
"As for Quidditch, we have scouts that come to all the games throughout the year. We haven't yet decided when try-outs will be held; I'll be meeting with the Captains for scheduling. I suggest you look for your House's Captain, Mr. Fletchley. He's in sixth year."
"Okay, thank you very much Professor, and sorry for taking up so much of your time."
"Don't worry about me, Ms. Wright. It is my job to see that the most students finish Hogwarts successfully and enter the adult world prepared for whatever may come their way." Marie Josephine did not know what to answer to that last statement. "Well, Ms. Wright, first period has yet to finish, and I reckon it is useless for you to go to your Ancient Runes class. I suggest you learn to find your way in the castle, as well as who has the same class as you do. It might be useful. In NEWT level classes, as the number of students is a bit lower and you are already divided between advanced and normal levels, you share with everyone else in your year, all Houses mixed, do you understand?"
"Yes professor. Thank you very much."
"As for your books, I assume you haven't bought them."
"No."
"Well, we usually have a few extras in case students change courses, so just ask your teachers and they'll give you one. Otherwise, share until you can have your parents send them to you, yes?"
"Alright."
"Please stop by if you need anything, Ms. Wright, and good luck."
"Of course, Professor. Bye." Marie Josephine closed the door of the office and sighed. She was going to die. She was so going to die. She actually sort of wanted to cry. She had never been the kind of girl to cry but she really felt like it at that moment. She had had no time over the summer to just rest and enjoy. It was like last year and this year were just following each other. And now she was all alone in this creepy old school with stonewalls and cold rooms and this country with the worst weather possible.
"Marie Jo, is that you?" she heard someone call. Turning around she saw James leaning against the wall.
"What the… Shouldn't you be in class?" she asked. His appearance had immediately erased all teary thoughts she had been having. If those girls from her dorm were already rubbing off on her, she was going to end up some stupid fangirl by Christmas time.
"Not the point here. Has McGonagall finished torturing you?"
"Yeah, she was really cool. I have a crappy schedule though."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Hope we'll share some classes."
"Me too. Are you skipping?"
"Nah, I was talking to this girl and the teacher got mad. He kicked me out."
"I can't believe it! Am I going to have to beat the crap out of you like I did the pervs?" She was grinning broadly by this point.
"Nah, the girl was responsive. I'd never impose on a girl like that. It's plain disrespectful."
"Glad to know you were brought up correctly, gentleman."
"Whatever." He rolled his eyes at her, all the while grinning back. He really liked Marie Josephine despite having known for less than twenty-four hours. He did not want her to feel like he did not want to make friends with her because he really did and honestly, she was going to have a hard time getting to know people who had shared each other's lives for six long years.
"So, what class do you have next, Marie Jo?"
"Advanced Herbology."
"Oh, Lee has that too."
"Lee?"
"Yeah, he's one of my dorm mates. Cool bloke, you'll like him. And Roxy is taking Herbology too. But I don't know if she's taking the advanced course as well."
"Sweet. I'm so scared of classes, I feel like I won't understand a thing."
"What do you mean? Here, the Greenhouses are this way."
"Oh, thanks. Well, you see I speak English with my dad but all of the vocab around school and classes, I don't know in English. I mean I'm taking Care and I don't know how to say half the names of the creatures in the first place!" James laughed at her frantic rant.
"Don't worry. The caretaker's my godfather, I'm sure I can get him to like you and help out if you need."
"You mean Professor Hagrid the giant is your godfather?"
"Yep. Right you are."
"Cool, I wish my godparents were giants. All I have is a stuck up French snob and a workaholic Auror!"
They joked around until they reached the greenhouses. They were a bit early so no one was in front of the class just yet. Professor Longbottom was lecturing a class of second years about safety measures and all. Usual first day of term lectures, to be honest. They still had half an hour to wait for the start of the next class and Marie Josephine spent all that time asking for directions from James. She had no idea how to get to the different floors, much less which wing she was supposed to be in.
"Hey, James!" someone called from further down the hallway. James and Marie Josephine stood up from the ground where they had sat.
"Hey Lee, meet Marie Jo."
"Hi."
"Marie Jo? As in the new girl that gave the pervs a beating."
"The one and only. News sure travel fast."
"Don't worry Marie Jo," James reassured upon seeing her flustered look, "Hogwarts is one bloody gossip mill, in a week, something else will have happened and everyone will have forgotten."
"Yeah, I doubt that. Marie Jo made quite the impression there." Roxanne joked upon arrival.
"She has a point, James." Lee replied. "I mean, not even Oscar's sis' managed to stick up to them and we know she was one crazy girl."
"True that, mate." They laughed at Marie Josephine who appeared to be growing more and more worried each passing second. Great, she already had a reputation!
"Okay class, please come in!" Professor Longbottom called from inside the greenhouse.
"Alright, guys, I'll see you at lunch!" James waved as he raced down the hallway to his own class.
"I can't believe him, he already got kicked out of class once and he's already late for his next one." Roxanne shook her head at her cousin.
"Alright, please quiet down everybody. Please make groups of three people with whom you'll work all term long, both in class and for group projects. Choose wisely." Professor Longbottom explained.
"Hey, Roxy, Marie Jo, want to group up?" Lee asked. Roxanne seemed to hesitate for a second.
"Sure thing Lee. But you better pay attention, you lazy butt."
"If you guys don't mind, I really don't want to impose."
"Rubbish, Marie Jo, it's best you're here. We usually have to pair up with some friendless creep. Awkward much." Lee teased her.
"Why, thanks, Lee, glad I can be of use to you." Marie Josephine had immediately felt comfortable with Lee. He was extremely funny and a right extrovert. He seemed at ease in any situation and had something to say about everything and everyone.
"Alright, does everyone have a textbook?" Marie Josephine raised her hand and Longbottom handed her an old textbook. She opened it to find all the pages scribbled and annotated. Great.
For the rest of the class, Professor Longbottom lectured on safety measures and amount of work and what not. Marie Josephine soon zoned out. Roxanne seemed to follow what the teacher was saying but Lee had just fallen asleep on his bag.
"Alright, I'll see you all on Thursday for some real work. Please come prepared, you'll read chapter one of your book. You may go."
Everyone stood up in a loud ruckus of stools on stones. Lee did not budge but Marie Josephine shook herself out of her stupor.
"Erm, excuse me professor, I was wondering if it would be possible for me to have access to the greenhouses after class? You see, I was not required to take Herbology in Beauxbatons and I believe I might be lacking some skills."
"Ah, yes, Ms. Wright, the Headmistress has already informed me of your situation. Here is a list of books I would advise you to read. And I usually am in the greenhouses until eight or nine. You may come if you have any questions."
"Thank you Professor. That would be great."
"Of course, now you should head to lunch. Oh, and please wake Mr. Jordan on your way out. Ms. Weasley seems to have forgotten him."
She nodded in response and went back to where Lee was still asleep. She pulled out her wand and flicked it.
"Bloody hell!" Lee roared, jumping up suddenly. "What was that for?"
"Hair removing jinx. I just plucked one of your nose hairs."
"Are you MAD? That was bloody painful!"
"Well, you're awake aren't you? So I'd say efficient rather than painful. Come on let's go to lunch, I don't remember how to get to the Great Hall."
