Harry was confused for a moment when he woke up in a completely different bed. He sat up and rubbed his eyes as he glanced around the dormitory, his new sleeping quarters for the next ten months. The room was very large and circular and contained five poster beds in a half circle. They were all red with Gold on them, the Gryffindor colours. In front of each bed were each boys school trunks. Harry wasn't too sure who the other two boys in Gryffindor first year were. He hadn't really spoke to them the night before.
Harry climbed out of bed as Ron made a low moaning noise , apparently he went back to sleep after the alarm went off. Harry grinned and opened his trunk to pull out his school robes wishing he knew some magic to get Ron out of bed. On Harry's tenth birthday, his father had woken him up by squirting him in the face with water from his wand. When Harry had demanded to know how he did it James refused telling him he would have to wait until he attended Hogwart's to find out.
Neville and the other two boys were sitting up as well looking groggy. Neville muttered good morning to Harry as he went to his trunk to pull out his school robes. Once Harry and Neville were ready for the day they stood in front of Ron's bed arguing about how they should wake him up.
"Hang on." Harry said pulling out his text book called The Standard Book of Spells Grade One by Miranda Goshawk from his school bag.
He figured he could find something in there, perhaps the spell his father had used on him on his tenth birthday was in there. Harry flipped through the book quickly finding a spell that one could use to light their wand. Harry pulled his wand out from his robe and told Neville to do the same thing.
"The incantation in Lumos." Harry told Neville.
The spell didn't work on the first few tries but knowing they didn't have much time Harry and Neville grew more determined until finally both wands pointed in Ron's face lit up. Ron opened his eyes and yelped as the lights from the other two boys wands blinded him.
"I'm up, I'm up." Ron shouted closing his eyes and sitting up. "Next time just shake me or something."
Laughing Harry and Neville left the dormitory to meet Ron in the Common Room. They hurried down the spiral stair case passing Percy Weasley as they went down.
"Where is Ron?" Percy demanded. "Why are you so late? You don't want to be late for classes."
"He is coming." Harry told Percy. "We're just meeting him in the Common Room."
"Do you remember the way." Percy asked still looking stern.
Harry nodded even though he wasn't entirely sure if he did. He knew Ron wouldn't want Percy leading them to the Great Hall though. All summer Ron had complained about Percy and had been looking forward to coming to Hogwarts where he could be on his own. Percy looked like he didn't believe them but left the Common Room anyway. Neville and Harry sat in armchairs waiting for him. The Common Room was circular like the dormitory but it was much larger. It was full of mismatched squashy chairs and couches. There were several tables for students to do their work at. All around them were hangings on the walls with Gryffindors Crest. A lion with red and gold around it. There was a large fire place on one side and the doors to the girls and boys dorms on the other. And a notice board for public announcements about the school.
"I don't remember the way to the Great Hall." Neville said frowning at Harry as they sat down.
"Neither do I, but Ron wouldn't want Percy leading us." Harry explained. "We'll find it."
Ron appeared moments later still looking grumpy and they left the Common Room through a portrait of a fat lady. They didn't say much as they hurried to the Great Hall. It took a while and after a few wrong turns they finally made it to the Great Hall and only had time to eat a quick meal before following the rest of the first years to their first class of the day.
-
There were seven classes taught to the first years at Hogwarts. It didn't take long for Harry to discover which was his favourite and which ones weren't. History of Magic as his father had told him was the most boring class they had to attend. It was taught by a ghost teacher named Professor Binns, and all the ghost did was lecture in a boring voice while they had to write it all down. Harry thought about ordering a Quick Quotes Quill that could write everything for him while he used the class to sleep. He doubted the teacher would notice.
Charm's was one of the classes Harry was looking forward to since according to Ollivander the man who had sold him his wand, it was good for the class. Harry was soon disappointed when their squeaky tiny teacher who was Elf-like (causing Harry to wonder if he was part Elf) Professor Flitwick had told them they wouldn't be doing any of the charms right away. According to the teacher, students had to understand the theory of the charm before they could try it out.
Transfiguration was taught by the teacher Professor McGonagall. She was as stern as she looked and had warned them during their first class that there was no fooling around in her class since it was a very dangerous class. She had surprised them all by turning her desk into a pig and back but disappointed them when she told them they wouldn't be doing that for a long time. On their first day of class they had to write out complicated notes before she let them switch a match into a pin. Only one person in the class managed to do it. It was the girl who had been whispering about all the spells she knew before the sorting, Hermione Granger.
Astronomy was taught on one of the tallest towers at midnight on Wednesday's. This seemed to be one of Neville's favourite classes. Harry and Ron couldn't understand why, staring at stars through a telescope bored them both. It also made them tired the next day and they had trouble concentrating on what the teachers wanted them to do for the class. Hermione Granger seemed to enjoy it as well but Harry soon learned that she enjoyed all classes, including History of Magic. He wondered if it was because she was a muggleborn, so therefore everything about magic seemed exciting to her.
Herbology turned out to be another boring class taught by Professor Sprout for Harry and Ron but was another Neville enjoyed. Neville had always been good with plants though. One year for their birthdays (which they usually celebrated together since Neville was only a day older than Harry) they had been given plants from Neville's Gran. Harry's plant was dead within a month, but Neville managed to keep the thing alive and still had the plant even though it was years ago that they had been given them. Neville seemed to have a way with plants that no one else did.
Defense Against the Dark Arts was an all right class. Professor Quirrell seemed to know the subject but they weren't dueling as Harry's father had promised them, instead they were writing out notes about different defensive spells that they would be learning during their first year. Harry hoped that sometime during the year they would be able to actually duel. But Quirrel had mentioned that they would be discussing Dark creatures next.
Potion's was a class Harry knew he would not like. It was taught by Professor Snape, a man who had been his fathers and his two friends enemy during their school days at Hogwarts. James and Sirius had told Harry so many stories about him that Harry disliked the man before he met him. He had once been his mothers friend according to her, but according to his father he had called Lily the most insulting name you could call a muggleborn, which was mudblood. Harry had been taught that all witches and wizards were equal and their blood didn't matter and he was to ignore those who thought differently. On the first day of class Harry quickly learned that Snape felt the same about him and didn't take long to single him out in class. He seemed disappointed when Harry was able to answer the questions that he asked and accused him of giving him sarcastic answers so he took three points from Gryffindor.
When he set the class to make a Potion to cure boils, they all discovered that this was a class Neville would not be good in. Neville managed to melt a cauldron by the end of the class and Snape decided to blame this on Harry and took two points from Harry. The Potion spilled out onto the floor and all over Neville who instantly erupted into boils. Snape told Ron to take him to the hospital wing before rounding on Harry.
"You're supposed to be his friend aren't you?" Snape snapped. "Why didn't you help him out?"
Harry felt anger go through him. They had this class with the Slytherin's and both Crabbe and Goyle's potions were just as bad as Neville's, although they didn't melt their cauldrons.
"Malfoy is friends with Crabbe and Goyle and he let them have bad Potion's." Harry snapped back without thinking about it. "So go on, take the points from them."
Snape seemed rather taken back while Malfoy glared at Harry. "So much like your father." Snape finally said in a cool voice. "Detention Potter, come back here tomorrow morning, nine o'clock.
Harry left the classroom angrily ten minutes later. The next day was a Saturday, he had wanted to take the day to explore the castle with Neville and Ron so that they could find the secret passages and maybe not get lost anymore. Everyday that week they had gotten lost just like the first day of classes. Harry knew it was his own fault for accepting Snape's bait, but he couldn't help it. If he was going to take points from him for not helping out a friend with his Potion he should be doing it to everyone else in the class as well. Harry headed to the Hospital Wing to meet with Neville and Ron.
-
Lily felt disappointment in her oldest son as she read through a letter that had arrived moments earlier bearing the Hogwart's School Crest. She had hoped it was just Harry using one of the school envelopes to write home to her, but as soon as she noticed it wasn't a white snowy owl but a brown barn owl she knew her son had done something wrong. She had hoped he would get through the week without having a detention.
She had been so proud when a letter came from the school earlier in the week from Minerva McGonagall announcing that Harry was in her house. The Heads of Houses were to send the parents of the students in their House's informing them that they were in their house and they were their advisors for the next seven years.
Dear Mr. And Mrs. Potter.
Harry Potter will be serving detention tomorrow morning in my classroom at nine in the morning to eleven. He was mouthing off throughout the whole class and had been the reason one of his fellow classmates Potion went wrong because he was a distraction.
Sincerely Severus Snape.
When James entered the kitchen followed by Sirius and Remus, Lily thrust the letter into James hands angrily. This after all, was James' fault. He was the one who had turned Harry against Severus Snape before he went to Hogwarts. If Harry was misbehaving in Potion's class it was because of the three men that stood reading the letter in shock.
"I told you not to turn Harry against him." Lily told James angrily after he read the letter. "You know, just because you were enemies in school does not give you that right. Remember he changed after we left Hogwarts!"
"He changed because he was in love with you, Lily." Sirius said. "Dumbledore told us that after Snape found out the Prophecy meant you and James so he wanted you protected. How do you know he isn't mistreating Harry in class? You know he has always felt about James, and Harry is a splitting image of him."
"Exactly." James said. "Snivellus has always been jealous of me, you know that and he was even more upset when we started dating. It is probably torture for him to be teaching a child that is yours and mine. We told Harry those stories but I also made Harry promise me to behave in Snape's classes. You know how Harry is about promises to us, if Harry was misbehaving it was because Snape provoked him somehow."
Lily thought this over, it could be very well true. She remembered when Harry had been just a baby and they had taken him to an Order meeting. Severus wouldn't even look at Harry all night if he could help it, and if he did it was to give the baby a look of loathing he normally reserved for the Marauders. She didn't think he would bother Harry though since he had helped protect him and he was the one to confirm that Peter had indeed been a Death Eater.
"Let's hear Harry's side of this before we get angry with him." James told Lily gently. "Let's not send any angry letters yet. Harry promised he would write every week and he'll likely tell us about it in his letter home when he finally does."
"All right." Lily said feeling her anger going away. "But even if Snape did provoke him, Harry still doesn't have the right to mouth off a teacher."
She got up to go in the back yard to check on the children, it was getting dark out now. She was wondering if she should go and have a talk with Snape, especially if he was provoking Harry. It wasn't fair for him to mistreat a child that had nothing to do with what her husband had done to him during their school years at Hogwarts. Sighing she walked to the patio table where Lucy and Jacklyn were both colouring pictures. The rest of the children were playing hide and seek in the dark. She couldn't see where they all were so raised her wand to her throat and murmured "Sonorus."
"All right everyone, time to come in for the night." She said. "You can finish your games inside."
-
A letter came the next day from Harry. Lily was relieved to finally be getting correspondence from him. She had been tending to Lucy who had seemed very healthy the day before but the next day had come over a stomach flu keeping her in bed. She was cleaning up vomit all morning since Lucy couldn't seem to stop during the morning. Lucy had finally fallen asleep and Lily was able to leave the room but checked on her every once in a while.
Dear Mum, Dad, Carol, Jayden and Lucy.
Hogwarts has been as great as you said it would be so far this week. How did you know I got sorted into Gryffindor anyway? I guess by now you'll know I had a detention with Snape today because he said he'd be writing you. It wasn't as bad as I thought, I just had to clean cauldron's with no magic. I almost laughed when he told me that because I don't even know any cleaning spells. It really wasn't my fault though. At the start of the class he asked me questions thinking I wouldn't know and whenI gave him the right answers he got angry and took points away. Ask Neville and Ron if you don't believe me! Then Neville made his Potion wrong and Snape blamed that on me. He said I should have been helping Neville out. I told him that Draco Malfoy didn't help Vincent Crabbe or Gregory Goyle out with their Potions and so he should have points taken away too and that's when Snape gave me Detention.
Other than that though it's been a lot of fun. History of Magic is as boring as you said it would be and so are Herbology and Astronomy.I don't mind the rest of the classes butso far we've only done magic in Transfiguration but I haven't managed to do it yet. Only a girl named Hermione Granger has but she seems to be good at every class so far. Ron really doesn't like her too much I don't think, he says she is a Know-It-All. But I think it's just because she's muggleborn and she is glad to be able to do magic like you were mum.
The rest of the students seem nice as well. There are two other boys in my dormitory, Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. Dean is another muggle born, I really haven't talked to them much yet but they seem nice. I don't really know the girls too well yet but there are four others besides Hermione and they seem OK.
Peeves the Poltergiest is still here dad. He has already told us the wrong ways to our classes and Common Room and on our first night here he dropped sticks on Neville's head. He likes to bother Filch the caretaker the most. I really don't know the other ghosts too much except Nearly Headless Nick and the Fat Friar. Nick had shown us our first night here why he was nearly headless and the Fat Friar likes to introduce himself to every new student at Hogwarts. He has helped us out a few times when Peeves has gotten us lost.I've seen the Bloody Baron but I don't talk to him, he doesn't look too friendly.
We visited Hagrid yesterday and had some tea at this place. He was excited about having us over and told me to say hi when I wrote home.
Well, I've got to go. Ron and Neville say Fred and George have something to show us.
P.S. Hope everyone doing is OK at home and no one is sick.
-Harry.
Lily re-read the letter twice before going to check up on Lucy again. Lucy was laying in bed awake now but looking very pale. Lily would have to take her to see the Healers that day when James came home. Lucy smiled at Lily as she entered the room and sat on the edge of her bed.
"How are you feeling?" Lily asked.
"Better." Lucy said. "My stomach doesn't hurt anymore and I am hungry."
Lily felt relief when she said this. "That's good, what would you like to eat?"
"Just some crackers." Lucy answered.
Lily nodded and left the room to get some crackers. She knew Lula was busy cleaning the rest of the bedrooms and didn't want to bother her to get some crackers for Lucy. Lily pulled out Lucy's favourite kind from the cupboard. They were cheese flavoured and were shaped like cauldrons. She hurriedly went back to Lucy who was sitting up in bed now. Lily handed her the box of crackers and sat down on the bed again.
"Harry wrote home today." Lily told her as Lucy began nibbling on a cracker. "Would you like me to read the letter to you while you eat?"
Lucy nodded without saying anything but kept on eating. Lily took Harry's letter from her pocket and read it to Lucy. She knew Lucy missed Harry a lot. He was usually the one she requested to read her a bedtime story. Twice that week she had found Lucy sitting in Harry's room on the floor, staring at his bed with a sad expression on her face. Once Lily finished the letter Lucy was frowning.
"Is Snape the one who daddy doesn't like?" She asked.
"That's right." Lily answered. "I have a feeling your brother won't get along with him either. I was hoping he would be nicer to my children."
"I bet he put Harry in detention on purpose." Lucy said.
Lily smiled at Lucy, although she was often sickly she was very smart for five years old. She seemed to understand more a lot more than she should anyway. Lucy smiled back but then her face which had lost it's paleness went back to being very pale and she started throwing up again. Lily began stroking her hair gently until she finished.
"Sorry mummy." Lucy said afterwards. "I thought I was feeling better. I think I'm going to go back to sleep if that's OK."
Lily quickly cleaned her up and left the room to let her sleep wishing James would get home soon. She really didn't want to leave Carol and Jayden in the care of Lula. It wasn't that she didn't trust the Elf, she knew Lula would take good care of them but it just didn't seem right not having a person in charge because the children might not take Lula as seriously as they would an adult since she was the family servant even though they were taught not to think of her that way.
"What's wrong with Lucy?" Someone asked from behind her.
She turned to see Jayden holding a broomstick and staring at her with worried eyes. Jayden always spent his time with Lucy if none of his friends were around. He was like Harry and very protective of her. He was often trying to get her to eat as well even though she didn't respond to him as well as she did with Harry.
"She just has a flu today." Lily answered in a reassuring voice.
"But mum," Jayden protested. "She has been sick all summer. You always say she is a fussy eater but I think it's because she is sick. She is getting worse."
It hurt to hear one of her children to say this. She didn't know that her children had noticed all this with Lucy. She thought of Harry's last note in his letter 'Hope everyone is doing OK at home and no one is sick.' It seemed even he was worried even though he didn't mention any names, she knew he meant Lucy when he said that. Jayden was only eight years old and even he knew that Lucy was sicker then she had been a year ago, so why couldn't the Healers see this?
She bent down to hug Jayden close. "I promise you, she is going to be OK." She said.
James got home not too long afterwards. Lily gave him Harry's letter and told him that she was taking Lucy to St. Mungo's ans he was to take care of the children but to be sure not to talk about Lucy's illness too much. She found Lucy laying awake on her bed and picked her up to apparate to St. Mungo's. Lucy didn't question where she was going, she already seem to know.
A/N: I know in the books only Parvati, Hermione and Lavender are mentioned as the girls in Harry's year but I think there are two more girls in his year as well. I've read interviews from JK Rowling and she says she is going to give us the names of the girls, so that's why I said four other girls. One of the unknown girls will play a part in the story anyway.
Also to the people (one person I think so far) who thinks my story sucks, it would be nice to know why you think this instead of putting it over and over again. This is so I can improve it to make more people like it. So please if you don't like my story and you decided to review it tell me why instead of flaming me.