Author's Note: We're jumping ahead a little bit, but not much. It's now around Halloween time. I want my readers (if I have any left, I greatly apologize for my inability to update as promised) to get to know my characters better. And that's usually what first year is for, right? So that's what the next few chapters will be about.
PS: Avanell, I didn't forget about you, you have a special folder in my Single Red Roses section of my computer.
Chapter Four: Caught in Class
"Hey Scorpius, did you do the Potions homework?" Al asked as he entered the common room with Gage. "We haven't the slightest clue how to start it."
"Or end it," Gage added. "Or anything else in between really." Gage and Al laughed. Scorpius looked up at them from over a Quidditch magazine.
"No, I was going to do it later." Scorpius said. Of course, for him, later meant during lunch before Potions the day it's due. "Bet Mikael did it." Scorpius said. "Or the girls. You know Rose."
"Yea, like Rose would let us copy," Al laughed. "She'd just give us a stern lecture on how copying only hurts us…" Al shook his head. "She's so much like my Aunt Hermione, it's scary." The boys laughed.
"Guess we'll just have to do it ourselves, huh Gage?" Al nudged the brown haired boy. Gage frowned and nodded, and the boys bade goodbye to Scorpius to head up to their dormitory.
"Okay, this'll be easy, half a parchment on the good uses of Bezoars…" Al said as he grabbed his text book. "How bout you read the chapter and I'll take notes?" Al said, tossing his book to Gage. The American boy looked at the text book skeptically and frowned.
"Um, how bout you read and I write notes?" Gage said nervously, tossing the book back to Al. Al looked at his friend curiously but shrugged.
"Sure what ever…" Al said and they settled on the floor with their parchments. Five minutes into their homework though, there was a knock at the door.
"It's James," said the voice behind the door before he walked in. "Wow Albus, actually doing your homework?" James pretended to tear up. "I'm so proud…" Al reached onto his bed and threw a pillow at his brother.
"What do you want James?" Al asked.
"Just to talk." James turned to Gage. "Mind if I borrow Ally for a moment, we won't be long." Gage looked at Al and shrugged. "Thanks Gage." James said.
"Here, there's just a paragraph left, why don't you finish it up? I'll be back in a minute." Al said before following James out of the dormitory. Gage frowned at the book and pulled it toward him. Al had left the page open.
"I can't do this…" Gage grumbled, slamming the book shut. Maybe the last paragraph wasn't important, just meaningless words. Gage set his notes on top of the book. He hoped Al would be able to read them; it was all chicken scratch to anyone else who tried to read it. He started and finished the half a page by the time Al got back.
"You're done?" Al said. "Wow I must have be gone longer than I thought, sorry bout that mate," Al said.
"No worries," Gage said. "Um, here's your book and my notes," Gage handed the two to Al. "I'm going for a walk, see you at dinner." Al nodded and Gage left, still feeling slightly disgruntled with the stupid Potion's book.
The next day was Potions class with the Slytherins. Gage and Mikael sat at a table across from Scorpius and Al. Professor Slughorn was dictating the assignment for the day.
"All the information you'll need is on page 32 of your books," Slughorn said. "Now, begin!" The students scrambled for ingredients and supplies. Gage went to the cabinet and grabbed the pig's gallbladder jar, struggling to open it. When he did, the jar slipped and the gallbladder liquid slopped onto Ashley Patterson's shoes.
"Oh my Godric!" Ashley yelled.
"I'm Sorry," Gage said.
"Not to worry children," Slughorn came over and magicked the liquid away. "There you go Ms. Patterson, all better." He then turned to Gage. "Do you best to be careful Mr. Oliver?"
"Yes sir," they said and went back to their perspective spots. Gage saw Ashley whisper to Jessika and both girls glared at him. Gage sighed and opened his book, knowing that Oppious and Patterson would try some way to get back at him later on.
Gage watched Mikael study his book quietly before pulling out his knife and cutting the gallbladder in halves. Gage did the same. Then Mikael poured the liquid from said gallbladder into his cauldron and stirred it three times counterclockwise, 4 times clockwise. Gage did the same. Then Mikael dropped in 2 mandrake leaves and the potion turned purple. Gage did the same, and his potion also turned purple. The class went on like this for a good 15 minutes before Slughorn spoke.
"Yes Ms. Oppious," he asked.
"Professor, Gage Oliver over there is copying Mikael Anderson," Jessika pointed promptly to the two boys. Mikael looked at Gage with a raised eyebrow, but Gage just shrugged.
"I don't know what she's talking about professor…" Gage said, his skin getting warmer. "I just looked to make sure I was stirring correctly. I trust Mikael's judgment…" Gage could feel all eyes on him and he blushed deeper.
"Oh, I see dear boy," Slughorn said. He walked over behind Mikael and Gage and looked at each of their potions. "You two are doing quite well so far…" He said. "Tell me, Mr. Oliver…" Gage gulped. "What's the next step you were going to do, not that the potion has come to a boil?" Gage frowned and looked around the classroom.
"Um…" he stuttered. His eye caught Terra's and she was holding a mint leaf in her hand. Slowly, she ground it and put it in her cauldron. "Grind the mint and add it…" Gage said smiling up at the Potions Master.
"Very good, and after that?" Slughorn asked. Gage looked at Terra again. "Without Ms. Longbottom's assistance this time Gage." Gage nodded and looked at his book. Come on Gage, find mint. It's a four letter word, mint, one of the easy ones…
He couldn't find it. "I don't know sir," Gage looked at his shoes. He could hear Ashley and Jessika snickering quietly at their table.
"Why not read your own instructions Mr. Oliver?" Slughorn asked.
"I can't sir…" Gage said even quieter than before.
"Excuse me m'boy, but these ears are hard of hearing these days." Slughorn leaned it. "Speak up?"
"I can't read the instructions sir." Gage said, his face bright red. He wondered what would happen if he just dunked his head in his cauldron right now.
"Well, why not? They are in English are they not?"
"They are sir," Gage said.
"Then I ask again, why can't you read the instructions?"
"I can't read sir."
"Yes, I understand that you can't read the instructions, but why not…" Realization dawned on the professor. "Oh."
"Are you serious!" Jessika spoke up loudly so the class could hear. "Gage Oliver can't read?" the Slytherins in the room began to laugh.
"Stop laughing." Gage frowned, his eyes stuck on his shoes. He grabbed his book, his quill, and his wand and ran out the door, the Slytherins still laughing.
"Shut it!" Lizzy yelled, pointing her wand at Jessika.
"Ms. Torrance! We do not raise our wand in this classroom!" Slughorn said. "Five points from Gryffindor. And Ms. Oppious," Slughorn turned on Jessika, who was still giggling with the others. "Minus 10 points."
"What, why?" She stopped laughing.
"Because no one likes a tattle tale."
The Gryffindor first years split up in search of Gage after Potions that afternoon. Mikael and Lizzy headed toward the Common room while Scorpius, Rose, and Al headed toward the great hall. Bek said she'd check the library and empty classrooms. That left Terra to check the grounds.
She found him under a tree by the lake, skipping rocks with his wand. Terra watched her friend for a minute before approaching. "Hey Gaget," she said. Gage looked up at the nick name and Terra could see that he had been crying. "Can I sit?" Gage shrugged and Terra took a seat next to him. They sat quietly for a while before Terra spoke up.
"Why can't you read Gage?" Terra asked.
"I'm dyslexic," Gage said. "Words don't look right to me. There's ways to learn how to read, but no one taught me." He skipped another rock. "My brother and sister who are older than me were in school. My dad is always at work, and by the time I figured out why I couldn't read…my little sisters were born and my mom was busy with them. So I just…got forgotten I guess." Terra looked at Gage with a dropped Jaw.
"Gage, I'm sorry…" Terra said. "How have you been getting by this year so far?"
"I find ways, just like I did in elementary school." Gage shrugged. Terra watched him skip a few more rocks before jumping up. "Gage, I have a proposition that I'm not letting you refuse."
"So a demand then?" Gage asked. "What is it Terra?"
"I'm going to teach you to read." Gage laughed. "What?" Terra asked.
"It's not something you can fix, Ter." Gage said.
"Its something you work through." Terra added. "And I'm going to help you. Every day, we'll read." She helped Gage up and grabbed his hands. "I Terra Lynn Longbottom promise to help you, Gage Vincent Oliver…"
"How do you know my middle name?" Gage asked, but Terra shushed him.
"In his reading abilities for the rest of time." Terra said, nodding and pleased with herself.
"Or until I can read enough to wipe that smirk off of Ashley and Jessika's faces." Gage said.
"That too!" Terra said. "Come on, let's get started!" And she grabbed his hand and dragged him to the castle.
Author's Note: So that's the little introductory to Gage. Poor kid, I know someone like him. Good thing he has Terra, she won't give up.
For people who asked, yes, Terra is Neville and Luna's child. I started this before I found out the JK Rowling tree thingy… and I love how I can incorporate a little Luna and a little Neville into her and have her be her own person.
Okay, until chapter 5!