Class.
The next morning, when they got up, they bumped into Seamus and Dean on the stairs. They had forgotten something and were going back up to get it.
When Seamus passed Harry, he bumped into his shoulder rather hard.
'What's your problem, Seamus? You started acting like a git to me as soon as you saw me. What did I do before I took the points from you?' Harry asked, turning on the boy that was treating him horribly.
'I almost wasn't allowed to go to school this year because of you and Dumbledore and this trash you're coming up with about You-Know-Who. Me mam doesn't want me around nutters like you.' Seamus shot back at him.
'Nutter, am I? I don't remember Dudley saying anything like that to me when I saved his ass from a couple of Dementors, or anyone where I was during the holidays not believing me and Dumbledore. I think you're nearly the only one, Seamus. Of course, the Ministry just doesn't want all the chaos that they got last time, that's why they don't believe it. And Fudge's mind is corrupted by fear. That's what Lupin said about him. Oh, and if you're not going to say anything nice to me, just keep away from me. Got it?' Harry added as an afterthought.
'I wouldn't want to be around you any way, Potter.' Seamus said, stalking back off up the stairs.
'Sorry about him Harry, it's just, he's not coping with almost not being able to come back to school very well. See you in class.' Dean apologised.
'See you, Dean. Thanks.' Harry said, smiling a little at him.
They kept walking down the stairs and met up with Hermione at the bottom, telling her about what happened with Seamus all the way to breakfast.
As they ate, McGonagall started to hand out Timetables for everyone.
'Potter, Granger, Weasley.' She muttered as she handed them to them. 'Thanks Professor.' They muttered back when they got them. Ron studied his for a second and let out a groan.
'This is positively the worst Monday I have ever seen.'
'Give us a look.' Fred and George said in unison. They bent over Ron's timetable and drew in breathe.
'That is some pretty awful timetable.' Fred said.
'Yeah, though, we could give you some of our experimental sweets.' George offered.
'Yeah, but it will cost you. They're supposed to make you sick enough to get out of class without actually being sick.' Fred added.
'You know, if I see them, I will confiscate them. Won't we Harry?' Hermione turned to Harry for back up. Harry widened his eyes at having been asked to do that and slowly tried to back away from the question.
'Only if I see them.' Harry gave them a look that said quite plainly that he couldn't see them otherwise he had to confiscate them. Fred and George cursed silently under their breaths.
'Only if I see them.' Harry said again, with more feeling.
'Oh.' They said, and walked off whistling. Hermione glared at him for a second before checking their timetable.
'You really do have a bad timetable. Double Potions, Divination and History of Magic. Snape, Trelawney, and Binns. The only good class we've got today is Defence with Lupin, and that's last. Tough Break.' Hermione said, looking back at her own timetable.
'Yours is basically the same! Except for Divination, you've got something else.' Ron said.
'Yep, no Divination for me.' Hermione said happily.
'Damn you.' Ron muttered, still looking at his timetable.
'Well, you should have given it up like I did. The subject isn't that good anyway.'
'Yeah, yeah. But at least I haven't walked out of any classes lately.'
'Shut up. I couldn't take that old fraud any longer. She hated me anyway.'
'At least she didn't predict your death every time she saw you.' Harry retorted.
'Yes, that was the only good part about the class.' Hermione mused.
After they finished breakfast, they went back to their dormitories to get their stuff for their first classes, History of Magic and Double Potions, and make their way to the classes.
Their first class was a History of Magic, which was, by far, the schools most boring subject, seeing as most people in the class fell asleep in the first five to ten minutes, depending on the weather. They had to listen to him lecture them on Giant Wars that lesson. Harry barely made out anything before playing games with Ron on a spare piece of parchment. Hermione didn't like this way approaching the class, but she understood that not everybody had her concentration skills.
After this class was break, and they made their way to the courtyard, which was significantly damp.
'Harry! Hermione! Weasley!' They heard a voice call their names behind them. They turned and saw Draco running towards them.
'How was class, hey? Had to wake Sierra up, she'd fallen asleep! Crabbe and Goyle as well, but those dunces fall asleep in nearly every class except Potions, DADA, and Transfiguration. Whether it's the teacher, or the subject I don't know.' Draco said once he'd caught up with them.
'Those two started to play hangman on one of their pieces of parchment that they were supposed to be taking notes on.' Hermione said, with a slightly annoyed tone to her voice.
'Hangman? Couldn't you think of anything better to do? I usually just sit their staring at him and pretending to listen. It gets me a better mark anyway.' Draco said shrugging.
'Boys.' Hermione muttered. She walked off rather quickly to a secluded area of the courtyard and pulled up the collar of her robe to protect her somewhat against the chilly wind.
'If you want her Draco, you're going to have to try harder.' Harry whispered.
'I am, aren't I.' He muttered back.
'Here's a hint, actually look like you enjoy the class, always works when I want to borrow her notes that night. She asked why I didn't take any, and I reply that I couldn't because I was too taken with what the teacher was saying. Funny actually, because then she looks at me funny and slowly hands me over the notes, like she's trying to tell if I'm lying.' Ron suggested.
'And I always know you are, but I give you the notes anyway.' Hermione said, smiling. The boys had reached her quicker than they intended, and they had been over heard.
'Well, now that plans ruined, I'll have to try a new approach.' Ron muttered.
'Not likely, just ask for them Ronald, I'll still give them to you.' Hermione said.
'No, you won't.' Ron argued.
'Stop it would you! It's the start of the year and you're already bickering! Give it a break!' Harry said.
'Do they always do this?' Draco asked.
'Always. Hate to say it, but yes. Ever since first year, neither of them has been able to get along that well with the other. Third year was the worst. Scabbers was "supposedly" eaten by Hermione's cat, Crookshanks. Hermione wouldn't talk to Ron for weeks. Hagrid had to get them talking again after he found Scabbers in one of his pots in his hut.' Harry explained.
'They're that bad?' He asked, the other two couldn't hear them because they were still bickering.
'Oh yeah. And sometimes worse.' Harry muttered. Draco stifled a bit of a snort. Malfoy's didn't snort. Just then, Cho walked past.
'Hi Harry! How were your holidays?' She asked. She seemed a little flustered, though Harry couldn't understand why.
'Yeah, they were ok. Better than others. Worse than most.' Harry answered.
'Really? I heard about the Dementor attack and the Hearing. They were horrible to you. I'm glad you came out on top though. Well, see you, Harry.' Cho said. She was still a little flustered when she walked off too.
'Bye.' Harry called after her.
'She likes you.' Draco stated.
'Really? Couldn't guess.' Harry said. It wasn't sarcastically, but then again, he thought he knew why she was flustered.
'Anyone could tell, Harry. She wasn't exactly hiding it.' Draco said.
'Yeah, guess so.' Harry wasn't particularly pleased with this idea. He had gotten over his crush on Cho during the holidays. He no longer felt anything for her.
When Harry was dwelling on his loss of lust for Cho, the Bell went. Draco had to stand Hermione and Ron up and send one of them one way, and the other another to stop them bickering.
'You take Ron to Potions and I'll take Hermione. You go first.' He said. Harry nodded his agreement and took Ron by the elbow, marching him off to Potions. Draco and Hermione turned up shortly after still fuming at her quarrel with Ron. The door opened slowly and Snape loomed in the doorway.
'Enter.' He said. He stood aside and let them file through. Harry, Ron and Hermione found their usual table at the back. Draco went to join the other Slytherins at the front of the class and sat down with them, avoiding questions about where he was during break.
Snape started class talking about the OWL Exams coming up for everyone in 5th year. He said that he would not take in anyone who didn't get an Outstanding on their Exam. Most of the class looked happy at this, no more Snape for most of them. They were plenty happy about that, but Harry wasn't. There was no way he would get an Outstanding in Potions, so his dream of becoming an Auror seemed to be dissolving in his mind.
After Snape's illuminating speech, he told them that they would be making the Draught of Peace. Apparently it was designed to calm the drinker and soothe agitation. He told them that the ingredients were on the board and everything they needed was in Store Cupboard, then said they had an hour and a half. After the hour and a half was up, he walked around the desks looking at the potions in the people's cauldrons'. When he finally made his way to the back, he grimaced at Ron's potion and merely glanced at Hermione's. But the biggest shock of all, was Harry's. After looking at Hermione's, he expected to see an inadequate potion that he could humiliate Harry for, but instead found the potion brewed to perfection. Snape raised his eyebrows at Harry and lowered his voice.
'You have your mothers' talents.' Harry widened his eyes at this, but Snape had walked away at his last word. Harry looked round at Hermione and Ron, who were both looking at him quizzically, wondering what Snape had said to him. For Harry this would have to go down as a first. That must have been the first ever compliment he had made to a Gryffindor, let alone a Potter, given his history with his father, it was most likely. Harry looked at Draco next, who was looking at him with the same confusion that Hermione and Ron had.
'For those who concocted the potion correctly, please put it in a vial on my desk to be marked.' Snape told the class, then instructed them about his Homework. The class packed up and left, going out to Lunch as quick as possible from the Dungeons.
As soon as they left the classroom, Hermione and Ron rounded on Harry.
'What did Snape say to you? Detention for the awfulness of your potion? Points taken off? What?' Draco had joined them by now and was wanting answers as much as them.
'Snape would have humiliated me in front of the whole class if it was points taken off or something. But no, I think what he gave me was something of a compliment, though, I wouldn't be sure. He said, I have my mother's talent. I suppose that's a compliment, isn't it? I'll have to ask Lupin, or someone like that who knew my mother, then I'll see if I should like or hate Snape for that statement. I'll send a letter to them tonight.' Harry said.
Hermione's eyes had widened when Harry had said what Snape had told him. 'Harry, your mother was one of the best potion-makers to walk through Hogwarts halls, you must have a talent for that potion, because usually you're really bad, no offence.'
'None taken. I know I'm dead awful at potions. Always have been. But I was so determined to show up Snape in the first class that I must have just, aced it.' Harry admitted.
'Trust me Potter, I did not give you an insult when I told you about your mothers' talent. It was the best I had seen in my many years at Hogwarts.' Snape said, making them jump two feet in the air. Hermione was scared so much that she was breathing heavily afterwards.
'Um, thank you, then, Professor.' Harry said hesitantly.
'I hope to never give a son of your father a compliment again.' Snape muttered, hurrying off to Lunch.
'Well, now I know that he took no comfort or any such thing when saying it to me. All because my father was his worst enemy.' Harry said.
'Yes, but your mother was the woman he loved.' Draco said quietly.
'What?' Harry asked, taken aback by this statement. How could Snape have ever fallen for Lily?
'Snape was in love with your mother. I heard him and father talking about lost loves one day back when I was little. They didn't notice me hiding under the table, not that I cared, I liked listening to their conversations, I also liked trying out my hiding places for whenever my parents wished to yell at me for some reason or another. They always spoke on this subject. Mother was never allowed in the room of course, but they always spoke of it. Snape confided in him his love for Lily Potter. Father burst out in hysterical laughter, then it subsided, I guess he realised Snape wasn't kidding. Oh, well, here's the Great Hall, hope Sierra's already in there, I don't know why she wasn't in potions, so I plan to ask her. See you around.' With that, Draco took his leave to the Slytherin table.
'Fancy that, Snape being in love with Harry's mother. Strange, isn't it?' Ron asked.
'You're telling me, she was my mother!' Harry said. Ron laughed at this and sat down at the table in between Harry and Hermione. They ate Lunch quickly and went to get their stuff for their next classes, which was Divination for the boys.
'See you at Defence Against the Dark Arts!' Hermione said.
'See you, Hermione!' The boys yelled after her.
They walked into Divination and took their seats on the pouffes and took the books that Professor Trelawney handed them. Draco came in a few seconds later, except without Sierra. They winked and smiled at each other and Draco took his seat with the Slytherins.
They took a look at the book they had in their hands. Dream Oracle, by Inigo Imago. It was all about Dream interpreting. She explained that this would probably be in their OWLs. She set them to work interpreting dreams and reading from the textbook. No one was impressed that they got even more Homework from her, that made stuff from Binns and Snape, now Trelawney. They walked out of class and made their way down to the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom.
They walked in quickly and took seats near the front, like they did in third year.
Professor Lupin smiled at them as they sat down and went over to talk to them.
'How are you guys? Classes haven't been too hard yet?' He asked with a sly grin on his face.
'Oh yeah, they were perfect, loads of Homework from Binns, Trelawney and Snape. This is the worst Monday I have seen in a long time.' Harry said.
'History of Magic, Divination and Potions just before Defence? I'll have to make the Monday classes more fun to make up for the horrid ones beforehand.' Lupin joked.
'Thanks, I think we'll need it.' Harry answered. The whole class had come in by now and had taken their seats.
'Well class, I haven't seen you all in quite some time. I hope the classes will be just as good now as they were then, but that is up to you. Now, please take out your books, we're going to read a little on some types of curses and spells before we try them out. Page 10 please.' They opened their books and read quietly until they had finished the next few pages. Once they had all finished reading, the door slammed open to reveal a rather red-faced and puffing Sierra Malfoy.
'I'm so sorry I'm late Professor, I was talking to Professor Dumbledore about my classes. Sorry.' She said rather quickly. Lupin smiled and pointed to the seat next to Harry.
'At least you weren't just skipping class, I'm not that horrid. Please take a seat next to Harry.' Draco was stifling laughter behind his hand, so when Sierra walked past him, she hit him on the back of the head. Harry laughed slightly at him and moved his stuff off the desk beside him so she could sit down.
'Where reading the first chapter, it's on page 10.' Harry whispered to her.
'Thanks.' She whispered back, smiling lightly at him. She took out her book and started reading while the others got ready to start practicing the spells that they had just learnt the theory on. By the end of the lesson, Harry was the only one to be able to do all the spells that they learnt the theory on. Hermione was close behind him, only not able to complete one of the set spells, but she was very close to getting it. Harry was helping her on it, but she still didn't get it completely. She was getting really frustrated.
'This isn't working!' She cried in frustration.
'Calm down, Hermione. You're slowly getting it. You just flourish your wand too much, try to make it smaller.' He instructed. She did as she was told, but the bell went before she could try again.
'Well done everyone! This was a great lesson! You all did splendidly! I'll see you next lesson!' Lupin cried over their talking and packing up. Draco came over to them. 'Well, that was an interesting lesson, better than any others. Harry, have flyers been put up in your Common Room yet about Quidditch tryouts?' He asked.
'Not that I know of. I hope they're soon though, I can't wait to get back out on my broom again.' Harry answered.
'Yeah, I know what you mean. Are you trying out too, Ron?' He asked. The conversation went on like this for a while. Hermione and Sierra just shook their heads at them and walked off, in their own little conversation.
After dropping their stuff off in their dormitories and saying goodbye to the Malfoys, they made their way down to dinner. After finishing dinner, they fell straight to sleep in their soft, comfortable beds.