Chapter 4: Classes and Reasons
I awoke the next morning earlier than the other girls and slipped out the dorm and into the common room after I put my robes on. I had my bag beside me, waiting for the school day to actually begin. I couldn't sit still, so I walked out of the common room and headed toward the great hall for breakfast. Dumbledore was sitting in his chair in the front, along with Professor McGonagall and a few other teachers.
I walked to my house table and sat down, not wanting to draw any attention to myself, but failed when Dumbledore smiled and waved at me. "Miss Chesmino, how lovely to see you again." He said and I smiled weakly at him, just wanting to disappear. "Chesmino? Haven't I heard that somewhere?" A small teacher asked and I felt my cheeks go red. "Another time for talking, let's eat before educating our wonderful students." I smiled and saw some students coming in; the rest of the school was finally waking up.
At breakfast, we were given our class schedules and mine was the same as Harry and his friend Ron, as well as Hermione. I felt out of place around them, but Hermione was nice enough to make sure we weren't late for classes, however she only worried about herself and me, and we left the boys at the table once she saw I was finished. I liked most of my classes, even though I noticed a few people who seemed to stare at me like I was a freak, which I couldn't blame them.
Harry got attention like I've ever seen, he was followed around, eyes always on him and I felt sorry for him. We were almost late for Charms, Hermione insisted on asking someone for directions, and Peeves heard and kept us from opening the door, we barely made it, and took seats above Harry and Ron. The small teacher who asked about my name at breakfast was the teacher, Flitwick was his name and he had to stand on a pile of books to reach and see over his desk.
The Transfiguration teacher was McGonagall, who was stern and even turned her desk into a pig and back. I was excited about doing stuff like that, as was the rest of the class, but she said we would be turning matches into needles. "Go on and turn them." She said and started walking around the room, checking on students. Hermione's had turned silver and she smiled at her, and then noticed mine.
"Good job Miss Chesmino, it's almost there, see here class?" she said and held up my match, it was now in the perfect shape of a needle, except it was still a match. "It isn't perfect, but very close." I felt my cheeks burning as we left when the bell rang. "What's next?" I mumbled as we left, Hermione was looking proud of her and of me, then said, "Defense Against the Dark Arts."
We didn't really speak on the way to the class, which turned out to be slightly laughable from what I heard. I froze at the door, Hermione didn't notice, but instead took a seat. The room smelt of garlic and my nose was itching the entire time I was standing there. "What's wrong?" Harry asked, appearing behind me with Ron at his side. I shook my head and they walked in, I slowly followed, trying not to breathe the air so much, it burned my throat.
"I need to go to the hospital wing." I said in a hoarse voice and Hermione gave me a concerned looked, but I grabbed my stuff and ran from the room as soon as Professor Quirrell nodded nervously at me. I walked toward the hospital wing, but my feet felt heavy under my body, which seemed to be on fire. I bumped into a few walls when someone appeared from a door I didn't notice.
"Miss Chesmino?" I saw with my blurring vision that it was the Headmaster, Dumbledore. I felt a surge of relief, but it was quickly crushed by the burning sensations in my chest. "Help…p-please." I croaked and he nodded, taking my arm and leading me somewhere. Finally we arrived and I felt like my entire body was burning, I felt as if I couldn't move or speak another word without bursting into flames.
"Professor Quirrell's class?" he asked and I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. I couldn't tell where we were, but I was gently helped onto a bed. I could barely see the outline of Dumbledore. "I'll be right back." His voice came to me as a whisper and I heard footsteps fading. I wasn't going to make it; I was going to die on my first day of school. I barely heard the footsteps, there was more than one person heading toward me.
They were talking in hushed voices and I opened my eyes to barely see the dark shapes that were the people around me. "Miss Chesmino, can you hear me?" it was Dumbledore speaking to me; I nodded slowly, my head pounding with every movement. "Don't worry dear." This voice was female and I assumed I was in the hospital wing and the voice was the nurse.
"Hold out her arm." Dumbledore was told by the nurse and I gasped at the pain when my arm was moved. I felt something pierce my skin and I almost screamed, but then the pain was gone almost immediately. My vision started to clear with each blink and my senses were sharpening again. After a minute I could see Dumbledore's eyes twinkling down at me and I saw an older woman who was the nurse sighing at me.
"She should be fine now, it was close, but I'm sure she'll be alright." She walked off and I saw someone else standing at the foot of my bed. I didn't know who this person was, but he looked stern and stared at me with dangerous eyes. "As you can see, she will be fine; I think you should be getting back to the Ministry, Barty." The man glanced at Dumbledore, and then walked over to me, looking me up and down.
"I will be keeping an eye on her Dumbledore, be sure you tell the staff and take the proper precautions." He gave me another look and then left. "Now, drink this sweetie." The nurse said, holding a crystal goblet that held a dark red liquid. I stared at it with desire, but shook my head. "I'm fine." My voice seemed stronger, but she handed it to me, and then walked off to let us talk.
"Drink it." Dumbledore said and I stared at him, I didn't want to, but it would help me. I slowly lifted the edge to my lips and took a swallow, then sat it on the table. It cooled my throat and my chest. It was like drinking a cloud to me, but to any other it would be revolting. "Better?" I nodded and sat up in the bed, facing him. "I must apologize; I was excited about the New Year that I forgot to ask Professor Quirrell to remove the garlic, that he was safe without it."
I looked at the bright light shining into the room and sighed. "I hate being different." "I see it as a gift." I snapped my head to look at him. "How is this a gift?" I gestured to myself, then the goblet. "I'm sure you will see for yourself soon, when you are ready." "Do the teachers know?" "I was going to tell them this evening, once the students were in bed." I nodded and stared at the drink. "Drink it dear; do not hold back because of me." I nodded and took the drink in my hands, then slowly finished drinking it. I sat the empty cup down and swung my legs off the bed, about to get up. "How can you even be around me, let alone allow me to go to the school with other students?" he just smiled at me touched my shoulder. "Because I know how to look past the origins and trust the person inside, Aethna."