Hershel's first few weeks of class were definitely an interesting experience.
He learned the first day that the castle's layout was not a definite Point-A-to-Point-B system. The stairways sometimes moved, often trapping students on the wrong side and making them find a different way around. Just getting to class the first day was a challenge for Clark, Claire and himself. (Silently, he wished all first years the best of luck finding their way around.)
While he could deal with the moving staircases, as he didn't come across them too often, but what would always catch him off guard were the moving paintings. They'd occasionally say hello to the passerby students, have conversations, and, according to Angela and Brenda, there was a painting called the Fat Lady that guarded the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. Hershel wished the Ravenclaws had a set password instead of impossible Wizard riddles just to get inside their rooms.
On top of the ever-moving castle were the ghosts that inhabited the walls. Each house apparently had a ghost assigned to it, the Ravenclaw one being the Grey Lady. He also saw Peeves, a poltergeist, on an almost-daily basis. He'd constantly pull pranks on the students, most particularly the '"Ickle Firsties", and only stopped when someone threatened to tell the Bloody Baron.
With regards to classes, he decided early on that Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology and Defense Against the Dark Arts were his favorites. He had little to no complaints regarding them and their teachers, the only major peeve being that the DADA teacher, Professor Riddleton, had an addiction to puzzles that rivaled that of his father and Randall. He was glad that Henry shared that class with him, and not the red-headed Slytherin.
Hershel didn't care too much for Potions (why did it need to be taught in the dungeons?) and Astrology left him begging for sleep Wednesday mornings. Luckily, History of Magic was the first class on Wednesdays, and Claire was always more than happy to lend him her notes if he fell asleep.
"No offense to Professor Binns," He told her one evening, handing her her notes, "but having that class after Astrology is impossible."
She laughed quietly while taking the parchment and flipping through her book. "I'm just glad I didn't fall asleep, too. Then we'd have to copy off of Clark. Have you seen his handwriting?"
"Heard that." Clark spoke up from across the library's table as the other two Ravenclaws burst into giggles. "It's really not that bad, you know."
"It looks like you're writing in a foreign language half the time." Brenda pointed at his notes, currently spread out across the table in front of him. "I can't even read that. Is that supposed to say 'Hogwarts'?"
The shorter boy rolled his eyes as the rest of the table snickered. "I'm not used to quills, is all." Ignoring them, he turned towards his housemates and asked, "You both ready for tomorrow?"
Claire shook her head excitedly, while Hershel looked at him with horror. "Ready for what?" There was a sense of despair in his voice.
"Don't be so worried, Hersh," Randall called from a bookshelf behind him, "it's just flying practice. You saw the notices pinned up, right?"
"Uh..." Hershel left that question unanswered, scribbling something on his parchment instead to contain his excitement. Nobody told him that they'd actually get to fly.
They were lined up on the Quidditch field the next morning, Ravenclaws on one side and Hufflepuffs on the other. Madame Hooch, the flying instructor, paced in between them, making sure everyone had a broomstick. "I want you to hold your hand over your brooms and say, "Up!"."
A chorus of "Up!"s erupted. A few lucky people got it first-try. Hershel's broom rolled around a bit, prompting him to say it again, before it flew upwards and almost missed his hand. The "Up!"s slowly dwindled, the last few people simply picking up their brooms when Hooch wasn't looking.
"Now," She focused her attention to the students once more. "Mount your brooms," Everyone did so. "And, kick off!" She blew her whistle, and they all dashed up in the air.
Hershel decided that flying was both exciting and terrifying. The feeling of rising above the ground and the wind in his face and just feeling free was amazing. Realizing that he could fall at any moment and injure himself, well, not so much.
The lesson ended abruptly when there was a mid-air collision due to a faulty broomstick. Luckily, both students were close to the ground, and the worst injury was a slightly sprained wrist. Even so, Madame Hooch ordered all brooms to return to the ground and stay there while she took them to the hospital wing. The students touched down, sitting with their friends in small circles and chatting excitedly.
"Wasn't that exciting?" Claire asked as she collapsed next to her friends on the grass.
Henry, from where he lay on his back, gave a tired fist-bump in the air. Clark shrugged, his expression saying "I've done it before.", and Hershel, in a similar position as Henry, laughed, responding with "That's an understatement!".
They remained out there for no more than twenty minuets. Madame Hooch reappeared and ushered them off to their next class, collecting their brooms and storing them for next class.
I am so so sorry about the sudden hiatus! A lot of personal things happened that I'd rather not go into and I haven't been able to write as much as I'd like.
BUT! Finals are next week and I should be able to write a bit more after that! So that's good!
Also, I just realized that I have no idea what I'm gonna do with regards to anything 'exciting' happening during the school years D: . I have a few broader ideas, but those won't be coming in until later in Hersh's academic life. So, if you have any ideas that you think would work out in this AU, please leave a comment or PM me!
Thank you for being patient and taking time to read this story! :D