AN: To those of you in the states HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
This is my favorite chapter so far! Lets see how Mia copes with her first week at school. Thank you to all of my beautiful and handsome reviewers. And in case you were wondering I do always respond to questions or suggestions by PM's I just hate adding long responses to reviews in the AN because who wants to read long AN's! I don't even want to read my own!
I own nothing
updates 6/18/16
Chapter 8
The next morning Mia woke up early, excited for classes to begin. She got up and changed into her clean cloths, washed her face and cleaned her teeth. She spent a few minutes fixing her hair as she let it out of its tight braid and teased it into beautiful waves. She didn't care if no one would talk to her or if everyone hated her. She wanted to look good on her first day of classes for herself.
Once she was ready she went down into the common room and ignored the looks she received. She followed a few older boys out of the portrait hole and followed them to the great hall. She would need to memorize the halls quickly as Mia had a feeling she wouldn't get many helpful directions from her classmates. Once in the great hall Mia took a seat by herself at the still mostly empty Gryffindor table and piled eggs onto her plate. She was almost finished when Harry and Ron entered. Mia was happy to see the eyes in the room shift from frightened looks at her to excited looks at Harry. As Mia made to leave she heard a few Ravenclaw girls whisper. "Did you see it? Did you see the scar?"
Mia was thankful to know there was at least one person the school was whispering about more than her. Professor McGonagall stopped her on her way out of the hall and handed her a class schedule. She thanked the professor and tried to walk away but her head of house wouldn't have it. She looked Mia in the face and asked her sternly, "Are you doing alright Miss Black?"
Mia didn't want to tell the professor she was hating life and just wanted to start her classes to get her mind off things so she didn't accidentally strangle a classmate. Mia was dedicated to ignore her anger and those emotions that she clearly got from her murderer of a father, so she just smiled. "Yes Professor, excited for classes to start." Professor McGonagall gave a small smile and let her pass as Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil walked in and gave her frightened looks and rushed over to Professor McGonagall. Mia left the great hall and tried to head back up to her room to get her books for class. She got lost a few times and finally followed another Gryffindor. She went up to her room and loaded the things she would need for the morning into her book bag and escaped back downstairs. She got lost several times and had to ask four paintings and a ghost for directions but she managed to make it to her first class: History of Magic.
Mia was the first student in the room and sat in a desk to the side of the class. As the next few students wandered in Mia realized they would be sharing this class with the Hufflepuffs. Hannah walked in and looked in horror towards Mia sitting in the farthest possible chair away from Mia. Mia ignored them and got out her book and note taking material as the rest of the class filed in.
It wasn't long before Mia realized her note taking was pointless in Professor Binns class. The ghost teacher was unbelievably boring and seemed to be telling them all information Mia had already read in her text book. It was as if the teacher just assumed none of the kids had read their books. Mia knew this definitely wouldn't be her favorite class.
Mia spent her lunch in the library doing her History of Magic essay almost from memory, and then left early to find her Transfiguration class. This class was taught by Professor McGonagall and Mia was sure she would love it. Reading about transfiguration theory was so interesting. Mia arrived early to class and grabbed a table near the front. The other kids all filed in and the desks filled till there was only one seat left next to Mia. Professor McGonagall entered the room and surveyed the class. Just before she began talking Neville rushed in red faced and late. Professor McGonagall ordered him to take a seat pointing next to Mia and the boy noticeably shivered. It was clear Professor McGonagall's teaching style was much the same as her smile. Stern.
Professor McGonagall cleared her throat and gave her speech. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." Then the professor turned her desk into a real live pig, and back into a desk. She then began her lecture were all of them took complex notes and afterwards were given a matchstick to try and turn into a needle.
Mia couldn't get it. She didn't understand. She knew the concept and it made perfect sense to her, but for some reason when she waved her wand and spoke the words it didn't work! She was getting a little too frustrated at her failure as her eyes began to ice and she started to think maybe it was just her wands fault. As if to prove it was the witch and not the wand, the next time Mia waved her wand a tiny explosion engulfed the match stick and turned it to ash. Neville looked horrified next to her as he whimpered.
"Try again." Professor McGonagall set another match stick on Mia's desk much to her disappointment.
"Professor, look!" Mia had blown the ash away to find a few glittery bits of metal in its place.
"Causing a small molecular explosion and creating metal, although very difficult was not the goal of the lesson. Try again." Mia sighed and continued, this time not letting her anger get in the way. By the end of class, Mia's match was still a match, much like the rest of the classes. The only person who had made any difference in their match had been Hermione, who had made her matchstick silver.
As Mia was packing up her stuff to head to her next class, Professor McGonagall called to her and asked her to wait behind. When the rest of the class had cleared out Professor McGonagall looked up at her with a stern look. "Miss Black, it has come to my attention that last night you threatened your roommates in your dorm. Now I know you have a bit of a disadvantage given your family history but I have to say I am very disappointed in you. I thought you would have been a better steward of the opportunity given to you." Mia was speechless. She had been expecting getting told off for her anger causing the small explosion, but not for this. "Well? Explain yourself."
"Professor, I didn't threaten anyone last night." Unless you counted the Hufflepuff boy on the train.
"Well then, tell me exactly what happened last night and I will see if I can clear up any confusion."
"Last night after the feast I went straight to my room. My roommates had stayed in the common room for a bit so I decided to take a shower. After changing I went back into my room and was heading to my bed when my roommates came in. They were nervous around me, like everyone is for some reason. I really don't think I look that scary! Anyways after I put on my lotion and climbed into bed I closed my curtains and tried to fall asleep. The other girls were still getting to bed but the noise didn't bother me. Then they started whispering. They said how they didn't want to sleep in the same room as me and how it shouldn't be allowed. One girl said they were going to talk to you about possibly moving rooms. And one girl made the comment I might murder them all in their sleep. I was angry at this point. After being called a death eater and a murderer I was extremely frustrated I admit. So I sat up in bed and ripped back the curtain and announced rather assertively that I wasn't planning on killing any of them that night. I realize I probably worded it the worst possible way, and I think the angry part of me did it on purpose. I apologize for my rash anger and promise to try harder with being more patent." Mia looked down in shame and silently prayed she wouldn't be expelled. It had felt good to finally tell someone about everything that had been building in her mind but she had a feeling Professor McGonagall wasn't the right confidant.
"I see there was a bit of miscommunication between your roommates and yourself. I will speak to those in question to clear this up, but I must urge you. I know you have been stuck with a hard spot here, but wait it out and your classmates will warm up to you. You simply have to make sure and not egg them on or give them more reason to fear you. Do you understand?" Mia nodded. "Good, now take this note to your next teacher so you don't get in trouble for being late. You are dismissed." Mia took the note and disappeared hoping the rest of her classes would be better.
Over the next week Mia noticed a few things about her classes. She didn't really mind being up at midnight three nights a week studying the night sky, she loved her Herbology class because it taught her more about the ingredients she learned about in her potions books. Her Defense Against the Dark Arts class was a bit of a joke. She excelled in Charms where she was lacking in Transfiguration because Charms was a much more direct form of spell work. And she also noticed that all of the desks in the school were two to a table desks except for in potions which held four. Mia quickly learned that Ravenclaw and Gryffindor where the only houses with an even number of first years, so when Gryffindor had a class with Slytherin or Hufflepuff it meant Mia got a desk to herself, but when they had a class with Ravenclaw, the last student in the room had to sit next to Mia. Sadly this usually happened to be Neville who never seemed to be on time and always ended up suffering in classes from fear of sitting next to her. Once or twice Mia had tried to help the boy, but he seemed to be more afraid she would hex him than help him.
The other students still had not warmed up to her and the stories of what happened on the train and even more exaggerated stories were being spread around the school. Apparently Mia had hexed a young Hufflepuff in the girl's bathroom and left her in a stall till someone found her the next day. If you asked the average Slytherin, Mia had made deals with most of them and put hits out on her fellow Gryffindor's which the Slytherins loved to act out. This caused the younger Gryffindor's to truly hate her, and made a few of the older students who got hit to lash out at her. She even got hexed twice by her own house mates, and had to go up to the hospital wing covering her boil filled face with her cloak. Not all of the other students were avoiding her though. Draco seemed to not take offence of her, and although he hadn't tried to have a conversation with her again, Mia had a bad feeling he was planning something. Every time she passed him in the hallways he would make a note to bow his head to her and wish her a fair greeting with an evil smirk. One of the times Ron had been in the hallway and had witnessed the exchange. He gave an evil glare at Draco and an accusatory glare at Mia before running off to find Harry.
As Mia spent most of her time alone she spent much of her time trying to find short cuts through the maze of a castle so she could better avoid the glares she received from her classmates. On Wednesday she was trying to find a new rout to the Gryffindor common room and managed to stumble across the school Owlery. Mia walked through the crowed of lazy sleepy birds who hooted angrily at her for waking them up. She apologized for disturbing them and walked up to one of the large arched windows that opened the room up to the sky around the tall tower. It was a beautiful view and it made Mia feel safe being up so high. A beautiful snowy owl hopped her way over to Mia and asked her if she had a letter to deliver. "No I just came up here to get a way for a little bit." Mia spoke quietly so that she didn't disturb the other owls as she stroked the beautiful bird's chest plumage softly. "You know you are way too beautiful to be one of the school owls, I'm sure you belong to a student. So why are you offering to carry a letter for me?" The owl explained to Mia that her owner didn't have any friends or family he wanted to send letters to outside of the school grounds so she never really had much to do, but she was happy to deliver messages for the young girl who was kind enough to apologize for waking the other birds. Mia liked the bird she was sweet and sensible and loved to tell Mia all about the things she had seen since coming to Hogwarts.
Mia spent the next hour or so chatting with the beautiful bird. Her name was Hedwig and she loved her master, but really enjoyed having a witch like Mia who could understand her. Mia told her all about the other kids and the way she was being treated. Hedwig would listen intently and even offer Mia some advice. The bird hated to see older owls picking on the new fledglings and her protective side came out when she heard of some of the mean things the other students were saying about Mia. Hedwig promised to come visit her in the mornings sometimes when the other owls delivered the post, and Mia promised to come up to the tall tower to chat with Hedwig when she got lonely or was having a bad day.
As night was approaching, Mia said her goodbye and spent her last few moments in the Owlery looking out into the falling darkness of the school grounds. Mia heard a wolf's song in the distance as they celebrated the catch of their dinner. She had heard Mr. Filtch the caretaker having a conversation with Hagrid the gamekeeper about the arrival of the wolves in the forest. There had always been a pack living in the extensive forest but they had never come so closed to the school before. Mia sighed. A wolf would be an interesting animal to meet. Mia had talked to cats, birds, the occasional mouse and even a little stray dog once, but never to anything bigger. She once tried to talk to a snake she found, but she didn't seem to be able to talk to reptiles. As the last of the skies light fell from the Owlery, Mia created a simple lumos charm and started to find her way back to her common room. Mia officially decided owls were much better company than starlings.
Mia was desperately thankful for the library. She found out she could hide out for most meals and stay late in the evenings in a secluded table until right before curfew so she could avoid her roommates as much as possible. Lavender and Parvati seemed even more scared of Mia after her talk with Professor McGonagall. Knowing they were probably just scared she would try to get back at them for trying to get her expelled, Mia just gave them a wide berth.
Finally Friday came bringing with it Mia's most awaited class. Mia found her way down to the dungeons by following a few Slytherin first years after breakfast. She made her way into the classroom and found a seat at a table to the side. All of the other tables filled up with the quick rush to the seats so no one had to sit by Mia until the last two people made their way into the class. Mia found herself seated next to Neville with Hermione having to share her table.
Once everyone found their seats the back door burst open and the dark and intimidating potions master, Professor Snape entered the class. He started class by taking roll call only reading off the last names and glancing at the student quickly to memorize the face. Was it just Mia's imagination or did Professor Snape say her last name with a bit more venom than the rest? And he didn't even look up at her as if he already knew what she looked like and didn't want to be forced to see it again. When he came to the 'P's' he seemed to pause on one. "Ah yes, Harry Potter. Our new Celebrity." Mia heard her cousin and his dim friends laugh from the Slytherin side of the room.
After roll call, the professor jumped into a long lecture on the art of potion making, and although Mia had mixed feelings about the professor, she really did love the sound of Potion making. The Professor started on a question answer game where he clearly had ulterior motives.
"Potter! What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" You would get the Draught of Living Death. Mia knew the answer but there was no way she was going to raise her hand. Hermione seemed to have other plans though as her hand went shooting into the air.
Harry looked confused. "I don't know Sir."
"Tut tut. Clearly fame isn't everything." He looked pleased. "Lets try again. Potter, where would you look if I asked you to find me a bezoar?" A goat's stomach. That was an easy one, Mia thought, but clearly Harry didn't know. Hermione started wiggling her fingers high in the air trying to get the teacher's attention. Draco and his lackeys were laughing into their books.
"I don't know Sir." Harry looked frustrated.
"Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming here did you Potter? What is the difference between Monkshwood and wolfbane? Nothing. They are the same. Hermione lifted off her chair as she reached higher into the air.
"I don't know Sir, but perhaps you should try Hermione." Mia and a few other kids laughed. But apparently Professor Snape only noticed Mia, His eyes narrowing at her like daggers.
"Sit down you foolish girl!" He snapped at Hermione and turned his full attention onto Mia. "Think you can do better Miss Black?"
The way he said her name made her cringe eternally but she didn't show it. Instead she straightened up in her seat and responded. "Powdered root of asphodel and an infusion of wormwood make a sleeping draft so powerful it's known as The Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a small stone that is found in the stomach of a goat and can cure you from most poisons. And Monkshwood and Wolfbane are the same plant that is also known as Aconite." Professor Snape looked at her like she had just ruined his day and Hermione just looked at her with jealousy. She hadn't asked to be called on. Was it really her fault she knew the answers?
"Well why aren't you copying this all down?" Snape roared as all the students searched for quills and parchment. "And five points will be taken from Gryffindor house for your cheek Potter, and five points for your tone Black."
After that they were set to make a potion to cure boils, and Mia loved it. Cutting and crushing the ingredients, timing out the potion and making sure things settled right before adding the next part. Even though Mia was paired with Neville their potion was going great and was clearly ahead of everyone else's. Snape spent the lesson hovering around everyone criticizing all the Gryffindor's and taking points off for the smallest things. He had a hard time finding something wrong in the way Mia was preparing things so he just insulted her appearance and criticized Neville 10 times as hard. This made Neville extremely nerves and he almost made a few really bad mistakes but Mia caught him before he did almost every time. Their potion was almost done and it was perfect so far when Mia had to sneeze. Neville had been preparing the porcupine quills and Mia was about to take the potion off the burner when she turned to blow her nose. Just then there was a loud explosion behind her. Their cauldron had turned into a twisted blob and the potion was running all over the floor burning holes into people's shoes. The students jumped onto their stools not wanting their feet to burn but Neville who had caused the explosion was covered in the burning liquid and large red boils were already forming all over his body.
"Idiot boy!" Snape rounded on them siphoning the potion off the ground but leaving Neville covered and crying. I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the pot off the burner! And you, Black! Why didn't you stop him? Thought it would be funny to watch him mess up so you just moved out of the way?" Neville's cry's of pain where getting a little loud. "You there," Snape pointed at Seamus, another Gryffindor. "Take him up to the hospital wing. Five more points from Gryffindor, Miss Black." Mia just couldn't believe it. Her potion had been perfect, and now she had failed her first potions lesson, the one thing she seemed to love.
After classes that day Mia was glad it was the weekend. She packed up all of her homework and headed to the library with the intent of spending the entire weekend there if she could.
AN: Alright people, things are gonna start speeding up quite a bit from here on out so hang on to your hats and wigs!
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