The next day was a bit odd. On several occasions other students would point and gawk at my brother and I. One girl even asked me what by brother smelled like when I got out of the loo. Apparently sweat wasn't the answer she was looking for. I'm definitely over the whole your parents dies and your not famous but. Well Harry was really the famous one... I'm like a bonus.
It did make it easy to get directions. This place is massive and people wanting to be our friends made getting directions easier. Apparently no one wanted to give a Potter the wrong directions.
Fred and George had given me a quick tour filled with some useful information. I learned where the trick stair is, you can easily get stuck in it. George jumped in to assure me it wouldn't hurt, which made me feel much better but me and Fred had to pull him out. Still even with the crash corse of short cuts and identifying places from the Weasley twins it was still easy to get lost in the castle. There are exactly a hundred and forty two stair cases, and so many doors. Some doors aren't even doors at all. I spent twenty minutes trying to open a door before someone saw and informed me that there are fake doors at Hogwarts. Fake doors. I didn't know wether to feel stupid or stunned. I chose stunned.
The portraits didn't help with any guidance at all. In fact one watched me try to get that door off and did nothing but smirk and laugh when I finally found out.
Sir Nicholas ( our house ghost) was the only helpful ghost if you happened to find him. He would point any Gryffindor in the right direction. The Bloody Baron would simply ignore anyone not a Slytherin and the Far Friar would tell you to find a teacher or prefect unless you were a Hufflepuff. Peeves was another story entirely, he is literally pure chaos. He had Harry and Ron go to the wrong classroom three different times. That one I find a bit funny. He would throw paper wads, bits of rubbish, and chalk at anyone he came in his path. George had explained that he's not really a ghost but a poltergeist who loved pranks but didn't really know when to stop.
The caretaker Mr. Filtch is even less help than peeves, he chased me and the twins around the castle (for almost no reason), yelled at Ron and Harry for trying to open the wrong door, and had a weird obsession with his cat, Mrs. Norris.
Mrs. Norris patrols different parts of the castle and if she caught you Mr.Filtch would be there within seconds to give out punishment. Yikes. Just yikes.
The lessons themselves weren't all to bad. Transfiguration is most definitely my favorite subject, however that could be that she is my favorite teacher. My detention with her was rather delightful (not that I could admit that to her). Since it was the first day of school there wasn't much to do. I helped her clear of the desks and then got to read up and demonstrate the match into a needle. It so happened that that was our first lesson when I was the first go get it right the next day she just gave me a knowing smile and went on with the lesson. I ended up helping Neville and got five points for Gryffindor! She's rather strict and does not like any shenanigans. However if you play by those rules and do your best she can form a soft spot or she will give out a well earned smile.
Potions the subject was alright, almost like magical cooking or science experiments. The teacher on the other hand was awful. Professor snaps has an awful habit of picking on Harry and sometimes me. It seemed he really hates us Gryffindors. He couldn't give the Slytherins enough praise. If I have to hear one more time how fame isn't everything and that Draco (yes the Bonehead boy) is so much better than me I'm going to actually vomit. On the subject of vomiting when Neville accidentally mentee his and Seamus's cauldron everyone who touched the goo that flooded the table got these nasty looking greenish boils. They would grow and pop puss the site of which caused me to actually vomit. Harry had to take me to the hospital wing that day. Not that he minded much, he had said it was better than class with Snape the snake.
You'd think being taught history by a ghost would be totally cool however it's excruciatingly boring. Professor Binns ,who taught history of magic, has a monotone voice that lulls me to sleep. If it wasn't for Hermione lending me her notes I'd be a goner for sure.
The most exciting class by far has to be charms. Professor Flitwick finds ways to make class fun. Bonus points for the first student to accomplish a task, fun study groups, and a good amount of encouragement. I "creatively" made a ball of paper fly around the room and got ten points for it. As a bonus it his Draco Malfoy in the back of the head.
Herbology was pretty fun as well, Professor Sprout is a kind and jolly woman who really cares about her plants. It's really interesting learning about all the different types of plants and what uses they have. Potions and Herbology almost go hand in hand.
The most disappointing class so far is Defense against the Dark Arts. I had thought it would be a lot more hands on and really go in-depth. Sadly Professor Quirrell is a bit of a hotdog and the class room smelled like garlic. Apparently he had a nasty run in with a vampire before he became a professor. That explains his stutter but something about that guy gave me the chills.
The end of the week was the best. Harry got a letter from Hagrid inviting us over for tea and cake. He has a wonderful one room cottage full of knickknacks and oddities with a garden and ivy growing on the outside. Harry knocked on the door three times.
Hagrid opened the door and a big dog came forward. His fur was almost a velvety steel Grey color, very similar to mooneys color. He is gigantic and slobbery and absolutely amazing. I giggled as he licked me.
"Fang, back fang"
"Oh I love him!!" I exclaimed. "Hello fang" I cooed.
Hagrid struggled to hold the big dog back to let me Harry and Ron in the cottage.
"Make yer selves at home" Hagrid said letting go of fang who went up to Ron and licked his ears.
I took a seat on the couch close to fang and paid a bit to much attention to him while Harry, Ron and Hagrid chatted. I over heard Hagrid call Filtch "an ole git" and turned my attention back to the conversation at hand.
"An as fer that cat, Mrs Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her- Filtch puts her up to it."
Harry told Hagrid about our lessons with Snape and how he felt we were singled out.
"Rubbish!" Hagrid replied. " why would he?"
"Maybe he just hates the first year Gryffindors the most... he gets on to Neville as much as us." I put it.
"Nah, Fred and George are always loosing points from Snape." Ron said.
"How's yer brother Charlie?" Hagrid asked Ron. "I liked him a lot- great with animals."
Ron proceeded to tell us all about his brother who's a dragon trainer! Literally this Charlie bloke must be the coolest person ever. Even cooler than Fred and George and I think they are grand.
"Hagrid" Harry exclaimed holding up a copy of the Daily Prophet "that Gringotts break in happened on my birthday!" It might of been happening while we were there"
"Yeah your birthday" I glared.
He ignored me and instead looked directly at Hagrid who would not look at harry. Instead he simply grunted and passed Harry another rock cake. I looked over Harry's shoulder to inspect the information on the page. According to the prophet the cell that was broken into had been emptied earlier that day. This vault also happened to be the one Hagrid had us stop by so he could pick something up. He had only come out with one super small item... what's that all that was in the vault? Was it extremely valuable? Why would someone want to steal it? I pondered.
The three of us opted to leave a bit after that. Hagrid had given us plenty of rock cakes ( completely inedible) for snacks. I opted on breaking them apart and leaving them for a creature to eat. Harry, Ron and I spent the rest of dinner trying to guess/ think of what it could have been that the robbers wanted.