Classes

I wake up too early, but get out of bed anyways, knowing Blaise has a tendency to take long showers. So if I want some hot water, I should probably go now. When I walk into the common room, it is still early and quiet, only Millicent is already up. She is petting her cat.

"Hi Milli," I say, "Want to head down for breakfast?"

She nods, still she looks a bit reluctantly as she puts down her cat, who then settles down to sit on her feet. She sighs and rolls her eyes at me. "The lazy thing never allows me to leave her." Then she shoos her cat and we head up for breakfast. "So, care of magical creatures should be interesting this year, won't it? Hagrid seems like he has a very different opinion of what a proper magical creature is for third-years to handle. Should make things a little more excited."

Millicent looks quite excited for Hagrid to be the new teacher.

I smile, feeling glad that I did not choose care of magical creatures. Of course, someone who is half giant would think an aggressively biting book was funny. "Well," I then say, "If the book is anything to go by, you will all have quite the year. I am very glad to have chosen arithmancy and ancient runes."

Millicent snorts. "Yeah," she says, "I should have expected that. I just thought that since you know Vin and Greg were taking it too. Well, I will only see you during core classes then." I look inquiringly at her. Don't tell me she also took divination. "I have chosen muggle studies," she then warily told me.

I feel surprised. Somehow I had not expected her or anyone from Slytherin to take muggle studies. But Slytherins probably had the worst knowledge about muggles, so it should make sense that they took it as a class. "I thought about taking it too. But well- apparently it is taught by a pureblood witch, who just does not understand what she is teaching."

Now it seems to be Millicents turn to be surprised. "Never expected that from you," she blurts out, "Well, too bad about the teacher. Still my knowledge is quite low. I am sure she can still teach me something."

We enter the great hall. Only a handful of people were already here, among them Ginny and Astoria, who we happily greeted. Astoria is apparently complaining about her sister- Daphne, who had been gossiping with Pansy too much.

"Tell me about it," I say frustrated. "Pansy and I had the greatest summer, exploring Italy, enjoying the weather, flying, reading books and playing chess and then she was just distant and constantly floo calling Daphne." I feel myself growing annoyed. "I get that her mother does not always gives her a lot of space to breathe, but I just don't get why she can steam it off some other way. Can't she just play some quidditch, maybe hurl some bludgers away or something."

Astoria snorts. "Girls don't work that way," Astoria says indignantly. Ginny looks very much like she does exactly work that way and vehemently agrees with my words.

I take some pancakes for breakfast. The other students slowly walk in and get down for breakfast. People watching can be kind of fun.

Then Severus is handing out our schedules. When he comes to me, he softly says, "Talk to me after potion class." I nod curtly, then quickly look at my classes.

First thing in the morning is Arithmancy. Then potions. In the afternoon I got charms and then a free period. Well, I shrugged not too bad for a first day. I looked at the others. "So what have you got as a first and last class?"

Vin shrugs. "Care of magical creatures and divination."

Yikes. Well, it was his own choice. "Arithmancy and a free period," I answer.

"Me too," Theodore says. "Wanna head up to Arithmancy? I'd like to be early, leave a good first impression. Since it is a new class and all." I nod and we go in search of classroom 7B. It seemed we were not the only ones with the idea to turn up early. In the classroom a few students sat around scattered, mostly Ravenclaws had signed in for this class. I recognised Hermione and some ravenclaws: Lisa Turpin, Anthony Goldstein, Isobel McDougal, Sue Li and Padma Patil. There also were some Hufflepuffs, though I did not recognise all of them, only Ernie Macmillan and Susan Bones. Later when Professor Vector went through the names I found out that the two other Hufflepuffs were called Oliver Rivers and Hanna Abbot.

"Welcome," professor Vector then starts the class. "To your first class in arithmancy. We will start with some basic numerology. Is there anyone who can tell me something about this subject, seeing as this is the first time you have ever encountered this subject I thought it would be a good idea to make a word web together to see what you already know and what you don't yet know."

Vector puls her short black hair back into a pony tail. She must be one of the youngest professors at Hogwarts, probably around thirty. She sits calmly on the desk. She looks expectantly through the class. "Anyone who'd like to go first? I'd like to hear about a number and its magical properties." Immediately Hermiones hand shot up, hardly surprising.

Vector happily said, "Yes, miss Granger?"

Miss Granger then recited as if reading from a textbook. "In the thirteenth century Bridget Wenlock came up with a magical theorem about the magical properties of the number seven. It is associated with strength, volatileness, reactiveness, change and fire."

Vector nods shortly and seems to try not to laugh at Hermione reciting the textbook. "Very well," Vector says, "I think you read the introductory chapter of the textbook." I snort. Hermione looks a bit put out. I think I am going to like this professor. Professor vector then waves her wand. Around the word numerology, now stood the number seven with the five named properties. "Does anyone know an example where we can see the magical properties of the number seven?"

Bored, I raise my hands, as do several of the others. "Mister Malfoy, what can you recite?"

I smile confidently. "In potions there are many observations of the magical properties of the number seven. Seven stirrings for example often lead to strong or volatile properties. And the effect of many potion ingredients can be described by the number of seven. Potion ingredients from dragons, which is one of the few magical creatures firmly associated with the number seven, are often volatile or easily catch fire." I could go on but professor Vector cuts me off.

She is looking pleased with my answer though, so that counts for something. "Very good, Malfoy," she says, while looking at me measuringly, "Ten points to Slytherin." I feel like for once I might not be second best to Granger in everything. "Dragons are seen as the embodiment of the number seven. They are aggressive, strong and breath fire." She then looks annoyed at Granger. "Please, miss Granger if you could stop taking notes for a second, I want everyone to be activated in class, not reiterate every word I say." Granger actually looks a bit shocked at being told off, but hesitantly puts her writing stuff away. "Mr Goldstein can you tell me something about the potion ingredients derived from dragons?"

Goldstein hesitates, then nods curtly. "Dragon blood is the most common used part of dragons for potions. When adding it to potions it is always very important to add the exact right amount, as not to create an extremely volatile potions or and explosion."

"Fair," professor Vector then says, "Though I think the right measurement is always very important in potions. Other potion ingredients from dragons are dragon claws, dragon liver and dragon scales. They all share the properties of making strong potions, often radically changing the colour and the thickness of the potion and of reacting volatile with other substances and are likely to cause burns or explosions. Miss Turpin, can you tell me what dragon heart string is used for?"

She curtly answers. "It is used as a wand core, often produces wands that are strong, volatile and can quickly change owners."

Professor Vector smiles. "Ten points to Ravenclaw. Again we see the properties of the number seven relate to dragons. To conclude our discussion about dragons I would like to point out that dragons often have a multitude of seven amount of scales and thorns, some even have a seven multitude of claws."

She then turns to me again. "Mister Malfoy, you mentioned dragons as being one of the few creatures associated with the number seven, what are the others?"

"Well I," I say a bit panicked. "Phoenixes and hippogriffs, professor."

She nods. "Five points to Slytherin. The magical properties of the number seven are so strong that even muggles notice whiffs of its properties sometimes. One example of that would be in chemistry, which is the muggle equivalent of potions, there is a theory, well to be fair it will probably go over all off your heads, but I still think it is interesting to mention," professor Vector says. Goldstein snorts derisively. Professor Vector looks far from amused. "Well, mister Goldstein if you think it is easy, I'd like to ask you to explain before the class next week what muggles found out of the properties of elements the number of valence electrons in its shell. I expect all of you to write a ten-inch parchment on examples of the magical properties of the number seven for next class. I would encourage you to find examples outside of potions, since we have already discussed quite a few." Well, shoot, most of my knowledge was from what Severus taught me. Never mind, I'll just go to the library. "Miss Patil, can you tell me about another number and its properties?"

Patil strokes through her hair with her left hand. "You've got the number phi," she says confidently. "It is associated with healing, water and time."

Professor Vector jumps up from the desk. "Very good, ten points to Ravenclaw. For now, since we seem to be limited for time, lets see how many magical numbers and properties we can add to the list." She looks encouragingly. "Yes, mister Nott."

Nott calmly answers. "Pi is associated with growth, transformation and invisibility."

"Great," professor Vector says energetically. "Ten points to Slytherin. Mister Malfoy."

"Five," I say, "It is associated with offence and desire."

This is how it continued for a few minutes till professor Vector ended classes.