Here's the ninth chapter. Tom begins his classes at Hogwarts. I'd like to remind you that if you'd like to read any other stories of mine, a good choice would be Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. All of the rest are just humor stories.

Chapter 9

"Tom, wake up," Bennett prompted, "it's almost time for breakfast."

Tom reluctantly opened his eyes. He had always gotten to sleep in at the orphanage. Oh well. He would just have to adjust.

Bennett, Crabbe, and Goyle led him through the common room all the way back to the Great Hall (he had been so tired the night before that he hadn't been paying attention when the house prefect led them to their common room and dormitories).

They each took a seat at the Slytherin table while Professor Dumbledore handed out the schedules.

"Yes!" Bennett exclaimed after reading the schedule. "We have Defense Against the Dark Arts first!"

Tom ate his breakfast quickly. He was definitely looking forward to that class. To defend oneself, they must know how defeat oneself.

. . .

"Welcome," said the teacher when class began, "my name is Professor Xavier. I will be your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. I am the head of the Slytherin house as well."

He was tall and thin, with jet-black hair and gray, cold eyes.

"This will be one of the most important classes you will take here at Hogwarts, if not the most important. You will learn to protect yourself against dangerous magical creatures, and eventually against those who use magic for evil."

Tom knew that he would like Professor Xavier, as well as his class. But before he had the chance to start on the first lesson, the period was over, and Tom, Bennett, Crabbe, and Goyle headed over to their next class, Transfiguration.

Professor Dumbledore seemed like a good teacher. Bennett noted with admiration his defeats of such wizards as Fundley and Dinsel, despite the fact that he was head of Gryffindor, a house Bennett had seemed to despise. That admiration seemed to disappear, though, when he was scolded for talking while Dumbledore was discussing the things they'd learn throughout school about Transfiguration.

"Well, anyway," Dumbledore said. "Since it is the first day of school, I'll spare you the note taking, but next class, you better be prepared."

And with that, another class ended, Tom just as excited as he had been after the first.

The next class would not be so fun, though.

Tom had been excited about History of Magic, as it was one of the only subjects he could comprehend before the term started. But the teacher Professor Binns was anything but exciting.

He was a middle age man with brown hair, hints of gray becoming visible. He had a dull, monotone voice.

"I'm hoping you all know each other by now, so I will spare all of the introductions and get right to work."

Professor Binns explained the first International Wizard Convention and mentioned many of the well-known wizards that attended it- to those that were awake, Tom being one of the few.

At the end of the period, Professor Binns assigned a ten-inch composition about that Convention, and for the first time, Tom walked out of a Hogwarts class glad to be leaving.