Notes and Disclaimers: See part 1
Feedback gratefully received.
~~~~
By the time Ron and Harry got to the Common Room the next morning, they could see Hermionie and Susan chatting away near the fire. They seemed to be debating which was better Arithmacy or Astronomy.
Ron looked at Harry. "We're too late. Hermionie's got her claws into poor Susan."
"Shh, she'll hear us."
"I can already hear you. And I haven't got claws have I?"
Susan laughed a little. "Not at all. And we were just having a little talk about which was more interesting Arithmacy or Astronomy. And I said I didn't mind Arithmacy, well not too much, but that I really loved Astronomy. Something about the stars."
"Ack. You can't like Astronomy, there's too much writing. And I don't want to talk about schoolwork when there's a perfectly good breakfast waiting downstairs."
"Food. I don't know why, I suppose it's nerves, but I'm very hungry."
They rushed down to the Hall and ate. While they were doing this, the gang filled Susan in on the who and what's of Hogwarts. They told her about the ghosts and Peeves, and Filch and Mrs. Norris, complete with sound effects from Ron.
Madame Hooch strode into the hall looking imperious. She went to the high table and spoke, "Silence." The room went quiet. "You're timetables have been fixed. Here they are." On cue hundreds of pieces of paper flew into the room, each to its proper owner. There were more than a few groans and grumbles when people read them and saw who they had and when. Madame Hooch walked out.
Harry, Hermionie, Ron and Susan all looked at their timetables. Susan didn't know anything about the teachers so they filled her in.
Neither Ron nor Harry really knew that much about Professor Sinistra but Hermionie knew someone else who had taken Astronomy and they said that she was nice. A bit of a nut for homework but Hermionie made that sound like a good thing. No one knew who their new Defence against Dark Arts teacher would be, but they told her a bit about the previous ones. Susan's eyes went as wide as saucers.
They told her about Professor McGonagall, Professor Hooch and Professor Flitwick. About subjects like Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. Susan flinched a little.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm not that good with animals."
"You'll be okay."
Harry picked up the tale from where Ron had ended it. "And then we've got Potions with Professor Snape." He couldn't help the look of distaste on his face.
"The Professor Snape?"
"You mean there might be more." Ron looked horrified at the thought.
"I only know of the one and when my father mentions him, it's normally just before a string of curse words."
"It's definitely the same one then."
"Oh dear."
They had started filling her in on the pupils, with Harry nearly blushing pink at the mention of Cho, when the daily owl post came through. Neville's dropped a small package containing his dress robes.
Ron looked at Neville enviously, "I wish I could forget mine."
In the middle of the owls came a raven, which headed straight for Susan. "Hello, pretty. What've you got for me then?"
The raven dropped a small note. Susan opened it and read it quickly. All it said was 'Glad to hear you arrived safely. Good luck."
Several people were looking astonished, so Susan turned to Hermionie, "What's the problem?"
"I don't think we're allowed ravens, I thought it was only owls, or cats, or toads."
"I did ask Professor Dumbledore and he said it would be okay."
"Then it will be. But why've you got a raven anyway? It's a bit unusual isn't it."
"There aren't that many owls around where I live so I thought it would be easier to just use Farand. They can't carry as much as owls, and don't look at me like that Farand, but they're quick." She let the raven go after paying it, and it flew back out of the window.
Draco Malfoy and his goons chose that moment to appear. They slithered over to Harry's table.
"Morning Malfoy." Everyone clutched at their wands just in case.
"Morning Potter. So that's the sort of rubbish they let into Hogwarts now, is it? And she's obviously a Gryffindor, just look at her. They'd never let someone like that into Slytherin." He, Crabbe and Goyle moved away before anyone hit them.
"So that's the Malfoy heir?" Susan didn't look impressed, a bit worried though.
"Yes, horrible little toad isn't he? But it should be all right, we've only got to cope with the Slytherin's in Flying and in Potions, but that's a double worst luck, and with Snape."
"Well I'm not letting anyone ruin Potions for me. That's my favourite subject."
"Susan, you're crazy."
"Maybe."
Hermionie looked at the clock. "We'd better get going to lessons now." And with that, they went.
~~~~
That was how the first week progressed. Susan stuck pretty tightly to them, afraid of getting lost, and of running into Malfoy.
Professor McGonagall's classes were getting even harder and she kept them working until the bell every lesson, and then the nights and weekends with homework. But they were starting to learn how to transfigure bigger objects now, and were promised that they would learn the spell for something as large as a table by the end of the year.
Professor Flitwick's lessons became quite dangerous, because the charms became increasingly complicated and difficult, and Neville was having the usual problems. They had tried an animal summoning charm and he'd ended up being stung by a swarm of upset bees.
History lessons had become duller, mainly because they finished the bloodthirsty exploits of the Goblin rebellion and moved on to tranquil things like the reign of Drussa the Peaceful, or Drussa the so bloody peaceful everyone died of boredom, as Ron called him.
As she had predicted, Susan was terrible at Care of Magical Animals. She'd only got anywhere because of Ron, Harry and Hermionie helping her out. At least she didn't have to deal with blast-ended skrewts. No, this year Hagrid had outdone himself. The creatures, which he called Salumfires, were small, even tempered and didn't bite. They didn't have to. They excreted a horrible gel which stunk to high heavens and refused to wash off. People tended to were disposable gloves for that lesson.
But the one lesson were Susan was truly awful was flying, she was even worse at it than Neville was. So it didn't help at all that they had that lesson with Slytherin. She just couldn't stay on the damn brooms. It had reached the stage where even Madam Hooch was beginning to despair for her. Harry on the other hand was also certain that he had seen Malfoy enchant Susan's broom at least once. But when he told her that, all she said was that it wouldn't have made much difference. She was already on to her third broom repair. Luckily she'd learned to roll with her falls so the worst injury she'd received was a sprained wrist and ankle.
But Potions was, as usual, worst of all. It had started badly, with Professor Snape deducting points from Gryffindor purely because Harry was still breathing, or that's what it seemed like. The lessening in spite that Harry thought he had observed during the Sorting hadn't lasted. Snape had become more vicious, nasty, and cruel. And so had his Potions lessons, if that was possible.
During the very first one he'd managed to deduct 50 points from Gryffindor, nearly reduce Neville to hysterics, to give Dean and Seamus three detentions and to give Susan a nickname.
It had started off badly, as he'd gone through the register.
"Weasley."
"Here sir."
"Oh you are, are you. I thought I'd seen the last of your family when your brothers left, but I'd forgotten the littlest Weasley." The Slytherins tittered. Snape went through more names. "Potter."
"Here sir."
"Don't I know it." He reached the end of the list, being scathing about all the Gryffindors, when he reached a new name that had been inked in. "Woodford."
"Here sir."
"Oh so your father finally decided that this school was good enough for his precious Pumpkin."
She looked miserable. As well she might, since all the Slytherins took to calling her Pumpkin.
That was how the term continued.
Feedback gratefully received.
~~~~
By the time Ron and Harry got to the Common Room the next morning, they could see Hermionie and Susan chatting away near the fire. They seemed to be debating which was better Arithmacy or Astronomy.
Ron looked at Harry. "We're too late. Hermionie's got her claws into poor Susan."
"Shh, she'll hear us."
"I can already hear you. And I haven't got claws have I?"
Susan laughed a little. "Not at all. And we were just having a little talk about which was more interesting Arithmacy or Astronomy. And I said I didn't mind Arithmacy, well not too much, but that I really loved Astronomy. Something about the stars."
"Ack. You can't like Astronomy, there's too much writing. And I don't want to talk about schoolwork when there's a perfectly good breakfast waiting downstairs."
"Food. I don't know why, I suppose it's nerves, but I'm very hungry."
They rushed down to the Hall and ate. While they were doing this, the gang filled Susan in on the who and what's of Hogwarts. They told her about the ghosts and Peeves, and Filch and Mrs. Norris, complete with sound effects from Ron.
Madame Hooch strode into the hall looking imperious. She went to the high table and spoke, "Silence." The room went quiet. "You're timetables have been fixed. Here they are." On cue hundreds of pieces of paper flew into the room, each to its proper owner. There were more than a few groans and grumbles when people read them and saw who they had and when. Madame Hooch walked out.
Harry, Hermionie, Ron and Susan all looked at their timetables. Susan didn't know anything about the teachers so they filled her in.
Neither Ron nor Harry really knew that much about Professor Sinistra but Hermionie knew someone else who had taken Astronomy and they said that she was nice. A bit of a nut for homework but Hermionie made that sound like a good thing. No one knew who their new Defence against Dark Arts teacher would be, but they told her a bit about the previous ones. Susan's eyes went as wide as saucers.
They told her about Professor McGonagall, Professor Hooch and Professor Flitwick. About subjects like Herbology and Care of Magical Creatures. Susan flinched a little.
"What's wrong?"
"I'm not that good with animals."
"You'll be okay."
Harry picked up the tale from where Ron had ended it. "And then we've got Potions with Professor Snape." He couldn't help the look of distaste on his face.
"The Professor Snape?"
"You mean there might be more." Ron looked horrified at the thought.
"I only know of the one and when my father mentions him, it's normally just before a string of curse words."
"It's definitely the same one then."
"Oh dear."
They had started filling her in on the pupils, with Harry nearly blushing pink at the mention of Cho, when the daily owl post came through. Neville's dropped a small package containing his dress robes.
Ron looked at Neville enviously, "I wish I could forget mine."
In the middle of the owls came a raven, which headed straight for Susan. "Hello, pretty. What've you got for me then?"
The raven dropped a small note. Susan opened it and read it quickly. All it said was 'Glad to hear you arrived safely. Good luck."
Several people were looking astonished, so Susan turned to Hermionie, "What's the problem?"
"I don't think we're allowed ravens, I thought it was only owls, or cats, or toads."
"I did ask Professor Dumbledore and he said it would be okay."
"Then it will be. But why've you got a raven anyway? It's a bit unusual isn't it."
"There aren't that many owls around where I live so I thought it would be easier to just use Farand. They can't carry as much as owls, and don't look at me like that Farand, but they're quick." She let the raven go after paying it, and it flew back out of the window.
Draco Malfoy and his goons chose that moment to appear. They slithered over to Harry's table.
"Morning Malfoy." Everyone clutched at their wands just in case.
"Morning Potter. So that's the sort of rubbish they let into Hogwarts now, is it? And she's obviously a Gryffindor, just look at her. They'd never let someone like that into Slytherin." He, Crabbe and Goyle moved away before anyone hit them.
"So that's the Malfoy heir?" Susan didn't look impressed, a bit worried though.
"Yes, horrible little toad isn't he? But it should be all right, we've only got to cope with the Slytherin's in Flying and in Potions, but that's a double worst luck, and with Snape."
"Well I'm not letting anyone ruin Potions for me. That's my favourite subject."
"Susan, you're crazy."
"Maybe."
Hermionie looked at the clock. "We'd better get going to lessons now." And with that, they went.
~~~~
That was how the first week progressed. Susan stuck pretty tightly to them, afraid of getting lost, and of running into Malfoy.
Professor McGonagall's classes were getting even harder and she kept them working until the bell every lesson, and then the nights and weekends with homework. But they were starting to learn how to transfigure bigger objects now, and were promised that they would learn the spell for something as large as a table by the end of the year.
Professor Flitwick's lessons became quite dangerous, because the charms became increasingly complicated and difficult, and Neville was having the usual problems. They had tried an animal summoning charm and he'd ended up being stung by a swarm of upset bees.
History lessons had become duller, mainly because they finished the bloodthirsty exploits of the Goblin rebellion and moved on to tranquil things like the reign of Drussa the Peaceful, or Drussa the so bloody peaceful everyone died of boredom, as Ron called him.
As she had predicted, Susan was terrible at Care of Magical Animals. She'd only got anywhere because of Ron, Harry and Hermionie helping her out. At least she didn't have to deal with blast-ended skrewts. No, this year Hagrid had outdone himself. The creatures, which he called Salumfires, were small, even tempered and didn't bite. They didn't have to. They excreted a horrible gel which stunk to high heavens and refused to wash off. People tended to were disposable gloves for that lesson.
But the one lesson were Susan was truly awful was flying, she was even worse at it than Neville was. So it didn't help at all that they had that lesson with Slytherin. She just couldn't stay on the damn brooms. It had reached the stage where even Madam Hooch was beginning to despair for her. Harry on the other hand was also certain that he had seen Malfoy enchant Susan's broom at least once. But when he told her that, all she said was that it wouldn't have made much difference. She was already on to her third broom repair. Luckily she'd learned to roll with her falls so the worst injury she'd received was a sprained wrist and ankle.
But Potions was, as usual, worst of all. It had started badly, with Professor Snape deducting points from Gryffindor purely because Harry was still breathing, or that's what it seemed like. The lessening in spite that Harry thought he had observed during the Sorting hadn't lasted. Snape had become more vicious, nasty, and cruel. And so had his Potions lessons, if that was possible.
During the very first one he'd managed to deduct 50 points from Gryffindor, nearly reduce Neville to hysterics, to give Dean and Seamus three detentions and to give Susan a nickname.
It had started off badly, as he'd gone through the register.
"Weasley."
"Here sir."
"Oh you are, are you. I thought I'd seen the last of your family when your brothers left, but I'd forgotten the littlest Weasley." The Slytherins tittered. Snape went through more names. "Potter."
"Here sir."
"Don't I know it." He reached the end of the list, being scathing about all the Gryffindors, when he reached a new name that had been inked in. "Woodford."
"Here sir."
"Oh so your father finally decided that this school was good enough for his precious Pumpkin."
She looked miserable. As well she might, since all the Slytherins took to calling her Pumpkin.
That was how the term continued.