The Philosopher's Stone

Chapter Six

First Day

Yuery was up first, and dressed before the rest of his roommates, before he sat quietly reading next to the window. He didn't want to venture out on his own to explore, but he was too excited to sleep more. Slowly, the other four boys woke and drug themselves off to the bathroom to get ready for the day. Ron came back to the room first, and the two headed down to breakfast.

Draco was already sitting in the great hall, Yuery waved at him happily before heading to his table. Percy had warned them all the night before that they had to eat at their own house tables especially at breakfast and dinner, though they were free to mingle with the other houses during breaks and after lessons, to the relief of several students including one girl who's twin was apparently sorted into Ravenclaw.

Yuery didn't see his Dad at the staff table, but he did see Hagrid and Snape. Once the room was filled; the four heads of house came down to the tables to hand out the class lists. McGonagall was taking a moment with each student to ensure they understood their slips before moving on to the next child. Some took longer than others, and Yuery assumed it had to do with their grades versus what they had expected to attend from the bits he had overheard.

She finally came to a stop next to the first years who had all clustered together this morning. She handed each their slips, when Yuery realized, he was going to have an ongoing argument over his name, since the top of the paper said Harry Potter. He caught the professor to correct it before she could move further down the row, "Um Professor. My name is wrong on my paperwork. It is still saying Harry Potter, but that is not my name."

"The school recognizes you as Harry Potter child, much like the vault at Gringotts. I will however speak to the other professors and inform them you prefer to use your legal name rather than your birth name."

"Thank you, Ma'am." Yuery said, before waving at his father when he passed. His Dad paused long enough to tell him that they needed to talk after breakfast before he headed to his classes.

Their first class was potions, shared with the Slytherins, much to Ron's dismay. He had heard about Snape from his brothers who all insisted the man hated them all based on them being Gryffindors and his general dislike of children. Yuery, who had been tutored for the last few years from the man but wasn't allowed to say that, just shrugged as Hermione assured them all he couldn't be that bad.

They all filed down into the dungeons, Slytherins on the left, Gryffindors on the right, and waited outside the door for Snape to let them inside. Draco was wedged between two larger boys, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. To Yuery, Draco didn't look particularly happy stuck between the two boys, apparently though, to his roommates Draco just looked as though he was annoyed in general. Before Yuery could say hello, Snape's door opened, and the man appeared.

Everyone filed inside, Ron sitting quickly next to Yuery before anyone else could. Yuery didn't mind exactly, but he did notice that the tables seemed completely divided by houses. He wondered if all classes were going to be like this, unhappy with the idea of being limited friendships based on the House structure. He opened his potions book to distract himself and began reading through the lessons he had already read once this summer.

He looked up when Snape began to talk, as Snape gave them a brief speech that gave an overall of the class. He then began the roll call, pausing briefly with a deep frown before stating "Harry Potter. It seems we have a celebrity in class this year. DO not expect it will gain you any leniency in this class."

"Yes sir." Yuery replied miserably. He knew he had been told about the Harry thing, and that Snape was going to pretend not to know him, but he had hoped the man would at least add that it was not his correct name. At least the man assured him that he wouldn't be treated differently. Ron glanced at him with sympathy in his expression as Snape finished the rolls before they began.

Snape turned then to Yuery and demanded, "Potter what do you get with an infusion of asphodel and wormwood?"

"I do not believe I have read that far sir; it must be in an advanced book." Yuery replied, as Hermione raised her hand excitedly. Clearly, she had learned the answer or believed she had.

"Where would you search for a bezoar?" Snape continued without glancing at the rest of the class.

"I assume the supply closet." Yuery responded, before remembering himself. Most people did not appreciate sarcasm like his father, and even Dad would want a true answer, again the girl raised her hand quickly as Yuery continued. "Though originally, the stomach of a goat."

"What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?" Snape asked, still only focused on Yuery despite Hermione practically falling out of her seat.

"Nothing. They are different names for the same plant." Yuery frowned. "Are there going to be a lot of trick questions sir? Hermione seems to want to answer some as well."

"Asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is indeed a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, yes, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite. Well? Why aren't you all copying that down?" Snape snapped at the class. "Fair enough Potter, it seems you aren't completely hopeless."

"Elric, please sir." Yuery asked, hoping he wouldn't get into trouble after he had managed to survive the impromptu quiz.

"…Very well. I will make note of it." Snape said, before returning his attention to the class to begin the actual lesson.

They were released for class and hour and a half later, and Yuery made his way up the stairs with the rest of the Gryffindor as Ron and Seamus complained that Snape had to be the meanest teacher in the school. Ron still insisting that he clearly hated their house. Hermione followed behind them but did not seem to share the opinion of the other boys, so Yuery dropped back to talk to her as they climbed.

"You knew the first answer, didn't you?" Yuery asked quietly. "I mean, you knew the correct answer not just a guess."

"Yes, I read about it, though you were right it is an advanced potion. We won't be covering it for years yet." Hemione said, excited to talk to someone. "When we went to pick up my schoolbooks, I spent the better part of my allowance on anything that looked interesting. I do read a lot."

"So do I actually." Yuery said, as he noticed her embarrassment. "My father and Grandfather are very insistent that the best way to understand anything is to research it thoroughly. We are all avid readers in my family."

He remembered Dad's number one rule before he could slip up. Do not mention alchemy, especially that he Yuery was an alchemist. Funny enough, every rule Dad had listed on the way here he claimed was the number one rule, but Yuery knew that they all had to be important.

Hermione was excited to meet someone else who loved reading as she did, and the two chatted the rest of the way to their next class. Ron joined Yuery again as they sat down, the next class was the history of magic, which was another book Yuery had read completely. Still, it seemed likely the professor would add additional information. Ron asked quietly if Yuery was upset that Snape had singled him out like that.

Yuery shook his head, honestly, he was used to be called on in his classes. It was the number of students that was going to take getting used to, "Why did you fall behind then? I just assumed you needed a moment to yourself after he tore into you." Ron asked.

"No, I was talking to Hermione about books. He was just asking questions? I was a bit mad at myself I didn't know the first answer" Yuery said. "Hermione knew the answer but she said she found it in an advanced book so I guess I should let it go."

"He doesn't seem to like you much, and everyone knows he hates our house so be careful, okay? I know my brothers all complained about him." Ron said, then he added in confusion, "So wait how many books did you read before school started?"

"Apparently not enough. Several dozen including all of our textbooks. It seems Hermione did the same. She would be a good study partner." Yuery said.

"Well maybe. She seems a bit stiff though." Ron answered.

Just then Professor Binns, who was an actual ghost to the surprise of the students who were aware of the ghosts but not that any of them were teaching, floated into the classroom. He opened the textbook and began to read. Soon enough, Yuery was bored. Binns was literally just reading from the book. Word for word, from the book. He was doing his best to pay attention, but it was hard.

He instead began taking notes on lessons further into the book to look into on his own time. No one seemed to notice that he wasn't paying attention. Most of the class seemed to be nearly asleep, and the few remaining students were all writing like he was. Yuery wondered how many of the note takers were writing something else like him.

When the class finally let out, Yuery was surprised to find his Dad in the hallway waiting for him. Before Yuery could ask anything, his Dad gestured to the hallway and said they were taking a walk. His Dad then turned and lead the way assuming correctly that Yuery would follow.

His Dad was still in full uniform, but it was his normal one he wore to work every day. Yuery hoped he hadn't heard about Yuery being rude to Mr. Snape already. Though, he hadn't thought Snape seemed actually upset by it. Dad leads him to a quiet alcove before smiling down at him to relieve his nerves. He reached out to smooth down Yuery's hair, which had of course come loose from its braid through out the morning. "I heard you answered two of the three questions correctly in Potions this morning. I also heard that you asked to be called by your proper name."

"I wasn't trying to be rude. Well, I was rude a bit, but really, I wasn't trying to upset anyone." Yuery defended.

"Severus isn't upset. He found it amusing actually, though don't make a habit of it. Try channeling a bit more of your mother and less of me in the future." Dad said with a laugh. "No, I pulled you aside to warn you that it seems they intend to use your birth name in all of your paperwork no matter how often they are corrected. I'm afraid Severus may not be given a choice in the matter. He cannot seem familiar to you if he wishes to keep his cover."

"I know, just like Draco." Yuery sighed. "It would have been easier if we'd been sorted into the same house. The hat debated between the houses for a long time, I thought it was going to go with Ravenclaw actually, then it wanted me to choose… then before I could it declared Gryffindor."

"I would not be surprised if that wasn't its true choice. I don't like this sorting business." Dad huffed. "Don't let them influence you too much Yu, I've heard what the kids and some of the teachers have been saying. Being sorted into one house or another doesn't define what sort of person you are…perhaps what type of student but not what type of person."

"Well, then I should definitely been in Ravenclaw." Yuery said with a laugh. "Hermione too, since everyone else already seems to think it's weird we already read all the books."

"Hermione? Well, I'm glad you already made a new friend at least." Dad said as he began leading them toward Yuery's next class.

"A few actually. I met Ron on the train, and Neville seems nice too. I didn't get a chance to see Draco much, and it seems like Ron already doesn't like him because of his Dad. Which, no. I'm going to have to talk to him about that one."

"Just…don't give them reason to send you to the Headmaster. I still don't trust him with you." Dad said as they reached the next class. "Behave, I will see you later."

"Okay," Yuery said, already determined to continue to correct the teachers...politely...even if they sent him to detention. He knew how to handle himself; he had been watching his father and grandfather his entire life.