At four o'clock, Velvet decided to stop practicing Transfiguration, and to
go to the library. When she got there a lady quickly bustled over.
"Velvet, I am Madame Pince. If you need anything let me know." Velvet
nodded, and Madame Pince ran over to some mischievous first years.
As she went strolling through the shelves of magical books, a voice called out from behind her. "Excuse me, but aren't you Velvet Mephorria, the teacher aid?" Velvet turned to see a girl of about 15 with bushy hair looking at her inquisitively.
"Yes, I'm Velvet, though I really am more of a student than a teachers aid. And you are?"
"Oh, I'm Hermione Granger. I was here to find some reading material; if you're new here, I really suggest this one-Hogwarts, A History. Its got all sorts of interesting stuff in it."
"Why thank you. Are you from a wizard family?"
"Oh, no. My parents are both dentists. They are a little overwhelmed with the wizard world." She grinned. Velvet smiled back.
"Yeah, my mom grew up Catholic. The whole 'thou shalt not suffer a witch to live' thing is engrained-but she was pretty excited nonetheless. You are actually the first student to say anything to me. I suppose the Gryffindor bravery to meet new people?"
Hermione blushed. "Perhaps."
They continued talking for a while. Hermione heard all that Velvet was doing and offered to tutor if she needed it. She said that she did not envy the task of trying to learn magic that quickly. Hermione left with several books in her hand, and Velvet left with a copy of Hogwarts, A History. She went to the dining hall to read it.
There were groups of students sitting around, studying and talking. She sat down alone at one of the tables. She had gotten a few pages into the book when a small voice said hello. She looked around to find the voice and saw a little boy clambering onto the seat across from her. "Hi, I'm Velvet, and if I remember correctly you are Michael Sieves of Ravenclaw."
"Wow, you've got a good memory. Do you remember all the first years?"
"Not exactly. So how has your first day been?"
"Fun and scary. Defense Against the Dark Arts was fun, but Potions was not. Professor Snape is kind of scary. The Ravenclaw first years are in there with the Hufflepuff first years, and he seems to like us more than them, but he doesn't seem to like anyone. He does know an awful lot about potions though."
Velvet smiled, "Well, I wouldn't worry about it. That's just one class, and I'll bet all the others will be great."
"Oh yeah," he said excitedly. "I can't wait. Especially for Care of Magical Creatures. I met Hagrid and he was so nice. Plus, I love animals. Are you going to be teaching anything?"
"I don't think so. At least, not yet. Today was my first day of Wizard school, too. But, I think I will be able to help some of the teachers out eventually."
"Wow. Well, it was really cool to meet you, everyone's going to be so jealous. They all want to meet you, but I guess they're a little shy." He scurried off while smiling like a maniac.
A few more pages into her book and another voice interrupted, this one slick and smooth. "Good afternoon, Miss Mephorria." She turned to see a pale boy with very light blonde hair and a smirk.
"Hi, and who might you be?"
"The name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. I am a fifth year in Slytherin. It is a distinct pleasure to meet you."
"And you as well, Draco. I don't know what the policy is around here, but you can call me Velvet."
"Sure. I'll see you around." Velvet watched him walk away, amused.
Before she got too much further in her book, Hermione's loud voice interrupted.
"Velvet, hi. Oh, I see you're reading the book I suggested. I didn't want to interrupt, but I want you to meet Ron and Harry." Velvet looked at her two companions. One was a thin, tall redhead and the other was slightly shorter with wild dark hair, bright green eyes, and glasses.
"Well, hello Ron and Harry. I suppose you wouldn't mind telling me which one of you is which?"
"Oh," said the redhead blushing. "I'm Ron Weasley, and this is Harry Potter."
"Well it's nice to meet you both. Hermione told me you were two very interesting companions." The three of them blushed at this.
"So, I know you watched the sorting ceremony last night. Which house do you think you'd be in?" asked Harry.
"Oh, I dunno. I suppose I have traits in common with all the houses. That wonderful hat would have to help me out on that one." They all nodded. Hermione spoke up first.
"I thought I was going to be in Ravenclaw, because I like to study so much, but I guess there is more to it than that. Ron was pretty sure he was going to be in Gryffindor since all his older brothers were there. And Harry, well he was afraid he was going to be in Slytherin, but he wasn't."
Harry interrupted her, "Dinner is going to start in a few minutes, you might want to go up to your table before everyone gets here."
"Well, it was good meeting the three of you." Velvet went up to the teacher table where Snape had already seated himself.
"Talking to that Potter boy I see," he said maliciously.
"The one with the dark hair? Actually, I was really talking to Hermione; I met her earlier in the library. Of course I also met that little Michael Sieves child. And one of yours. I believed he introduced himself as 'Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." She grinned broadly.
He frowned, "Yes, young Mr. Malfoy has an inflated sense of self, but he is a good student. Miss Granger spends most of her time in the library, when she's not getting into trouble with Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter." His voice dripped with hate when he said that last bit.
"I am going to venture here that perhaps you do not like Harry Potter. You seem to dislike rather a lot."
Snape just looked at her menacingly.
Fortunately, McGonagall interrupted the silence. "Did your history lesson go as well as Transfiguration?"
"Professor Binns, merely asked me to learn everything from the first year course and to come take the test when I felt ready."
"Really? Then you have Monday afternoons off. How nice." She was distracted by Dumbledore as he sat down.
Dinner proceeded rather quietly.
Once again, Remus caught her arm after dinner and led her to her room.
"You will be spending tomorrow morning with me, I hope you've read up on you're Defense stuff."
"Yes, but I couldn't find anything on how to fend off an extremely courteous werewolf." He laughed at this.
"If you knew how many times a girl has blown me off with that one." They both burst out laughing. "How did your first day go?"
"I met a few of the students and I think convinced Professor McGonagall that I was not just another one of Dumbledore's crazy schemes. I also managed to upset Professor Snape on several occasions. So, all in all I think it went as well as could be hoped." They stopped in front of the tower door.
"I am so glad. I will see you in the morning." He grinned wolfishly as he bowed and turned away. Suddenly, the song "Hungry like the Wolf" by Duran Duran popped into her head. She laughed out loud and then began the arduous climb up to her room.
As she went strolling through the shelves of magical books, a voice called out from behind her. "Excuse me, but aren't you Velvet Mephorria, the teacher aid?" Velvet turned to see a girl of about 15 with bushy hair looking at her inquisitively.
"Yes, I'm Velvet, though I really am more of a student than a teachers aid. And you are?"
"Oh, I'm Hermione Granger. I was here to find some reading material; if you're new here, I really suggest this one-Hogwarts, A History. Its got all sorts of interesting stuff in it."
"Why thank you. Are you from a wizard family?"
"Oh, no. My parents are both dentists. They are a little overwhelmed with the wizard world." She grinned. Velvet smiled back.
"Yeah, my mom grew up Catholic. The whole 'thou shalt not suffer a witch to live' thing is engrained-but she was pretty excited nonetheless. You are actually the first student to say anything to me. I suppose the Gryffindor bravery to meet new people?"
Hermione blushed. "Perhaps."
They continued talking for a while. Hermione heard all that Velvet was doing and offered to tutor if she needed it. She said that she did not envy the task of trying to learn magic that quickly. Hermione left with several books in her hand, and Velvet left with a copy of Hogwarts, A History. She went to the dining hall to read it.
There were groups of students sitting around, studying and talking. She sat down alone at one of the tables. She had gotten a few pages into the book when a small voice said hello. She looked around to find the voice and saw a little boy clambering onto the seat across from her. "Hi, I'm Velvet, and if I remember correctly you are Michael Sieves of Ravenclaw."
"Wow, you've got a good memory. Do you remember all the first years?"
"Not exactly. So how has your first day been?"
"Fun and scary. Defense Against the Dark Arts was fun, but Potions was not. Professor Snape is kind of scary. The Ravenclaw first years are in there with the Hufflepuff first years, and he seems to like us more than them, but he doesn't seem to like anyone. He does know an awful lot about potions though."
Velvet smiled, "Well, I wouldn't worry about it. That's just one class, and I'll bet all the others will be great."
"Oh yeah," he said excitedly. "I can't wait. Especially for Care of Magical Creatures. I met Hagrid and he was so nice. Plus, I love animals. Are you going to be teaching anything?"
"I don't think so. At least, not yet. Today was my first day of Wizard school, too. But, I think I will be able to help some of the teachers out eventually."
"Wow. Well, it was really cool to meet you, everyone's going to be so jealous. They all want to meet you, but I guess they're a little shy." He scurried off while smiling like a maniac.
A few more pages into her book and another voice interrupted, this one slick and smooth. "Good afternoon, Miss Mephorria." She turned to see a pale boy with very light blonde hair and a smirk.
"Hi, and who might you be?"
"The name's Malfoy, Draco Malfoy. I am a fifth year in Slytherin. It is a distinct pleasure to meet you."
"And you as well, Draco. I don't know what the policy is around here, but you can call me Velvet."
"Sure. I'll see you around." Velvet watched him walk away, amused.
Before she got too much further in her book, Hermione's loud voice interrupted.
"Velvet, hi. Oh, I see you're reading the book I suggested. I didn't want to interrupt, but I want you to meet Ron and Harry." Velvet looked at her two companions. One was a thin, tall redhead and the other was slightly shorter with wild dark hair, bright green eyes, and glasses.
"Well, hello Ron and Harry. I suppose you wouldn't mind telling me which one of you is which?"
"Oh," said the redhead blushing. "I'm Ron Weasley, and this is Harry Potter."
"Well it's nice to meet you both. Hermione told me you were two very interesting companions." The three of them blushed at this.
"So, I know you watched the sorting ceremony last night. Which house do you think you'd be in?" asked Harry.
"Oh, I dunno. I suppose I have traits in common with all the houses. That wonderful hat would have to help me out on that one." They all nodded. Hermione spoke up first.
"I thought I was going to be in Ravenclaw, because I like to study so much, but I guess there is more to it than that. Ron was pretty sure he was going to be in Gryffindor since all his older brothers were there. And Harry, well he was afraid he was going to be in Slytherin, but he wasn't."
Harry interrupted her, "Dinner is going to start in a few minutes, you might want to go up to your table before everyone gets here."
"Well, it was good meeting the three of you." Velvet went up to the teacher table where Snape had already seated himself.
"Talking to that Potter boy I see," he said maliciously.
"The one with the dark hair? Actually, I was really talking to Hermione; I met her earlier in the library. Of course I also met that little Michael Sieves child. And one of yours. I believed he introduced himself as 'Malfoy, Draco Malfoy." She grinned broadly.
He frowned, "Yes, young Mr. Malfoy has an inflated sense of self, but he is a good student. Miss Granger spends most of her time in the library, when she's not getting into trouble with Mr. Weasley and Mr. Potter." His voice dripped with hate when he said that last bit.
"I am going to venture here that perhaps you do not like Harry Potter. You seem to dislike rather a lot."
Snape just looked at her menacingly.
Fortunately, McGonagall interrupted the silence. "Did your history lesson go as well as Transfiguration?"
"Professor Binns, merely asked me to learn everything from the first year course and to come take the test when I felt ready."
"Really? Then you have Monday afternoons off. How nice." She was distracted by Dumbledore as he sat down.
Dinner proceeded rather quietly.
Once again, Remus caught her arm after dinner and led her to her room.
"You will be spending tomorrow morning with me, I hope you've read up on you're Defense stuff."
"Yes, but I couldn't find anything on how to fend off an extremely courteous werewolf." He laughed at this.
"If you knew how many times a girl has blown me off with that one." They both burst out laughing. "How did your first day go?"
"I met a few of the students and I think convinced Professor McGonagall that I was not just another one of Dumbledore's crazy schemes. I also managed to upset Professor Snape on several occasions. So, all in all I think it went as well as could be hoped." They stopped in front of the tower door.
"I am so glad. I will see you in the morning." He grinned wolfishly as he bowed and turned away. Suddenly, the song "Hungry like the Wolf" by Duran Duran popped into her head. She laughed out loud and then began the arduous climb up to her room.