CHAPTER FOUR: The first morning.
I yawned all the way down to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning. Jenny, who was walking near me, asked whether I'd had trouble sleeping.
"Not really." I replied. "Why? Did you?"
It occurred to me then that she looked extremely tired.
"A little. I guess it's just being here-away from my parents and all. I mean, we've never really been apart." She admitted.
Francine overheard. "You'll be fine once you get used to it." She promised her, putting a friendly arm around her shoulders. "And soon enough you'll be so busy with homework you won't have the time to be homesick."
She was speaking Jenny's language there. "We've got transfiguration first, and then we've got potions." Jenny said. "I can't wait to start transfiguring things."
Francine grinned at her. "Just remember you won't be walking before your crawling. They'll start you off small." And then she spotted someone she knew and hurried off to talk to them.
Jenny's face dropped, and Martin elbowed me. "Is she always this nerdy?" He asked in a loud whisper.
From the way Jenny's face went red I was sure she heard and my first impulse was to stick up for her-after all the girl was virtually my sister- however something stopped me. I remembered what I'd said to my Mum on the platform yesterday about whether I could lose her in the castle, and it also occurred to me that I thought Martin seemed pretty cool, and I wanted to be his friend. So I grinned and said, "No of course not-sometimes she's nerdier!"
Jenny's pace quickened and she hurried into the Great Hall.
"Did you hear Alforth get up this morning?" Martin asked me. "He was already gone when I woke up."
"No, I didn't hear him actually." I admitted. "Maybe he got up early to complain to someone about being put with us-as if we'd chose for him to be there!"
We entered the Great Hall. "He's not here!" Henry, who had overheard us, said.
"Probably sulking somewhere." Alex replied. "But that's just fine with me- more food for me!"
Henry grinned, and we all sat down to eat. Jenny purposely averted her eyes from me. Her face was still red.
Greg leaned over to us. "How was your first night? Did any of the ghosts wake you up in the night? Lately Peeves has been into that kind of thing."
"Who's Peeves?" I asked, thinking I'd never get the names of the Hogwarts ghosts right!
"Peeves is the poltergeist. He likes to make trouble for everyone, and the only person he listens to is the Bloody Baron. Sometimes he won't even listen to the professors or the prefects!" Greg explained. "He's a bloody pain, but sometimes he's quite funny."
"Speak for yourself." Francine said. "Hey listen Sam, can I have a word to you in private later?"
I looked at her surprised. "I guess..."
*****
We walked into the Transfiguration classroom and took our seats. Jenny sat up the front, looking like she couldn't wait to get started. We were in the class with the Ravenclaw first years also.
A moment later the headmistress came into the room.
"Good morning class." She said. "How are we all?"
We all muttered that we were good.
"Okay before we begin I believe it is my duty to warn you that Transfiguration is one of the more dangerous subjects taught here at Hogwarts-indeed we stopped teaching it in 1798 for almost a hundred years after the great lizard scandal-and therefore anyone who plays up in my class-yes Miss Weasley?" She stopped her lecture seeing Jenny's hand waving in the air.
"Please professor, I don't think I've heard of the great lizard scandal?" Jenny said.
"Well you wouldn't would you? It was all very hush-hush. Covered right up and the board here decreed that the subject was too dangerous. Of course this was slightly before my time." She smiled. "What happened was a young man turned the entire class into lizards. And for some reason the teachers here had a hell of a time turning everyone back into their exact former selves. Two young ladies were unfortunately stuck with lizard's scales for the rest of their lives. Anyway, this only reinforces my point that transfiguration can be quite dangerous. And therefore anyone who plays up in my class will be out of here for good."
Then she turned around and turned her desk into a horse and then back into a desk. We were all suitably impressed. We were then all given a stick each, and asked to try and turn it into a ruler. Henry managed to set his on fire, and nobody made any real progress-including Jenny!
"Well I suppose we are all here to learn after all." The headmistress sighed. "You may all go to your next class. You're both together for this one again."
Potions was taught by an extremely old wizard named Edwin Selwyn. When he came in Martin nudged me and whispered "He could do with a youth potion, or at the very least a beauty potion."
I snorted, and Jenny shot us both dirty looks. However despite his age Professor Selwyn had very good hearing.
"Young man," He said, pointing his wand at Martin. "Come up to the front for a moment, can you?"
Martin looked at me nervously, and Jenny gave him a smug look. He walked slowly up to the front of the room.
"Tell me, what's your name young man?" The professor asked.
"Martin." Martin practically whispered.
"Well Martin, you've just earnt yourself the somewhat dubious honor of being the guinea-pig for today's class." The professor said.
"Guinea-pig?" Martin repeated softly.
"I don't suppose anyone in this class did the reading you were asked to do before the year began did you?" The professor asked, looking like he didn't expect too much.
Jenny put her hand up. "I did professor. In fact I'm up to chapter four in 'Magical Drafts and Potions' sir!" She said.
"Good, ten points to Gryffindoor." The professor said. "For those of you who didn't do the required readings let me tell you what you should know. One of the most common herbs we use in potions is something named the alifungi. The alifungi is used for a number of different potions including the sleeping potion. I'm sure you've all heard of the sleeping potion?" We all nodded. "Now what I have in this glass here is something I hope will be a sleeping potion." He held up a small glass filled with pinkish liquid.
"Something you hope will be a sleeping potion?" Martin repeated, his eyes fixed on the glass.
"Yes, well I ran out of one of the other main ingredients so I had to improvise a little." The professor replied airily.
"Improvise?" Martin asked, his voice a little higher than normal.
"Well they're both from the same plant family so I don't really think there will be any difference." The professor replied.
Even Jenny was looking slightly nervous now.
"I just thought it would be nice to start the year-and indeed your introduction to potions-with a sample of something you will learn to do." The professor explained. He held the glass out to Martin. "Well, go on then. Don't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid." Martin said, a distinct tremble in his voice telling the class he wasn't exactly being truthful. But then I could hardly blame him! If I was up there in his place I'd be just as worried.
He took the glass the professor held out to him. He sniffed at it, took a deep breath and swallowed it. The class held their breaths, but we all let them out when nothing appeared to be happening.
"Hmm.that's strange-" The professor began, and then Martin collapsed on the floor and we all gasped. A moment later loud, deep snores were coming from him.
The professor grinned at us all. "I lied about it missing one of the main ingredients. I am not so irresponsible as to give a student something I didn't know what would happen with. I just wanted to give him a bit of a scare."
We all grinned.
*****
"So, how were your first classes?" Greg asked at lunch.
"Great. We learnt about the great lizard scandal, and the headmistress turned her desk into a real live horse. And then in potions the professor scared Martin half to death, and gave him a sleeping potion to show us how it worked!" Jenny enthused. "And after lunch we've got the History of Magic, and Defence Against the Dark Arts!"
Despite myself I felt a chill run through me then. I wasn't looking forward to being in the same room as Professor Snape, who had a grudge against my father for some reason I didn't know.
"History is boring." Greg told us. "It's taught by a ghost-Professor Binns. He's been here forever-our Grandparents got taught by him. He had a little trouble with some Dark wizards a few years back and everyone thought he would retire, but he just keeps on teaching.."
"Hey Sam, can we have that word?" Francine asked in a low voice.
I sighed. "Sure."
We went out into the corridor. "It's about Jenny." Francine said.
I sighed again.
"I don't think she's very happy here yet. I noticed at the welcome feast last night that none of the other girls in your house were really talking to her much-I'm sure they'll all get to know each other soon enough though! I asked Jenny why they weren't really speaking to her, and she said it was because they all knew each other and, she admitted it might have had something to do with last night when she was telling them all about the history of Hogwarts."
I smiled at that. I could just imagine Jenny in the girl's dorm reciting word perfect from 'Hogwarts: A history."
"Anyway, I just wondered in the meantime, until they get to know her better, do you think you could be her friend?" Francine asked.
"I am her friend!" I argued.
"It didn't sound like that this morning." Francine replied, and I felt my face redden at the lecture. "I understand that you want to make friends here Sam, but don't forget that you've known Jenny for a lot longer than you've known anyone else here. A lot longer!"
I didn't say anything, my mouth was clamped shut, and she sighed.
"Just try and be a little understanding, and nice. She's homesick and lonely. That's not a good combination Sam." Francine said.
I nodded stiffly, and then we went back into the Grand Hall to finish off lunch.
I yawned all the way down to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning. Jenny, who was walking near me, asked whether I'd had trouble sleeping.
"Not really." I replied. "Why? Did you?"
It occurred to me then that she looked extremely tired.
"A little. I guess it's just being here-away from my parents and all. I mean, we've never really been apart." She admitted.
Francine overheard. "You'll be fine once you get used to it." She promised her, putting a friendly arm around her shoulders. "And soon enough you'll be so busy with homework you won't have the time to be homesick."
She was speaking Jenny's language there. "We've got transfiguration first, and then we've got potions." Jenny said. "I can't wait to start transfiguring things."
Francine grinned at her. "Just remember you won't be walking before your crawling. They'll start you off small." And then she spotted someone she knew and hurried off to talk to them.
Jenny's face dropped, and Martin elbowed me. "Is she always this nerdy?" He asked in a loud whisper.
From the way Jenny's face went red I was sure she heard and my first impulse was to stick up for her-after all the girl was virtually my sister- however something stopped me. I remembered what I'd said to my Mum on the platform yesterday about whether I could lose her in the castle, and it also occurred to me that I thought Martin seemed pretty cool, and I wanted to be his friend. So I grinned and said, "No of course not-sometimes she's nerdier!"
Jenny's pace quickened and she hurried into the Great Hall.
"Did you hear Alforth get up this morning?" Martin asked me. "He was already gone when I woke up."
"No, I didn't hear him actually." I admitted. "Maybe he got up early to complain to someone about being put with us-as if we'd chose for him to be there!"
We entered the Great Hall. "He's not here!" Henry, who had overheard us, said.
"Probably sulking somewhere." Alex replied. "But that's just fine with me- more food for me!"
Henry grinned, and we all sat down to eat. Jenny purposely averted her eyes from me. Her face was still red.
Greg leaned over to us. "How was your first night? Did any of the ghosts wake you up in the night? Lately Peeves has been into that kind of thing."
"Who's Peeves?" I asked, thinking I'd never get the names of the Hogwarts ghosts right!
"Peeves is the poltergeist. He likes to make trouble for everyone, and the only person he listens to is the Bloody Baron. Sometimes he won't even listen to the professors or the prefects!" Greg explained. "He's a bloody pain, but sometimes he's quite funny."
"Speak for yourself." Francine said. "Hey listen Sam, can I have a word to you in private later?"
I looked at her surprised. "I guess..."
*****
We walked into the Transfiguration classroom and took our seats. Jenny sat up the front, looking like she couldn't wait to get started. We were in the class with the Ravenclaw first years also.
A moment later the headmistress came into the room.
"Good morning class." She said. "How are we all?"
We all muttered that we were good.
"Okay before we begin I believe it is my duty to warn you that Transfiguration is one of the more dangerous subjects taught here at Hogwarts-indeed we stopped teaching it in 1798 for almost a hundred years after the great lizard scandal-and therefore anyone who plays up in my class-yes Miss Weasley?" She stopped her lecture seeing Jenny's hand waving in the air.
"Please professor, I don't think I've heard of the great lizard scandal?" Jenny said.
"Well you wouldn't would you? It was all very hush-hush. Covered right up and the board here decreed that the subject was too dangerous. Of course this was slightly before my time." She smiled. "What happened was a young man turned the entire class into lizards. And for some reason the teachers here had a hell of a time turning everyone back into their exact former selves. Two young ladies were unfortunately stuck with lizard's scales for the rest of their lives. Anyway, this only reinforces my point that transfiguration can be quite dangerous. And therefore anyone who plays up in my class will be out of here for good."
Then she turned around and turned her desk into a horse and then back into a desk. We were all suitably impressed. We were then all given a stick each, and asked to try and turn it into a ruler. Henry managed to set his on fire, and nobody made any real progress-including Jenny!
"Well I suppose we are all here to learn after all." The headmistress sighed. "You may all go to your next class. You're both together for this one again."
Potions was taught by an extremely old wizard named Edwin Selwyn. When he came in Martin nudged me and whispered "He could do with a youth potion, or at the very least a beauty potion."
I snorted, and Jenny shot us both dirty looks. However despite his age Professor Selwyn had very good hearing.
"Young man," He said, pointing his wand at Martin. "Come up to the front for a moment, can you?"
Martin looked at me nervously, and Jenny gave him a smug look. He walked slowly up to the front of the room.
"Tell me, what's your name young man?" The professor asked.
"Martin." Martin practically whispered.
"Well Martin, you've just earnt yourself the somewhat dubious honor of being the guinea-pig for today's class." The professor said.
"Guinea-pig?" Martin repeated softly.
"I don't suppose anyone in this class did the reading you were asked to do before the year began did you?" The professor asked, looking like he didn't expect too much.
Jenny put her hand up. "I did professor. In fact I'm up to chapter four in 'Magical Drafts and Potions' sir!" She said.
"Good, ten points to Gryffindoor." The professor said. "For those of you who didn't do the required readings let me tell you what you should know. One of the most common herbs we use in potions is something named the alifungi. The alifungi is used for a number of different potions including the sleeping potion. I'm sure you've all heard of the sleeping potion?" We all nodded. "Now what I have in this glass here is something I hope will be a sleeping potion." He held up a small glass filled with pinkish liquid.
"Something you hope will be a sleeping potion?" Martin repeated, his eyes fixed on the glass.
"Yes, well I ran out of one of the other main ingredients so I had to improvise a little." The professor replied airily.
"Improvise?" Martin asked, his voice a little higher than normal.
"Well they're both from the same plant family so I don't really think there will be any difference." The professor replied.
Even Jenny was looking slightly nervous now.
"I just thought it would be nice to start the year-and indeed your introduction to potions-with a sample of something you will learn to do." The professor explained. He held the glass out to Martin. "Well, go on then. Don't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid." Martin said, a distinct tremble in his voice telling the class he wasn't exactly being truthful. But then I could hardly blame him! If I was up there in his place I'd be just as worried.
He took the glass the professor held out to him. He sniffed at it, took a deep breath and swallowed it. The class held their breaths, but we all let them out when nothing appeared to be happening.
"Hmm.that's strange-" The professor began, and then Martin collapsed on the floor and we all gasped. A moment later loud, deep snores were coming from him.
The professor grinned at us all. "I lied about it missing one of the main ingredients. I am not so irresponsible as to give a student something I didn't know what would happen with. I just wanted to give him a bit of a scare."
We all grinned.
*****
"So, how were your first classes?" Greg asked at lunch.
"Great. We learnt about the great lizard scandal, and the headmistress turned her desk into a real live horse. And then in potions the professor scared Martin half to death, and gave him a sleeping potion to show us how it worked!" Jenny enthused. "And after lunch we've got the History of Magic, and Defence Against the Dark Arts!"
Despite myself I felt a chill run through me then. I wasn't looking forward to being in the same room as Professor Snape, who had a grudge against my father for some reason I didn't know.
"History is boring." Greg told us. "It's taught by a ghost-Professor Binns. He's been here forever-our Grandparents got taught by him. He had a little trouble with some Dark wizards a few years back and everyone thought he would retire, but he just keeps on teaching.."
"Hey Sam, can we have that word?" Francine asked in a low voice.
I sighed. "Sure."
We went out into the corridor. "It's about Jenny." Francine said.
I sighed again.
"I don't think she's very happy here yet. I noticed at the welcome feast last night that none of the other girls in your house were really talking to her much-I'm sure they'll all get to know each other soon enough though! I asked Jenny why they weren't really speaking to her, and she said it was because they all knew each other and, she admitted it might have had something to do with last night when she was telling them all about the history of Hogwarts."
I smiled at that. I could just imagine Jenny in the girl's dorm reciting word perfect from 'Hogwarts: A history."
"Anyway, I just wondered in the meantime, until they get to know her better, do you think you could be her friend?" Francine asked.
"I am her friend!" I argued.
"It didn't sound like that this morning." Francine replied, and I felt my face redden at the lecture. "I understand that you want to make friends here Sam, but don't forget that you've known Jenny for a lot longer than you've known anyone else here. A lot longer!"
I didn't say anything, my mouth was clamped shut, and she sighed.
"Just try and be a little understanding, and nice. She's homesick and lonely. That's not a good combination Sam." Francine said.
I nodded stiffly, and then we went back into the Grand Hall to finish off lunch.
