CHAPTER FIVE: Professor Snape.
Alforth finally joined us as we were on our way to Defence Against the Dark Arts, after the most boring History of Magic class where we had spent the entire lesson listening to the professor read straight from a textbook on the civil war of 1616 between the Elves and the Wizards of England. He looked pale and grumpy.
"What makes him so special that he gets to miss the first morning of classes?" Martin grumbled to me, as we climbed the staircase.
"I don't think that's really a privilege. He'll be behind already." Jenny said, from in front. She didn't turn around when she said it though.
Martin snorted, but remembering the conversation with Francine only minutes before I said nothing.
"So, where have you been ickle little Alforth?" Martin asked.
"That," Alforth said stiffly, from behind us. "Is none of your business Simms."
"Probably crying his little eyes out somewhere." Alex said, making a face. Clearly Martin and I weren't the only ones who were not all that fond of Alforth.
"If you must know I had a meeting with my father and the headmistress before breakfast. Father is not too impressed about me being in Gryffindoor. He insisted to the headmistress that I be moved back to Slytherin-it's something of a family tradition you see." Alforth said.
"Seeing as how you're still here I guess his insistence didn't work." Martin said. "Pity too."
"The headmistress admitted that she was at a loss to explain the sorting hat's decision too. She said if she had been sorting then naturally I would have gone in Slytherin, but she says that she can't do anything about it! Then she went to teach class, and I was left with Father for a bit. He seems to have some idea in his head that it has something to do with me, that the sorting hat put me in Gryffindoor because I didn't want to be in Slytherin. He told me that he and my Grandfather are dreadfully disappointed. It was my destiny he said..." He trailed off as we stopped out the front of the DADA classroom. Standing in a bunch there were the first year Slytherins, who we were apparently having this class with.
"Carlos!" Alforth called, finally smiling. "I've been waiting to see you." He hurried over to him. It seemed Carlos, however, hadn't been waiting to see Alforth.
Looking distinctly uncomfortable he said "Sorry Alforth, but the prefects have told me that I can't really be friends with someone in Gryffindoor. If I do then they said they might suspect me of helping Gryffindoor win points and beat us."
Alforth's face dropped. "That's ridiculous." He managed. "I want Slytherin to win. I'm only stuck in this crappy house until this mix-up can be sorted out. Father is working on it as we speak!"
Carlos sighed. "Well until you're in here I'm sorry, I can't be your friend Alforth. It's just too hard."
At that moment the classroom door opened and there stood Professor Snape. His eye roved the group, and when he reached me I was sure I saw a look of contempt pass over his face, but it didn't last. He ushered us inside, and Martin and I made sure to take seats near the back. It wasn't just what we had heard about Snape not liking us, but there was something about the man that gave us the creeps. I also had a feeling I'd seen him at the Slytherin table speaking to the students, and that perhaps he was on the Slytherin house's side?
"Well, welcome to your first Defence against the Dark Arts class." Snape said, leaning back on his desk. "No doubt you've already been told that a particular class is the most important, but I can assure you that it is in here where you will learn the skills to protect you throughout your lives!" And he turned to Alex. "You, name the two different species of water- dwelling creatures with whom the wizarding community are enemies?"
Alex looked puzzled. "I don't know sir." He said, finally.
Snape shook his head. "Someone didn't do their readings, did they? Ten points from Gryffindoor. The answer, by the way, was the Haltings and the Maltings. The only difference between the two is one-the Haltings-are Scottish descendents! You-" now he pointed to Jenny. "Name the event in 1898 which started the rebellion by the giants, and eventually lead to the wars between giants and wizards. And which, even now, lends some speculation to the thought that the giants are our friends."
Jenny smiled nervously. "Well I am assuming you're talking about the assassination of Balder the Brave? He was killed by a wizard named Livingstone, and that could be reliably argued, to be the event which began the animosity between the two communities. However, many people have argued more recently that rather than the assassination it was the overbearing control and petty restrictions forced upon the giants by the wizards which lead to the war." She said.
Martin gave me a look which actually seemed quite impressed, but Snape however frowned slightly.
"What's your name?" He demanded of Jenny.
"Jenny Weasley sir." Jenny replied.
"Weasley." Snape practically spat out. "Another one-you people breed like rabbits! And let me guess? You're the product of Hermoine Granger and Ronald Weasley?"
Jenny nodded hesitantly.
Snape snorted nastily. "It figures. Your mother was a know-all too."
Jenny glared at him. "My mother may have been a know-all, but she received some of the best marks Hogwarts has ever seen, including her BAT, her MOP and her HAMS. She's received her DOW in vampires and her HAQ and her Order of-"
"Okay, okay Miss Weasley. We don't really want to sit here and listen to how wonderful your dear mother is." Snape interrupted her. "I think perhaps we'll take another ten points of Gryffindoor for you being an insufferable know-all carbon copy of your mother."
"But sir, that's completely unfair! You're the one-" Jenny began but Snape interrupted her again.
"MISS WEASLEY!" He yelled. "May I remind you who is running this class? Another ten points from Gryffindoor. If you speak out of turn again, it will be another twenty? Are we clear?"
Jenny nodded, and I saw that there were tears welling up in her eyes. The rest of the Gryffindoors, Martin and I included, were all giving Snape hateful, mutinous looks.
"Now-before we got off track I was going to tell you why I consider this subject to be the most important of anything you will learn here at Hogwarts in the next seven years." Snape continued. "I spent nearly twenty- five years working at Azkaban after I left here for the first time. At Azkaban I was confronted with evil of the worst type. Cold-blooded killers who cared for nothing and nobody. Who had been caught practicing Dark Arts by the ministry, and gave no excuses! There was one man there who had murdered thirteen! And when I asked him once why he did it he said it was because he hated everyone. I've seen hate, anger, evil..I've seen it all. And not just the human variety of course. There are creatures in our world so vile and evil that one cannot take their word for anything, one can't trust them or even like them. For example here we are talking Vampires, werewolves and those sorts of things. In this class you will learn about all I've just spoken of, and how to defend yourself against it. " Suddenly he noticed that one of the first year Gryffindoors had her hand up, and heaving a huge sigh he asked, "What is it? It better be important if you're interrupting me!"
"I was wondering-are you talking about Voldemort here?" The girl asked, I think it was Alana.
A funny look crossed Snape's face now. "I wasn't specifically no. However as we all know Voldemort was the worst wizard to have ever lived. His powers were rivaled by virtually nobody, and there were dark, dark times under him. When he tried to take over Hogwarts and turn it into a school for the Dark Arts there were only a few who were brave enough to fight against him-I myself, was one of those. Under Albus Dumbledore we fought for what we believed in."
I felt my heart race. I knew this story off by heart, as did probably every other kid in our world. But as far as I was concerned I had a more specific connection with it-my own Dad had been the one to finally defeat Voldemort in his last year at Hogwarts, and the one to restore peace and happiness to the wizarding world! It had to be my Dad who battled Voldemort-even though there were many older and more experienced wizards who would have done it- because they had a connection. After all my Dad was the "boy who lived" and the one who had driven Voldemort underground in the first place.
I suddenly realised Snape was looking at me thoughtfully. "Yes," He said slowly. "They were indeed dark times. But Voldemort was defeated, and a legend was reinforced."
The bell chiming the end of the class rang then, and I was glad to get out of there and escape Snape's appraising gaze.
"He was talking about your Dad then wasn't he?" Martin asked.
"Yeah, I guess." I replied.
"I wonder why he said it all in such a cold tone. After all every other person in our world admires and respects your Dad for saving us!" Martin said.
"I wonder." I echoed.
We headed for the common room, our first day of lessons over. The next day we had Charms, Herbology, Flying practice and study hall.
I noticed that Jenny was sitting with the first year girls in the common room, occasionally joining in the conversation, and hoped that things were going to get better for her. Maybe they felt sorry for her after the way Snape had treated her in the class.
"Hey, how was DADA?" Greg asked me, as he came over. "We've got it tomorrow, and I've got a feeling it'll be hard this year. I suppose it's because we sit our OWLS this year? I suppose they make the NEWTS look easy though."
"It was alright." I said. "But I think Snape hates us Gryffindoors. He seems to like the Slytherins though?"
"He's head of the Slytherin house." Greg confirmed.
"Hmmm." I muttered. I guessed that DADA was not going to be my favorite class. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Alforth head up the stairs for the dormitories, obviously not bothering in coming down to tea with us. I wasn't the only one.
"If he misses a meal again I get more again!" Henry said joyfully, making us smile.
It sure had been an interesting day, and I had the feeling I was going to quite enjoy being at Hogwarts!
Alforth finally joined us as we were on our way to Defence Against the Dark Arts, after the most boring History of Magic class where we had spent the entire lesson listening to the professor read straight from a textbook on the civil war of 1616 between the Elves and the Wizards of England. He looked pale and grumpy.
"What makes him so special that he gets to miss the first morning of classes?" Martin grumbled to me, as we climbed the staircase.
"I don't think that's really a privilege. He'll be behind already." Jenny said, from in front. She didn't turn around when she said it though.
Martin snorted, but remembering the conversation with Francine only minutes before I said nothing.
"So, where have you been ickle little Alforth?" Martin asked.
"That," Alforth said stiffly, from behind us. "Is none of your business Simms."
"Probably crying his little eyes out somewhere." Alex said, making a face. Clearly Martin and I weren't the only ones who were not all that fond of Alforth.
"If you must know I had a meeting with my father and the headmistress before breakfast. Father is not too impressed about me being in Gryffindoor. He insisted to the headmistress that I be moved back to Slytherin-it's something of a family tradition you see." Alforth said.
"Seeing as how you're still here I guess his insistence didn't work." Martin said. "Pity too."
"The headmistress admitted that she was at a loss to explain the sorting hat's decision too. She said if she had been sorting then naturally I would have gone in Slytherin, but she says that she can't do anything about it! Then she went to teach class, and I was left with Father for a bit. He seems to have some idea in his head that it has something to do with me, that the sorting hat put me in Gryffindoor because I didn't want to be in Slytherin. He told me that he and my Grandfather are dreadfully disappointed. It was my destiny he said..." He trailed off as we stopped out the front of the DADA classroom. Standing in a bunch there were the first year Slytherins, who we were apparently having this class with.
"Carlos!" Alforth called, finally smiling. "I've been waiting to see you." He hurried over to him. It seemed Carlos, however, hadn't been waiting to see Alforth.
Looking distinctly uncomfortable he said "Sorry Alforth, but the prefects have told me that I can't really be friends with someone in Gryffindoor. If I do then they said they might suspect me of helping Gryffindoor win points and beat us."
Alforth's face dropped. "That's ridiculous." He managed. "I want Slytherin to win. I'm only stuck in this crappy house until this mix-up can be sorted out. Father is working on it as we speak!"
Carlos sighed. "Well until you're in here I'm sorry, I can't be your friend Alforth. It's just too hard."
At that moment the classroom door opened and there stood Professor Snape. His eye roved the group, and when he reached me I was sure I saw a look of contempt pass over his face, but it didn't last. He ushered us inside, and Martin and I made sure to take seats near the back. It wasn't just what we had heard about Snape not liking us, but there was something about the man that gave us the creeps. I also had a feeling I'd seen him at the Slytherin table speaking to the students, and that perhaps he was on the Slytherin house's side?
"Well, welcome to your first Defence against the Dark Arts class." Snape said, leaning back on his desk. "No doubt you've already been told that a particular class is the most important, but I can assure you that it is in here where you will learn the skills to protect you throughout your lives!" And he turned to Alex. "You, name the two different species of water- dwelling creatures with whom the wizarding community are enemies?"
Alex looked puzzled. "I don't know sir." He said, finally.
Snape shook his head. "Someone didn't do their readings, did they? Ten points from Gryffindoor. The answer, by the way, was the Haltings and the Maltings. The only difference between the two is one-the Haltings-are Scottish descendents! You-" now he pointed to Jenny. "Name the event in 1898 which started the rebellion by the giants, and eventually lead to the wars between giants and wizards. And which, even now, lends some speculation to the thought that the giants are our friends."
Jenny smiled nervously. "Well I am assuming you're talking about the assassination of Balder the Brave? He was killed by a wizard named Livingstone, and that could be reliably argued, to be the event which began the animosity between the two communities. However, many people have argued more recently that rather than the assassination it was the overbearing control and petty restrictions forced upon the giants by the wizards which lead to the war." She said.
Martin gave me a look which actually seemed quite impressed, but Snape however frowned slightly.
"What's your name?" He demanded of Jenny.
"Jenny Weasley sir." Jenny replied.
"Weasley." Snape practically spat out. "Another one-you people breed like rabbits! And let me guess? You're the product of Hermoine Granger and Ronald Weasley?"
Jenny nodded hesitantly.
Snape snorted nastily. "It figures. Your mother was a know-all too."
Jenny glared at him. "My mother may have been a know-all, but she received some of the best marks Hogwarts has ever seen, including her BAT, her MOP and her HAMS. She's received her DOW in vampires and her HAQ and her Order of-"
"Okay, okay Miss Weasley. We don't really want to sit here and listen to how wonderful your dear mother is." Snape interrupted her. "I think perhaps we'll take another ten points of Gryffindoor for you being an insufferable know-all carbon copy of your mother."
"But sir, that's completely unfair! You're the one-" Jenny began but Snape interrupted her again.
"MISS WEASLEY!" He yelled. "May I remind you who is running this class? Another ten points from Gryffindoor. If you speak out of turn again, it will be another twenty? Are we clear?"
Jenny nodded, and I saw that there were tears welling up in her eyes. The rest of the Gryffindoors, Martin and I included, were all giving Snape hateful, mutinous looks.
"Now-before we got off track I was going to tell you why I consider this subject to be the most important of anything you will learn here at Hogwarts in the next seven years." Snape continued. "I spent nearly twenty- five years working at Azkaban after I left here for the first time. At Azkaban I was confronted with evil of the worst type. Cold-blooded killers who cared for nothing and nobody. Who had been caught practicing Dark Arts by the ministry, and gave no excuses! There was one man there who had murdered thirteen! And when I asked him once why he did it he said it was because he hated everyone. I've seen hate, anger, evil..I've seen it all. And not just the human variety of course. There are creatures in our world so vile and evil that one cannot take their word for anything, one can't trust them or even like them. For example here we are talking Vampires, werewolves and those sorts of things. In this class you will learn about all I've just spoken of, and how to defend yourself against it. " Suddenly he noticed that one of the first year Gryffindoors had her hand up, and heaving a huge sigh he asked, "What is it? It better be important if you're interrupting me!"
"I was wondering-are you talking about Voldemort here?" The girl asked, I think it was Alana.
A funny look crossed Snape's face now. "I wasn't specifically no. However as we all know Voldemort was the worst wizard to have ever lived. His powers were rivaled by virtually nobody, and there were dark, dark times under him. When he tried to take over Hogwarts and turn it into a school for the Dark Arts there were only a few who were brave enough to fight against him-I myself, was one of those. Under Albus Dumbledore we fought for what we believed in."
I felt my heart race. I knew this story off by heart, as did probably every other kid in our world. But as far as I was concerned I had a more specific connection with it-my own Dad had been the one to finally defeat Voldemort in his last year at Hogwarts, and the one to restore peace and happiness to the wizarding world! It had to be my Dad who battled Voldemort-even though there were many older and more experienced wizards who would have done it- because they had a connection. After all my Dad was the "boy who lived" and the one who had driven Voldemort underground in the first place.
I suddenly realised Snape was looking at me thoughtfully. "Yes," He said slowly. "They were indeed dark times. But Voldemort was defeated, and a legend was reinforced."
The bell chiming the end of the class rang then, and I was glad to get out of there and escape Snape's appraising gaze.
"He was talking about your Dad then wasn't he?" Martin asked.
"Yeah, I guess." I replied.
"I wonder why he said it all in such a cold tone. After all every other person in our world admires and respects your Dad for saving us!" Martin said.
"I wonder." I echoed.
We headed for the common room, our first day of lessons over. The next day we had Charms, Herbology, Flying practice and study hall.
I noticed that Jenny was sitting with the first year girls in the common room, occasionally joining in the conversation, and hoped that things were going to get better for her. Maybe they felt sorry for her after the way Snape had treated her in the class.
"Hey, how was DADA?" Greg asked me, as he came over. "We've got it tomorrow, and I've got a feeling it'll be hard this year. I suppose it's because we sit our OWLS this year? I suppose they make the NEWTS look easy though."
"It was alright." I said. "But I think Snape hates us Gryffindoors. He seems to like the Slytherins though?"
"He's head of the Slytherin house." Greg confirmed.
"Hmmm." I muttered. I guessed that DADA was not going to be my favorite class. Out of the corner of my eye I noticed Alforth head up the stairs for the dormitories, obviously not bothering in coming down to tea with us. I wasn't the only one.
"If he misses a meal again I get more again!" Henry said joyfully, making us smile.
It sure had been an interesting day, and I had the feeling I was going to quite enjoy being at Hogwarts!
