"Look, there's an extra bed in here!" A girl said.
"Yes, there are five, odd." Another agreed.
Hermione and I walked in. Both girls were very pretty and gave Hermione a somewhat disgruntled look as if to say "oh, you."
"That's Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil." She said quickly pointing them out. I smiled at them. They forced smiles onto their faces and looked me up and down. "Eloise Midgen… where is she?"
"In the bathroom still." Parvati said dismissively. "Where are you from?" She asked me.
"America." I said softly.
Lavender and Parvati exchanged sideways glances.
"Oh come on, you don't honestly believe those silly stereotypes, do you?" Hermione snapped.
They blushed and said no. A few minutes later a girl with a rather… strange face walked in. I couldn't figure it out at first but after talking to her for awhile I noticed that her nose was off-center. Eloise was very nice to me and I liked her immediately.
"Do you reckon Potter is mad or just trying to get attention?" Lavender asked calmly.
"What?" Hermione and I chimed.
"Oh really, do you believe that nonsense about You-Know-Who? He's obviously just trying to get some more attention."
"Obviously you believe Harry's story." I said quietly. "Or you wouldn't be afraid to use Voldemort's real name."
Everyone stared at me.
"Just leave Harry alone, Lavender, you don't know what you're talking about." Hermione hissed after a moment.
"Standing up for your boyfriend, Granger?" She said snidely.
"No, just a really good friend." Hermione said coolly.
"One of the few."
"That was unnecessary." I toned softly.
I had changed into my pajamas and was watching them shooting daggers from their eyes at one another. Eloise sat calmly off to the side writing in what must've been her diary. Parvati sat on her bed and watched Lavender quietly.
"I think people here must be more than a little tired." I shook my head. "At least I hope you're not always like this."
Lavender's head snapped to glare at me. Parvati bit her lip and said nothing.
"I'm going to sleep." Eloise said. "Night." And she went under her covers.
"Good idea." Hermione said.
"Goodnight." I said.
I trudged to the bathroom in the morning. I was armed with a hairbrush, ready to take on my head with the help of the mirror for the first time in months. After splashing my face and drying off I was awake and ready to look. I scrunched my eyes shut instead of looking.
"Come on, do it." I muttered. Slowly, my eyes opened and I prepared myself for the land of red dots.
"Does it always take you this long to look into a mirror?" Eloise asked, yawning.
"Um, no, but I haven't looked in months."
"Really? Damn, if I looked like you I'd be looking all the time."
I frowned. It didn't sound like sarcasm. I took a deep breath. And looked.
There was not a single zit on my face. I gasped and touched it happily.
"I'm acne free!" I whooped.
"I cursed my acne off last year." Eloise said, half-heartedly. "You got off easy."
I smiled at my reflection and realized that, for the first time, I didn't look that bad. My large, blue eyes weren't that big really, but if I ever widened them I did look like a begging dog. Urgh. I ran a brush through my red-brown hair until it was snag-free. Eloise and I walked down to the Common Room together. She showed me down to the Great Hall because I didn't know the way for beans.
Hermione, Ron and Harry were deep in conversation about something and I thought it best not to disturb them. I waved to Hermione when she looked. She smiled warmly at me before going back to her discussion. Eloise took a seat next to Ginny. I sat across from her and ate some porridge. Then I remembered that I had my test today. No longer was I hungry. I pushed the bowl away, feeling the start of nausea.
"Morning Favian." Ginny said kindly.
"Hey Ginny."
She stifled a yawn just as Dean and Seamus came over to sit with us.
"Hi." Dean said, sitting on my right. Seamus sat next to Ginny, across from Dean.
"Hi." I repeated, smiling at him. I felt confident for the first time in my life, knowing that I was no longer acne-queen.
Professor McGonagall was going down the table handing out schedules.
"Favian, come to my office after breakfast. Ms. Granger will show you the way." And she continued.
"You're in trouble already?" Seamus asked, awe-struck.
"Of course not, you dummy." Ginny said. "She has to take a test."
"Why?"
"Oh yeah! You've never been to wizard school." Dean grinned. "I'm muggle-born too."
"I'm half and half." Seamus boasted. "Me mum's a witch and me dad's a muggle."
"What are you doing in the UK anyway?"
"My dad got a job in England."
"What does he do?" Seamus asked.
"He used to be a pathologist, a doctor." I said quietly.
"Why'd he stop?" Seamus stuffed bacon into his mouth.
"Plane crash." I muttered.
"I'm sorry." Dean looked down and Seamus stopped chewing momentarily.
"It's all right." I shrugged. "At least I got to say good bye." I felt sadness grip my lungs but I smiled anyway, to show that I wasn't offended.
"You should really eat something." Ginny said, pushing my porridge back towards me. "You don't want to test on an empty stomach."
"If I throw up all over my test I don't think that'd be much better."
"Do you honestly believe you'll throw up?" Eloise rolled her eyes at me.
"I'm not sure enough to test it."
"You're a smart person, Favian. I've watched you learn things in weeks that took the rest of us months to learn. You'll probably be in third or maybe even fourth year."
"How do you know Favian?" Eloise asked Ginny, buttering a muffin and looking over her schedule.
"She came to stay at my house for the summer." Ginny said smoothly, looking at her own schedule. "Ooh, good. Transfiguration and Herbology with the Ravenclaws."
"Why is that good?" I asked.
"My boyfriend's a Ravenclaw." She said coolly. I smiled a bit.
"Do your brothers know that you have a boyfriend?"
"Of course not. You honestly think I'd tell them anything?"
"I guess not." I laughed.
"Do you have a boyfriend?" Eloise asked me.
"No, I only just arrived."
"How about back in the States? Oh, shit. Sorry. I have Potions with the Slytherins again. I hate Pansy. God, she is the pits. Well, do you?"
"No." I admitted shrugging.
"Hm." Eloise continued studying her schedule. "Study of Ancient Runes with the Hufflepuffs and Arithmancy with the Ravenclaws. Well, that will give me a chance to talk to Terry."
"Does everyone in Gryffindor have a boyfriend in Ravenclaw?" I half-joked.
"Haha! Oh no, no, no. Terry is my cousin." Eloise laughed. "I went to his house this summer and left my Arithmancy book there. I don't know if he brought it or not."
"Oh." I grinned. "Well, I'm glad to hear there's no incest in your family."
"Georgie dearest, somebody's complaining about incest, like it's a bad thing!"
"Freddy-poo, that's terrible! Wherever shall we hide from such hate-mongers?" Behind me the Weasley twins stood, grinning broadly.
"Hi Fred, hey George."
"Do we get kisses too?" Fred pointed to his cheek.
"Maybe some other day."
"Aw, but our days will be ruined if we don't get a kissie-wissie." George pouted.
Hermione stood up with Ron and Harry. They continued walking towards the Common Room. I was afraid of losing her so I stood to chase after her.
"I have to go. Talk to you later." I turned to Dean, Seamus, Ginny and Eloise and said a quick goodbye before hurrying to catch up with Hermione.
I ran down the hallway, and was already lost.
"Oh merde." I cursed in French and looked around wildly. If I was late for my test I was so screwed.
"Well, well, well, if it isn't our little American friend." Malfoy stood there with his two large chums.
"Since when have I been your friend?" I snapped. "I thought you made it very clear that you didn't like me from the off."
Malfoy smirked. Crabbe and Goyle, his apparent bodyguards, chortled.
"You might choose to be more careful, if you knew how much power I really held."
I snorted. "That's a weird thing to say." I was looking around for some kind of marker to show where I was.
"You started on the wrong side, Favian Fynn, but the Dark Lord will be coming for you." He whispered harshly. I jumped back because he was suddenly right up close to me.
"Favian?" Hermione called down the hall. "Professor McGonagall wants me to take you to her office." Hermione glared at Malfoy. "Come on." She took my wrist and started pulling me away.
"Thanks." I muttered as she dragged me away.
"What was he saying to you?"
"He seems to think he's got a lot of influence and that the Dark Lord will be coming for me."
"That proves it. His dad's a Death Eater." Hermione grimaced. "But I wonder why he thinks that Vo- Voldemort would come for you?" Hermione thought aloud.
"Voldemort… de mort…."
"What?" Hermione asked.
I frowned.
"His name is French." I mumbled.
"Er… what are you talking about?"
"It literally translates, I believe, into 'thief of death,' vol de mort."
Hermione gaped at me. "You speak French then?"
"A bit." I shrugged. "I took some in middle school and high school."
"Excellent. Would you teach me some?"
"I probably wouldn't be the best person for the job." I said reluctantly. "I mean, I only have three years experience with it."
"More than I have and I feel I should know some French, living so close and all. I only know the basics."
"That makes two of us."
"I didn't figure that thing about Voldemort's name out."
I blushed. "Well, I just like anagrams and stuff." I shrugged. "My friend Ming and I used to send notes back and forth full of anagrams and riddles. French was always mixed with it to make it more confusing."
"Why?"
"We didn't want the teachers reading them out loud if they were ever intercepted."
Hermione laughed. "Oh, here's Professor McGonagall's office." Hermione knocked on the door and I felt my stomach drop.
The door opened and McGonagall stood there looking severe as ever.
"Oh, Ms. Granger, thank you. You may proceed to class, Ms. Fynn, come in." She ushered me in. Hermione muttered "good luck" before hustling away. "I hope she was a good teacher?"
"Excellent." I nodded.
"Well, I'm sure you'll do well on this. There's really no expected level. Failing isn't really a bad thing because you're not expected to know any of this. But, if you've practiced, you may get into second year."
I nodded. It would be sort of embarrassing, sure, being the oldest second year, but at least I would be learning something. And I would have to be in school longer than anyone else. That part was kind of frustrating, to say the least.
"First, Charms. Professor Flitwick is free this period so we'll go to his classroom. He'll give you some starter tasks and move up levels until we reach a point where you aren't capable."
Once again, I bobbed my head in affirmation.
A short old man opened his door when McGonagall knocked.
"Oh, yes, Ms. Fynn! I am Professor Flitwick." He squeaked. "I will take it from here, Minerva, you can teach your class. Shall I return her to you after the period's done?"
"Yes." McGonagall smiled encouragingly at me and then left.
"Let us start with the simple motion of… well, do you know what it is?"
"Swish and flick?" I guessed feebly.
"Very good! Very good!" Professor Flitwick clapped his hands together. "What charms do you already know?"
"Um… levitation, banishing, unlocking, summoning and… I can't…."
"Don't be nervous." Flitwick shook his head. "Let's see levitation, shall we?"
I went systematically through all of the charms that Hermione had taught me. Flitwick nodded and took notes. Ron had taught me a cheering charm, which Flitwick ended up asking if I could perform. When I could he was so pleased that he squeaked and clapped his hands again. The accio spell had taken me quite a bit of practice. The first try in the classroom I failed.
"Wait!" I said, desperately as he began to write. "Give me another chance, please?"
"Go ahead, Ms. Fynn."
I breathed deeply and summoned the book from across the classroom.
"Favian, I believe you are of fifth year level! Ms. Granger taught you very well! The only reason I would hesitate to put you in the fifth year class is because of O.W.Ls but I think I will anyway. If you can't manage the practice O.W.Ls I'll just move you down a level. Does that sound fair?"
I nodded, smiling shakily.
Transfiguration I excelled in. Professor McGonagall had been so impressed that she had mumbled something about "Ms. Granger should take a job in teaching." I would be sure to tell her. McGonagall decided to do the same thing that Flitwick had and just put me in the fifth year and would do a practice O.W.L. I gave oral essays to McGonagall before she deemed it time to meet the Potions Master, Professor Snape.
My cauldron was already in the dungeon. McGonagall had left me, reassuring me that I would do fine. I didn't believe her, of course. Ron and Harry told me that the ingredients were much more difficult to use than to discuss. I had practically memorized my potion books because Harry had said that Snape was so rough. Mentally I went over every potion that Hermione had ever described to me; though, under no circumstances was I to mention the Polyjuice Potion.
"Ms. Fynn," a cold voice called to me. I whipped around to face a man with beetle-black eyes and greasy, shoulder-length hair. "Welcome to your first Potions' class."
"Thank you." I said uncertainly. My sweaty palms were in fists because I was so afraid of shaking. Snape smiled at me, not warmly.
"You have never used a cauldron before, correct?"
"Yeah, that's right." I nodded.
"Pity." He said. "This will be quick, at least."
Suddenly I had the urge to show him that it wouldn't be quick. Hermione said it was just like cooking: you only had to follow the directions carefully.
"Bring it on." I said, accidentally. I blushed. Snape narrowed his eyes at me.
"What was that?"
"I said, I'm ready, at least, I hope I am."
Snape's upper lip curled. He handed me the ingredients for a simple potion. At least he said it was simple. To my over wracked brain it was impossibly hard. Still, I managed the first potion and it looked like the book had said it would.
"Satisfactory." Snape waved his wand and the potion disappeared. "More than most of my students can say."
Tough love.
I spent an entire two periods making "simple" potions for him. He said that I could probably do fine in third year, but wanted to see how I did with complex potions before making a decision.
"Would you mind missing part of dinner?" He asked.
"No." I lied. I was starving, but wouldn't have admitted it for all the gold in Gringotts.
"Good. See the potion on the board?"
I nodded.
"Begin."
The Draught of Peace wasn't that complicated. I followed it word for word and double-checked everything. I looked at the vapor rising from my cauldron and wasn't relieved to see shiny gray smoke. Would he interpret that as silver? It was supposed to be silver, I was pretty sure. It looked sort of silver, but Snape was tough from what I had been told.
He frowned. "Are you sure you've never handled a cauldron before?"
"I'm pretty sure." I nodded.
"Go to dinner." He dismissed me. "Professor McGonagall said for me to tell you to go to Professor Binns next. How much do you know about the night sky?"
"Ooh, I love astronomy!" I said excitedly. "Does he teach that?"
"No. History. Professor Sinistra teaches astronomy. You will do that tonight."
I crashed into a chair at dinner next to Hermione and grabbed a sandwich.
"How is it going?" Ron asked casually, rubbing his stomach.
"Exhausting." I admitted through a mouthful of food. I took a swig of the sweet liquid. "What is this stuff, anyway?"
"Pumpkin juice." The three chimed.
"Oh, weird. God, I'm famished."
"Did you have lunch?" Ron asked.
"No. Snape gave up lunch to do Potions with me."
"Hm." Hermione poked at her meal thoughtfully. "How did Potions go?"
"It was hard but he wanted me to do a more complex potion. The Draught of Peace."
Ron and Harry stared at me. "How did you do?"
"He seemed surprised."
"No, no, what color was your mist?" Harry asked.
"Shiny gray, maybe silver. I don't know what he thought." I forked salad into my mouth.
"Dammit, Hermione, I want you to teach us from now on." Ron said.
Harry wasn't listening to our conversation anymore. He was listening to somebody else and turning very red.
"He says he saw Cedric Diggory murdered…."
"Reckons he dueled with You-Know-Who…."
"Come off it!"
"Let's go." I muttered.
Hermione slammed down her knife a fork. "Yes, let's get out of here."
Ron and Harry followed suit and we returned to the Common Room.
"Oh merde." I swore. "I have to go to Professor Binns' classroom."
"I'll take you." Ron said. "Come on." He took me through the portrait hole again and down the corridor. "You'll get to know the place pretty soon."
"I hope you're right." I said looking around. "God, how does Harry deal with it?"
"Usually not like he's been doing. I think it's finally getting to him."
"Hormones." I suggested.
"Yeah," Ron laughed, "probably. Favian, did you talk to Harry that one night at… our house?" Ron looked around to see if anyone was listening.
"The night you were made prefect? Yeah."
"Is he okay?"
"Frustrated. He needs a little TLC I think."
"What's that?"
"Tender loving care."
Ron smirked. "I'll be I know who he wants it from."
"Me too."
"No way. Who do you think it is?"
"Cho."
"You've known him for barely a month and you know about as much as I do, and not just Harry-wise."
I laughed. "I'm lucky sometimes."
"Observant, more like." Ron looked at a door. "Here's Binns' room. Good luck. I can't ever remember anything worth a damn." Ron left.
The initial shock of seeing a ghost wore off pretty fast. I had met some resident ghosts, it just surprised me to see a teacher being a ghost. He was pretty dull, but he asked me a few questions and took a few notes then let me go. I had read the text book and Hermione's notes, staying up late into the nights. Binns didn't say what he intended to do with me. I went to Herbology next, where I was directed. Professor Sprout was a kindly witch who waited for me at the exit. She walked me down to the greenhouses.
"So, you know anything about gardening?"
"Yes. I had a garden in the States. My own, you know."
"Excellent!" I was grateful that I knew so much about plants from my own hobbies. Neville Longbottom had spoken to me on the train about his weird cactus and other plants and I had, of course, scanned the text. Once again I did all right. Astronomy was with a witch who was very pretty and rather young. She was kind to me and spoke to me about muggle telescopes. She said I didn't need to know magic to know the stars, though I did get an amazing view through the magical telescopes. I could've stayed out there all night looking through that telescope.
"Tomorrow, Favian, Professor McGonagall will give you your schedule and if you do well this year you'll probably take some extra courses next year."
"Thanks, Professor Sinistra."
"No problem. I'll see you next week."
(A/N: This is my very first serious fanfic. I didn't post it sooner for a few reasons. One: I was whisked off to Dairy State, Wisconsin. Two: I stupidly broke a rule on here {I'm a rebel without a clue.} Three: Actually, one and two are the only reasons. If you haven't read the fifth Harry Potter book, stop reading maintainent! I'm trying to follow the book closely as I can, considering I've only read it once. Enjoy.)