Ok then, seeing only one person bothered to review chappie two, this one's for Starricat!!

Next day, down in the Great Hall, I sit near Cho, who, along with her friend Marietta, explain about the teachers.

"-And then there's Professor Snape, who, I think," says Marietta, glancing around. "Should be gagged quietly and locked in the broom cupboard."

"(She isn't good in Potions.)" Cho whispers, before eating a forkful of scrambled eggs. Marietta gave her a disapproving look.

"Only because that- er- idiot, favours Slytherin!" she retorts, glancing at me half-way through. I shake my head, saying;

"Naw, it's alright, you can swear around me. I don't really mind." She looks relieved as I eat some bacon. Mmm… Bacon... "Hey, how about Transfiguration? I heard it's really difficult." I ask, reaching for the sauce.

"That's just changing one thing to another." Said Cho, looking at me. "You know, matches into needles, guinea pigs into guinea fowl, yourself into an animal, desks int-" I ignore the rest of what she's saying and cut in.

"Wait, did you say 'yourself into an animal'?" She nods. "When do you learn that?!?" I ask hurriedly. She gives me a weird look.

"Sorry." I say. "It just sounds really good."

"Well," she says, thinking for a second. "You can start from First year, but it takes until Fourth year to actually become a full Animagus. That's the official term for it." She says, probably seeing the confusion on my face. I'm about to ask more when the post comes.

Hundreds of owls swoop in through the high windows, circling the tables. Then they dive down, delivering, er, whatever they're carrying. My barn owl just lands next to me, helping herself to a bit of my bacon-rind.

"No, go ahead(!)" I say, leaning on my elbow. "Have some bacon(!)" She looks at me apologetically. I laugh kindly at the look on her face. "Naw, go ahead." I say, stroking her head. She finishes off the scraps, then flies off as Professor Flitwick walks down the table, handing out all the timetables. I take one of the first-year ones and check 'Monday'.

Herbology Herbology Charms Lunch Defence Against the Dark Arts Transfiguration Transfiguration

"Ooh." Whistles Cho, leaning over to look at it. "You've got Quirrell right after lunch. I feel sorry for you."

"Why sorry?"

"He tells stomach-churning stories as an introduction. Like about the time he destroyed a Zombie who'd been dead for only three weeks!" she says coolly, smirking at me. Yeah(!) …Yeah?

"Don't be so paranoid!" she laughs, pulling her bag on her shoulder. "Honestly, first-years will believe anything. See you later. C'mon Marietta."

5 minutes after that, I was stood outside Greenhouse 2, shivering in the wind with the other Ravenclaws. Y'know, Herbology isn't that bad, really. Sure, you might get a few bites from one or two plants, but apart from that…

Charms is my favourite so far. In which other class can you make a quill quadruple in size?

After lunch, Defence Against the Dark Arts. Ooh, scary, Cho(!) All we could understand from him properly was our names in the register. And there was this Garlic-y smell everywhere in his classroom. And that scary intro? Non-existent. Now you join me outside Transfiguration next to the Gryffindors, who're going for Charms.

"Hey, Seth!" I hear from the other line. I look to see Lavender waving to me, standing next to another girl. I walk over to them.

"Parvati Patil." She says, even before I ask her.

"Er, Seth Hunter." I say. "So how're you finding it so far?" I ask them both.

"Alright, apart from Defence Against the Dark Arts." Says Lavender.

"How long has he been teaching?" giggles Parvati. Are they finishing each other's sentences or something?

"Y'know," I say, doing the look-over-your-shoulder-in-case-anyone's-looking-thing. "They say that he went to the Black Forest in Germany. Ran into a Hag or two."

"No way!" they say in unison, and then giggle at their synchronization.

"Really! I heard an older kid say it." I start. Then a strict voice says;

"Alright class! Enough socializing! We've got work to do." We hurriedly get back into line. Professor McGonagall leads us in. We sit down, getting our books out. After she calls the register, she says;

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Yes ma'am! Ten HUT! She then changes her desk into a pig and back again. Just an everyday thing(!) Impressive, but everyday. She then walks down the class, handing out matches. Spent ones, obviously. (Who would trust us with un-used matches?) After walking to the front, she turns on her heel.

"Your goal for today is to transmute these matches into needles. This is the simplest stage of transfiguration. You do this by tapping the match, repeating the word 'acus'."

Easier said than done. After loads of notes, we get started. I'm 'acus'-ing like -, it just won't get pointy!!!! I've got it shiny, but that's about it. My seating partner, Dean Thomas isn't doing that well either. He's got it pointy, but not shiny. She asks for our progress at the end, and most people haven't got further than us. After the bell goes, she dismisses us. I walk to the front.

"Er, Professor?" She looks sternly at me. "Could I ask you something?"

"You just did, but carry on."

"Well, I wanted to know about Animagus-es." She blinks at me, probably surprised. "And, er, how to become one." She looks even more surprised.

"The proper term is Animagii." She says, putting her notes in her bag. "And I'm afraid it takes quite a lot of work to become one. Four years to be precise."

"I'm willing to learn!" I say quickly. Hold up, that sounds familiar… She frowns at me, probably thinking.

"Hmm… Are you positive about this…?"

"Yes." I say firmly. She thinks for a while longer. I cross my fingers behind my back. Please say OK; please say OK, please-

"Well, if you're sure…" she sighs, taking a notebook and quill out of her bag. "I could give you lessons on your own, as long as you keep up with them. Shall we say…? Thursday night, 7:00, for…one hour?"

"Ok then."

Hey, I'm going with the crowd part-way! Will he keep the lessons up? What's in store in Potions? Will Lavender and Parvati ever shut up? Will I stop asking stupid questions? Find out next time!

Reviewer replies:
Starricat: Yes! Another Ravenclaw fan! Isn't it hard to find some really good Ravenclaw stories? (Apart from mine. ;P )