Chapter 4
As the four of us walked into our Potions class, I walked over to Robin and Bethany and sat between them.
"¡Hola! ¿Que pasa?" I asked them.
But before they could answer me, Snape walked into the Dungeon.
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"Well, that class could've been worse." I said, as soon as Andrew, Oliver, Nick, Bethany, Robin, and I were in the safety of a hallway away from the Dungeons.
Robin and Bethany. Both of them are fellow Chasers on our wonderful Quidditch team. Being two more of my best friends, they, like Rebecca, always tell me, 'You will find the right guy. Maybe not now, but you will someday.'
As I finished placing my rolls of parchment into my bag, Robin said, "I don't get it. Our first day back of classes and we already have a twenty foot parchment due at the end of the week for Potions."
"Why can't you believe it?" Bethany asked. "After all, this is Snape we're talking about here."
"We can look on the bright side though," Nick said, "seeing as how, for once, we didn't lose any House points."
"He's got a good point there," I thought to myself.
"So. Who's got what class now?" Andrew asked us all. "I've got a free class, so I'll try to find an empty room behind a portrait. I'll spend class time in there and meet the rest of you at lunch. Oh yeah, here's your bag Cristina. I believe that you'll need it."
With that, Andrew gave me my bag and left in search of an empty room. And only I knew why:
Andrew's the most talented singer that I know. When he gets the chance, he goes off somewhere secretive and sings. When he's doing that, everyone just thinks that's he's studying, because he does get good grades here. But that's not true, about the studying I mean. I know this because, two months into our First year, I was coming back from the Library when I heard a very small noise, almost impossible to hear, coming from behind a portrait of an old witch who was never awake. So I slowly and quietly opened the picture, climbed in, and gently closed it behind me. Inside the small room was Andrew, enjoying himself thoroughly by singing. The song was in Spanish, so I joined him. But I had scared him by doing so, and that made him stop. Andrew made me swear never to tell anyone about what he did. I said that I wouldn't because I sometimes did the same.
As soon as he left, the rest of us pulled out our schedules and compared them:
"Robin and I both have Arithmancy, so we gotta run. See you at lunch," Bethany said, as she and Robin took off for their class.
"Cristina and I both have Herbology next," said Oliver, taking my bag from me. "Allow me."
"Do I not get to carry my own bag anymore?" I asked myself. "Oh well, since they enjoy doing this for some reason, fine with me."
"Carry on then," I told Oliver. "By the way Nick, what do you have next?"
"I have Care of Magical Creatures with the Sixth years. I'll catch both of you at lunch."
And with that, Nick left. Even though we were going the same way, he tends to run when he gets to go outside.
The reason Nick is taking Care of Magical Creatures with the Sixth years is because he's an overachiever, like me. But when offered to take more challenging classes, I declined. I wanted to be as normal as I could be which is very hard to do, for me at least. Nick and Rebecca both accepted; Nick just wanting the challenge, Rebecca wanting to be with her Sixth year boyfriend, Brian.
As Oliver and I reached the front doors, someone ran up behind me and jumped onto my back.
"Cristina! Long time no see!" a very tall, blonde haired girl said to me, smiling.
"Rebecca! I've missed you all summer!" I said, very excitedly.
"Me too! So where are you headed for right now?" Rebecca asked me.
"Oliver and I are headed for Herbology, and Nick took off for Care of Magical Creatures," I replied.
"That's where we're headed," Brian said, putting an arm around Rebecca, his girlfriend for a year now.
Rebecca's our Gryffindor Prefect, and she's the Head Girl. She's a tall 5'8" over my 5'3½", but Brian is a full 6'3". I hate that feeling, but I'm used to it. Rebecca's been my closest friend, next to Andrew and Oliver, since our First year here. I've know Brian since last year. They are so perfect together.
Sorry. Anyway, back to where I was….
The four of us walked out onto the grounds together; Oliver and me turning for the Greenhouse, and Rebecca and Brian still walking, hand in hand, for Hagrid's hut.
As soon as we entered the Greenhouse, I went to the seat next to Ashlyn, another fellow Gryffindor. She was sitting next to her boyfriend, George. So I couldn't help what I said to them:
"Hey Ashlyn, George. When I walked in here, I thought something was on fire. Then I realized that I was just seeing your two read heads next to each other."
Ashlyn is pretty damn tall too. She's 5'10". And George is no exception. He and Fred are both 6'5". I swear that tall people are out to get me.
The four of us just kept laughing until Professor Sprout walked in.
"Today class, you will be learning how to make an anti-venom to be used after being bitten by a Venomous Tentacula."
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"At least I know what to do now," I said to Oliver, Ashlyn, and George, reminding them of the scar on my right arm.
I discovered a little too late last year that we had Venomous Tentaculas growing in our new backyard. My sister had kicked my soccer ball down the hill; so, since it was mine, I had to get it. When I stopped to pick it up, the damn plant bit my arm. I was in the hospital for two weeks after that.
The four of us then headed for the Great Hall, to eat lunch and find out who had what classes for the rest of the day.
When we reached the entrance, we found Rebecca and Brian waiting for us.
"Let's go eat!" Rebecca said.
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Before taking off again, Oliver and Andrew noticed that the three of us always had the same classes together, except for Andrew's free class.
The three of us caught up with Alicia, Deanna, and Chris, Rebecca's other siblings (A.N. Yes, there are really four of them!). Then we headed off for Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"What do you think this year's professor will be like?" Alicia asked me.
"Yo no sé. I hope that whoever it is lasts longer than the others," I replied.
Reaching the classroom, I sat with Alicia and Deanna. Hermione came and joined us later.
Oliver, Andrew, and Chris sat together too. Harry also joined them shortly after.
Then we got to meet our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor.
"Hello class. I am your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Travis. I have heard about how something always seems to happen to your last few teachers, but I don't intend to let that stop me from teaching you. Now, let's start by getting to know each other."
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"Wow! If our next professor wasn't caliente, then I just don't know what to say!" I said so only Alicia, Deanna, and Hermione could hear.
"Are any of you off to Arithmancy? I am, and I want to get there nice and early," Hermione said.
"No, I'm off to Transfiguration. And Oliver and Andrew also have that with me," I replied.
Hearing their names mentioned, Andrew and Oliver came over to me.
"Shall we go then Cristina?" Andrew asked me.
"Sí, vamos ahora," I said, getting the occasional stare from those that passed by and heard me speak in a dialect other than theirs.
Leaving Alicia, Deanna, and Chris to go to whatever class they had and leaving Hermione to her Arithmancy, the three of us left for Transfiguration.
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Not far from our class, we ran into Kevin and Ken, who are, surprise surprise, even more friends of mine.
"Are the two of you going to Transfiguration too? We are," I told them.
"Yeah, we are. We just came from Herbology. It was quite interesting today," Kevin told us.
When we finally reached the classroom, I noticed something very surprising: I was in an all-boys Transfiguration class.
"What the hell is going on here?" I asked myself as I walked in with Kevin, Andrew, Oliver, and Ken.
"Cristina? Will you come over here for a moment please?" Professor McGonagall asked me.
I had no choice really. I mean, what was I going to do? I was in an all-boys class and had no idea why and what had happened to cause this. Not that, you know, this was a problem or anything, because it wasn't. I just didn't know what to do.
"Cristina. There was a problem in the scheduling. There were more Fifth years than expected, mostly boys. The rest of my Transfiguration classes are filled to the point where there are no empty seats, and this was the only one left. So, of course, being the wonderful student that you are, I had you put in this class. I know that you can handle this. If not, please tell me and I will try to find you a class suitable for you."
"Is she serious? Put me, a girl who is still as single as can be, into an all-boys class? Am I dreaming or is this for real? I may never leave this class now!" I said to myself.
"Thank you, Professor. I am willing to take the challenge of being in an all-boys class just to learn. And I will definitely let you know if I have any problems in here, which I don't believe that I will."
"Well, now that you are taken care of, please take your seat and we will begin."
"Take my seat?! In between which boys?! I HAVE SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM!!!!!" I wondered to myself, before going to the only empty seat, which was between Andrew and Oliver, and in front of Kevin and Ken.
"Thanks guys, for saving me a seat," I told them, smiling.
"It's the least we could do for you, since this will be your Transfiguration class for the year, right?" Ken said to me.
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The rest of class was uneventful, except for the fact that I constantly had guys staring at me from every angle of the room. But I really did enjoy that, what single girl wouldn't?
When class ended, the five of us headed down for dinner, taking our time. For once this day, we weren't concerned about being late for anything.
When we finally reached the Great Hall, we met up with everyone else and chatted while eating.
"So, Stephen, how was your first day back of classes," I asked my Fourth year friend next to me.
"Not bad really. I don't know if you noticed or not, but I'm actually in your Transfiguration class. I don't know why I was put in a Fifth year class, but at least you're in there to help me when I need help, along with all of the other guys in there."
"Oh yeah, sure I'll help you Stephen. Just ask me when, and I will. So you think it's funny about the fact that I'm in an all-boys Transfiguration class? I do."
With that said, almost our entire table started laughing at my little remark.
"What? I think it's funny."
After dinner, Oliver called a small Quidditch meeting in our Common Room. Robin, Bethany, myself, Fred, George, Harry, and Oliver, of course, were the only ones there.
"As Cristina brought to my attention earlier, we should get to work as soon as possible. So, with that, our first practice of the season will be held this Saturday morning, let's say starting at exactly 10:00 a.m., whether you have had breakfast or not; be there," Oliver told our team, his wonderful smile glowing at me.
"Was he just smiling at me? He's never really smiled at me like that before. Oh well, I hope that he doesn't stop now." I said to myself, just melting under his radiant gaze.
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The rest of the week went by, fairly quickly I might add, since I always looked forward to Quidditch; it was my life practically.
Friday afternoon came and went, making the evening spring upon us all. While other fellow Gryffindors got ready to sleep in the next day, I was to be found in my dorm room, getting all of my Quidditch armor together, as well as my uniform and Firebolt.
After polishing my Firebolt again, I set it on top of my armor and uniform, then crawled into my nice, warm bed for the night. After all, I would be getting up early for our first practice.
With that done, I quickly fell asleep.
