CHAPTER IV – The First Few Days
Liam thought back on the packet he'd received months ago that told him of Hogwarts and delivered his shopping list as well as instruction on where to get things and general things he'd need to know. What he was trying, and failing, to remember now was mention of how enormously huge and enormously complicated Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry actually is.
On their way down to the Great Hall for breakfast the first morning of school, they got lost twice. Just as they were feeling glad that they'd started out a little early, they turned a corner and Kyle accidentally ran into someone, knocking the other guy down. Liam looked down to see that the lanky blonde on the floor was Jay and the guy standing beside his now fallen form was Bob.
"Hey, guys," Liam said as Kyle helped Jay up. "Where're you guys headed?"
"Tryin' to find the Great Hall. Yous guys know where it is?"
"It's this way," came a voice from beside them. They all turned to look at the man in the intersecting corridor. By the looks of his height and age, he must be a professor. "I'm on my way there myself, so feel free to tag along."
The man seemed nice enough, and more importantly started walking off in the direction Liam, Jack, and Kyle had just come from.
"Who's this guy and how do we know we can trust him?" Jay asked in a whisper.
Beside him, Bob started miming as though he was a teacher. The others stood and watched him for a second before figuring out what he was trying to say.
"He's right," Jack finally said. "I think he probably is a teacher."
"And he's leaving without us," Liam added. The five of them rushed to catch up.
With a guide, it didn't take long to reach the Great Hall. They split up when they got inside so that Jay and Bob could go to the Hufflepuff table. Liam, Kyle, and Jack sat down with the Gryffindors. The students nearby greeted them, looking half-friendly, half-worried. Liam didn't blame them for being worried. They'd probably all come to the same conclusion.
The first class of the morning, after breakfast, was a class called Charms. They were smart enough this time to ask one of the older students to help them find the classroom, which luckily wasn't far from the Great Hall.
This was their first class at a wizarding school and none of them knew what to expect. Upon entering the room, they saw sitting behind a desk the man who'd helped them out only hours before.
"Come in, come in," the man said, apparently recognizing them. "According to the roll, there's only the three of you in this class. It's quite strange that there were only three of you sorted into Gryffindor, but the benefit is that most of your classes will only have the three of you in them. Please have a seat.
"I'm Professor O'Grady and this is Charms. In this class, you will be learning all sorts of different things that are staples in a wizard's repertoire. Now I understand you are all three muggle-born. I suppose this means none of you really know anything about using a wand, do you?"
The three of them shook their heads in unison. Professor O'Grady sighed.
"In that case, we'd better start with the basics. Pull out your wands."
The three of them spent the rest of the class learning wand techniques. As it came time for them to head to their next class, History of Magic, none of them had gotten to the point they dared even attempt to cast a spell.
It took a little more doing and a little more time than they'd have liked to find the History of Magic classroom. The teacher, Professor Binns, was an old wizard who spent the entire classtime lecturing in an incredibly dreary and boring voice that put both Jack and Kyle to sleep and nearly succeeded with Liam as well. Unlike Charms, however, they were not alone in this class, and it was only the furious note-taking scratches of the Ravenclaws around them that kept Liam awake enough to take notes of his own.
After waking his compatriots at the end of class, the three of them headed off for lunch, before their third and final class of the day. "Something tells me that guy would have continued to give that same lecture even if we'd all fallen asleep," Kyle said as they were walking.
"He'd probably have given it even if no one had showed up," Jack added.
Lunch was rather uneventful. There were perks, it seemed, to being the only three first-years sorted into Gryffindor, but it made eating meals difficult. They were forced to stick with each other, mainly because everyone else already had their friends to talk and interact with. Liam, Jack, and Kyle were far from ignored, but they weren't exactly invited into any true conversations either. No one knew them and no one knew quite what to make of them.
Their last class was Herbology, which they had with the Hufflepuff first-years, was taught in a greenhouse behind the school. The man who taught this class, Professor Parsnip, was also an elderly wizard, though he turned out to be much more spry than Professor Binns had. The course of Herbology, he explained, was carried out mainly by learning about and caring for different magical plants. The first class was taken up by teaching them basic gardening skills and general safety tips.
As the three of them were walking back up toward Gryffindor Tower, they discussed what an uneventful day it had been.
"Three classes and we didn't get to cast one spell," Liam complained.
"Dude, I know," Jack agreed. "This whole wizarding thing bites so far."
"It'll get better," Kyle offered. "Professor O'Grady said we'd be learning spells in his class. We'll probably start one Wednesday."
"I hope so," Liam sighed, and the others nodded.
It took them a while to make it back to the tower. Unfortunately for them, their Herbology class let out earlier than most of the other classes, so they were alone in wandering the halls. They hadn't made it back yet when the other classes let out. It was Timothy Pryne who found them wandering around.
"There you guys are," he said from behind them.
"Hi," Liam said, turning around.
"I figured you guys must be lost when I didn't see you in the common room and you weren't in your room either. So are you guys lost or just out exploring."
"Lost," Kyle replied, just as Jack said, "Exploring."
"A bit of both, actually," Liam explained. "We got lost trying to make it back to Gryffindor Tower, but we're having fun exploring while we wander."
Timothy laughed. "I see. Would you like some help getting back?"
"That would be great."
As they headed back, they talked to Timothy about how their day had gone. He assured him that they would most likely start learning spells in Charms on Wednesday. The first few days were like this for everyone, it seemed, as they started getting into routine.
They had quite a bit of time before dinner and nothing to do for the rest of the night, so they sat in the commons area for a while before retiring to their rooms to play for a while. Liam did the best he could to keep up, drumming on his trunk, while the other two played their guitars like the madmen it seemed they were.
"Dude," Jack said during a pause, "Lee, you're an awesome drummer. Even without drums you rock."
"Yeah, dude," Kyle agreed, "you're much better than the last drummer we played with. You remember that kid, JB?"
"You mean Sasquatch? Dude, that was a horrible drummer. He was a cool guy, but he just could not keep a beat."
"I do feel bad about leaving him like that though."
"Man, he's probably better of without us. I know we're much better of without him."
After they ate, before they went to bed, the three of them got together and made a small sign that they stuck on the door to their room. Everyone walking by noticed the sign at once and couldn't help but wonder exactly what they meant by "Three Kings".
The next day, they got lost again on the way to breakfast. This time, they eventually found the place on their own. They took a long breakfast, as they had first period off on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They did make sure to give themselves quite enough time to find their second period class, however.
Defense Against the Dark Arts was the class many people claimed was the most enjoyable class at the school. Its reputation gave Liam mixed feelings when it became time for class to change and the Slytherin first-years left through the door the Kings were waiting near. Jack and Kyle both seemed psyched.
The teacher was in the room when they entered. The room itself caught all of their interests. There were skeletons and crossbows on the wall, among other, stranger things, and the back wall was full of chests, cabinets, boxes, dressers, and similar pieces of furniture.
As they sat down together, a small, dark man swept into the room and looked at the three of them. Liam knew by word-of-mouth that the man was Professor Jenkins, the teacher.
"Ah," Jenkins said, "I have before me the class I've heard so much about. I shall have fun with you three." He smiled as he swept forward, past his desk, and pulled up a chair on the other side of the table they were sitting at. "Professor McGonagall filled me in on the ideas she expressed to you a few nights ago, and I agree with her wholeheartedly. I was once a Gryffindor, myself, you see, and I understand the significance of the situation you three are in. I am also in the perfect position to make sure you survive that position without a problem.
"I must say, it does make it easier that there are only three of you. Of course, if there were many more, special training would never have crossed anyone's mind, would it." He paused for a second, then his eyes widened momentarily. "Oh my, I completely forgot. I'm Professor Jenkins, by the way. Welcome to Defense Against the Dark Arts."
The rest of the class was taken up with the three of them learning what exactly was meant by the phrase "Dark Arts" and some of the basic thoughts and knowledge they would need. It hadn't occurred to them that they might be in special danger from outside forces, but by the end of the lesson, all three of them were quite glad that someone had realized it and talked with Professor Jenkins. Everyone was now in agreement that there would be dark times ahead.
They found the Great Hall rather easily due to the map Liam had made going to class earlier, and spent their break discussing how much danger they were actually in and how long it would take before they started becoming targets. It was enough to give anyone an advanced case of paranoia. Soon it was time to head out to look for their final class of the day.
Despite the general view of Defense Against the Dark Arts, this was the class they'd been waiting most eagerly for. An inquiry at breakfast that morning had told them that Transmutation was turning something into something else, and while that was appealing, the were more excited that it was taught by Professor McGonagall, the only teacher they'd had extensive discussion with and head of Gryffindor house.
Professor McGonagall, however, started class with warnings about how serious transmutation was. She then turned her desk into a pig. After a few minutes discussing the basics and the principles behind transmutation, she handed each of them a match and told them to spend the rest of class trying to change it into a needle.
By the end of class, not one of them had been able to change the match at all. For the first time, they were allowed to do magic, and none of them had been able to pull it off. Liam was beginning to wonder if perhaps it had been a mistake that any of them were brought here and they were all three just normal muggles like their parents, but Professor McGonagall eased his suspicions when she mentioned that very few students ever forced any change out of the match in their first lesson.
After class, Kyle and Jack moved to the door, but Liam stood for a second longer, thinking of something. While his friends waited at the door for him, he approached Professor McGonagall. "Professor?"
"Yes, Liam, what is it?"
"I was wondering if I could ask you a favor."
"Feel free to ask, child, but I can't promise I'll accept."
"Yes, ma'am. You see, Professor, Jack, Kyle, and I are trying to get a band together."
"Yes, I hear the three of you were playing on the train. I also hear there are occasionally strange noises coming out of your room which I assume are also music."
Liam smiled. "Yes, ma'am, they are. The thing is, while Kyle and Jack are guitar players and brought they're guitars with them, I'm a drummer, and I have no way of obtaining a drumset while I'm here."
McGonagall smiled slightly. "You want me to transmutate a drumset?"
"Yes, Professor, that was the favor."
"Well, Mr. Tull, I shall make you a deal. I shall go to the common room after supper this evening. If, by then, you can turn a match into a needle, I will do what I can to get you a drumset. I am an advocate of music, you see, though I can't say I'm terribly fond of the rock music I'm told your band plays. Do we have a deal?"
A huge grin split Liam's face as she spoke. "Yes, Professor. Thank you so much. I'll get to work on that match right away."
"Yes, you'd better if you hope to have any supper at all. I shall see you later then."
"Goodbye, Professor McGonagall," he said, backing toward the door. "Thanks again." With that, he turned and walked out to find Jack and Kyle in the hall waiting for him.
"Dude?" was all Jack said.
"She said she'd help us get a drumset if I could turn a match into a needle by time she comes by after dinner," Liam explained as they began to make their way toward the Gryffindor Tower.
"Awesome. We'd better get to work."
With a lot of practice and some help from Kate, all three of them had managed to turn their matches into needles by the time it was dinner would be starting. Proud of what they'd accomplished, the three of them set out of the Great Hall with Kate, who explained with amazement that she'd taken nearly a week before she'd pulled off the simplest bit of actual transmutation. When the four of them arrived at the Great Hall, Liam caught Professor McGonagall's eye while they were walking to an empty spot at the Gryffindor. He flashed her a triumphant smile and sat down to the most enjoyable meal he'd eaten so far since arriving at the school.
After eating, the Three Kings left a little early and headed back to Gryffindor Tower, only getting lost once this time. They managed to get a little more practice in before McGonagall stepped through the portrait hole and headed straight for the table they were sitting at.
"You seem confident," she said as she stopped at the table. "Have you succeeded?"
"We all have, Professor."
"Is that so? In that case, I might as well see all three of you while I'm here." She set three matches on the table, one in front of each of them. "Any time you're ready."
Liam looked to Kyle and Jack. They all three nodded and turned to the matches on the table. Each of them succeeded in turning a match into a needle on the first try.
"I'm quite impressed," McGonagall said, smiling. "As for my part of the bargain, you'll find the drumset in your room already. I do hope it fits your standards. And before you all rush off, I have a favor to ask of you." She paused, waiting for their assent.
"Anything, Professor."
"I ask that you not practice tonight. I know you must be itching to do just that, but I will talk to Professor O'Grady tonight about trying to teach the three of you a charm that will allow you to practice without disturbing everyone else with loud noises. I hope you can find the self-control within yourselves to hold of on practicing until you've learned the charm."
"Yes, ma'am. We'll just have to work as hard on that charm as we did on these matches."
"And I'm sure you will. I shall see you again in class on Thursday."
"Goodbye, Professor," Liam called to her already retreating form. "Thank you again." He turned to the other two.
"Dudes," Jack whispered, "we're a band." He spazzed rather largely at the word "band" and knocked his chair over in the process.