Chapter 16: Schedules

Lily stared at the schedule in her hand for her first week back. The schedule was filled to the brim with hard and accelerated classes.

MondayTuesdayWednesdayThursdayFriday

9 AM: CharmsDADA History of MagicPotions NO CLASS

11 AM: HerbologyPREP TIMEHistory Of Magic PotionsCharms

2 PM: HerbologyCOMC TransfigurationDADAPREP TIME

4 PM: PREP TIMECOMCPREP TIMEPREP TIMETransfiguration

9 PM: Astronomy NO CLASSNO CLASSNO CLASSAstronomy

"Can I see yours?" asked James as he made his way over to her from the other end of the Great Hall. The morning was hectic as all the students compared their schedules with their friends. Students were shouting across the hall and only two teachers were in the room. All the other teachers were missing.

Students began to hurry out of the Great Hall and make their way to their first class. Lily's stomach was full of food due to her large breakfast she had just consumed while talking with her best friend, Katie.

The only two Professors in the hall were Professor Herdvern who taught Defense Against Dark Arts and Professor Jemphil who taught Care of Magical Creatures and they were talking quietly with their heads together, oblivious to the chaos going on around them.

Lily thrust her schedule into James' hand, receiving a shout of glee from him after finding her in all of his classes that year. Other Gryffindors came over and looked and Lily's schedule, as well.

"What's "prep time"?" asked Alyssa as she passed the schedule to Bekka.

"For Head Boy and Girl," replied Lily, but Alyssa stared at her, still very confused. "We go and meet with teachers or we sit in on classes and help the teachers teach or-"

"OK, boring then," said Alyssa. "More work." Bekka passed the paper back to Lily and head over to a different group of students. The Great Hall had began to empty and only a few groups remained. Most of the students left were Ravenclaws or Gryffindors in their Sixth or Seventh year.

"Well," said Lily thoughtfully. "Yes, I suppose it's more work, but it's so fun!"

"More work," repeated Alyssa as she walked over to Bekka who was entertaining a group of boys from Ravenclaw with one of her stories from the summer.

"Lily," said James as he looked around the room. "Where are all the teachers?"

"I don't know," replied Lily. "I thought earlier that it was odd with so few teachers here right now." Lily watched Alyssa, Bekka and the boys leave the Great Hall, quickly leaving only a few other Ravenclaws who were still eating.

"Well," replied James. "It's the first day of classes and I guess they are just preparing."

Professor Herdvern stood up from the Head table and looked over the few students before him.

"HUSH everyone," said Professor Herdvern whose voice had been projected around the room. "Everyone should already be heading to their classes. I assume most of the ones left will be tardy and you all know the rule."

"Tardy is detention," murmured all the voices. Lily's eyes went wide as she looked at her watch. She had one minute to get to her first class before she ruined her perfect report of never being tardy. The Ravenclaw students began hurrying out of the Great Hall and running or walking quickly to their first class.

"We'll never make it!" cried out Lily. James grabbed her hand and began pulling her in the opposite direction of all the other students.

"What are you doing, James?" screamed Lily as he dragged her down the corridor. James ran his hand along a wall with many cracks and chipped pieces of paint.

James' hand fell into a dent and he pulled open the wall to reveal a long narrow hall. He pushed Lily into the hall and she ran as fast as she could, leaving James behind to shut the door. At the end of the hall, she stopped as the hall had parted in two. James had caught up to her because he had longer strides.

"Right!" he shouted and Lily set off again as she went uphill with the hall. Glancing at her watch, she noticed she had 32 seconds to make it to Charms before she would be counted tardy. She pumped her legs harder and thanked her parents silently for making her compete on the track team when she was growing up.

The end of the hall came into view as three kids jumped out of a hall joining them. Sirius landed inches before Lily's face, making Lily stop and having James run into her.

The three fell to the ground, but James didn't wait. He jumped up quickly, helping Lily.

"GO!" shouted James as Sirius, Lily and him caught up to Katie and Remus as Remus pushed open a door. They had landed right outside the Charms door.