For copyright and disclaimers, please see chapter 1

3 - Classes, Week One, Second Year
Thursday, September 2, 1999:
Hogwarts, Great Hall, Hufflepuff Table: 08:47
"Post's here!" People looked up to see the usual storm of owls, but along with those came several bats, which circled and landed at the Slytherin table. Daphne looked over, and said, "I've never seen bats used for post before."

"They're Mattie's," Arthur mentioned. His housemates looked at him, and he shrugged, "Mattie Wayne. She's the majority owner of the Ballycastle Bats."

"Wayne owns Ballycastle?" Abby Michaels said in a strangled voice. "A second-year owns a Quidditch team?"

Charlie shrugged, and Stephanie looked over as a petite girl with long black hair untied the last message. The bat took off, and Professor Sprout bustled up, distributing schedules. Stephanie glanced at hers, asking, "What's the computer class the Headmaster mentioned? What's a computer?"

"Muggle thinking box, they were installed last year," a fellow said, offering his hand. "Jeremy Slater, sixth year and Beater. They do make homework a lot easier, and the staff likes them because they don't need to decipher handwriting. You've also got email, which is like a really fast owl for sending letters."

"Really fast," Charlie said. "Mum and Dad can send me a note from London; it can be here in seconds."

"Anywhere in the world, really," Arthur said. He glanced at Charlie, adding, "You can ask the two computer prefects, Eleanor Branstone or Abby here, or just about any muggle-born for help." Charlie started to put his things away, and Arthur said, "Welcome to Hogwarts and Hufflepuff. Charlie and I are off to Herbology, see you at lunch."

"You have got to get a watch, mate," Charlie told Arthur. She didn't hear his reply.

Thursday, September 2, 1999:
Hogwarts, Potions classroom: 13:00
"Silence!" Professor Snape hissed, as the classroom doors locked on the stroke of one. He glowered, saying, "This is first year Potions. You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory; even stopper death." He glared at the silent classroom, adding, "If you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."

He stalked about; then pointed. "Your name?"

"Koslowski, Professor."

"Tell me, Miss Koslowski, do you find my instruction amusing?" he hissed at the smirking girl. She shook her head, and he leaned over her, adding, "Forty points from Gryffindor, and a detention for your cheek, girl." He spun, saying, "Miss Ballantyne, where might I acquire a bezoar?"

"The stomach of a goat, sir."

"Very good, ten points to Hufflepuff." He pointed, "You, the Gryffindor. Name one of the five uses of a bezoar."

Violet pointed to herself, and the professor nodded. "Miss Pellew, sir. It's used against poisons."

"Good. Five points to Gryffindor." He turned, adding, "You see, Miss Koslowski, it's not enough to have a pretty face. Contrary to rumour, I do award points to your house, IF you have the wit to THINK!"

The study group stopped on the way into the Great Hall for dinner, Amanda and Andrew groaning at the sight of four rubies lying at the bottom of the Gryffindor hourglass. While they watched, five topaz fell into the Hufflepuff hourglass, the counter on top changing to 74.

Minerva McGonagall stopped, appalled. "What happened this morning?"

"Miss Koslowski happened, Minerva," Severus said. "She seemed to find my style of instruction amusing, to the tune of forty points. She will also be serving a detention with me." Minerva's mouth twisted, and he added, "Miss Pellew gained ten of those points back, however, by having the correct information."

"Thank you, Severus. It seems I must have a talk with Miss Koslowski."

Friday, September 3, 1999:
Hogwarts, Computer classroom: 13:00
"Good afternoon," the blonde witch said as the firsties filed in. "I'm Kelly Bundy, your network administrator, and I'm here to get you all up to speed on Hogwart's computer network. Please have a seat, and how many of you have a computer at home?" Several hands went up, and she smiled. "Good. As you can see, we're running Macintosh computers here. Now, each house has two computer prefects, but you can go to any one of them for assistance. This class will run through the end of October, so you'll have time to learn how to use everything, and there are no stupid questions. Now, the first thing we need to do is to power the system on. Please look on the front of the machine on the floor to your right; you'll see a silver button the size of your thumb. It has a circle with a vertical bar at the twelve o'clock position. Hold that button in for two seconds; you'll hear a hum…."
To: Mom at Home
From: Lee Fook
Date: 3 September 1999
Subject: School!

Hi, Mom!

Well, I've obviously arrived safe and sound, and I've been sorted into Slytherin. I'm sorry I didn't write before, I was just exhausted. We're at the weekend now; I plan to sleep in a bit tomorrow. Give Aunt Beth a hug for me, the school is just like she described it. One of the people I met on the train, Connie Koslowski, managed to piss off the professor in our first potions class, and earned herself a detention. That's not a good way to start off the school year!

You can see above that my email address is lfook at hogwarts .edu .uk. It's been an interesting couple of days, I've written out my schedule, see attached.

By the way, Aunt Beth mentioned that you weren't the only reporter with a wizarding relative? Well, hold on to your typewriter, one of my fellow Slytherins is Mattie Wayne. Now, not only does she own her own Quidditch team, her Aunt and Uncle are none other than Lois Lane and Clark Kent of the Daily Planet! They're publishing an American-style wizarding newspaper called the Reporter, as the other paper, the Daily Prophet, is a Ministry propaganda rag. I have copies of both, I'll see if I can get them out through muggle post, I don't trust sending them through the Ministry. I think you met her parents at Kings Cross? Well, they're the Gotham Waynes, like the fifth richest in the world? I've only met her once, but she came across as very down-to-earth, not snooty at all. She's also offering classes in martial arts; I'll go see what she says about the tai-chi classes I took in Central Park.

Well, I'm going to send this off, and go talk to Mattie. Love ya dearly,
Lee.

Friday, September 3, 1999:
Hogwarts, Hufflepuff common room: 19:40
Stephanie cleared her throat, asking, "Um, can I join you?"

Arthur cleared space, while Eleanor held out her hand, "Eleanor Branstone, Arthur Morton, and Charlie Adams. Got a computer problem, or just want to talk?"

"Um, well, yes and no. My mum got a lot of stuff at a Ministry jumble sale, and I just had my first computer class, and, well…"

"It's ok," Charlie said. "Arthur and I are muggle. What's the problem?"

"Well, um, we thought the stuff belonged to someone dead, so well, we managed to save so much, and school supplies are really expensive, and now, I think I know who it belonged to, and, well, she's a Slytherin!"

Arthur, Charlie and Eleanor traded looks, Eleanor asking, "You think she's going to slit your throat or something if she finds out?" Stephanie nodded, violently.

"Were the initials on the trunk HMW?" Arthur asked gently. Stephanie nodded again, eyes wide and adding in a whisper, "I've heard the Slythies are really vicious, is she going to… to…"

"I doubt it, she's in my study group," Charlie said. "If she's mad at anyone, it will be Minister Fudge. Well, madder, to be precise."

"Her clan and the Slythies are already at war with Fudge, Stephanie," Eleanor said. "You're right; you don't want to get them mad at you, but they're not hotheads. You haven't given them a reason to be mad at you. All your mum did was buy stuff at a jumble sale. Last year, her stuff vanished, so now that mystery's solved."

"Was there a broom in that trunk?" Charlie asked, and Stephanie nodded, whispering, "Firebolt II. I was afraid to take it to class."

"Were you going out for Quidditch?" Eleanor asked eagerly. "Wayne's the Slythie Seeker, that's about the only broom here that can catch her. Nobody else can afford one! If you…"

Charlie held up a hand. "Look, don't force her. Is Professor Harry holding a little get-together tomorrow morning?" Stephanie nodded, and Charlie said, "You can meet Wayne, and see for yourself that she won't rip out your spleen and eat it. We'll be there, just in case. She might ask for a couple things, is that all right?" Stephanie nodded, and opened her Herbology text.

Saturday, September 4, 1999:
Hogwarts, Quidditch pitch: 09:10
Charlie waved, and Mattie raised her coffee mug, her broom following behind her. She joined the group, wearing a Ballycastle t-shirt, jeans and boots. Slurping coffee, she said as she sat, "I haven't been able to fly in months!" Changing the mug to her left hand, she offered her right to Daphne and Stephanie, saying, "Hi there. Mattie Wayne, welcome to Hogwarts."

"Um, you like Ballycastle?" Stephanie asked.

Mattie shrugged, "It's my team, I figure I should support them, y'know?" She waved in the air, asking, "You going out for Quidditch? I can't convince these two." She motioned to Arthur and Charlie, grinned; adding, "We need some competition! The Gryffies are pathetic this year, and we can't keep stomping the 'Claws."

"I'll take a Bludger to you, Wayne!" She leaned back to look up, and grinned. "Two of my favorite Beaters. I'm going to join those clowns up there in a minute, want to come?"

"Actually, Mattie, we had a bit of business to discuss," Charlie said. Mattie immediately focused on him, all expression wiped from her face. Charlie swallowed; then said, "You remember your missing trunk from last year?" Her eyes tightened slightly, that was the only change. "Well, it turned up in a Ministry Jumble sale. Apparently it had all your stuff in it."

"Laptop, broom, books?" Mattie asked in a flat tone.

"There's some books and things I don't understand," Stephanie said, and Mattie's unblinking gaze locked on her. "You bought it at a jumble sale?" she asked softly. Stephanie swallowed and nodded, "Twenty-two galleons."

"Alchemy books, that kind of thing? Firebolt II broomstick? Apple Powerbook?" Mattie asked, and Stephanie whispered, "I don't know what that last thing is, but the rest…"

"Know what they're worth?" Stephanie shook her head, and Mattie continued softly, "I paid 130 galleons for the alchemy books, 450 for the Firebolt, and another 450 for the Powerbook. It's a laptop, a portable computer. With all the rest, you've probably got 1200 galleons worth of stuff the Ministry idiots let go for twenty two galleons." She gazed at Stephanie in silence, finally smiling, "I'd say you got a bloody good bargain."

Stephanie let out her breath, and Mattie grinned. "I'd like to recover any personal papers and data, if you don't mind, and if you don't plan on using the alchemy and potion books, I'd like those back." She grinned, adding, "They've got my notes from last year, you see. I was working on my term project for Professor Snape when I was kidnapped by Fudge." Her eyes glittered strangely, and Stephanie asked, "What about the broom?"

"Keep it, on one condition," she told the girl. "Go out for the Hufflepuff team. You don't have to make the team, but I want some competition up there. I've already replaced it, as you can see. I've also replaced the laptop, so if I can recover files, and you don't want it, give it to Arthur here." He started to object, and Mattie added, "It already had my mail program, and clan files, Arthur." She held out her hand to Stephanie, asking, "Do we have a deal?"

"We told you that you had nothing to worry about," Charlie said to Stephanie as they walked back to the Hufflepuff common room.

"Well, I've always heard such stories about Slytherin House. I'm glad to know that they're not true," she said.

Charlie stopped in his tracks causing his housemates to stop as well. "It's not that simple," he began. "Slytherin house is made up of people; good, bad and indifferent, just like every other house. Maybe the Snakes play to their 'deadly, dark and dangerous' stereotype a little too much. Mattie and her roommate Sprink are good people, but there are Slytherins who specialize in being an arse."

"So Mattie isn't a typical Slytherin?" Stephanie asked uncertainly.

"Mattie's not a typical anything," Arthur answered.

Mattie waited for them near the entrance to the Hufflepuff common room. She grinned at their surprise, quipping, "Well, I did have a broom with me." Charlie snorted, and she continued, "Sorry if I'm anxious, but the chance to actually turn in my project, and not fail it has me a bit nervous."

"What term project is this? We didn't have homework from Snape over the summer hols," Charlie asked.

"Well, you're not in Slytherin," Mattie replied. "Professor Snape has us research a potion to brew that's due October 29th. We're supposed to stretch ourselves, the one Sprink and I submitted is a fourth-year blood potion. Then I was kidnapped in April, and we thought all my stuff and our notes were gone forever. There was no way we could research and submit another potion in the two weeks I spent in the Infirmary after I got back."

"Where were you?" Stephanie asked, and Charlie tried to shush her, "Tell you later."

Mattie smiled faintly, "Thank you, Charlie. It's Stephanie, right?" The girl nodded, and Mattie said, "Fudge threw me in Azkaban."

"Oh, thank god, it's all here!" Mattie sighed. Arthur and Charlie looked puzzled, as Mattie paged through a loose-leaf binder.

"What potion is it?" Charlie asked.

"It's a variant of the Oculis potion, using chemistry and alchemy," Mattie replied as she paged through a thick reference book. "Now, all I have to do is to convince our test subject to co-operate."

"Who would that be, and what does it do?" Stephanie asked nervously.

"It fixes someone's eyesight," Mattie replied, turning and looking at Arthur. "It has to be brewed before puberty sets in. For girls, before their first period, for boys, before they start to shave, this is why the faculty hasn't taken it. Tell me, Arthur; want to have perfect vision for the rest of your life?"

"I'd feel better if Snape brewed it," Arthur admitted. "But I won't be your guinea pig unless Snape signs off and your tests work first."

She put the book down, "If we wait too long, you'll miss your chance."

"You're talking about a new potion which is a lot more complex than anything we've brewed before." He regarded her, asking, "Why am I just now finding out about it?"

"Not much point in asking you about it when Fudge tried to declare me dead, steal my money and all my stuff; then throw me in Azkaban to rot, was there?" Mattie asked, sitting against the trunk. "Our original plan was to tell you about this after Malfoy's trial, which would give us time to ask someone else if you refused. Look, I've just known this stuff still existed for (she checked her watch) a little over twenty minutes. As it is, we're going to have to recalculate parts of the potion; our original plan was to start brewing it two days ago. This is all assuming that Stephanie here is willing to part with it."

She gave a jerky nod, while Arthur said, "Not without Snape signing off on it."

"I don't blame you," Mattie said, as she pulled reference books and started to stack them. "I would be too, especially coming at me like this. Look, why don't we do this? You can discuss this with Professor Snape while Charlie and Stephanie help me schlep this over to my dorm. If you decide not to, then Sprink and I have to find another first or second year to convince."

Mattie pulled her wand, and cast minimus and tollenosis on the stacks of books. "This potion is voluntary (she finger-quoted) for Slytherin house. I'm sure Professor Sprout does something similar for you people."

Sprink and Lee were just leaving the common room when Mattie called, "Hold the door!" Sprink looked up, blinked, and squealed, "You found them! Where were they?"

"The Ministry sold my trunk in a jumble sale, Stephanie's mum bought it. Do we still have the ingredients?"

Sprink nodded, "In the dorm. We were just going to talk to people. Will Arthur do it?"

Mattie and Sprink looked at him, and he said, "I don't know yet."

"I thought he could talk to Professor Snape about it, is he in his office?"

Sprink shook her head, "He's in the lab. Let's get set up, and we can start brewing."

The Slytherin common room wasn't what Stephanie expected. A large fireplace with a merrily crackling fire, lamps and torches gave good illumination for study while the windowless stone walls reinforced the 'dungeon' feel. There weren't many students in the common room, as Mattie and Sprink lead them to the spiral staircases on the left. As she entered the second-year's dorm, it looked similar to hers, with the exception of the green and silver bedclothes and wall hangings. Mattie dropped her stack of books under a Ballycastle Bats poster; the opposite wall sported a Montrose Magpies poster. Mattie thumbed her nose at it, Sprink stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry, and Stephanie giggled.

"We've agreed to disagree about Quidditch teams," Mattie said, with Sprink adding, "Aside from the bets."

"Hah! See if I hire YOU in five or six years!" Mattie said with a grin. Sprink made a rude gesture, then said, "Let's get started, then we can refigure the potion." She pointed her wand at a muggle cooler, levitating it before her as Mattie gestured toward the door.

"Where is everyone?" Charlie asked as they recrossed the common room.

"In the lab," Sprink said. She stopped; then said, "Very few people outside Slytherin have seen our library or Potions Lab. Don't touch any books; they're spelled to burn if you do." Charlie, Arthur and Stephanie nodded, Sprink levitated the cooler again.

The bookshelves vanished into the gloom above Stephanie's head, protegro spells obscuring the spines of the books. She turned with the others, and went down a flight of steps into a stone room, walls scored with ancient scorch marks. Dozens of students sweated over cauldrons, mixing, adding ingredients, and casting incantations. She recognized one of her year-mates; Jeremy was helping an older student. He looked up and nodded to her, as Mattie hurried over to talk to the formidable potions professor. Sprink put the cooler down under an empty table, a sign above reading 'Tonks/Wayne'. With a poke of her wand, the fire was lit under the cauldron, and Sprink unlatched the cooler, pulling out two gallon jugs of water.
"Mr. Morton, I understand you have questions about this potion?" Professor Snape asked, and Arthur jumped. He nodded, and followed the Professor's billowing robes.

"You have questions about the potion Miss Wayne and Miss Tonks are brewing," Professor Snape said as he took his chair in the stone office, his computer monitor on the corner of his desk.

Arthur stood on the flagstones, nodding, "Mattie told me this afternoon that she's working on a potion with Sprink that could fix my eyesight."

Snape grunted, "Ah yes, the oculis variant. What do you know about it, Mr. Morton?"

"Not much, sir. She just rediscovered her notes twenty minutes ago. One of my housemates bought her trunk at a Ministry jumble sale."

"Ah… a minor mystery resolved. Rest assured, Mr. Morton, I would not have allowed them to proceed if the theory and research behind their work was not sound."

Arthur nodded, "I told her I wouldn't do it unless you signed off on it, sir. I want to see some clinical trials first, before I offer myself up as a guinea pig."

"Do you not trust her abilities?"

Arthur gulped, but held his ground, "Not yet, sir, not with my eyesight." Snape frowned, and he elaborated, "At this point, sir, the risks outweigh the benefits. Wearing glasses until I graduate, get a job and can afford laser surgery won't kill me. Show me the potion will work, and that's something else."

"Yet you expect Miss Tonks and Miss Wayne to trust you enough to wear the pendants you created for your study group."

"Professor Flitwick signed off on the work sir. He tested them himself, and told me that specific anti-spell charms have been around for centuries. The two cases aren't comparable."

"I do not know what spell the charm defends against. As I act in loco parentis for Miss Tonks and Miss Wayne, I could forbid them to wear it."

"That's strictly up to you, sir. It doesn't have a thing to do with the potion, either."

Snape regarded him in silence. "It is good to see that you are not a fool, Mr. Morton. You are perhaps unaware the potions I require my house to brew must also contain the antigen." He held out his hand, summoning a book. Laying the white, two inch thick binder on his desk, he added, "This is their potion submission to me, which includes my questions and their replies. You will review it for me, and note any questions that you have that are not covered by this material. Next week, we will discuss it, you and I, at which point you will give me your decision."

He swiveled in his wooden chair, drawing his grey ash wand, and unlocking his computer. Making a note on his calendar, he typed quickly. "I see your marks last year for Potions and Herbology were not up to my standards, Mr. Morton. Miss Tonks and Miss Wayne are supporting each other's strengths in this potion, Miss Tonks performing the spell-casting and Miss Wayne brewing the potion." He gazed at Arthur, adding, "I will discuss this with Professor Sprout, I expect your midterm examinations to be an improvement over 'Acceptable'. As you are benefiting from my students' generosity, I expect academic performance equal to theirs."

He stood, handing the binder to Arthur. "I will escort you to rejoin your housemates in our laboratory. Until you have made your decision, Mr. Morton, do not shave. If questions arise, refer them to me."

"Thank Merlin this is the last time I'll have to do this," a large fellow said, offering his hand to Charlie and Stephanie. "Frank MacDonald. Welcome to our little potions lab." He returned to watching his potion, stirring occasionally.

Sprink extracted a rat from a cage, snapping its neck and carefully draining the blood. Lee gingerly took the limp form, looking helplessly at Sprink.

"What d'ye need, lassie?" Frank asked Sprink.

"Spleen and liver," she replied, as she stalked an escaped rat that sensed its fate.

"Come here," Frank motioned to the two firsties as Sprink lunged. He gave his potion another stir, then said, "Potions can be messy, but fresh ingredients are best. Y'drain him for the ingredients, and its less messy. Take y' knife, and open him up like so…" There was a snap of the rat's neck breaking, and Lee turned, losing her breakfast on the stone floor.

Stephanie looked green, and Frank gently patted her back. "I lost it m'self my first time, an' that was in class with the Gryffs."

"I couldn't do it my first time," Mattie said as she came back. She knelt to help Lee, adding, "A useful spell: evanesco, it cleans up all sorts of messes. Go rinse your mouth out, then a freshening charm."

"I'll help," Charlie said, taking care of the two firsties. He glanced at Frank, and mouthed, "Thanks." He nodded.

Four dead rats waited for the firsties, with Mattie having a fifth open on the cutting board. Pointing out organs on a diagram in her notes, she helped Lee and Stephanie carefully remove organs; placing them in dishes. Sprink looked at her list of ingredients, than asked Charlie, "If you want to help, we'll need the spleen and livers diced, and two measures of finely ground bicorn horn, 15.2 grams each. There's a scale in the box."

"Oh, nice," Frank said, looking at the electronic scale as Charlie got it out. "Pity I'm past that point with mine. Don't use angled cuts, lassie," he advised Stephanie as she chopped a liver. "Cut straight down, the hundredth of an ounce difference adds up."

"Weigh the paper first, Charlie," Mattie said, "That sets your tare weight; otherwise your ingredient weight will be off. Frank, could I ask you a favor?"

"What is it, lassie?"

"I'll need to adjust the potion because we're starting late, can you double-check my figures?"

"Certainly," adding to Sprink, "Put what you don't need on the table under the stairs with a freshness spell, so other people can use them."

4 September, 1999

Dear Mum,

This has been a most interesting day! I'm sure you remember the trunk we got at the Ministry jumble sale for 22 galleons. Well, it turns out that not only is the original owner alive, I've met her! She's a second-year Slytherin named Mattie Wayne, and by her figures, the Ministry let loose of about1200 galleons worth of stuff for the bargain rate of 22 galleons!

She suggests that you not spread that around, what with the fact that her Clan and the Slythies are at war with the Fudge Ministry. I think that's wise, and this is the last I'll say of it on parchment. She did want to recover personal papers and such, but she's already replaced the broom and the laptop (that black book-like thing we couldn't figure out). I thought that perfectly reasonable, just those two things are worth 900 galleons!

Yes, you read that right. From what my housemates say, her father is the fifth richest man in the world. Mattie herself owns the Bats Quidditch team, but she's a very, well, normal person, with no pretensions at all. Her only real requests were that I try out for the Quidditch team (she wants some competition, she's the Slythie Seeker), and if I didn't want the laptop thing, to give it to one of my housemates. He's a muggle from the Colonies, he'll probably get more use out of it than I.

I had an interesting afternoon; apparently Professor Snape assigns his House a potion to do over the summer term. Which is what all the notes were about, after I met Mattie, I went into Slytherin House's private potions lab and helped her and her room-mate get started on a eye-repair potion.

What else? One of the Gryffies managed to tick off Professor Snape and lose 40 points in her first Potions class on Thursday. One of her housemates recovered ten from him, but Professor McGonagall was not happy at all. They have just a few points, and their rubies look very lonely in the hourglass. Right now, we're at 80 points, hopefully we can repeat last year's stunning win of the House Cup.

Love,

Your daughter Stephanie

To: The Clan (encrypted)
From: Mattie Wayne
Date: Saturday, September 4, 1999
Subject: School stuff

Hi, everyone!

Classes are underway, and I received a pleasant surprise today. One of the incoming Hufflepuff students bought my old trunk, with contents, from the Ministry at a jumble (garage) sale. It included my uniforms, textbooks, my Alchemy and Potions references, broom, and laptop.

The girl that bought it is in financial straights, which is why I didn't ask for it back – she bought it (quasi-legally) from the Ministry, who obviously didn't know what they had. Her mom paid twenty-two galleons for it! I did ask her three things:

For my Alchemy notes and references, which means Sprink and I may be able to finish our potion on time;

For her to try out for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team (I don't need a second broom, I do need competition!);

For her to pass my Powerbook to Arthur, who is having one of his 'I am not a charity case!' episodes. I really think he needs the secured communications, and I doubt Stephanie (the girl that bought it) will be able to use it. Do you think you or the Mortons could talk some sense into him?

In other news, one of my new housemates mother works for the New York Times. Her name's Lee Fook and I said that she could forward copies of the Reporter and the Prophet to her mom through Aunt Sheila in London. I hope that's all right.

Also, I know you had mixed feelings about Dick arranging for me to get a Power Ring. Dick, I love you, but I am uncomfortable with it. I've designated Arthur as my backup (one reason I brought him to the Steel's party), but I would feel better if a current GL could come by and give me/us some training on the bloody thing.

Well, that's about it for now. I've attached my class schedule, I'm taking Legilmancy on Tuesdays with Professor Dumbledore from 9:00 – 10:30, and maybe I can talk him into actual tutoring in Alchemy too, instead of my self-study course! grin

Love to all,
Mattie