A/N: Wow, I didn't expect any reviews at all! Thank you guys, much love to:
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"Harry, Are you sure about this? I mean, it is the first day here.." Neville trailed off uncertainly. Harry rolled his eyes.
"Honestly, we've got three hours before class, hardly anyone's up! Besides, its not like we have anything better to do until Ron and Draco join us. I left a message with two portraits." Harry balanced the huge silver tray on the stair rail carefully. Neville held onto it while he climbed on.
"Did you at least apply the diamond hard broom polish?"
"Of course I did! After all, we've got a serving tray here about to see more air time then a skateboard at the X-games!" The wizard-raised boy didn't even pretend to know what he meant. Harry gripped the sides of the improv-sled and gave the signal, Neville pushed hard and climbed aboard at the last second.
V.v.V.v.V.v.V.v.V.v.V.v.V.v.V.v.V.v.V
Now, Minerva McGonagall had been teaching at Hogwarts as transfiguration teachers for many years to say the least. She had an early morning routine that was rarely broken, if ever. Every morning, she took a shower, put on her robes, got a nice hot cup of tea, gathered her things (mainly graded papers), and headed to the great hall a few hours early to have the main portion of her breakfast in peace.
But, unfortunately for her, today wasn't going to be one of those days.
As Professor McGonagall left her room on the third floor, a screaming black and silver blob flew past her, knocking her to the ground. Gasping, she gripped the rail to help her stand up, but was abruptly knocked back down by a flying midget on a cloud.
What in the bloody-! Taking out her wand, McGonagall picked herself off the ground and took off(walking very quickly, of course, running is what children do!) in the direction of the disturbance.
She came upon a pile of pillows at the bottom of the stairs in front of the great hall. On top of which where,
"MR..POTTER! Mr. Longbottem! What on earth did you think you were doing!" She demanded, standing over the boys as they jumped to their feet.
"Um, just a bit of, um, morning exercise ma'm." Harry explained, straitening his clothes. Neville nodded vigorously beside him.
"Oh my," The pile of pillows disappeared to reveal Professor Flitwick on the ground holding his head. The two first years helped him up.
McGonagall frowned."Are you alright-"
"GANG WAY!" a shout cut her off. Flitwick's eyes widened and quickly swished his wand. Another pile of pillows appeared, slightly to the left of the last pile, just in time two catch two more students.
"That," said a slightly dazed Draco Malfoy from the wreck,"was WICKED!"
"Too right." Rons voice was slightly muffled by the pillows.
"Mr.Weasley! Mr.Malfoy!"
"Uh oh." Ron and Draco scrambled to their feet. McGonagall looked like she could breath fire on the four boys.
"Never in all my life! Ten- no, Twenty points from all houses! Never have I seen such behavior-" She shouted and continued to give them a dressing down from the ages. They all shuffled their feet, and pretended at least, to look like they were ashamed. "Now get to breakfast before I subtract ANOTHER twenty points! And don't think the headmaster won't be informed of this! Along with your parents! Now MARCH!"
The four boys trooped into the great hall and sat down at the end of the hufflepuff table. As soon as McGonagall strode by, assumably to the headmasters office, they burst out laughing.
W.w.W.w.W.w.W.w.W.w.W.w.W.
"Okay, are we ready for this?"
"Roger."
"Earplugs?"
"Check."
"Helmets?"
"Check."
"Beaters bats?"
"Check."
"Hats?"
"Double check. Never can have to many hats."
"Righto! Now, to your places men!" The group dispersed from the he corner of the great hall to their respective house tables.
A clap of thunder rang out as owls fluttered threw the tall widows of the hall. A small cloud carrying red envelopes head strait for the Slytherin and Gryffindor tables. Ron jumped on top of his seat, reading the beaters bat over his shoulder.
"Clear!" Several people ducked as Ron swung the bat wildly, hitting the red envelope as the owl dropped it. Harry held up an extra large hat which caught the envelope, and passed it to Neville, who threw it under a helmet and let it explode. The four of them looked like a circus act. Draco had more then a few howlers. It seemed like every time his mother thought of it, she sent another howler. Ron stood beside him on the Gryffindor table and helped him bat them to Harry and Neville.
At last, the howlers ceased coming, and the smoke began to clear. Harry pulled Neville with him up to the table to do a victory dance with their friends. Neville jammed a very dented, very scuffed up helmet on Draco's head.
"Ahem, if you would be so kind to sit down." Professor Dumbledore announced from the head table. He didn't look particularly angry. Actually, he looked like he was trying to keep from laughing.
"Of course!"said Ron jumping off the table and heading to the slytherin table.
"No Problem!" Draco slipped into his seat.
"Now," Dumbledore addressed the student body, "before we start our day today, I must ask that all students, if you feel the particular urge to exercise morningly, please do not commandeer serving trays from the great hall or the kitchens, and sled down any or all banisters of the hogwarts stair ways. And if this cannot be avoided, please watch out for unsuspecting teachers next time." McGonagall glowered from the headtable. Flitwick took a particular interest in his eggs."Thank you, and have a nice day."
Harry looked down at his schedule, grinning. Everything was going great. Already the first day and already they were twenty points in the negatives! That has to be a record. He was going to erase the 'Savior of the Wizarding world upstanding citizen' media persona if it killed him.
"Okay, first class, Herbology." 'With Neville', he scribbled in the column. "Then Charms with Draco. Then Potions with Neville." He noticed they seemed to stick Hufflepuff and Slytherin together only a few times a week. Which could possibly be because they thought Hufflepuff's were pushovers and the big nasty ol' slytherins might eat them or something, or it could just be a coincidence. Anyway, plenty of time left at meals and breaks for the four of them to plan the undoing of hogwarts.
G.g.G.g.G.g.G.g.G.g.G.g.G
The classes (once you found them) were challenging in their own right. Harry didn't find them particularly difficult, but then he wasn't really trying his hardest. After all, he was there to live life, to be able to say 'Yea, I did that once when I was younger, that was fun!'. To have the childhood and friends that where denied to him when he was with the he dursleys. Not Academic Achievement. Anyone can have great grades, but only the daring have adventures. That's the attitude he carried to each class, doing well enough to pass averagely, not wanting to stand out or be acknowledged as something spectacular because of it. Most of the teachers were ready to hand him points just for breathing for gods sakes! He'd rather be punished for doing wrong, then be rewarded for doing nothing.
Then, friday came along, and Harry Potter saw his a challenge, one he couldn't ignore.
U.u.U.u.U.u.U.u.U.u.U.u.U.u.U.
It was this particular friday, the first of the year, that Hedwig did something unusual for him. She fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note into Harry's plate. Harry tore it open at once. It said, in very untidy scrawl:
Dear Harry,
I know you get friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.
Hagrid
Harry borrowed a quill from someone not looking his way, scribbled Yes, I'd love to. I hope you don't mind if I bring my three friends, see you later! on the back of the note, and sent if off with hedwig again.
After the first class of the day, History of magic, Harry headed down to the dungeons with Neville. At the start of term banquet, Harry got the distinct impression Professor Snape didn't like him. All his life, everyone hated him, so without a doubt, he could tell when someone really didn't like him.
Professor Snape hated him.
Not that he had a problem with that, nt in the slightest. What bothered him was why. WHY did Professor Snape hate? Anyway, here's what happened:
Down in the cold dungeons of Hogwarts, Snape, like all the other teachers, started class by taking role. He, like Flitwick before him, stopped at Harry's name.
"Ahh Mister Potter -"
"Yes!" Harry jolted up in his seat. Did a firework go of in his pocket or something?
"-our new celebrity." He finished glaring at Harry for interrupting.
Oh, Harry relaxed as he went on with his speech, is that all.
"Tell me Mister Potter, what would I get if added root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Was that english? Harry's mind reached a blank spot.
"Uuuuh, A magic potion of some sort?"
God I hope he doesn't keep me after class.
"Astounding Mr. Potter, clearly fame isn't everything. A point for your cheek."
Did I eat any bacon for breakfast?
"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
"Bless you."
I wonder were hedwig goes after she delivered my letter.
"Five points from Hufflepuff. Thought you wouldn't open a book before coming, eh, Potter?"
"Obviously I opened the wrong books, your Professor-dom, uh, ness."
"Another five points. What is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfsbane?"
I hope Hagrid has biscuits.
"Is that a trick question?"
Silence.
"Hmm, interesting. I wonder if that was another idiotic comment from you or and actual answer."
Cool, I guessed.
Professor Snape paused in front of Harry's desk. His cold dark tunnels bore into his brain.
Doodi Doodoo Doodi Doodoo
Snape sneered as he broke eye contact. Harry blinked and looked around. Did he miss something? He looked at Neville next to him, who just shrugged nervously.
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
"I don't understand it Hagrid, why does he hate me especially?" Harry beseeched the huge man over his mug of tea. "I mean , I could see if I was some snob and he was trying to bring my ego down a few notches. But I'm not! He's not!"
Draco patted him sympathetically on the back.
"Well, why don't yeh ask 'im?" Hagrid busied himself with a few dishes in the sink. Harry noticed a scrap of parchment under the fruit bowl in the middle of the table. He glanced at the title and slipped it into Ron's robe pocket.
"Not a bad idea actually." Harry elbowed his friends in the side and jerked his head toward the door. Draco nodded and tapped Neville, who was inspecting a potted plant growing on the window sill, and made the same gesture.
"Hagrid, we've gotta go finish up some assignments. We'll see you sometime this weekend, okay? Bye!"
O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.
"Why'd we leave early Harry?" Neville asked as they strolled towards the castle.
"Take a look in Rons left pocket." Ron pulled out the article frowning. Neville and Draco hung on his shoulders to read it.
"Yeah, the Gringotts break. So?"
"That day Hagrid emptied a top secret item from one of the highest security vaults. I think that may be whatever the intruder was looking for."
"I'm assuming you don't know what this item is."
"Correct my dear Malfoy, but I do intend on finding out."
TBC