Chapter 6: Transfiguration

"So then in 1546, Godfrey the Ghoulish began a petition for greater goblin rights..." Professor Binn's voice droned on and on, ceaseless in its boring monotone. Twenty minutes into class I had given up taking notes. I hoped all the classes at Hogwarts weren't as boring as this. Goblin rebellions, please! kill me first. I was particularly looking forward to Defence Against the Dark Arts. I couldn't wait to tackle some curses.

Finally, an era later, the bell rang signalling the end of class. I jammed my quill and parchment into my bag, and throwing it on my shoulder strode out of the classroom. The problem was, once in the hall I wasn't quite sure which way to go. Where was transfiguration anyway? I scanned the crowd in the hall, hoping to find someone to ask. Leaving a classroom ahead of me was someone with blond hair, Lucius Malfoy. I pushed forward, coming up beside him.

"Excuse me," I asked timidly, "which way is it to the Transfiguration room?"

Blue eyes turned on me. Lucius smiled in a friendly manner. "Take the left ahead, go up the staircase on the right for two flights, continue down the corridor until you pass the tapestry of the unicorn make the next two rights and it'll be dead ahead." He smiled and took the right, I turned left.

I carefully followed his instructions, but somehow I couldn't find the unicorn tapestry. I doubled back, searching the walls for it. Suddenly I noticed how similar all the corridors looked, and the doors. Where were the stairs I came up?

I tried the first door I came to in whatever hall I was in. It was locked. So was the second, and the third. But the fourth opened.

I gazed into what was obviously the trophy room. Cases full of glittering gold cups and silver plaques filled the room. I was fascinated, looking into the first case I read the names on the plaques, "Henry Odggins, Special Service to the School; Camilla Barry, Head Girl Award; Tom Riddle, Special Service to the—" a cough disturbed me. I spun around, facing the most hideous human being I'd ever seen.

"Well, well, skipping class already?" He asked, jeering, an ugly brown cat rubbed against his ankles.

"Sorry—I was looking for Transfiguration and got lost..." my voice trailed off. His eyebrows rose, and he glowered at me.

"Transfiguration, eh? Follow me."

He set off down the hallway, I followed, nearly tripping over the cat. She turned large eyes on me. The man opened a door at the end of the hall, and we went up a staircase, emerging into a well lit corridor.

"Transfiguration," he pointed to the second door, "and don't let me catch you skipping again."

"I wasn't—" but he had already turned and retreated down the hallway.

I walked to the door, nervous about being late. Pushing it open I found I wasn't the only one who'd lost my way. Six or seven chairs were still empty. Proffessor McGonagall looked up from her desk.

"Bellatrix Black,"

"Yes," and since she didn't ask for further explanation I gave her none, but assumed a seat towards the back of the room.

Transfiguration was better than History of Magic, but not by much. At least we got to do something—that is most of the class tried to do something. I despair of ever learning anything useful here, or really interesting, seeing as how most of the class was entirely inept.

I looked down at the needle before me which had moments before been a match stick. Regulus had succeeded and was levitating his needle slightly off the desk. Looking around the room I picked out the other two students who were doing well. A brown haired girl two tables to my left had finished and was looking around as I was. Across the room, a boy with dirty-blond hair was idly turning the needle over in his hand, watching his table-partner try unsuccessfully to transfigure his own match. He glanced up as I was regarding him and our eyes locked, he grinned and I smiled in return, enjoying the obvious joke about our classmates.

When the class was finished I met up with him at the door.

"Rodger Prince" he said and leaning in towards Regulus and me, he added, "load of dunces aren't they? I wonder how they know which way is up?"

Regulus smiled, and introduced himself.

The three of us made our way down to the Great Hall, which was already filling with students even though it had been just moments since the bell rang.

"What about that other girl, the one with the brown hair, who was good?" I asked.

"Oh, I already talked to her, Alasta Parkinson, not a bad family, though not very old" Rodger told us as we took a place along the table. "So that leaves us with Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions and Charms this afternoon."

"I heard from a second year that the Potions-master, Slughorn, plays favourites." Said Regulus.

"Well in that case how hard will it be?" I asked.

It turned out that Defence Against the Dark Arts was all one big joke. Or at least the first day was, since I sincerely hoped it would improve. However, prospects were grim, it seemed like we'd emerge with enough information to defend ourselves from a puffskein. I should've gone to Durmstrang, maybe then we could've learned useful stuff.

The most interesting part of the day was after classes, in the common room. The Slytherines were an interesting lot. Nearly everyone was fairly intelligent, Crabbe and Goyle, two hulking seventh years seemed to be the exception though.

After dinner Regulus, Rodger, Alasta, and I would sit around a table working. Aside from our school work we dedicated much of our time to curses and magic that we figured we wouldn't be learning in school.

Slytherine was perfect for me, for us; the Black family didn't belong anywhere else. Every time I passed Sirius in the hall I pointedly ignored him, after all, he had betrayed the loyalty.