Chapter 6: First Day
Phoebe's POVWhen I had entered the cold damp dungeon classroom I looked around, deciding where I would sit. I noticed that most of the Slytherins tended to sit at the front of the class while the Gryffindors tended to sit at the back. I saw Ron grab a seat by Hermione, leaving one empty chair in-between him and her. Harry grabbed a chair on the other side of him, so I went over and took the seat in-between Ron and Hermione. I turned toward Hermione and opened my mouth about to say something when Professor Snape slammed the door shut. I jumped and spun to face him, eyes wide. He stopped in the front of the classroom and looked out upon everyone.
"There will be no foolish wand waving or incantations in this class," he said just loud enough for him to be heard in the back of the classroom. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art of potion making, but for those who do I can teach you to bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death." He stopped talking and walked over to his desk, picking up a roll of parchment.
He started reading off names, only stopping long enough to wait for a reply. When he reached my name he hesitated a bit.
"Phoebe Halliwell," he said raising an eyebrow. "I do believe you have two sisters, do you not?" Most people in the class looked at me. Most knew that I had no sisters in this school because of older siblings and whatnot and they wondered if Snape was actually right.
"Um, yes Professor, I have two older sisters," I answered hesitantly.
"Then why is it that they did not attend this school yet you are?" he asked curiously raising an eyebrow.
"What do you mean Professor? I don't believe they were invited to attend," I answered truthfully.
"If you are not lying to me, which I suspect you are, you are very clueless indeed. They were both sent a letter; although the younger one's of the two was returned by your grandmother."
A confused look crossed my face. 'Well that certainly explains how Prue knew about Hogwarts, but why didn't she come?' I thought to myself. "I truly don't know sir. I was not aware of the fact that they were also sent invitations to attend this school."
He seemed to take it and went back to roll call, although the encounter seemed to make him like me less, while some students continued to look at me, or glance at me occasionally. I tried to sink down in my chair until Professor Snape got to Harry's name.
"Harry Potter," he said smugly. "Our new celebrity." This caused the Slytherins to snigger. He continued the roll call until the end and then set it down. He went right into some questions, all directed at Harry and no one else.
"Mr. Potter, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Harry remained silent, while Hermione's hand flew into the air next to me.
"You don't know, well than, where Mr. Potter, would you look if I asked you to find me a bezeor?"
"I…I dunno sir," Harry replied causing Hermione's hand to extend higher. I was looking at Harry sympathetically and cursing Snape in my mind for doing something like this to one of his students especially on the very first day of school, and to first years nonetheless who had no clue what to expect.
Snape continued to completely ignore Hermione. "What then, Mr. Potter, is the difference between monkswood and wolfsbane?"
"I don't know sir, but I think Hermione does, why don't you ask her?"
"5 pointes from Gryffindor for that remark Potter, and 5 more for not even attempting to answer my questions."
"What?" Harry said annoyed.
Snape ignored his comment and proceeded to list off the answers to his own questions. "Powdered root of asphodel and an infusion of wormwood are used to make a sleeping potion so powerful that most call it the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone found in the stomach of a goat, used to cure poison. And finally monkswood and wolfsbane, they are the same, also known as aconite."
I was shocked that he had taken 10 points from Gryffindor because of that stupid questioning. Snape turned his head toward me and saw my shocked expression, which I had mostly succeeded in wiping off my face when I saw his head turn toward me.
"Why aren't any of you writing this down," he said which caused everyone to grab their quills and start writing frantically. I picked my quill up and started writing all of it down slowly, since I had known the answer to all three of the questions. I had gone through most of my schoolbooks so I knew a lot of information, but I hadn't actually attempted any spells. I wasn't planning on letting anyone know how deep my knowledge of first year spells, potions, charms, and whatnot went.
"Today we will be making a potion to cure boils. Break into groups of two and start working, I will write the steps up on the board, it can also be found on page 5 of your books."
"Wanna be partners?" I heard Hermione ask next to me.
I looked over at her and smiled. "Sure, sounds good. Thought you'd partner up with Neville to be honest."
"He partnered up with Seamus."
"Ah. Do you have any idea how to brew a potion?"
"Yeah, well, kind of. I haven't actually made one, but I've read all about it."
I smiled. "Let's get cracking then."
We grabbed our ingredients and set to work on brewing the potion in my cauldron. Halfway through the class Professor Snape started walking around, criticizing Gryffindors and saying a simple good job to Slytherins, except for Malfoy who seemed to be able to do no wrong. I knew instantly he was Snape's favorite. We had done absolutely everything right and all he could do when he got to us was pretend to ignore us. We exchanged glances and smiled. By the time class was over we were the only pair to have concocted the potion correctly, a couple groups hadn't even been able to finish. A few groups were on the right track, they just had not been able to finish the potion on time. Class finished and I filed out behind everyone else, one of the last to leave the classroom.
I followed some Gryffindors to the next class. Hermione had gone to walk with Neville while Harry and Ron hadn't bothered to stay and wait for me. We had transfigurations next and then lunch and a break, followed by History of Magic, which according to most people was the place to catch up on your sleep. Our head of house Professor McGonagall taught transfigurations. I hoped that she would favor the Gryffindors over the Slytherins, but I wasn't holding my breath.
When we reached the classroom I filed in behind the group I had been following and the first thing that caught my eye was a tabby cat sitting on the desk in the front of the room. I looked around for Harry and Ron but didn't see them anywhere in the classroom. I sighed and rolled my eyes thinking that they probably got lost. I grabbed a seat at one of the tables, leaving two seats open for them when they finally decided to show up. I faced the front of the classroom and waited for class to start.
Everyone was muttering to their friends as we waited for the professor to show up. All of a sudden I heard the classroom door slam open and I spun around to look at who had made the ruckus. I saw Harry and Ron practically running in and I smiled. They grabbed the two seats next to me and smiled at me nervously.
"Glad Professor McGonagall isn't here yet," Ron said to Harry.
Just as he finished saying this the cat on the front desk jumped off and transformed into a person, stopping in front of Harry and Ron. My jaw dropped to the ground and I sat there stunned.
"That was awesome," Harry said stunned.
"Yes, well perhaps if I transfigured you or Mr. Weasley into a watch you'd be able to arrive to my class on time.
"We got lost," Ron said quietly.
"Then perhaps a map," she said raising an eyebrow, which caused the rest of the class, including myself to chuckle slightly. Harry looked over and glared at me, which only succeeded in shoving me into even more fits of laughter. "Quite down Ms. Halliwell," she said looking straight at me. I immediately put a halt to the giggles, as did the rest of the class and we all settled down again.
"In this class you will learn to transfigure, or change the appearance of, an object or an animal."
"What about other people," I heard someone mutter.
McGonagall ignored the comment and continued. She obviously did not favor us, but of course she didn't loathe us like Snape did which was a major plus, I would not be able to stand another teacher like Snape. "Right now I would just like to go over what we will be trying to transfigure today. You will all attempt to transfigure a pebble into a small metal ball," McGonagall told the class, which caused everyone to sit up straight in their chairs. "But first, we have to take some notes." The class groaned. McGonagall ignored them and continued on with the lesson.
By the time we had finished the notes I had lost most of the interest I had possessed in the class, although when I was reminded that we were now going to try to transfigure something I perked up noticeably. Professor McGonagall passed out the pebbles and then told us to transfigure them. Out of the class the only one who managed to completely transfigure the pebble was Hermione. I had managed almost completely transfiguring my pebble and together we earned 8 points for Gryffindor. I was ecstatic after class had finished and I smiled brightly to Ron and Harry as we left the classroom.
"What are you so happy about?" Ron asked annoyed. He had not been able to do anything to his pebble, although neither had half the class.
I stopped after his comment and they quickly followed suite.
I rolled my eyes. "I'll tell you something as long as you promise not to tell anyone else."
Ron sighed. "Fine, I won't tell, now spill."
"Harry?"
Harry contemplated what I had just said and then replied. "Sure, I won't tell anyone."
"Ok, well I read all the school books and a few extra books before I came here, I'm only a notch under Hermione, well in some ways I think."
"That's all? Why don't you want anyone to find out about that?" Harry asked confused.
I sighed deeply. "I don't know, I just don't. It just seems like I shouldn't tell anyone. I dunno why, it's just a feeling I have. I usually follow them when I get them, they're usually right." I shrugged and started walking again.
"Ok, well I think you're making too big of a deal about this," Ron said shrugging, as the two boys caught up with me.
I shrugged again. "Whatever, but I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourselves. If not…well then I guess there isn't anything I can do about it."
No one else said anything and we walked in silence. The rest of the day passed almost uneventfully. We had one other class today, History of Magic, which seemed to be the most boring subject in this school. I decided that I wouldn't pay attention and that I would just learn everything on my own, it seemed like it'd be so much easier, and a lot less painful. The first day of school had been interesting and I still wasn't sure who I would be better friends with, I guessed only time would tell.