Little Reminder: The fabulous world of Harry Potter does not belong to me, no matter how much I may want it. Thus, I credit JKR for her amazing work.
Chapter 6 Forming Bonds
Jenny awoke with the other girls around eight and while they showered or gabbed about what they expected for today, Jenny worked quietly and thought about the previous night. Nothing had come to her in her sleep to connect the visions but at this point Jenny just wanted to survive the day. Having a strong suspicion that something was going to happen today, Jenny dressed carefully, slid her wand into its pocket in her robes along with a pouch of "Quick Sneeze Powder" that the crazy uncles had given her, just in case she needed to get out of class.
Once all five girls felt ready to face the school again they headed down to breakfast. Lori spent the entire time talking to Adele about setting her up with Alan while Lizzy and Arianna talked about who would be the professor for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Catching on to Arianna and Lizzy's conversation, Jenny was surprised to hear that the previous professor had had an accident involving a large collection of boggarts. Thinking back, Jenny didn't remember Professor McGonagall mentioning a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher.
Walking into the Great Hall, Jenny noticed quickly that there were a few of the staff there as well as a large number of students. Remembering what her father had told her, that older students slept as late as possible before classes, Jenny saw that most of them there were third years or younger.
Hearing giggling from Loretta, Jenny turned to her, "What's the mater with you?"
"Look, there's Alan and his friends! Isn't he absolutely dreamy? If only I knew him better, I would just walk over there and sit down next to them."
Looking at Lizzy and Arianna, Jenny rolled her eyes, "You can do whatever you want, who is going to stop you?"
"That's right! Okay then, I'll just… sit across from them."
Jenny's eyes opened as Lori led her friends over and sat down directly across from Alan. Realizing that she was just standing there, Jenny swiftly walked over and sat down next to Arianna. Hoping that Alan wouldn't say anything, Jenny began to pile food onto her plate. Reaching for the orange juice, she noticed that it had gone missing from where she had just seen it. Looking up, Matt was already pouring himself a goblet.
"Can I have the orange juice when you are finished, Matt?" asked Jenny, with a bit of an edge in her voice.
Matt looked up and gave her a weak smile, "Sorry, here, I'll pour you a goblet." Without a second's hesitation he was handing over a full goblet of orange juice in an appeasing manner. Hating herself for being rude, Jenny accepted the goblet and thanked him weakly.
'I may fiercely hate Alan, but Matt seems like an alright guy. How the heck did he end up hanging out with these two idiots?'
With what Jenny recognized as a knowing smile on Matt's face, he shook his head and rolled his eyes at his friends who were presently serenading Lizzy. Watching this exchange, Jenny noticed the look on Lizzy's face as the boys sang off key, the scrunched up nose as she looked at them disdainfully. The look didn't compare to the look that Arianna was giving Tristan: longing sketched into every part of her face. Feeling sorry for Arianna and amused with Lizzy's reaction, Jenny looked at Matt and giggled. This in turn led Matt into laughter which escalated as the students around them stared at the raving pair.
"What are you two on?" asked Lizzy, a look of worry on her face.
"And where can I get it?" asked Alan puzzled with the pair. Matt almost never laughed unless he was just with Tristan and Alan and even then it was rare. What was it that made Matt, and Jenny, laugh so uncontrollably?
Jenny laughed on as Matt responded in a raspy voice, "Who knows? That's why it's funny!" This sent the pair into another spasm of laugher. Only after a good few minutes were the pair able to breath properly and finish their food.
After Professor Flitwick passed out their schedules the group gathered up their things and headed off to their first class: Potions.
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Jenny and her fellow Gryffindor first years stood outside the dungeon that served as the Potions classroom. They were soon joined by the Slytherins as well, who all looked down their noses at the righteous and good Gryffindors. Jenny made it a point to keep an eye on Flint who was talking quietly with his friend from last night, yet he looking over at Jenny and her friends.
A few minutes later the heavy wood door opened and the students began to file into the room. In the front of the room stood a very tall man with shoulder length velvet brown hair, hazel eyes and a very pale complexion. His robes were black trimmed is silver and green at the cuffs and neck with a silver clasp in front.
"Welcome first years. Please take your seats and take out something to take notes in. Quickly now, I only have you for fifty minutes and I will use it all," said the man in a voice that almost sounded very eerie and faint.
"Jenny, want to sit with me?" whispered Arianna next to her. Jenny looked over and saw how nervous Arianna was and nodded.
Feeling bad about leaving Lizzy alone, Jenny turned to apologized and found Lizzy already moving to sit next to Matt at a table in the front row. Shrugging, she and Arianna took the table next to Lizzy and pulled out notebooks, quills and ink. Jenny opened the ink bottle, dipped her quill in wrote the date on the top of the page.
"Matt! Hey Matt! Did you hear that the Falmouth Falcons won their game yesterday? Four hundred sixty to ten! Isn't that great! I was amazed when I got the clipping from Dad this morning. Bloody brilliant really, I hope we can get tickets for their Christmas scrimmage this year!"
Shaking her head at Alan and his obsession with Quidditch, Jenny returned to her notebook as the professor asked for silence. Within seconds the room was silent and all were still waiting on the professor to speak.
"I am Professor Dunstan, your Potions Master. I understand that as incoming first years you may not understand how I work so I will fill you in now. I do not tolerate tardiness, disrespect to anyone or anything. You will speak when spoken to and will remain silent unless given permission to talk. I accept nothing short of perfection in my class and hope you all will actually achieve it in time. Now that we have covered the basics, let's begin the class."
For the remainder of Potions class, the Gryffindor and Slytherin first years took notes on the basics of Potions. They were giving a reading list and required material for next class and informed that they would have a quiz covering the material. When the clock said ten 'til, Professor Dunstan dismissed them, they packed up their stuff and filed out of the class chatting quietly.
Once they were safely outside, all of the first years began talking loudly. It almost turned into a shouting match between the two houses until the reached the Entrance hall and crossed paths with the other first years as the Gryffindors and Slytherins headed upstairs for Charms.
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Charms class with Professor Flitwick was interesting on its own merit and many of the students walked out talking of the demonstration where the pineapple had danced across the table. Seeing a pineapple with legs and arms, tap dancing like a pro, had been greeted by laughter and applause. Thinking back as the Gryffindors walked to lunch, Jenny seemed to recall Tristan falling out of his chair in a fit of laughter. Remembering how embarrassed Tristan had been at the time, Jenny noticed how, once again, he was at ease with Alan and Matt ahead of her.
Jenny couldn't understand those three boys for the life of her. How could three completely different boys be so close so quickly?
"Jennifer Granger, if you don't watch where you are walking, you are going to run into a stone wall," said Lizzy, jolting her out of her reverie.
"Sorry, I wasn't…" started Jenny, but seeing the look on Lizzy and Arianna's faces asked, "What?"
"Is there something ahead of us you like? A certain red haired boy who goes by the name of, oh, Matt?" quizzed Lizzy as Arianna giggled. Seeing the bewildered look that Jenny was giving her Lizzy pressed on, "Or is it maybe Tristan, though Lord knows that Arianna her has her eye on him. No wait, I know! It is the handsome and talented Mr. Potter, whom you loath so much!"
Jenny felt numb; how could Lizzy or Arianna think that? "I think you two are completely mad!" This, however, only spurred on the pair whose giggles were drawing more stares as they entered the Great Hall. Alan and Tristan where watching them with interest while the other Gryffindor first years were beginning to question Lizzy and Arianna's sanity.
"What's up with those two?"
"Has anyone got a clue as to what's goin' on?"
"Maybe they got hit with some sort of spell?"
Ready to hit either one at this point, Jenny sat down at the Gryffindor table as far away from everyone as she could get. Filling the plate before her, Jenny noticed Lizzy and Arianna had finished giggling and were now talking in hushed tones while the boys across from them flirted shamelessly.
"For being a girl you really aren't as silly as some," said Matt as he took the seat across from her.
Jenny sighed and looked at him, "I never understood gossiping is all. My mother never saw the need for it."
Matt nodded agreeably and began piling food onto the plate before him, "I think I can see her reasoning. I never knew my mother actually. Died when I was little; heart attack," and seeing the look of shock and pity on Jenny's face, "Don't start, it happened a long time ago. I deal."
Jenny gave Matt a small smile, "Well if it makes you feel any better, I just met my father this summer." Thus Jenny told the story of how she met her father and by the time lunch was over, Jenny and Matt were having a jolly time telling jokes and stories of home.
"Matt, Jenny, come on! Class in ten minutes!" bellowed Tristan as the Gryffindor first years started to leave the Great Hall for Herbology.
Catching up with Lizzy and Arianna, Jenny had completely forgotten about being mad at them for their behavior. Matt too, it seemed, was in a talkative mood, as he, Tristan and Alan walked behind them.
"What the heck is up with you, Matt? If I had known that talking to Jenny made you act like this I would never have hated her so much," laughed Alan behind Jenny.
"That wouldn't have stopped you from what I hear," joked Matt as he and Tristan chuckled.
"Well, I would have at least kept it quiet."
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The afternoon classes with the Ravenclaws went much better than Jenny had expected. Transfiguration with Professor Brown, Head of Gryffindor house, was amazing. Professor Brown was a young woman with brown curly hair that was braided in a long column down her back. She was a tall, thin woman with snappy brown eyes that had gold rings around them. Her robes were solid purple that was almost black with a gold clasp in front. All the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor boys were either talking excitedly about how good looking she was or staring in awe.
Thus, in the first five minutes she had put Alan in his place, "Be quiet Mr. Potter before I make you," and given Arianna five points for her correct answer of what Transfiguration was for. By the end of class, Jenny felt sure that Transfiguration was going to be her favorite class this year.
Now sitting with Lizzy and Arianna in the Gryffindor common room as they did their homework, Jenny was doing her best to ignore the boys who were playing a game of Exploding Snap at the other end of their table.
"Hey Ari, what is the real reason again for Transfiguration?" asked Lizzy, her quill suspended over her parchment.
"What did you just call me?" asked a very puzzled Arianna.
"I called you Ari, you know a nickname?" replied Lizzy as she looked up from her homework. Seeing the look of puzzlement on her face, "Well I have a nickname, Jennifer has the nickname Jenny, but you don't. Thus, you shall be 'Ari' from now on."
After thinking about this for a minute, Arianna replied, "I guess that works."
Lizzy grinned at Jenny who was watching the exchange, homework forgotten. "Now, Ari, what is the reason?"
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The week rounded out with Defense Against the Dark Arts with none other than Charlie Weasley and History of Magic with Professor Binns. DADA with Uncle Charlie was just as cool as Transfiguration with Professor Brown and had the whole class talking about it as they left. Adele and Jenny was questioned on the way to History but all the girls, who found Charlie to be extremely attractive and nice, and the boys who wanted to know what he did before Hogwarts. Both Adele and Jenny found both hard to understand but tried to answer their questions until the old ghost, Professor Binns, began to lecture on the beginnings of magic. Remembering that her mother and father had mentioned Professor Binns from when they had been at Hogwarts, Jenny took a few notes and tried hard to not fall asleep like her fellow first years. The only one who seemed to be awake through the whole class was Ari who scribbled away, furiously trying to keep up with Professor Binns. By the time the bell rang, Jenny was more than ready for lunch and the afternoon off.
Jenny and Matt spent lunch again talking of home and their classes while the others talked of Charlie and Professor Brown. This, however, seemed to tick off Alan who wasn't sure he liked his friend getting close to Jenny.
"Hey Matt? Is she your new girlfriend or are you just going to use her to carry your books?" joked Tristan.
Knowing that Matt was going to get teased mercilessly by Alan and Tristan, Jenny tried her hardest to sound like a silly girl with the gossiping but really couldn't pull it off. Leaving lunch before anyone else, Jenny went in search of the Hogwarts library to study. Finding the place empty save the librarian, Jenny went to the back and found a table in an out of the way corner to study. Halfway though her DADA homework, Jenny heard footsteps approaching; Jenny looked up as a large pale fist came flying at her.
Just to Let You Know:
I seem to recall being called evil at one point…… Much thanks to everyone who reviewed and those who continue to read.
Reminder to everyone: Reviews are welcome, actually read and considered.
By the way: I just got back in from seeing the fourth film and it was AMAZING! Remember though, judge it on its own base not against the book.