Disclaimer: This is really going to be a 'surprise', but I don't own Harry Potter!
A/N: So, after a long loooong time, I managed to write a new chapter…Read and enjoy!
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Chapter 6 – New students and new lessonsRon showed Mariana different classrooms, Great Hall, school grounds, and gradually whole school, even the Forbidden Forrest. Then it was lunchtime, so the two of them went to the Great Hall for a lunch. They joined Harry and Hermione, who were already there, at the table.
Before the meal started, Professor Dumbledore stood up and introduced new students – Mariana and some other girl, that is in Ravenclaw. He introduced her as Mariana Summers, foreign student from Boston High School of Sorcery.
The other girl was introduced as Hanae Nami Sada from Kyoto School of Magic and Charms. Mariana looked at her, slightly surprised; she had expected that she'd be the only one new student now. But again, at least she was not that suspicious, when this girl was new too. Mariana could see that the girl had light blue hair that went to her shoulders – it kind of reminded her of sea – and green eyes, just like Mariana. 'A bit unusual,' she thought, 'but still pretty.' All students clapped and started to eat, as Professor Dumbledore had nothing more to say.
In the afternoon Mariana practised some new spells under Hermione's supervision. Hermione also explained Mariana some other things that she did not know yet.
Next day was Monday and that meant school for Mariana. Finally it was here – her first schoolday at Hogwarts. First she had double History of Magic. She was sitting in a class between Hermione and Ron, with Harry next to him, waiting for the teacher to come. Everyone seemed not to care, but Mariana was quite startled when he came out of the board and she saw he's a ghost.
Ron saw it and explained: "You know, one day he woke up dead, but he didn't notice it, so he just went teaching." He snickered at that and Mariana smiled.
Then Professor Binns (for she learned that that was his name) started to teach. Mariana decided to take some notes, even though after a while it got boring and she started to feel sleepy. She just shook the feeling off and continued making notes.
Hermione looked at her and smiled approvingly, then glared at Harry and Ron and whispered loud enough for them to hear: "Do you see Mariana? She's taking notes, not like you two lazy idiots. You should take example of her."
The lesson soon ended and Mariana took out her timetable to see what she'd got next. It was double Divination. She was quite curious about what it'd be like, because she had heard quite a lot about the teacher, Professor Trelawney. After all of them exited History of Magic classroom, Mariana, Ron and Harry set off for Professor Trelawney's tower, but Hermione went to her Ancient Runes lesson. Mariana had heard about her very last lesson of Divination, and why and how exactly she'd given it up, and that made her curious even more. She really couldn't imagine that Hermione would act against any Professor like that.
The two boys, talking to each other about what else than quidditch, and Mariana, engulfed deep in her own thoughs, reached the tower, and climbed up the ladder. Then she entered the dim lit room, and Harry with Ron followed her. Professor Trelawney was not there yet, or at least Mariana thought so. The three of them found a free table, and sat down in the armchairs, Mariana sitting between Ron and Harry. A while later, all students were there; the only thing missing was Professor Trelawney herself.
„Welcome to another lesson, my dear students," suddenly a voice sounded through the class and Professor Trelawney emerged from black shadows in the front corner of the tower class. „Today we are going to read from hand. I will show you how, but firstly you have to clear your Inner Eye in order to see properly," she said in a completely sincere voice.
Mariana didn't have enough time to think about that and Professor Trelawney continued: „So,who would like me to tell them something about their past, present or future? Ah, I see that we have a new student today. Mariana Summers, right? Of course, my dear, I knew you would choose my lesson. So, let me read from your hand... maybe something about your past first..." Professor Trelawney took Mariana's left hand in her and looked at it closely. „Hmm...." she started smartly. "I see that you've lost parents at a quite young age, then lived with a foster mother for a while, and finally alone...that is sad, really....but wait, what do I see here? Water, surprisingly..."
Professor Trelawney shook her head in confusion while Ron whispered sarcastically: "Yeah, water, how surprising..." Harry sniggered at that comment, but Professor Trelawney paid attention to neither of them, she just went on: „A lot of water...Weren't your stepparents marines by a chance? Didn't you live with them on a ship or something like that? Oh yes, it must have been so." She looked at Mariana the former mermaid expectantly.
„Yeah, something very similar," she answered nervously. Fortunately, Professor Trelawney decided not to ask anymore, why would she anyway, she was surely a Seer, she didn't have to ask for she knew...
The lesson went on without any further distraction. Although Professor Trelawney did a lot of crazy things during the lesson, Mariana were quite impressed by her ability to see her past, even if not whole.
"You know, I think there's really something about her being a Seer," she said to Ron when he started to complain about Professor Trelawney being an old fraud and everything.
Harry agreed with Mariana: "Well, she can see sometimes, when she tries really hard…"
More hours passed. The lessons ended and all of our four friends went eat lunch, then did some homework. After a while Mariana wrote last line of her History of Magic essay and put down her quill. She sighed with contentment and looked around. The sun was shining brightly behind the window and when she looked down at the quidditch pitch she saw Harry training with Gryffindor team.
Hermione was sitting next to Mariana in common room, scribbling furiously something on her parchment and Ron, sitting opposite Mariana wa frowning at his History of Magic essay. Finally Hermione ended writing and Ron tossed his quill and parchment aside too.
Mariana got and idea and said: "Hey, Hermione, Ron, what would you say to a nice walk outside? I'm already fed up with sitting inside all day."
"Great idea," exclaimed Ron and his face brightened up immediately, but Hermione declined: "I'd love to go, Mariana, but unfortunately I can't. I have to write my essay for Ancient Runes and do some translation too. I am sorry, maybe tomorrow," she apologized.
"Fine then," Mariana smiled and Hermione left for the library.
Ron sighed and then looked at Mariana: "So let's go without her, Ana," he said.
"Ana?" She asked.
"Yeah, a pet name for you; Mariana is sometimes too long," he explained.
She remained thoughtful for a second, then smiled and said: "I like it."
"Fine, then come already," he insisted, taking her hand and dragging her out of common room.
"Wait, not so fast," she called as they ran along corridor towards Entrance Hall.
He slowed down and said: "I'm sorry, but I'm really bored. I guess I've been sitting inside for much too long."
Mariana laughed: "Yes, I can understand that. I need to get out, too."
Finally they reached the exit and left school. At first they went on a walk by the lake, then watched Harry practising quidditch for a while and then Mariana decided she would like to go to the Forbidden Forrest. She knew that it was not allowed, but there was just something about it drawing her in there.
She told Ron and he considered it for a while, remembering those giant spiders that he had met there in his second year, but he figured that they probably wouldn't meet them this time. And besides, he didn't want to look like a coward in front of Mariana, so he agreed.
They stepped in the forrest and suddenly a deep green dusk enveloped them. It was so calm and still there, they could barely hear the voices of other students on the quiddith pitch.
Ron took Mariana's hand and smiled at her, and she smiled back. They were not talking, just watching animals and plants around, walking slowly deeper and deeper into the forrest. Suddenly Mariana heard crack a twig.
"Oh,what's that?Have you heard it?" she asked Ron and he nodded. Mariana turned but saw no one…but wait! There, in the distance, there flashed something blue between the green trees. She looked there again, but saw nothing.
"Probably only a squirrel, or some other animal," Ron said, as he too, could see no one.
"Yes, quite likely," Mariana answered and made a step forward but stumbled over a root and lost her balance. Falling, she tried to hold onto something and so she pulled Ron down on the ground with her. Ana closed her eyes when she hit the ground.
"Ow!!!" She yelled, feeling the new formed bruise on her back. Then she realised that there was something heavy just on top of her. She opened her eyes only to look into Ron's blue ones…
A/N: I think this is a good place where to end the chapter…So if you liked it, please review, if you didn't like it then … you can also review. Ok, now I probably should be going to start writing another chapter…uh…fine…I hope you liked this one