Hey guys x new chapter ahead I am making up a lot of the names of the fellow students, because not a lot is known about their classmates. There will also be some spells taught in DADA, that in the books were taught in second year Charms classes. DADA will be a very hand on class with little theoretical learning. The theoretical part will be taught through homework.
Thank you for your amazing reactions to this story! It's so much more fun writing a story when you know your readers enjoy it.
During lunch Hermione showed Lily they map she had made during their exploration of the castle earlier that morning and Lily promised to come along the following day with their friends. After they all finished their meal, the group of friends rushed to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom for their very first Hogwarts class. Outside the classroom several students were already waiting for the door to open and to the dismay of James and Sirius they would be taking this class with the Slytherins.
"Nice howler this morning, Black", a dark skinned Slytherin first year shouts when they spot him among his friends.
"Shove off", James shouts back, turning his back to the Slytherin.
"It will blow over soon! The year has only just started, I'm sure they will have something else to talk about by tomorrow", Marlene says with a scrunched-up nose.
"And if not, we will give them something to talk about", James whispers to Sirius, careful that his sister would not hear him, but making Sirius grin.
The large wooden door swings open, revealing a think looking wizard with grey hair.
"Come on in", he says with a chipper voice, walking back into the classroom, the seats filling quickly.
"Welcome to Hogwarts and welcome to your very first year of Defense Against the Dark Arts – DADA. I am Professor Everest, and this will also be my first year of teaching this class", the professor says, standing in front of his desk, looking at the new first years.
"Can anyone name me a spell that can be used when dueling another witch or wizard?", he asks, only a few hands raising in the air.
"Yes, Miss -?", Professor Everest asks, gesturing towards a first year Slytherin.
"Miss Parker, sir. Expelliarmus, it is used to disarm one's opponent", she says with arrogant look on her face.
"Correct! Take five points to Slytherin", he says excitedly.
"Any other spells?"
"The full body-bind curse, though it is a curse, as the name suggests, rather than a spell", Hermione says, after being called upon by their teacher.
"Exactly, Miss Potter", he replies, remembering her from the Sorting the previous night.
"What do you know about the spell, Miss Potter?", he asks her further.
"When used on an opponent the curse snaps the victim's legs and arms together, making them fall to the floor like a stiff board. The victim will still be able to hear, see, feel and think when placed under the curse. It can be undone by the General Counter Spell, the Anti-Paralysis Potion or the Reparifors spell. The curse emits a white light from the wand and the incantation is Petrificus Totalus", Hermione says, remember the page in their textbook, which she read over the last weeks of the summer.
"Brilliantly explained, Miss Potter. Twenty points to Gryffindor. Now, as you all know we will start with simple spells and the Full Body-Binding curse is the first spell you will be learning in this class. As Miss Potter explained, the incantation is Petrificus Totalus. The pronunciation is highly important, and I would like us all to practice it a few times, before we move onto the movement of the wand. Please repeat after me: pe-TRI-fi-cus to-TAH-lus", he says and the whole class repeats after him.
"And again", he instructed with a pleased look on his face.
When they all said the curse incantation another five times, he claps his hand, turning around to the chalk board.
"The wand movement is the second most important thing when casting a spell, curse or charm. If the wand movement is incorrect the spell, curse or charm won't have the desired effect. It's half a circle, slightly to the right and then downwards", he explains, drawing the wand movement onto the board.
"To counter the curse, you will normally use the General Counter Spell, as Miss Potter said. Can someone tell me more about that spell?", he asks, turning back to his students and to Hermione's surprise, James raises his hand.
"Mr. Potter", the professor calls.
"It can be used in duels to undo minor damages and minor dark curses", he says, earning Gryffindor another five house points.
"The General Counter spell emits a red light from the wand. Can someone tell me the incantation?"
"Finite Incantatem", the boy who made fun of Sirius before class answers, when he was called up.
"That is correct, Mr. -?"
"Albert Zabini", the boy answers with a smirk.
"Take five more points for Slytherin", the professor says with a smile, turning around, drawing the wand movement on the chalk board. He teaches them the correct pronunciation of the spell as well as the wand movement.
"For the second period you will team up with partner and practice the spells. Please stand up and move to the walls. You can put your bags down along the walls, while I vanish the chairs and tables and I will cushion the floor in case someone gets the spell right this period."
All the students stand to move towards the walls, Hermione staying close to Alice, who would be her partner for this exercise. When Professor Everest gave the signal for them to start, the students spread out through the room and soon you could hear various voices trying to master the Full Body-Binding curse.
"I can feel a tingle", Alice shouts after Hermione's third try.
"Petrificus Totalus", Hermione tries again and sure enough, Alice's arms and legs snap together, and she falls back down to the floor.
"Fantastic!", Professor Everest comments with glee.
"Now, please try the General Counter Spell, so that Miss Dalworth can regain the control of her body", he instructs, standing close by, while still maintaining a clear view of the other students.
"Finite Incantatem", Hermione says, waving her wand in the correct movement, but nothing happened.
"Try to think about what you would like to achieve when casting a spell or a curse, Miss Potter", he helps her.
Hermione tries it a few more times until Alice's body softens and she slowly stands up again.
"Wicked", she breathes out, dusting off her robes, looking around the classroom.
"Well done, Miss Potter. Keep practicing until the end of class", Professor Everest says and then walks off towards Lily who just rendered Marlene into a stiff board.
Hermione manages to body bind Alice four more times until she herself was turned into stone. By the end of the class only Alice, Hermione, Lily, Sirius, Remus, Albert Zabini and two other Slytherins managed to master the Full Body-Bind Curse and only the Gryffindors managed the General Counter Spell. Professor Everest had to unbind the three Slytherins who were still lying stiff on the floor.
"Gather around everyone", he shouts, the class nearly ending.
"That was excellent work today and I am excited to see what the next class will bring. 50 points to Gryffindor for the five students perfectly accomplishing both the curse and the spell and 15 points to Slytherin for the three students mastering the Full Body-Bind curse. I would like you to write a 15-inch essay on what the dark arts are and why it is important to understand and know dark spells and curses. The essay is due until next Thursday", Professor Everest says as they all gathered around him. The joy from earning another 50 points to Gryffindor was quickly dimmed by the amount of homework they already got assigned – at least for Sirius and James and a few other students, while Hermione looked delighted at the prospect of using the knowledge she acquired over the summer.
"Wicked – 50 points in our first class", Mary says as the group walks back to the entrance hall.
"We also got homework in our first class", James groans.
"It's only 15 inches, James. I'd hardly call that homework", Hermione says with a roll of her eyes.
"Still, they could have waited with giving us homework until next week", he continues to complain.
"Anyway, how about we go explore the first floor further until it's time for dinner?", Mary asks eagerly.
"I'll see you at dinner. I'm meeting with Severus", Lily says, waving goodbye to her friends, before rushing out into the courtyard.
"I think we should have started with the ground floor, instead of the first floor", Hermione says, her plan already in her hand, ink pushed into James' hands again, her quill twirling in her other hand.
"We can explore the ground floor after the first floor", Remus suggest and after they all agreed they rush off up the stairs towards the long corridor they left off earlier.
"History of Magic classroom", Marlene reads out as they pass the first room at the end of the corridor.
"Boy's and girl's bathrooms and this seems to be the end", Remus says, pointing at the wall in front of them.
"There could be rooms behind the wall, but they must be accessible from another side", Alice suggest with a shrug.
"We could go to through the courtyard and go to the other side of the castle", Sirius says and they all rush outside the castle and through the courtyard.
"Not so quick, guys! I'm still drawing", Hermione pants, trying to close up to James to get more ink.
"Sorry, Hermione", Sirius says sheepishly, but slowing down so that Hermione can draw up all the outlines. They spend the rest of the afternoon exploring the first floor of the other side to the courtyard, filling Hermione's parchment with more and more lines.
"How can you tell which stairs are leading up and which are leading downstairs?", Mary asks, studying her map.
"The stairs leading down are filled in occasionally and the ones leading upstairs are left blank", Hermione explains, showing Mary what she meant on her map.
"Brilliant, Hermione", Marlene comments, looking over their shoulders.
"I think we have explored most of the first floor now. I'm sure we will come across some bits over the school year. We can add them, whenever we stumble across them", Hermione says to the others as they walk back towards the Great Hall.
"Add them where, Miss Potter?", the voice of Professor Dumbledore asks from somewhere behind them, making the three girls jump.
"We are drawing up a map of the castle, sir", she explains, showing him the map, they have created so far.
"This looks very accurate. Meticulous work, Miss Potter", he comments inspecting the parchment closely.
"I am sure you will add more rooms and corners as the year progresses. I would very much like to see the results at the end of the year", he adds handing the parchment back to the girl.
"We will show it to you when we finished the map", James says with a grin.
"I believe it is almost time for dinner now. I heard they are serving pudding as a dessert today and if I may say so, it is nothing to miss out on", the headmaster advices with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Pudding?", Remus asks, ears perking up.
"Chocolate Pudding if I am not mistaken", Professor Dumbledore confirms.
"Thank you, Professor, we best be off", they all mumble, rushing down the hallway, not wanting to miss out on dessert.
"He is an odd one", Sirius comments, while filling his plate with different types of food.
"Who is?"
"The headmaster."
"Why would you say that?", Mary asks curiously.
"The way he casually mentions what is served for dessert and honestly, what is it with his eyes?"
"His eyes?", Lily, who had joined them a few minutes ago, questions him as if he were crazy.
"The twinkle", Hermione, James and Remus say simultaneously.
"The twinkle?"
"We met him in the hallway earlier, wandering around. When we told him about the map, he told us that there would be pudding for dessert and when he said it his eyes twinkled", Mary explains with a giggle.
"That does sound odd", Lily agrees, looking up at the teachers table, where Professor Dumbledore was in deep conversation with Professor McGonagall.
"Lily", James says, his face turning serious and his friends stop their conversation about twinkling eyes.
"Yes?", she asks meekly.
"I'm sorry for giving you the cold shoulder earlier, but you must understand that no one talks to my sister that way. I am very protective of her", he says, holding out his hand for her to shake.
"I understand. I'm sorry about Severus", Lily says, shaking his hand, but pulling back quickly as if she burnt her hand.
"Just so you know, you're still the prettiest witch I have ever laid my eyes upon", he adds with a wink, making Lily blush and their friends pretend to get sick by his words. Hermione watches them with a small smile when her mind suddenly goes blank.
They were in the Gryffindor common room and looked to be at least 15 or 16 years old. Their group of friends were lounging about on the sofa in front of the big fireplace, laughing and joking around with each other. James was leaning on the arms of the sofa that Lily was occupying with Hermione and Mary, while Remus, Sirius and Peter were sitting on the floor, Alice and Marlene occupying the two arm chairs.
"Would the fair maiden please consider going to Hogsmeade with me, this upcoming weekend and end my hearts sorrow?", James asks Lily with a dramatic tone to his voice, grinning from ear to ear.
"It's still a no, Potter. Just like the last three hundred times you asked me! It will always be a no to that answer, why won't you give up", Lily huffs annoyedly at him, but James' smile does not waver.
"I have only asked you 148 times, my dear Lily, and I will ask again! Until the day you say yes – and believe me when I say this: One day you will say yes to me and I will be the luckiest wizard to walk this world", he sighs, plopping down on the floor next to Sirius, ignoring the laughter of his friends as he was rejected yet again.
The scene fades from Hermione's view, leaving her sitting next to James at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, a big smile on her face. She was happy to know, that as they grew older, they would still be friends and though her brothers rejection for the 148th time worried her, it also made her smile to know that since he first laid eyes on Lily he never had eyes for another witch again.
When she looked at her friends now, she noticed them looking at her funnily and she realizes that she is holding her fork, half way to her mouth, smiling to herself like an idiot.
"You alright, Minnie?", James whispers into her ear, knowing the look his sister had on her face.
"Yes, sorry! I seemed to have spaced off just then", she explains loud enough for her friends to hear. She decided not to tell James about her vision, as her mother told her that knowing of certain events in the future, might affect the way you behave, what might change the future all together.
"Tomorrow we have double Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall and then we have a free period before lunch – how about we meet in the library to finish our DADA homework?", Remus asks as they had all returned to their food.
"Yes, that sounds great", the girls all answer, but Sirius and James looked put out by the idea of doing their homework.
"You two will be there as well! You won't be losing us the points we earned ourselves today, just because you're lazy", Hermione scolds them, knowing exactly what was going on in their head.
"Alright, we will, but you'll help me, right?", James asks pleadingly, giving his sister his best puppy eyes.
"I will proof read your essay, but you will have to write them yourself", she compromises with him, earning herself a side hug from James and a grin from Sirius.
"You're the best, Minnie", Sirius says, throwing her a wink.
"Don't call me that!"
"But James calls you Minnie."
"And he is the only one allowed to do so", she tells him sternly.
"I thought I wasn't allowed to call you that?", James throws in with a cheeky smile on his face.
"Shut up, Jamie", she huffs, throwing her hair over her shoulder.
"YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO THE NOBLE HOUSE OF BLACK", a shout suddenly rings through the Great Hall, making all their heads snap around to the Slytherin table where an older student with blonde hair was imitating Mrs. Black's howler from earlier that morning. The entire table was in stiches, except for a slightly younger witch with equally blonde hair, looking at Sirius with a sad smile on her face. The Great Hall went silent in seconds all staring at the scene in front of them.
"That's Lucius Malfoy, biggest prat on the planet. He is betrothed to my cousin, Narcissa Black, who is looking at me", Sirius explains through clenched teeth.
"He is wearing a prefect's badge", Lily exclaims, appalled that someone in his position would go degrade another student like this in front of the whole school.
"Mr. Malfoy", Professor McGonagall shouts, rushing down the steps from the teachers table, while Professor Slughorn, the head of Slytherin house just sat there, looking helplessly around.
"I am appalled by your behavior towards another student. I expect you to set an example for younger students and not degrade them in such way. 20 points from Slytherin and one-week detention starting tomorrow. You can see Professor Slughorn about the detention and I expect you to remain utterly silent throughout the rest of dinner", she yells at him, making the students cringe at the tone of her voice, a shudder running down their spines.
"Remind me to never be on the receiving end of that", Mary mutters to Hermione, who nods, watching the scene with interest. Lucius Malfoy just sat there, a smile on his face, seemingly apologizing to Professor McGonagall, who turns around without another word to sit back next to the headmaster.
"I hate them", James seethes under his breath, turning to Sirius who looks to be fuming himself.
"Don't bother with them", Alice tries to calm them down, while Lily looked ashamed. She had watched Severus throughout the whole display and noted sadly that he enjoyed it as much as the other Slytherins and he even looked at Malfoy with admiration in his eyes.
"And what do you suppose we do?", James barks at her.
"Ignore them?", Sirius asks, matching James' anger.
"That is exactly what you should do", Marlene gently says, but looks at the Slytherin table with hatred in her eyes.
"If we ignore them it will just encourage them to do it again, thinking that they can continue with this", James argues, but does not get the desired reaction.
"If you ignore them, they will lose interest in you quickly", Lily adds.
"I don't think that is how they work", Hermione quietly says.
"Just wait until next week and they have someone else to taunt", Remus shrugs and ends the discussion right there. Peter nodding along with him. Hermione noted that Peter is a very quiet boy. He rarely spoke and just tagged along with them wherever they went, looking at James and Sirius with adoration in his eyes. Every time Hermione looked at Peter, she had chills running down her spine, but she could not place where the feeling was coming from.
The friends continued a conversation about their first day of school, except for James and Sirius who were both silent throughout the rest of the dinner and all the way to the common room, where the friends took a seat in front of one of the fire places. Hermione agreed with James and Sirius and she already had an idea on how give Malfoy a taste of his own medicine. She does not condone to bullying, but she also saw what kind of person Malfoy was and she thought that maybe it would take him down a notch or two if they showed him not to mess with them. She pushed the thoughts of revenge aside and pulled out her map of the first floor. She studied it and noted smaller errors and non-matching lines. Pulling out more parchment and her stationary, she started to copy the map and correcting the errors, while her friends shared some sweets and told each other stories about their childhood.