"See him? That one?"

"Where?"

"Next to the Asian kid, he's the blonde one."

"With the glasses?"

"Yeah, now look at his face!"

"Why?"

"Did you see his scar?"

Henry tried his best to ignore all of the whispers amongst the students when he and Ron left the dormitories each day that first week. In a way, it sort of did remind him of the celebrities back home. People were ordered and in line outside classrooms and would stand upright or on their tiptoes to get a peak at him. Some would even double back to pass him in the halls again as if he wouldn't notice. And there was the staring. The constant staring. It was frustrating enough being a first year, trying to get bearings on the enormous Harnocks castle, remember your schedule, and make it to classes on time but with this...it was irritating quickly.

Nervously, Henry unraveled his miniature scheduling scroll:

There were hundreds of stairs at Harnocks. Some were wide and looked centuries old, some were narrow and rickety, some were spiral and sweeping, and some were even modern looking as if they were added within the last decade. It was tricky when some would change places every hour...or disappear. There was even a set that would seem to be picked up and dropped to new locations.

Then there were the doors. Big thick oak ones, scary and intimidating stone ones, and some that tried to confuse you. You learned real quick which ones would not open unless you asked. Which ones needed a password. Or even some needed you to solve a riddle. Jon had hit his nose on a wall pretending to be a door and the boys watched in fascination as Esmani tickled a door right below its middle hinge for it to open. Henry could understand why they were given so much time in between classes. The whole school would not stay still long enough for you to memorize it!

Then there were the portraits that adorned most of the walls. Not only did they move and come and go, but often, a subject of one portrait would leave and enter a different portrait. It was like the pictures were just little hang out hubs that they were not bound to in the slightest. Full suits of armor were a popular display in the castle and Henry could just tell that they moved.

The chandeliers were made of candles, there were lit torches in each corridor, and each ceiling seemed to be bigger than the next. When you entered a classroom, it felt as if you were sent back in time. Quills, parchment, studying by candlelight, and leather bound books covered in dust on solid wooden desks.

If you felt lost at any time, the ghosts were not much help. Henry didn't know that their permanent home was at Harnocks.

"They have died here, so they cannot leave," Perry had explained at one point. Henry began to wonder about their human lives and how they died. He wondered if there was a class that taught the colors of the ghosts so Henry could point it out on his own. He checked his scheduling scroll again to see if a class sounded like that'd be on the curriculum.

The feeling of a ghost gliding through you on accident (and more likely on purpose) chilled you to the bone and made you feel queasy all over for a good ten seconds. Barely Bludgeoned Bob was probably the most helpful. He happily pointed first year Alpaggard's in the correct direction from time to time.

Against Bob's good nature, Sceeves the Poltergeist tried to do the exact opposite. He'd lead you to a dead end, or on a trick staircase. He'd tell you the wrong way to open a door and get it to smack you in the shoulder. If there were rugs, he'd raise them to get you to trip. In class, chalk might go flying and hit you if you didn't duck quick enough. Sceeve's laughter would be heard if he hit someone.

But his favorite prank was to remain invisible, go behind his victim, and somehow (do ghosts have spit?) wet his pudgy finger and stick it in your ear!

"JUST OILIN' YOUR GOB!" He'd screech and cackle. It was ghastly.

There was a fifty-fifty split on who was the most annoying. Sceeves, and the Harnocks caretaker Aurther Feltch. Aimlessly, Henry had followed Jon to try and reach their class but got turned around and to the other side of the castle. Feltch found them trying all sorts of methods to get a stubborn door open. Unbeknownst to them this led to the forbidden section Simbledore had warned the student's the very first evening. No matter how much they tried to explain themselves, Feltch didn't believe that they boys were simply lost. Feltch contended that the duo was trying to break into the out-of-bounds section.

"I'll throw you scimperin' lot into the dungeon for this!" He threatened.

Luckily, Professor Querkle had heard the commotion and rescued them by leading them to the correct section of the castle. Claiming first years commonly get lost and that Feltch should give them a break. It made Henry like her immensely.

Feltch owned a cat called Mayor Whiskers. He was a stocky, tuxedo black and white cat. Under his nose, his white markings made an actual upturned mustache. Feltch had him dressed with a neon bowtie fastened to his collar. His enormous, yellow eyes acted almost as a spotlight to pick up any disobedience from any student. Mayor Whiskers patrolled the hallways and corridors either at Feltch's side or alone. When alone, if you broke a rule, even just a fingertip out of line, you'd see that cat dart off to alert Feltch. He'd appear some time after, wheezing. Upperclassman told Henry and Jon that Feltch knew secret passages in and under the castle which is how he could get to your location faster. He knew the school very well (even better than Matt and Jack and that was saying something) Every student hated the man for trying to catch even the smallest infractions. Some students took great work to try and scare Mayor Whiskers away if he came near. On Henry's first Wednesday at Harnocks, he nearly tripped over the pesky cat. Luckily Jon was there to lead him to the correct class.

That was the most important after all; the classes themselves. Henry could imagine magic was more than just waving a wand like in movies and television. However he had no idea that practicing magic was this difficult.

Practicing magic was like combining any three Normie subjects he had known into one. It wasn't just as if you could mumble a bunch of silly words. He had to brush up on language and linguistics to get the spells and pronunciations right, he had to know geometry to get his wand at the proper angle for different incantations, he had to know science because some spells worked better at different times due to star alignment. The telescope on the supply list was used every other Tuesday to watch the stars and map them out. He even had to remember the planets and found out there were four different ones his Normie schools did not even know! Plantolgy with Professor Hopcraft saw to it that Henry had to learn how to care for not only plants, but magical plants and fungi. He also had to remember what they were used for and which ones were dangerous.

The terms and conditions of safety for eleven year olds were way different in the Magical Realm than in Newcrest. It might be why most kids acted way more mature. Sure, at the end of the day, they were still kids but you didn't have as much time to goof off and lark about like in Normie schools. Your subjects could be either getting the answer right, or having to go to the Healing Wing with oozing boils. That made you very keen to be responsible if nothing else. Even in the Normie classes, you were still expected to behave because unlike back home where a teacher couldn't do much for discipline, Harnocks teachers can use magic for discipline and that...was not something Henry wanted to experience.

And yet, it was still school, and speaking of the Normie classes they were by far the most boring. Language Arts and Mathematics seemed to go at a turtle pace...but it was History that seemed to take an eternity. Even though it was only twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays, it still was almost too much.

It was also the only class taught by ghosts. Twin ghosts at that. Professor Kerk Wodd and Professor Biryd Wodd. Identical brothers in life, the two looked ancient even in ghost form. They were smoky gray, which Henry learned that they just happened to both die of old age. The rumor in the school was that they both fell asleep in the teacher's lounge, died in their sleep, woke up, and instead of passing on, walked right out of their bodies and taught the next period. The duo split the material much like Esmani described her book. Professor would teach and explain historical events through a Normie's eyes and Professor would compare it to the Realm of Magic events. Henry felt his eyes droop as he jotted The Normie Bridgeport fires of 1666 and The Realm of Magic incineration incantation creations of 1666. There were also so many important figures that Henry had to remember. Some casters had Normie aliases which were tough. He got Von the Brave Knight mixed with Dustin the Destroyer's alias whose name was just...Kurt. Henry rubbed his temples seven times that whole period.

Mischief Magic class is only on Fridays, the rest of the week the period is taken by Practical Magic class. This class is the one taught by Professor Mono Garspatuon. On their first day that first Monday, when Henry and the rest of the students entered his classroom, many jumped at the cat sitting poised and proper on what one would assume was the teacher's desk. They more than likely thought it was Mayor Whiskers spying around. This cat, however, was way more trimmed and gray in its tuxedo markings. The creature also had probing green eyes much different than the yellow bulging ones of Mayor Whiskers. Those green eyes watched and followed each student as he or she nervously began to sit down.

When everyone was sitting, the cat jumped and…

FWOOSH

Like the sound of a rushing wind, the cat body morphed instantaneously into Professor Garspatuon. Nobody said a word they were either in shock, awe, or bits of both.

He was very strange in his own way and Henry had pegged him correctly. He wasn't one to cross. Clever, witty, and strict would be best to describe him. He began his class with quite a lecture.

"Though Practical Magic is a given due to its name, the practicality does not come easy. In some ways, the spells and charms I will be teaching you will be your most complex and challenging. Anyone who finds themselves inclined to mess about, disobey, annoy, patronize, scoundrel about, or grate my nerves will be thrown out never to return. And I will tell you this...my class counts for the biggest portion of your grades here at Harnocks. So think before you act. That is clear. That is final." His narrow eyes scanned the room and Henry realized that he and the whole class just swallowed and nodded in response.

With a wave of his wand he recited a word and the large, ornate quill on his desk split and multiplied like a cell into ten copies of it.

"I know what you have heard about my class and it appears that year after year most students are keen to learn transfiguration. That is all well and good, but to know the magical physics of such a spell you must first use the spell 'copypasto.' Please take out a roll of parchment and…"

While many students, Henry included, were very impressed by the spell, with Professor Garspatuon's instruction, they all quickly realized they would not be using the spell on something as large as a quill. The notes were a bit tricky, and the practical, formative assessment was to begin. Professor Garspatuon gave each student a single needle.

"Your task for the remainder of the class is to turn this single need to at least two. Any other copies of it you conjure will result in extra credit points for you and House Credits for your House. Remember your notes and I will roam about if needed."

With great effort, Henry concentrated and recited the spell, held his wand at the proper degree and height, and flicked his wrist in the motion he had learned.

Nothing.

Henry didn't feel like it had been that long, but with each failed attempt he almost missed Professor Garspatuon garnering the students' attention.

"Class is just about to be dismissed but I would like to award Esmani Ghadjer credit to her grade for turning her needles into five seperate needles. That's fifty points for Alpaggard!" Some students clapped, others groaned and rolled their eyes. Henry felt a sharp pang of jealousy that the Normie born girl achieved such a seemingly simple task and he hadn't. That feeling made him queasy so he shooed it away and allowed himself to feel respect and pride for his House member that gave them a fifty point lead right in the first week! Henry decided to give Esmani a polite clap and his best smile.

Many students, including Henry, were very excited for their 10:45am class. The Magic of Untamed seemed dark, mysterious, and highly intriguing. Eleven year old kids get to learn things such as lighting things on fire, freezing things, shrinking things ('things' also being living creatures) what a class! Giddy and bouncy, Henry and Jon took one of the moving stairs and found Professor Querkle's room with seven minutes to spare. The Untamed Magic Room was very dark. There was a high, cathedral-like ceiling with stained glass windows. Spiral stone steps lead to a closed loft that most likely served as Querkle's office.

"It's like a Jacoban church in here," Jon said nervously as his eyes darted around.

"She sure doesn' t keep a tidy space," Henry couldn't help but mention. His nose wrinkled at the scent of onions-or possibly garlic? Parchment and quills were scattered everywhere and even though Querkle had not started class, she had already written her name on the board and some rules in tiny, sloppy handwriting.

"Rule Number One is: Not make mention of my pregnancy? That's a little strong for a group of kids, no?" Jon wondered aloud.

"Rule Number Two: Ignore the scent of garlic, it keeps the vampires away," Henry read and began to sweat. Up until this point, he had really liked Professor Querkle and was excited to take on one of her classes. The clock on the wall showed that it was five minutes past the time class was due to start. What happens when a teacher is late? Students began to murmur and an Ivybell student tried to rally his group to walk out and just simply ditch.

"SORRY! SO SORRY!" Said a small but hurried voice.

Professor Querkle yanked the loft door open and bumbled down the stone steps to her position at the front of the room. She had on an ornate top hat that looked as though she decorated it herself with lace and artificial flowers. She gingerly had a hand to her swollen belly and sucked in a shaky breath. As she began the class, Henry almost had to rest his jaw on his hand to keep it from dropping. Her class was…

A joke.

She stuttered and stammered. She got names mixed up and spells were pronounced wrong (Esmani Ghadjer had to show her how to say them) and at one point...she forgot her own first rule and started talking about how the growing baby has kept her up at night and that is why she was late. She broke rule two about ten minutes after that by mentioning how the strong garlic in the room is to ward off vampires. A student (most likely on purpose) threw her off track and she ended up taking three different tries to get her story straight on how she met a vampire in Croatia. The first week at Harnocks was coming to a close and Henry almost could feel himself begin to relax. He wasn't miles behind everyone else like he had thought. Students that had come from Normie families were going through the exact same thing as he was. The curriculum and expectations were so high, even Jon didn't really have a head start despite his very good magical family history.

The familiarity of an upcoming weekend was a nice feeling. Jon and Henry had made it to the Grand Hall the Thursday of their first week with plenty of time to spare for breakfast. Getting lost at this point was becoming less and less.

"What's the line-up for today?" Henry asked as he took some buttered toast out of a nifty toast-holding rack in the middle of their table. Jon was drenching his already sugary cereal with more sugar. No one had told Jon and Henry, but if you hold your scheduling scroll at a certain distance and at a certain level, little colored dots will appear under the class names. These dots will either be blue, green, or yellow. Henry had noticed on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday each class was attended by not only his House, but a differing House as well. For instance, on Mondays, the day began with Practical Magic class with the Ivybell House. On Tuesday, the class was shared with the Leetlefloof House. On Wednesday, the House of Owlenmoon joined them. Henry was curious how the schedule was on a fourth day.

"Ugh...you're not going to like it," Jon moaned with milk dribbling down his chin as he held up the scheduling scroll just right. Henry shifted on his bench seat to get a better look but Jon was already talking. "It's an Ivybell packed day, it is! Look at this," he swallows, "we've got Practical Magic with Owlenmoon, Potions with Ivybell...Untamed with Ivybell...even Normie/Magical History with Ivybell. We get a break from them with Creature Study class after that but...Broomology is with them today too."

"It's a triple class," Henry reminded, "who else do we have it with?"

"Leetlefloof," Jon answered and noisily slurped his milk.

Broomology was interesting on Tuesday. Madam Hoover taught them each part of the broom, described each function it does for the broom, and talked about proper attire to ride a broom. Henry frowned at the memory. It was very introductory and a bit boring. Even though they had the class with Ivybell today, maybe they would at least get to ride them.

"Ugh...potions with Ivybell," Henry muttered. As he ate his breakfast with Jon, Henry thought back to the very first Monday. Jon and he had sat right at this very same spot at the table belonging to all Alpaggards.

"My brothers have prepared me for this," Jon had muttered.

"What's that?" Henry had asked with a mouthful of oatmeal.

"Potions class with Ivybell," with Henry's confused face Jon continued, "potions are taught by Professor Snabes. She's the House Leader for Ivybell. She has no shame whatsoever favoring the Ivybell students. Makes any other student belonging to any other House look like an idiotic git!"

"Wouldn't it be nice if Garspatuon favored us?" Henry asked with a ghost of a smile. Professor Garspatuon was the House Leader for Alpaggard House. Henry would learn just after breakfast that day that Professor Garspatuon did not care what colors you wore...he'd give you the biggest pile of homework and the same, arched eyebrows as he appraised your work.

"Look Henry! Magus! The owls are here," Jon said which snapped Henry from daydreaming about the fresh Monday jitters at the glorious Harnocks.

By now, Henry was quite used to owls coming and going at breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. That first Monday, hundreds of owls streamed into the Grand Hall at breakfast. They would drop letters and packages into the laps of their owners after circling overhead for four to five laps.

"Many parents send care packages and letters wishing a good term," Jon explained to Henry that day. He holds up his letter, "mine just says to make sure Matt and Jack don't do something stupid but...she did enclose a single popkin so..."

"She's coming in for a landing!" Cried Jon which once again, knocked Henry out of his daydreaming. sure enough Magus flew low past eggs and bacon. This was the first time he had brought anything. Sometimes he would visit him, nibble some of his food, and then take flight back in the Familiarly. This was the tower in the school reserved for familiars of all species. Seeing a fat letter get dropped into his lap was ever so exciting and Henry giggled in spite of himself.

"Good boy, Magus!" He scratched the bird under the chin and he cooed. Then he spread his impressive wingspan and flew away.

"What does it say?" Jon said.

In small, elegant script, the letter read:

Dear Henry,

Friday is just around the corner and I am dying to hear about your first week of school! Would you like to come to my hut and have a cup of tea with me just before supper? My hut is just across Professor Hoppcraft's courtyard right on the outskirts of the campus. You can send your response via Magus anytime before then!

Kindly,

Hagish

Without a thought, he flipped over the very same note and wrote back that he would love to! On cue, Magus swooped low and grabbed it out of his hands seemingly right as he finished folding it. Henry had so much to tell Hagish at tea and was looking forward to having a semblance of weekend plans.

He couldn't help the frown that formed on his face when he recalled Monday's Potions and Alchemy class with Ivybell and Professor Snabes.

In the Grand Hall, Henry had seen Professor Snabes at the faculty table. He had the terrible notion that this particular teacher just did not like him upon first locking eyes. Once Henry and Jon entered her class on the lowest floor of Harnocks and took her class, by the end, Henry had known he had been wrong. Snabes did not simply dislike Henry...she despised him. The memory was burned into Henry's mind thinking of that Monday morning.

In the cold, creepy potions room where pickled animal eyes and embalmed creatures sat in glowing jars. A class where liquids bubbled, oozed, and smoked. Towers of different ingredients adorned the stone walls. The desks were made for pairs and you were instructed to put your cauldron in front of your assigned seat. There were assigned seats? Henry had been so pleased to note Jon Parsley was the name tag next to his. That was lucky!

Snabes had entered that class in a flowing black robe with a long train. Her head wrap was a deep purple and her makeup was sharp and pointed. She pursued her black, painted lips and clicked her tongue during roll call once she got to Henry's name.

"I see here we have…" she paused. Her voice was high and airy. It was almost as if she spoke with the goal to be permanently passive aggressive. "We have a down right celebrity in our mix, pupils." Her eyes went completely black and stoic when Henry's blue ones met hers. "Henry...Puffer," she all but whispered and enunciated the letters as if they were disgusting to even pass over her lips. Fish eyes were what Henry had thought at that moment. Professor Snabes' eyes were cold, stony, and dead just like a fish's eyes.

"This is Potions and Alchemy Class," she spoke as a fact. Her voice was so spookily soft. As if a ghost was trying to speak to you from behind a solid wall. "There are no silly waving wands in this class. No…" she put her hands on her waist. "This class is an exact art. This class is an exact science. At some points you may even disbelieve you are even doing a form of magic because it's...beauty."

Kimmi Slymer and her goons becan to chortle and with a glare from Snabes, they went white and fell silent.

"At your age, I doubt you will understand this concept. The simmering of your creations, the foaming and shimmering of each additional ingredient, and the enchanting yet devastatingly dangerous one of these liquids you create can entrap and besmirch a grown Sim as it flows through his veins like a fish moving downstream."

"This lady is...intense," Henry had thought, but Snabes was speaking again.

"As long as you are not a complete moron like many have been before you, with my help, you can bottle confidence, brew bravery, and even...challenge death itself."

Jon looked at Henry with wide eyes. Henry returned the look with raised eyebrows.

The familiar eagerness of Esmani Ghadjer seen to it that she was on the edge of her seat practically vibrating at the challenge of not being considered a moron to Snabes.

"Puffer!" Snabes said so suddenly Henry jolted. "What would I get if I added a baconite mineral, a savory treasure that lies beneath the ground, and a meal of a bear?"

Red flooded Henry's cheeks instantly. He could feel hundreds of eyes from both Alpaggard and Ivybell. He didn't want them to, but hot tears were very soon going to be creeping towards the corner of his eyes. Henry felt his nostrils flare. He began to think. What is a treasure that lies underground? Gold? A meal of a bear? A fish? One look at Jon showed Henry he was just as perplexed. Esmani's hand shot straight up into the air.

"I…" Henry took a breath to sound more confident than he felt. "I don't have a single clue, Professor. That's kind of an unfair question seeing as I'm a first year and haven't lived in the Realm of Magic long enough to know what baconite is."

If possible, Snabe's eyes hardened even more. Henry heard an 'oooh' coming from most likely Kimmi and her gaggle of dimwits. Students were looking nervously back and forth between Henry and the Professor. She ignored Esmani's hand.

"Tsk, tsk...your fame is all that you have then, I suppose."

Henry felt his anger bubbling.

"Let's try another, Puffer. Where would you find me a bundle of valerian roots?"

Esmani's hand was so overstretched it was lifting her bottom out of her chair.

Henry knew Kimmi, Lobby, and O'Doyle were officially chuckling behind their closed hands. He gave all of his willpower not to look back at them to prove it. Henry had no idea what valerian roots were. This teacher was deliberately being nasty to Henry and it felt like his heart was breaking.

"The only root I can think of right now is a carrot, ma'am," Henry said.

Snabes sneered.

"Someone of your...living arrangements should have taken better care to prepare for my class, wouldn't you say? Open a book, perhaps?"

Henry's neck was breaking into a sweat with the effort to hold the gaze of Professor Snabes, suffer the effects of embarrassment, and tune out the laughter of most of the Ivybell students and a couple of chuckles from fellow Alpaggards. Did Snabes really think at a place like the Dooflys...he'd...be able to memorize the entire textbook What Comes from the Magical Gardens?

At this point, Esmani's hand was shaking with her effort to keep it up. Snabes ignored it still and it was so painfully obvious to Henry that he was being needlessly called out. Would he get detention if he threw up all over the table and Snabes?

"Then tell me...why do you need to wrap citrine around the apple slices first?"

Esmani couldn't hold out any longer and she stood up to make her hand held up even more noticable. The scraping of the legs on the floor finally got Henry to break eye contact with Snabes.

"So they don't spoil?" Henry guessed. The laughter of the class increased in volume. "Maybe ask Esmani, ma'am. It's clear she knows and I might be just," he shrugged, "a moron like you said."

Henry didn't mean it to be funny but the whole class erupted with laughter (except Esmani) Patrick gave Henry a wink, some Alpaggard boys whooped and hollered, and some Ivybell students (including Kimmi) began chanting, "Moron Puffer, Moron Puffer…"

"ENOUGH!" Snabes roared and the whole class was blown back into utter silence. "And you, girl," she addressed Esmani just as coldly, "sit down. Was it not clear that I couldn't care less to hear from you?" Esmani looked as if Snabes had slapped her. It made Henry even angrier.

"FOR your information, Puffer...the savory treasure is potatoes...aged three weeks and boiled first." Snabes began to pace. "The bear's meal is salmon krill fed not farm fed." Her pacing led her closer to Henry's table. "Valerian is a root that grows on the ledges of cliffs in either the Magical Gardens or in climates that have a precise atmospheric pressure of 110316 pascals and," she was now right in front of the desk shared by Henry and Jon, "apple and citrine do nothing apart...but wrap them together and it will save you from most curses which you lot better get used to being comfortable knowing that they're out there...curses I mean."

She stood to her full height after bending down accusingly toward Henry who was seated quietly and humiliated. Snabes seemed to be finished talking. The air was thick with tension. You could drop a pin and hear it.

"WHY ARE YOU NOT WRITING?" She exclaimed suddenly.

The class seemed to be in a panic and flourish of parchment and quills.

"Three points from Alpaggard for your sass, Puffer."

"HENRY!" Jon shouted and startled Henry from the memory from Monday.

"You best eat quick Practical Magic class is in twenty-five minutes!"

The boys hastily got up and began the long trek to the towers where the Practical Magic classroom was. It was a pretty good class even though Henry still wasn't sure he was saying his words or waving his wand correctly. As the minutes ticked by, the nerves of potions class got stronger and stronger.

"I want to get there with plenty of time!" Jon had told Henry once Garspatuon dismissed class. "I want to read up and prevent myself from doing what Taryn had done Wednesday." That Potions class with the Owlenmoons was a welcome change from seeing Snabe's blatant favoritism of Ivybell. It was an interesting change because Snabes seemed to loathe both Houses equally. She had bent low to whisper probably another insult into a girl's ear who was on the brink of tears when the class began to fill with red, dense smoke. They were creating healing salves for acne and other oozing sorts of blemishes (why do eleven year olds need to care about clearing such things now?) before the smoke had permeated the room. Somehow, the girl with her always missing toad had done something wrong. Her concoction melted her cauldron and through the desk which began to erode and bubble onto the floor of the classroom.

Every student including Henry jumped onto their chair in case their feet were to be had to have been backsplash...because Taryn was riddled with angry red zits, blemishes, and hives. She was whimpering through her tears.

"Imbecile, girl!" Snabes snarled as she cleared the mistake with a wave of her wand. "You added more heat when you saw the fond wasn't bubbling I'd assume. Impossible error to make if one is not five years old, of course!"

"Harvey!" Snabes snapped as Jessica Rodriguez looked up in terror. "Escort your fellow Housemate to the Healing Wing." The girl nodded and Snabes rounded desks to stop at Henry's and Jon's so fast her cloak was still swirling when she had halted.

"You! Puffer! You could have prevented that error! Did you not tell her to lower the heat? Thought you'd make your House look good to see a different House member suffer I'd assume, hm?" Henry sat stunned and still. "That's another five points you've lost for Alpaggard."

Henry's mouth fell open and he took a breath to formulate his argument. That was beyond unfair. He felt a sharp kick from Jon which cooled him off.

"Don't push her...Snabes can turn even nastier than this I've heard," he whispered.

The following day with Owlenmoon House...Henry had lost three points from Alpaggard because he took too long getting his ingredients from the cupboard despite the fact an Owlenmoon and two Alpaggards had sat down right after him.

Potions and Alchemy on this Thursday brought a horrible realization to Henry that things did not seem to be improving with a new day and a new class with Snabes. This especially so when the Ivybell House was involved. In their table pairs, Snabes instructed the class to use some of the notes of ingredients she droned on about the last three days to make a simple potion to freeze warts. Up and down the aisles she'd loom in another black ensemble. Like a lioness ready to pounce, she watched every muscle of a student weighing, crushing, pouring, reading, and stirring.

She'd have a nasty comment to many Alpaggards.

"Are you daft? That's way too much ground mycena!"

"You twit! If you stir that many rotations per minute you will utterly destroy the bindings that hold the freezing from even taken form!"

Once Snabes would round her way towards where she had placed many Ivybell students, she'd seem much more willing to instruct and aid rather than belittle and criticize.

"Sylmer...I can tell you weighed your blue crawdad claws to perfection. I am impressed." Henry didn't even have to turn around to tell that Kimmi Slymer was most likely grinning so wide she probably looked insane.

An hour later, Henry and Jon were climbing the stairs out of that dungeon. Henry felt as big as the needles he had to clone in Garspatuon's class. In just one week, he had lost ten points from his House. That meant not only first years looked at him poorly, but the upperclassmen too. Why was it that Snabes hated him so much for no apparent reason? He was so glad to not have to endure Potions and Alchemy tomorrow...or any Friday for that matter. Magic of Mischief class with the Leetlefloofs seemed like such a breath of fresh air. After Potions and Alchemy class, Thursday seemed to fly by. Even Querkle's Untamed Magic class put a bit of pep into his step as they learned which signs to look out for when finding trickster or prank doors hidden throughout the castle.

Finally it was Friday! Mischief seemed pretty hard because it was nearly 4 hours every Friday. Every period the class would shuffle and Alpaggard had to spend it with each House every day. Professor Flicknit, the Mischief Magic Professor was so tiny she had to stand on chairs, stacks of books, or a chest. She seemed nice enough and gave plenty of breaks throughout. The class material was also very engaging and interesting which is most likely why it could be held in such a large chunk of time. When she passed out her course schedule and got to Henry, she screeched and fell off the edge of his desk she had been standing on. That was on the first day...and Henry blushed as he can still remember the other students chuckling and pointing. Esmani Ghadjer had helped the professor up while Henry was frozen to his chair in mortification. He hated the look of disappointment on Esmani's face the most. What a brown noser!

"I think I've had enough of this week," Henry had moaned once at lunch.

"Cheer up, mate," Jon said, "Snabes is always taking credits from Matt and Jack."

"It's not just the loss of credits because of stupid Snabes!" Henry whined. "I feel like I'm under a microscope. People are either gawking or gazing with looks of pity because my first week here and I feel like I've done nothing right!"

"That's just not true!" Jon said and paused to think. "You managed to copy your needle into two I…" he blushed, "only split it into one and a half." His eyes squeezed shut, "My grandfather would be so embarrassed."

"I'm just so glad to have a visit with Hagish to look forward to!"

"Say Henry?" Jon asked. "Can I come and meet Hagish with you? I saw him briefly when we crossed the lake but...you make him sound so neat!" Henry grinned as his answer and the boys were able to get excited together as they finished their large lunch and closed that Friday afternoon out.

At six they left the castle, walked through Professor Hoppcraft's courtyard, and off of the campus grounds. Hagish lived in a wooden hut the size of two Curtis bedrooms. The home was perched on a small hill right on the outskirts of Calamity Forest. Outside of the place, there was a bow, a quiver, and strewn about arrows.

Henry knocked and from within they heard scraping, scrabbling, and frantic shuffling along with many loud barks from a dog. Hagish's voice could be heard.

"Easy Chomper...that's a boy, DOWN boy!"

The door opened and Hagish struggled to let the two boys in as he fought to hold on to the collar of the overly excited canine. He was an enormous Great Dane that had a shiny, pure white coat.

The hut was only one room but Henry noticed how tall the ceilings were. Cleaned rabbits, pheasants, and herbs were hanging from the walls, a kettle was boiling on the iron stove that had to use real wood to work, and on a cross beam, there was bedding and a single pillow. Hagish always liked to be in high places. Especially when he slept, it would seem.

"Get comfortable, my hut is your hut," said Hagish and gently let go of Chomper once he was calm. The dog pranced right up to Jon and began licking his shoulder which was at eye level for him. The size and the name was completely misleading for such a happy go lucky and docile boy.

"This is Jon," Henry told Hagish. "I hope you don't mind I brought him. We've become pretty good friends since the trolley." Hagish was listening, but also moving at his inhuman and peculiar speed. One moment he was at the kettle pouring cups and adding tea leaves, then he was at the stove stirring something in a cast iron pot, then he was back in his chair smiling warmly at Henry and nodding his head with complete active listening.

"Another Parsley boy, eh?" Hagish smiled in a completely authentic way. Henry had heard a lot of nasty things whispered about his friend throughout the halls since Monday. "Your mom's from Shang Simla?" Jon just nodded. Hagish smiled so wide his mouth opened in glee. "I like your sort! Though...I've had to chase your brother and his girlfriend away from the forest!"

With the tea, Hagish made a stew which is what he had been tending to on the stove. It was perfect to substitute their dinner schedule. It was also delicious. A rabbit stew with potatoes, carrots, onions, and celery. Henry asked for another bowl. Jon asked for another after his second. As they ate, they filled Hagish in on their classes, the lesson taught within them, and their opinions on other odds and ends. Chomper was sprawled out and very long with his head resting on Henry's foot. Even through the material, Henry could feel the hot breath and drool.

The hot topic was the dreaded Professor Snabes and her Alchemy class. Just as Jon had told Henry, Hagish offered reassurance and advised not to dwell or worry too much.

"It's a wonder Snabes became a teacher," Hagish bemused, "she doesn't seem to like kids an awful lot."

"Well she seemed to really hate me," Henry put his elbow down on the table and rested his jaw against his fist, pouting quite pitifully.

"That's utter dung and you know it!" Hagish proclaimed. "What's she got against you?"

Why was Hagish all of a sudden very interested in the leaves floating in his tea cup?

"How's Carl and Burt been, Jon boy?" Hagish changed the subject so quickly and jarringly Henry squinted his eyes in confusion. "They were good boys. I liked how well Carl was with all of the creatures. He's done something in that line of work, yes?" Jon launched into a story to answer Hagish and Henry lost focus. Out of the corner of his eyes, Henry noticed a familiar Realm of Magic periodical sitting on a counter near where he sat. It was a cutting from the Diurnal Diviner:

Bingpott's Break-In Latest Update:

Inquiry from forces carry on in regards to the break-in at Bingpott's on the thirty first of July. Many are under the impression that this could be the work of Untamed wizards or witches or casters not known. The Bingpott's gargoyles were adamantly defending the integrity of the vaults and assured nothing had actually been stolen. The vault in suspicion was investigated and found to have been emptied that very same day. "No comment. I don't need to tell the likes of you what was in there. Keep your nose and your quill out of gargoyle business if you got any sense," said a Bringpott's spokes-goyle this afternoon.

This sparked the memory of Jon telling Henry this very same thing on the trolley.

"Hey Hagish!" Exclaimed Henry, who stopped Jon's talking. "Bingpott's was broken into and that happened on my birthday! It could have been happening when me and you were there!"

Hagish did not lift his eyes. He was avoiding this conversation and Henry could feel it. It irritated the young boy incredibly. Hagish tried to offer more tea. Henry picked up the clipping right from where Hagish had put it. Emptied that very same day Henry read over and over. Henry remembered Hagish's mission for Simbledore. Was that what the thieves were after?

No class so far this week left him with this much to think about. If the contents was emptied that day, and Hagish emptied a secret vault for Simbledore...that sounded way too suspicious. Did Hagish nab and protect whatever valuables just in the nick of time? Where was it hidden now? What's safer than Bingpott's? And why did Hagish seem to have a soft spot for Snabes? Did he know something about her that Henry wasn't supposed to know?

"How was Broomology, lads? That's a good class. My favorite class. The most fun!"