Sorry for not updating, school just started for me... but I will try to update one - three times a week, so I apologize for slower updates from now on TT~TT. Also know that some dialogue does not belong to me, but from J.K Rowling.
Chapter 6: The Pain of Classes and Halloween
When morning came, Draco did not want to get up. He could not sleep due to the adrenaline coursing through his veins from being sorted into Ravenclaw. He still had not told his parents about his placement yet either. It was a conversation Draco was dreading to take part in, but Draco knew that he would have to inform his parents. They would find out either way, and the consequences of not hearing it from Draco would be terrible. So, Draco resolved to pen them a letter after he was done using the bathroom.
Draco came out of his dorm, thankful as his roommates were starting to awaken. Surprisingly, Hermione was already on the sofa near the fireplace, reading a book. He walked up to her and cleared his throat.
"Morning, Hermione. What are you reading?" Hermione's head snapped to Draco's, and she grinned.
"I'm currently reading, Magical Theory, it's interesting. Who knew that magic has many theories to it. Shall we go down for breakfast?" Draco smiled at her and shook his head. Hermione cocked her head in confusion.
"I have to write to my parents about my Sorting. Hopefully, my father won't be too mad at me. My mother, I know, would understand as to my placement in Ravenclaw." With a sigh, Draco started walking to the entrance of their Common Room with Hermione trailing behind him.
"Do you know where the Hufflepuff or Gryffindor common rooms are at? We should meet up with Harry and Neville and go to breakfast together." Sadly, Hermione shook her head, causing Draco to heave a heavy sigh once more.
Silently, the two friends headed to the owlery, where Draco's owl, Regal was waiting for them. Regal gave Draco a hoot and coo, causing Draco to smile at his pet. He took a piece of parchment, provided by the owlery, and a quill from his pocket and began to construct his letter. Words flowed from Draco, and he did not want to re-look his letter, fearing that he would chicken out or write another letter. With a finished signature, he tied the parchment around Regal's leg.
"Take this to my parents, boy. Thank you." With an affectionate nip to Draco's ear, Regal flapped his wings and flew out of sight. Draco turned to Hermione, who hugged him.
"It'll be alright. Should anything go wrong, me, Harry, and Neville will take care of it." The conviction in Hermione's voice made Draco chuckled and hugged her back. He was thankful for his friendship with the girl and the two other boys. He was also glad that he had his Godfather Sev to care for him too.
"Let's go to the Great Hall and eat." Hermione nodded against Draco's shoulder and let him go.
As they approached the Great Hall, they found Harry and Neville waiting for them both.
"There you both are! We were waiting for you both. Where were you?" Hermione recounted their tale of going to the owlery as Draco looked around the Hall. There weren't many students nor teachers, but it would soon fill up quickly.
"Where should we sit for breakfast?" Draco's head snapped to Harry's.
"What do you mean, sit for breakfast? We are supposed to sit at our respective tables." Harry frowned at him, making Draco frown back. What game was Harry playing at? Then Harry smiled at him. Draco did not like the mischievous smile on his face making him worry about the outcome.
"You said supposed, not must, so we can sit where we choose too. We can sit at the Hufflepuff table, I'm sure that none of them would mine. Besides, they want to meet my friends." With a smile, Harry led his friends to the Hufflepuff table. Draco knew the other two were worried, and so was he.
Draco is the son of a Death Eater, a Death Eater who killed family members of Hufflepuff's during the War. He was afraid of where this conversation would go.
"Good morning, everyone! Hermione, you can sit next to Neville, you can sit next to Draco, and Draco can sit next to me." Draco cautiously sat next to Harry, looking at the faces of Hufflepuffs. Draco was relieved that not all of them were here yet so he could enjoy his breakfast.
"Hello, my name is Cedric Diggory. What's yours?" Draco heard the boy, Cedric, talking to Neville. Neville gave him a shy smile and shook Cedric's hand.
"Hello, Mr. Diggory. My name is Neville Longbottom, nice to meet you." Cedric smiled at Neville and turned to Hermione getting her name. Soon, Cedric turned to him and asked for his name. Draco gulped. He knew the boy was at the Sorting and saw him getting Sorted as well, so why did he want to know again? But Draco will indulge him and find out.
"Hello, my name is Draco Lucius Malfoy. A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Diggory." Cedric smiled, seeming satisfied and impressed. Draco didn't know what about his introduction satisfied and impressed the boy, but he hoped it was about something good.
"I'm glad to know you all. Harry was telling us about you three, and I wanted to see it for myself. Take care of Harry alright?" Cedric gave them a soft smile, and Draco was glad that the boy did not have anything against him.
"What are you four doing? It's breakfast so let's eat." With a laugh, Draco dug into his food, grateful that he somewhat has another friend. Although it would be nice to have a friend that isn't a Hufflepuff.
E&H E
Harry's professors were kind, strict, and friendly. They all varied and had their quirks. Professor McGonagall, the strict Transfiguration professor, but a fair judge of character who treated everyone fairly. Harry liked her a lot. Professor Flitwick, the Charms professor, is a little man who taught with a smile and helped out anyone who needed it. Everyone liked Professor Flitwick, who could hate the kind man? Professor Sprout, his head-of-house, taught Herbology. Herbology to Harry was interesting as this subject and Potions were related to each other. Technically, mastery over one of them makes work easier for the other. Professor Quirrell, the teacher for Defense Against the Dark Arts, was an odd man. His class smelled like garlic, and being in the class made Harry's head hurt. It was weird as Harry did not have a headache before, but said headache left the moment he stepped out of the classroom. Harry blamed in on the smell of garlic.
Classes were a pain to Harry. He was able to understand what his professors were talking about. He also understood what he had to do. The problem? The amount of work they were being given. It was only the first day of classes, and they had to write a foot long parchment about the fundamental theories of Transfiguration. One eight-inch essay on the Wingardium Leviosa Charm. As well as reading about Devil's Snare and writing about its properties. At least Professor Quirell didn't assign anything, Harry thought gratefully.
Harry was dreading what Mr. Snape would give them. He hoped that the work wouldn't be too much either.
For Harry, he was glad that he had, most if not all, of his classes with Ravenclaw, meaning that Hermione and Draco were always with him. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for Neville. Harry felt sad as he wanted to have classes with the nice boy.
The walk to potions was dreadful. Harry could feel the tension and fear as the Hufflepuffs, as well as the Ravenclaws all, walked together. They all had heard about the horror stories from their upperclassman about how cruel Professor Snape was to anyone who wasn't a Slytherin. Many of them had called Mr. Snape's mean names, which made Harry mad and sad. Not only that, during lunch, but Neville also was not present as he went to the Hospital Wing for getting boils all over him. They had heard that Mr. Snape insulted Neville, and the Gryffindors were cursing Mr. Snape's name.
Harry hoped that Mr. Snape wouldn't be too mean to them, for Harry knew that he had a reputation to keep. It would be extraordinary should Mr. Snape be treating him and Draco nicely. Mr. Snape's reputation would never recover.
Harry found himself standing in front of the door leading into the Potions classroom. Beside him, Hermione and Draco looked nervous. They didn't know what to expect either. They all went inside, and Harry liked the room.
The Potions Classroom was a room with dim light, but enough light to read the blackboard in front of the class. There were cauldrons in front of each stool. The front of the classroom held a podium, and behind it were shelves full of potion ingredients. The smell was musky, but not musky enough to make Harry uncomfortable. In all, Harry truly liked the Potions classroom. Sadly, the tables were split into two, meaning that Harry, Hermione, and Draco were to split up. Harry looked at his two friends and sighed.
"It's alright. I can sit with Mr. Finch-Fletchley, he's my roommate, and he wouldn't mind so much." With that said, Harry walked over to Justin and gave him a smile.
"Hey, Mr. Potter. Not gonna sit with your other two friends?" Word had already spread that Harry and his friends were sitting at each other's tables during meals. Harry shook his head and smiled at the boy.
"No, I rather have they sit together. Besides, it doesn't seem like Hermione and Draco have yet to make friends in their house." Both Harry and Justin's faces turned to look at Hermione and Draco, who were in a far corner talking. Judging from the way Hermione's hands moved and Draco was smiling, they're most likely talking about a book. Harry smiled fondly at his friends. Draco noticed Harry smiling and gave him a smile and wave back. To the corner of his eye, he saw Justin nod to Draco's greeting. Draco's smile faltered a bit, but he smiled once more and turned back to his conversation with Hermione.
The door soon slammed open, and Professor Snape walked in. His robes billowed as he walked to the front of the class and gave everyone a piercing look. With his soft baritone, yet cold tone, he began speaking.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making. As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderhead as I usually have to teach." Professor Snape was looking at them with contempt in his eyes.
Harry was impressed, although he did laugh a bit inside at how Professor Snape subtly insulted them and all of his classes as well. Harry couldn't wait to begin. Professor Snape started the roll call for the class.
"Harry Potter, our new - celebrity. I do certainly hope that your name can live up to your knowledge." Harry gulped, and deep down, he hoped so too. He gave Professor Snape a nod as the man continued to call names. When he finished, he set them to work on the cure to boils - the same potion that Neville, the other Gryffindors, and Slytherin's had to create.
Harry was nervous. He didn't want to mess up the potion and get angry red boils on him. Thankfully, Harry and Justin worked amazingly together and finished the cure before class ended. Harry felt proud and happy of himself, and he told Justin of that.
"I'm glad that we did great. Thanks for being my partner, Mr. Finch-Fletchy." Justin gave Harry a big smile and walked away with Hannah Abbot next to him. Harry stayed behind and waited for Draco and Hermione. When they approached, Harry smiled and waited for them to come near.
"We should go visit, Neville." It was Draco who suggested this. Harry was glad for Draco. Draco was able to make more friends who didn't want to use him for his fame nor money.
"Sure," Hermione started, "Besides, we should tell Neville all about Potions and what he missed." Hermione was already walking ahead of the boys, setting a brisk pace to the Hospital Wing.
"Hermione! Wait up!" Draco yelled as he and Harry ran to catch up to the girl.
Their night was spent with Neville, learning about each other's classes, along with reassuring Neville; that Professor Snape was not mean nor terrifying.
E&H E
October 31. Halloween. Harry hated Halloween. How could he celebrate a holiday that changed his life? A holiday that took his parents away from him? A holiday that forced him to be abused by the Dursley's for 11 years? Harry truly hated Halloween.
Harry ate glumly, he glum mood affecting the Hufflepuffs near him, especially his friends, including Cedric. Harry sighed and pushed his plate away. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to look at Cedric.
"Wanna leave, Harry?" Harry sighed and shrugged his shoulders.
"Sure, I guess. Sorry, everyone, I'm really not feeling it." Draco stood facing Harry.
"I'll come with you both." Draco's face showed that he would not be patient to deal with any disagreements. His face terrified the many Hufflepuffs who were ready to protest. Cedric raised a brow and laughed as he started to lead Harry and Draco to the Hufflepuff common room. Suddenly, Professor Quirrell came in screaming.
"TROLL! IN THE DUNGEON! Thought you ought to know." Then the man fainted. Harry saw the panic as his housemates all stood screaming. Harry heard the screams resounding the Great Hall.
Harry realized that some of the screams were his own. Suddenly a big boom resounded in the Great Hall.
"Everyone be calm. Prefects, lead your Houses back to dormitories immediately!" The words of the Headmaster worked. Harry soon felt himself being pushed against other Hufflepuffs.
"Oomph!" Harry could hear Draco, Hermione, and Neville yelling to push against the Hufflepuffs to go back to their housemates. Unfortunately, they had no success and were forced to move with the Hufflepuffs. The Hufflepuffs didn't realize that they had led Draco, Hermione, and Neville to the common room entrance.
"What are you three doing here?!" The Hufflepuff prefect, Michaelis White, screeched, looking at Harry's friends.
"Well, for starters, you all pushed us here as we tried to go back to our housemates," Hermione said with a sniff, looking at the Hufflepuffs. White, flushed and rubbed his neck.
"Er, is that so? I'm sorry about that. Does anybody know how to contact the other prefects and tell them that we have their missing housemates?" Everybody shook their heads.
"Well, everyone else gets in. Harry, I'll stay outside with you and your friends until the professors come to us." White said as he ushered the Hufflepuffs to the common room - after he made sure that Harry's friends had turned away and covered their ears.
White tapped the barrel to the rhythm of their house founder, Helga Hufflepuff, causing the barrels to move aside, exposing the tunnel that leads into the Hufflepuff Sett. After the last first-year Hufflepuff went in, White turned to look at the remaining first years.
"Now, we wait for the professors to come." Harry turned to his friends and watched their faces. Draco was looking calm, although his eyes shined with anxiety. Hermione was pacing, muttering under her breath. Neville, on the other hand, was looking pale and was rubbing his hands on his trousers. Harry, too was nervous and waited for the professors to come.
It took a while, but eventually, the professors came running towards them.
"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Longbottom, and Ms. Granger! Explain what you three are doing since you should have been in your common rooms a while back!" Professor McGonagall stated with a stern look on her face. With her was Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor Snape, and Headmaster Dumbledore. Harry unconsciously took a step back the moment he laid his eyes on the Headmaster.
"Professor, we were swept up by the Hufflepuffs that were leaving the Great Hall, we tried to tell them that we were among them, but with the chaos, they ending up taking us with them. Harry and a prefect stayed with us." Hermione stated as she took a step forward. Harry for a moment thought that she was a Gryffindor.
"Then why have none of you contact us?" Now, Mr. Snape asked. His eyes were looking straight at Harry and then shifted to Draco. Harry gulped.
"We didn't know how to contact any of you." Prefect White spoke up inclining his head towards the Professors and Headmaster. "I also want to apologize as a prefect for not realizing that we had students that weren't of our house with us. I'm sorry, Professor Sprout." The head-of-house for Hufflepuff smiled gently at White and patted his arm.
"Now now, there's no need for that. You did well keeping the children company. Although you could've let them have some tea and biscuits." With that said, Professor Sprout laughed a merry laugh making Harry smile. Harry could see the tension leaving the shoulders of his friends as they too, smiled.
Professor Flitwick soon took Hermione and Draco back to Ravenclaw dorm, and Professor McGonagall did the same for Neville. Professor Sprout was about to usher Harry and White into the dorms, but Harry stayed as he saw Professor Snape's expression.
"Professor Sprout, may I say and talk to Professor Snape for a bit?" Professor Snape looked a bit shocked but the shine of relief in his eyes made Harry smile. Professor Sprout nodded at them and she went in with White.
Harry stepped forward to Professor Snape, who was watching him.
"I'm glad that you're safe, Mr. Potter. The troll has been taken care of." Harry just nodded, but he noticed that Professor Snape's stance seemed off.
"Sir? Why are you leaning like that? Were you hurt? You must go see Madam Pomfrey immediately!" Harry was worried. He didn't want Professor Snape to be hurt nor in pain. Except, Professor Snape just sighed and put his hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Yes, I will see Madam Pomfrey, and no, you don't have to worry about yourself. I will take care of myself better. If anything, Mr. Potter, you should sleep now. It's been a long day." Harry, too, sighed. It indeed was a long day and he was tired.
"Good night, Professor Snape. Sleep well. See you tomorrow in class." Although Harry was almost done tapping the barrels, he could hear Professor Snape's low, "Good night, Harry."
Harry slept with a happy smile on his face. Perhaps, Halloween wasn't so bad.
Author's Note: I'm done~ I hope that you liked this chapter too, and again, I'm sorry that I won't be able to update as much, but I do have a surprise for you all in the next chapter. I hope that you look forward to it!
With love,
The-Songbird-Who-Wrote