As the noise level started to rise, Harry let out a sigh of relief. The year was starting off much better than he had thought it would. He had avoided gaining another incompetent Defense professor and if Dumbledore had hired a Mage, who were apparently widely renowned for their power, they might have gained an indispensable ally. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all?
Chapter 5
'Or maybe I should just stop trying to tempt Murphy.' Harry thought grumpily.
His weekend had rapidly gone downhill after the party had ended late Friday night (or, more likely, early Saturday morning) when Professor McGonagall had returned to Gryffindor Tower in order to finally shoo the students off to bed. Rather than slipping peacefully off to sleep, he had gotten into a row with Seamus over last year's events and the subsequent stories in The Prophet. Not only were they still not talking to each other here on Monday, but the dormitory had also been divided into sides, making it extremely uncomfortable to spend any time there.
Between the stilted atmosphere and the nightmares, Harry realized he had been far too optimistic to hope that sleep would come to him more easily at Hogwarts than at the Dursley's.
To make matters worse, Professor McGonagall had just finished passing out the schedules and, apparently, the universe had decided that he hadn't suffered enough yet. Harry heard a thump and looked over to see Ron groaning with his head on the table. 'Well, at least somebody else feels the same way. Almost forgot what that felt like'.
"This is perfect!" Hermione exclaimed.
'It was nice while it lasted.' Harry thought sardonically, fighting a sigh. Though, he was glad that the remaining irritation stemming from the argument she and the twins had had at the beginning of breakfast about their new products had finally began to disappear.
"Perfect?!" Ron said incredulously, leveling Hermione with a mild glare when she glanced at him, surprised. "What's so perfect about double potions with the Slytherins first thing every Monday morning?!" Harry gave her an expectant, if mildly annoyed, look.
"What- ", She began, then stopped and rolled her eyes when the complaint registered. "Oh, honestly, you two, did you not read your schedules past this morning?" Hermione said exasperatedly.
Harry cleared his throat uncomfortably as Ron gave a sheepish "Er, no?". Hermione raised an eyebrow and gave them a look that clearly said, 'Well? Get on with it', prompting them to look down at their schedules again.
.
~oo0oo~
Mr. H. Potter
.
Weekday meal schedule:
6:30- 8:25...Breakfast
11:30- 12:55...Lunch
5:30- 7:00...Dinner
.
Weekend meal schedule:
7:30- 10:00...Breakfast
12:00- 1:30...Lunch
6:00- 7:30...Dinner
.
Monday
Morning classes:
8:30- 9:25...Free
9:30- 10:25...Potions
10:30- 11:25...Potions
Afternoon classes:
1:00- 1:55...Defense
2:00- 2:55...Defense
3:00- 3:55...History
.
Tuesday
Morning classes:
8:30- 9:25...Herbology
9:30- 10:25...Charms
10:30- 11:25...Charms
Afternoon classes:
1:00- 1:55...Transfiguration
2:00- 2:55...Transfiguration
3:00- 3:55...Care of Magical Creatures
.
Wednesday
Morning classes:
8:30- 9:25...Free
9:30- 10:25...Potions
10:30- 11:25...Potions
Afternoon classes:
1:00- 1:55...Defense
2:00- 2:55...Defense
3:00- 3:55...Free
Night classes*:
12:00- 12:55...Astronomy
.
Thursday
Morning classes:
8:30- 9:25...Herbology
9:30- 10:25...Charms
10:30- 11:25...Charms
Afternoon classes:
1:00- 1:55...Transfiguration
2:00- 2:55...Transfiguration
3:00- 3:55...Divination
.
Friday
Morning classes:
8:30- 9:25...Herbology
9:30- 10:25...Transfiguration
10:30- 11:25...Divination
Afternoon classes:
1:00- 1:55...Defense
2:00- 2:55...History
3:00- 3:55...Care of Magical Creatures
.
Gryffindor fifth year joint classes:
Potions- Slytherins
Herbology- Hufflepuffs
Care of Magical Creatures- Slytherins
.
*Students are expected to manage their time and schedules in such a way that they achieve a proper amount of rest. If a student suffers from a condition such as insomnia, or if they believe their work will be affected negatively by a night class, the student should speak to both their instructor and Head of House in order to make any necessary adjustments. This course of action may result in a weekend class, depending on the schedule of both student and teacher. Hogwarts faculty will not be held responsible for poor grades if a student makes the decision to forgo this course of action.
~oo0oo~
.
Harry glanced back up as Ron spoke.
"If you're trying to point out we only have potions twice a week, it only halfway makes up for it." Ron said, squinting skeptically at his schedule.
Harry could practically hear the prayer for patience as Hermione raised her eyes heavenward.
"No, Ronald, that's not what I was trying to point out." She continued without giving him a chance to open his mouth and truly test her self-control, "I was referring to the fact that we have Defense first thing after lunch." Her ire gave way to excitement as she spoke. "I wasn't able to find and ask Professor Muto any questions over the weekend and I was worried his class would be scheduled for tomorrow and I'd have to wait another day to get any answers. Thank goodness that's not the case! And, provided the professor is there preparing for the lesson, if I take a half hour out of the end of lunch break and go to class early, I could ask him some questions without the restrictions of class time!" The last bit was mumbled to herself and politely ignored by the other two.
"Is that why you were stalking around the castle all weekend? I figured you were just trying a new bonding exercise with Crookshanks." Harry teased.
"Oh, very funny, Harry." Hermione shot back, giving him a mock glare. She glanced at her watch. "You two might have a free period, but I need to get going or I'll be late for Ancient Runes." She said, putting away her schedule, Ron and Harry following her example.
"We were just going to head back to the Common Room for a game of chess; we can walk with you for a bit," Ron said, showing some tact for once by trying to make up for whatever he had done to annoy her earlier. 'It only took him five years to learn,' Harry thought, amused, as they left the Great Hall.
Harry's amused mood had well and truly soured after Potions, but at least he and Ron had managed to convince Hermione to wait until after the new professor's first lesson to start pestering him for answers. Though, she had still decided to 'make productive use of the extra time' and had begun penning down a long list of questions, lest she forget anything she wanted to know when she finally had a chance to ask about it (as if).
Harry was pulled out of his thoughts when he nearly bumped into Hermione, who had frozen at the entrance to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. He looked at Ron to ask what happened, but upon seeing him shrug, turned back to Hermione who still hadn't moved. "Er, Hermione-?," he began, but was cut off by a soft chuckle from inside the room. As he and Ron tried to peer around Hermione, an amused voice that Harry recognized as Professor Muto's said, "While I'm glad that you seem to enjoy the redecorations, I'm afraid I won't be able to give the lesson if my students are stuck in the hallway."
This statement seemed to finally snap Hermione out of her daze as she flushed slightly and took quick steps towards a seat at the front of the room. This put her directly in front of the professor, who Harry could now see was leaning casually against his desk.
As he and Ron followed Hermione into the classroom, Harry returned the professor's smile and nod (well, he returned the nod, at least), before glancing around the room and barely preventing himself from freezing, as well.
The room looked about three times larger than it normally did and was divided into three separate sections. The section directly in front of the door to the classroom, and which the three students were currently sitting in, was the most like the Defense classroom Harry was used to. It held rows of long, curved desks all facing the chalkboard at the front of the room, which hung behind the professor's desk. This was where the similarities ended, however. It looked as if all the desks and seats had been replaced, as the new furniture was slightly lighter in color and Harry could see no scratches or ink stains on the surfaces. Though, as he looked more closely, he did see some sort of runic etchings all down the sides of the desks and chairs. The seats themselves now sported plush cushions, as well, each in a different jewel tone. It also looked like the chalkboard had been enlarged and Harry could see the same etchings lining its edges.
The section to the left looked like a miniature library. There were rows of bookshelves, each packed with books and scrolls that were interspersed with different artifacts and what looked like puzzles. Silk curtains, colored so that they matched the seat cushions, lined the walls and beautiful rugs covered the floor, brightening up the space. The sections of the walls that weren't covered in curtains were instead covered in what Harry guessed were Egyptian hieroglyphs. Under the rugs he could see dark wood flooring that matched what was under his feet.
The space to his right was much more open. Instead of wood, the flooring was some sort of dark tiling, on which several large circles were marked out with chalk. Rather than a line, however, Harry could see that the circles were made by stringing together more of the strange runes. More cushions lined the perimeter of this section. Like the section to the left of the room, two of the walls had hieroglyphs carved into them. Instead of curtains, though, these walls were lined with an assortment of weapons, mostly consisting of different types of curved swords and staffs. The swords were beautifully designed, with polished blades and handles inlaid with jewels, both of which Harry could see were once again etched with runes. The staffs were all masterfully carved, displaying delicate designs ranging from spirals to flames to leaves and well over a dozen other motifs as well as mesmerizing abstract details. The top of each staff also held some sort of focal point, all about the size of a fist; some had a gem or crystal, others a pearl or piece of coral, a few had what looked like an orb of light ranging in different colors, and one even looked like it was topped with a mass of shadows. The final wall on this side of the room had been replaced with what had to be an illusion.
Rather than the usual conglomeration of castle stone and windows, the wall looked like the edge of a courtyard. White pillars reaching from floor to ceiling and covered in more hieroglyphs and silk curtains replaced portions of the wall. The rest was replaced by a scene that showed pools of clear water and lush plants eventually giving way to towering sand dunes and what may have been the outline of pyramids, or perhaps a temple, in the far distance, all under a bright blue sky. The overall effect of this made it seem as though the classroom sat in the center of a desert oasis.
The final change in the classroom was a collection of colored lights in the form of different sized orbs that floated around the room, mostly keeping to the ceiling and illuminating areas the light from the illusion couldn't reach. As Harry squinted up at them, he noticed that the portions of the ceiling he could see were also covered in hieroglyphs.
"It's like being back in Egypt," Ron said, awe clear in his voice as he stared at the illusion. "Not nearly as creepy as the tombs, though," he amended with a considering look.
"Oh? You've been to Egypt? And to the tombs, no less?" Harry looked over to see Professor Muto giving Ron an interested look.
Ron's ears reddened slightly. "Er, yeah. My brother, Bill, 's a curse breaker. My family took a vacation to Egypt to see him a couple years ago." He explained, his voice gaining confidence as he spoke.
"Ah, a curse breaker, I see. Which Clan does he work with?"
Harry blinked. 'Clan?'
Ron gave the professor a slightly surprised look. "Oh, um, the Ishtars. You know about the Clans?" He flushed after he had asked, likely realizing he sounded rude. "Only, Bill said the Clans really only interact with curse breakers, and since curse breakers aren't diplomats or anything, when everyone just kind of assumes Egypt's Wizarding population is run by a Ministry like England, nobody really feels like correcting them and saying that the Clans are actually the Wizarding government. Though, I guess you're not a Wizard, so that wouldn't really matter to you..." He trailed off from the slightly garbled, albeit fast (had he even taken a breath during that?), explanation with a mumble.
'Ah. Well, that answers that.' Harry thought.
Professor Muto gave a light laugh, not seeming at all offended. "Small world! The Ishtars and I have been friends for years," his smile turned mischievous as he addressed Ron's question, "And I should think so, considering the Clans make up about half the world's Mage and Magician population."
"Wait, what?!" The three of them exclaimed together, prompting more laughter from their newest professor. Hermione launched into full interrogation mode, "But, I thought that Magi hadn't interacted with Wizards in centuries! Why wouldn't Wizards have known that the Clans in Egypt are Magi? Oh! I remember reading a little about how the Mage Court was formed- is that what the book meant by clans? If it is, how on earth did Wizards make such a huge oversight?! Why do they care about the tombs, then? Curse breakers always need to go through the Clans to visit a tomb. And what do you mean by Mage and Magician? I thought- wait, did you say half the population?! How-" She interrupted herself when Professor Muto held up his hand, still chuckling.
"Slow down! I won't be able to answer your questions if you don't let me." Hermione blushed a bit at the gentle reminder. "Now, it's true that the Mage Court has not had any official contact with Wizarding Society in centuries. Individually, however, there has likely been more contact between Wizards and Magi than Wizarding Society believes, and there has definitely been more contact between Wizards and Magicians, as they're far more common in Mage Society. As for why Wizarding Society doesn't know this…well, in all likelihood they just didn't ask. Wizards and Witches tend to assume that if they interact with another human who can use magic, they must be interacting with another Wizard or Witch. They'd have probably brushed off any glaring societal differences as nothing more than a matter of cultural differences between the two countries.
"As for your questions about the Clans, let's start with why so many Magi and Magicians are connected to them. You see, the Mage Court has always been based in Egypt. As the Court is such a central part of our society, Magi and Magicians naturally gathered there, adding to the population that was already present, and eventually forming the Clans. The original Mage Court was formed in Ancient Egypt, headed by the Pharaoh. This means that traditionally, the Court is run by a monarchy, with the leader still actually bearing the title Pharaoh, but there have been times where that just isn't feasible for various reasons. When this happens, representatives from the Clans form a new, temporary Court until another monarch is chosen, a process that would take quite some time to go over."
He chuckled again when Hermione deflated slightly.
"Because the Mage Court began with the Pharaohs, Magi have always been concerned about the tombs in Egypt. Magi would often be tasked with protecting tombs, both by spelling them and keeping watch over them. Although, the latter was tasked to Magicians more often than not. This duty was passed down through the Clans and is still taken very seriously by them today. When a curse breaker gets shown to a tomb by a Clan member, it's usually one that was finished, traps and furnishings included, but someone decided against using it for one reason or another. That, or it's actually not a tomb at all, but a temple that was sealed either naturally or manually after whatever deity was worshipped there fell out of fashion with the people. No one who is a part of Mage Society would ever allow anyone not approved by the Mage Court to enter a tomb or temple they were tasked to protect.
"As for the difference between a Mage and a Magician, well, that question is actually much more complicated than it sounds. Don't worry," the professor added, seeing her slightly put out look, "I'll be devoting next week to Magical Theory from a Mage's perspective, as well as touching on some of the basics of our social and bureaucratic infrastructure. It should answer some of your questions, and if you still have more, you're welcome to come during my office hours."
Harry very carefully refrained from telling the professor he would come to regret extending such an invitation, and then stepped on Ron's foot when it didn't look like he would be doing the same.
"Whoa!" The three students jumped when they heard Dean's exclamation behind them, having forgotten they had gotten there a few minutes early and were still waiting for class to actually start. Harry avoided looking back as he heard Dean and Seamus take their seats while discussing the Defense classroom's new look.
"It's so pretty!" Parvati exclaimed, heralding her and Lavender's arrival. "And I thought the professor was flashy." Lavender said absentmindedly before slapping her hand over her mouth, eyes wide, and turning quickly towards the professor to apologize.
Before she could get a word out, though, Professor Muto waved her off with a cheery smile and said, "If it's any consolation, the hair is natural," prompting startled laughter from the pair as they, too, sat down. His smile widened slightly as he continued, "I've always thought it would be a shame if it was the most eccentric thing about me, wouldn't you agree?" This drew laughter from the rest of the class, and while Harry managed to hold in a snort, he couldn't quite fight his grin.
The pleasant mood was a balm to his soul, and Harry felt himself relaxing for the first time in days as his classmates chattered amiably in the background.
As the bell for class finally rang, Neville jogged into the classroom, slightly out of breath.
"Excellent timing, young man," Professor Muto said with a bright smile and waited as Neville (who nearly tripped when he finally took notice of his surroundings) hurried to a seat.
"Now," he addressed them in a clear voice, "let's get started, shall we?"