Disclaimer: I own nothing
I'm trying to create the air of a Hogwarts that's more welcoming and more educational, if that makes any sense. The classes will be of a higher quality (at least, in my opinion) and the house heads will actually play a part as more than someone who holds the title. I'm also expanding the year group's significantly. There's going to be about 200-250 more students at Hogwarts than in Canon. There will be many names mentioned, and I may use the OCs in other stories, but for the most part, it's just to make the world more than just the students Hogwarts seems to have. They just seem like not enough to be the future of an entire portion of a world's population.
ON TO THE STORY!
Rising from the table, Harry walked beside Hermione as they and several other students followed a pair of students, who he supposed were the prefects, to where the Ravenclaw dorm was supposed to be. As they reached a plain wooden door, the knocker on the front of the door came to life.
"Alright, so the other houses use passwords for their common room's entrances. In Ravenclaw, anyone who's magical presence is marked as Ravenclaw within the Hogwarts wards is asked a riddle. If you can guess the riddle, then you may enter. If you do not, you will have to wait until someone else answers it, or someone opens the door from the other side." The male prefect said.
After his explanation, the female prefect turned to the door, which spoke in a rasping voice.
"I'm tall when I'm young and I'm short when I'm old. What am I?"
After giving the first years a moment, the prefect replied, "A candle."
The door swung open, revealing a bright airy circular room full of plush couches all radiating out from an opulent central fireplace. On either side of the fireplace were doors, with bookshelves laid into the walls from the doorframes of the doors to the doorframe of the door they were walking through. There were various older students milling about, casting glances towards the first years who had just entered the tower.
"This is Ravenclaw Tower. Here in the tower, which some of us older students have nicknamed 'The Nest', you'll be living in rooms of five, so that'll be two rooms for the boys and two rooms for the girls, since we have ten boys and nine girls this year. The books in the common room link right to the library, and are from a list from our head of house, Professor Flitwick. He updates the list once a month so that the books here are what he deems best for use as extra resources to support our course work. Are there any other questions about Ravenclaw Tower?" The Male Prefect said.
After a moment, he nodded and walked over to the door on the right, heading up a flight of stairs. Shaking her head at him as he left, the female prefect turned to the first years.
"What Dylan forgot to mention, was that your first lesson will be tomorrow. Timetables will be handed out alongside maps tomorrow during breakfast, and the fifth-year prefects will show you to where your classes are during your first week. After that, it'll be up to you all to find your own way around the school. With that in mind, why don't you all head up to get settled. I know the first night at Hogwarts can be stressful. And I'm Amelia, by the way."
Having said her bit, she walked into the door on the left, heading up a slight of stairs leading in the opposite direction as the steps behind the door on the right. Before the first years could go anywhere, they head someone behind them call out.
"Before you all get too far, I just want to introduce myself."
Turning, they saw a small man about their height standing before them.
"I am Professor Filius Flitwick, and the head of Ravenclaw house. You'll have my class first tomorrow, so I'll point out my office at the end of the lesson, but feel free to come to me about anything you may need, or if there's a problem at Hogwarts. I, along with the other Professors, am here to help you all grow as young wizard's and witches. With that in mind, as well as the words of Ms. Finch, I'll leave you all to get settled in. Welcome to Hogwarts, and to Ravenclaw!"
As the Professor left, the first years broke into two groups, the girls heading to the left door, while the boys headed to the door on the right.
-line break-
Walking into the room labelled with a large bronze 'ONE', the group saw two similar doors with empty placards attached to the doors, and a third door that said 'bathroom' in large silver letters.
Looking at the boys around him, Harry was about to speak, before someone else beat him to it.
"Well, I'm Josh, Josh Curtis. What're all your names? I know I heard them all when we were called up, but I was too busy either nervously standing in the group, or being swallowed by the sea of robes at the table."
A boy to his right spoke up, continuing the introductions.
"I'm Terry Boot."
"Anthony Goldstein."
"Derrick Bronson."
"Pat Ford."
"Vladimir Darwin."
"Stephen Cornfoot."
"Oliver Rivers."
"Michael Corner."
Realizing it was his turn to introduce himself, He spoke up.
"I'm Harry Potter. And before you ask, yes, that Potter."
At the confused looks from the Muggle-raised, the magic-raised quickly brought them up to speed on the basics of modern British magical history.
"Well, I personally don't mind anyone in particular for my roommate, so I'll see you guys on the other side." Harry said, before walking into the room on the left. Seeing his trunk appear in front of one of the beds, he walked over and began to grab his nightclothes. Turning to head to the bathroom, Harry saw as Stephen, Oliver, Vladimir, and Josh joined him in the room. Quickly changing into his nightclothes, he walked back over to the room to hear his roommates talking.
"-out time! I'm the first person in 400 years from my family to not end up in Hufflepuff! I wanted to be something different than my family, so I guess the hat listened." Oliver ended.
Going over and laying on his bed, Harry got out a book on magical transportation, and began to read.
"What? You're too good to socialize with us? I could understand your brother, since he's important, but you? You're nothing, Potter." Harry heard. Looking up, he saw Vladimir looking warily at Stephen. Placing his book down, Harry sat up in bed and looked at Stephen.
"Is there something I can help you with, Cornfoot? Or did you just interrupt my reading nonsensically?"
The boy glared at Harry, his hand switching towards his pocket, before muttering something and stalking out of the room. Oliver gave Harry an apologetic look, before hurrying after him. After the duo had left the room, Josh and Vladimir let out a breath while Harry just turned back to his bed, intent on continuing to read.
"If it's any consolation, not all of us act like that, Josh. And Harry?" Vlad said, prompting the brunette to turn.
At his look, Vlad continued.
"I hope we can start off better than it seems Stephen is planning to." Extending his hand, he grinned.
Shaking his hand, Harry smiled.
"I'd like that."
Sitting back on the bed, Harry turned to Josh, ignoring his book for now.
"So, where did you grow up?"
"Well, I live in Cardiff, with me mum. We've only lived there for a short time but before that…"
-line break-
The next day at breakfast, Harry sat down and began to spread some jam over a slice of toast. Before he could eat, however, he flew forward and felt someone grab him. Before he reacted as he would have when he was in Arendelle, that is to say, violently, he heard a familiar voice.
"Harry! How was your first night? How are your roommates? Are they friendly? Can you believe we're here? Can you… oh. I'm sorry, Harry!" Hermione said, letting go and helping him clean up the bits of food she had caused to fall on him.
Laughing, he smiled at Hermione, replying.
"It's alright, I'm just as excited as you are. It was good, although me and Stephen didn't hit it off immediately, I'm pretty friendly with everyone else. And I honestly can't believe it. I've been thinking about Hogwarts since I was a little kid."
Sitting down at his left, the two of them began to try to predict how their first charms lesson would go, as the rest of the first years began to join them.
"Blimey Harry, why'd you get up so early? It's just breakfast." Josh said, sitting down on Harry's right.
"Early? Perhaps you just woke up late?" Vladimir said across from them.
The group began to chat amicable, being joined by Lisa Turpin and Martha Tumblin.
Just as the sextet began to start in on why they would be learning the animation charm and not the shoe-tying charm or the cleaning charm, Professor Flitwick came by and gave them all copies of the schedule and a map of the castle with the different classrooms labeled.
"For the record, you won't be learning any of those spells in class today." He quipped as he passed them, quickly reaching the second years before they could try and get him to tell them more.
Grumbling good naturedly, the group finished their breakfasts before looking up as they heard metal clinking against glass. Seeing the headmaster standing up as his podium again, the younger years sat attentively while the older students continued their conversations, merely lowering their voices.
"Good Morning, all of you! To our returning students, I'm sorry to bore you, but to our new students, I hope you all are enjoying your first breakfast from the Hogwarts kitchen. May it be the first of many! I would just like to remind all first years, fifth year prefects, and Professors that the first years will be led by the fifth-year prefects to their classes for the first time this week, so the fifth-year prefects are excused from part of the lesson towards the start and end so that they may meet and escort the first years. This exception will be, of course, within reason. Just in case our older students get any ideas." With that, the headmaster winked, before taking a seat again, feeding a piece of bacon to a large red bird sitting on the edge of his chair.
As the Professors began to depart through a door behind the staff table, the students began to get up and file out of the Great Hall, the first years meeting the prefects of their house outside in the entrance hall. The male prefect took the lead, with the female prefect taking the tail of the group to catch any stragglers.
Dropping the group off at the Charms classroom, the pair left to head to their own lesson. Entering the Charms classroom, the group all took seats at the desks, Professor Flitwick standing at the front of the room. Once everyone was seated, he smiled and began to speak.
"In case you've forgotten from last night, my name is Professor Flitwick. Now, since you're all going to be in the same house for several years, and not all of you may have had a chance to meet, why don't we go around and say our name? I'm Filius Flitwick, your Head of House."
Gesturing to the group, they began the introductions. Harry observed each person in turn, trying to figure out the general feel of the type of house mates he would have. He would prefer not to be spending seven years with a group of boy-who-lived-to-hyphenate groupies. They were seated alternating by gender, so it seemed.
"Joshua Curtis, but call me Josh." He said, giving the other students a half-wave.
"Hermione Granger." Having already met her, Harry smiled at her when she looked around nervously.
"Vladimir Darwin." He introduced himself, his thicker Slavic accent pushing through.
"Su Li." A short Asian girl who blushed when everyone looked at her.
"Oliver Rivers." The ginger haired boy said, grinning.
"Martha Rose Tumblin." A redhead with hair down to her midback, nearly bouncing out of her seat.
"Michael Corner." Shifting his long hair behind his left ear, he kept a blank face as he looked at the others.
"Gertrude Nikt." A rather heavyset girl whose dark hair was wound around her fingers while she introduced herself, twisting it nervously.
"Anthony Goldstein. Sorry about the voice, I just got over a cough." He nodded his head, his voice a bit scratchy.
"Mandy Brocklehurst." Sitting there with her hands folded in her lap, hair up in a bun, and speaking neutrally.
"Stephen Cornfoot." Glaring over at Harry, he frowned when he saw Harry roll his eyes at him.
"Padma Patil." A soft-spoken Indian girl who was looking anywhere but at the other students.
"Patrick Ford, but if you call me anything but 'Pat', we're gonna have an issue." He said, laughing at the end of it to prove it wasn't actually a threat.
"Lisa Turpin." A dark-haired brunette who had to introduce herself twice, having sped through the first time so no one could hear her.
"Terry Boot." Looking down, he shifted in his seat, obviously not expecting to of been the class's focus of attention for any length of time whatsoever.
"Christina Glenton." A girl with a French accent, glaring resolutely at the desk in front of her.
"Derrick Bronson." He said, rubbing the back of his head nervously.
"Morag MacDougal." She said, her Irish accent stressing the middle of her last name.
Realizing he was the last one, Harry continued with his own Introduction.
"Harry Potter."
Sighing, he looked around while people whispered, Hermione catching his eye and smiling at him. Giving her a smile back, he turned towards Professor Flitwick as he cleared his throat.
"Now that we all know one another, let's start with the lesson. Now, for your first class we're going to be discussing the different spell distinctions. That is to say, what makes something a charm? Why isn't it a hex or a spell or a curse, or something else entirely? Today we're going to cover the reasons why that is. Now, who can tell me the difference between a levitation charm and say… the stinging hex?"
The lesson continued along that vein, with the group learning that while a charm affects the world in an ambient way, not actually changing things permanently but just providing a temporary difference. Meanwhile a hex is something that would only effect an animate object, with curses acting as the opposite of a charm. A curse was a permanent change, or at least a destructive one that required more than just the cancellation of the spell to end or remove its effects. Other categories of wanded magic would be handled later in Hogwarts or not in the charms classroom, but a few examples listed had been warding, rituals, and transfiguration.
"Now, before you head off to transfiguration with Professor McGonagall, my office is two doors down on the left from this classroom. If you ever need something and you can't find me, go and knock on the door there. If I don't answer immediately, I am on my way there. Whenever someone knocks on the door, I get notified that someone's there, so unless I'm taking too long or if it's a medical emergency, you should be fine to wait there. In case of a medical emergency, you should go to the hospital wing. You'll pass it on your way to transfiguration. For whatever reason, should I not be reachable, go to Professor McGonagall. She will tell you where her office is at the end of her class. Now, I believe that's the fifth-year prefects now. I'll see you all later!"
With that, they group of first years headed out and met Amelia and Dylan, who led them through the castle yet again, pointing out the hospital wing and introducing them to Madam Pomphrey. Reaching the Transfiguration classroom, Amelia taking the lead this time, they opened the doors and filed into the room, being seated in a similar manner.
"The first years, Professor McGonagall."
"Thank you, Ms. Grant & Mr. Cole. Now Don't keep Professor Babbling waiting."
After the two left, they did a similar introduction.
"Now, today we'll be talking about Transfiguration. More accurately, what it is. Now, we all know that transfiguration is the magic behind shifting the physical form of the world around you, like so…"
With a flick of her wand, the desks in front of them all changed from wood to ice, the cool material shocking awake Michael Corner. Smiling softly, the Professor continued.
"Now, who wants to take a guess at what transfiguration is?"
Hermione's hand shot up, along with Lisa's, Anthony's, and Vlad's. Professor McGonagall looked around, before choosing Su Li. She looked up, surprised, before answering.
"When you transfigure something, you wrap it in your magic, infuse it with your own aura, and then will it to what you want it to become. The limitation of that, consequently, is that you can only transfigure something if your aura can handle its size, density, or complexity. It's also easier to transfigure items into items similar to their original form."
At Professor McGonagall's nod, she ducked her head and blushed.
"If I can ask, Professor, why did you call on me? I didn't even have my hand up…" she asked, trailing off.
"To answer your question as well as several others, because you knew it. Ms. Li, I have been a teacher long enough to have taught several of your age group's parents. I know when someone knows the answer. I can guarantee you an A in this class if you just go through the motions and do your best. But if you can show me a clear understanding of the material, you will be more likely to receive an EE or an O. I called on you, Ms. Li, so that you will all understand that part of that grade is the willingness to show your understanding of the art that is transfiguration. Without the participation in class, there is no way for me to know that you truly understand what it is that I teach."
Finishing with a flick of her wand, the desks returned to wood.
"Now, let's talk about the first transfiguration you all will be performing. You will be changing a sphere of wood into a cube of wood."
The chalk rose and swiftly drew a circle and a square on the board.
"Now, the first step is visualization…"
-line break-
"Now, as you all know, I am the Deputy Headmistress. That means that if there is ever a problem where you can't or won't talk to your head of house, you may come to me. That also means that in the event of an emergency, you come to me before the headmaster unless it is a truly dangerous situation. My office is just across the hall, the door before the grand stairwell. With that, I shall hand you off to your prefects."
Gesturing to the door, the door swung open just as Dylan was about to knock. Blushing, the first years laughed softly as the followed the pair out, on their way to the Great Hall for lunch.
As the group settled in for lunch, the seventh-year prefects walked over to the first years to check on them.
"So you lot, how were your first two lessons? The first two weeks, you guys are going to have each class twice a week working on theoretical magic, and then every week after that you'll transition to practical magic. You're going to have longer periods for those, with larger breaks so your magic can rest." Freddy said, looking over at Susan, his female counterpart.
"Do you guys have any questions about the lessons, or about anything you've seen so far at the Castle?" she asked.
"Where's the Headmaster's office? Professor McGonagall said that if there was a truly dangerous situation, to go right to him." Josh asked.
"You'll have Defense Against the Dark Arts tomorrow afternoon, so we'll as the fifth-years to point it out. That classroom is closest to the Headmaster's Office, while the Potions room is closest to the Hospital Wing."
After making sure the first years were situated alright, the pair headed to two different groups of students further down the table.
"Love Flitwick's discussion about the practical use of the levitation charm in wizarding Industry. I'd love to be able to use that to do my chores at home!" Pat joked.
"I personally preferred Professor McGonagall's class. It was pretty funny watching Michael get that surprise." Anthony said, elbowing Michael in the side teasingly.
After glowering at Anthony for half a second, Michael cracked and smiled a little, before laughing.
"If I wasn't the poor sod she did it to, I'd probably think it was funny, too. I probably shouldn't have been up all night reading that book on quidditch."
"Quidditch? What's quidditch?" Josh said, confused.
Before the group could fill them in, they heard a pair of voices behind them.
"Oh no! Can you believe it? The ickle little chicks haven't heard of it? Can it be?"
"I know, right scared me too, Gred."
"Right you are, Forge."
Looking back and forth between the two of them, Harry felt like he was watching a tennis match just by listening to the two identical Gryffindors.
"Who are you?" Martha Rose asked.
"Us? "We?"
"Why, we're Hogwarts's local plague."
"The Red-Headed Magicians!"
"The Great!"
"The One!"
"The Only!"
"Weasley twins!"
"We are, aren't we Fred?"
"That's right George."
"Wait, I thought I was Fred?"
"No, you're George."
"Are you sure?"
"Most definitely."
Looking back and forth, the Ravenclaw first years burst into a fit of laughter at the Twin's antics, before finally being enlightened by a passing Gryffindor.
"Ignore these two idiots."
"Hey!" The left one said.
"We resemble that remark!" The right one continued.
"I'm Angelina Johnson, and I'm on the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Quidditch is the most popular magical sport, so for most people, it's the only magical sport."
"There's others?"
"She dares blaspheme like this?"
"See what I mean?" She said, winking at them.
"You'll have your first flying lesson tomorrow with Madam Hooch. The four team captains will all be there, since it's during a study period for the older students. Now, I'll get these two pranksters out of your hair. Hope you're enjoying Hogwarts so far!"
With that parting remark, she grabbed the two by their arms while they comically struggled and began to beg for forgiveness, much to the amusement of the Hall.
Turning back to their food, Vlad laughed, and then spoke.
"I'm beginning to like this place. Meals and a show? What's next?"
-line break-
Sitting in Herbology, they went through the same introductions with Professor Sprout.
"Alright now. For most classes, you spend the first several classes on theory. For this class, we're taking a tour of all of the greenhouses for our first lesson. Now, there is something important to know. There are seven greenhouses that we use for class, one for each year-group. You all will be in Greenhouse one this year. When we're touring the other greenhouses, please stay within the red lines across the ground. They are there for your safety, as they are enchanted to that the plants can't sense you. Certain plants studied during sixth and seventh year can be dangerous, so the precautions are very important. Now, let's begin."
Leading them through Greenhouses one through five, they saw all sorts of plants like baby mandrakes and a particularly flirtatious group of howling daises that wanted nothing more than to serenade the dancing lilac's across from them. Reaching Greenhouse six, they put on safety goggles before entering. Upon entering, they saw a plant that generated light bright enough to blind an unprotected eye, a plant that could only be seen underwater, and a plant called Devil's Snare that liked to strangle its victims. Professor Sprout levitated a block of ice into its enclosure, watering it and entertaining it all at once.
Finally, they reached Greenhouse Seven.
"Now, this one we won't actually be entering. You need full body protection gear for some of these, which is why it's for N.E.W.T. students only. Several of the plants in here have spores that are airborne. Now, that doesn't mean we can't still see what's inside." Professor Sprout explained.
Walking around to the side, the first years saw a wall of posters with living artwork of various plants. Underneath each one was a name and it's rating according to the Department for Regulation of Magical Flora.
"Well now, wasn't that exciting!" Professor Sprout said, smiling. Leading the First Years back around to Greenhouse One, She began to close up the lesson as the fifth year prefects approached from the castle.
"Now, as you may have heard, I am the head of Hufflepuff house. As such, if any of you ever have a problem with any of my students, please feel free to come talk to me. With that, I'll hand you off to your housemates."
The fifth years switched once again, having been alternating between leading and watching for stragglers throughout the day, with Amelia leading them back up to Ravenclaw Tower.
"Now, Herbology is usually a rather messy class due to the fact that you're working with earth, like how potions can be because of the ingredients. As such, those two classes are always followed by a free period to clean yourself up in case of any messes. There is also the fact that that prevents any magical contaminants from interfering with a potion or a plant. You also won't have to worry about getting sick from eating something with say… mandrake oil on your hands. That'll put you in the hospital wing for half a week." Dylan said.
"Dylan found that out the hard way in our second year when he didn't wash after the Mandrake lesson." Amelia said, snickering.
"How long are you going to bring that up? I mean, that was three years ago." Dylan complained.
"As long as it's funny, so you'll have to wait a while."
"Anyway, my past mistakes aside…" he began.
"Never"
"We're off to our Arithmancy lesson with Professor Vector."
The two left, still bickering playfully as they left. Walking up the stairs, Harry went and washed his hands, deciding that was enough for now since they'd just walked through the greenhouses, and walked down to the common room. Seeing Hermione browsing through the bookshelves already, he laughed and walked over to her.
"Find anything interesting?" He asked, surprising her.
She yelped, surprised, before retorting "I was trying before you interrupted me, Mr. Potter."
Trying to hold a straight face, she giggled before pointing out a few books.
"I think those could be useful for learning a bit about Charms, but those ones over there could be useful for Transfiguration."
Gesturing to the other side of the shelf she was looking at, Harry laughed.
"Hermione? We live here. Just take one book for now and it's a short walk to retrieve another."
"Fair enough. What're you going to do while we wait for dinner?"
Pulling the book about magical forms of transportation out of his bag, she nodded before turning back to the shelves, muttering to herself while trying to decide. Shaking his head at the futility of trying to understand the female species, he settled down in the chair closest to the fire, beginning to read.
-line break-
After the normal mealtime ritual of the prefects checking on them, they began to eat.
"I'm not too sure I'd want to be in the higher level Herbology classes. It doesn't really seem like my thing…" Harry said, frowning.
"I mean, magic isn't exactly your thing either, is it Potter?" Stephen said, snickering.
Harry ignored him, focusing on the dry roast he was cutting.
"I heard his family didn't even think he would get his letter. They thought he would be a squib!"
Cutting harder.
"I know if my son was a squib, he'd be useless. Less than useless. I bet if your father was still around, a proper pureblood, he'd do what needed to be done."
Before anyone could react, Harry got up. Standing, he walked out of the Great Hall silently, ignoring the jeering of Stephen behind him. Hearing footsteps, he sped up and began to run. Reaching Ravenclaw Tower, Harry glared at the knocker as it took it's time asking the riddle.
"Mary's father has five daughters. Nana, Nene, Nini, Nono. What is the fifth daughter's name?"
"Mary."
It swung open, as Harry heard the footsteps grow closer. Pushing the door closed, he ran up to his dorm and into the bathroom. Locking himself in the stall, he sat down on the tile floor. Reaching up and rubbing at his face, he started when he felt his fingers brush against tears.
Hearing the door open, he bit his sleeve to stay quiet.
"Harry? It's me, Hermione. Just ignore Stephen, he's just a bully!"
Harry knew she was right, but it felt like he had confirmed all of Harry's childhood fears and worries when he said that in the Great Hall.
Hearing Hermione leave, Harry crept out of the dorm and into the school proper. Skirting around groups of students returning from dinner, he walked out on the grounds and sat by a tree looking out over the lake, his knees pulled up to his chest. Crying softly, Harry felt like the little kid hurt on the floor before he went to Arendelle. He didn't feel like the man who electrocuted four men for Elsa. He didn't feel like the man who climbed trees and rocks and a mountain for Elsa. He felt like the little boy who just wanted his Daddy back. To convince Mum to love him again.
Harry drifted off to sleep, curled up in a ball beneath the old oak tree looking out over the Black Lake.
-line break-
Groaning, Harry woke up and couldn't see. Panicking, he tried to move and fell, grunting when he hit the ground. Realizing he was wrapped up in a scratchy warm blanket, he unwrapped himself and looked around. He was in hut, almost like the one he lived in when he was out in the wilderness near Arendelle when it was too busy for him to hide out at the palace. Except for the large sleeping dog and the large man who had just opened the door.
"'ello? You alrigh'? I found you out by the lake all curled up under the oak."
Remembering why he was there, Harry frowned a bit and felt his eyes start to burn slightly, and rubbed his face a bit, trying to play it off as being a bit sleepy.
"Now I know most o' the students think tha' I'm just a big ole oaf, but I know when someone's hurtin'. Why don't you just 'ave a seat and have some tea? I jus' sent a message up to the 'eadmaster and Professor McGonagal that a student was found on the grounds, so Madam Pomphrey will be on 'er way as soon as she can."
Settling back down, Harry nearly jumped when the man walked over and wrapped him up in the fuzzy blanket again.
"Wh-Who are you?" Harry asked, a little worried about the strange man near Hogwarts. He remembered him leading them across the lake in the boats, bt didn't know much about him.
"Rubeus Hagrid, Keeper of the keys and gamekeeper here at Hogwarts. I'm the one that patrol's the forbidden forest and helps manage the grounds. 'ow about you, young man? What's your name?"
"Harry, sir. Harry Potter."
"Now, none of this 'sir', business. Jus' call me Hagrid. An' Potter? I knew your parents, Harry. 'ow's your Mum doing? I'm sorry about your Da'."
"She's…alright. And Thanks, Hagrid… No one's ever actually said that before…" Harry said, smiling at Hagrid at the end.
The two talked a bit about magical creatures, Harry's fascination with them reaching out to a kindred soul in Hagrid. Seeing a lit wand approaching from the castle, Hagrid smiled at Harry.
"It looks like Madam Pomphrey is almost here now, so we can get you up to your bed in the castle." Hagrid said.
"I really enjoyed just being able to talk, Hagrid. Would it… would it be okay if I maybe visited again in the future? For tea or just to talk? Maybe once I know more magic we could even go visit some denizens of the forest together?" Harry asked, smiling a small smile.
Hagrid began to tear up, surprised and overwhelmed by Harry's question.
"Of course, Harry. Bring friends if you'd like, the more the merrier. I'll have to talk to the 'eadmaster about visiting the forest, but if he's agreeable, I'd love to."
There was a knock on the door before it was swiftly opened by Madam Pomphrey, who greeted Hagrid before swooping in and going over to Harry.
"Just like your father and those blasted friends of his. You nearly beat his record. He managed to get to me before the sorting when he tried to make friends with the Giant Squid." She said, shaking her head.
Harry beamed, enjoying being compared to his father, while she cast diagnostic spells on him.
"You did a good job warming him up and getting something warm into his system Hagrid. As it is, he's just a bit tired and emotionally drained. I'll have him spend the night in the Hospital Wing and give him a calming draught, but for the most part, he's fine." She said, smiling at Hagrid and scowling at Harry.
"Now, why were you on the grounds so late, young man?"
"I'd… prefer not to talk about it, if that's alright."
"Hmph. Very well, but try not to stay out after curfew in the future, Mr. Potter."
Nodding at Madam Pomphrey, Harry smiled and waved to Hagrid, before following Madam Pomphrey back up to the castle. Making their way to the Hospital wing, she settled Harry in bed before giving him a calming draught, leaving him to rest.
-line break-
Waking up the next day, Harry headed up to the owlery after being released and used a school owl to send Hagrid a note with a couple of times asking if any of them would work to come down and see him. Skipping breakfast, Harry was walking back to the Tower when he ran into someone else skipping breakfast.
"Hermione?"
Spinning in place, she ran over and gave Harry what he was tempted to start referring to as a 'Hermione Hug'.
"Where were you last night? Vlad said you weren't in your dorm last night, and that Stephen was practically crowing. I don't know why he hates you so much, but he does. And when I didn't see you at all in the tower, I got worried. I didn't want anything bad to happen to-"
Before she could continue, Harry hugged her again.
"I'm fine, Hermione. I slept in the Hospital Wing after falling asleep on the grounds and being found outside by Hagrid."
"Who's that?"
"Remember the man who led us across the lake? He manages the forest and the grounds, so he was patrolling for students out of bed. I'm lucky he found me."
Satisfied by his answer, Hermione tried to convince him to go to breakfast, before finally convincing him to let her grab him some toast and jam and bring it to the tower. He began to walk to the tower while she headed back down to the Great Hall, setting himself up with a book by the fire. This time he grabbed the sofa, using his bag to reserve the second spot.
And that's the end of the first day of classes. Phew! That was a lot of writing. I think this may be the longest chapter I've ever written, to date. What do you guys think? I tried to make the lesson's interesting while not actually going through and doing the whole lesson.
Please let me know what you think of Hogwarts. I hope I did it justice!
Anyway, I still am looking for students for the other year-groups (I have Harry's year group all figured out, as you can tell) so that Hogwarts seems more 'alive'.
With that in mind, please PM me or review with any ideas you may have. Even just an idea for a name would help.
Alright, I've been working on this chapter for the past 9 hours, so I'm going to shut my PC off and go unstick myself from my desk chair.
Toodles!