Arnold's Wizarding World

Chapter 4: Double Potions with the Slytherins

Please be patient everyone, I'm still building up the plot, so things are going to start developing soon so stay tuned! And shout out to all my reviewers! Let's try to get 20!

Sean von Scheck sat with us during breakfast.

"So Arnold, I heard about the little scruffle you got into with Professor Malfoy last night. How many house points did Gryffindor lose?" he asked smugly.

"None, Sean," I answered.

Sean's smug expression crinkled into one of anger, "None? Like, nothing?"

"What are you doing here Scheck?" Gerald asked, raising an eyebrow.

"You were supposed to lose points," Sean concluded, seeming like he was unable to believe that I wasn't punished.

I shrugged, "Well, maybe Professor Malfoy didn't see a reason to punish me."

Sean scowled, "You think you're real slick, don't you?"

"Huh?"

"Receiving a special wand at Ollivander's, owning a pig instead of an owl or a cat like a normal wizard, and roaming around the corridors without adult supervision, only to get caught and not get any points taken away— who do you think you are?"

I gave him an unamused look and chose to stay silent, arguing with him was not going to get me anywhere.

"Because if you truly think you're the new Harry Potter, and you're allowed to get away with these kinds of things, you've got another thing coming."

"I don't think that at all," I reasoned. Where would he even get an assumption like that? I've never even met Harry Potter!

"That better be true. Harry Potter would put you to shame if he was in our same grade. Comparing you to him is like throwing dirt to his name."

Okay, the more this Harry Potter guy gets shoved in my face, the more curious I become. Who was he, and why were people comparing me to him? Or assuming that I compared myself to him? Ugh, I want to go home.

"Just get out of here Scheck," Gerald scolded.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed Helga stare at us from the Slytherin table, only to slam her hands on it and approach us.

"I'm taking you away from these morons," she scolded. "Let's go."

She grabbed his arm and dragged him away, causing me to feel a sense of gratitude, even though I knew she wasn't doing it for me.

"Don't listen to him Arnold," Gerald advised.

"Yeah, he's just jealous," Sid added.

I felt someone tap my shoulder and I turned, noticing Simmons hovering over me with concern. "Arnold, the headmistress wants to see you."

Everyone sitting near me froze as I stood up and walked with Simmons to the head table. There, Professor Malfoy was delicately buttering a piece of toast with a knife. I trained my eyes on him, and his grey eyes flickered toward mine, and his expression turned into one of bitterness. He was looking directly into my eyes, as if I reminded him of someone.

I turned my head and eyed the headmistress, who was reading over a scroll before finally shifting her eyes toward me. "Young wizard, it has come to my attention that you were strolling the halls last night without any consent. Surely Professor Simmons informed you that that is against the rules."

I turned to look at Simmons, who was crossing his arms and looking down on me with disappointment.

I opened my mouth to tell her the truth, but stopped as she rose a hand.

"No need for explanation, Professor Boris has already informed me as to why you were out. It is not the first time a student has sleepwalked. However, I will leave you with a warning, and I advise you to speak with Professor Malfoy about conducting an anti-sleepwalking potion to help you sleep at night."

I turned my head towards Professor Malfoy, who was slowly chewing on a piece of toast and scrutinizing me closely.

I gulped, with Boris' warning about Professor Malfoy ringing in my mind.

"You may return to your table."

"Man! I can't believe we got stuck taking Potions and Muggle Studies with the Slytherins of all people! Talk about bad luck," Gerald groaned as I walked with him and Phoebe to our first class.

"I'm quite looking forward to beginning class, though attending with the Slytherins is quite… disconcerting," Phoebe added.

"C'mon guys," I stated. "It shouldn't be too bad."

We walked into the room, and Phoebe moved to sit next to Nadine, while Gerald and I sat next to each other.

I immediately made eye contact with Helga, who scowled and uttered a 'what!?' before I turned away.

Professor Malfoy soon walked in from the back door, flicking his wand on our cauldrons and turning them on as he walked by each of our desks. I watched him with my mouth agape.

He turned and eyes us from the front of the room. "Open your textbooks to page 45, we're going to be brewing a Draught of Living Death potion."

"Gee, do you drink it every morning? Cause it sure looks like it," Helga asked, causing a lot of the students to snort and giggle.

I couldn't resist a smile, it was good to see that Helga's inability to not call things out during class hadn't changed either.

But Professor Malfoy didn't seem so amused.

He glared at Helga, and flicked his wand at her, tying her hair into a bun. "Hair up Pataki, unless you want to light your head on fire, as amusing as that sounds."

She scowled, but kept quiet.

Professor Malfoy smirked victoriously before eyeing the rest of us, "Who here can tell me what the Draught of the Living Death potion is?"

Phoebe rose her hand, "It is a potion that sends the drinker into a deathlike slumber."

"Good. Five points for your house."

Gerald cheered quietly next to me, and I noticed Sean grumble under his breath.

"The recipe is in your textbook, and the ingredients are on your desks. Follow the instructions carefully. I have taken the liberty of partnering you all up randomly, so that there won't be any horsing around. The list is on the board."

I checked the board and widened my eyes as I noticed my name next to Helga's.

"Woah, stuck in a group with Helga G Pataki, good luck Arnold," Gerald said as he moved to sit next to Sid.

Helga placed her book on the desk next to me and glared at me.

"So Helga," I started, hoping I could make peace with her. "I've been thinking that maybe one of us can read the instructions, and the other can put the ingredients in, and then we can take turns stirring."

She shrugged, "Sounds like a plan to me. I'm putting the ingredients in."

"Okay, good," I answered, feeling incredibly awkward. But at least she was cooperating.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

This was awful.

"Helga, you were supposed to put in the sloth brain AFTER the valerian sprigs."

"You're reading the instructions too fast football head!" she exclaimed, causing the entire class to stop and look at us, including Professor Malfoy.

"I was reading the instructions TWO WORDS at a time!" I exclaimed, showing her a number two with my hands.

"That was back when you were reading the instructions too slow!"

"You told me to go faster!"

"Yeah, but not THAT fast!"

"You could have asked me to repeat myself. I clearly told you to put in the valerian sprigs and THEN the sloth brain."

"You're the one with the sloth brain football head! Now we're going to have to start over."

I noticed Professor Malfoy set down the scroll he was working on and watch us with amusement.

I looked into our cauldron and noticed the potion turn into a dark shade of blue, "No, I think we can still save this!"

"Oh really?" Helga asked sarcastically. "What genius idea have you come up with this time?"

"Don't you remember when the neighborhood was trying to create a world record for the largest pizza puff ever made?" I asked as I looked through the ingredients. "When Grandma and I were making the flour, she gave me some pretty good advice."

I grabbed another cauldron and began mixing the leftover ingredients inside. "Separate your dry ingredients from your wet ingredients. Then, when you have mixed them separately, add your wet ingredients into your dry ones slowly," I said as I slowly added the ingredients from the second cauldron into the first one.

I paused and allowed the first cauldron to settle before adding more ingredients, and I continued to do this until everything was added in. "And voila! No explosion!"

I pridefully eyed Helga, who was staring at me as if I was crazy.

"Pizza puff? What the crap is that? I don't remember even being near you at any point in my life before coming to this school."

Oops.

Thankfully the rest of the class had already diverted their attention from us, focusing on their own projects.

I turned and made eye contact with Professor Malfoy, who was blinking with his eyes slightly widened, as if he had just discovered something. Just as I eyed him, he cleared his throat and stood up, walking toward us with a scowl on his face.

He looked into our cauldron and used his hand to waft the smell of our potion. He rose his eyebrows and looked at us, "Not bad, for first timers. Start mixing it though, before your dry ingredients get stuck to the bottom of the cauldron."

He walked away and Helga started mixing it, eyeing me with curiosity.

I smiled at her nervously, hoping she wouldn't bring up my little slip up.

She didn't.

After class ended, Helga and I served ourselves little flasks of the potion and I met up with Gerald to head to our next class, Muggle Studies with Mr. Simmons. I wonder what that class was about.

"Hey Gerald," I asked, hoping that my question wouldn't give me away. "What's a muggle?"

Gerald eyed me with shock. Oops, probably not the best question.

"Man those dementors really messed with your brain, didn't they?" he asked. "A muggle is a person without magical powers. You know, those people."

So I was a muggle, great.

We stepped into the classroom and sat next to each other.

"Hello young wizards and witches, welcome to our very special class!" Professor Simmons exclaimed. "The theme for this year is World War 2. Can anybody tell me what that is?"

Nobody rose their hand, not even Phoebe. Instead, many of them scratched their heads in contemplation.

Harold rose his hand, "Does it have to do with food?"

"No Harold, it has nothing to do with food. On the contrary, people had to ration their food in order to survive."

How do people not know what World War 2 is? Mr. Simmons went over it for a whole month last year!

I rose my hand, and Professor Simmons happily called on me.

"World War 2 was a war that happened in the 1940's between the Axis Powers and the Allies. It's number of casualties makes it one of the deadliest wars in history."

Professor Simmons blinked, "That is correct! Ten points for Gryffindor!"

Sean growled, "Know it all."

"Does anybody know which countries were the biggest players within the Axis Powers?" Professor Simmons asked.

Sean rose his hand, "Britain, the United States, Russia, China, and France."

"No, that is incorrect Sean, you just named the big players for the Allies. But five points to Slytherin for participating."

I rose my hand, "Wasn't it Germany, Japan, and Italy?"

"Correct! Another ten points for Gryffindor!"

Sean glared at me, causing me to inaudibly swallow a lump in my throat.

"Man you rocked it in there Arnold!" Gerald exclaimed as we walked together to Charms. "Who would've known you knew so much about muggles! You won 250 points for Gryffindor in just one class!"

"Sean didn't seem very happy about it."

"Oh ignore him! He's just jealous that his house stinks!"

We walked into class and sat next to each other, beside an open window.

"Finally, about time we get to use our wands," Gerald sighed as he placed his wand on his side of the desk.

I gulped, I hadn't touched my wand since being at the pet shop.

A short man named Professor Flitwick stepped into the classroom.

"Woah, he's as tall as Curly," Sid whispered from behind us.

"Hello class, today we're going to learn three spells: the Levitation Charm, the Wand-Lighting Charm, and the Unlocking Charm. The Levitation Charm is one of the first spells we teach first years, and, like every year we will be using a feather."

He motioned towards a white feather placed on each of our desks.

"Allow me to demonstrate," he said as he pulled up the sleeves of his robe and pointed at his own feather. "Wingardium Leviosa!"

I widened my eyes as the feather floated in mid air.

"Now students, the way to pronounce the spell is important. It's Wingardium LeviOsa, not Wingardium LeviosA. One of our students made that mistake eight years ago. Lightly hover your wands near the feather, don't fling it back and forth, or you'll accidentally hurt someone. Give it a try."

I looked at my wand nervously and turned to look at Gerald.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he exclaimed, and his feather floated with ease. "Look Arnold! I'm doing it!"

"That's great, Gerald!" I exclaimed.

"THIS IS HARD!" Harold exclaimed, stabbing the feather with his wand. "Fly you stupid feather!"

"Concentration young wizard," Professor Flitwick advised. "Focus on the object in front of you, ignore the sounds surrounding you."

"Try it Arnold!" Gerald encouraged, bringing his feather back down.

I gulped and stared at my feather, I didn't have magical powers! What if the powers the Green Eyes gave me didn't work!?

I sighed and lifted my wand, staring intently at my feather.

Phew, okay Arnold, concentrate. Concentrate more than you ever have before! Concentrate more than the time you had to go on a Valentine's date with Ruth and Cecile at the same time. Even though Cecile wasn't Cecil—

My goodness, I cannot BELIEVE that Fake Cecile was actually Helga in disguise, how could I have been so stupid? I'm never letting that one go—

CONCENTRATE ARNOLD!

I sighed, okay here goes.

"Wingardium Leviosa."

Nothing. Nothing happened.

"Ehrm, maybe you should try again," Gerald offered. "Maybe you're not saying it right."

No, I'm just not a wizard.

The open window let in a breeze that caused Gerald's feather to scoot in closer to mine. I trained my eyes on both our feathers, wondering if I could just make both feathers float if I just stared at them hard enough.

"Young wizard," the Professor said as he approached me. "Try pronouncing it as Wingardium LeviOHsa instead of Wingardium Leeviosa. That'll raise your chances of success."

I kept my eyes completely focused on both feathers, and I lifted my wand.

"Wingardium Leviosa!"

Both feathers floated, and I noticed everyone in class gasp. Gerald watched me with his mouth agape.

"He's making both feathers float!"

Professor Flitwick removed his glasses and cleaned them before placing them back on, "Amazing! Hardly any first years have ever been able to accomplish levitating two things at once! The last student who has been able to master the levitation charm her first year was… Hermione Granger!"

"Woah!" Sid exclaimed. "That's one of Harry Potter's best friends!"

Someone knocked on the door, and Boris walked in, turning and giving me a wink, "Professor Flitwick, I've been informed that Headmistress McGonagall would like to see Arnold Shortman."

"Is it urgent?" Professor Flitwick asked. "May I quickly test him on the Wand-Lighting and Unlocking Charm? He did marvelously with the Levitation Charm, take a look!"

I uttered the incantation again, rising both feathers again.

Boris watched me with wide eyes, a look of utter confusion plastered onto his face.

"This boy has a gift Professor Boris!" Professor Flitwick exclaimed, causing my face to grow red. "Come here boy! Let me quickly teach you the last two spells before McGonagall sees you."

I approached the Professor, who lifted his wand. "Now students, watch closely, because you will all be doing this spell next. This next charm illuminates your wand, so that you can navigate yourself around darkness. All you have to do is lift your wand and say, Lumos!"

His wand lit up brightly, and I winced, putting a hand over my eyes. This reminded me of the time I gave Helga that box for April Fools and blinded her. Was this karma? After my eyes became adjusted, I watched his wand with fascination.

"Now you try," he said as he turned off his wand. "Remember, focus."

I turned to look at Boris, who shrugged and motioned towards my wand.

I focused intently again and closed my eyes, "Lumos!"

I heard gasps surrounding me, and I opened my eyes, noticing that my wand was lighting brightly.

Wow, this is so cool!

Professor Flitwick opened and closed his mouth, "Young wizard, your illumination is brighter than it would be for most first year wizards. Your magic… it's very… advanced."

I gulped, did he know? Did he know that this wasn't my magic, but the Green Eyes' magic?

After successfully learning Alohomora, which was a charm we could use to unlock doors, Boris led me out of the room.

After being out of earshot, he turned to me and placed his hands on my shoulders.

"Where?"

"Huh?"

"I walked into that classroom to save you from potential humiliation. Humiliation because I thought you didn't have any powers. And what do I see? I walk in and you're levitating two feathers! Where did you get powers? You're a muggle, and last time I checked, your parents aren't wizards, so how… how do you have powers?"

"Oh, um," I muttered, scratching the back of my head nervously. "It's a long story."

"We have time, child," he demanded.

I then went off to explain to him the letter Eduardo sent me, and how the Green Eyes transferred their powers onto me. This led to questions as to where I had met the Green Eyes, and then I explained the entire trip to San Lorenzo, and how I wanted to find my parents.

"I knew that you were affiliated with the Green Eyed people, but I didn't know how you had met them," he stated, impressed. "The British and Spanish Ministries of Magic along with the Magical Congress of the United States of America have been looking for them and their civilization for centuries! Do you know where they are?"

I frowned, "I don't think they want anyone to know where they are."

"Yes yes, I suppose I understand," he mumbled, rubbing a hand on his beard. He then grinned and turned toward me, "That explains why your magic is so advanced. The Green Eyes must have given you ancient powers, your Charms class is going to be child's play!"

"Professor Boris, do you know why the Green Eyes want to remain so hidden? If there's a whole other world that contains wizards and witches, why wouldn't they want to be with their own kind?"

Boris sighed, "That story is a long one too Arnold."

"Please tell me," I pleaded.

"Very well. Many years ago, back when the New World was discovered, wizards and witches from Spain traveled to Central America for a new life, just like muggles did. There, they mixed with the natives, and the Green Eyes civilization was created," he began. "Unfortunately, back then, the Spanish Ministry of Magic was racist, and wanted to treat the Green Eyes as slaves rather than actual wizards and witches because of their skin color, so the Green Eyes hid away, never to be found again."

"That makes sense," I answered.

"That's why their relics are so sacred," Boris continued. "That's how they're able to hide so easily. They have magical powers that can prevent muggles [and even us wizards] from seeing where they're hiding. The Corazon's original intent was for protection, protection against the Spanish if there ever came the day that the Green Eyes would be attacked."

I marveled at this new information, suddenly the Green Eyes and their mysteriousness began making more sense.

"I still have no clue where the Corazon could be," I mumbled sadly. "Or my parents."

"Don't worry Arnold, with your new powers, I think finding the Corazon is going to be easier than you think."

Draco: I cannot believe you bloody fed me French food, and it was muggle French food

Me: *covers Arnold's ears* Hey! What did I say about cursing in front of Arnold?

Arnold: What's happening?

Draco: Thanks to your friend Chloe, I was literally harassed on our way back by some muggle oaf wearing a crown!

Me: That was Big Bob. And he was trying to sell you beepers

Arnold: Yeah, he's getting desperate

Draco: I hate it here. I'm going home. My father will hear about this!

Me: Pfft, good luck getting home, I hid your wand and you don't know how to buy plane tickets

Draco: You no good, scheming, evil little— [CENSORED LANGUAGE]

Me: *covers Arnold's ears again*

Arnold: *sighs*