Chapter 8: First Day Part 2

Sarah

Hermione and I led the way to the History of Magic classroom, which had tiered desks in a lecture hall style. It appeared able to house about twenty or so students, but so far only the Griffindors had appeared in the class. I guessed that History wasn't a double class. I checked over my wand wood notes and exchanged with Hermione for peak information to draw from for my essay. A fresh sheet of parchment was ready for when the professor arrived.

The bells rang, and I put away my Herbology notes and dipped my pheasant-feather quill into the inkpot. The seconds ticked by for a moment and I used the time to write "History, Week 1, Class 1" at the top of the page.

A ghost swung through the back wall of the classroom and perched itself at the professor's podium. He adjusted the bow tie at his neck and started to speak.

"My name is Professor Binns. We will begin our study of wizarding history in the tenth century BC." His tone was so long and drawling, so utterly monotonous that I altogether wanted to stop listening and just go to sleep. I opted instead to take precise notes in hopes that I would be able to pass the class.

"In the tenth century BC, wizards and Muggles lived side-by-side in perfect harmony. There was no reason to separate the two. Notable citizens and politicians were, in fact, wizards, and well-accepted by the Muggle population. Wizards were held in very high esteem. In Egypt, we placed spells on the pyramids to prevent grave robbers from getting to the pharaohs."

He continued, on and on and on, until even I was bored silly from hearing his voice. I almost gave up taking notes, because he just seemed to skip everywhere. I would have to rewrite my notes in a more organized way later. It was a good thing I'd read the book already!

When the class let out, he intoned an assignment. "A half-foot essay on one of the notable wizards in the tenth century BC. Dismissed." And he floated off back through the wall as if he hadn't ever been there.

Hermione screwed the top on her inkpot and I dried my quill on a bit of tissue I'd brought with me. I would have to clean it properly later. I glanced around at the rest of the room and nearly laughed. Everyone except for Kurama, Hermione, and myself were asleep. I shook Kaz, Harry, and Ron, while Kurama dealt with the other boys and Hermione got Parvati and Lavender.

"I don't think I've ever seen a more boring teacher," Hermione said. "I could barely keep my quill up!"

"Me, either," I said. "I hope Charms is better, you know? That's where we're going to learn the most of our magic!"

"That and Transfiguration," Hermione agreed.

We headed down the stairs again, passing a portrait of a young woman who looked uncannily like me. The same greenish blue eyes, the same round face, but this girl had black hair, not brown. It was lit with scarlet highlights from the setting sun not pictured in the background. She was dancing gaily, throwing flowers into the air as storms approached on the horizon, and lightning flashed amidst the red. I paused to look at the painting, pulling Hermione with me.

"Who d'you suppose that is?" I asked.

"Circe's daughter Celine," Hermione said, pointing to the plaque below the gold-trimmed painting. "It says here she was very powerful in an obscure branch of magic that accumulates only while the user is asleep."

I nodded, thoughtful. "I wonder how it worked…we could read up on it. Sounds interesting."
"Yeah, it does," Hermione said. "Let's check out the library after Charms."

I grinned and we continued on our way down to the Great Hall for lunch.

Fred and George joined us at the table as we sat down. "First Binns class?"

Hermione and I nodded.

"Bummer."

"They've been talking for years about getting a live one—"

"But they haven't found anyone who knows enough—"

"To teach it."

Hermione smiled briefly, but I just shook my head. "Well, one day they will. Till then, I guess Hogwarts will have to deal with a ghost teaching it."

Hermione and I finished our lunch and were pleasantly surprised when Harry and Ron rose to follow us. I turned around when we got into the Entrance Hall to talk to them.

"You guys following us for a reason?"

"Well…uh…" Ron stammered, his ears turning scarlet.

"You know where the classes are," Harry said. "We haven't a clue."

I chuckled. "Okay, I was just messing." I climbed the marble steps to the first floor and headed for another set of steps. "By the way, it's on the third floor, in the Charms corridor. There's a plaque outside of the door to the corridor saying what it is."

"Isn't the third floor where that out-of-bounds corridor is?" Ron asked as we climbed up this set of stairs to the second floor. One of the steps vanished, but since Hermione remembered it, no one got stuck.

"Yeah, but it's at the other end," I said casually. Hermione glared at me. "What? Nearly Headless Nick told me when I asked."

Actually, it was one of the Weasley twins, but I wasn't going to say that.

We peaked at the third floor and led the way down to the other end, where a silver door you had to tickle under the knob swung open to reveal classrooms. A short little wizard, shorter than any of us, waddled out of a door across the hall from the Charms classroom, and smiled broadly at the four of us.

"Oh, early students, hello," he waved excitedly. "Come in, come in, I was just about to set up my books, a little challenged for the height to see you firsties in the eye, you know."

He smiled and held his hand at his height level, laughing at himself. He held open the door while we filed in, and began waving his short, stubby wand about the room. Several large books flew from a corner and into a sort of staired piled at the center in front of a short desk. The classroom's benches were wide, and split on either side. Several objects and trunks lay about the room, and I was sure they were items we were going to be using during our lessons.

The little man took a pair of glasses out of his pocket and began to put them on as he spoke. "I'm Professor Flitwick, but I'm sure you already—Harry Potter!"

He dropped his glasses in shock. Harry smiled nervously as he handed the glasses back to him. "Yes, that's me."

"I'm sorry, dear boy, it's just that I wasn't entirely expecting you before class." He chortled softly to himself. "Your father was always sliding in my door just as the starting bell rang. Your mother, on the other hand, was always here in her seat. She helped me set up for many of my lessons while she was here."

Harry smiled broadly. "Really?"

Flitwick nodded. I smiled and put a hand on his shoulder. I couldn't imagine never having really met or remembered anything about my parents. It was a horrible thought. I'd almost lost my mother several times—her blood was highly susceptible to disease. She'd died on the table several times.

The other Griffindors began filing into the Charms classroom, and soon we were all there. Eleven students only learning in the large classroom. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Kurama, Kaz, and I sat against one side, and Lavender, Neville, Parvati, Seamus and Dean against the other. Professor Flitwick went through the short list of eleven students, then set down his list with a smile.

"Charms is a rudimentary course, full of most of the spells that you will be needing for your life as a witch or wizard. Most students find that if they do well in this class, they do well in life—and vice versa. Now then, let's see what I can show you today…ah, Mr. Longbottom, Mr. Weasley, may I borrow your toad and rat?"

Trevor and Scabbers were set on the table in front of the two boys. With a flick of his wand and a spell—Wingardium Leviosa—the critters flew up into the air and floated about the room. Scabbers squeaked plaintively, and Professor Flitwick quickly set the rat back down on Ron's table. Scabbers, however, had other plans, and raced out from under Ron's hands and squeezed under the door.

"I apologize, Mr. Weasley, I—"

"It's okay," Ron said. "He'll come back when he's hungry." He smiled disarmingly at the professor, who nodded. Trevor came down into Neville's arms.

Professor Flitwick cast a Cheering Charm on Ron, and then a Freezing Charm on me. For a moment, I sat frozen where I sat, unable to move and well, freezing. He cast the countercharm, and then transfigured a book from his pile into a very warm, fluffy jacket that I put on gratefully.

"For the next few weeks, we will be looking at how to hold your wand properly and safely, and practicing wand movements. Wands out, please, so that we can begin."

He started on the other side of the room with Neville, whom he coaxed into holding out a very pale-wooded wand with the right hand. Flitwick fixed his fingers around it and smiled brightly at the boy.

He continued down their line, and then down ours in much the same manner. At last it was my turn, and Flitwick studied the way I was holding my wand for a moment before moving my thumb a little bit.

"There now, you feel how much sturdier a grip you have?" He asked. I nodded, blushing as he turned back to the rest of the class. Only Hermione beside me hadn't needed him to fix her grip on the wand, much to the embarrassment of some of us.

Class concluded with him still going over the basic movements of the wand during most charms. He halted us from leaving, giving us an essay on the importance of holding the wand and waving it in the correct way.

Our fourth period was free, so we were actually done for the day. I sighed as Hermione and I packed up our books and parchment. We had three essays already, two of which were due tomorrow. As I was about to open the door, Percy Weasley flung it open in a panicked daze.

"Professor, you're needed, the rest of you follow me, don't ask questions!"

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Yaaaay our first sign of trouble! I love trouble!