Chapter 8- A Very Scary Piece Of Mail And One Bigheaded Teacher
While Kirsty slept in her dormitory the following day; Harry Potter was having a word with his fellow Griffindors down in the common room.
"You all heard what happened to that first year, Kirsty, last night, didn't you?" The Gryffindors all nodded, silently, "well we can't let that happen again, I do not want her left on her own. Or if she is I want her in a friend's line of sight. Malfoy is in the year above her and she cannot defend herself against him."
He paused.
"I agree with Harry," said Fred.
"Same here," said his twin, George.
Eventually all the Gryffindors had agreed to help. Some had even promised to get their friends in Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff to help to.
Harry smiled and looked relieved, "just don't let her know what you're up to."
Kirsty awoke to find a cool breeze blowing on her face. She paused for a moment to wonder where she was, then she remembered, Hogwarts. Then she remembered about last night and Malfoy, last night and her conversation with Dumbledore. She got out of bed shaking a little. Then slipped on her robes.
'My hands are so cold' she thought. She stuck her hands in her pockets, 'hang on, what's this?'
She could feel something rectangular in her pocket. She gently pulled it out to find, a book, 'I'll look at it later,' she thought, placing it in her trunk. Then she checked herself in the mirror, staring at the place where the boys had given her that bruise. Thanks to Madame Pomfrey, who had applied some cream to it the previous evening after her conversation with the Headmaster, it was completely gone.
After quickly pulling on her trainers, she wondered back down to the common room.
"Morning Kirsty," said Harry.
"Hi Harry," said Kirsty, sleepily.
"Want to go down to breakfast with Ron, Hermione and me?" he asked
Kirsty nodded, thankful he was not talking about what had happened the night before.
Harry offered her his arm, which Kirsty accepted, and all four of them made their way to the great hall.
As Kirsty entered the great hall she looked up to see that the ceiling looked bright, a few clouds could be seen, but it was a very clear day. She sat by Harry at the Gryffindor table. She looked around her, she had never seen so much food at one time before. She carefully placed a pancake on her plate, then poured on some golden syrup.
"Good morning Miss Broom," greeted a voice.
Kirsty spun around in her seat.
"You alright?" asked Professor McGonagall gently.
Kirsty nodded.
"Good, here's your timetable. Have a good day."
"Thank you Professor."
Kirsty took the timetable eagerly and looked at the lessons she was to have that day while Harry, Ron and Hermione received theirs.
"Today shouldn't be too bad," said Hermione, "double Herbology, Transfiguration and then double defence against the dark arts! Gilderoy Lockheart should be an amazing teacher, he looks so good. What have you got Kirsty?"
"Me? Oh, um, Defence Against The Dark Arts, Transfiguration, Charms, then Herbology and then a free lesson, then at midnight I have Astrology," answered Kirsty.
"You are so lucky!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Why?" asked Harry, Ron and Kirsty in unison.
"Isn't it obvious?" Hermione paused, "obviously not, well she gets to have a lesson with Professor Lockhart before we do!"
"When I met him in Diagon Alley, I just found him a bit annoying, to be honest," said Kirsty, "he seemed a bit full of himself, what did you think Harry?"
"Yer I agree, he was a bit, wasn't he."
"You've met him! I mean talked to him and everything?" asked a girl to Hermione's left.
"Yes, we were on the front cover of the Daily Prophet with him yesterday morning," Kirsty replied.
"What do you mean by we?" asked the girl.
"Harry and I."
"Really? That is so cool! I will have to get my mother to send me a clipping of it, she works there, you know. The editor," said the girl, very fast, " I'm Sophie by the way, I'm in your year."
"Really? I'm Kirsty."
There was a long awkward pause before everyone started eating their breakfast.
"Post's due any minute - I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot," said a round headed boy.
Kirsty smiled, excited about the prospect of possibly hearing from her parents.
Sure enough, a few minutes later, there was a huge flutter of wings as a colony of owls flew into the Great Hall. Kirsty waited until she saw her own owl, 'Dawn.' Dawn flew down to her and dropped a letter in her lap, along with a package.
She was just about to open them both when a loud shouting filled the hall.
"I CAN'T BELIVE THAT YOU STOLE THAT CAR! I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELED YOU. YOU WAIT UNTIL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK WHAT YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW IT GONE!
"I HAD A LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE WITH SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS! YOU AND HARRY COULD BOTH HAVE DIED!"
Kirsty sat, shaking in her seat, where was that voice coming from?
"WE ARE ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED, YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME."
Silence fell on the hall. If someone had happened to have dropped a pin it would have echoed around the walls. Suddenly, Kirsty looked towards the source of a ripping noise. She saw a red envelope tearing itself to pieces. She looked to Ron, he sat stunned in his seat.
"What was that?" asked Kirsty as the talking of voices started again.
"A Howler, it was from Ron's mum," said Hermione, then seeing the look on Kirsty's face she continued, "A Howler is usually used to tell someone off when you can't do it yourself, well you've just seen a prime example. I must say Harry and Ron deserve that after last night!"
"What happened last night?" questioned Kirsty.
"We kind of flew a car to Hogwarts," explained Ron, looking guiltily at what remained of the letter.
"Wow!" exclaimed Kirsty, thoroughly excited by the idea, "did anyone see?"
"Yer, it was on the front of the Daily Prophet, seen by muggles," said Hermione disapprovingly.
"But the entrance to get onto the platform was blocked, sealed, we couldn't get through, we didn't see any other way," muttered Harry.
'I wonder why it was sealed?' thought Kirsty before she looked down again at her package and letter.
She tore open the letter first which read:
Dear Kirsty,
We just thought we'd write to check you were ok, we got a letter last night from Dumbledore. Write back soon, we're really worried about you. Did they make sure you were alright?
How was the sorting ceremony? Did you get into that house you wanted to?
We hope that you are having fun and that you enjoy the cakes in the package (they are from your Nan, I think there is a bit of money in there as well)
Love you lots
Mum and dad
XXXXXXX
Kirsty stuffed the parchment back into her pocket, she would reply later. Then she turned to the package.
She ripped off the brown paper. Then she opened up the lid of a metal biscuit tin to find a few chocolate cakes and a box of Turkish delight. She also found a wallet with a £5 note in.
'Mum hasn't told anyone about me being a witch then,' she thought.
"Kirsty, do you want to come with me now to get our books and then come with me to lessons?" asked Sophie.
"Yes, sure," replied Kirsty, "see you later guys!"
She waved to Harry, Ron and Hermione as she and Sophie made their way out of the hall.
Half an hour later Kirsty found herself sitting at the front of her Defence Against The Dark Arts class. If Kirsty had gotten her way, well they would be sitting at the back.
"Hello boys and girls! I would like to welcome you to your first Defence Against The Dark Arts class. I would also like you to give your new teacher a round of applause. Yes students; I am your teacher this year!" exclaimed Gilderoy.
Most of the girls, minus Kirsty, clapped enthusiastically. However, the boys, plus Kirsty, clapped with as little effort as possible, quickly stopping.
"First, I would like to hand you out little quiz, just to make sure you have all read your text books over the summer," most of the class groaned, "don't worry! It will be fun."
Professor Lockheart handed out the quiz, one to each person. As her teacher placed one on her desk, Kirsty received a small wink. She smiled back, but not for long; she gave a disgusted face as soon as his back was turned.
Then she stared down at her question paper and started writing…
1. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favourite colour?
Kirsty thought for a moment…. Colour? Umm… Lilac!
2. What is Gilderoy Lockhart's secret ambition?
'Something heroic….umm.' she scribbled down, after crossing out 'secret,' to rid the world of evil. 'I swear I remember laughing at on as well.' To market his own range of hair products.
The questions went on and on. Right to number 54! She left a few blank. 'I mean,' she thought, 'how the hell am I meant to know every word in 'Year With A Yeti'?'
Eventually he collected up the papers, scanning each one as he did so. When he eventually got up to the front again he called out, "I would like to congratulate Miss Broom in getting the highest mark in the class, 80! Everybody clap her," there was a small scatter of applause, "now, now, quite down, we don't want her to get big headed! Now come to the front and collect your prize Miss Broom!"
Kirsty slipped out of her seat and walked, carefully to where her teacher was standing. He passed her a wand holder and a photo.
"The photo is a signed one of me, the holder is the one I was wearing while getting rid of the vampire in Tibet!" he told the class.
"Thanks," said Kirsty, dully.
"Anytime! Class dismissed!" he exclaimed happily, "Kirsty could you wait behind a minute?"
"Yes, Sir."
Kirsty slowly approached her teacher with her book bag on her shoulder.
"Now Kirsty," he began, "I heard about last night, if there is anything I can do to help…"
Kirsty shuddered, "no, thanks for offering, but no, I want to deal with it on my own."
Lockhart looked slightly disappointed before saying, "Well if you change you mind…"
Kirsty smiled then slipped out of the room.