Chapter 10: First Week at Hogwarts for Mia and Ginny
Author's note- I took some parts from the first book and the second book.
One week till IDF.
The end of the summer vacation came too quickly for Harry's liking. He was looking forward to getting back to Hogwarts, but his month at the Burrow had been the happiest and the funniest of his life.
On their last evening, Mrs. Weasley conjured up a sumptuous dinner that included all of Harry's favorite things, ending with a mouthwatering treacle pudding. Fred and George rounded off the evening with a display of Filibuster fireworks; they fiIled the kitchen with red and blue stars that bounced from ceiling to wall for at least half an hour. Then it was time for a last mug of hot chocolate and bed.
It took a long while to get started next morning. They were up at dawn, but somehow they still seemed to have a great deal to do. Mrs. Weasley dashed about in a bad mood looking for spare socks and quills; people kept colliding on the stairs, half-dressed with bits of toast in their hands; and Mr. Weasley nearly broke his neck, tripping over a stray chicken as he crossed the yard carrying Ginny's trunk to the car and then Mia's.
Harry couldn't see how nine people, seven large trunks, two owls, and a rat were going to fit into one small Ford Anglia.
"Mr. Weasley, I know that when my family go to vacation usually we are six people and don't have so much things to take so we usually fit in without any problem. But how we all I mean all 9 with all the stuff will get into the car?" Harry asked him and then he saw that Mr. Weasley was using his wand.
"Not a word to Molly," he whispered to Harry as he opened the trunk and showed him how it had been magically expanded so that the luggage fitted easily. Mr. Weasley started up the engine and they trundled out of the yard, Harry turning back for a last look at the house. He barely had time to wonder when he'd see it again when they were back George had forgotten his box of Filibuster fireworks. Five minutes after that, they skidded to a halt in the yard so that Fred could run in for his broomstick.
They reached King's Cross at a quarter to eleven. Mr. Weasley dashed across the road to get trolleys for their trunks and they all hurried into the station. Harry had caught the Hogwarts Express the previous year. The tricky part was getting onto platform nine and three-quarters, which wasn't visible to the Muggle eye. What you had to do was walk through the solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. It didn't hurt, but it had to be done carefully so that none of the Muggles noticed you vanishing.
"Percy first," said Mrs. Weasley, looking nervously at the clock overhead, which showed they had only five minutes to disappear casually through the barrier. Percy strode briskly forward and vanished. Mr. Weasley went next; Fred and George followed.
"I'll take Ginny with Mia and you two come right after us," Mrs. Weasley told Harry and Ron, grabbing Ginny's right hand and Mia's left hand and setting off. In the blink of an eye they were gone. "Let's go together" Ron said to Harry.
Harry made sure that Hedwig's cage was safely wedged on top of his trunk and wheeled his trolley around to face the barrier. On the next second they saw the train and rushed to it.
"Harry, Ron let me help you" Mr. Weasley just said it and took up each trail to the train than Mrs. Weasley said "Mia and Ginny took your sandwiches". With this words Harry just hugged her and thanked her and went inside the train and try to find his sister with Ginny and Hermione as well, Ron was behind Harry.
Soon enough they found them and started to chat with Hermione and tell her what Harry and Mia did in the Burrow. About half way of the journey thy changed their muggel cloths to wizard cloth, eat their sandwiches and sweets that they bought and just talk. Mia and Ginny were excited and little worry.
"Sis, relax, everything will be alright." Harry hugged his sister that was in a little fair and then added "You gotta be kidding me Mia, you really worried about the hat… and to fly on my broom you not afraid at all. And Ginny you said right to Malfoy stop bothering me and you too was braved and act like pride lion. So you two just excited that's all, you will be in Gryffindor. I defiantly tell you that with 100% sure. So stop worry, eat chocolate. Here" and he gave some chocolate to the two nerves girls.
The girls calmed down after they ate chocolate and was told about all the fairs that caught the 'trio' before they all got to be in Gryffindor.
"Thank you so much Harry, now I am only looking forward to see this castle already, even that I was last year I only saw the Quiddich stadium, and now I will see it in the full size and live there. Thank you so much big brother" Mia gave a kiss to her brother and smiled.
After some time a voice echoed through the train: "We will be reaching Hogwarts in five minutes' time. Please leave your luggage on the train, it will be taken to the school separately." The train slowed right down and finally stopped. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a tiny, dark platform. "See you soon girls" Hermione tell Mia and Ginny and left with the others to the Carriages. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students, and it was a familiar voice: "Firs' years! Firs' years over here! All right there, Mia and Ginny?"
Hagrid's big hairy face beamed over the sea of heads.
"C'mon, follow me - any more firs' years? Mind yer step, now! Firs' years follow me!" Slipping and stumbling, they followed Hagrid down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Harry thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much.
"Ye' all get yer firs' sight o' Hogwarts in a sec," Hagrid called over his shoulder, "jus' round this bend here." There was a loud "Oooooh!"
The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky, was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.
"No more'n four to a boat!" Hagrid called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Ginny and Mia sat together with more two boys.
"Everyone in?" shouted Hagrid, who had a boat to himself. "Right then - FORWARD!" And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the great castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood.
"Heads down!" yelled Hagrid as the first boats reached the cliff; they all bent their heads and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle, until they reached a kind of underground harbor, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles.
Then they clambered up a passageway in the rock after Hagrid's lamp, coming out at last onto smooth, damp grass right in the shadow of the castle. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door. Hagrid raised a gigantic fist and knocked three times on the castle door. The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face. Mia and Ginny knew who she is and just wait. "The firs' years, Professor McGonagall," said Hagrid.
"Thank you, Hagrid. I will take them from here." She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors.
They followed Professor McGonagall across the flagged stone floor. Mia could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right -the rest of the school must already be here - but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing rather closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously.
"Welcome to Hogwarts," said Professor McGonagall. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your house will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your house, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your house common room.
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each house has its own noble history and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rulebreaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honor. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."
Her eyes lingered for a moment on the boy who stand near Ginny cloak, which was fastened under his left ear.
"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."
She left the chamber. Mia swallowed. "I can't wait to see what the hat will said to me do you think I will be in Gryffindor?" she asked Ginny.
"I hope that we both will be there, let's wait and see." Ginny said it with relief. They looked around anxiously and saw that everyone else looked terrified, too because they don't know what is waiting for them. Only Mia and Ginny knew. Any second now, Professor McGonagall would come back and lead him to his doom.
Then something happened that made him jump about a foot in the air - several people behind her screamed. "What the -?" Ginny gasped. So did the people around him. About twenty ghosts had just streamed through the back wall. Pearly-white and slightly transparent, they glided across the room talking to one another and hardly glancing at the first years. They seemed to be arguing. What looked like a fat little monk was saying: "Forgive and forget, I say, we ought to give him a second chance -"
"My dear Friar, haven't we given Peeves all the chances he deserves? He gives us all a bad name and you know, he's not really even a ghost - I say, what are you all doing here?" A ghost wearing a ruff and tights had suddenly noticed the first years. Nobody answered.
"New students!" said the Fat Friar, smiling around at them. "About to be Sorted, I suppose?"
A few people nodded mutely. "Hope to see you in Hufflepuff!" said the Friar. "My old house, you know."
"Move along now," said a sharp voice. "The Sorting Ceremony's about to start."
Professor McGonagall had returned. One by one, the ghosts floated away through the opposite wall.
"Now, form a line," Professor McGonagall told the first years, "and follow me."
Mia got into line behind a boy with sandy hair, with Ginny behind her, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Ginny had never even imagined such a strange and splendid place. But he saw it already in the book and this one is really and more bigger than in the book. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting.
Professor McGonagall led the first years up here, so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Mia looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. And then she started to look for her brother's eyes. When she found his eyes she claimed down. Ginny and Mia took hands as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the stool she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth - and the hat began to sing:
"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's nothing hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry Set Gryffindors apart;
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffis are true And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
if you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and learning,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!"
The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again.
Professor McGonagall now stepped forward holding a long roll of parchment.
"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. After some names it was Mia's torn. Mia walked towards the chair. Next second she was looking at the black inside of the hat. She waited. "
Hmm," said a small voice in his ear. "Another Potter. I see plenty of courage. Not a bad mind either. There's talent, A my goodness, yes - and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting... So where shall I put you?" Well, the better house for you is next to your brother so it shell be GRYFFINDOR!"
Mia heard the hat shout the last word to the whole hall. She took off the hat and walked toward the Gryffindor table. She immediately sat next to Harry who was hugging her and smiling to her, he was very glad that his sister is with him. She was getting the loudest cheer yet. The Weasley twins and Ron yelled, "We got one more Potter! We got one more Potter!" Mia was sitting opposite the ghost in the ruff he'd seen earlier. The ghost patted her arm, and then said "Nice to meet you Mia. Welcome to Gryffindor".
She could see the High Table properly now. At the end nearest her sat Hagrid, who caught her eye and gave her the thumbs up. Mia grinned back. And there, in the center of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. Mia spotted Lockhart. He was looking very handsome in a golden cloak. And now there were only two people left to be sorted. One of them was Ginny.
"Blanck, Lisa," became a Ravenclaw and then it was Ginny's turn. She was pale green by now. Mia and Harry crossed their fingers under the table and a second later the hat had shouted, "GRYFFINDOR!" They both clapped loudly with the rest as Ginny collapsed into the chair next to Mia.
"Well done, Ginny, excellent," said Percy who was sitting across to Harry. Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide, as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.
"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. And here they are: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak! "Thank you!" He sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. A moment later the big plates were full with all the good food that could be. It was icluded: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs.
Harry and Mia as well piled his plate with a bit of everything except the peppermints and began to eat. It was all delicious.
"You must be our ghost, I mean Resident ghost of Gryffindor Tower. Am I right?" Mia asked the ghost "Yes young lady, I am. I am Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington, to your service."
"I know who you are!" said Ginny suddenly. "My brothers told me about you - you're Nearly Headless Nick!"
"I would prefer you to call me Sir Nicholas de Mimsy -" the ghost began stiffly, but sandy-haired the boy with the camera interrupted.
"Nearly Headless? How can you be nearly headless?" Mia asked him. Sir Nicholas looked extremely miffed, as if their little chat wasn't going at all the way he wanted.
"Like this," he said irritably. He seized his left ear and pulled. His whole head swung off his neck and fell onto his shoulder as if it was on a hinge. Someone had obviously tried to behead him, but not done it properly. Looking pleased at the stunned looks on their faces, Nearly Headless Nick flipped his head back onto his neck, coughed, and said, "So - new Gryffindors! I hope you're going to help us win the house championship this year like last year? Gryffindors have never gone so long without winning. Slytherins have got the cup six years in a row! The Bloody Baron's becoming almost unbearable - he's the Slytherin ghost. Last year winning was the first, by a help from Harry and his friends."
Ginny looked over at the Slytherin table and saw a horrible ghost sitting there, with blank staring eyes, a gaunt face, and robes stained with silver blood. He was right next to Malfoy who, she and Mia were pleased to see, didn't look too pleased with the seating arrangements.
"How did he get covered in blood?" asked Mia with great interest.
"I've never asked, and I never will" said Nearly Headless Nick delicately.
When everyone had eaten as much as they could, the remains of the food faded from the plates, leaving them sparkling clean as before. A moment later the desserts appeared. Blocks of ice cream in every flavor you could think of, apple pies, treacle tarts, chocolate eclairs and jam doughnuts, trifle, strawberries, Jell-O, rice pudding - "
As Harry helped himself to a treacle tart, the talk turned to their families again.
"I'm half-and-half," said Seamus who have a great interest to leave very good first impression on Mia and Ginny. "Me dad's a Muggle. Mom didn't tell him she was a witch 'til after they were married. Bit of a nasty shock for him." The others laughed.
On Harry's other side, Percy Weasley and Hermione were talking about lessons as usual. Harry, who was starting to feel warm and sleepy, looked up at the High Table again. Hagrid was drinking deeply from his goblet. Professor McGonagall was talking to Professor Dumbledore. Lockhart, was talking to Professor Sprout and next to them was Proffesor Severus Snape, the protector of the Potters.
"Ok so unfortunately Professor Lockhart will teach us Defense Against the Dark Arts, so I will need another teacher who can really teach me the right things, Hermione could you? And Harry I will need your help as well." Mia said it with a smile on her face.
"Why you said unfortunately, Mia?" Hermione looked at her puzzled.
"Well Hermione, I think as well as my mother that Lockhart can't teach us something. The only thing who is he carry about is his teeth and himself" She looked at her brother to support and he just said "Mia don't worry I will teach you everything that you need to know and Ginny you too"
"No Harry, I will look forwad Lockhart's lessons and if they will be bad as Mia said I will look for your lessons or Hermione" Ginny gave them both a smile and went back to eat her dessert.
At last, the desserts too disappeared, and Professor Dumbledore got to his feet again. The hall fell silent.
"Ahern - just a few more words now that we are all fed and watered. I have a few start-of-term notices to give you.
"First years should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. And a few of our older students would do well to remember that as well." Dumbledore's twinkling eyes flashed in the direction of the Weasley twins.
"I have also been asked by Mr. Filch, the caretaker, to remind you all that no magic should be used between classes in the corridors.
"Quidditch trials will be held in the second week of the term. Anyone interested in playing for their house teams should contact Madam Hooch.
"And finally, I must tell you that this year, as the last year you must to watch you, yourself and your close friends, this including to everyone who does not wish to die a very painful death." With this he glared at Harry.
"He's not serious?" Mia muttered to Harry.
"Must be," said Harry, believe me if he say that you must to be careful so you will" frowning at Dumbledore.
"And now, before we go to bed, let us sing the school song!" cried Dumbledore. Harry noticed that the other teachers' smiles had become rather fixed.
Dumbledore gave his wand a little flick, as if he was trying to get a fly off the end, and a long golden ribbon flew out of it, which rose high above the tables and twisted itself, snakelike, into words. "Everyone pick their favorite tune," said Dumbledore, "and off we go!" And the school bellowed, Mia and Ginny knew what song it is and joined to Harry, Ron and the others:
"Hogwarts, Hogwarts, Hoggy Warty Hogwarts,
Teach us something please,
Whether we be old and bald
Or young with scabby knees,
Our heads could do with filling
With some interesting stuff,
For now they're bare and full of air,
Dead flies and bits of fluff,
So teach us things worth knowing,
Bring back what we've forgot,
just do your best, we'll do the rest,
And learn until our brains all rot.
Everybody finished the song at different times. At last, only the Weasley twins (as usual) were left singing along to a very slow funeral march. Dumbledore conducted their last few lines with his wand and when they had finished, he was one of those who clapped loudest.
"Ah, music," he said, wiping his eyes. "A magic beyond all we do here! And now, bedtime. Off you trot!"
The Gryffindor first years followed Percy through the chattering crowds, out of the Great Hall, and up the marble staircase. Mia's legs were like lead again, but only because she was so tired and full of food. She was too sleepy even to notice that the people in the portraits along the corridors whispered and pointed as they passed, or that twice Percy led them through doorways hidden behind sliding panels and hanging tapestries. They climbed more staircases, yawning and dragging their feet, and Mia was just wondering how much farther they had to go when they came to a sudden halt.
A bundle of walking sticks was floating in midair ahead of them, and as Percy took a step toward them they started throwing themselves at him.
"Peeves," Percy whispered to the first years. "A poltergeist." He raised his voice, "Peeves - show yourself" A loud, rude sound, like the air being let out of a balloon, answered.
"Do you want me to go to the Bloody Baron?" There was a pop, and a little man with wicked, dark eyes and a wide mouth appeared, floating cross- legged in the air, clutching the walking sticks.
"Oooooooh!" he said, with an evil cackle. "Ickle Firsties! What fun!" He swooped suddenly at them. They all ducked.
"Go away, Peeves, or the Baron'll hear about this, I mean it!" barked Percy. Peeves stuck out his tongue and vanished, dropping the walking sticks on Neville's head. They heard him zooming away, rattling coats of armor as he passed.
"You want to watch out for Peeves," said Percy, as they set off again. "The Bloody Baron's the only one who can control him, he won't even listen to us prefects. Here we are."
At the very end of the corridor hung a portrait of a very fat woman in a pink silk dress.
"Password?" she said. "Wattlebird," said Percy, and the portrait swung forward to reveal a round hole in the wall. They all scrambled through it and found themselves in the Gryffindor common room, a cozy, round room full of squashy armchairs.
Percy directed the girls through one door to their dormitory and the boys through another. At the top of a spiral staircase - they were obviously in one of the towers - they found their beds at last: five four-posters hung with deep red, velvet curtains. Their trunks had already been brought up. Too tired to talk much, they pulled on their pajamas and fell into bed.
"Great food, isn't it?" Ginny muttered to Mia through the hangings.
"Yea, absolutely. But I miss my mom's food" Mia said to a sleepy girl. She decided that tomorrow she will write a letter home and tell everyone that she is in Gryffindor with Ginny and everything is fine.
The First lessons:
The first breakfast at the Great Hall came. The four long house tables were laden with tureens of porridge, plates of kippers, mountains of toast, and dishes of eggs and bacon, beneath the enchanted ceiling (today, a dull, cloudy gray). Harry and Ron who was the last from the company who finally came and sat down at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione. They were greeted by Mia and Ginny. Hermione had her copy of Voyages with Vampires propped open against a milk jug. There was a slight stiffness in the way she said "Morning," which told Harry that she was still disapproving of the way he support Mia about Lockhart. Neville Longbottom, on the other hand, greeted them cheerfully. Neville was a round-faced and accident-prone boy with the worst memory of anyone Harry had ever met.
"Mail's due any minute - I think Gran's sending a few things I forgot."
Harry had only just started his porridge when, sure enough, there was a rushing sound overhead and a hundred or so owls streamed in, circling the hall and dropping letters and packages into the chattering crowd. A big, lumpy package bounced off Neville's head and, a second later, something large and gray fell into Hermione's jug, spraying them all with milk and feathers.
"Enrol!" said Ron, pulling the bedraggled owl out by the feet. Errol slumped, unconscious, onto the table, his legs in the air and a red envelope in his beak.
"Oh, no -" Ron gasped.
"It's all right, he's still alive," said Hermione, prodding Errol gently with the tip of her finger.
"It's not that - it's that." Ron was pointing at the red envelope. It looked quite ordinary to Harry, but Ron and Neville were both looking at it as though they expected it to explode.
"Have you done something bad Ron?" Neville asked him.
"What's the matter?" said Harry.
"She's - she's sent me a Howler," said Ron faintly.
"You'd better open it, Ron," said Neville in a timid whisper. "It'll be worse if you don't my gran sent me one once, and I ignored it and" - he gulped - "it was horrible." Harry looked from their petrified faces to the red envelope.
"What's a Howler? I never get one." he said. But Ron's whole attention was fixed on the letter, which had begun to smoke at the corners.
"Open it," Neville urged. "It'll all be over in a few minutes -"
Ron stretched out a shaking hand, eased the envelope from Errol's beak, and slit it open. Neville stuffed his fingers in his ears. A split second later, Harry knew why. He thought for a moment it had exploded; a roar of sound fiIled the huge hall, shaking dust from the ceiling.
"FORGOT THE WORKSHEETS AND THE BOOKS, MOST ALL OF YOUR STUFF LEFT HOME! WHAT DO YOU PUT IN YOUR TRAIL THAT YOU LEFT SUCH A LOT OF THINGS AT HOME? WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU RONALD?" Mrs. Weasleys yells, a hundred times louder than usual, made the plates and spoons rattle on the table, and echoed deafeningly off the stone walls. People throughout the hall were swiveling around to see who had received the Howler, and Ron sank so low in his chair that only his crimson forehead could be seen.
"- LETTER FROM DUMBLEDORE LAST NIGHT, I THOUGHT YOUR FATHER WOULD DIE OF SHAME, WE DIDN'T BRING YOU UP TO BEHAVE LIKE THIS, IT IS REALLY STRANGE AND NOW WE WILL USE MANY OF OWLS TO SEND YOUR STUFF TO HOGWARTS. IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME. OH and Ginny dear we are glad and proud about that you are in Gryffindor and Mia welcome too." Mia and Ginny both became pink and red. Well Mia pink and Ginny red, while the envelope was talking Ginny became pink and then red. Mia noticed it but decided to ask her later. She think that Ginny knows about what had happen at the Burrow and just hide it.
A ringing silence fell. The red envelope, which had dropped from Ron's hand, burst into flames and curled into ashes. Ron sat stunned, as though a tidal wave had just passed over him. A few people laughed and, gradually, a babble of talk broke out again.
Hermione closed Voyages with Vampires and looked down at the top of Ron's head.
"Well, I don't know what you expected, Ron, but you -"
"Don't tell me I deserved it," snapped Ron. Harry pushed his porridge away. His insides were burning with guilt. Mr. Weasley and Mrs. Weasley will use a lot of owls include his owls at home. After all Mr. and Mrs. Weasley had done for him and for Mia over the summer ...
But he had no time to dwell on this; Professor McGonagall was moving along the Gryffindor table, handing out course schedules. Harry took his and saw that they had double Herbology with the Hufepuffs first.
While Mia and Ginny had their double History of Magic with Hufepuffs as well. Before they left Mia and Hermione make a deal: who will award more points for the house over the first week will get 5 galleons. Harry and Ron laughed at this because they both knew that Hermione will bit her but Harry knew inside him that his sister can surprise Hermione and win the deal. After it Harry, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together, crossed the vegetable patch, and made for the greenhouses, where the magical plants were kept. At least the Howler had done one good thing: Hermione seemed to think they had now been punished enough and was being perfectly friendly again.
The Herbology Class:
As they neared the greenhouses they saw the rest of the class standing outside, waiting for Professor Sprout. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had only just joined them when she came striding into view across the lawn, accompanied by Gilderoy Lockhart. Professor Sprout's arms were full of bandages, and with another twinge of guilt, Harry spotted the Whomping Willow in the distance, several of its branches now in slings.
Professor Sprout was a squat little witch who wore a patched hat over her flyaway hair; there was usually a large amount of earth on her clothes and her fingernails would have made Mrs. Potter faint. Gilderoy Lockhart, however, was immaculate in sweeping robes of turquoise, his golden hair shining under a perfectly positioned turquoise hat with gold trimming.
"Oh, hello there!" he called, beaming around at the assembled students. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels . . ."
"Greenhouse three today, chaps!" said Professor Sprout, who was looking distinctly disgruntled, not at all her usual cheerful self. There was a murmur of interest. They had only ever worked in greenhouse one before - greenhouse three housed far more interesting and dangerous plants. Professor Sprout took a large key from her belt and unlocked the door. Harry caught a whiff of damp earth and fertilizer mingling with the heavy perfume of some giant, umbrella- sized flowers dangling from the ceiling. After some minutes Lockhart left and the lesson begin.
Professor Sprout was standing behind a trestle bench in the cen ter of the greenhouse. About twenty pairs of different-colored ear muffs were lying on the bench. When Harry had taken his place between Ron and Hermione, she said, "We'll be repotting Man drakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Man drake?" To nobody's surprise, Hermione's hand was first into the air.
"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," said Hermione, sounding as usual as though she had swallowed the textbook. "It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."
"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout. "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?" Hermione's hand narrowly missed Harry's glasses as it shot up again.
"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it," she said promptly.
"Precisely. Take another ten points," said Professor Sprout. "Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."
She pointed to a row of deep trays as she spoke, and everyone shuffled forward for a better look. A hundred or so tufty little plants, purplish green in color, were growing there in rows. They looked quite unremarkable to Harry, who didn't have the slightest idea what Hermione meant by the "cry" of the Mandrake.
"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," said Professor Sprout. There was a scramble as everyone tried to seize a pair that wasn't pink and fluffy.
"When I tell you to put them on, make sure your ears are completely covered," said Professor Sprout. "When it is safe to remove them, I will give you the thumbs-up. Right - earmuffs on."
Harry snapped the earmuffs over his ears. They shut out sound completely. Professor Sprout put the pink, fluffy pair over her own ears, rolled up the sleeves of her robes, grasped one of the tufty plants firmly, and pulled hard. Harry let out a gasp of surprise that no one could hear. Instead of roots, a small, muddy, and extremely ugly baby popped out of the earth. The leaves were growing right out of his head. He had pale green, mottled skin, and was clearly bawling at the top of his lungs.
Professor Sprout took a large plant pot from under the table and plunged the Mandrake into it, burying him in dark, damp compost until only the tufted leaves were visible. Professor Sprout dusted off her hands, gave them all the thumbs-up, and removed her own earmuffs.
"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," she said calmly as though she'd just done nothing more exciting than water a begonia. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up.
"Four to a tray - there is a large supply of pots here - compost in the sacks over there - and be careful of the Venemous Tentacula, it's teething."
She gave a sharp slap to a spiky, dark red plant as she spoke, making it draw in the long feelers that had been inching sneakily over her shoulder. Harry, Ron, and Hermione were joined at their tray by a curly-haired Hufflepuff boy Harry knew by sight but had never spoken to.
"Justin Finch-Fletchley," he said brightly, shaking Harry by the hand. "Know who you are, of course, the famous Harry Potter... And you're Hermione Granger - always top in everything" (Hermione beamed as she had her hand shaken too) "- and Ron Weasley. Wasn't that your stuff problem?"
Ron didn't smile. The Howler was obviously still on his mind.
"That Lockhart's something, isn't he?" said Justin happily as they began fiIling their plant pots with dragon dung compost. "Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? Id have died of fear if Id been cornered in a telephone booth by a werewolf, but he stayed cool and - zap - just fantastic.
"My name was down for Eton, you know. I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, Mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family . . . ."
After that they didn't have much chance to talk. Their earmuffs were back on and they needed to concentrate on the Mandrakes. Professor Sprout had made it look extremely easy, but it wasn't. The Mandrakes didn't like coming out of the earth, but didn't seem to want to go back into it either. They squirmed, kicked, flailed their sharp little fists, and gnashed their teeth; Harry spent ten whole minutes trying to squash a particularly fat one into a pot.
By the end of the class, Harry, like everyone else, was sweaty, aching, and covered in earth. Everyone traipsed back to the castle for a quick wash and then the Gryffindors hurried off to Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall's classes were always hard work, but today was especially difficult. Everything Harry had learned last year seemed to have leaked out of his head during the summer. He was supposed to be turning a beetle into a button, and he did it but not such prefect. He still got 5 points. Harry was relieved to hear the lunch bell. His brain felt like a wrung sponge. And he wanted to hear from his sister how is going her first day and how many points she got already. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat together and just waited for Ginny and Mia.
Meanwhile in the History of Magic Class:
Easily the most boring class was History of Magic, which was the only one taught by a ghost. Professor Binns had been very old indeed when he had fallen asleep in front of the staff room fire and got up next morning to teach, leaving his body behind him. Binns droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates, and got Emetic the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up. But when he asked questions he always choose a person who could answer by looking in the name list. When he notice Mia's name he asked her something and when he got the right answer he gave her 20 points at once because her answer was right, full and well prepared for such a little time like 5 minutes.
Then, Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was a tiny little wizard who had to stand on a pile of books to see over his desk. At the start of their first class he took the roll call, and when he reached Mia's name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight, as was with Harry's name. He also asked her if she knew something and she said him yes and showed what she had known and got another 20 points as well.
On the lunch time when Ginny and Mia sat next to the trio, they was cover with a lot of questions and after Mia answered on most of them and told Harry how much points she got and how, Harry told her that he got 5 points too and on that he got a little snap on his neck and an angry glared from his sister that said "You had to practice, mom and dad had told you but you hadn't listen to them" After that the deal was still on. Until the launch it is 40 – 40 each one.
After the launch time Ginny and Mia had their Transfiguration lesson while the trio had Charm lesson. They Charmed all the things that they did last year. For that Hermione got 20 points, Harry got 15 points and Ron got 10 points. (60 – 40 to Hermione)
Professor McGonagall was again different. Mia had been quite right to think she wasn't a teacher to cross. Strict and clever, as Mia heard from her parents and Harry. Proffesor McGonagall gave them a talking-to the moment they sat down in her first class.
"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
"I can say that sometimes James Potter, your dad Mia will come here to teach you stuff like last year" Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. They were all very impressed and couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized they weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After taking a lot of complicated notes, they were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, both Mia and Ginny had made any difference to her match; Professor McGonagall showed the class how it had gone all silver and pointy and gave them a rare smile and 10 points each one. (60 – 50)
Also the boy with the camera was named Colin Creevey and he is first student as Mia and Ginny. He always tries to take a picture of both Harry and Mia to send it home for that his little brother will believe him that he had met Harry and Mia Potter in his school. At the end of the day Hermione and Mia decided to leave this little deal till rest of the week and to double the money. "So stay still." Ginny said and giggled and with her all the company started to laugh. "Wow Mia, I didn't notice that you are so smart" Harry said proudly and high fived his sister then he owl home his latter and on the next morning he got the answer from his mother:
'We all proud and glad that Mia is in Gryffindor as well and already feel good. Also it is nice to hear about all the points that you took for Gryffindor each of you for the first day. Good Job! We sent you some sweets for the rest of the week. Share with friends too. Thanks for telling us, remember to take yourself and your sister out of danger
much love
Mom'.
First Potion lesson for Mia and Ginny and First lesson of Defense Against the Dark Arts to the 'golden trio':
Friday was an important day for Mia and Ginny.
"What have we got today?" Mia asked Ginny as she poured sugar on her porridge.
"Double Potions with the Slytherins," said Ginny. "Snape's Head of Slytherin House. They say he always favors them - we'll be able to see if it's true."
"Yea but still last year Harry got some points from him isn't it Harry?"
"Yes, I got some but it depends."
"Wish McGonagall favored us" said Mia. Professor McGonagall was head of Gryffindor House, but it hadn't stopped her from giving them a huge pile of homework the day before.
Just then, the mail arrived. But it had given her a bit of a shock on the first morning, when about a hundred owls had suddenly streamed into the Great Hall during breakfast, circling the tables until they saw their owners, and dropping letters and packages onto their laps. After thiers mother's letter Hedwig didn't bring anything to Harry and Mia. She sometimes flew in to nibble Harry's ear and have a bit of toast before going off to sleep in the owlery with the other school owls, as usual. This morning, however, she fluttered down between the marmalade and the sugar bowl and dropped a note onto Harry's plate. Harry tore it open at once. It said, in a very untidy scrawl:
Dear Harry and Mia,
I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three?
I want to hear all about your first week. Send me an answer back with Hedwig.
Hagrid
Harry borrowed Ron's quill, scribbled 'Yes, please, see you later' on the back of the note, and sent Hedwig off again. It was lucky that Harry and Mia had tea with Hagrid to look forward to, because the Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson turned out to be the worst thing that had happened to him so far. As Mia was right, Lockhart hadn't started to teach them nothing from the syllabus that he got them he just gave them a 'small test' about him and only Hermione answered all his questions and got 10 points more. (70 - 50 to Hermione) Then he left the all class to deal with pixies. And here is the rest of the lesson:
"Now - be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind! You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. All I ask is that you remain calm." Lockhart said. In spite of himself, Harry leaned around his pile of books for a better look at the cage. Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing now. Neville was cowering in his front row seat.
"I must ask you not to scream," said Lockhart in a low voice. "It might provoke them." As the whole class held its breath, Lockhart whipped off the cover.
"Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies. " Seamus Finnigan couldn't control himself. He let out a snort of laughter that even Lockhart couldn't mistake for a scream of terror.
"Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.
"Well, they're not - they're not very - dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked.
"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"
The pixies were electric blue and about eight inches high, with pointed faces and voices so shrill it was like listening to a lot of budgies arguing. The moment the cover had been removed, they had started jabbering and rocketing around, rattling the bars and making bizarre faces at the people nearest them.
"Right, then," Lockhart said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.
It was pandemonium. The pixies shot in every direction like rockets. Two of them seized Neville by the ears and lifted him into the air. Several shot straight through the window, showering the back row with broken glass. The rest proceeded to wreck the classroom more effectively than a rampaging rhino. They grabbed ink bottles and sprayed the class with them, shredded books and papers, tore pictures from the walls, up-ended the waste basket, grabbed bags and books and threw them out of the smashed window; within minutes, half the class was sheltering under desks and Neville was swinging from the iron chandelier in the ceiling.
"Come on now - round them up, round them up, they're only pixies," Lockhart shouted. He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" It had absolutely no effect; one of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window, too. Lockhart gulped and dived under his own desk, narrowly avoiding being squashed by Neville, who fell a second later as the chandelier gave way.
The bell rang and there was a mad rush toward the exit. In the relative calm that followed, Lockhart straightened up, caught sight of Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who were almost at the door, and said, "Well, I'll ask you three to just nip the rest of them back into their cage." He swept past them and shut the door quickly behind him.
"Can you believe him? I can't believe Mia was right all the way." roared Ron as one of the remaining pixies bit him painfully on the ear.
"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione, immobilizing two pixies at once with a clever Freezing Charm and stuffing them back into their cage.
"Hands on? "Said Harry, who was trying to grab a pixie dancing out of reach with its tongue out.
"Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing -"
"Rubbish," said Hermione. "You've read his books - look at all those amazing things he's done -"
"He says he's done," Ron muttered. After that they went to their common room.
In the Potion lesson:
Mia thought that it will be easy for here because all the she helped her mother in her shop so she had knew some stuff and Proffesor Snape saw her there. But by the end of the first Potions lesson, she knew she'd been wrong. Potions lessons took place down in one of the dungeons. It was colder here than up in the main castle, and would have been quite creepy enough without the pickled animals floating in glass jars all around the walls.
Snape, like Flitwick and most others teachers, started the class by taking the roll call, and like Flitwick, he paused at Harry's name but he didn't said nothing, just looked at him and showed a little smile to him, Harry understand it.
"Ah, Yes," he said softly, "Mia Potter. I hope you are much smarter than your brother."
Some Slytherin girls giggled . Snape finished calling the names and looked up at the class. His eyes were black like Hagrid's, but they had none of Hagrid's warmth. They were cold and empty and made you think of dark tunnels.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had you caught every word - like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death - if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
More silence followed this little speech. Mia and Ginny exchanged looks with raised eyebrows.
"Potter!" said Snape suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Mia thought a little and then answered "wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death" said Harry. Snape's lips curled into a little smile. "10 points to Gryffindor" he said. "Well what about this. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
"A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons."
"Well I see that you had helped your mother in her shop, isn't it?"
"Yes Professor" Harry looked to his eyes deeply.
"Well done, take more 10 points and I will give you 10 points more if you answered me to the last question:
What is the difference, Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
After a little silence Mia answered "Monkshood and Wolfsbane are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite, is I right?" Snape clap hands and said "Yes it is right you got your points and now I want that you tell it again to everyone and you will copy it to your notes" here was a sudden rummaging for quills and parchment. (80 - 70 to Mia)
For the long time Gryffindor don't get so many points in one lesson such as the Potions lesson. Later, Snape put them all into pairs and set them to mixing up a simple potion to cure boils. He swept around in his long black cloak, watching them weigh dried nettles and crush snake fangs, criticizing almost everyone except one Slytherin girl name Daria, whom he seemed to like. He was just telling everyone to look at the perfect way Daria had stewed her horned slugs when clouds of acid green smoke and a loud hissing filled the dungeon. Collin was with another boy from Gryffindor and it was a quit silence, but for it all the pairs where were Gryffindor got 2 more points each one. Not including Ginny and Mia who got 5 points each one, while the Slytherin students got 5 points each one. The lesson finished and the girls wanted to go up but stopped by Snape. "Mia I want you to come in to my office from some minutes. Miss Weasley you can come too."(85- 70 to Mia)
Mia
"Potter, have a sit" Snape told me and immediately I sat on one of the chairs that were in front of his desk.
"Well, So I see your know age in my classes. And I really proud at you but as you see I am a head of Slytherin and you from Gryffindor so I can't give you such a lot points. So I decided that when you will do right stuff and I will give you like 2-5 points you always need to know that it is from 8-10 points. Not all of them will be 10, most of them will be 5 but still. Great job you too, I want that both of you will work together. You free to go" on this words I only said "Thank you Professor for everything" and we both went to the common room.
"So, how much points did Snape give to you?" Harry asked me.
"He gave her 35 points for only first lesson! And I got 5 points myself." Ginny screamed proudly.
"Well, well done sis. New record: 35 points in potion lesson." Harry put his hand on her shoulder and looked at her proudly.
"Well at least I got 7o points from all over the week and you Mia got 85 points from all over the week so here are your 10 galleons" Hermione gave her them with a smile.
"Thanks you Hermione. It was a very nice deal. Now my stomach makes strange noises so who is coming with me for the lunch?"
"Me" was the answer and they started to go down to the Great Hall. "Harry then we will go to Hagrid, right?" I asked him while we were entered to the Great Hall.
"Yes we will" He said.
At five to three Harry and Mia left the castle and made their way across the grounds. Hagrid lived in a small wooden house on the edge of the forbidden forest. A crossbow and a pair of galoshes were outside the front door. When Harry knocked they heard a frantic scrabbling from inside and several booming barks. Then Hagrid's voice rang out, saying, "Back, Fang - back." Hagrid's big, hairy face appeared in the crack as he pulled the door open.
"Hang on," he said. "Back, Fang." He let them in, struggling to keep a hold on the collar of an enormous black boarhound.
There was only one room inside. Hams and pheasants were hanging from the ceiling, a copper kettle was boiling on the open fire, and in the corner stood a massive bed with a patchwork quilt over it.
"Make yerselves at home," said Hagrid, letting go of Fang, who bounded straight at Ron and started licking his ears. Like Hagrid, Fang was clearly not as fierce as he looked. Hagrid, was pouring boiling water into a large teapot and putting rock cakes onto a plate.
"How are your parents?" Hagrid asked Harry. Instead of that Harry answered, Mia answered "We got from them a letter so they supposed to be at home, so I think that they finished with their mission". After it they changed the subjects about school. The rock cakes were shapeless lumps with raisins that almost broke their teeth, but Harry and Mia pretended to be enjoying them as they told Hagrid all about their first -lessons. Fang rested his head on Harry's knee and drooled all over his robes. Mia was delighted to hear Hagrid call Fitch "that old git."
"An' as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I'd like ter introduce her to Fang sometime. D'yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can't get rid of her - Fitch puts her up to it." Mia told Hagrid about Snape's lesson. Hagrid just said "Good job, Lilly did with you as well with Harry" and then continue to listen. Harry wondered if Hagrid had changed the subject on purpose. As Harry and Mia walked back to the castle for dinner, their pockets weighed down with rock cakes they'd been too polite to refuse, Harry thought that none of the lessons he'd had so far had given him as much to think about as tea with Hagrid.
Next day they made homework and spend the all-day outside while it was still worm enough. And on that day Mia decided to talk with Ginny.
"Ginny, I want to ask you something, if you don't mine?" Mia looked at her friend. They both had finished their homework so they just laid and enjoyed the sun.
"Of course, let's have a little walk. Ron, Harry when you finish with your homework please take it to the common room. Later we will come back." With this words Harry only nodded and came back to his work.
"So what bothered you?" Ginny asked.
"Well, remember the first morning when Ron get the red envelope?"
"Yes"
"So why you got pink? Do you maybe had done it or something? Don't worry I won't tell anybody." Mia said honestly and looked at her friend with wide eyes.
"Well, I have one note, it is like a diary and it is hard to explain. I like talk to someone and well he said me to do it so I did and that's why I blushed."
" Oh. I got it. From where do you have it?"
"I don't know, I remember that when we came from the Diagon Allie I had it with my books and started to write there. I don't want to talk about it let's go into the castle."
"OK. Lets." And after it Mia's mind started to work. She remembered that Mr. Malfoy had put something in Mrs. Weasley special thing that was full of decided that for now not telling about it to nobody and just wait for strange things to come.