It was easy finding the classroom, as the school was in fact quite small. The door was closed, so I knocked. There was no answer. I knocked a second time and still no answer. I began knocking frantically in fear that I would be late.
"Calm down Potter, are you trying to knock down the door?" Malfoy asked in his cool way.
"There's only one minute until eight, we are late!" I shrieked, terrified at the idea of being late on my first day of class.
Suddenly someone spoke from down the hall, "Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing, that we see too late the one that is open."
I turned to see an older wizard standing in a doorway a few doors down. He was bald with tan skin and few teeth, not that this stopped him from smiling at us. He was very small and hunched over slightly wearing orange robes with a red sash going across his body. Oddly enough, he was without shoes.
"Please come this way, we have been relocated to classroom nine. Hurry you wouldn't want to be late" He winked at me.
I blushed lightly as Malfoy rolled his eyes, and we shuffled quickly down the hall. As we stepped into the room we were both wacked in the ankles with a wooden cane.
"Shoes off please," He was smiling at us again. I scowled and quickly removed my heels feeling self conscious about my feet being exposed.
As I was mulling over the embarrassment of my bare feet Malfoy was already shoeless and talking quietly with our new teacher, feeling left out I quickly went over and sat on the floor cross legged mimicking their movements.
The teacher placed his palms together like he was praying and brought his fingertips to the area of his eyebrows and nose. At the same time, tilted his head down and said 'Namaste' (pronounced Na-mas-tay).
"This is how we will greet each other every day. Namaste means roughly 'I acknowledge that which is divine in us all' and when you say it I want you to feel and acknowledge this." He said firmly.
I did as I was told and tried to feel it, though I can't say that I really did.
"Now to your classmate." He smiled at me encouragingly and I tried not to roll my eyes as I bowed and said the greeting to a smirking Malfoy.
"I should introduce myself, I am Guru Besar Lahir Ratapan Bulan which in English means Great Teacher Born Moon Wailing but you may call me Guru Besar."
I began to speak "Guru Besar-
"Ah you must introduce yourselves as well, after all I cannot teach a perfect stranger" he smiled lightly.
"I am Lily Luna Potter." I said brightly.
"Is that all; is that the definition of you?" Guru Besar asked still smiling.
"I..well…bugger…I don't know." I said feeling slightly annoyed.
"By the end of this class , you will know." He said sounding mystical annoying me further.
"I am Scorpius Malfoy , son of an ex death eater," Malfoy said looking half sarcastic, half serious.
"You Mr. Malfoy are much more than that. By the end of this class you too will learn who you truly are. Now today's class will be short. I am simply going to express to you what I will be teaching you throughout the year, as well as what I expect you to learn. Salveology is the study of healing through the use of magic; and not only physical healing but mental and spiritual healing as well."
I cringed at the word spiritual. I have never been a spiritual person and particularly hated those rare Sundays when I was forced to attend church with my Uncle Dudley and his family.
"At the end of this class I expect you to be able to tell me accurately who you are, I expect you to be able to heal yourself and others through the use of wand and wandless magic, and I expect you to walk away with a greater respect and appreciation for life. Now for your first assignment I want you to practice Primordial Sound Meditation. This is a healing practice that allows us to experience inner calm and deep relaxation. For thousands of years, people have used meditation to move beyond the mind's busy activity and emotional turbulence into profound peace and expanded awareness.
You will each receive a personal mantra. A mantra is a specific sound or vibration, which when repeated silently, helps you to enter deeper levels of awareness. A Sanskrit term that translates as "vehicle of the mind", a mantra truly is a vehicle that takes you into quieter, more peaceful levels of the mind. The mantra you will receive is the vibration the universe was creating around you, at the time you stepped into my classroom. Now Ms. Potter please turn to chapter 1, page 5 and begin to read while I assign Mr. Malfoy his mantra."
They stepped away to a separate corner of the room and began talking though I could not hear what they were saying. I opened to page five and began reading,
"As many studies show, a regular meditation practice offers numerous health benefits, including lowering blood pressure, strengthening the immune system, and releasing stress and fatigue. In fact, meditating for half an hour provides more psychological rest than a full night's sleep. As you meditate on a regular basis, you will notice an increased sense of wellbeing as well as greater energy, creativity, and connection to your magic."
I tried to finish reading, but I was having a hard time concentrating. I live in a world full of magic and still this man, Guru Besar, was the strangest I have ever come across. I tried not to panic but the idea of having to learn wandless magic terrified me. It is extremely difficult and draining, generally something most people don't learn ever; Aurors in training have a hard time with it, and I'm only fifteen. There's no way possible I am going to achieve it.
"Did you complete the reading Ms. Potter?" I was so lost in my thoughts I hadn't noticed they were back with me.
I hung my head shamefully, "No, Guru Besar I did not."
He gave me a stern look and clicked his tongue at me, "Tut tut Ms. Potter, you must learn concentration. Come this way so that I may assign you a mantra."
He walked back to the corner of the room. Malfoy was looking at me with that stupid smirk shaking his head lightly as he flipped through the pages of the book. I narrowed my eyes at him and quickly went to follow the Guru.
I sat across from him on the floor and listened as he gave me my instructions.
"Ms. Potter, when you stepped into my classroom the first thing I felt from you was fear; Fear of being late, fear of looking incompetent, even fear of showing your feet." He smiled at this as I put my head down feeling embarrassed.
"You are afraid of the world so your mantra will be for overcoming those fears. This Mantra will help you to live without fear. Keep your Mantra like an anchor for your mind to hold on to whenever fears well up. It will remind you that everything is alright and nothing in this universe can harm you. Now listen a couple of times as I recite the mantra and then follow along."
Om kreem kreem kreem hum hum hreem hreem dakshine kalike
kreem kreem kreem hum hum hreem hreem swaha
Om kreem kreem kreem hum hum hreem hreem dakshine kalike
kreem kreem kreem hum hum hreem hreem swaha
Om kreem kreem kreem hum hum hreem hreem dakshine kalike
kreem kreem kreem hum hum hreem hreem swaha
I know I was supposed to be jumping in anytime, but I couldn't catch the words. It sounded like a whole bunch of gibberish and the idea of saying this mess of words out loud made me flush in embarrassment.
Guru Besar looked at me with a smile," I didn't think you would join along. I have written down your mantra for you. You must practice it, as this is essential to the rest of this course."
He walked back to the center of the room and I followed behind tucking my mantra into my book like a book mark.
"Mr. Malfoy did you complete your reading?" Guru Besar asked.
"Yes Guru, I did." He said back.
I tried not to roll my eyes as he shot me another smug look.
"Wonderful. Now before we go we must once again bow and say Namaste. As a closing to the lesson a teacher initiates Namaste as a symbol of gratitude and respect toward his students and his own teachers and in return invites the students to connect with their lineage, thereby allowing the truth to flow"
"Guru, what is the truth" Malfoy asked looking confused.
Guru smiled his wistful smile and said, "The truth Mr. Malfoy is that we are all one when we live from the heart."
He bowed to us both and said Namaste and we returned the sentiment. I quickly put on my shoes and began walking back to my room.
"What's the rush Potter?" Malfoy called somewhere behind me.
I grimaced, "I don't want to be late; again."
"We weren't late to this class." He said sounding annoyed.
"I suppose according to your standards we weren't, but I was always taught that if you are on time, than you are late." I said indignantly.
"I don't remember you always being this uptight," he laughed lightly.
"I am not uptight. I just believe in punctuality."
"Interesting... What class do you have next Potter?" He asked nonchalant.
I rolled my eyes and stepped into my room looking for my schedule, as he stood in my doorway watching.
"Well not that it's any of your concern, but after this one hour break I have Magical Creatures." I said looking over my schedule.
I was lost in thought chattering along, "I wonder how different it will be from Care of Magical Creatures. It's going to be strange being the only girl in a class full of boys. I guess that means I'll have to work twice as hard."
I finally looked up and realized Malfoy had gone. I felt slightly stung, but realized that this was the most we had ever spent around each other. It's not as though we are friends or something. I sighed heavily suddenly missing my friends and family back at Hogwarts. I would have to write to everyone tonight and tell them all about my day. I picked up my Magical Creatures book and laughed. It was covered in very soft grey feathers and flapped lightly when I opened it. I looked at my watch and realized I had ten minutes to get to my next class before I was late; which really meant I only had five. This class was being held outside in the field on the opposite side of the quidditch pitch. I left my room with a pang in my stomach as I realized this time I would be going alone.