Chapter Six: First Day of Classes
Date: September 2, 2011
After a quick and hasty breakfast, in which Harry chatted with his new friends about many inane topics, it was time to get to class. Harry looked at his schedule, and shot off, followed by Anthony, Susan, and Hermione, to first period Transfiguration with the Gryffindors. He grinned at his Aunt Minnie, spotting her in her animagus form immediately. Smirking, he walked up to the desk and began to pet the cat.
"Aww, who's a good little kitty?" He cooed. McGonagall, still in her form, looked up at him with glaring yellow eyes. "Who's a cute little ball of fur?"
McGonagall did not take too kindly to being called "a little ball of fur." It was at that moment, before she could do anything, however, that Draco Malfoy and another Gryffindor ran in, panting.
"Whew. I made it!" He exclaimed. Turning to the student, he asked him, "Can you imagine the look on McGonagall's face if we were late?"
Minnie suddenly transformed, startling Draco and the student, who we'll call Bob for now.
"That was bloody brilliant!" Exclaimed Bob.
"Well, thank you for that assessment, Bob. Perhaps it would be more useful if I were to transfigure you or Mr. Malfoy into a pocket watch? Then one of you might be on time!"
This time, it was Malfoy that spoke up. "W-we got lost."
"Then perhaps a map. I trust you don't need it to find your seats."
That day in class, Minnie taught the group how to turn a matchstick into a needle. For Harry, Hermione, and Susan, this was a walk in the park. It was actually Harry who got it first, making his needle all silvery and pointed, with a miniature carving of Washington crossing the Delaware at the top. When Minnie saw his and studied the design, she gasped slightly and stammered, "Thirty points to Ravenclaw for a successful transfiguration."
In Charms, the class was sad to learn that they would not need their wands likely until Halloween, as they would be studying the theory until then. However, of course, Harry loved the way his adoptive uncle taught his classes.
Other classes, on the other hand, were not as satisfying. After Charms and Transfiguration, they had Defense Against the Dark Arts with the Hufflepuffs, which was taught by Professor Quirinus Quirrell, who wore a purple turban that smelled of garlic. Harry sensed something was off about him. He stuttered on and on about vampires for the whole class, and when someone asked him how he had gotten the turban, he stammered and said it had been given to him as a thank-you gift for getting rid of a zombie. When asked about how he had done that, he deflected the question and switched the topic back to vampires.
After a quick and hasty lunch, it was back to class. They ran outside to Herbology with the Gryffindors, the cool fall breeze messing up their hair. Herbology was taught by the Head of Hufflepuff house, a plump witch by the name of Pomona Sprout. When herbology ended, they raced each other back to the castle and to the Ravenclaw common room. Curse the teachers for giving homework on the first day!
When their homework was finally completed, it was time for dinner. The group of four made their way to the Great Hall without getting lost once, until Harry bumped into someone.
"Sorry about that!" the boy said. Harry glanced up and saw two redheads, obviously related to Ronald Weasley, standing there. "We didn't see you ickle firsties! Oh and by the way, I'm Forge, Prankster Extraordinaire, at your service-"
"Nah, your name is Fred. I'm Gred, the Other Prankster Extraordinaire."
Harry, playing along, performed a mock bow and said, "Pleased to make your acquaintance gentlemen. By any chance, are you the mighty Weasley twins we firsties keep hearing so much about?"
Fred wiped a fake tear from his eye. "Ah, Gred, how our reputation has grown!"
"Indeed, my dearest friend. Anyway, we best be on our way. We have pranking to do. Oh, and before we go, watch the staff table at breakfast tomorrow." George winked, and strutted off with his twin, obviously planning more devious pranks that Harry so wanted to join in with. Hermione, as if guessing what he was thinking, gave him a disapproving glare. He smirked at her, and beside him, Susan rolled her eyes.
"Well, want to go exploring?" Harry asked the group. They all nodded yes enthusiastically. "Wonderful!" he exclaimed. The group all found themselves, oddly enough, on the seventh floor, where the only thing in sight in the corridor was a tapestry of a man teaching trolls to tap dance. Okay, then… Harry thought. Suddenly, the group jumped as a huge oak door appeared out of nowhere. Raising his eyebrows at the group as if to say "Come on!" Harry ran inside the room enthusiastically, his three friends trailing behind him like baby ducks would follow their mother.
When they entered the room, jaws dropped.
"The Room of Requirement," Harry said in awe.
Hermione looked at him in confusion. "Isn't that the ever-changing room that Filius mentioned last week?"
"Yes it is!" Susan exclaimed, grinning wildly
"Okay, can someone bring me up to speed? Muggleborn here!" Anthony asked.
"Basically, from what Fil- sorry, Professor Flitwick, has told me is that the Room of Requirement is a room that can change to anything a person needs at the time. Say, for example, you are out after curfew and are pulling pranks, but Filch is in the corridor next to yours. The room would become a broom closet or something you can hide in so you can escape him. Or, if you really needed a place to practice Quidditch because it is really wet outside. This room could become anything you need, which I personally think is bloody brilliant." Harry explained, drawing conclusions from what Professor Flitwick had told him.
"Awesome!" Squealed Anthony, jumping up and down like a maniac. Harry took this time to survey the room. One wall was covered with bookshelves, a Ravenclaw's dream come true. On the other wall was a huge flat screen television, with large couches and beanbags in front of it. By the television, there was a basket, which held various movies and discs. Harry noticed that Anthony, once he had seen the room, was in awe of it all. Hermione and Susan, on the other hand, had mischievous grins on their faces.
"Harry, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Hermione said slowly.
"I think the question is, are you thinking what I am thinking?"
"MOVIE NIGHT!" Squealed Hermione, Susan, Anthony, and Harry in unison.
"Okay, so I was thinking that every Friday night we could invite select members of our year and any others that want to come to come here and watch movies. This will be great, seeing as we can introduce them to culture in America. Plus, this room is epic for sleepovers! Of course, I have not thought out all the details. We would need food, and lots of entertainment, and which professor would sponsor us?" Susan thought out loud, twirling her flaming red hair around on her finger.
"Flitwick and McGonagall!" Hermione and Harry said together.
"Yes! Totally!" Susan exclaimed in excitement.
Anthony looked at his watch. "Well, this is all good and fun, but we need to get down to dinner! It's six thirty already!"
"Already?!"
"Come on, let's go!"
The quartet found their way to the Great Hall with the help of Hogwarts, and panting, found their way to the Ravenclaw table, sitting down near the front of the hall. While they ate, they decided to get their homework out of the way.
After they had finished eating and completed their homework, they headed up to Ravenclaw tower, where Anthony challenged Harry to a game of chess. Harry gladly agreed, and kicked Anthony's butt. Soon, however, it was time for bed.
Harry snuggled into his covers, thinking about the day he had just had. The discovery of the Room of Requirement was epic, and classes (except for DADA) were amazing! There was more fun to come, he just knew it!
Ever so slowly, Harry Flitwick fell into Dream Land.
Tonight's dream was unlike any he had ever had before. Through the dream he watched battles fought long ago during the Revolutionary War, and saw every single one of the letters George Washington wrote to the Continental Congress. As he watched these, a deep, accented voice repeated in his head, "Hurry, young Heir. Take up the mantle. Time grows short."
When Harry woke up, he remembered nothing about the dream.
END OF CHAPTER