A/N :)

I don't own Harry Potter and the world thereof.

The next few weeks flew past in a dizzying whirl of new and wonderful classes. Well, for the most part. Even Scorpius struggled, as despite his background he was thrown into a world of incantations, wand movements and homework. Lots of homework. To make matter worse, Rose seemed to be the only who didn't seem to be swamped in all her subjects – she even took notes in History of Magic which Albus and Becky then copied. Scorpius then copied Albus or Becky's works – he might have made friends with Rose, but he wasn't going to ask to copy her notes - their fathers had been stirring them up against each other since they were old enough to talk, and so a friendly but fierce rivalry broke out between the two, much to the amusement of their friends.

There were three main highlights of the first week of lessons, the first being their double Potions class with Professor' Hendricks. Rose had said she was strict, but that was an understatement.

Their first Potions lesson started badly and ended worse. Most of the pupils were still groggy from getting up for lessons, and those that weren't were too nervous about starting. Professor Hendricks swept into the room her robes billowing impressively, and the conversation died down with her entry. She briefly read through the register, raising her eyebrows slightly at the name Malfoy in Gryffindor, then turned to face the class.

"Welcome to Potions. My name is Professor Hendricks. Some of you may have heard from your relatives that Potions is hardly magic, as it does not involve showy tricks or wand waving. It is an art and one I – POTTER, MALFOY! STOP TALKING AT ONCE!" Here she shrieked like a banshee, eyes flashing wildly at Scorpius and Al, who were stunned into silence. She took a deep breath and began again as if nothing had ever happened, a tortured smile on her face. "Now, where was I? Ah yes. I do not expect talking in this class as anyone who does is likely to cause themselves injury DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND THAT, FINNEGAN? 15 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR!" Have of the class looked as though they were about to protest at the 'banshee's' docking of points but her look quelled any protests. "Your first exercise is on the board – work in pairs and follow the instructions. You should have a potion for Boils by the end of the lesson. If not, well," here she smiled sadistically. "making mistakes is all part of the learning process. Begin."

There was a scurry of movement and the shell shocked students scurried into action, divvying up between themselves.

"Um, can I work with one of you?" Becky asked, "Not really done much of this before."

"You work with Scorpius, Becks – if him and Al work together they'll never get anything done, or knowing Albus, his cauldron will explode..." Rose directed a pointed glare at Albus, who simply smirked and rolled his eyebrows, before gathering his equipment and setting up next to his cousin.

"So you've really never done anything like this before?" Scorpius asked with curiosity.

"Not really..." Becky trailed off and looked at the board. "Actually, looks a bit like cooking – measurements, right temperature that stuff." She gave a jaunty grin to her potions partner. "Might not be too bad after all."

"Huh. What say you we try and give Rose a run for her money?" Scorpius asked, and the two shared a conspiratorial grin. The rest of the lesson passed without much incident or conversation, except things like 'pass the snakes fangs,' and snapped pointers from the Professor. That is until there was an enormous bang, and Callum Creevey seemed to end up covered in boils.

"Not again... I swear this happens every year." the teacher muttered. "I suppose you added the porcupine quills whilst the cauldron was still on the fire?" she snapped.

The miserable boy nodded and cringed as the Professor scowled at him.

"10 points from Gryffindor for such carelessness – oh get yourself to the Hospital wing, you're making me feel sick to look at you. The rest of you may leave once you are finished. Feedback in the next lesson. First years..."The last was delivered in a witheringly scornful mutter.

"Well...that was interesting." cracked Albus as they left the dungeons.

"Bloody schizophrenic that's what she is." agreed Scorpius, not seeing the look on Becky's face as he did.

The next 'highlight' of the school year was Minna's first lesson. The fact that it was a new subject, and one the Gryffindors shared with the Slytherins made both sets of first years slightly wary, and as they filed into the empty classroom, a low buzz of speculative conversation filled the room.

"Where's the teacher?" Becky asked, but before anyone could answer Minna came barrelling into the room, her hair slightly ruffled and her jacket flying behind her.

"Right you lot," she said as the students turned to face their teacher, who unlike their other professors was wearing muggle clothes. "Don't bother sitting down yet," she told one of the haughty looking Slytherin girls, glancing at the register she was holding in her hands as she did. "Nerys, is it?" the girl nodded. "You'll be sat in a seating plan, so say goodbye to your friends, it won't kill you to sit apart from them for an hour."

There was a sudden burst of noise as various pupils around the room broke into indignant protests, until Minna – Professor Grey as Scorpius hastily reminded himself to think of her managed by sheer force of presence to make the room suddenly fall silent.

"Thank you." she said. "Now you've all started to act a little more civilised, I'll tell you where to sit. Don't bother, Marius, isn't it?" she said, forestalling a protest from Slytherin Marius Nott.

As she read through the seating plan, directing pupils from both houses to the large tables, seating four or five students at each, Scorpius smiled as he realised what she was she was doing. Each group of students was a mixture of Slytherins and Gryffindors, boys and girls, and groups of varying upbringings. Unfortunately, so had some of the more...old fashioned Slytherins.

"Professor..." Tarquin Avery's voice dripped with disdain as he used the word. "You don't actually expect me to sit next to this mudblood do you?" He said, gesturing at Chloe Dixon, one of the Gryffindor girls, with scorn.

Minna's face closed and when she spoke, even Scorpius, knowing her as well as he did, winced at the ice in her voice.

"10 points from Slytherin."

"What? Just because I called her a mudblood?" Avery's voice was full of righteous indignation.

"Make that 20." Minna smiled sweetly. "I suggest you refrain from digging that hole of yours any deeper Tarquin." She turned address the rest of the class "Few ground rules folks. The use of outdated, prejudicial terms to describe blood-status have no place in this classroom, and the same goes for any other bigoted words you might want to use to describe your peers. And that goes both ways. You might absolutely despise the person you have to sit next to, and I'm not saying you have to suddenly become best friends with the rest of your group, but unless there is active bloodshed, you'll be working with them for the rest of the year." she grinned wolfishly

"She's joking, right?" Albus muttered to Scorpius at this.

"Knowing Minna? Not sure." he replied, then returned his attention to his cousin's slightly terrifying fiancée.

"Comparative Cultures isn't Muggle Studies, folks. It's a chance for muggle-borns and those with muggle upbringings to get a chance to compare their lives with those in the wizarding world, and vice-versa for those brought up in the wizarding world. The aim of the class is to make you comfortable in both worlds – after all, it's getting harder and harder to cover up the occasional wizarding mishaps. Like I say, I'm not expecting you to suddenly become best friends, this is high school, after all, but in this room, you are not muggle-borns, half-bloods or purebloods. Nor are you Slytherins and Gryffindors. You're people who come different backgrounds and that's what I want you to remember. Got that?"

The class murmured in assent, some disgruntled, others thoughtful. Surprisingly, the fact that the Professor had promised no favouritism seemed to have endeared her to more Slytherins than Scorpius would have expected. He realised it was a promise that wouldn't just apply to houses as she docked points from him for daydreaming. Being practically related wouldn't get him any favours from Professor Grey, just as being actually related to his Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher would make no difference to their in-school relationship, something Nat made abundantly clear from their first DADA lesson...

A/N So it's finally up! Sorry it took so long, deadlines and stuff. The first half was actually written a fortnight ago, but I kind of got writers block :/ What did you think? By the way if you're thinking that Hendricks a bit OTT, I genuinely had a Food Tech teacher like that in Year 9. Bloody terrifying. Same with the force of presence thing. My mum's a teacher, she can do this. Again, feel free to concrit, just no flames please :)

Also, I'm thinking of doing a drabbly fic of the three years between Scorpius meeting Minna for the first time and them going missing, as well as Minna and Nat's first meeting. Reply if you're interested, and I can confirm that certain little issues you may have noticed will be answered, and you may be surprised at one of the cameos. But I won't write it if no one cares. Actually, I probably will, I'll just get depressed cause I'll THINK no one cares. WOW. Long A/N, so I'll shut up now. 'Til next time folks!

P.S I REALLY NEED A BETA! Offers would be very welcome :D