Chapter Five

Classes Full of Temper

I woke up to the sound of a bird's call. I opened my eyes and looked around. All of my room-mates were still asleep. I rubbed my eyes and stretched. I climbed out of bed. I looked at the clock on the wall. It was an hour and a half until classes. I had plenty of time.

I got my clothed out of my trunk and put them on. By the time I was finished getting dressed Amanda and the red-haired girl named Christine had woken up.

"Morning!" said Amanda.

"Good morning to you, too!" I replied.

"Let's go to breakfast," Christine said.

"Ok," Amanda and I replied in chorus.

Amanda giggled. I giggled, too.

We walked down the stairs into the common room. A few other people were awake. I waved hi to the others and Amanda, Christine, and I walked out of the portrait.

We walked down to the Great Hall for breakfast. I sat down near some boys and Amanda and Christine sat on either side of me. I started to grab at the big plates of food. I grabbed some eggs, bacon, pancakes, and orange juice.

I ate until my belly was full. Then, owls came suddenly swooping down onto the tables into all the platters of food. I saw Soot, my owl, come flying down onto my table. He wiggled his foot at me as if to say, "I have a letter for you."

I grabbed the letter from his ankle and ripped it open. It was from Mom and Dad! I read it over and over, soaking it in. They asked how I was doing, and how my classes where. I sighed. I would have to write back to them later after class.

I looked at my list of classes for the day. I had Defense Against the Dark Arts and then Transfiguration.

I looked at the time and gasped. I had ten minutes to get to class!

I grabbed at Amanda's and Christine's arms.

"We have ten minutes until class! Come on!" I said to them in a hurried voice.

"I have to finish eating," said Christine.

"Okay. I'll see you at class then!" I replied.

I grabbed at Amanda's hand and started pulling her with me to the classroom.

"Come on! We're going to be late!" I said hurriedly.

"Okay! Okay! I'm coming!" Amanda said, out of breath.

We reached the classroom with five minutes to spare. I breathed a sigh of relief. We were the first ones here.

I chose a spot at the very back. Amanda sat next to me. Soon afterwards James and Freddie came in and sat in the very front seats.

I realized that he and I were both Gryffindors in the same year, so we would be having all of our classes together. I groaned. James was all right I guess. MUCH better than that rude Jade Malfoy. If she was here right now then I would strangle her.

Quite soon afterwards, lots of students came into the classroom. I saw lots of Hufflepuff students coming in too. I assumed that we were doubling with the first-year Hufflepuffs. I spotted Christine and motioned for her to come and sit next to me.

About a minute after all the students had come in the teacher walked into the classroom.

"All right, everyone! Let's get started," she announced.

The teacher wore colorful robes that had gold lining but they were mostly maroon. She had medium shade brown of hair up in a quick bun. She had dark-brown eyes with a hint of hazel, high cheekbones and a friendly smile. I knew I liked her immediately.

"I'm Professor Jean Watercress, and I am your Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" she announced, beaming at us once she had swept up to the front of the room. "My plan is to make all of your experience at Hogwarts exciting and fun, but you all need to remember that this is school and you should take your learning seriously!

"Now, let's take roll call!" She beamed brightly.

The professor took out a piece of parchment and started reading of names. She said James's name and grinned.

"Your father's told me all about you, James!" she said happily. "Your brother and sister as well, of course, but I've enjoyed hearing stories about your little excursions. You once tried to send a letter of to your imaginary friend in China, I believe?"

I snickered and laughed with the rest of the class. I wonder how much attention he would get in our future classes? Hmm. I was excited to see.

"Well . . . that was years ago . . ." I heard him mutter.

Professor Watercress smiled kindly. "I'm just messing with you, James. Now, is Jade Malfoy here?" She looked around the class and then seemed to catch herself. She gave a laugh. "Oh, that's right, she's not in this class, is she!" She then continued roll call.

I wondered why she talked to him? I mean he is Harry Potter's son, but that doesn't mean he should get all the attention! Well, I was kind of glad that I didn't get the attention because if I had then I might have had the class laugh at me. I shrugged.

Suddenly, Professor Watercress said, "All right, class, let's begin!"

She then began a long-winded explanation on the importance of defensive spells and how to avoid curses. I listened but didn't listen at the same time. Finally, she got to the good part. She said that you would need to pick a partner to duel with. I immediately grabbed Amanda's and Christine's hands.

"Let's see . . ." said Professor Watercress. "Let's mix things up a bit. How about . . . yes, you, James, why don't you team up with Lizzie here?"

I groaned. She pushed us together. I had a bad feeling about this class.

"All right, class!" said Professor Watercress. With a wave of her wand, she had lifted all of the chairs at once and stacked them neatly on the other side of the room. "Now, line up along each wall, please."

We all did so, facing our partners. I ended up next to Christine, and Amanda was about five groups down.

"Now, one at a time, I'd like one in each set to send their favorite color sparks at the other. If you are not sending sparks, please practice the Shield charm. Remember, it's protego. Please let your partner practice the charm several times before switching. I'll be inspecting your work as you go. And now, class, you may begin!" And with a flourish of her robes, waving her wand in the air, Professor Watercress had turned around, and then faced us again.

Okay, so now I had the instructions, so let's do this.

"Do you want to practice the Shield charm yet?" James yelled at me from the other end of the room.

"Sure! Send the sparks!" I yelled back at him.

He sent some sparks and I shouted "Protego!" but it didn't work. I growled. My temper was beginning to rise.

"Back luck!" he said sympathetically.

"A lot of help you're giving me, Potter!" I shouted angrily, my temper heightening. Red sparks shot out of my wand.

"Sorry," I said. "Here, try again." He shot red and gold sparkles once more.

I tried.

Again and again and again.

The class was probably almost over and I hadn't been able to even do one good spell! The professor kept coming over to help me and I kept trying but I never even did one spell! My temper came to full blast, and when it does that, I'm mad times a billion. My face was all red and I felt pure hatred toward James.

Finally, class was over. We were given homework, which was to practice the spell and write a three-paragraph essay on Shield charms.

Once I had gotten my homework, I angrily fast-walked over to James and Freddie to express my anger on them. Especially James.

I tried to keep up with them and still be able to see them but I eventually lost them. I growled in frustration. I guess I would go to lunch then.

I fast-walked to the Gryffindor table in the hope of finding James to express my anger to him. I looked all around the table, but I couldn't find him. I growled again. I found an empty spot at the table and sat down.

Amanda and Christine soon sat down next to me.

Amanda tried to start a conversation and asked, "Why did your temper get such a hold of you back there?"

I refused to answer.

I grabbed some food and started eating. I gobbled up all of my food and then dessert came. Yes, there is dessert at lunch. Once I had finished my food I looked at the clock. I had 15 minutes until class. I had plenty of time.

"Hey, we have fifteen minutes until class, guys," I said to Amanda and Christine, just to let them know.

"Okay," replied Christine.

"Okay, so now you choose to talk to your friends?" questioned Amanda.

"Yes."

"Okay."

"Let's get to class," I said, and proceeded by pulling them with me, or more like dragging them.

"Come on!" I said.

"Okay! Okay!" they said at the same time.

We reached the classroom just as everybody was coming in. I quickly sat down in the middle row and saved two seats on either side of me for my friends.

All the seats were taken except two. I looked around, oh; Potter and Weasley weren't here yet. Ugh! They'd probably lose a point for Gryffindor.

Professor McGonagall was about to start class when Potter and Weasley finally, came in.

"Potter, Weasley, class started five minutes ago," she said sternly to them.

"We got lost," James huffed, out of breath.

"No matter. A point from Gryffindor, and be sure it isn't more, boys," the professor said.

I groaned. I knew it!

"What?" I saw James's mouth go into a perfect O.

"I do not tolerate latecomers. Take a seat, Potter, Weasley, or it'll be another point. Being the son of Harry Potter is not an exception in my class." She spoke in a stern voice.

Then, class finally started. The professor started talking about how Transfiguration is harder than it seems and if you focus then you will be rewarded—

"And I do not tolerate note-passing in my class! Another point from Gryffindor!" shouted the professor.

I groaned. Who did it this time?

"Sorry, professor," said James.

Oh, it was James. Again.

"No, matter. Now it is time to focus on our schoolwork and not dillydaddle with nonsense," said Professor McGonagall.

She then gave us all a match and explained to us how to turn it into a needle. I did what she instructed us to do and by the time half an hour was over I had a shiny, silver, pointy needle. I showed the professor and she was very pleased.

I looked over my shoulder and saw that James had a silver stick with a little stub but, no hole. I smirked. At least I was better at one class than he was.

Then, the professor gave us homework, which was to practice the spell some more and write an essay on the elements of Transfiguration from our books. Though since I did what the teacher expected us to do, she said I didn't have to practice the spell that much.

I looked to my right and my left. Christine had turned hers into silver stick that looked like a needle but, no hole. Amanda did the same except with a hole but, still a little stubby at the ends.

"Come, on! I'm starving!" I said to both of them.

"Okay! Okay!" shouted Amanda.

We arrived at the Great Hall for dinner just as everyone was coming in. So, as we were coming in it took us at least a few minutes to get to our table. Finally, we sat down and started to eat.

I looked around the table. James wasn't there. I also glanced over at the Slytherin table and Jade wasn't there. Yes!

Once I had finished eating I proceeded to get up from the table and walk to the Gryffindor common room to go to bed. Christine and Amanda came into the girl's dormitory when I was lying in bed.

The last thing I saw was the curtains on my bed before falling asleep.