My head is pounding and my throat feels drier than a desert. I groggily open my eyes as i roll out of bed. I notice I'm still in the same clothes as yesterday so I stand and go hop it the shower. As the water cascades down my body I smirk slightly at the fact I had tricked the annoying professor. I'm pulled out of this realization when I realize I had fallen asleep in the common room. Who had taken me to bed? I decide not to dwell on it as I turn the taps off and hop out before quickly getting changed. I head out into my room feeling slightly better and look at the clock. I'm shocked to see it's already past twelve thirty. I also happen to notice the feignt smell of grilled cheese and tomato soup and see a tray resting on my night stand. I look at the food but I'm not really all that hungry. I mean the last few years i normally only ate once a day whereas yesterday I had had three full meals. I decide to take a couple bites before stopping. I decide to try only doing a little bit of food at each meal so that my stomach doesn't protest too much.
I get up and look at my desk in my room to notice a pile of papers. There is a first year syllabus for each of the classes along with the assignments and a chart saying when each assignment was due. I notice that it's set up so that all of my last assignments are due a few days before school starts up. I then look over the syllabuses and notice that had I actually been taking the classes most assignments were assigned a week or at least a few days before it was due. This made me smile as I now know that if I end up needing help throughout next year I can get it before the assignments are due. Overall most of the stuff didn't look to hard but I notice next to the chart of due dates is a list of times the professors are available should I need help.
After looking through everything I decide to get everything due tommorow done and then work ahead in Magical theory as it's the only class that is dropped from first to second year as it is not one of the seven core classes. I figure if I can keep up with all the assignments on each class but then focus on individual classes to finish I will be able to get done ahead of schedule and be able to look at the second year material before school starts. I start working on all of my assignments and am able to finish with all the homework due by the end of tomorrow shortly after five forty five. When I had started Magical Theory to my surprise it was a class with no homeworks and was basically a huge packet you had to fill in blanks with information from the textbook. It's class was until the student finished the packet and then they could use whatever time is left the rest of the year with it as a study hall. This made me so happy I had taken and done the whole packet as it was mostly just copying information over. I take all my assignments and stand as I walk out into the teachers common room with my list of teachers and due dates. I had already memorized who taught what but had had a hard time correlating names and faces so I decided to start out by going to those that I had remembered from last night. Even though they had said I could forgo the professor title I decided to wait till the individual professors tell me to. I look out around the room.
The easiest to spot happened to be professor Snape who was sitting alone at a table with what looked to be a syllabus for a higher level class that he was revising. I walked over without making a sound and gently pulled out a chair and sat while waiting for him to finish what he was doing. After a few minutes he put down his quill and asked in what sounded to be annoyed at me having bothered him "And what exactly can I do for you Ms. Lapis?" I pulled out my essay on cauldrons and slipped it over the desk to him. "I finished early and was wondering if you would like to go over it." He summons a bottle of red ink and begins to read. The assignment had had to be at least two feet long and had taken a considerable amount of time to complete. I had finished with two feet and ten inches because I ended up really enjoying the topic. I mean pewter, brass, and copper are only a few of the types of caldrons and they only took up a foot without repeating what I had already said in different words. As such I talked about advances such as the collapsible cauldron or about the fool Humphrey Belcher who thought there should be a cauldron made of cheese. I wait nervously as he looks over my paper and am surprised when he opens his bottle of ink and instead of marking the paper redder than an apple but instead puts a simple O at the top. I have no clue what an O is supposed to mean but Snape sneers a little before saying "Your handwriting is atrocious but your work was decent." I can't help but smirk slightly at this because I feel like that's the closest he will come to complimenting someone so I thank him and stand up getting ready to search for another professor.
I decide to next look for the ghost Professor of History of Magic as he would be one of the easiest to recognize. I see the ghost Professor Binns and I walk over with my six inch paragraph on the Gargoyle Strike of 1911. It was basically a strike the gargoyles, magical statues in this instance, went on when they felt they were not getting treated properly as they often were not cleaned regularly. As I make my way over I can tell by his demeanor that most students don't take much of an interest in his course and it makes me feel bad for him, not that I would ever admit it. I don't want anyone thinking I'm some softie. Having taught so many years he looks up when he's aware a student is approaching him. I try to put on as much cheer as I can, so a smile rather than my normal smirk, and hand him my paragraph while saying "The lecture notes were interesting and I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if this strike hadn't occurred." This made the man who looked to normally be less than animated go into a full on discussion about all the possibilities. This seemed to shock a few of the other professors and I heard one whisper to another "He's never been this openly passionate about a topic, even when I had him as a professor." Overall that made me happy to know I had made him feel alive as we then proceeded to have an hour long conversation on all the different possible scenarios. Throughout the conversation I asked quite a few questions when he would mention terms I didn't understand and he would explain them before moving on. In the end I also learned he taught, well more like supervised, the Magical Theory class so I gave him my completed packet which made him smile while talking about how most students took most of the year to do it cause they didn't want to do the reading. I noded slightly about to leave before I decided since I've already seemed to gotten on his good side he would likely answer my question "I was wondering what exactly the grading system is here at hogwarts?" Binns, he had already told me I could drop the Professor prefix, told me that there was three possible passing grades and three possible failing grades. "In order of best to worst is O for Outstanding, E for Exceeds Expectations, A for Acceptable,keep in mind we're moving into failing grades now, P for Poor, D for Dreadful, and T for Troll." After he explained the grading system to me I wished him a good night as I looked at the clock. It was already eight but I decided I would see one last professor for the night.
I decided I would go to the Astronomy professor as it's at night you see the stars so they are most likely to be staying up later anyway. I look down to my syllabus to see the name Aurora Sinistra. I vaguely remember her as the dark skinned witch I had met the night before. I looked down at my chart of when I could go see professors and noticed under her name was a note saying that if I need anything or to look at the stars that she will be available every night from eight thirty to midnight should I wish to join her in star gazing. It said to head to the astronomy tower along with a little map so I exited the common room and followed it to the tower. I took me an hour to finally arrive there because I could have sworn I was following the directions and the castle would move on me. I ignored it though as I knocked before being allowed in. I had looked over the syllabus and was glad to see most of the first year was just watching stars and memorizing their names, in fact the only assignment was the final with a note to see her whenever I wished to take it. All it is is a star chart that says when I take it some of the stars will be missing and I need to place them along with their names. The rest would already be there with there names and you are even given a word bank for the missing stars names. She greeted me with a "Welcome I am Aurora Sinistra dear and as you are now a ward of Hogwarts feel free to call me Aurora" She said with a merry wink. I greeted her back and she asked me what I thought of her subject. I had responded back with how I had stargazed a lot the past few years and that I already knew all the stars required by a first year. She looked a bit skeptical as she asked "Is that so?" She then instructs me to take out my final and that if I can pass it with an O she will use it as my grade but if not I would have to plan out twice a week that I would meet up with her and that if I were to fail this test not to worry as she would let me take it again at the end of the month. It infuriated me that she didn't quite believe me so I decided right here and now I would get that O. I took out the final and she took it and cast a spell to make the actual test appear and not just a sample one. I set to work and shortly after midnight I had a triumphant smile as she looked in shock at my perfect test. I didn't even get one wrong. She then smiled brightly at me as she gushed at getting a student that had already had an interest in the subject before having to learn it. We then walked back to the common rooms together and before she wished me goodnight I asked her if it would be okay for me to join here at the astronomy tower on nights when I couldn't sleep. She seemed to enjoy the idea and agreed as we went our separate ways to our own rooms
That night I slept like a baby. I woke up the next morning and rolled out of bed before following my usual routine. I glanced at a tray of breakfast that was left for me while in the shower and realize I had forgotten to eat last night. I decide not to worry about it and just grab a pear before doing all my work for tomorrow. I still need to go check with the teachers I didn't see yesterday for the homework due today but on the plus side yesterday I was able to knock out two of the first year classes meaning I only had to catch up in six more before the start of the year, well not including flying. I plan on leaving that aside for as long as possible. Overall I decided to get into a routine. Every morning I would complete the work and then from lunch to dinner I would work ahead and then at night I would meet with Professors. Just as I finished planning that out Slippy appeared. "Slippy noticed you don't eat much food, Is food bad?" I look up surprised before telling the elf I just don't eat much. Slippy nods but looks at me worriedly. I accepted the lunch she had made before she apparated away. I quickly eat and go straight back to work, I mean I really want to catch up. After dinner I headed out and turned my assignments to teachers I had already talked to then moved on to those I had yet to meet one on one with.
I decided to get the annoying man that somehow was able to get a job teaching DADA out of the way. I had no clue how as my syllabus, if you could even call it that, for his class was a paper saying to write a five foot paper on his adventures and life. It had absolutely nothing to do with defending one's self from the dark arts and it so happened the books he assigned where worthless as all they seemed to be were bold faced lies. I was glad that when Professor Snape had gotten my books he got me two that were not on the list. I had read from the first year one to get an overview of the actual topic while skimming Lockhart's books for things to use before writing five feet of praise towards Lockhart and how "amazing" he is. I handed it to Lockhart and was getting ready to leave before he insisted I stay for him to read it. He easily fell for the praises and I got an easy E but he said I could have gotten an O If I had mentioned his spirit animal. As soon as I could I got up and left the irksome man to go find the three other teachers I still haven't met with.
A rather short man called me over to the table he's sitting at and asks me how I'm coming on my charms work. I instantly recognize him as professor Flitwick. I show the man the Levitation charm by making the table along with his chair float in the air, turn in a full circle and the placing it back down exactly where it was. I then light the type of my wand saying lumos and then point directly at the ceiling and mutter lumos solem creating a narrow beam of light from my wand to the ceiling. I pant slightly at the effort and smile at the professor "Did I do it all right?" He smiles and nods before adding "You might want to try not to mutter but other than that it was excellent" As I finish talking another professor walks up saying "That will come in handy if you ever encounter a Devil's Snare. I nod as I recognize it as professor Sprout, the herbology professor. I grabbed out my essay on various plants and handed it to her. I however didn't stay to chat as I had to rush off to the last professor to turn in my work before retiring to bed for the night. I grabbed out my matchstick and headed off to the stern looking transfiguration professor. I showed her my progress on the matchstic that looked almost like a needle but without the pointy end. She gives me some tips before bidding me a goodnight.
The days flew by until finally it was 5 days until the start of the new school year and I had managed to catch up in all of my classes. In fact the headmaster even gave me a little card with what my grades in all of them had been. I had O's in Potions, Magical Theory, History of Magic, Astronomy and to my surprise Charms which I had been expecting an E in. I did however get E's in DADA, Herbology, and Transfiguration. Herbology I had just barely scraped an E in as I was terrible working with the plants. It turned out that you don't actually get a grade for flying but after Albus asked me why I was avoiding it he set up an evening tonight were several teachers themselves would be flying and playing a mock game of Quidditch, which I learned was an odd game played on brooms that was supposedly the biggest wizarding sport ever. After he found out my fear of height he had used the idea of several others flying at the same time to help me relax because if I feel of one would be bound to catch me. I was still really nervous but knew I would have to do it sooner or later. As I was getting ready for it I got dinner and then went out and sat next to the moody often acted irritated with me but most of the time it was just his personality so I didn't take it harshly.
After a few Brewing sessions for his class we had came to a tentative dare I say it freindship. I had been making a potion that need the juice from a bean and the book said to cut it and let the juice drip into the potion. It had said to get as much juice out of the beans as possible and I had started ranting about how only a fool would cut the bean to get the juices out as I crushed it getting more juice out that if I had followed the nonsense and cut it. After that I had even convinced him to let me help him brew the infarmeries supply of potions. For the most part all I had done was prepare ingredients but none the less I was grateful for the experience. I got back to my meal while asking Severus if he was going to be flying tonight. He merely scoffed at the idea saying "I am far too busy to go riding around on a broom like an over excited hufflepuff." I couldn't help but laugh at this as I finished my meal and headed back to my room to grab a hair tie for while I was flying.I then walked out of my room and headed down to the pitch to see several teachers milling about with an excited Dumbledore . He quickly showed me how to mount my broom and get up and down and then had me land before going over the rules for the game. "As we all know we are going to be playing a mock game today, there will be a keeper, a seeker and chasers. We will not have and bludgers or beaters in the game as Lotus is still learning to fly." He then assigned teams and I ended up being the keeper for mine as I refused to fly back and forth over the whole pitch. I ended up blocking the quaffle twice but it had gotten past the first time it came my way. By the time the snitch was caught I had almost forgotten how high up I was until I looked down to land. Overall I had had fun but didn't imagine myself on a broom to much in the future. As we all landed I had several of the professors tell me I should try out for a keeper position on my houses quidditch team next year. I look down before saying I'm not really that good. Dumbledore gets a twinkle in his eyes before asking innocently "Are you scared of not getting in?" I sharply look up as Dumbledore says this and almost glare. He had told me he wouldn't tell anyone I was afraid of heights and he didn't but rather skirted around it. I couldn't help but be a little surprised at how slytherin it was of the gryffindor headmaster before plastering a sneer on my face. "Of course I'm not afraid, I just don't want all the other houses to be guaranteed to lose every game."
With that i spun on my heel and placed the broom back in the broom shed.I then begin to head up to the school with a small smile at having faced my fear of heights for so long. As i finally make my way back to the entrance I start to notice just how tiring flying is. I mean i was sitting on a broom for well over an hour. Suddenly the idea of everything had me snickering to myself. I was a freaking witch and I live in a castle. If someone had told me this over a month ago I would think them bloody mad. Yet here I am. I make my way back to the staff common room and then ultimately to my room. I start to get ready to go to bed before stopping at my desk looking at my opened copy of Hogwarts a History. I had been reading about the four houses and the founding of Hogwarts. Based on what I read I know I am certainly not a Gryffindor or Hufflepuff. I've no delusions that I'm kind enough to be a hufflepuff and even more so that I am nowhere near as foolhardy, I mean courageous, as one. I think I would fit in okay as a Ravenclaw, I mean I learn thing quite easily and am able to do things easily after a few tries. Slytherin however is were I wish to be sorted, they are cunning and resourceful. I know for a fact this is what I had to be to have survived this long. I put a marker in the book and close it before going back to getting ready for bed.
The following morning I get up feeling refreshed and notice the meal left by presumingly Slippy, I grab a few bites of the eggs and a piece of bacon before changing and heading out into the common room. I notice that a bulletin board has been placed in the room with a few notices. I walk over out of curiosity and see that they are last minute reminders to the professors to have their material ready for the start of the school year along with a few other reminders. I turn away just as the most annoying professor I could possibly ever have walks up behind me. He looks at me with a jolly smile plastered on his face that I assume is meant to be charming. "Ahh Lotus, Just the girl I was looking for." I internally cringe before looking back over to Lockhart. "What ever do you need Professor." I smirk at how the man was always oblivious to my thinly veiled sarcasm when I said the word Professor. He looked down at me before telling me he just finished his new book "I'll be adding it to the curriculum and as you have shown so much enthusiasm in my adventures I decided I would give you a signed copy" He hands over a book and i put on a face of sheer shock "Professor how can I ever thank you for such a gift?" He looks down at me and starts to boast of his heroics and kindness as I resist rolling my eyes He finishes off with "Simply tell others of how even a famous star like me has such kindness to his fans." I nod my head before walking away with a headache from the annoying man.
I decide to take the book and put it in my room along with his other crappy books at the very bottom layer of my bookshelf where I almost never look. The man infuriated me but at least after the school year has ended I can probably make a decent amount of cash off the book. Speaking of cash the wizarding world's money is quite odd to me. But I guess it will just take some time to adjust to it. From what I can tell I have inherited a not so small fortune from both of my parents who were the last of their lines leaving me as the sole inheritor of two rather large vaults filled to the brim with fancy furniture, dish sets, walking sticks, family crests, Journals, and just about anything I could ever possibly want. It is also filled with galleons, sickles and knuts. If I wanted I would never need lift a finger for anything my heart desires. I have yet to actually see my vaults in person but Dumbledore , with my permission was granted a one time access with my family's goblin banker, gashiel I believe his name was, so that he could take wizarding pictures of my vaults do I could get an idea of what all I have. Not to mention all of my items are being paid for as I'm a ward of Hogwarts so I technically don't even need to touch my money till I graduate. Plus I will always have a room in hogwarts so I will never have to move out if I choose not to. I did however inhibit a few homes from my parents and plan on visiting them in a few years. I honestly don't want to right away though because I don't really want to see and know what my life could have been had my parents not been killed. I did however decide that I would take out money for holidays, birthdays and such so that I may get presents for those I actually like.
I hear a knock on my door and I'm pulled out of my thoughts as I stand and walk away from the bookshelf to see who it is. To my surprise it was Dumbledore waiting at my door and as I got ready to invite him in he cut me off by asking me to walk with him. I am a little caught off guard by this as I have only really talked to him the few times and it almost always pertained to my situation or grades. I step out into the hall and follow him as he begins his stride. "Lotus I was wondering how you are feeling about all that has happened this past month. It is after all only a few more days until school starts and I would like to know how you are settling in." I look up at the old man who seems to have a twinkle in his eyes before responding "I like it here very much, It would be a lie however to say that I am used to everything though. Most of what I know of the wizarding world is through what I have read so I only understand the concepts of the wizarding world. I have understood all the material I have done but when it comes to practical knowledge on the society as a whole I feel as though I'm lacking. I do however know quite a bit about Hogwarts from the book that you left me. I quite enjoyed Hogwarts a History." I had learned that with him it was best to get everything out in the open lest he question you on every little detail. Dumbledore looks down at me before responding "If you would like I could tell you the titles of a few books found in the library that could help you on the general history of the wizarding world. Quite a few muggle borns check them out at the beginning of the year to learn about our world. I am however glad to hear you are adjusting well. I was quite impressed by your grades considering the short amount of time you had to complete your classes." He smiles down at me before continuing "There are however some things I would like to inform you on before the beginning of the year so that you are aware of them rather than hearing it from other students. You of course know that your parents where killed by Voldemort correct?" I look at the man a little shocked he would outright say it but I suppose he knows I don't like to beat around the bush so I simply nod my head. "Well you see the both of your parents believed in blood supremacy for a while, they believed purebloods were better than muggle borns. They ended up joining Voldemort's ranks as Death Eaters. These were those with similar views. They however didn't really understand what they had gotten themselves into. As much as it pains me to tell you, they killed countless muggles for years until their views started to change it was towards the fall of Lord Voldemort that they decided to flee and return to the side of the light. It however was to late, once they joined it was for life. Voldemort was not one to simply let anyone leave. He hunted your parents down and they had just barely managed to keep you hidden. Voldemort was unaware you were born, It had been on the run that you were born and they hid you at the orphanage."
Dumbledore looks down at me and I feel as though he's waiting for some sort of reaction. To be honest I don't truly care too much about those that left me behind. I know it sounds horrible but I never knew them. I mean it saddens me that my parents are dead but I at least know what actually happened. It would be a lie if i said I didn't care about them at all but it would also be a lie to say I love them. I mean I've never met them, yeah they gave their lives for me but they were the ones who decided to bring me into this world anyways. I look up at him calmly. "Thank you for telling me, but if I may be so bold, why are you telling me?" Dumbledore sighed slightly as he says "Would you have preferred not knowing and one of your classmates recognizing the name and judging you based on it without you knowing or being fully aware of who you came from" I nod my head slowly before thanking him once again. He then leads me back to my room wishing me a good night.