September 4th
God I hate Thursdays. Has there ever been a day that you dread all week and then feel immense relief when it passes only to begin dreading next weeks? For many people their day would be Monday - first day of the week and back to work and all that. For me - Thursdays. An hour and half of Muggle Studies, followed by double potions - as if sharing a castle with the Slytherin's wasn't bad enough, I have to spend two and a half hours in the same room as them ... having to breathe the same air! Cue shudder here! Then after that lovely, lovely transfiguration.
Don't get me wrong - I love Uncle Lupin, but his classes do tend to be filled with highly complex words - must be a Lupin thing to do - they like to string long words together to confuse us simple folk! Seriously, in one of his lessons I understand about ... oh 10 words? It's a good job that Sirius is in the NEWT class too - he's grown up with these confusing words being thrown at him all the time and so he is able to discern what his father is on about and 'dumb it down' for us simpler folk.
Muggle Studies has to be the most - oddity - of all my lessons. Transfiguration and Potions and Charms I get. Their useful. They make sense. But Muggle Studies? Some of the inventions that the Muggles have come up with are just plain weird to me. I mean, what's the point of a 'Bellyvision'? Or football. It has to be the most boring sport in the world - no flying or anything exciting like Bludgers that could knock out an opponent! I only took the class because Grandpa said Wizards should have a greater understanding of the Muggle world.
Sirius is quite worryingly fascinated by Muggles and is always sat on the edge of his seat in classes (right now being a prime example!) It's good really. I don't gave to do any work because Sirius is so hooked on this stuff that I can just copy his! I think his dream job would be in the Muggle Liaison Office at the Ministry, wouldn't it Sirius?
What's that?
Your dream job ... At the MLO with batty old Winona Fudge...
Har har ... she's not batty!
But I'm right aren't I?
Muggles are fascinating Hari! You shouldn't be too dismissive of their inventions! They developed technology to speak to people thousands of miles away without magic! They just-
Yes, thanks Sirius! You've made your point!
Gez. The way he went on you'd think I didn't pay attention in class. Maybe he should marry the subject! Can you do that? Would be a bit strange …
Anyway.
Sirius has been looking a lot happier recently. For the first day or two of term he was bit - well ok a lot! - moody, what with the knowledge that Malfoy was made a prefect by his own grandfather and all. But I think the prankster spirit has resettled on him. He has this look. I know he's plotting something in that oversized brain of his. He's been spotted with that little black book of his. The one with all his musings and plans for pranks and what not. The book is famous in Hogwarts - even the Weasley twins have attempted to sneak a peak, but if I haven't had a look, they most certainly haven't. Whoever said Lupin's were innocent must have been subject to a confuddlement charm! The current generation most certainly isn't!
"... And so, the Muggle Educational System, whilst different from our own in terms of length and context, is fundamentally the same."
Snoor.
Why of why did I choose this subject?
One good thing about Muggle Studies this year ... Tristan.
He's strange and no question about it. For one thing, he seems a curious mixture between shyness and - whatever the opposite of shyness...
Outgoing? Confident? Audaciousness -
Yes, thank you Sirius.
Like I was saying, on first meeting Tristan seemed this shy new comer that would barely speak to anyone - now it seems he does, or at least to a select few. Logan has informed me that's been getting quite chatty wit Jacen Reynolds, a fellow Gryffindor sixth and Beater on the Quidditch team. Basically, Jacen's a tit with an ego the size of an elephant - no wait, a herd of elephants. Not that I speak ill of fellow team-mates.
The fact that Tristan's becoming friends with him is, as Sirius would say 'an indication of things to come.' The newbie is a bit of a show off too. In classes he's always ready with an answer and most of the professor's already love him! It's a bit annoying.
Not that I'm jealous.
Of course not.
Never…
It's just that it seems like he's trying to show the rest of us up - like that somehow Durmstrang was superior to Hogwarts. Pft. As if!
"Homework - detail explanation and analysis of the Muggle Educational systems advantages and disadvantages. To be handed in next lesson."
Finally. Can get out of here! Not that next lesson will be an improvement - Potions. Urgh. What have I done to disserve this? Maybe it was that spell I put on the first year's porridge. But really, I was only trying to welcome them to Hogwarts. Honestly!
We leave the classroom in a jumble of talking and shoving to get out of the classroom before Professor Thomas springs anymore work on us - she has a nasty habit of doing that. Me and Sirius turn immediately left and begin to descend through the castle to the dungeons.
"So go on, spit it out. I know you've got something going on in that brain of yours."
Sirius pauses on the staircase - efficiently blocking it. Several squawks behind us announce the indignation of several second years. Giving me a wicked grin that show's he's about to divulge an exciting plan or going to keep me in suspense, Sirius tugs on my arm, leading me into a practically disserted corridor on the second floor.
"This better be good Sirius!"
Again with that evil grin - his light eye's brightening and taking on a (slightly) mad quality.
"Oh it is."
I wait for a moment, but no further explanation follows. Stomping my foot I demand he tell me - patience was never really one of my strong points.
"Well it involves a certain friend of ours and our good old, traditional and strong house loyalties."
Dorm - same night.
That. Was. Bloody. Brilliant.
What a way to begin the school year! I tell ya, as Sirius told me his plan I couldn't help but chuckle, most likely my evil cackle that the boys tell me I have. It certainly seemed like a good plan and I recognised the spell instantly. Logan had found it in a book last year and we'd been meaning to try it out - seemed like Sirius had finally found the perfect opportunity to do so. No doubt he'd been thinking about a perfect prank, one that would vent his frustration, for days.
We hurried down the floors to Professor Fogston's dungeon classroom and arrived just moments before the professor - hastily heading to our seats on the back bench beside Logan, who (as always) was already there. As Fogston reeled off the instructions for the day's potion, Sirius informed Logan about the plan in a hushed voice and I couldn't help but let my mind wander - something that happens frequently in classes.
Since we've begun NEWT year, this years' potions class was made up of 12 students from three of the four houses. Me, Logan, Sirius, and now it appears the new guy Tristan, are the only ones from Gryffindor to have made it with the grade that Professor Fogston required from the OWLs. Ethan Bennet and Isabel Reed are the only Ravenclaws to have passed, the rest are all Slytherin's. Kinda makes one feel slightly surrounded, don't it?
Fogston's a right git as well. Apparently he's as bad, if not worse, than his predecessor according to my dad. Fogston started teaching in my dad's fifth year when old Professor Snape retired. I've met Snape once or twice and I can tell you I'd rather have him teaching Potions than Professor Fogston! That should tell you how bad it is. But, if I want to be an Auror, I've just got to suck it up. Besides, I want to show Fogston that I can do it. The old bat has got this idea that girls (especially Gryffindor girl's) aren't worth the air they breathe. I mean, come on! It's the bloody twenty-first century. Git.
The lesson started as usual. With me not knowing the name of the potion we were making and just following Logan's orders what ingredients to add and whatnot. It's good that one of us pays attention at least, else all of us would fail! And whilst its it's usually Sirius saving mine and Logan's arses in the other subjects, Potions is definitely Logan's forte.
I wasn't particularly sure what part of the lesson Sirius was going to pull of the prank, butt when he did the ENTIRE class knew of it.
"SLYTHERIN SUCKS ARSE!"
The shout filled the dungeon and every head swivelled in it's direction.
"SLYTHERIN STINKS!"
Malfoy clapped a hand to his mouth, his eyes widening and face draining of what little colour there was. It was just too hilarious. I couldn't help but let a giggle escape but I wasn't the only one. Half the class had erupted in patters of laughter whilst most of the Slytherin's glared at us - though not as much as Malfoy!
"Mr Malfoy! What is the meaning of this? Explain yourself boy!"
Malfoy looked like a deer caught in lights. To open his mouth to speak would mean more insults against the Slytherins. It was too much for me, Sirius, Logan and the two from Ravenclaw and we all collapsed, shaking our stalls with laughter. Tristan, however (bless him) looked a little confused. I'll have to explain to him the house rivalry's at some point, though by the end of next week he'll have figured it out himself.
"Answer me!" Fogstons face was a picture. His colour steadily turning puce.
"SLYTHERIN'S SMELL LIKE DOG POO!"
Most of the class erupted into loud laughter at this whilst Fogston's eye's bulged. Even a couple of the slightly more pleasant Slytherin's starting grinning a little. Malfoy wasn't so popular in that quarter as he liked to believe.
"Detention and 20 points from Slytherin! Get out of my classroom!" Fogston bellowed, one of his crooked fingers pointing to the door.
Malfoy didn't hesitate - just picked up his stuff and pelted it, not before shooting us an evil glare though.
Not that he can prove it was us of course.
"Sirius that was bloody brilliant!" Isabel Reed turned in her chair to congratulate Sirius as Fogston started shouting at us to get back to work and muttering under his breath about idiots and time wasters.
Sirius just grinned. We've come to realise, over the years, not to take credit for any prank in the hearing range of any Professor unless you don't mind missing the points (we don't mind the detentions though). If they don't have proof, they can't punish you after all. The rest of the class passed quickly and thankfully were left without much homework. I think Fogston was busy trying to figure out Malfoy's punishment though he was glaring at us Gryffindor's a little. Doesn't take much to link something bad happening to a Slytherin with a Gryffindor.
The prank was just the way to start the new academic year.
Look out Weasleys - the new generation of Marauders are here!