Chapter 5 – Professor Payne

It didn't take long for what had happened in the greenhouse to spread around the school. And some students (no doubt the Slytherins) had taken pleasure in embellishing the story. James had now heard various accounts of what had happened. In one James had deliberately set the plant on Noah and in another version Noah had stopped breathing for several minutes and it was only because Professor Longbottom had acted quickly enough with a Reviving spell that Noah had survived. Even though James knew these versions weren't true, it only made him feel even worse about what had really happened.

Madam Pomfrey had thought it best for Noah to spend the night in the hospital ward and when James had tried to visit in the evening he was told that visitors weren't allowed. James didn't know if this was true of if Noah had just asked not to see him. But he had raided the last of his sweet stash that he had brought with him from home and had left a big bar of chocolate for Noah as an extra apology for what had happened.

The next morning James was disappointed to see Noah wasn't down in the Great Hall for breakfast and neither was he in attendance of their first two lessons of the day – Transfiguration and Potions. Maybe Noah was more seriously injured than first thought?

In his Transfiguration class James was still struggling trying to turn a match into a needle while most of the class had moved on to transfiguring an acorn into a thimble. It didn't help that he was still worrying about Noah so couldn't concentrate. And in Potions he was doing no better. Professor Slughorn had tasked them with brewing a batch of Forgetfulness potion and James had managed to completely mess it up (which was a shame as he could have done with drinking some Forgetfulness potion to make him forget all about his disastrous first week at Hogwarts). Professor Slughorn had made excuses for James' failure owing to what had happened to Noah and still awarded him five house points for a 'valiant effort in trying circumstances'. This only infuriated Polly who despite in Slughorn's eyes had brewed a 'perfect potion' hadn't been awarded any points. But at least as she was sat far away from James now he couldn't take any of the credit for her work.

After Potions James had a free period and just wanted to be alone so headed outside for some fresh air.

"Why ain' yer in lessons?" a voice boomed from behind James and made him jump but he turned to see a friendly face.

"Oh hey Hagrid. I've got a free period so decided to go for a walk," James replied.

"Why don' yer come down ter me hut an' we can have a nice cup a tea? Been meanin' ter catch a word with yer an' see how yer settlin' in."

Though James had wanted to be alone and didn't really fancy talking about his first week at Hogwarts as it had been so bad he knew Hagrid would offering him a friendly ear so he accepted the invitation.

As soon as they entered Hagrid's hut James got covered in slobber as Fang gave him a warm welcome and nearly knocked him off his feet.

"I made a batch of rock cakes last nigh', would yer like one?" Hagrid said as he filled the kettle with water and but it over the fire to boil.

James had heard all about Hagrid's cooking from his parents and politely declined, claiming he was still full from breakfast.

"So how's it all goin'? Feelin' settled yet?" Hagrid asked as he placed two large mugs of tea on the table and took a seat opposite James.

James didn't know how to answer because the truth was it was going bad and right now he wished he was back home. Instead he just told him about the incident with Noah and how bad he was feeling.

"Is that all?" Hagrid replied, sounding unsympathetic. "The amount of times someone's nearly been 'urt in one of me classes well I couldn' even count 'em on all me fingers an' toes."

Though James knew this was meant to reassure him, all it did was make him apprehensive about taking Care of Magical Creatures in his third year.

"Accidents 'appen," Hagrid continued. "In fact I remember when yeh dad was at school. Was my firs' year teachin' an' a boy got a little nip from a Hippogriff. They nearly 'ad the poor beast put down. Luckily it managed I escape before they did."

James remembered his dad telling him this story about how he and Auntie Hermione had used a time turner to save a Hippogriff and Harry's Godfather and all Hagrid managed to do by reminding him of this story had made him miss his home and family more.

Outside the hut a whistling was heard and Hagrid glanced out the window and started to frown.

"Who is it?" James asked, not being tall enough to see out the window from where he was sitting down.

"That's Burns," Hagrid said with a scowl.

"Who's Burns?"

"The new grounds keeper."

"But I thought you were the grounds keeper?" James said but should have thought better than to ask because by the look on Hagrid's face it was a sore subject.

"I was. That was until a couple of years ago. They'd let me keep doin' it alongside my Care of Creatures teachin' but there was an incident uttingg' a baby dragon I was teaching me sixth years about. Anyway the dragon got free an' a couple of fires got started. I mean no one was 'urt, badly. But Professor McGonagall thought maybe I was takin' on too much responsibility so they brought in HIM."

They way Hagrid said 'him' James knew instantly that Hagrid didn't like Burns.

"He took over all me favourite jobs. Growin' the pumpkins for 'alloween, utting' down the Christmas trees for inside the castle. Luckily they let me keep me 'ut but only cos the rooms in the castle weren' big enough for me."

"I'm sorry to hear that Hagrid," James said, seeing that Hagrid looked absolutely seething as he spoke about the situation.

Hagrid was clearly in a bad mood and pottered around his cabin like a bear with a sore head, slamming things down and banging cupboard doors as he seemed to be looking for something.

"Have you lost something?" James asked.

"Yeah I 'ad a jar of dragon urine 'ere for Neville. He uses it on some of his plants. Can' find it now. Your tea tasted alright didn' it?

James spat out the mouthful of tea he had just drank as Hagrid continued to look around his hut and changed the subject. "Anyway tell me what yer been up ter?"

James glossed over a lot of the bad incidents that had happened and lied saying that other that what had happened to Noah, his first week was going well, not wanting to burden Hagrid with his problems, when clearly Hagrid had his own issues to deal with.

After he had finished his tea he headed back up to the castle and went straight to the Great Hall as it was nearly lunch time. There were only a few students already in there but James was glad to see one student sat at the Gryffindor table – Noah.

James raced over and was pleased to see Noah was smiling as he approached. "How are you? I was so worried when you didn't return this morning," James said and wanted to give Noah a big hug but thought he might not appreciate being embraced after experiencing the Love plants tight grip.

"I'm fine. I was meant to leave first thing this morning but another student got admitted during the night with stomach pains. When he woke up this morning his face was covered in green spots and it turned out to be Toad Pox. They wouldn't let me leave until they were sure I hadn't caught it from him."

James was relieved, not just that Noah was fine but that he didn't seem to be holding any grudge against him for what had happened.

"I'm really sorry again about the plant," James said as he took a seat beside Noah.

"It's fine. I know it was just an accident. I shouldn't have snapped at you yesterday. And thanks for the chocolate. Shame Pomfrey wouldn't let me have visitors last night. I was so bored."

James filled Noah in on what he had missed in the mornings lessons before the rest of the school arrived for lunch and Noah was swamped by the rest of Gryffindor who were pleased to see him back.

"So glad Potter didn't manage to kill you off," a Gryffindor fifth year joked and a few people laughed but James didn't find it funny.

Lunch was spent listening to Noah recount the story of what had happened several times to various students who asked and every time it just made James feel worse and he was glad when break was over and everyone headed to their lessons.

James and Noah made their way to the third floor with the rest of their dormmates for their Defence Against the Dark Arts class.

"I wonder what the teacher will be like?" Anwar asked as they walked. "I hear they've had some dodgy Dark Arts teachers in the past."

"Well I hear that this Professor Payne is Greta's father so if he's anything like his daughter then we're in trouble," Leo joked and everyone laughed but James, who was now dreading the thought of being taught by the father of the girl who seemed to loathe him so much.

They entered the classroom and though the lesson hadn't started yet and the room was half full with students, it was eerily quiet. Professor Payne was stood at the front of the class like a statue, watching as everyone entered with a deathly stare. He was dressed all in black with his blond hair slicked back and a rather chiselled jawline. Just like when he was first introduced to the school at the Great Feast, he stood expressionless.

James didn't say anything to his friends as they quickly took seats as near the back of the class as they could. The front row of desks was empty except for Polly. James looked around the classroom and saw a few Slytherin students and realised that Gryffindor would be sharing the class with them which gave him even more reason to instantly dislike this lesson.

When Greta arrived with her friends they took seats in the middle of the classroom and the rest of the desks at the front remained empty.

Professor Payne didn't speak but just turned on his heels and strode over to the blackboard, his footsteps heavy on the stone floor. He picked up a piece of chalk and began to write with an unbearable screeching sound as it grated against the blackboard. He wrote the name of the class in capital letters then turned to face the students once again and finally spoke. "In this class you will learn all about the Dark Arts, which encompasses spells, practices and creatures which intend to cause others harm."

"Sounds like he's going to teach us how to use them and not defend ourselves against them," Zander whispered to Leo jokingly.

"SILENCE!" Professor Payne shouted in rage. "Ten points from Gryffindor!"

There were groans around the class, which made Professor Payne look around in fury and everyone thought he was about to take away some more house points but luckily he continued with the lesson.

"Today we will be starting with ghouls and poltergeists and how these differ from ghosts. Turn to chapter five in The Dark Forces textbooks and begin reading in silence."

"Is he actually going to teach us anything or just get us to read books?" a student from Slytherin noted to his friend sat next to him in a hushed tone. Professor Payne seemed to hear it and looked directly in the student's direction but said nothing. Soon it became clear why as the lesson went on.

After they had finished reading the chapter he began to pick students at random and ask them questions about the subject. Whenever he picked on a Gryffindor student and they got the answer wrong he took five house points from them. However when a Slytherin student got a question wrong they faced no punishment. Moreover when a Slytherin student got a question right they were awarded house points but Gryffindor were not given the same courtesy. Professor Payne even stopped asking Polly to answer as she always got the question right, which infuriated her as she eagerly put her hand up whenever a question was asked, desperate to be picked again.

"This is so unfair," James whispered to Noah.

"Shut up or he'll take even more points from us. Gryffindor are probably on minus points already now," Noah muttered back and was glad to see Professor Payne hadn't heard them.

By the time the class had ended Gryffindor weren't quite in minus points but they were now bottom of the house table, having been up in second place beforehand. Slytherin who had been in last place were now top.

"He shouldn't be allowed to do that," Polly vented to no one in particular as she walked along the corridor after the class was over with a few of the other Gryffindor students including James and Noah. "He's clearly showing favouritism because his daughter is in Slytherin."

James didn't think anyone needed to be pointed out the obvious fact of Professor Payne's bias and just thought it was another way for Polly to make herself look cleverer than everyone else but he didn't dare say so.

"What's that? Miss Perfect can't handle not being top of the class?" a voice called out and the Gryffindor students turned to see Greta approaching looking scornful with her friends Nancy and Edward either side of her.

"You're hardly top of the class and you certainly wouldn't be doing very well in Defence Against the Dark Arts if your dad wasn't teaching it," Polly fumed back.

"Somehow I think you'll be getting a very long detention after our next class. Especially after I have a word with my father," Greta said with a big smirk on her face and her friends beside her sniggered.

"Just you try! Because I'll go straight to Professor McGonagall and tell her what's happening. Your father won't be in the job for long," retorted Polly and James thought to himself that he had never seen her this angry before, not even with him when Professor Slughorn gave him the credit for her work.

"Don't you threaten me and my father or you'll be sorry!"

Polly was about to answer back when James could see the situation was about to get out of hand and stepped in. "Come on Polly just leave it, she's not worth it," James interjected and took a step forward to put himself between Greta and Polly.

"Trust Potter to get in on the action and try to get all attention on him," Greta hissed. "You're just like you're father. Desperate to be the hero. I hear his life is pretty pathetic now, working in a dead end job."

James knew Greta was trying to stoke him up and get a response. And he wanted to respond with all kinds of jinxes and hexes but thought better of it. "Come on Polly, let's go," he said and put an arm out to usher Polly away. Polly turned and started walking away with the rest of the Gryffindor students.

"That's it, run away like the cowards you are!" Greta shouted along the corridor after them but no one turned to look at her which only made her madder. "You're all as pathetic as each other!"

By now the Gryffindor students were heading up the stairs to their common room and could no longer hear her.

"Well that makes a change," James joked and Polly turned to him and still looked full of fury.

"What makes a change?" she asked snappily.

"You rather than me being the one about to start a fight."

"I was not about to start a fight with her. Some of us don't need to resort to fighting to win our battles. I'm going straight to Professor McGonagall to tell her exactly what happened in class," Polly said and stormed off in the direction of the headmistress' office.

"She is so ungrateful, the least she could have done is said thanks," James moaned to Noah as they watched Polly stomp away.

"Somehow I don't think you two are ever going to be friends," Noah said back and James was pretty sure he was right.