Chapter 3: Settling In
Harry felt the hat being lifted from his head, and he was immediately accosted by a deafening applause which ran across the Great Hall, the loudest coming from the Lions' den itself. There were two identical ginger twins, who had stood on their stool and were chanting "WE GOT POTTER! WE GOT POTTER!"
McGonagall offered Harry a small smile. It seemed she was expecting Harry to be a part of her House. Harry grinned and walked off to the Gryffindor Table, and most of them started getting up from their places and shake hands with him. He gave an exasperated look towards the Slytherin table where Daphne and Tracey were sitting, which said, 'Well, now you know why I faked my name.'
They were clapping too, but their smiles seemed a bit tight. Harry knew why. The rivalry between Gryffindor and Slytherin had gone on for ages, and they were worrying over the fact that their friendship would turn out to be a one-day thing. Harry would be lying, if he said that he wasn't worried about being in different house. But, everything has a first time, right? Maybe they would be the ones to break the age long rivalry between the two houses.
Harry sat across from Neville and beside the girl named Fay Dunbar.
"Trevor still with you, right?" asked Harry, grinning at Neville, who seemed to be too awestruck by him.
"I-I didn't know you were, Harry Potter", mumbled Neville. "And, yeah…yeah...uh... I've-I've got Trevor with me", said Neville patting a lump in his pocket.
"You said you were James Evans!" Hermione accused him.
"Wait, you've met each other before?" asked a second year girl, Katie Bell.
"Yes", said Hermione frowning at him. "He helped Neville find his toad. But why did you say your name was James Evans?" Hermione outright demanded from him, in a bossy tone.
"James Evans?" asked Katie confusedly.
"I didn't exactly lie", pointed out Harry. "It's a part of my full-name."
Harry turned his attention towards the Head Table. The sorting had been back in progress, and teachers were paying full attention to it. Except one. Harry's eyes fell upon a hooked nose teacher, with long black greasy hair, who was wearing black robes. His unhealthily pale skin, gave him an appearance of a vampire. His eyes had been fixed on Harry, until Harry looked back at the man, causing him to avert his eyes at the Sorting in progress. Professor Severus Snape, the Potions Master, appeared to have bit of a history with Harry's father, James Potter, and it wasn't a good one. Seeing Harry, who was an exact replica of his father, and was also sorted into Gryffindor, had caused a hatred to spike inside the Potions Master, something which was ready to lash out and strike him.
Harry frowned. The man must've really hated his father. He would look at the Potions book before he went to that class. Suddenly, the young woman whom Harry had met in the zoo, looked at Harry and then back at Snape. It seemed as if she had realised what he was doing and a small frown appeared on her face. Would she tell Snape what he had been doing moments ago?
"GRYFFINDOR!"
Harry clapped along with the Gryffindors as the ginger boy of their group, joined them at the table and sat beside Neville.
"Good job on making Gryffindor, Ron", a fifth year prefect who also had ginger hair said to the boy.
"Yeah, think of the shame had you been in Slytherin", said one of the ginger identical twins.
"Yeah, we would've disowned you!" said the other twin.
"Are you all gingers, brothers?" As soon as the word came out of his mouth, Harry regretted saying it. He shouldn't have called them ginger. Telepa-Legilimency would've been a better choice.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have called you that…"
"No worries, mate", said one of the identical twins. Fred.
"Calling us ginger isn't the worst thing you can call us", said the other twin. George.
"But yeah, we are brothers", continued Fred.
"This here is Weasley number three", said George pointing his thumb at the fifth year prefect. "Percy the Perfect…er…Prefect."
"Don't call me that!" snapped Percy the Perfect, his ears turning red, and pushing his horn-rimmed glasses up his nose haughtily.
"We are Weasley number Four and a half, each", said Fred, pointing at him and his twin. "Gred and Forge, prankster extra ordinate." Both the twins half bowed.
"And this here is Weasley number six…our baby brother ickle Ronnie!" said George, man-hugging his brother.
"Geroff, you two!" snapped Ron, pushing his brother away. Harry, and the rest of the Gryffindor table stared amusedly at the exchange.
"Welcome first years, and to the old students, Welcome Back, to another year at Hogwarts", a voice boomed out stopping all conversations in the Hall. "Thank you", said Dumbledore, now in a normal voice. "Now that Sorting Ceremony is over, let the feast begin! But before we start, a few words: Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!"
And the next moment, before them golden plates had appeared, with a goblet full of what Harry thought was orange juice. Laid before them were rows and rows of food, the likes of which Harry hadn't seen before. Harry couldn't help but let out a gasp, at the appearance of so much food.
This was the first time in Harry's life that he could remember a person only say a few words, and not some full winded boring speech, after they'd said they would say a 'few words'. Harry knew he loved the man.
"He's a bit off-rocker, isn't he?" asked Ron.
"Dumbledore? He's a genius!" said Percy, but then seemed to remember something. "But yeah, he's a bit mad."
"I think I like his sense of humour", commented Harry.
Harry took helpings of food which he hadn't ever had the pleasure of having, which was about most of the food he saw, as the Dursleys weren't fond of treating Harry well. For a moment, Harry thought who had orange juice during dinner, when Percy the prefect told him it was pumpkin juice. Harry took a sip, and the next moment he scowled in disgust at the concoction he'd been fed.
"It's disgusting!"
Ron looked at him like he had grown a second head. "But it's pumpkin juice!"
"More like a very VERY concentrated sugar solution, to which some extra sweet syrup was added, followed by food colouring and some more syrup", said Harry sardonically, eyeing the pumpkin juice with distatste.
"Well, it's supposed to be sweet", said Ron. "Or else you would smell pumpkin off your juice. And you don't like sweets and stuff? You seemed to have liked the Treacle Tart very much."
"Treacle Tart is not nearly as sweet as pumpkin juice, thank God!" said Harry. "And I do like sweets. But chocolate's different. Don't they give water or something?"
Just as Harry said it, a goblet of filled with water appeared. "Thanks", said Harry to whoever had listened.
"I'd have pumpkin juice instead of water any day", said Ron.
"I do agree with Harry", said Hermione taking a sip of pumpkin juice. "It's too sweet." She turned towards Ron. "And don't talk about water like that. If a life and death situation is there, water would be more easily available to you, and it could save your life!"
"Well, I'm not going to some Life and death situation", snarked Ron at the muggleborn girl. "You're more than welcome to go though. It'd save us a breath."
"When we were in the train, Ron was going to show some magic, which would turn his rat yellow in colour", whispered Neville to Harry and Fay, on seeing Harry's raised eyebrows at the brunette and ginger bickering. "It was some prank poem or something, and he's still embarrassed about that. Hermione had managed to change the colour of his shoes, you know."
"It's a shame, we got only five first years in Gryffindor", said Percy to his fellow prefect, a girl named Regine Hooper.
"The other houses haven't fared much better, though", Regine had pointed out. "Ravenclaws have got six new ones, and there are six new snakes too."
"There are a lot of Hufflepuffs, though", commented Harry, eyeing the Hufflepuff Table, which was much more crowded than the other three.
"Well, they are the duffers of the group", said a dark skinned boy, Lee Jordan. "If you don't end up in any three, you're sure as hell gonna end up among the duffers."
"Don't say like that!" said Percy pompously. "Each house has its own brilliant history, and all are equally respectable. Gryffindor was a master in the art of Transfiguration, Slytherin's knowledge in the Dark Arts and curses are unparalleled…"
"I don't doubt that", said Fred, snorting.
"…Ravenclaw was good with Enchanting and Alchemy", continued Percy. "And Hufflepuff…"
"Yeah, what'd she do, eh, Perce?" asked George smirking when Percy did not continue.
"Hufflepuff was good with Divination", said Harry. "The Sorting Hat told me that."
"So, for the past fifteen minutes you were having an idle chat with the Sorting Hat?" asked Lee incredulously.
"Anyways, everyone knows Divination's a load of tosh", said Fred. "It explains as much."
"He's kinda right, Percy", said Regine. "I mean, I know I'm a prefect and all, but count the sheer number of Hufflepuffs! The number of new badgers are the firsties from all the other houses, put together."
"I've heard they do group cuddles or something like that", said Fay for the first time. "I mean, I've heard mum and dad say that, they were both in Gryffindors…"
"They aren't all duffers, you know", said Alicia Spinnet. "I mean Cedric Diggory comes in the top in our year, and they're talking about him joining the Quidditch Team, and he's really good with a broom."
"I bet he's good with a broom", said George. "He does look like a poof to me."
"Aye, he does brother", said Fred.
Harry chortled while having his Treacle Tart, while some of those who heard the twins chuckled. Alicia had swatted his arm, scowling at the ginger boy.
"What's a poof?" asked Ron.
Many others chortled, while the twins shook their heads pitifully.
"I understand why you call him 'ickle Ronnie'", commented Harry, causing more laughter to erupt from the Gryffindor Table.
As the last of the pudding disappeared from the table, Dumbledore stood up from his seat. "Now that we're all fed and watered, a few start-of-term notices for you", said the wizened Headmaster. "First years should note that the Forbidden Forest, is as its name suggests, forbidden, and some older years better remember that too." His eyes twinkled as he looked at the Weasley twins who gave the Headmaster their best innocent expressions. "Quidditch try-outs would be held in the second week of the term. Any student wishing to play for their House, may give their names to Madam Hooch. Now, it is with regret that I must inform you that Professor Gliderbird has decided to lend his service to the goblins as an overseer of curse-breakers in the tombs of Egypt. On a happier note, may I introduce you to Professor Elizabeth Fawley, your new Defence against the Dark Arts teacher."
The young woman got up from her seat and bowed slightly to the students, as they applauded, the male teenagers being the ones to clap the loudest, who had all decided to study Defence against the Dark Arts with new resilience now.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily, appearing amused. However, his expression suddenly turned very serious. "On a more serious note, I must inform you that the third floor corridor is to be avoided by all students, for those who don't want to die a very painful death."
Some of the students laughed, however many of them, had taken it seriously, and to Harry's surprise, even the Weasley twins.
"Now I believe you are all tired after the very long and tedious journey. You will find your warm beds waiting for you, with your luggage. Prefects will lead the first years to their respective common rooms."
The sound of the scraping of chairs reached Harry, as students started getting up from their seats.
"The five of you, follow Regine and I, all right?" said Percy pompously. "We'll show you to the most direct way to the Common Room."
"I won't exactly say it's the most direct one", commented Fred lightly.
"I haven't asked you Fred", snapped Percy. "All right, come on." He motioned to the first years.
"I thought you'd get angry if I'd waken you up", said Neville nervously.
"And I'm much angry now that you didn't wake me up", said Harry trying to dry his sloppy wet hair, with his hand, as Ron, Harry and Neville walked towards the Great Hall. "I think I'm too used to my aunt banging like crazy on my door. We'll barely get ten minutes or so to have our breakfast."
The Gryffindor Common Room was on the seventh floor, at one of the towers, with its entrance through portrait of a fat lady, whom everyone called the Fat Lady. You had to give a password to enter. The Common Room had a warm and lavish feeling to it, with a fire crackling merrily in the fireplace and decorated in scarlet and gold colours. Harry had found all his possession laid beside the bed in his dormitory, so after changing out of his robes, oxford and trousers, he fell asleep on his four-poster.
Harry had woken up a little later than he had expected, and had hurriedly taken a shower, and then gave Neville a hand to wake Ron up from his slumber. Harry didn't want to go down to his first day of classes dressed shabbily, so he carefully tucked his oxford into his pant and wore his robes, which now had the Gryffindor emblem on it.
"So, you've come at last, have you?" asked Hermione when she spotted the boys. "For a second, I was wondering whether you had decided to sleep in on the first day of school."
"Ron didn't know how to wear clothes by himself", said Harry, quickly placing a fried egg on a bread and four strips of bacon. "We had to tell which was the right side of his underwear."
"Hey! I did no such thing!"
"Aye, you're right", Fred told Harry. "Mum helps ickle Ronniekins dress."
"Shut up you—"
"But we won't say no more", continued George. "We won't tell how much Ronnie was crying to have to leave our home."
"He was worried more like."
Harry placed another bread on top of the bacon and egg, finishing making his hasty sandwich and took a bite out of it. He looked longingly at the steaming hot kettle of tea, but he knew he would not make it to his first class, if he sat to enjoy some.
"Boys", muttered Hermione, rolling her eyes, while Fay giggled. "Here, Professor McGonagall came to give the schedules." She gave them three parchments.
Harry took one of it and passed the others to Neville. The first period was Transfiguration.
"Looks like we've got all our classes with Slytherin and Ravenclaw", said Ron. "So, the Puffs are all alone, are they?"
"Their class strength would be the same as all of us combined", said Hermione.
"So, 'alone' won't exactly be the correct term", said Harry, taking the last bite out of his sandwich.
"Do you know where McGonagall's classroom is?" Hermione asked Fred and George.
"It's in the second floor of the West wing of the castle", said Fred. "It'll take you some time to reach there."
Harry watched Daphne and Tracey get up from their tables and moving towards the entrance of the Great Hall.
"Let's go!" said Harry, getting up from the table. "Don't want McGonagall to be upset now, do we?"
"Buff-I've'nah-en", said Ron, with his mouth full of toast.
"Swallow the food, and let's go!" snapped Harry.
Ron swallowed the food with the ridiculous pumpkin juice, and got up, muttering about not having a proper breakfast and still being hungry. Neville, Hermione and Fay joined them.
As soon as they came out of the Great Hall, Harry quickened his pace up the stairs and into the second floor to catch up with Daphne and Tracey. "Hey, Daphne! Tracey! So, how was Slytherin so far?"
Both the girls turned towards Harry, and immediately brightened up. "Hullo Harry, Slytherin has been good this far", said Daphne, smiling.
"Could've been better, if our Common Room hadn't been in the dungeons", said Tracey, causing Daphne's eyes to widen a bit, and Tracey suddenly realising her mistake, blushed heavily.
"I don't think you were supposed to say that", said Harry dryly. Harry noticed that his fellow Gryffindors were now staring at him like he had grown a second head. Except Hermione, who didn't know much about the infamous rivalry between the lions and the snakes.
"Oh, right! Daphne, Tracey meet Ron Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Fay Dunbar and Hermione Granger", said Harry introducing the two groups. "Guys, meet Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis."
Yeah, it was awkward for them.
"Pleasure", said Hermione brightly, although she did notice how weirded out they were.
"Erm, hi", said Neville, almost whispering, and nervous. This was followed by a mumbled greeting from both Fay and Ron.
"Hullo", both the Slytherin girls chorused.
Harry had to resist the urge to sigh at them. "Well, let's get going, then", said Harry.
"We'll have all our classes together", continued Harry, trying to break up the awkwardness and the wary glances they were shooting at each other. "Perhaps for the rest of our years in Hogwarts too…except when we get to choose our electives."
"I've heard Transfiguration is among the toughest of all the magic we will learn", piped in Hermione. "I mean I've practiced a few minor charms, and they seemed to have worked for me, except after two or three of them, the book asks us to not perform them without a teacher's presence."
"Transfiguration might appear like the toughest now", said Daphne. "But my father told me, that once fourth year starts rolling around, Defence against the Dark Arts would go progressively challenging."
"I'm more excited at the prospect of flying lessons we have the next Friday", said Fay Dunbar.
"Me too", Ron and Tracey said at the same time.
"My Gran wouldn't let me near a broom", said Neville timidly. "She said, I might hurt myself."
"I've flown a few times when I play pick-up games with my brothers", said Ron.
"It must be great being able to play Quidditch games when you have siblings. It's just me flying all alone near the beach", said Tracey pouting. "And Daphne doesn't like flying."
"I'd rather stay on the ground, thank you very much", said Daphne with a sniff.
"Flying on brooms is just so…stereotypical", said Harry. "I mean a witch flying on a broom with a pointed hat, and cackling maniacally while brewing a green potion which uses a toad's eyeball. Later she would eat children."
Everyone except Hermione (who was snickering) stared blankly at Harry.
"That's what muggles think about us, you know", said Harry shrugging. "Among other things like getting our magic by kissing Devil's anus."
"The muggles must've got a few screws loose, mate", said Ron, scowling at the picture of someone kissing Devil's anus.
"It's the church that spews such bullshit", said Harry. "Look, this is the class, right?"
The seven of them filed inside the classroom and took seats starting from the front. Harry decided to sit with Daphne and Tracey. Harry noticed a tabby cat sitting on the teacher's table. It had odd markings around it eyes, and Harry immediately knew who it was, causing him to smile knowingly at the cat. The Ravenclaws were the next to arrive, followed by the four other Slytherins. It was at that time that the bell rung.
The first years were now glancing occasionally at the back or crane their necks to McGonagall's office door.
"Does old McGonagall know we have a class now?" he heard Draco Malfoy from behind him. "I'll be telling my father about the tardiness the Hogwarts teachers are showing, the Deputy Headmistress at that. He is in the Board of Governors, you know." The pale boy boasted, trying to impress everyone.
Harry shook his head sadly.
At the moment Malfoy stopped speaking, the tabby cat changed into Professor McGonagall, her lips drawn to a thin line. She was glaring furiously at Malfoy, who had turned paler than he usually was and shrunk to his seat.
"I assure you, Mr. Malfoy, I'm quite aware of the classes I have and also aware of the time when the class starts", said McGonagall, as Malfoy was shrinking to his seat even more. "And yes, I'd really like to know what your father does when he hears about this, and I'll also be having a small chat with Professor Snape. That would cost you twenty points from Slytherin, and a detention with Mr. Filch."
"That was bloody wicked!" exclaimed Ron. Although no one knew whether it was for berating Malfoy, or her being an animagus. Even Daphne and Tracey appeared amused.
"Why, thank you Mr. Weasley", said McGonagall. "However, please refrain from using that particular word, as the next time it would mean five points being taken."
McGonagall said that her subject was an intricate one, and so she would not tolerate someone fooling around in her class. They were then given lectures about a few basic rules of Transfiguration of material objects, while they had to note down.
Later, they were each provided with a matchstick to turn into a needle.
Most of the time Harry had done magic, he hadn't known any incantation or wand movements. Heck, he didn't even have a wand before! It was just what Harry wanted to happen.
So, would it work the same if he simply wanted a desired result? He would test that theory out later. Now, he would do as per instruction.
Visualization was an important step. It was the same for any magic to be done.
Harry took his wand out, and did the perfect wand-movement and muttered, "Mutatio", all the while picturing his needle.
The wooden matchstick immediately changed into a perfect needle. It was shiny, very pointy, and down to the minute hole at the base, it was intricately done to the smallest detail, and Harry grinned, proud at his success.
"Very good, Mr. Potter", said McGonagall, smiling at Harry. "Perfectly done, at the first try no less! Take five points for Gryffindor."
The others were still trying, but nothing seemed to happen to their matchsticks.
Then, Harry changed the needle back into the matchstick, causing McGonagall to beam at him again. Harry continued to make his Transfiguration faster and faster between, the matchstick and the needle. When McGonagall had noticed this, she seemed a bit wide eyed, and had awarded him another five points.
By the end of the class, only Hermione and Lily Moon were able to make their matchstick a bit shiny and a tad pointy, although, you could see the gunpowder and wooden texture of the matchstick, earning both of them five points each.
The next class was History of Magic and Harry was…unimpressed. The class was taught by a ghost of all things, Professor Binns, and he droned on and on in a monotone voice about Goblin rebellions. Most of the class had gone to sleep, and the only person who was taking notes was Hermione. Even the Ravenclaws were dozing off.
Herbology was taught by a plump witch, Professor Sprout. It was an all right class. Sprout was no doubt knowledgeable and skilled in her field, but the subject didn't appeal that much to Harry.
Charms was taught by Professor Flitwick, a cheerful man, who appeared comical sometimes because of his height being somewhere around three feet, but Harry knew that much like Dumbledore, his eyes were sharp and showed intelligence and wisdom. Like an eagle.
He had lectured them about the Lumos Charm, and again Harry had got a bright glow on his very first try. However, this time most of the class had succeeded in producing the light at their wand-tip. While Transfiguration was more about intent and visualizing the given change, Charms didn't require that much visualization or intent, but rather on the intricacy of the spell like its correct incantation and proper wand movement. But Harry did nothing about wand movement or said any incantation when he had used wandless magic. It meant theoretically wandless transfiguration was possible. But it made any wandless charm impossible. But Harry knew he was capable of Levitation, moving objects around and stuff like that.
Harry's question didn't remain unanswered for long though.
Defence against the Dark Arts was what everyone had been waiting for. Fred and George had told them that Fawley was brilliant and had made them practice boggarts. Many other upper year students also held the same opinion, although the seventh years were a bit shaken because they had been taught about Unforgivable Curses, with demonstration on a spider.
On Wednesday morning the class did arrive. Professor Fawley had given them a lecture about differences between curses, hexes and jinxes. Later, she had moved all the tables to a corner with a wave of her hand, something the class was in awe about. Next, with a flick of her wand, she had conjured seventeen dummies, one for each student and made them practice Knockback jinx and Stinging Hex. Harry got both of them correct in his very first try. (Knocking the dummy and causing it crash into a wall, and leaving a red scorching mark on the next dummy Fawley had conjured for him. The dummies were conjured in such a way that the red scorching mark meant that the Stinging Hex had worked)
The only other person who had succeeded in doing both had been Daphne, although they weren't powerful like Harry's had been. Fawley had awarded her with ten points for Slytherin, and five points was later awarded to Fay to be able to knock her dummy. Harry hadn't commented on how no points had been awarded to him despite him having succeeded much before them and even in the first try. When the bell had rung, Fawley had assigned them a homework on what they did in the theory part, and three examples each for hexes, curses and jinxes. Although, only three of them had eventually succeeded, Defence was their favourite class beyond any doubt.
"Harry, please stay back", said Fawley, as Harry was about to swing his bag around and leave.
Was he in trouble? Was this because of his attempt at telepathy on her at the zoo? Was this why she hadn't awarded him points because she was angry with him? But the times they'd met while she was in the Teachers' Table, she hadn't shown any displeasure towards him. It had only been Snape who seemed to be eyeing him with distaste.
Harry stood waiting while she leaned on her table, waiting for the others to leave. When everyone had cleared out, she still hadn't said anything.
"Mr. Malfoy, if you continue eavesdropping, it would result in ten points being taken from Slytherin", said Fawley loudly. There was no reply, but Harry knew Malfoy had rushed off.
When no one was there, she flicked her wand at the door again.
"It's a useful spell against eavesdroppers", she explained to him. "While Mr. Malfoy isn't doing so anymore, doesn't mean someone else won't."
"Is this about—"
"You must be wondering why I didn't give you any points, seeing as you did the spells on your very first try and it was much powerful than the others", said Fawley, cutting across Harry from whatever he was saying. "Well, Harry, you are capable of wandless magic…if I gave you points for some first year spell, it would be insulting your magical talent."
Harry's eyes grew wide for a fraction of second, before they reverted back to normal. Harry knew McGonagall hadn't told anyone about his wandless magical abilities to anyone except Dumbledore. But then again, Fawley was perhaps a telepa—legilimens too.
"Am I correct in assuming you are a natural Legilimens?"
"Yes, professor", said Harry nodding. "I didn't know that it was called 'legilimency' though, I thought it was some kind of telepathy…and about that day…"
"Pish-posh! Don't worry about that day in the zoo!" Fawley reassured him waving it off, like she was okay with it. "So, tell me are you a parselmouth?"
"A—what?"
"The ability to speak to snakes and communicate in their language, parseltongue", said Fawley. "The very same language you are speaking now."
"What do you mean—" it was then that Harry realised, the words he had spoken didn't sound to his ear like English, but it was rather like a hissing coming out of his mouth. Even the question about him being a parselmouth from Fawley had been said in a hissing language.
"Even I had thought at the beginning that snakes had started to talk in English", said Fawley, chuckling. "Not many people have this ability", she informed him. "Much like being a Legilimens. But Legilimency doesn't have a stigma attached to it, like parseltongue does. People consider that being able to talk to snakes makes people evil, which is utter nonsense let me tell you, but still don't tell anyone about this talent of yours. Or any of your talents… wandless magic, parseltongue or legilimency to anyone, all right?"
Harry wouldn't have told anyone, anyways. But why was she telling him all this?
She sat on one of the desks of the students, and motioned Harry to sit beside her.
"You must be wondering, why I'm being so vague and why exactly am I telling you all this." Fawley smiled slightly at him. "I'll be very direct with you Harry." Her blue eyes stared at his green ones. "You are a gifted wizard. Most of this is your natural talent—"
'I'd rather like to think that my less than pleasant childhood, kind of made it a survival instinct', Harry thought to himself sardonically.
"—or maybe a few instances in your childhood, like it happened in my case, which caused your magic to respond to it. Magic is strange you know…it's a beautiful yet dangerous thing. But what matters is the way you see it. All right…too philosophical", she snorted at her own joke, shaking her head. "Anyways, as I was saying, if you could mould yourself accordingly, with the gifts you have, one day you could be a powerful wizard, and maybe even give Dumbledore a run for his money."
Harry didn't know what to say, so instead, he just shrugged.
"You saw me perform wandless magic", continued Fawley. "It was something I had been able to do from a young age, much like yourself, Harry. I hadn't been a natural legilimens like you, but I had an inclination towards the Mind Arts from my early years at Hogwarts. Both of us are parselmouths, and we are similar in more way than you know." She smiled slightly. "Both of us are halfbloods, orphaned when we were babies…I grew up in a muggle orphanage though, while you grew up with your aunt and uncle in the muggle world."
Harry looked at the defence instructor in surprise. She had also been an orphan like him?
"Somehow I'd have rather stayed in an orphanage than with my relatives", muttered Harry.
"Yes, McGonagall didn't think they were the nicest of people." Harry was sure she had read McGonagall's mind.
"That's a bit of an understatement", said Harry, snorting.
Fawley sighed. "As I was saying, we are more alike than you know", she continued. "Well, except that you're a boy and I obviously do not belong to the male species…"
"Obviously." Harry couldn't help but give her the cheeky reply. For some reason, he felt at ease around her.
Fawley cracked a grin. "So, if you need any help—with anything at all, feel free to tell me. Although, you have good friends…I know you've met them, like four days ago, but I know they're going to be good friends to you, and I didn't have many friends in the beginning…so just…"
"Magic's wonderful", Fawley went on. "The things you'll learn in first year, at least in the wand based subjects, will be a breeze to you—and I'm not overestimating you at all. But if you want to know more magic or some useful spells, I can help you there too."
"Thanks", said Harry. "I'll…umm…hold on to that."
"So, how're you doing in other classes?"
"Well, it has been just three days, but…okay, I guess."
"Just 'okay'?" asked Fawley, raising an eyebrow. "McGonagall's been gushing over what you did, saying you inherited your father's talent in it. James Potter was indeed very gifted with Transfiguration. And a formidable duelist too."
"You knew him?" asked Harry suddenly very interested.
"I was younger then", said Fawley. "We've met a few times, and I've seen him do stuff. He was in the papers many times too. Facing Lady Voldemort, defying her and live to tell the tale, and it wasn't just once that he defied her. That alone speaks volumes about him."
"Anyways, as much as I liked Transfiguration and all, I didn't quite like History of Magic. I was expecting more modern topics there than goblin rebellions, that's throughout the book. And Herbology was…all right. And charms…professor, can I ask you a question?"
"Shoot!"
"You're capable of wandless magic, and so…"
"Yeah, go on."
"Well, from what I could concur, and that's what Professor Flitwick told us, Transfiguration is more about intent and visualization", said Harry. "While charms is more about the correct incantation and precise wand movement. So, theoretically wandless transfiguration is possible. But, that would also mean wandless charms is impossible, but well…I can do it."
"That's a good question, really", said Fawley, grinning at him. "Simply put, at least that's what my theory tells me, since you won't find books about wandless magic, well, wandless magic and wand-based magic are totally different. From their point of approach to everything. I first came to this conclusion when the Ministry wasn't able to track the magic I did wandlessly. While this one time I had accidentally used magic through my wand, I got a warning letter from the Ministry, but they remained clueless about my use of wandless magic however many times I did it", she suddenly sported a mischievous smile. "Oops! I shouldn't have said that. Forget about it, all right?" she winked at him.
"Forget what?" asked Harry innocently.
Fawley chuckled. "Well, as I said, they are two totally different types of magic", she told him. "Every theory of basic wand based magic would fail when you try to do wandless magic with it. By the way, you managed to wandlessly transfigure the matchstick into needle, right?"
"Well, yeah…" said Harry, shrugging. "That was a relatively easy one, though I don't think the later ones are gonna be that easy wandlessly."
"Oh, believe me, it's nearly impossible", said Fawley, shaking her head. "The most I can do is vanish a small object wandlessly, like a card or something. But odds have a tendency of being defied, so…who knows?" Fawley shrugged.
"And Professor, since we do wandless magic with just intent on what we want to do…"
Fawley nodded at him, and so he continued. "So, we can use the same principle while using a wand to get desired effect. And it should be easier too, as wand is but a focus."
"Yes, you can", said Fawley. "You can use the principles of wandless magic in wand based magic, and it'd work easier for you than you'd expect. Your ability to use wandless magic shows that your magic is very developed—that's how I do magic, as a matter of fact. It'd be too tedious for me to first think about spells and wand-movements. I mean, how else do you think I was able to enchant the dummy, so that it kind of gave a red glow if the stinging hex worked properly? True, I needed to know the basics of enchanting and all, but there isn't really any particular spell or wand-movement for that desired effect. And it's also how spell creation works, you know. Yes, there are a few limitations to magic, like Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration and all that. If you keep the theory in check, then it's possible. Sometimes, I've seen that Parseltongue comes in really effective in Dark Arts and Healing. There are many spells which I've created which work the best on Parseltongue."
"I see", said Harry. "Thanks for clearing this out, Professor."
"It's no problem", she assured him. "Well, I do hope I hear from you outside of classes, Harry."
With Friday came the class Harry had been dreading very much. Potions. Harry knew that the man absolutely hated him, and McGonagall's boasting in the staff room about how he had inherited his father's talent in Transfiguration hadn't helped either (Harry, in the next class had moved onto transfiguring rubber slippers to water goblets and back, and had again succeeded on the first try, while everyone else were still struggling to get the needle out of the matchstick). Snape was already planning on belittling Harry, and so Harry skimmed through his Potions text, and borrowed another book from the library 'What not to do in a Potions classroom'.
Fred and George's warning about what a git Snape was, and how much he hated and was unfair towards Gryffindors, didn't help quell down the sense of foreboding Harry was experiencing. However, that day Hedwig had come with a letter which was from the large man, Rubeus Hagrid, inviting him to his hut after lunch for some tea. Harry had quickly penned down a reply saying that he would be present, along with a thanks for inviting him.
The potions classroom was in the dungeons, quite near to the Slytherin Common Room, Harry had realised. It was just too dark for his choice. He didn't have problem with darkness—honestly he loved DC comics more than Marvel. But the dungeons kind of gave off a feeling of a haunted house. Well, it was technically a haunted castle, because there were ghosts, but the dungeons were more like a stereotypical haunted house, unlike the castle. And the fact that the Bloody Baron roamed the dungeons didn't help matters either.
Harry's fears were not unwarranted as during the roll call, when Snape had reached his name, he said, "Well, well", his voice was soft, yet it commanded authority. "Harry Potter. Our new celebrity!" he drawled out, biting out each word one by one. Harry heard Malfoy and Nott snickering.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses... I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even put a stopper to death—if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
His eyes swept towards Harry. "Potter!" barked Snape, causing all the students to startle at his sudden change of voice. "What would I get, if I add powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"We would get, erm, the Draught of Living Death, sir", said Harry. Harry didn't have some eidetic memory, and he had forgotten the exact name of the potion. Thank legilimency. "It's a sleeping potion. A quite powerful sleeping potion."
Hermione lowered her hand.
Snape nodded. "Very well, tell me, where would you go, if I asked you to bring me a bezoar?"
"The potions cupboard, sir", Harry's cheeky reply came up before he could stop himself. Harry was not liking this man at all for singling him out, and his reply had been kind of a reflex, something which he had gotten from all those neighbours scowling at him.
The class snickered at his reply, while Snape narrowed his eyes. "Potter!" Immediately the snickers died down.
"Erm, sorry sir. It's a stone from the stomach of a goat", said Harry, as Hermione lowered her hands again disappointed.
"And what is its properties?"
"It cures most poisons. Some poisons like one from a Maledictus or a basilisk won't get affected by a bezoar, though. Thus it's very useful, but the prices have sky-rocketed for some reason."
"Yes, a galleon-a-piece is too expens—" Snape seemed to have almost absently agreed with Harry's statement about the price of the bezoar, but realizing just what he'd said, his ears turned a deep red.
"This is not an economics class, Potter. I haven't asked you to comment over its price", snapped Snape looking embarrassed. "Five points from Gryffindor for your cheek, Potter." The Potions Master rounded on Hermione. "And two more points taken for waving your hand foolishly, girl. Unless you are talked to, try to practice as much discretion as you can."
The man faced the class again, causing his cloak to billow out rather dramatically. "I want all of you to prepare a Cure of Boil potions for me. It is as its name suggests, to cure most boils. The instructions are on the board—" Snape flicked his wand, and the recipe of the potion appeared on the blackboard behind Snape's table. "Copy it down on a parchment first. The places where it has been underlined with red means, the recipe has been changed at that point and is a bit different from the textbook. Prepare the potion, and by next week I want a foot long essay about why the change in recipe will yield a better result."
Harry had partnered up with Daphne of course, and they had worked efficiently together to get the perfect potion within the given time, which Snape had given an Outstanding to. Neville had added porcupine needles while the cauldron was still on flames, causing the cauldron to melt. It had been the very first warning in 'What not to do in a Potions classroom', but how was Harry supposed to know that Neville would make the mistake? Somehow, Snape had blamed Harry for not stopping Neville from adding it into his cauldron. Harry had just rolled his eyes at the apparent childishness, which had lost him another five points. He had given Snape a deadpanned look after that, causing the man to growl.
"You were clearly provoking him!" Hermione had accused him, once they were out of the class. Harry knew she was more upset because Daphne and Harry had ended up with an 'Outstanding' while she got an 'Exceeds Expectations' on partnering with Lily Moon. She didn't seem to be thinking that most had barely scraped an 'Acceptable', while Ron and Neville ended up with zero for melting the cauldron.
"He started it by acting so childish", said Harry coolly.
"You know, I've heard the Hufflepuffs melted five cauldron, and another one blew up", said Terry as they got out of the dungeons.
"Well, everyone knows 'Puffs are duffers", said Ron quite brashly, and unfortunately for him, some third year Hufflepuffs, who were passing by, heard him, and they scowled at his direction, causing him to look away, his face turning red.
"Well, it's kinda true", said Padma. "I mean, of course, there are a few exceptions…"
"But exceptions are just that, exceptions", said Anthony wisely.
For a moment, Harry wondered whether there was any course for catchy catchphrase for Ravenclaws. Anthony and Terry did that a lot. Harry's eyebrows shot up in surprise. There was indeed a book about catchy catchphrase in the Ravenclaw tower's library!
Having had his lunch, Harry had decided to go visit Hagrid.
Hagrid's Hut was at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. From what he'd heard from Fred and George, Hagrid was a very nice and lovable person, but he had an unholy fascination towards dangerous creatures. Apparently, last year he was keeping a cerebus with him as a pet, and it was his life-long dream to have a dragon.
Harry knocked on the wooden door, causing a dog to start barking. Harry heard the voice coming from the inside, "Outta the way, Fang! Outta the way!"
The door opened, to reveal the large man, who was holding a giant boarhound by the collar. "Ah, Harry! Come in! Come in!"
"Thanks for inviting me, Mr. Hagrid", said Harry politely, entering the hut.
"Jus' Hagrid's fine", said Hagrid. "No mister, smishter needed. Everyone calls me Hagrid."
Hagrid motioned for him to sit by a huge wooden table. Most of the furniture in the hut seemed to be fitting for someone of Hagrid's stature, even the bed.
"Would yeh like some tea?"
"Sure", said Harry.
"So, I've heard you like magical creatures very much", began Harry, as Hagrid's boarhound, Fang, came over to lick Harry's hands, so Harry absent-mindedly started scratching it behind its ear, causing it to melt to his touch.
"Aye, I do", said Hagrid, as he let the water boil on his stove. "Find them fascinatin' I do. But among all, it's always been mah dream to have a dragon for meself. Fascinatin' creatures, they are!"
"I'd like to see a dragon someday", said Harry. "Fred and George were telling me you had a cerebus last year. Fluffy, I guess its name was. Do you have it this year?"
"Er…Dumbledore needed Fluffy for somewha' business o' his", said Hagrid stumbling for words. Harry's eyebrow shot up. The cerebus was in the third floor corridor. And it was guarding a trap door, where there were some other obstacles. The school was hiding the Philosopher's stone, which belonged to Nicholas Flamel. What the hell…
"Here's yer tea, Harry", said Hagrid, handing him a cup with steaming hot cup of tea. Hagrid sat beside him, on one of the large chairs. "So, how's yer school been goin', eh?"
"It's wonderful out here", said Harry. "It's been one week and Hogwarts feels like home already. Sometimes, it's a bit overwhelming with the stares and all, but…it's nice as a whole. Filch doesn't seem to like me much, though."
"Oh, that Squib doesn' like anyone ,he doesn'", said Hagrid. "And yer father was quite the trouble-maker like the Weasley twins, and gave Filch a hellin' lot a trouble, he did."
"And he gave trouble to Snape too, eh?" asked Harry.
"Aye, there was bad blood—" Hagrid suddenly chuckled nervously. "Eh? Nah, there was nothin' be'ween Snape and yer father, Harry."
"Well, I don't care if he still holds over a schoolboy grudge with my father", said Harry shrugging. "He can be childish like he is being. He's a good teacher, though. Knows his stuff. Just a bit grouchy."
"Well, yeh know, Snape's like that", said Hagrid.
"Yeh know, Harry", began Hagrid after sometime. "T'was me who took yeh from yer house that night. Yeh were jus' a wee baby, then yeh were. Brought yeh in a flyin' motorcycle, me did."
"Oh", said Harry. "How was it like there after…you know…"
Hagrid suddenly grew sombre. "Aye, t'was terrible. I wen' there and saw James Potter lyin' on the ground, and yer mum…" Hagrid suddenly blew his nose with his handkerchief (which was as big as a tablecloth), "they were such swee' people, they were, yeh know Harry…and loved each other, they did. Noh many people care fer meself, but yer parents and their friends invited me along many o' times, their weddin' an' all. And they even asked me ter, when yeh were born."
Harry patted Hagrid's elbow, because that's how high he could reach, as Hagrid started crying and dabbing his eyes with his handkerchief.
"Yeh were sittin' on yer crib, cryin' knowing yer mum won' be up…there was jus' a scar on yer forehead", Hagrid blew his nose loudly again. "An' then I took yeh, and yeh fell asleep `gain…"
As time went on, Harry and Hagrid talked about stuff like Harry's other classes, Hagrid's time at school, magical creatures (Hagrid had promised to show him the hypogriffs, thestrals, bowtruckle, nifflers and the unicorns sometime). As they were approaching dinner time, Harry and Hagrid went back to the Great Hall together.
As the next week wore along, Harry was getting incredibly irritated by Draco Malfoy. He had approached him again on the very first day after lunch, asking why he had lied to him about who he was, while he was on the train. Harry had replied by saying that he didn't want to get too overwhelmed with the crowd, and the blond ponce of course didn't have the brains to understand that he was considered as a part of the 'crowd' too. Malfoy had offered his hand in friendship, but Harry knew what an unpleasant person he was, so he had given off a vague answer in reply. Malfoy kept on insulting anyone of muggle descent about how they were inferior and he was superior. He also took some pleasure in bullying Neville. Harry didn't want to confront him directly, so he just used wandless magic to make the blonde trip, or fall down or something. But Harry's patience was wearing off, and perhaps a direct confrontation would actually make that ponce leave Neville alone.
Harry's patience finally wore down on the day they were having their first flying lesson. Most were pretty excited about it, and Harry himself wanted to see what made all these people crazy about some broom.
After Neville had gotten a remembrall, a glass ball that tells you when you've forgotten something, Malfoy had his eyes on it ever since. After Neville had fallen off his broomstick, and taken to the hospital wing, and in the process his remembrall had fallen out of his pocket, Malfoy had marched over to it, and took it in his hand, with a proud smile on his face.
"Look, it's the stupid thing Longbottom's gran got him", said Malfoy, his eyes glinting. "Maybe, if he had used it, he could've remembered to land on his fat arse, and not break his wrist."
"Shut up, Malfoy!" snapped Padma.
"Ooooh, never thought you'd like fat little cry-babies like Longbottom", said Pansy Parkinson sneering. She was another unpleasant person according to Daphne and Tracey.
"Malfoy, are you a kleptomaniac?"
The cool question came from Harry, causing everyone's head to turn towards him.
"A-what?" asked Malfoy blankly.
"A person who has a habit of knicking things for no reason at all", said Harry. "'Cause you are almost certainly acting like one."
Everyone grew quiet at Harry's bold statement against the boy who had started making a reputation as a bully, and Pansy sneered at Harry's direction. Malfoy looked red in the face.
"Are you saying that I am a thief?" hissed Malfoy.
"Taking things without someone's permission is stealing, Malfoy", said Harry, keeping his face blank of all emotions. "I'm pretty sure, if you want that remembrall so badly, your daddy can most certainly give you one."
"I don't—I don't need a pathetic thing like this—" screamed Malfoy.
"Then why are you so obsessed with it?" asked Harry exasperated. "I'm gonna have to ask you to give that to me."
"Or what, you're gonna duel me?" asked Malfoy sneering at Harry.
"Not unless you're foolish enough to make me", said Harry in a matter-of-fact tone. "I, of course, know more spells than a Knockback Jinx and a Stinging Hex, and not still struggling with a Leg-Locker Jinx."
Most of the students snickered at Harry's comment, even Malfoy's best buddy snorted, but he quietened down on seeing Malfoy's glare. Malfoy was red on the face.
"You think you're so special, Potter?" said Malfoy, his sneer deepening. "I'm thinking of keeping this on a tree or someplace Longbottom can't get his hand on. Stop me if you can."
And before Harry could react, Malfoy has swung into the air with his broom, and stopped about twenty feet into the air, smirking proudly. Harry knew he could very well summon the remembrall out of Malfoy's hand, but that would reveal his wandless abilities. Even with a wand, summoning charm is supposed to be fourth year material.
'The old fashioned way, then', Harry thought to himself.
He could also find out what made brooms so special.
Harry got on his broom, and almost on instinct zoomed out from the ground, speeding towards Malfoy, ignoring whatever Hermione told him. Harry went so fast on the broom, Malfoy had dodged him in panic, and Harry stopped a few feet away from him. All pretence of arrogance was wiped out of Malfoy's face, and knowing Harry would be able to knock him out of his broom, he threw the remembrall high up.
Harry sped so fast towards the remembrall, all everyone saw from the ground was a blur. The wind beating against his face, the adrenaline coursing through his veins; it gave Harry a feeling of exuberance, like the time he had been able to control the elements. Just six feet above the ground, Harry caught the remembrall, which caused him to roll 360 degrees upside-down while on his broom. Harry cracked a grin, as he held onto the remembrall. He could now understand why people were so crazy over flying.
Unbeknownst to Harry, from the Transfiguration classroom, Professor McGonagall and her fifth year class had all crowded around the windows, to see a blur in the sky and the spectacular dive pulled by a student, with a three sixty degree roll on the broom.
"Wait—professor! Is that Harry Potter?" asked the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain Oliver Wood.
"Yes, it is indeed him", said Percy Weasley, frowning at the scene, yet he had to admit, he hadn't even seen his brother Charlie pull up a stunt like that.
"I think I've found you a new seeker, Wood!" said McGonagall finally, and most of the classroom stared at the Transfiguration Mistress in shock, as never had any of them seen her getting this excited and practically shaking with glee.
"That had been a really impressive catch right there, Potter", said Oliver Wood. A trunk was being levitated and moving with them, as they were carrying their brooms to the Quidditch pitch. Harry was of course carrying one of the Cleansweeps the school had. "We all saw it from the classroom, and McGonagall was almost shaking with excitement. I've never seen her smile ever, you know. I don't think anyone else has either."
"You do realise that I just fly well, and that was just my first try and also I've got next to no idea about Quidditch, right?" asked Harry rolling his sweater sleeves.
"Then think what you can do when you get some experience", said Wood chuckling. "Anyways, I guess you've heard the basic rules, right? Your job is just with the golden snitch. Catch it before someone else does, simple. Of course, make sure the points would be to our advantage."
"Got it."
"Right, I know you are not in need of any high-level stamina in the game, but every player runs laps around the Quidditch pitch. Two laps would be fine, right?"
"Aye, aye, captain!" Harry saluted the fifth year and went on to running. He did play football, and running two laps around the Quidditch pitch, as large as it was, won't tire him. After a half lap, he laid his jumper on the stand, and then went on running.
"So…he actually thought you'd fall for that?" asked Fawley, shaking her head sadly. Harry was visiting Fawley for a tea, and had told her about how Malfoy had challenged him to a duel at midnight, and then he would not appear at midnight and set Filch on them. "You know there was once a time when Slytherins took people who were actually cunning. His father almost certainly was…but the Malfoy boy acts almost as brashly as the youngest Weasley boy."
"The reason I came to you is related to this incident however, professor", said Harry. "Duelling is much more than throwing hexes, curses and jinxes at someone, like some like to think it is. But, Hogwarts does not have any duelling courses."
"Well, it's not like Dumbledore didn't try", said Fawley. "The salary to any teacher is paid through the Hogwarts funds and the main donators are the Ministry." She sneered on mentioning the Ministry of Magic. "They are more interested in making Werewolf laws and holding balls in the Ministry thirteen times a year than anything. He had to fight a lot and dig in a lot of favours to bring in 'Enchanting' as an elective course in Hogwarts. He had also succeeded in bringing 'Duelling' in 1970s. But after the War, in 1985, when Fudge was sworn in to the office of the Minister of Magic, he said and I quote, 'Duelling is unnecessary' and 'what are Aurors for?'" Fawley shook her head sadly again.
"Many get private duelling classes though", said Harry. "Xi Li from Slytherin gets one, and Su Li, her sister would start next summer."
"Yes, I'm aware that many students go for it", said Fawley. "They are rich families and all. But I, of course, didn't have the privilege. So, you want me to teach you duelling?"
"Yes, professor", said Harry. "I will understand if you don't wish to do so—"
"Are you really going to go so polite on me with those formalities and all?" she asked him, chuckling. "I would be happy to teach you duelling, Harry. But we are just into the third week of your first year. Your progress has been commendable for any first year, but you still don't know many spells to actually start duelling. How about we see how much you have progressed until Halloween? If you really put effort into learning spells from now on and progress to an admirable place, we may start. You can't win a duel just with your magical prowess and no knowledge, or a load of accumulated knowledge but not knowing when to use them. Wait a minute…" Harry watched as she got up from her chair and walked to a door to the left wall of her office, which most probably led to her quarters. She disappeared into the room, leaving Harry to his own wake.
Harry was thoughtful. She had indicated that she was putting high expectations on Harry. Magic came like second-nature to him, but how much high would her expectations be? Could he prepare himself within the one and a half month time he had? He didn't want to disappoint Professor Fawley. She was the second person who expected something of him, and he won't let her down.
He did have much free time though. Well, who knew how much Wood would've had made him work? He wasn't in the Quidditch team, so he won't know.
Fawley had come out of the door, carrying a thick battered book.
"Here", said Fawley, giving him the battered book titled 'Duelling through Ages'. "See what you can achieve with this, Harry, this book helped me a lot. It's mostly what people do in duels, and how they combine charms and transfiguration in duels too."
Harry nodded, "Thank you, professor", told Harry. Yeah, she was definitely putting a lot of expectation on him.
"No problem", said Fawley. "If you face any problem with any part, whether in this book or any spell you come across, you can clarify it with me, all right?"
"Sure, professor."
She smiled sadly at him after that, though. "I've heard you almost got into the team."
"One of the board of governors felt that bending the rules of a school for a first-year was too much", said Harry bitterly. "No one needs to be a genius to figure out who that person could be, other than the father of the boy who gloats about his shiny arse all the time."
Fawley snorted. "I'm gonna pretend I didn't hear you say that word", said Fawley amused. "Moreover, it's not like we're in class now, are we? But anyways, you've still got the Nimbus 2000, haven't you?"
"Yeah", said Harry. "I go flying from time to time. McGonagall allowed me to keep it."
"I liked flying a lot too", said Fawley. "Although, I wasn't overtly fond of Quidditch. Anyways, next year you most surely would make the team."
"Yeah."
On the bright side, Harry could put in more effort in learning new spells so he could learn duelling from Professor Fawley.
Author's Notes:
Yeah, you probably noticed how I changed a bit on how Snape taught his class. Snape is an unpleasant person. But he is a brilliant Potions Master and an excellent teacher. He might belittle Gryffindors from time to time, but no one would actually question his teaching ability or prowess over his field. As you have seen, Harry's a prodigy, and I hope it isn't that unexpected. The kid can do wandless magic for goodness' sake!
Secondly, you have probably guessed who the Defence teacher is. Fem Voldemort is a character who is going to be how I paint her to be, since it is my story, and her character arc would be revealed slowly, as the story moves on. She is not going to be some psychotic brash villain with a superiority complex the size of a mountain. She will not be unstable and as the story progresses, those who have a very thorough knowledge of how Harry Potter progressed, would find a lot of differences, and just buckle up your seat belts, because I have tried my best to tie in every detail I can with how the plot moves and prevent any plot holes. I am not being overconfident. I really have stuff thought out. So, in case you find about something which doesn't match your theory, wait, and see what happens.
Well, you'll get the next chapter coming up next week. I expect my day's are gonna get a lot busier, but at present I'm writing my ninth chapter (which would be Harry's second year), and drawing up the storyline of Harry's third year which would connect to a major plotline of this story. So, I expect you're gonna continue getting weekly updates.
Is it weird that I've drawn up the whole of Harry's fourth year and fifth year, and still thinking of various ways I'll be writing his third year?
I guess it is.
Thank you to all those who have followed this story or 'favourite'-ed this story. Your reviews are appreciated.
Anyways, stay tuned folks!