Prisoner of Azkaban
Chapter Eight
Classes Begin
Xerxes Academy
Ron, Neville, Hermione, and Ginny came in for breakfast as a cluster, nervous about being in a new place where they knew no one. Hiro spotted them right away and waved them over to his table. "Come on, sit here. The others will be here in a few minutes and then we can all sit together."
"Oh, so Yuery will be joining us for breakfast then?" Ron asked hopefully.
"Yes, nearly every morning unless they miss a day." Hiro nodded as he waved behind him when the Elric brothers and the princes walked in together. William split off to join his friends while Maes stuck to Yuery and Huan "Here they are now. I expect Anya will arrive momentarily."
"Anya isn't joining us for breakfast today." Yuery said as he sat next to Ron, "She has a meeting with Princess Chen. She'll be in classes though."
"I have a meeting with Professor Tringham after breakfast." Hermione said, "My parents requested it, I'm to test my aptitude in alchemy I believe."
"Do you want to double track?" Ron asked curiously.
"I'm double track." Maes said absently as he dug through his bag." Brother says it's no more difficult in school than it was with tutors."
"Which brother?" Ginny asked curiously. Yuery frowned but he knew that it would spread to his friends when they joined the school.
"I am double track." Hiro responded before Yuery could respond. "It is uncommon though to have aptitude for both magic and alchemy. That's the reason for the testing. Alchemy can be dangerous when inexperienced and pointless if you don't have the talent for it."
"Not pointless at all. All of our family trains in alchemy even though not all of us are capable of activating an array." Yuery said with a frown. Hiro had noticed his hesitance and given him a loophole to explain. "Learning the dynamics behind it helps with the study of magic as well. Dad started teaching me when I was small as a means to control my magic before I was old enough to learn proper control… though technically, I'm triple track as is William. Maes is double track for now."
"So then why the aptitude test?" Ron asked around his eggs, causing the rest of the table to frown at him.
"Manners, Ron." Ginny scolded as her brother rolled his eyes.
"You still need to have the aptitude to understand even if you cannot use it. For example, William has also been taking alchemy lessons since he was very young, but he does not preform alchemy." Yuery explained. "He much prefers automail like our mom and wants to join her in her practice when he's old enough."
"So, these afternoon classes are labeled general study?" Ron asked, sensing he needed to let the subject alone for now. "Does that mean everyone is together then?"
"Yes, we are grouped by age." Hiro nodded. "Then subgrouped by aptitude once again. How are your science levels?"
"Science?" Ron frowned.
"I imagine that the tests will place you." Yuery assured his friend. He had noticed that the Hogwarts students largely lacked in knowledge when it came to science and technology especially. The closest they had to a science class was potions. Luckily, he kept up with his own lessons last year. Hermione, being born and raised in an environment based in science gave her the advantage in both science classes and alchemy over Ron and Ginny, as well as Neville.
Soon enough, the morning bell rang, and the group split up into their separate class groups. Hermione left to meet with the professor for her alchemy test. William, to his automail class. Ron, Ginny, and Neville followed Draco to Professor Lupin's classroom where their magic lessons would take place later but for now, they would be catching up on the general study lessons they would need for the afternoon classes. Yuery and Hiro were off to their alchemy class, while Huan and Anya were both on their way to archivist lessons.
Ron, Ginny, and Neville were somewhat surprised when they met Professor Lupin to learn he was from England originally. He was vaguely familiar to the Weasley children, since he had occasionally appeared at their house for Order meetings. He invited them all to sit down, along with three other children, before the next bell rang to indicate the beginning of the lesson.
"Alright, everyone here took the entrance exams over the summer. I am looking at your overall results and it seems the subjects we need to work with the heaviest this semester is Science and World History." Lupin began as he looked over his notes. "Now, it is understandable that there are holes in your education, however, we do expect you to apply yourselves to these lessons and your afternoon classes. Should you require extra help it will be available."
Lupin then sat down his notes and picked up a small stack of papers. "As I am sure you noticed, you were given at least one designation track, at the most there are five however, we have yet to have a student with more than three. Alchemy, Magic, Archivist, Automail, or Government. None of you are Alchemy Track so the Alchemy time slot was used for these lessons. Next block is Magic, then Automail, Archivist, and last Government. If you are not in a class slot you are free to return to your dorm or the library. Use of the library is always encouraged, and you will find tutors available for any lessons you require. Any questions?"
"How do you sign up for a second track?" A blonde girl asked after Lupin nodded to her raised hand.
"Speak to the head of the department you require or your primary teacher, which for this semester will be me." Lupin said with a smile. "However, requesting a track will not automatically find you in that track."
"I thought the Leadership classes were only for the Royals?" asked a brown-haired boy next.
"Others can also ask to be included, again it will depend on your scores whether you are received." Lupin said with another smile.
"I didn't see Herbology on the list of magic lessons?" Neville asked nervously, and Ron frowned with sympathy. He knew it had been Neville's best subject last year.
"Horticulture is how it is titled in Xerxes, and you are assigned to that class Mr. Longbottom. Your grandmother mentioned it was a preferred subject for you." Lupin answered. "Though it is a bit different than Hogwarts as they do not focus only on magical plant life."
"You do not have Quidditch games here?" Ginny asked with a frown. She had hoped to sign up for the team since she was a small child and her brothers played in a near by field.
"No, I'm afraid that Quidditch is not a game played here. You have other options should you wish to join a sports team; we also have games clubs and arts groups to choose from once the school year has been underway for a bit. Best not to distract anyone at the beginning of the year, so you will have to wait the two weeks until the notices arrive." Lupin replied and saw the girl deflating sadly. "It is the position of the Headmaster that any dangerous activity is closely monitored by members of the staff, including extracurriculars. Flying has been deemed inappropriate at this time given the lack of available staff."
"Now, unless there are anymore questions, we will begin with chemistry." Lupin said as he handed each child a thick textbook. "You will be given reading assignments to do in class and after, however, practical lessons will not contain homework which you will find to be true of all of your classes."
The lesson passed quickly enough, once they had begun. Ron and Neville both relaxed a bit when they noticed that chemistry seemed a bit like potions, so not completely foreign to them. Ron made this observation aloud, though he had intended it to be too quiet to be overheard. Unfortunately, Lupin did hear him and asked him to repeat himself for the class. "I uh, I said this is a bit mad, like potions without magic." Ron repeated.
"You would be correct Mr. Weasley. Chemistry is one of a few subjects where Magic as well as Alchemy overlaps with general studies. I hope then, that once you are used to the methods expected you would do well in the subject."
"I'm not very good at potions, sir." Neville said timidly.
"Interesting. That is not what Professor Snape said in his transcript summery. He said you showed potential if you could master your fear of failure." Lupin said with a smile. "He said the same for you, if you were interested Mr. Weasley, that you showed potential, though you lacked commitment. Perhaps you can try harder this year then?" Both boys nodded, before returning their attention to the lesson. Ron was surprised to learn Snape had said that about either one of them. He was under the impression Snape believed nearly all Gryffindors to be a complete waste of time in his class, with the occasional exception of Hermione, and for some reason at time Yuery.
The class passed quickly, and soon enough a chime rang in the room. Ginny, along with the other unknown students, gathered their things while Ron and Neville waited. They were meant to stay here for their magic class after all. Ginny was not in their year and would have the class later in the morning.
Soon, ten other students came in including Yuery, Hermione, and Draco as well as Yuery's friend Hiro. Everyone settled into their seats before a second chime sounded and the classroom door opened again to have three adults enter the classroom and come up to the desk. One of them, to Ron and Neville's surprise, was Severus Snape. "Alright, for those of you who are new this year, I would like to introduce your teachers. This is Professor Severus Snape; he will be teaching you potions. He is also Head of the Magic department, along with myself. Should you have an issue find one or the other of us and we can help you. Next, we have Professor Ana Holtz who will be your charms teacher. Finally, we have Professor Huan Yao who will be teaching transfiguration. You will come to this room everyday for the lesson, the professor in question will be here to teach you that day."
Professor Holtz and Professor Yao nodded and sat to the side, while Lupin sat behind the desk and Snape cleared his throat. "Some of you have been in classes with me before, for some of you I am a new element. Therefore, I wish to make myself perfectly clear from the beginning. I will not permit any misbehavior in my lessons. I will not allow for distracted minds. When you are here, you will pay attention. Am I understood?" the students all nod, before he steps back as well, and pulls out the textbooks before handing them out to each student. "We will be studying the first two chapters this week. I expect the relevant chapters to have been read by the time we meet again on Monday."
Overall, the rest of the lesson was quiet which was surprising to the transfer students and not at all surprising to the students that had attended Xerxes previously. After the chime, when they all stood to gather their things and left the class, Yuery announced he had a free period before his final morning class. He leads them all out to the courtyard, where they sat by the fountain. Neville, Draco, Hermione, and Ron all were free as well, though Hiro had gone off to his next lesson. William joined them a moment later, and Ron frowned in confusion for a moment before Neville asked, "Didn't Ginny say her magic lesson was next?"
"Yes, she did." Ron nodded before asking William, "Aren't you in her year?"
"I do not take Magic." William said as he settled next to his brother. "I am not a wizard or an alchemist. Unlike Alchemy, Magic classes would not further my other lessons without the ability."
"Wait, so you're a muggle or a squib?" Ron asked curiously.
"He's neither. Those terms are completely unacceptable here." Yuery said, avoiding the anger that tried to rise in defense of his brother. He was always defensive of his siblings, but especially William who never seemed bothered by insults. "You're not familiar with our culture here Ron, but we do not define people like that here at Xerxes. I explained that before I think."
"What do you call people who don't have magic then?" Neville asked curiously.
"People." Draco said drily. "Amestris, and by extension Xing and Xerxes, strives to no longer divide their people with arbitrary titles in such a way."
"Yes and No." Yuery added. "Amestris has a long history of mistreatment. We are currently working toward a less hateful way of being. That isn't why those terms aren't used though, because they never were here. Magic and alchemy have always been well known and looked upon as great talents, but not a different classification. Well…from what Dad has said, under Fuhrer Bradley magic was hidden and forbidden and alchemy was tightly controlled by the Fuhrer, but he was evil and no longer an issue."
"How long ago was that?" Ron asked, glad for the change in subject.
"Ten years ago, about, was the revolution. Our Father, Grandfather, and Great-Great Grandfather then took over the country and began repairing the damage. We were very young at the time." William said with a smile. "We were just learning about it this morning in archiving."
"You were a tiny baby; I was a toddler." Yuery nodded. "I remember bits of it, not much, but you don't remember it at all."
"You said something about it before, about remembering being in hiding with your Dad you said?" Ron asked.
"Yeah, my Dad and a few of his friends. I asked Dad about it and yeah it was for a few weeks. We were hidden in a cabin in the middle of nowhere while Dad recovered from an injury and Yeye arranged for the next part of the fight. Uncle Al and Mom were hiding somewhere else together, and Yeye was still out in the open so he, so he was in the most danger, but he insisted on it until the last moment. It was a great story; we will have to get him to tell us sometime."
"I'm sorry I insulted you earlier." Ron said, wanting to clear the air completely.
"I wasn't insulted. Yuery was on my behalf. He often is though; you should be warned." William shrugged. "I knew you meant no harm. Different cultures."
"I wasn't mad, I just wanted them to know they were using inappropriate terms here. There it's just normal." Yuery said defensively. "I wouldn't want one of the teachers to overhear them and them get into trouble for something they didn't know."
"Brother, I am sure the teacher would take cultural differences into account and correct them before punishing them. You were insulted." William insisted calmly. Yuery just rolled his eyes and let the matter drop, winning arguments with William frequently seemed impossible.