AN: Happy Christmas everyone! As a little Christmas treat, you get a double upload! At the rate I'm going, I think you'll get the actual Christmas Chapter at the end of January, so sorry about that. Now, on with the Chapter!
"Tuesday's been pretty exciting, hasn't it Harry?" Hermione asks, walking with a slight small on her face and spring in her step. Harry really couldn't blame her for being so happy, she'd been killing it all day. She was the first student to get Flipendo correctly cast in Charms class, and had even managed to get a stack of three books to flip entirely over; earning her a total of 15 points for the house cup. Then in their second period Herbology, she earned an extra 3 by being able to answer how best to deal with Spiky Bush. She hadn't managed to earn any points in Defense Against the Dark Arts, but felt as though she had a very good grasp on that material.
"It sure has been for you, you're killing it today." Harry says, munching on his sandwich at the lunch table.
"Yeah, it's been really impressive, with Hermione on our side we're a shoo-in for the house cup!" Padma says from her seat on Hermione's other side.
"I'm really not all that impressive you two. I just read ahead in the books." Hermione says, looking very bashful.
"Still, you're definitely a Ravenclaw!" Padma says patting her friend on the back.
"What have we got coming up after lunch?" Harry asks, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.
"History, then Potions, then Astronomy." Padma says, glancing at her schedule. "You should probably take this class to read through Chapter 1 of History. Note down any questions you have on it and we can take some time to research it or ask Parvati, she's a real History buff. If it hadn't been Binns teaching History of Magic would probably be her favorite class. Potions you'll want to pay close attention, but try not to upset Snape too much."
"Professor Snape," Hermione butts in.
"Try not to upset Professor Snape too much. He's apparently an absolute Potions genius, but pretty short tempered and rude. He supposedly really hates Gryffindors, so we're lucky we aren't in there. Astronomy is Astronomy. You two really had a firm grasp on it yesterday, so you'll probably be fine." Padma finishes.
"Noted, don't anger the man who can boil my skin away with a poison. Seems sensible enough." Harry says, and the two girls laugh. "How are you getting on with your dormmates?"
"Well, we like each other well enough." Padma says, giving Hermione a one-armed hug. "Su is nice, although she's pretty focused. She doesn't talk much."
"Mandy seems kind of… not quite mean, but not nice either." Hermione says, shrugging. "I tried asking about if she had read ahead any, and she more or less ignored me, or waved me off."
"Parvati mentioned that Mandy and Lavender were really good friends growing up, so maybe she's just still getting over being separated?" Padma offers, "We're only a couple days into the term. There's time for her to come around."
"You aren't wrong," Hermione admits. "Lisa is more or less like Mandy. Although she wanted to talk even less."
"Sounds rough. All of my dormmates have taken up really well with each other, since they're all Quidditch buffs. They all even like the same two teams, so they're just talking about them all the time." Harry says.
"Well, at least you've got us Harry!" Padma says, and Harry blushes, remembering her teasing of him yesterday.
"We should get going to class, Professor Binns might be a ghost, but he can still dock us points for being late." Hermione says, grabbing her bag.
"Wouldn't being a ghost make Binns the late one?" Harry quips, getting chuckles from the two girls.
Following Padma's advice, the Ravenclaw trio made decent progress into their History of Magic textbooks during Professor Binn's lecture, and notice that the Gryffindor mirror of their trio, that being Parvati, Lavender, and Neville appeared to be doing the same. The thought of all six of them, along with Susan and Hannah studying together flicks across Harry's mind again. He resolves himself to ask Flitwick immediately after dinner.
Entering into the dungeons for Potions was very frightening for the trio, and Hermione and Padma had decided that the best way to absolve themselves of their fears was to hold on to Harry's hands. Ignoring his blush, Harry led them through the corridors to find their potions class. The dungeons had certainly quite the sense of drama about them, the stone was a dark mildly blue-tinted granite, which contrasted heavily against the more yellow-ish sandstone the upper parts of the castle were. Iron sconces carrying green flames lit the walls, and their footsteps echoed through the chambers. Making their way to the iron-banded door of the potions room had been a somewhat frightening experience, but did little to prepare them for the horrors inside.
Jars containing the preserved organs of various creatures, both mundane and magical lined the walls of the room, some of them glowing in ominous colors. Plant parts joined them on other shelves, with everything being meticulously labelled. Various complicated glass devices were scattered about the room, with books being placed on low shelves that never came above the waist. The room held eight tables, each with four chairs at them, and what appeared to be a designated spot for a cauldron. Each table had a set of scales on them, with various sized weights neatly arranged from heaviest to lightest immediately next to them. Standing in front of his desk was one Professor Severus Snape, a tall man with longer dark hair that appeared to be slightly shiny. His nose is large and crooked on his face, and Harry had never seen the scowl that currently occupied his visage leave it. "Please take your seats. Each table should be two Slytherins and Two Ravenclaws."
Harry noticed that he now had a problem. He certainly didn't want to split up from Padma or Hermione, but one of their trio would be forced to sit separately. Tracey Davis however, thankfully provided his solution for him. "Hey Hermione, come sit over here with Alice and I" That was a good solution for their problem, with Hermione sitting with Tracey she had an in with the Slytherin at her table, even if the Ravenclaw wasn't a friend. This let Harry and Padma sit together, and the beckoning of the girl he recognized as Daphne Greengrass, who he knew was Tracey's best friend let him sit with someone who had the highest chance of being pleasant. He also had Padma by his side, who had, at least by his estimation, proved to be a people person.
"Hello Harry, I'm Daphne Greengrass. Thanks for sitting with Tracey on the train, I ended up having to sit with Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott. This is Pansy Parkinson, she's one of my dormmates." Daphne says. Daphne is a very pretty young girl, with striking blue eyes and hair that was half-way between platinum and strawberry blonde.
Pansy would likely also be a very pretty girl without the shriveled up nose of disgust she was currently making towards him. She had black hair done in a bob style. With brown-eyes that were currently looking at him in calculated scrutiny.
"Ugh, hi. I'm Harry, Harry Potter." Harry says, meeting her gaze.
"Hi to both of you, I'm Padma Patil. You've probably seen my face before being worn by my sister Parvati from Gryffindor." Padma says, trying to cut the tension at the table with her joke.
"I was wondering how you changed so fast!" Daphne says, chuckling to herself.
"Yes… a pleasure to meet you both." Pansy says, with a fake smile that doesn't even come close to meeting her eyes. Harry is unsure as to what he's done to make this girl dislike him already, but hopes that it won't become a problem.
"Now that we are all here. I shall begin instruction. If you do not already have your quills and parchment out I highly suggest getting them. This is Potions class there will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class. As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and exact art that is potion-making. 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 stopper death-if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." Snape glares around the room, looking at students individually, as though evaluating them. He turns to Harry, who at this moment did not have his eyes on the teacher, instead making sure that he had properly gotten down the information that had been provided. "Although it appears as though some of us are so naturally talented we do not feel the need to pay attention. Mr. Potter!" Snape nearly growls out.
Harry is shaken from his focus and can only meekly ask "Yes sir?"
"What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape asks, arching his eyebrow. All eyes were on Harry, Hermione raised her hand.
"I don't know sir." Harry says dejectedly. Was he meant to know that? This was their first class.
"Where would I look if I wanted to find a bezoar?" Snape asks, Hermione's hand shoots up once more.
"I don't know sir." Harry sinks deeper into his chair, he hadn't even heard of that word before.
"One final question Mr. Potter, what is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?"
"I don't know sir." Harry briefly considered tossing himself off of Ravenclaw tower, but at the moment he feels so small that he can't even make it up the stairs.
"Fame surely isn't enough to make it through my class Potter. That'll be one point from Ravenclaw for your incompetence." Snape sneers. Harry briefly notices the unrestrained glee in the eyes of both Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson.
"For now, we shall begin by going over safety procedures in the potions lab. This is important for all of you dunderheads, so I expect your rapt attention. Potions, even more than spellwork, are disastrous if not done correctly. As such the following procedures shall be enacted whenever the need arises…" Snape continues on into his lecture, more or less ignoring Harry for the rest of the class period.
During a moment where Snape has his back to their table, Daphne slides a note Harry's way. It reads. "Don't feel bad you didn't know the answers to those questions, we're not expected to learn about the first one until sixth year, bezoars until second, and we'll be covering monkshood and wolfsbane in this year, but not until later. I don't know why he decided to pick on you in particular." Harry responds back with another note on the opposite side, once more waiting for Snape's back to be turned. It reads "Thanks, I don't know either. Hopefully it won't happen again."
It indeed doesn't happen again, at least for the rest of that class. Harry waves goodbye to Tracey and Daphne, before meeting up with Padma and Hermione again and making their way to their final class of the day, Astronomy.
Unlike Potions, Astronomy went smoothly with no unanswerable questions, and no sneers by students or teachers who for no adequately explained reason hate him. The Ravenclaw trio make their way to the Great Hall for dinner, and sit at their table. Harry notices Professor Flitwick sitting down, and excuses himself for a moment to go and speak with him.
"Oh, Harry dear boy. What can I help you with?" Flitwick asks as Harry approaches, a smile upon his face.
"Hello Professor Flitwick, some of my friends and I were wondering where students from different houses were allowed to congregate? A few of us were wanting to do some studying and other activities together, but didn't want to bother people in the library." Harry says, laying out his thoughts.
"Oh goodie! This question doesn't get asked enough! 5 points to Ravenclaw for you Harry for your attempts at interhouse friendship. In the past Hogwarts had several clubs that students were encouraged to join, unfortunately students have seemed less interested in them as years went by, so they were disbanded a few years ago. Their old meeting rooms are still around though! Meet me with some of your friends after dinner and I will lead you to the old Sphinx club meeting room. Be aware Mr. Potter though, that this is a privilege, and can be revoked if you abuse it." Flitwick says, his excited tone coming through even during his attempt to be stern.
"Thank you professor. I'll leave you to your dinner." Harry says, before walking away.
"So… what did Flitwick say?" Padma asks excitedly.
"Professor Flitwick." Hermione corrects, rolling her eyes.
"He mentioned some clubs that disbanded a few years ago, but that they still have meeting rooms. After dinner he'll take us to one of them, so we should grab Neville, Parvati, Susan and Hannah before we meet him." Harry says.
"Parvati will want to bring Lavender as well, so there'll be eight of us." Padma says. "We're just missing some people from Slytherin. I saw you passing notes to Daphne in class. Are you two friends?" Padma asks.
"No, I just met her today. Tracey Davis sat with us on the train though, and Daphne's her best friend supposedly. Tracey was nice, so I figured Daphne couldn't be all bad. I'll go over and invite them as well before we see Fl- Professor Flitwick." Harry catches his tongue before Hermione can correct him, and flashes a big grin at her. "How about you grab your sister, Lavender and Neville Padma? Then Hermione can get Hannah and Susan."
"Sounds like a plan, now let's eat!" Padma says.
Dinner was a quick affair for the group, as they were excited to see the room they were to be led to. The trio split up to head to the other three tables. Harry walked to where Tracey and Daphne were sitting, which was at the far end of the table where it seemed all the first-years were.
"Hey Scarhead! Brilliant performance in potions today." Draco Malfoy says, and Pansy Parkinson holds a chuckle behind her hand. The two boys sitting near them, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle both laugh. Harry ignores them and moves down to speak to Daphne and Tracey.
"Hey you two, we're getting Flitwick to show us a place where students from different houses can hang out without getting in trouble. If you want to come with us feel free." Harry says, smiling at the pair. They nod before gathering their things and standing up.
"Knew you had a soft spot for half-breeds because of Davis, Greengrass, but now you're adding scar headed freaks to the mix?" Malfoy taunts. It seems his attempts earlier to rile Harry up weren't enough for him.
"Perhaps I am Malfoy, or I'm just being cunning. Not that you'd know anything about that though. You've been boasting like a Gryffindor since you made your way to the table after sorting." Daphne replies, her tone neutral and uninterested.
It proved to be super-effective, as Malfoy's face turned red. "You'll get yours someday, Greengrass."
"Oh no. I'm simply quaking. Come Harry, let's go." Daphne says, her tone never straying from neutral disinterest. The two Slytherins and a Gryffindor walk off.
As they move farther from the Slytherin table, Harry speaks up, "Pretty impressive how you handled Malfoy. I'd just try to ignore him. How'd you learn to do that anyway?"
"Malfoy has been trying to be friends with me for years," Daphne says. "I think he has it in his mind that my sister or I will marry him one day, and then he'll get all of the family money. His father probably told him that he'll set up a marriage contract or something for me. Like my father would ever give in to a snake like Lucius Malfoy."
"Lucius is Draco's dad's name?" Harry asks, trying to put the pieces together.
"Yes, he's a very cunning man. Fortunately for you, and for me I suppose, Draco appears to have inherited none of his father's cunning or guile. He will however inherit both the name and his money unless something happens, so that's a problem for later." Daphne says, before waving it off.
"Daphne's been giving Draco the cold shoulder for years! He's obsessed with her and Daphne just waves him off. Draco's got money sure, but no substance. He's just kind of rotten to the core." Tracey says, putting her hands behind her head.
The trio make it to the rest of the group and Flitwick is shocked at how many of them there are. "Ten of you? And from all four houses? Looks like the spirit of inter-house cooperation is alive again! 5 points to each house!"
"Doesn't giving points to all the houses effectively mean no points are given to any house?" Hermione asks.
"Probably Miss Granger, but I'm so excited I can't help myself. Now come along, and apologies for my speed. I do have quite short legs." Flitwick says, before the dectet follow him through the doors of the great hall.
The Sphinx club room is on the third floor of the castle, opposite of the forbidden corridor. The room is very large and sparsely decorated, with only a few bookcases and tables in the massive room. Two large stained glass windows are present, and look out towards the Black Lake. One of which has designs of the moon present, the other of which seems to represent some early level charm spells. The ceiling of this room is roughly 9 meters tall, and adds to the simple grand size of the room.
"You should be able to do quite a bit in here! Study, practice spells, maybe even a game of Gobstones! Oh ho what fun! You will of course be required to be back in your common rooms before curfew. I'll see if we can have Filch put a clock in here to help remind you of the time. If you find you need something in here, please do let myself or Professor McGonagall know. We were formerly the Professors who handled this club, so this new meeting of yours will be our responsibility. You have two hours now until curfew, please do enjoy! I recommend leaving half an hour early, just in case." Flitwick then flicks his spell to a wall, and an image of a clock appears. "This should work for tonight. If we don't have a clock spare in the school, I'll find a more permanent solution."
The ten students then began to rearrange the space to be more useful for them, moving a few of the couches into a 7/8ths circle, with a collection of tables in the middle. With their remaining time, everyone in the dectet introduces themselves to everyone else and have a brief conversation on what classes they are the most excited about. At 30 'till 9 however, Flitwick's magical clock lets out a series of chimes, and the group packs up to return to their common room.
As the Ravenclaw trio re-enter their common room, Harry flashes a smile to his two friends, who return it with similar smiles of their own. This is the start of something great, and they can all feel it.