I decided that I was going to be good enough for Hogwarts, back in my muggle school, I've always been at the top of my class mostly because I was always locked in the cupboard under the stairs and had no friends in school, so I had nothing to do but study all the time, it brought me a little amount of comfort, made me feel better than the rest of them, and you see, once you've tasted academic validation you get addicted, and I wasn't about to lose this in Hogwarts just because I knew nothing about magic a year ago. I woke up first day of school very early and got into my school robes, I took a map and my schedule, and before I left Ginny was still sitting in her bed, writing in something that looked like a diary and Sarah was still asleep, snoring loudly. After getting lost three times, and another two times because the stairs decided to change while I was taking them, I finally reached my charms classroom, it was empty, so I took a seat took out my textbook, and flipped through it looking for what is supposed to be today's lesson, a few minutes later someone came in, I recognized him as the guy from Ginny's boat who got sorted into Slytherin, his name was Mateo Diaz I think, I checked my schedule and sure enough, we had double charms and double transfiguration with the Slytherins, he took an empty chair and sat calmly not paying me any attention, I looked back in my textbook. Soon, other students started marching into class, Sarah sat next to me, "You alright, early bird?" She asked, I smiled and said I was okay, Ginny sat next to Sarah, we stared at each other for a moment and then looked away stubbornly, "I am so excited, it's our first class like ever, my sister says charms is easy, potions and transfiguration might be a little harder I think what do you guys think?" Said Sarah, she was talking very fast I barely understood what she was saying, before I or Ginny could answer, the charms professor came in, he was very short and old, and he introduced himself as Professor Flitwick and welcomed us to Hogwarts, after explaining about charms, he asked: "how could any of you tell me the charm used for elevating objects?"
"Wingardium Liviosa," said me and Diaz at the same time, "excellent, five points to both Gryffindor and Slytherin," said Professor Flitwick, Diaz looked at me sharply, and I held his gaze. We each got a feather and we started trying to levitate it, I tried a couple of times fixing my spelling and wand movement, and on my fifth try, the feather started levitating, "excellent, excellent, look everyone Miss.Potter accomplished the charm" said professor Flitwick, " but I already did it professor" said a cold voice behind him, sure enough, Diaz's feather was almost at the ceiling way past mine, "well, you look like a very smart class, five points for Gryffindor and six for Slytherin because Mr.Diaz did it first" said professor Flitwick happily, I stared at Diaz angrily and he just smirked, "oh, looks like Emma already found an arch enemy" said Sarah teasing, Ginny chuckled, I ignored them still staring at Diaz.
We had a couple more classes, Herbology which seemed way too hard, and Defense against the Dark Arts (I refuse to tell you anything about my interaction with the blond clown supposed to be our professor, let's just say I'd prefer the one who had my parents' murderer on the back of his head). After I kept interrupting Ginny whenever she started talking with Sarah, she got fed up and went to her dorm instead of coming to lunch with us, Sarah was now suspicious about me and Ginny not particularly liking each other, but she went on cheerily as always, our last class of the day was potions, I was so terrified about this class that I just wanted it over with, Harry told me a lot about professor Snape and while he turned out to be not trying to kill Harry, he still doesn't like him. The headmaster had confided in Harry the truth about Snape and our dad's rivalry, which is why I didn't expect him to like me any more than he likes my brother, I was prepared for the worst. We got to class, Ginny was already there talking to a girl from Ravenclaw I remember her name was Luna Lovegood, Ginny looked like she was trying her very best not to laugh, I was glad we had this class with Ravenclaws instead of Slytherins like in Harry's year. The moment Professor Snape walked in the class fell silent, he stood still in front of the class for a moment, I realized that he was staring directly at me, he started explaining about potions still without taking his eyes of me, I started feeling uncomfortable, I tried to focus on what he was saying but I was so nervous I couldn't think, when he finished his speech he sharply looked away and started explaining our first potion, when he asked a question about the potion, nobody raised their hand, which made me itch because I knew the answer, I felt relieved when Luna Lovegood raised her hand, he called on her, " I don't really know the answer to you question, I haven't read the text book because it's not accurate is it", Professor Snape seemed slightly surprised, "indeed the textbook does need modification, but that doesn't mean you don't-" started Professor Snape, "a lot of modification, like you know most the potion in there are not real, they're just made so vampires can smell us easier right?" Said Luna, no one dared to laugh out loud, but most of the class was trying to contain themselves, for the first time since Professor Snape came in class he actually looked bewildered, "if anyone knows the actual answer please raise your hand" he said with a dismissive note, I raised my hand shakily, he looked at me for the fracture of a second and then ignored my raised hand and continued with the syllabus without a second glance, I didn't know what to make of him, the class passed and every time I tried to answer a question he completely ignored me, I don't if I was relieved because obviously, I was expecting worse, but I don't like not understanding, still I couldn't complain.
The rest of the week went smoothly, one of my favorite classes was astronomy, it was really interesting and also we had it with Hufflepuffs, so I got to hang out with Conan without the awkward me-Ginny interactions trying to get along around Sarah. Our last class before the weekend was transfiguration which we had with Slytherins, Professor McGonagall stepped in sternly as always, she was pleased to see us all in time and started explaining her subject, when she asked what are the branches of transfiguration both mine and Diaz's hand shot in the air, she chose him, "they're transformation, vanishment and conjuring" said Diaz smirking at me, "you forgot one" I said smirking back, "untransfiguration"
"That's not a branch because it classifies under transformation" he argued
"No it's not, it's literally the opposite of it" I argued back furious
"But it's the same concept, so why would-"
"Enough," said Professor McGonagall, which shut both of us up, "Miss.Potter is right untransfiguration is the fourth and last branch of transfiguration," she said "Both of you is well informed, there is no need for such competitive behavior" she said and continued with the lesson, when the class was over professor McGonagall excited the classroom while the rest of us was packing our stuff, "you think you're so smart, don't you potter?" Said Diaz unexpectedly, I was not going to tolerate him, " that's not the only thing I think, Diaz, I also think you're being pitiful because you're not as smart as I am," I said, and the remaining Gryffindors made a little "oooh"
"Darling, I'm the smartest one in this year and I'll get you to admit it," he said stepping closer to me, I laughed sarcastically "And how do you suppose you'll do that?" I asked, "I propose a bet," he said getting even closer "At the end of the year when I come on top of the class, you will stand in the great hall with a magnifying spell on your voice and announce that I am the smartest wizard in our year, and I'll do the same in the unlikely event of you getting better grades," he said with his arms crossed, at this point everyone in the class was staring at us, the class was very silent waiting for my response, " I am going to shatter that ego of yours," I said smiling, "we'll see about that, darling," he said, extending his hand, I took it and we shook.
Soon it was Halloween, I was getting settled more at Hogwarts, the Halloween decorations was great, Hagrid had spent a week in and out of the great hall fixing them, Sarah was very excited about the Halloween feast she talked about it all day, before we went to dinner, Sarah went to our dorm to change her school shirt after she spilled ink on it while we were studying in the library, Ginny was there, writing in her diary, "what are you doing here, Ginny the feast is about to start, come on we have to go" said Sarah which I didn't appreciate, "I am not going" said Ginny without looking up from her diary, "what fo you mean you're bot going, it's going to be fun, besides you have to eat something" said Sarah sitting next to her with her shirt still soaked in ink, "hurry up, Sarah we have to go" I said, getting bored, "don't bother, Sarah, I'm not going, besides Emma clearly don't want me there" said Ginny still not looking at us, "that's ridiculous, of course we both want you there come on" said Sarah and tried to grab the diary from Ginny, Ginny reacted so fast and snapped the diary out of Sarah's hands, " I said I'm not going, leave me alone" she snapped, in a very cold tone that I shivered a little, Sarah looked guilty, "I'm sorry, if you feel like joining us please do, okay?" Said Sarah quietly, Ginny didn't respond, Sarah grabbed her shirt out of her trunk, changed, and came out looking hurt, she looked like she wanted to say something to Ginny but thought better of it and exited the dorms with me.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione weren't at the feast, I figured they went to the ghost party Harry had told me about, I enjoyed myself, though, I spent at least half the time with Conan at the Hufflepuff table, we did some pranks, and told scary stories when the feast was done, we all marched out of the great hall, to be stopped by a horrifying scene.
The blood on the wall looked so real, that it made me question my sanity when the cat turned out to be alive I let out a relieved sigh, but Filch kept blaming Harry which I thought was totally unreasonable, there was no reason for Harry to do that, besides I was fairly sure he can't do that kind of magic which professor Dumbeldoor confirmed. Professor McGonagall sent us all back to our houses, I went back and stayed in the common room waiting for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to come back, Sarah went up to check on Ginny and then came back down panicked, "Ginny is not in the dorm" said Sarah out of breath, she looked concerned, "she probably heard about what happened with Ron and went to check in him, I saw the Weasley twins sneak out while we were lead back to the house, she's probably with them don't worry about it" I said absentmindedly, Sarah still looked worried though. When Harry came back he told me what happened, "So you're not in trouble?" I asked, concerned, " of course not, they can't possibly do anything, there is no evidence to say that it's our fault," said Hermione. "We were kind of cornered though weren't we?" Said Ron, "still, it doesn't make any sense, no second year could petrify anyone like that," said Hermione again, Harry looked uncomfortable like he wanted to tell me something, he shared a look with Ron and seemed to decide better of it, " well, I'm glad you guys are okay, I'm going to go to bed," I said and went to my dorm, Sarah was fast asleep and so was Ginny, when did she get in here? I thought, I was in the common room all along and I saw no one come in, she probably got in and we didn't notice I thought dismissing my concern, and went to sleep.