Disclaimer: - I don't own anything. Enjoy the chapter.
I woke up early the next day. The schedule for the first years was fairly laid back except for Tuesdays for us Ravenclaws. I guess this same trend will continue for at least the next two years, and then in our fourth year, the schedule and classes will ramp up, given that it would be the OWL exams year. That year most likely will also result in the Triwizard Tournament if not much changes over the next two years.
Coming back to the schedule, we have three classes almost every day. Yesterday, it was Charms, Potions, and Transfiguration. But today, being Tuesday, we have Defense Against the Dark Arts (DADA) first, meaning interaction with Quirellmort, followed by History of Magic, Charms, and Transfiguration post-lunch, and finally Astronomy in the evening. No subject is repeated more than twice a week, and Fridays are reserved for flying lessons only. All in all, it's a relaxed schedule that gives new first-years time to settle into Hogwarts or a boarding school routine while also keeping enough free time for extracurricular activities such as sports or reading. I need to make use of that extra time very wisely, and in order to do so properly, a few things needed to be accomplished by the end of today.
Firstly, I need to find the Room of Requirement. It can be the sole differentiator between the theoretical and practical parts of our studies. Spell casting is not allowed in corridors, and class time is definitely not enough to bring me up to the level that will be required for survival in this world after a few years. Located on the seventh floor, it should not be particularly difficult to find, and once found, it would become the perfect secret room for study and practice.
Secondly, I need to identify my weaknesses and strengths. Last day during classes, I could feel that Charms came more naturally to me than Transfiguration, but a field as vast as Transfiguration could not be ignored. Hence, I need to give a bit more focus and time to Transfiguration. Also, I should try to form or join a study group, preferably within the house, to take care of the more theoretical subjects such as Herbology and History of Magic. Perhaps a word with Terry and Padma should help with this.
Lastly, personal discipline. This will not be an easy path, and I for sure was not blessed with a Gamer system to just add stat points to me and continue my growth, so self-discipline will go a long way. A personal schedule—how, when, and where the free time has to be spent—will have to be carefully crafted. I can't ignore a school full of future connections and let it go to waste by not even trying to network.
Also, nutrition and exercise—completely forgot about this, but except for Tuesdays, classes will get over before dinner, so basic exercises can be done prior to dinner in the Room of Requirement, and homework and networking can be done during and after dinner. I might as well add finding the kitchen to the list of tasks. House elves will be very useful, considering their tendency to go overboard at the slightest hint of affection and acceptance. I might also have to look into ritual magic, very basic ones preferably, only to strengthen the body and mind.
As I finished my plan for at least my first year here, I looked up at the clock hanging on the wall and was surprised to see it was already a quarter past seven. I got up to get ready and go for breakfast. I could see Terry getting up as well by the time I came down to the common room. We waited for another 15 minutes, and then our prefects led us to the Great Hall again. Apparently, it was customary in Ravenclaw House for the prefects to lead the first years to breakfast for the first week in order to give us little kids enough time to get used to the paths and stairs that we would have to traverse through.
I would say I was not disappointed with the DADA class; I had known how Quirrell would go about it. The fake stutter was grating on my nerves, and the smell of garlic was very, very overpowering. While the course content was good, it was the teacher who was incompetent, and to anyone who has watched Harry Potter, that's not a new feeling. After seven parts of the same thing, you learn to accept that. Quirrell also was the only teacher apart from Dolores Umbridge who focused mainly on theory and ignored the practical aspects of the course. Still, the class passed without any incident, as our classes were mostly scheduled with Hufflepuffs. The troublesome ones were in Gryffindor and Slytherin.
History of Magic was even worse; the less said about a ghost who drones on about Goblin wars, the better. I definitely need to make sure that this period is used for completing homework to free up some time later. I saw Goldstein and Lisa Turpin taking notes; nice. I need to get started on that study group idea soon. History of Magic was followed by a break, and I thought it might be a good time to talk about the study group.
During the break, I gathered my courage and approached Terry, Padma, Goldstein, and Lisa. "Hey, I was thinking, with all the homework we'll have and the difficult subjects like DADA, it might be a good idea to form a study group. What do you guys think?"
Padma nodded enthusiastically. "That's a great idea! It'll be easier to keep up with everything if we help each other out."
Goldstein agreed. "Count me in. I've already taken some notes, and it'll be good to have others to compare them with."
Lisa smiled. "I'm in too. It'll be nice to have a group to work with."
Terry looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. "Yeah, I think it's a good idea. We can meet in the library or the common room after classes."
With everyone on board, we decided to meet in the library after lunch to go over our notes and plan our study sessions. Feeling accomplished, we headed to the Great Hall for lunch.
Lunch was a lively affair with students discussing their morning classes and plans for the afternoon. After eating, we made our way to the library, where we found a quiet corner to settle in. I straight away asked for History notes from Anthony and shared my Transfiguration one.
Charms class followed, and we continued practicing the Levitation Charm. By now, my feather was floating steadily, and I felt a sense of achievement. Professor Flitwick praised our efforts and gave us a brief introduction to the next charm we would learn.
Transfiguration was next, and Professor McGonagall had us working on transforming beetles into buttons. It was a challenging task, but by the end of the class, I managed to get my beetle to partially transform, which McGonagall acknowledged with a nod.
After Transfiguration, we had a break before dinner. I decided to use this time to search for the Room of Requirement. I remembered it was on the seventh floor, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy trying to teach trolls to dance the ballet. I wandered the seventh-floor corridor, concentrating on what I needed—a place to practice magic and study.
After a few moments, a door appeared on the blank wall. I entered and found a room perfectly equipped with books, cushions, and even a small practice area for spells. I was elated. This was exactly what I needed for my growth. I saw the books were on multiple subjects. I would have to be more precise next time. For now, this would do, I should go to the Great Hall for Dinner.
Dinner in the Great Hall was a welcome sight after such a busy day. The tables were laden with food, and we eagerly filled our plates. Returning to the Ravenclaw common room, we found it buzzing with activity. Some students were already poring over their notes, while others were engaged in lively discussions.
Over the next few weeks, I got into a routine. Wake up early, Have breakfast, attend classes, and in between use Room Of Requirement. I also started attending the Study Group and with the practice that I was getting done in Room Of Requirement, the knowledge from books was definitely starting to show.
During these weeks I had thought that I had been sneaky, at least no one should have been suspicious. Unfortunately, that had not been the case.
AN: - So that's chapter 6. More coming soon.