AN: Warning: this chapter has slight references and implications towards corporal punishment. However, there is no actual punishment in this chapter. This is the final calm before the storm though. Things will start getting rough from the next chapter.
The New Princess
Hogwarts Year 1 - Part 5 - Chapter 17
A Quandary of Dreams and Howling Traditions
Previously:
In the end, unwilling to use her authority as Princess to order Pluto to tell her, Aryanna reluctantly agreed to wait. Just in time as a few seconds later her spell failed and her 'Obsignare Sonus' collapsed, forcing her to end the call unless she wanted to run the risk of being overheard.
For a brief moment, Aryanna and Luna exchanged concerned glances, digesting the revelations of the call.
Deciding to call it a night and defer the discussion to a later, less fatigued moment, Aryanna, stifling yawns, exited the bathroom with Luna. By the time the duo arrived back in the dorm most of the other girls were already fast asleep. Only Susan, half asleep, was waiting for her, looking at her through bleary eyes.
Aryanna, while she quickly prepared herself for bed, gave Susan a quick nod and a visual pledge to brief her later when they could not be overheard. Too tired and unable to argue, knowing Aryanna was right, Susan nodded exhausted from the day's events. Seconds later she was fast asleep.
Smiling at her friends, both new and old, as they slept, Aryanna soon followed them into the realms of sleep, anticipating the long and demanding day that lay ahead.
And now the continuation:
Aryanna awoke the next morning with a gasp and a shudder as a small zap of electricity coursed through her body, courtesy of a 'wake-me-up' spell she had primed and cast on herself the night before. Clenching her teeth to suppress any sound, she endured the uncomfortable seconds of the spell's duration. Now fully awake, she relaxed as the effects dissipated. While not the most pleasant wake-up call, it was undeniably efficient. Sure, it took some getting used to, but it certainly did the trick, and it was silent—usually. The only sounds were those involuntary ones made while being mildly electrocuted. She, by no means, considered herself a masochist; she simply preferred this method over Muggle gadgets. The 'must-have' charm was especially crucial when sharing a dorm with girls who could become quite cranky if awakened early.
Fulguratio Surgere was one of those handy household charms readily available for all witches and wizards. All you had to do was know where to look for them. As a Pureblood, they were taught to you as soon as you got your first wand... sometimes even before that. Using your parents' wands was not forbidden - for a pureblood - just heavily frowned upon.
Having completed her morning ritual of magical awakening, Aryanna groaned, pushed aside her bed's curtains, and reached for her wand on the nightstand. Casting a quick time spell, she muttered, "Urg... 6:00 AM... way too early, but necessary." She wondered if she could charm the early hours to feel less oppressive, but doubted that would ever be possible.
Forcing herself out of bed, Aryanna sighed in pleasure as her feet met the warm floor. Hogwarts' enchantments, coupled with diligent house elves, ensured that the dorm remained cozy, particularly the floor. 'This will make mornings more manageable, especially in the biting cold,' she mused as she moved toward Susan's bed.
Reaching out a hand, Aryanna swept aside the curtains of her friend's bed and shook her awake. "Wake up, Suse, it's 6:05 in the morning. Get dressed; it's time for our daily morning run," she whispered into Susan's ear. Susan groaned but made no effort to get up. Sighing, Aryanna next grabbed her friend's duvet and gently pulled it off the reluctant girl, freeing her body to the cold air. "Come on, Susan, don't make me get the ice water."
That did the trick. The mere suggestion spurred Susan into action, nearly causing a dorm-wide uproar, much to Aryanna's chagrin.
"NO!" Susan nearly screamed in panic. "I'm up, I'm up!" she said loudly, waking up the rest of the dorm in the process.
"What the hell! What's happening? What was that for?" came the surprised and angry voices of the other girls. "It's only 6:10 in the bloody morning; go back to sleep, you idiots," said Eloise Harper, another first-year girl who glared at them angrily from the warm safety of her bed.
"Sorry! Didn't mean to wake you up," Aryanna responded contritely, taking the blame for both of them, getting back an annoyed grunt in return from Eloise, who closed her eyes to go back to sleep—an action quickly repeated by the other girls.
Sighing to herself, Aryanna quickly finished her morning ritual and got into her exercising clothes. By the time both girls were ready, it was closing in on 6:30 AM—a perfect hour for their morning run. "Yeah, right! Ok, curfew ends at 6:30... that's now... let's go," Aryanna said, grabbing her Hogwarts map. The two ventured out of the girls' dorms and descended the stairs to the common room.
The common room lay in a hushed stillness, lit only by the gentle glow of the enchanted fire. Aryanna and Susan moved across the room without waking anyone else. Pausing at the barrel and the portrait of Sir Robin, the gatekeeper of the Hufflepuff common room, Aryanna attempted to tap out the correct tune she had learned the day before... only for nothing to happen. Frowning, she tried again, and once again, nothing. Two more failed attempts later Aryanna was becoming frustrated. Sir Robin chuckled, correcting her pronunciation with a twinkle in his painted eyes. "It's Hel-ga Huff-le-Puff, not Hel-ga Huff-el-Puff," he said with a smile.
"Ah... right... thanks," Aryanna acknowledged before successfully opening the entrance. Both girls gave the portrait a friendly wave and nod of thanks, finally stepping out of the common room into the quiet morning.
Fifty minutes later, the girls returned to their dormitory. After a quick, refreshing shower, they donned their neatly pressed school uniforms, proudly displaying the yellow badger of Hufflepuff over their hearts. By 7:45 AM, they entered the Great Hall for breakfast. The room buzzed with activity—clinking of cutlery, chatter among students, and the aroma of various dishes filling the air.
"Over here!" came the cheerful voice of Hannah Abbott from the Hufflepuff table. The girls exchanged smiles with their long-time friend and hurried over, the scent of freshly brewed coffee inviting them.
Aryanna, feeling famished from her early run, swiftly grabbed a piece of warm toast and began to butter it. As she watched the butter melting on its surface, she quickly added a generous dollop of sweet jam, creating a delightful morning concoction.
"Good morning, Hannah. Hope we didn't wake you?" Susan asked before she took a long sip from her cup. The morning run always left her parched, and the taste of pumpkin juice offered a refreshing respite.
Hannah grinned, "I won't lie... you did... but I'm used to it. You have been going on these runs for months now. Every time I stay over, you are always running. So don't worry. I forgive you, as always. Just... try to be more careful from now on, OK? The others might not be as understanding. Felicity was mumbling about using the stinging hex on you if you do it again," she said with a smirk.
Aryanna winced at the mention of the painful stinging hex, a hex most pure-blooded families used to spank young unruly children, and mumbled softly, "No thanks. We'll be more careful." She didn't need that kind of retribution, thank you very much. Even if she would have deserved it.
Suddenly, Aryanna spotted Hermione entering the Great Hall, making her way towards the Ravenclaw table, seemingly alone.
"Please excuse me... I see a blue lonely damsel I'd like to greet; be right back," Aryanna said to her housemates as she got up, heading toward her blue-attired friend.
Ensuring Hermione wasn't looking in her direction, Aryanna approached from behind and enveloped her in a hug. "Good morning, Mione. Did you have a good night? How was the Raven's nest?" she asked as her friend relaxed from the sudden ambush.
Hermione briefly gasped as Aryanna grabbed her, then relaxed and settled into the hug, returning it in kind. "Good morning, Arya. It was wonderful... and quiet. No early morning wake-ups for runs," she said, offering her black odango-haired childhood friend a warm smile.
"Ah yes, about that? Would you like to join us? We miss you, and it would give us more time together, now that you're in a different house," Aryanna asked, giving her friend a pleading look. 'It would also give me a perfect moment, away from prying eyes and ears, to fill you in about you being Mercury,' she thought to herself. "I missed you last night," she added, trying to sweeten her plea.
Hermione laughed. "No chance. This lady likes her sleep way too much."
"Drat! Oh well... had to try," Aryanna answered good-naturedly, inwardly frowning. 'Enjoy your mornings in bed while you can, young lady. As soon as you know the truth, you will be joining us soon enough,' she thought as she listened to her friend talk about her first night.
"Did you know that, unlike the other houses, we Ravens practically have our rooms to ourselves? While you lot have to share one large dorm with all the girls of your year, we Ravens usually only have to share a room with two others, sometimes three. Others only have to share a room with one, and I heard there is even a room with only one person. The perks of being the studious house. We get more space and quietness to study. Oh, and our Common room also has its own mini-library and a dedicated study area. We even have our own personal Astronomy tower for late-night studying," Hermione said enthusiastically. It almost sounded like she was in love with her new house, which - for the bookworm she was - probably wasn't too far from the truth.
"Really? That's... great!" Aryanna said, somewhat half-heartedly, not sure whether to be envious or glad for her friend. She settled on being glad.
"Herms... would you like to join us at the Hufflepuff table?" she asked.
Hermione looked towards her spot at the Ravenclaw table, and for a second, it seemed she was going to refuse, but then she sighed and agreed. "Sure, why not."
Aryanna frowned. 'What was that sigh about?' she wondered. "I mean, if you want to be with your new Raven friends instead, I understand; we can always catch up later," she quickly added, thinking her friend may want to sit with her new Raven nest mates.
Hermione, however, shook her head and gave her a warm, if slightly watery smile. "No, it's ok... truth is, I have been having problems making friends and could use some time with you guys. I... I missed you a lot last night... and truthfully, I could use someone to talk to right now," she said as she allowed Aryanna to lead her to the Hufflepuff table.
'Oh oh, trouble in paradise.' Feeling worried for her friend but unsure of what to say, Aryanna simply smiled and led the way. Upon reaching the table, she offered a seat to her Ravenclaw friend.
At the questioning looks from a few of the other Hufflepuffs about what a Ravenclaw was doing at their table, Aryanna quickly explained that Hermione was a long-time childhood family friend and that she had invited her to sit at their table. Shrugging, not seeing anything wrong with it, as there was no rule against students from other houses sitting at different tables as long as it wasn't during an official festival, they let it go. Unlike the other houses like the Slytherins and Gryffindor, Hufflepuff was a lot more easygoing and didn't care if students of another house sat with them. In a way, Hufflepuff was considered the only true neutral house of Hogwarts. Ravenclaws, while they tolerated other houses, tended to stick to themselves. However, if a Slytherin had dared to sit at the Gryffindor table or a Gryff at the Snakes, there would have been a row, at best. Maybe even a fight. It just wasn't done. Those two houses hated each other on principle. It was one of the reasons why she was so worried about her friends going into different houses and why they made the Oath on the train.
Soon, Hermione was chatting along with the others, having a grand time. It was almost as if she was a Hufflepuff herself.
Hermione spent the next few minutes enthusiastically discussing her new roommates, Sophie Roper, another Muggle-born, and Isolde Blackwood, a pureblood and the younger sister of Cordelia Blackwood, the third-year Slytherin and president of the Sailor Guardian fan club. As they chatted, Hermione hesitated but eventually retrieved a familiar golden medallion from her midriff.
Anticipating Aryanna's disdain for fan clubs, Hermione was surprised when Aryanna casually pulled out her own medallion, remarking, "Nice! I have one too."
"You too? But... You hate fan clubs!?" Hermione half stated, half questioned, puzzled. Aryanna grinned and explained, "Well, a certain Puff convinced me..." She continued, ignoring a brief, teasing tongue-sticking-out from Susan. "She persuaded me that it would be insightful to know what the 'other' side thinks. In the end, I decided she was right. Besides, the Guardians deserve our support. They are probably the only thing standing between us and the Youma."
'Well... besides the huntresses, even if they are slowly getting overwhelmed by the increasingly more powerful Youma, which are appearing, but she doesn't know that yet,' she reminded herself. "It's probably as close as we'll ever get to them without actually being them," Aryanna added, maintaining a watchful eye on Hermione's reaction throughout her explanation.
As Hermione processed this revelation, an uneasiness settled over her, catching Aryanna's attention. Concerned for her friend, Aryanna gently inquired, and after a few moments, Hermione hesitantly opened up.
"It's no use; you have to know."
"Know what?" Aryanna asked, her curiosity piqued.
"Listen... ever since taking the vow on the train, I've been feeling... well, strange. I can't explain it. It's like hearing a call like something is reaching out to me, telling me I have to do something. I also had this weird dream last night while I was sleeping. I dreamt..." She laughed nervously, attempting to dismiss it, but Aryanna, recognizing the signs, encouraged her to continue. "Go on Mione, what was it?"
"No, Arya, it's silly. How about we talk about—"
"No," Aryanna interrupted. "Continue, please. It's important to you, and if it's important to you, it's important to us." Relieved, Hermione took a deep breath and confessed, "OK...Last night, I dreamt I was some sort of alien princess on a different planet, dressed like those Sailor girls on TV."
Hearing this, Aryanna's expression remained neutrally understanding, but inwardly, she was celebrating. Hermione, her Hermione, was truly Sailor Mercury. Not that she had doubted it, but only a Guardian could get those dreams. This was the final confirmation she needed.
Ignorant of her friend's inner thoughts, Hermione continued, "I was one of those Guardians. I was dressed in some sort of blue sailor costume, standing alongside others who looked like me, albeit a little different. One of them looked like an angel with golden angelic wings, dressed all in white with a golden tiara on her head. She turned around to look at me, and then... and then..." Hermione paused, unwilling to continue.
"And then?" Aryanna asked eagerly, prompting her to continue. She already knew what Hermione was going to say next.
"And then," Hermione finished, "the angel turned into you. I told you I'm going crazy," she mumbled, her face reddening in embarrassment.
Aryanna and Susan exchanged knowing glances, processing this revelation. When Susan had told her of her own dream after she first transformed, she had said the same, only from Venus' point of view. Every new Guardian would. She had those same dreams as well when she first became Sailor Moon, only her dreams were from the white angel's point of view, she had been holding a moon-shaped scepter, and the other Guardian's faces were all blurred at the time. At that moment, both knew this was the perfect time to inform Hermione about her becoming Mercury and about them being Moon and Venus. However, to do that, they needed to find a quiet, out-of-earshot place first.
"Yeah...well about that..." Aryanna started to say, intending to ask Hermione to follow them to a quiet place, only to suddenly be interrupted by an unexpected source.
"Sorry to bother you ladies, could I have a moment of Aryanna's time, please?"
Aryanna groaned, realizing she was, once again, being diverted from sharing the truth with Hermione. Hermione, too eager to escape the conversation, seized the opportunity to excuse herself. "It's okay; we'll talk about it later," she said hastily, eager to finally change the subject.
Aryanna irked but agreeing, replied, "Okay, talk to you more about this later... but we must talk. It's important."
'I can't wait much longer; she needs to know,' Aryanna reminded herself. Waiting only long enough to see a nod from Hermione, Aryanna turned to face Cordelia. She smiled at the upper-class woman. "How can I help you, Miss Blackwood?"
"Sorry to bother you, Heiress Potter, but... well... is it true that your aunt knows the Guardians?"
Aryanna's brow furrowed, wondering where this inquiry was headed. Hoping it wasn't just another set of random questions, as she had enough of those during the feast last night, she responded, "Yes, she knows them well. She's the official Muggle and Ministry expert on Youma, answering directly to the Muggle Minister of Defence. But everybody knows this. So yes, she sees them a lot... why?"
"Okay, well... well... as her niece, you probably know a bit or two about the Guardians as well... right?" Cordelia continued.
"Possibly," Aryanna answered with a nod. "Why?"
Cordelia looked embarrassed and nervous but managed to continue, "I was hoping, since you would have seen them, maybe even met them, if you would accompany me to the meeting with the Headmaster on Friday... or at least advise me on the type of uniform they wear... especially the skirts they wear." Cordelia hurriedly added, seeing a murderous look appearing on Aryanna's face. "Please?" she begged, attempting her best imitation of puppy-dog eyes. "I'll owe you," she added, a comment that raised a few eyebrows from others around them. This was a big deal, especially for a Slytherin. Everybody who knew how Slytherins operated knew they took 'I owe you's' seriously. Very seriously! It was like a currency that could be traded in at any time. Anyone who didn't honor their 'I owe yous' was treated like dirt, even worse than a mud-blood. There was a reason why Slytherin was known as the political house of Hogwarts. Favors, promises, blood, power, money, and reputation were everything in Slytherin and not necessarily in that order.
Aryanna, meeting Cordelia's gaze, felt her own eyes narrowing while her friends giggled beside her. 'There is no way I'm...,' but before she could refuse, Cordelia added, "Please... I know it's a lot to ask, but I really need to get this right. My reputation depends on this. The uniform can only be changed once every century. I'd hate to mess this up," she said desperately.
Aryanna was about to decline again when Susan unexpectedly chimed in, "I think it's a good idea. After all, if we're going to wear it every day for the next seven years, I know I would want to have it done right as well and not be forced to wear something I'd hate."
Aryanna glared at Susan. "Why don't you do it then?" she asked her waspishly.
"Okay, I will," Susan said. "When do you want me to meet you?" she asked, turning towards Cordelia, ignoring Aryanna as she groaned and banged her head on the table.
"Er... do you know the Guardians?" Cordelia asked.
'This is why I hate fan clubs,' Aryanna mumbled to herself, but everybody ignored her.
"Well, I spent a lot of time at Aryanna's house over the summer, so I have seen them a few times," Susan continued.
"They have the craziest of ideas and once they have you, they never let you have any peace," Aryanna continued to mumble.
"Well... Ok then... how about Wednesday in the club room..." Cordelia continued to speak.
'But I'll be damned if I have to wear something I'm not happy with... not if I can influence it.' Aryanna thought to herself, glaring at the duo.
"Do you know where it is?" Cordelia asked.
"FINE! I'll do it..." Aryanna said loudly, which got everybody's attention. She glared at the sudden smirk appearing on Susan's face and ignored the sigh of exasperation and a verbally spoken "honestly" from Hermione.
"But if we do this, and I can't believe I'm saying this, then we do it my way... and we do it right. It has to be practical, it has to have meaning, it has to look good... and above all, it has to have pockets. Skirts need pockets, damn it," she added angrily, annoyed that she had once again been duped into something she didn't want to do. 'First joining the Fan club, now this... When will it end?'
"Excellent! Please meet me at the Fan Club this Wednesday evening at eight. That will give us a good hour before curfew to have a look at what I have. We can then all go to Dumbledore on Friday after classes," Cordelia said happily, and before Aryanna could say another word, she disappeared back into the crowd, leaving Aryanna to scowl at her smirking friend.
"You're enjoying this way too much!" she stated, getting a nod back in return. "You bet. Consider it payback for all the ice water during the summer," Susan answered vindictively.
Aryanna rolled her eyes. Slowly pulling out her club medallion, she glared at it. Designing a school uniform was not what she had in mind when the day began. "This is all your fault," she mumbled at it. It didn't even have the decency to stare back, innocently or not. Sure, the medallion looked nice... but was it worth all the trouble?
Aryanna looked at her medallion, then, making sure nobody was noticing, she smiled.
Yes! The answer was yes, it was! For her friends, she would do anything. She was willing to face the greatest of fears and embrace even the most unexpected and daunting challenges... even if it meant—she shivered—that she had to design a skimpy school uniform.
It was at that moment that she realized with a pang.
'Drat!... I'll actually have to wear the damn thing.'
Aryanna's thoughts were interrupted by a loud flurry of incoming owls.
"Heads up, everybody! Cover your meals; the morning post has arrived," came a sudden warning from a nearby prefect at the Gryffindor table, his caution aimed toward younger students. He quickly waved his wand, casting a shield over his own and a few others' breakfasts.
Quickly looking up, Aryanna noticed a large flock of owls entering through a small opening at the top of the roof, dive-bombing towards the students below. Unfortunately, being a first year and not knowing a shield spell yet to cast over her food, she was not fast enough to stop the barrage of owlish... 'treats'... which suddenly poured from the heavens as the birds arrived. Luckily, a nearby helpful Hufflepuff seventh-year prefect with bright pink hair was faster. Aryanna watched mesmerized and revolted as feathers and other 'items' dropped from the heavens along with a shower of envelopes and packages, ruining some students' breakfasts. She also noticed that the main dishes, as yet untouched, remained clean. Each suddenly had a shimmering blue shield around them. She looked at the prefect with a thankful, questioning gaze. The prefect acknowledged her with a smile and decided to explain.
"One of our jobs as prefects is to cast the 'food protection spell' Protego Cibum on new first-year meals. Not to be mistaken for the repelling charm 'Impervius,' a similar charm. The Protego Cibum makes all of the... 'dirt' vanish as soon as it touches the shield the charm creates, while the Impervius just pushes it away. It's one of the first spells learned during self-study periods in the first year, out of sheer necessity, and has become a sort of tradition... a sort of rite of passage for all new first years to learn before they reach the second year. Not only is it useful as it keeps dust from tables and dirt from clothes, but it also keeps dirt from our food as well. Notice how the rest of the food is also safe? Well... the elves take care of those. So don't worry, it's all clean and perfectly safe to eat... and while you may not think so at first, hygienic too." At this point, she grinned. "It's also the professors' way of... making sure we study more. Nothing makes somebody study more than pure necessity. Some spells are not taught by the professors. They do this intentionally. We have to learn them ourselves. This is one of those spells. It's designed that way to encourage us to study more and get used to self-study. Either we study and learn... or we suffer until we learn. Or we just suffer. Either way, they win. The professors love setting us extra tasks that way."
"I... see," Aryanna said, her facial expression showing how disturbed yet also intrigued she felt by the impromptu lesson and the tradition behind it. Beside her, Hermione and Susan had similar expressions and thoughts. "Well... Thanks again... miss?" Aryanna asked, to which the prefect nodded. "Tonks... just Tonks, nothing more, nothing less, just Tonks. And you're welcome," she said before she went back to enjoying her meal as if nothing had happened. "Thanks.. just Tonks," Aryanna said with a grin and made a mental note to study and learn that charm as soon as possible. No way would she allow the owls to ruin her breakfast every morning if she could avoid it. Some of the stuff the owls dropped before they were vanished looked downright nasty. It was either that or finishing breakfast before the morning post arrived.
Her musings on future extracurricular endeavors were abruptly interrupted by another loud cry of alarm, once again from a Gryffindor prefect.
"Oh... great!... Protect your eardrums, cover your ears, everybody... HOWLER!" he called out, prompting students and teachers alike to scramble to cover their ears. Some cast spells on themselves. Aryanna watched as the female Hufflepuff prefect sighed and then quickly cast a spell on her ears. She then held out her wand towards Aryanna, giving her a quick questioning glance and asking for permission to cast on her.
Normally, Aryanna would never have let another person cast a spell on her without first knowing what it was. However, at that moment, seeing the panic some students were in, she decided to err on the side of caution, trusting the helpful prefect, and allowed it. Nodding, she gave the prefect permission to proceed. A second later, her hearing was temporarily muted as the spell took effect. Aryanna watched as the prefect repeated the spell on her friends just in time, as a few seconds later, one of the incoming owls landed in front of Ron Weasley at the Gryffindor table. It held a red smoking envelope in its talons.
Almost immediately, the atmosphere in the Great Hall changed. Students leaned in, eager to witness the unfolding drama.
Aryanna's eyes widened. She had heard about Howlers - those red smoking envelopes of horror - but had never actually seen or heard one before. Judging from the redhead's horrified look of sheer terror, that might have been a good thing. Aryanna watched, mesmerized, as the red envelope suddenly opened itself, revealing the notorious Howler inside. The next moment would stay in Aryanna's memories for years to come as the moment the infamous Howler Banshee Molly Weasley, queen of all Howlers, made herself known with an ear-splitting voice so loud that it reverberated through the enchanted ceiling, echoing even outside the castle.
RONALD BILLIUS WEASLEY!
HOW DARE YOU BRING DISGRACE TO THE WEASLEY NAME!
Aryanna watched, open-mouthed, as Ron squirmed in his seat while every eye in the hall fixated on him.
BRAWLING!...FIGHTING!...LIKE A COMMON MUGGLE! WITH DRACO MALFOY IN FRONT OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL! HAVE YOU NO SHAME!
Aryanna watched as Ron's face turned as red as his hair.
I AM APPALLED, YOUNG MAN! APPALLED!
The anger in Molly's voice was palpable, even without her physical presence. The shaking figure of Ron Weasley said it all. Nearby, his brothers, a pair of red-headed twins, were also shaking, and they weren't even in trouble.
"DISGRACEFUL BEHAVIOR! THIS IS NOT HOW WE RAISED YOU TO BEHAVE! I HAVE NEVER FELT SO EMBARRASSED IN MY LIFE! NOT EVEN THE TWINS HAVE MANAGED TO DO THAT!"
The envelope paused and flew over to McGonagall, where it continued to speak in a much quieter and kinder voice.
"Thank you for informing me of this matter. Please let me know once he has made the apology we discussed. I know we have decided to no longer allow the traditional punishments for our children. However, Arthur and I have had a discussion, and we agree. If his behavior does not improve, you have our permission to consider our minds changed and our former decision null and void for him on that matter."
The sudden gulp originating from the Gryffindor table from the scolded redhead could be heard echoing through the temporarily nearly quiet hall as everybody listened to the howler's words.
The envelope then flew back to Ron.
JUST YOU WAIT UNTIL I GET MY HANDS ON YOU, YOUNG MAN!
I EXPECT YOU TO GIVE A PUBLIC APOLOGY AND MARK MY WORDS I'LL BE MAKING SURE THAT YOU HAVE!
YOU WON'T LIKE WHAT HAPPENS IF I HEAR YOU DID NOT!
With a loud raspberry, which could be heard from all corners of the hall, the Howler combusted into tiny pieces that floated to the ground, leaving a mortified and white-faced Ron behind to face the curious and judgmental gazes of his fellow students.
As the remnants of the Howler floated to the ground, Aryanna couldn't help but reflect on the harsh yet effective disciplinary measure.
'Harsh and verbally abusive... but very effective. The humiliation Ronald must be feeling right now must be enormous,' Aryanna thought as she finally returned to her meal. Shaking off the lingering echoes of Molly Weasley's voice, she returned to her meal, grateful at that moment that Molly Weasley was not her Aunt.
For the rest of breakfast, the small group of friends spent their time discussing upcoming classes while enjoying the remainder of their meals. Aryanna and Hermione had their timetables out, eagerly learning about each other's classes.
Hufflepuff Year 1 - 1991
Hufflepuff - Monday:
6:30 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast/Free Period
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Charms with Slytherin
10:00 AM - 1:00 PM : Study Period
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch Break
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Potions with Ravenclaw
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Study Period
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Dinner/Freetime
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Free Period
9:00 PM – 6:30 AM : Curfew
"Hmm, let's see! Hufflepuff Year 1 - 1991! Monday starts with Charms with Slytherin. Well, that doesn't look that bad," Aryanna said, surprised by the abundance of free study periods. "Only two classes? One of them a double. Three hours in total. Must be because we're first years. It will no doubt get a lot worse in the later years. Better enjoy the free time while we have it. Do you have any classes with Slytherin?" she asked, glancing over at Hermione.
"Yes, I have Defense Against the Dark Arts with Gryffindor on Mondays. Quite a mix, isn't it?" Hermione answered, swapping her timetable with Aryanna's, who glanced at Hermione's Monday timetable:
Ravenclaw - Monday Classes:
7:00 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast/Free Period
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: DADA with Gryffindor
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Study Period
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Study Period
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Study Period
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch Break
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: Potions with Hufflepuff
3:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Potions with Hufflepuff
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Study Period
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Dinner/Freetime
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Free Period
9:00 PM – 6:30 AM: Curfew
"Oh, look at that! We have Potions together on Monday afternoons. That should be interesting," Aryanna remarked, raising an eyebrow.
"Indeed, I heard Professor Snape is quite strict," Hermione replied, a hint of worry in her voice.
"He can be from what I've heard, but don't worry too much. I'm sure we'll manage," Aryanna reassured her, trying to ease Hermione's nerves.
'At least I hope so. Thank the void my punishment form was filled out forbidding physical punishment. From the rumors, Snape is supposed to be extremely strict and a royal pain in the ass...literally,' Aryanna thought before she swapped back timetables and examined the Hufflepuff Tuesday timetable. 'I wonder what the other houses' timetables are like.'
Hufflepuff - Tuesday:
6.30 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast/Free Period
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Transfiguration with Ravenclaw
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Study Period
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch Break
2:00 PM – 4:00 PM: DADA with Slytherin
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Study Period
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Dinner/Freetime
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Free Period
9:00 PM – 6:30 AM : Curfew
'Not that much worse, two doubles for a total of four hours... still nothing to worry about, not really. A lot of free periods here as well.
She flipped over to Wednesday:
Hufflepuff - Wednesday:
6.30 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast/Free Period
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Study Period
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM: Charms with Slytherin
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch Break
2:00 PM - 3:00 PM: DADA with Slytherin
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM: Study Period
4:00 PM – 5:00 PM: Herbology with Ravenclaw
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Dinner/Freetime
7:00 PM – 10:00 PM: Free Period
10:00 PM – 12:00 AM: Astronomy (with all Houses)
12:30 AM – 6:30 AM: Curfew
'Okay, five classes, two of them a double, with one at night...for a total of six hours. Now that's more like it. Astronomy is going to be annoying but very manageable. Getting up in the morning is going to be troublesome though, especially with our morning run. Guess it's better if I take a nap before the night class or I guess we could always make Wednesdays a rest day. Maybe take a longer run in the evening? Nice to see at least an hour in between each class though; the day won't feel as long.'
She flipped to Thursday.
Hufflepuff - Thursday:
6.30 AM – 9:00 AM: Breakfast/Free Period
9:00 AM - 10:00 AM: Study Period
10:00 AM - 11:00 AM: History of Magic with Slytherin
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM : Study Period
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Transfiguration with Ravenclaw
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch Break
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: Herbology with Ravenclaw
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Study Period
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Dinner/Freetime
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Free Period
9:00 PM – 6:30 AM: Curfew
'Basically the same stuff as the others. I've seen worse timetables in Muggle primary school. What is up with all these free periods?' she wondered again. Not that she was complaining.
Finally, she flipped to Friday.
Hufflepuff - Friday:
6.30 AM - 9:00 AM: Breakfast/Free Period
9:00 AM - 11:00 AM: Flying/Broom Care with all houses
11:00 AM – 12:00 PM: Study Period
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: Potions with Ravenclaw
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM: Lunch Break
2:00 PM - 4:00 PM: History of Magic with Slytherin
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM: Study Period
5:00 PM - 7:00 PM: Dinner/Freetime
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM: Free Period
9:00 PM – 6:30 AM: Curfew
'And finally, another 5 classes for a total of five hours to end the week for a total of 21 hours of classes a week. Seems to be a fun day too. Flying classes in the morning - must the the PE class - and History of Magic in the evening. If what I heard from an older student is true, then History is more like a snooze than an actual class. I heard the professor is a ghost who is extremely boring and never notices anything, and everybody catches up on missed sleep electing to self-study instead, so you could say the day basically finishes at lunchtime. All in all... a very manageable timetable.'
Aryanna spent the last few minutes of breakfast studying her copy of the Hogwarts Map, received during her orientation, trying to chart the swiftest routes to her classrooms for the day.
Abruptly, Hermione gasped, catching Aryanna off guard. "Where did you get this?" she inquired.
"What? Oh, this? We received it on our orientation tour. Professor Sprout, our head of the house, gave each of us one," Aryanna explained. "Didn't you get one?" she added, noticing a sudden frustration in her friend's expression.
"No, we did not," Hermione replied with a huff. "I wish we had; it's incredibly useful. Can I borrow it during the break so I can make a copy?" she asked impulsively, a pleading look in her eyes.
Surprised, Aryanna glanced at the map, then back at her friend, her eyebrows raised. The map was expansive and intricately detailed. Finally, she shrugged and nodded. "Sure, I will. But... are you sure you can handle this? I mean, I know you're skilled, but I didn't know you were that good at drawing, these things take time, and as far as I know, even you have not learned the duplication spell yet. Are you going to ask an older student? I'll need it back at least an hour before Potions class. The last thing I want is to be late for Potions," she remarked, eyeing Hermione carefully.
Hermione smiled. "No worries. I have something that will help me. I found it last night in the dorms while doing some last-minute studying. I want to show it to you and Susan later. It's incredible. I didn't know they even worked at Hogwarts. I didn't even think the magical world had them," she explained. "I'll bring it with me during the study period. Will you meet me in the Library at ten?"
'Huh?' Aryanna frowned, her mind racing as she wondered what Hermione was talking about. 'Didn't work at...didn't have them? What is she talking about...Wait! It couldn't be...could it? Already? She couldn't have... Is she talking about what I think she is talking about? So soon?' She only just... Aryanna connected all the dots. Of course, it had to be. She was Mercury after all. It would make sense.' She couldn't wait to see it. "Sure, just please make it 10:30... I do need some time to get there first," she replied quickly not giving her friend any time to change her mind. Hermione nodded with a blush. "Of course. 10:30 is fine."
The remainder of breakfast proceeded without further disturbances, and soon it was time to head to class, beginning with the first Charms class of the year.
After bidding farewell to Hermione, who, being a Ravenclaw, headed off to her own class, Aryanna, Susan, and Hannah—armed with the knowledge from the map—swiftly made their way to the charms classroom. Even then, despite the assistance of the map, they barely managed to arrive on time. With just a single minute to spare, they entered the Charms classroom, finding the diminutive form of Professor Flitwick, the Charms professor and head of Ravenclaw, awaiting them. Like all half-goblin-half-wizards, Filius Flitwick was affected by dwarfism, with his stature unmistakably reflecting it. Though fully grown, he barely reached up to Aryanna's shoulder. However, what he lacked in size, he made up for in skill. Aryanna had heard that Flitwick was a Duelling and Charms Master and a Professional European Duelling Championship Winner. He may be small, but underestimating or crossing him was ill-advised. If anything, his size only made him more elusive and challenging to contend with.
Aryanna smirked, "Only one way to find out." Hannah chuckled, and together, they shared a sense of anticipation for what the mandatory Charms class held in store.
Swiftly selecting seats near the middle of the room, avoiding the front or far back (as in her opinion they drew the most attention - front - or were reserved for troublemakers - back), the trio settled in, eagerly anticipating the commencement of the class.
"Welcome, welcome, my dear first years! I am Professor Filius Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw and your instructor for the fascinating subject of Charms for the next - I hope - seven years. I will do my best to ensure that each and every one of you will, at a minimum, pass your OWLs with an 'E'... as long as you put in the work. Now, before we delve into the enchanting world of magic, let's show a warm Hogwarts welcome to our latecomers," he added with a wink as he waved his wand, opening the charms classroom. This caused some more students on the other side, one with their hand raised to knock, to become visible, and those already in the classroom to chuckle.
"Hurry up, please; no punishments today, as I know this is your first day... and your first class, but be warned, I will not be so lenient for any further lateness. You have been warned."
The tardy students entered the room with a mix of relief and embarrassment, quickly finding a few spare seats near the front and back. Professor Flitwick, understanding the first-day chaos, waved away the few apologies made. "No harm done, my young friends. Just remember to be punctual in the future. Now, is everybody here? Everybody ready? Excellent! Then, let's proceed!"
The next five minutes went by quickly. Flitwick began taking roll, only stopping briefly when he called out a name that caught his attention.
"Aryanna Potter?" he exclaimed, his eyes widening with excitement. He nearly toppled off the stack of books he was standing on, creating a moment of amusement among the students. "Here Sir!" she said unnecessarily very conscious of her celebrity status as the 'Girl Who Lived to see another day'. She blushed but managed a sheepish smile. 'Damn blush, you'd think I would be used to it by now, but no!' she thought, annoyed by the sudden flushness of her face.
Once the initial excitement settled, Professor Flitwick immediately launched into a brief overview of the class structure for the year. He explained how single hours would be used solely for theory and quizzes, while the double periods would be dedicated to practical assignments, exams, and practicing charms. From there, he began to talk about the theory of charms itself, how they interacted and worked with spells, and why doing things just a little differently may cause a spell to fail. Throughout all of this, he gestured with his hands and tried to be as animated as possible by mimicking the motions of casting spells, making jokes when possible, and giving brief demonstrations. At one point, he levitated a feather or made a quill dance to emphasize his points. Another time he told a little story of a wizard named Baruffio, who said 's' instead of 'f' and found himself on the floor with a buffalo on his chest. The story caused the class to laugh. From there, the classroom soon transcended into a mixture of note-taking and intermittent participation, with Flitwick encouraging and asking questions and awarding house points for correct answers.
Halfway through the class, Flitwick began to talk about the Lumos charm.
"Now, onto the first charm you will learn—Lumos!" Flitwick declared, demonstrating the wand movement and incantation. Suddenly, the classroom lit up as the tip of his wand emitted a warm light.
"Remember, my dear students, magic is as much about understanding as it is about practice..."
The students were fascinated by the lecture, even if the magic was minimal. Aryanna, already familiar with Lumos, paid close attention, her excitement tempered even more by the professor's entertaining teaching style.
Nearing the end of the class, he suddenly became serious. "Now then, let's see how much you have been listening. Five points to anyone who can explain to me the concept of wand movement in casting charms... Anybody?"
Immediately, some eager, others a bit more hesitant, a few students began to raise their hands to answer the question and hopefully earn themselves some house points. Aryanna and Susan were two of them.
Flitwick smiled encouragingly and pointed towards a Slytherin student who had raised their hand. "You there...Mr... Zabini?"
"Blaise Zabini Sir!, and wand movements are a crucial aspect of casting charms. The precise motion of the wand helps channel magical energy and defines the characteristics of the spell. Different charms require distinct wand movements, making each spell unique," he answered.
"Good answer... five points to Slytherin, " came the response.
"Next question... for ten points... explain to me the difference between Charms, Transfiguration, and Wards. Twenty points if you can give examples of each.
Immediately, Aryanna's hand sprang into the air, followed shortly by Susan and a few other students.
"Miss Potter, I believe you were the first to raise your hand...your answer please?"
Aryanna took a deep breath to settle her nerves and her mind and then launched into her answer:
"Certainly, professor! First, Charms... Charms involve the application of magical spells to manipulate the inherent properties of objects or beings temporarily. It's like giving a brief, magical boost to something without fundamentally changing its nature. For example, Wingardium Leviosa is a charm used to levitate objects, and Lumos is a charm that produces light from the tip of the wand," Aryanna said, giving examples of charms Flitwick had used earlier that day which brought a smile to the small professor's face.
"Next, Transfiguration. Transfiguration is the magical art of changing the form or substance of an object or being. It's about altering the very essence of something to turn it into something else. Evanesco is a transfiguration spell used to make objects vanish by changing their substance into air, and the Animagus transformation is a more advanced form of a charm where a wizard or witch can turn into an animal at will." Aryanna paused for a second to gather her thoughts. Flitwick was looking at her with a large smile on his face, indicating that she was doing well. Her confidence boosted by that fact, Aryanna continued.
"Finally, Wards: Wards involve creating magical barriers or shields for protection around an object, usually stationary. It's like putting up a magical shield around something to keep it safe. While a ward can also be put on a mobile target, it uses a lot more power and is very unstable. For instance, a wizard might use wards to protect their home from intruders or set up wards on a valuable magical artifact to prevent unauthorized access. This is an example of a Stationary Ward. An example of a mobile ward is a charm known as the Obsignare Sonus, the Sound Void ward also known as the Sound Sealing spell. A challenging seventh-year spell that is unbreakable while active. While some might argue that it's more of a spell than a ward, the Obsignare Sonus needs to be anchored to different areas to work, just like a ward. Therefore, it's also classified as both a ward and a spell."
"After Aryanna's detailed response, Professor Flitwick nodded approvingly, a smile playing on his lips. 'Excellent answers... well done. Take thirty points instead of twenty for this rather advanced answer, and on your first day no less,' he said. Aryanna beamed, her happiness evident. Pride and surprise mingled in her mind at the generous point reward. The other students observed; some with impressed expressions, while others appeared thoughtful or curious. Notably, the Slytherins wore expressions of annoyance at her success.
Meanwhile, Susan and Hannah exchanged proud glances with Aryanna, silently celebrating her successful answer.
Aryanna simply smiled, feeling a profound sense of accomplishment. All those study sessions with Setsuna over the summer with Susan had paid off.
For the next few minutes, Flitwick continued to ask the class a few more questions, gaining Hufflepuff and Slytherin a few more points, but nobody managed to top Aryanna's thorough response.
In the final moments of the Charms class, Professor Flitwick assigned a reasonable amount of homework. "I'm assigning you eight inches of parchment, due for our double period on Wednesday. Explain the fundamentals of charm spell theory and its application in casting Lumos. You may also want to explore the library for additional insights. Come see me after class if you would like a list of books that will help you with your assignments. We will be practicing the Lumos Charm in our next lesson on Wednesday. Class dismissed!" he said, and with that, the first Charms class came to an end.
As Aryanna, Susan, and Hannah made their way to the front of the class to collect the list of books Flitwick had promised, the vibrant chatter of fellow students discussing the homework and the Lumos Charm filled the air. Throughout all of this, Aryanna did her best to ignore the numerous stares of her classmates – some filled with praise and happiness, others - mostly Slytherins - with dislike and jealousy at her success. But Aryanna didn't care.
Stealing a glance at her friends, Aryanna shared a knowing smile with Susan and Hannah. They whispered excitedly about their plans to tackle the homework together and explore the library for additional resources.
As all the students gathered their belongings and began to file out of the classroom, Aryanna couldn't shake the satisfaction that lingered from her first Charms class. If this was a glimpse into the magic that awaited her at Hogwarts, she felt a genuine eagerness to embrace the challenges and discoveries that lay ahead. If every class at Hogwarts went like that, she knew she would enjoy herself here.