The first week of classes started, and Harry's group changed the lineup. He walked down the boy's dorm stairs alongside Zabini.
Zabini was the only dark skin boy in the Slytherin dorm in his year. He was standing with a posture like Draco as if he was looking down at the other students, but in reality, it was his defensive posture.
Outside the Slytherin common room, nobody speaks about him. Still, inside it, many students talk ill about him and his mother, who's called the Black Widow.
Harry and Zabini usually wait for Pansy and Millicent in the common room. Harry wanted to be seen by everyone and show that Suzuki and Parkinson were strong. This idea of a strong family was also reinforced by Flint when he assured Harry that he would still have his place on the Quidditch team.
Flint disobeyed the direct order of his father to have a better team. He believed that, now that Suzuki has entered Quidditch marketing, it would be a question of time before they sponsor or own a Quidditch team.
This idea came to him the first night he was back at Hogwarts, and now he is convinced that this is the best way to proceed.
At the great hall, the students again separated, but now it was the Quidditch team, the one in the middle.
Daphne Greengrass was happy with the attention she was receiving by sitting next to Draco. Tracey Davis was seated next to her and kept her company. Draco was surprised when the quiet Nott decided to join his new group, although that displeased Daphne.
On Monday, their first class was history, which, like the last year, they shared with the Ravenclaws. And like last year, no one seems to properly pay attention. Harry sat next to Zabini while Pansy sat behind them with Millicent. Draco sat with Goyle and Nott with Crabbe. Crabbe and Goyle still did not really understand anything, so they openly spoke with Harry until Draco called them with an excuse. Daphne and Tracey sat in the corner, away from Nott but on the same side of Draco.
Unexpectedly, the idea that the families were at 'war' created a slight tension in the classroom. Especially because Harry's and Draco's groups sat on each side of the classroom, making the other houses in the middle.
The second class was transfiguration, with the Gryffindors. Harry wondered why the Professor differed from when she visited his house. 'Was it because he was sorted in another house?' thought Harry. 'Or is another way for the headmaster to get close to me. Making me get closer to my head of the house. Possibly, because it's a complaint about a teacher, I would be sent to him directly.'
Harry looked at the front of the class, where the teacher explained her expectations for the school year. 'If that was the case, he may be needed for her to be more one-sided. Although, she already is in some aspects.'
Harry shook his head and started to pay attention to the class. The idea of the Professor being part of the headmaster's plan may be possible. Still, in his opinion, the schoolteachers won't participate in that kind of complot, at least not willingly. So, some sort of leverage or just simple manipulation of the information could be the case.
Professor McGonagall started asking questions about last year's course, which only Hermione was eager to answer. Harry looked at the class while noting that, like Malfoy, Zabini was a good student and started taking notes.
"This year, we will be preparing ourselves to can transfigurate small animals into things, and vice versa", said the Professor. She then took a small bird, tapped it with her wand three times, and said, "Veraberto".
The bird started to change into a coup of glass. The students were amazed and kind of happy. Harry would usually be delighted as it seems they are finally going to teach some tier 2 magic. But his friendship with Aura and Mare did not let him enjoy it, and he needed to speak.
"Professor", said Harry with his hand raised.
Professor McGonagall turned to him and thought that finally, he caught the attention of the boy-who-live, "yes, Mr Pot-Suzuki".
Harry let the slip past and asked, "What's the purpose of changing an animal's shape into an object? Wouldn't it cause problems for the animal? I mean, if we put poison in that cup, wouldn't the animal be poisoned? And what if the glass fell? It will certainly kill the animal."
"Mr Potter", "Suzuki, professor". Harry corrected her right away.
"Apologize. Mr Suzuki." corrected the Professor.
"This exercise was created to horn your abilities. I understand your concern. But it won't cause any harm as long as you follow my instructions".
"With all due respect, but do you expect that none of us would be using this outside the class? Because if that is the logic, will we be learning how to cast the 'unforgivable courses' at some point?"
"Mr Porter!" "Suzuki"
The Professor ignored him and continued. "Hogwarts does not teach dark magic. I will take 5 points from Slytherin for it," sentenced the Professor. Harry stood up, looked at her sternly, and grabbed his things, "if the class is unable to provide me a good reason for your methods, I don't think I can stay in this class". He then left the class, followed by Pansy, Bulstrode, who was half asleep, a very reluctant Zabini, and surprisingly a Gryffindor also walked out, Hermione.
Professor McGonagall asked them to return to their seats, but they left the class without looking back. The whole scene made everyone wonder about the entire situation.
"So, what's the big idea?" asked Pansy once they have passed some minutes.
"The big idea was to make a statement. Harry is right. That kind of spell can be abused by many students that would use it only for entertainment." Said Hermione.
Zabini just exhaled and followed them. Bulstrode did not know what had happened and thought the class was over. "Where to now? If a prefect sees us, they will take more points from us", said Zabini.
"Why not just go to the common room or the great hall to grab lunch?" said Bulstrode.
"We can't go to the common room because", Pansy answered and then pointed at Hermione. "And it's too early for lunch".
"We can go to the library", said Harry. Hermione nodded with a small smile, thinking that she may need to compensate for this act by learning about the subject of animal transfiguration herself more theoretically.
"There is no other place we can hide. Sure," said Pansy. Zabini just shrugged and walked with them; the only one that did not like the answer was Millicent.
The five of them headed to the library. Pansy read a romance book. Zabini read started to read in advance about the DADA class. Millicent fell asleep. While Hermione took two different books about transfiguration in animals and was happily surprised that there was at least one author who also was against transfiguration in living things.
Harry, for his part, started to make some math problems, which was confused by Pansy and Zabini as Arithmancy. Although both Slytherins wanted to ask, they decided to keep working on their own things.
After a couple of hours, the five walked back to the great hall to get lunch. Hermione detached from the group and went to the Gryffindor. Some mean looks happened, but nobody said anything.
Surprisingly, the Slytherins are the most separate group in this new school year, while the Gryffindors now looked so united. Hermione sat close to Dean and Seamus. Kellah and Fay were seated close to her.
When Harry was about to start eating, a small mousy-haired blond boy appeared next to him. Pansy looked at the boy with a superior air. In the hands of the kids was a camera, which was not magical as Harry could read the brand right away.
"Hi, Harry? I'm... I'm Colin Creevey," the boy said breathlessly, taking a tentative step forward. "You mean Creepy", whispered Pansy to Millicent.
"D'you think… would it be all right if… can I have a picture?" he said, raising the camera.
Zabini only shook his head. Harry looked at the boy, "Oh, right now is not a good time."
"Oh," said the boy, a little disappointed. "Maybe later?" Collin asked hopefully.
"Only if it's not going to be used in any publication, " said Harry, returning to his meal.
The light of Collin's face came back, "No no no, of course not. I wanted so I can prove I've met you," said Colin Creevey eagerly, stepping further forward. "I know all about you. Everyone's told me. How you survived when You-Know-Who tried to kill you, how he disappeared. Everything! and that you are now AOG's heir, and about your scar... and a boy in my dormitory said if I develop the film in the right potion, the pictures will move."
Harry turned again to the kid, "ok. I get it. Just calm down a little".
The boy's face turned red, and he nodded. A moment passed, and Harry was about to eat again when the kid started to speak again, "It's amazing here, isn't it? I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was magic till I got the letter from Hogwarts. My dad's a milkman; he couldn't believe it either. So, I'm taking loads of pictures to send home to him. And it'd be really good if I had one of you… maybe your friend could take it, and I could stand next to you? And then, could you sign it?"
"Of course, he is going to start to sign photos now. It wouldn't surprise me if he started to charge you for that, though. A Slytherin through and through"
The annoyed Ron's voice was heard by everyone. He was still sitting at the Gryffindor table but was looking directly at him now.
"Everyone! Listen up! The boy-who-live is giving signed photos!" screamed Ron. He looked pissed up for some reason.
"You're just jealous," piped up Colin.
"Jealous? Of what? Of being a slimy Slytherin? I don't take pride in bullying or parade my money," said Ron, who was listened to by everyone at that moment.
"You can't take pride in something you don't have", said Pansy crossing her arms. "Maybe if he signs you a photo, you can get a better house", complemented the Slytherin princess. The Slytherin table started to laugh.
"You shut up, pug face!" said Ron angrily.
Hermione was about to try to stop everything, but Dean stopped her when he saw a professor approach. They thought that the whole situation would end at that moment. Unfortunately, the Professor was Gilderoy Lockhart.
"What's the commotion? Who's giving out signed photos?" asked the Professor standing between the tables. Then he saw Collin with his camera standing next to Harry.
"Oh! I see I see. Mr Suzuki. I have seen you in some Muggle publications. Not bad, not bad," said the Professor nodding approvingly.
Then he saw Pansy, sitting close to Harry, and when he turned to the Gryffindor table, he saw Hermione. "And, of course, I also saw both of you ladies. The AOG's models. You will be on the cover of the witch or in the wizards' magazines in no time," said the man with a wink.
Harry liked that the Professor remembered him as a Suzuki. Still, the last comment made him wish that this witch or wizard magazine it's something decent and not something for adults.
Lockhart took Harry by the shoulders and made him stand up. "Come on then, Mr Creevey," said Lockhart, beaming at Colin. "A double portrait can't do better than that, and we'll both sign it for you."
Harry removed the Professor's hands off him and stepped to the opposite side. "Sorry, Professor, I can't do that kind of photograph. My family and anyone in the Ainz Ooal Gown company had a contract about photos and possible publications", Harry said while trying to tide himself up. Collin's face fell when he said that, but Harry continued talking. "A photo with a friend could be done without a problem", and Creevey's face lit up again with Harry calling him a friend. "But with anyone else, or with any signature, that is something we won't be able to do."
Lockhart felt as if he was smacked for a moment. Then he reacted again with a smirk, "of course, of course. Those contracts and their small letter, eh?"
The bell rang, signalling the restart of classes. The students dispersed, and Harry and his group left the great hall. Lockhart did the same with a smile as he noticed many students looking at him with aw.
Zabini shook his head and talked to Pansy, "please tell me that he will be our last class of the week."
Pansy smirked, "oh, he is the last class… but for today. Our next class is Defense Against the Dark Arts. And it's a double hour." Zabini sighed profoundly and continued walking.
Before entering the class, Zabini got close to Pansy to talk to her. "Please, sit next to your boyfriend. I don't think I would be able to control him, and I don't want another scene like in Transfiguration". Pansy rolled her eyes but complied.
Once in the class, and without a surprise, the Professor started the class by talking about himself.
"Let me introduce you to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Me," he said, pointing at himself and winking as well. "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third Class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defense League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile Award, but I don't talk about that. I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"
He waited for them to laugh; a few people smiled weakly. But some girls were sighing when he smiled at the class.
"I see you've all bought a complete set of my books… well done. I thought we'd start today with a little quiz. Nothing to worry about… just to check how well you've read them, how much you've taken in…."
The blonde Professor took the test papers from his desktop and started to hand them out, and when he finished, he returned to the front of the class and said, "You have thirty minutes… start… now!"
Pansy looked down at the test and was confused by the questions. 'What are these questions? Is all about him.' Thought Pansy.
The half-hour passed fast, and the Professor was marking the test.
"Tut, tut. Hardly any of you remembered that my favourite colour is lilac. I say so in 'year with the Yeti'. And a few of you need to read Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully... I clearly state in chapter twelve that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all people, magical and nonmagical… though I wouldn't say no to a large bottle of Ogdeds Old Firewhisky!"
Some Gryffindors were shaking with silent laughter.
"But Miss Hermione Granger and Mr Harry Suzuki knew my secret ambition is to rid the world of evil. Although Suzuki's wording was different, the intention was well done. Kudos to Miss Granger, who also add my idea of marketing my own range of hair-care potions. Good girl! In fact," he flipped her paper over, "full marks! Where is Miss Hermione Granger?"
Hermione raised a trembling hand. "Excellent!" beamed Lockhart. "Quite excellent! Take ten points for Gryffindor!"
He took Harry's test and looked at it again. "So close, Mr Suzuki. Although I thank you for complimenting my writing skills, my question was directed at my achievement in the field. Still, I believe that it is only fair to give five points to Slytherin. And so, to business."
He bent down behind his desk and lifted a large cage covered with a blanket. At that exact moment, Pansy asked Harry in a whisper, "how did you get the answers right?" Harry only shrugged and answered, "I've seen way too many model interviews".
"Now, be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind!" said the Professor. Pansy was intrigued, but Harry was not hooked by it.
Lockhart placed a hand on the cover. Dean and Seamus had stopped laughing while Neville was cowering in his front-row seat.
Once he had the attention of all the students back to him, he smirked and uncovered the cage. "Yes," he said dramatically. "Freshly caught Cornish pixies."
The pixies were blue creatures only eight inches high, with pointed faces and sharp voices that sounded like many budgies arguing.
Seamus started to laugh, and the Professor noticed it.
"Yes?" He smiled at Seamus.
Seamus stopped laughing for a moment out of respect for his teacher. "Well, they're not… they're not very dangerous, are they?" Seamus choked at the end.
"Don't be so sure!" said Lockhart, waggling a finger annoyingly at Seamus. "Devilish tricky little blighters they can be!"
Harry looked at the interaction. It was clear as a day that the Professor was losing his patience and the respect of the students. The Suzuki heir thought about the possibilities, and the only possible outcome he was seeing was…
"Right, then," Lockhart shouted. "Let's see what you make of them!" And he opened the cage.
Harry saw the small creatures fly in his and Pansy's direction, and he cast [Fear]. The Pixies avoided him desperately, but his classmates did not have the same luck. The tiny creatures were producing havoc, throwing the books and papers into the air. They started to tore some books, which Hermione tried to protect. Some creatures took the ink and started spraying it all around, painting the walls, many papers and some faces.
A pixie flew towards Pansy, who instinctively hid behind Harry's back. The Pixie only saw Harry and passed away. When Harry was sure that the pixies would not attack him, he deactivated [Fear].
"Come on now, round them up, round them up; they're only pixies!" Lockhart shouted. He rolled up his sleeves, brandished his wand, and bellowed, "Peskipiksi Pesternomi!" And nothing happened.
A pixie took his wand. The Professor was going to say something when Harry asked, "Should we handle them in a certain way?"
"Oh, yes. The exercise is to stop the pixies at all cause", Lockhart said hectically. Harry nodded and raised his wand and roared, "Firestorm". From the tip of Harry's wand, a fire was produced, and it quickly became a ring, circulating all the pixies in the air and capturing them. Some creatures started to burn while getting close to the fire ring, but none of them was killed.
In the end, all the pixies were placed inside the cage again.
The class was in silence. Even Lockhart was in without words. Harry looked at his classmates and could help but realize what they were feeling. 'I did deactivate [Fear], right?'
