AN: I do not own Harry Potter or the Wizarding World Universe.
Chapter 32
Harry waited with the others for the first-year students to arrive. Justin Finch-Fletchley had Owen Cauldwell, Tobias Green, Martha Gordan, Megan Jones, and Leanne Longworth with him. They were talking animatedly about something at the front of the Hall.
It took Harry a moment to figure out what it was. Gilderoy Lockhart, whose face was on every one of his new coursebooks, stood waving at students talking to him from their tables. The tall, foppish wizard had wavy, short blond hair and bright blue eyes and kept showing off his perfectly white teeth. His robes stood out as well. Instead of the long robes most wore, he wore trousers, a smart gray jacket that might have been a tunic, and a black and gold cape.
"Well, he looks happy to be here," Ernie laughed.
Thankfully, the display didn't go on for much longer. The heavy doors to the Hall opened, and Professor McGonagall entered with a small army of bedraggled students that followed her. More than a few looked wet as they dripped all over the floor.
"Someone's boat must have gone into the lake," Justin laughed.
As Harry watched, the cold, shivering students perked up as their robes visibly dried.
"I'll bet Peeves greeted them," a Gryffindor guessed from behind Harry.
Whatever the reason, it didn't stop the Sorting Ceremony.
Harry had a new respect for the older students when his year of fifty-one new students got sorted. There were nearly ninety new students. His initial thought they were a small army wasn't wrong. Thankfully, the Sorting Hat only sang a short song because waiting nearly an hour and a half to eat wasn't fun. At least there was juice that kept refilling on the table.
Ashworth, Selene and Ashworth, Theodore were the first two called and both went to Ravenclaw. They were twins and had similar light-colored hair and prominent noses.
Bellamy, Byron became the first Hufflepuff, and Bellamy, Cassandra became a Gryffindor. They didn't look like twins.
"Cousins," Susan said with a nod. "Auntie knows the Bellamys. A newer Pure-blood family that moved here after some issue in France."
Harry raised an eyebrow as they clapped for the new Gryffindor. It turned out they weren't the only cousins who were born about the same time.
Burke, Annalise and Burke, Melisande became Slytherins next. They looked about as different as it was possible.
More names stood out to Harry from his lessons with Kreacher. Travers, Warrington, Flint, Bletchley, Rosier, Parkinson, Yaxley, Selwyn, Nott, Mulciber, and Montague were all Slytherins. He didn't think all of them were brothers and sisters of current students, but they might be. The Pure-blood families tried intermarrying as much as possible to keep the blood pure. Most were likely cousins. He felt some pity for the professors who had to keep all of them straight.
By the end, Hufflepuff had thirty-one new students in their house. Ravenclaw was next, with twenty-six. Slytherin added twenty new students, and Gryffindor only had twelve.
Harry saw Professor Sprout at the High Table looking a little pale. He would never want to be in her position.
The Headmaster stood and took the podium. "I know we are all hungry, so… eat," he smiled and waved his hand. Hundreds of dishes appeared on the table.
Harry ate a lot, even having drunk several cups of juice. Thankfully, the bathrooms were close to the Great Hall, and once the Sorting Ceremony was over, they could leave without looking out of place. He saw a few stares from the new students when someone asked if Harry Potter was really in Hufflepuff.
"I wonder how many joined Hufflepuff to meet you," Ernie joked.
"Please… I hope you aren't right about that."
"No, the Sorting Hat puts students where they will do best," Hannah declared. "We're just the best House."
Harry grinned.
They talked through the meal, and Wayne and Bridget caught them all up on their summer. It turned out that their parents went to the South of France at the same time and stayed in a wizarding resort near Marseille. They had a great time and came back together. Wayne talked about his family's cauldron shop in Diagon Alley.
"Which one?" Hannah asked. "Hopkins Cauldron Workshop. Mum works the front, and dad repairs any cauldrons that get sent in. You'd be surprised what comes in sometimes. We're near Creepy Scrawlers Stationers, the quill and stationary show with the seven chimneys."
"I think I remember that place," Harry said. Mrs. Tonks had them eat at Brews and Stews. The chimneys stood out on the skyline from their outside table.
"You're welcome to bring any cauldrons you melt down to us. We'll get it working again," he laughed.
Bridget's family were Muggles. Her father worked in a Post Office while her mother directed calls for an old-fashioned switchboard. Bridget said that her family came from Africa after World War II because her grandfather knew how to repair the old telephone systems.
"That's bloody brilliant," Ernie grinned.
"Mum wouldn't shut up about all the crazy stuff I said I could do at school. She was just worried that I wasn't getting taught the right things for a good future," Daisy snorted. "I almost got out my wand and turned the kitchen counter to stone just to prove that I could and would have a good future by attending Hogwarts. Professor Sprout showed up and talked to them too."
"Really?" Hannah mused. "I guess Mum was able to convince dad that this was best for me. He didn't seem to have a problem with my attending. Just was curious how I did."
"The maths, science, and stuff is super important in our family," Daisy sighed.
"Ours too," Bridget added with a grimace.
The feast eventually ended, and the Headmaster took the stand once more. "Welcome back to all. Now that you've been fed and watered, I have a few start-of-term announcements. First, I am pleased to welcome our new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor and a wizard who needs little introduction, Professor Gilderoy Lockhart," he said with a wave toward the already-standing professor.
The students clapped, some louder than others.
"Thank you, thank you," Professor Lockhart beamed at them all. "It will be a wondrous year with you all. I see so many grinning faces, and I can't wait to show you all that I know."
The Headmaster finished clapping. "Few can boast of such daring feats and impeccable style. We are pleased to welcome you. Also, I must warn all students that using magic outside the classroom is against the rules. The grounds are here for you to explore, but even our older students who should know better are aware that the Forbidden Forest is out-of-bounds. You do not wish to find your end there.
Now, I think it's time to fill all your heads with a little more learning, but first! Bed!"
Harry got up with the others and left the Great Hall. One of the Prefects was already at the barrel that hid their Common Room, letting them know the new password was Loyal Heart.
Nothing had changed in the actual Common Room. It still gave off the comfortable feel Harry came to expect from the gathering room. The girls said good night and moved off to their dormitory. It was then that it really hit Harry that he wouldn't see Merriweather again. She was a big part of making him understand that he was welcome and part of Hufflepuff. His friends might have helped a lot, but she felt like the driving force in her own way.
Harry heard Cauldwell say something near their dormitory. "We must not be in here this year," he frowned as he closed the door.
"Why?" Ernie asked at the same time as Justin moved to open the door to look for himself.
"Probably because there are seven beds in there and a door that wasn't there last term," Owen said as Justin poked his head in.
"You six are one level down. All these firsties have most of the first floor. You'll have to share a bathroom with them too," someone said behind him. He turned to see Prefect Prescott standing there with half the first-year students. Harry wasn't completely sure that was the older boy's name.
"Linton, who made you a Prefect?" Tobias Green asked with a laugh.
"Watch it, Green. I'll take points for being a prat," the Prefect smirked.
"Yeah, yeah. Which door is ours?" Tobias asked.
"Third on the second floor. Just don't forget to check your trunks. Things might have moved around."
Harry followed the others down the spiral stairs. His bed was still on the left of the door, and he didn't feel like moving with one of the others. Thankfully, the privacy curtain was still available in this dormitory. It was very similar to the last one, except the chairs and table weren't sunken into the floor, and they didn't have a chandelier over the table. Instead, several sconces lit the room almost too brightly.
The following day came quickly, and Harry rolled off his hard mattress. It wasn't nearly as rock-hard and cold as the stone floor had been the previous term. Mrs. Tonks helped him with a spell to firm up the mattress without turning it to stone. He should have thought of it long before then, but the floor worked for him for a long time, and he didn't question it.
In the Great Hall, everyone was excited to see what their schedule would be. The previous year, they stopped class at two in the afternoon, so they were all wondering if that would remain the same. Luckily for them, it did, except for Monday.
"Double Herbology, Defense, and… double History of Magic after lunch. Are you kidding me?" Ernie sighed.
"Look at Thursday," Hannah laughed.
"Double Transfiguration, then Charms," Ernie reported with a grin. "Nothing else until the midnight Astronomy. Hey, they even gave us a free period Friday morning. Brilliant!"
"Double Potions," Harry grumbled.
They would have three core subjects each week except only two for Astronomy. That hadn't changed from the previous year.
"Well, I suppose we'll get to see Professor Lockhart before lunch. Wonder how that is going to go?" Daisy mused as she poked her eggs around her plate with a fork.
Professor Sprout greeted everyone warmly. Again, the Hufflepuffs were with the Gryffindors for the class. Harry blinked when he realized there was one more girl than the previous year. She was about as tall as Longbottom and had long, blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and a deep frown as she looked around the greenhouse.
"I guess she wasn't a first-year," Hannah muttered to Ernie and Susan.
"Who is she?" Leanne muttered with a raised eyebrow.
"No idea," Wayne whispered. "She looks upset by everything." Harry agreed with his guess.
"Welcome back from the summer," Professor Sprout greeted with a wide smile. "I hope you all have your assignments ready to turn in."
Harry and the others, except for the new witch, turned their assignments in. Even the Gryffindors, mostly the boys, looked at her strangely.
"I would like to give a warm welcome to Miss Kellah Wickham. She was abroad last term due to a family matter and had private tutoring. Please warmly welcome her and assist wherever possible," Professor Sprout smiled at the Gryffindor. Wickham's face went a little pink, and her eyes watered.
Harry settled into the lesson quickly. It was an hour and a half long, so Professor Sprout set them to a practical exercise. "Mandrakes, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative. It is used to return people transfigured or cursed to their original state," Hermione Granger answered when asked what the figure drawn on the blackboard was.
"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," Professor Sprout beamed. "They are among the more dangerous magical plants. While they are used in many antidotes, can anyone tell me why they must be handled with extreme care?" she asked of the classroom.
Granger's hand shot into the air. Longbottom and, surprisingly, Hannah's hand were also in the air.
"Miss Abbott?"
"The cry of a Mandrake is fatal to anyone not wearing protection," Hannah answered with a glance at Granger.
"Quite correct! Take ten points as well for Hufflepuff," Professor Sprout smiled. "The age of the Mandrake will determine the power of the antidote and the level of danger they possess. Ones these young will merely make someone faint for a few hours. A seven-month-old Mandrake could kill," she warned. "You must always take extra precaution when dealing with all Mandrakes, no matter the age. Wizard Kilgore, in 1877, lost his sister when she accidentally walked into his private greenhouse to ask him for tea. He was, understandably, beside himself when he realized what had happened and led a strong campaign against the use of the magical plant.
You will see today how easy it is to repot these fantastic plants and how quickly a single moment of danger could forever change your lives," Professor Sprout warned. She waved her wand, and twenty-five earmuffs floated out of a battered, dirt-covered cupboard across the greenhouse.
"You will secure your earmuffs firmly. Once you are ready, put your wand in the air," the professor instructed as she placed a rather large pair on her head. The big white puff balls covered half the size of her head.
Harry's earmuffs were too large for him. He looked around and noticed that almost everyone's earmuffs were oversized. Ernie's head was a little bigger than the rest of them, and his looked like they fit. Harry made a note of it to tease him about it later.
Once everyone had their wands in the air, the professor spoke again. Her voice was muffled but clear.
"You will gently pull the Mandrake out of their pots and firmly place them into their new soil," she said as she tugged a root-like thing out of a pot in front of her. Harry saw a few small leaves at the end of the root. When the Mandrake appeared, it screamed from a face that reminded him a little too much of Voldemort in Quirrell's skull. If he were being generous, the Mandrake looked like a misshapen, lumpy baby complete with root-like legs and what might be stubby arm-shaped things.
Thankfully, the professor shoved the ugly creature into a larger pot and began tamping down the soil with a gloved hand. She carefully inspected the soil before reaching up and taking off her earmuffs.
Harry and the others listened to her detailed explanation of how to repot the Mandrake, what to look for while transferring the infantile magical plant, and what safety precautions to take before taking off their earmuffs.
Professor Sprout had enough Mandrakes for each student and then some. There were at least two second-year students for her to have the lesson with and likely the older students would need to work with the older Mandrakes later in the term.
After repotting the magical plants, Professor Sprout took everyone back to a classroom off the greenhouse. "Raising healthy Mandrakes requires just as much work and caution as it does to handle them," she said once everyone got settled and had their parchments out to take notes for those who did. "Who can tell me what are a few important nutrients in the soil to stimulate growth and properly feed a Mandrake?"
Harry knew many of the answers. He hadn't been idle over the summer. However, he wasn't sure how much he wanted to show during the term. In his first year, he knew his lackluster performance, at least regarding what he turned in, didn't make the professors happy. He told himself he did it because it was what he always did - not stand out. Never draw attention to himself. However, when he looked back, he wasn't sure of his true motivation. It wasn't like anyone told him not to do his best.
Harry made it through Herbology without issue. Their next class was with Professor Lockhart.
"Oh, I can't wait for him to show us everything he knows," Megan Jones grinned. She took a brush to her hair and looked in a compact mirror.
"Come off it; you can tell he's a prat," Justin huffed as he glared at Leanne. Harry missed what she'd said to anger him.
"I bet he's as good as he says," Martha grinned as she adjusted her robes and inspected something in her bag.
Susan, Hannah, Daisy, and Ernie watched the others as they all stood outside the Defense Classroom 3C with the Ravenclaws. Some of the Hufflepuffs weren't the only ones who looked excited to see what the professor would teach them.
"Mum says he's quite the wizard," Mandy Brocklehurst grinned. She'd been one of Harry's compartment mates on the way to Hogwarts during his first term and had never forgiven him for not speaking to her or Oliver Rivers.
Rivers, his dark hair nearly shaved now, grinned at the others. "He was in Ravenclaw. It was in Travels with Trolls when Lockhart said the troll with a warty nose reminded him of an old Hufflepuff student." The look he sent Harry left little doubt as to who Oliver thought looked like a troll with a warty nose.
"I don't know… dad's had a run-in with vampires. That bit about garlic," Anthony Goldstein said as he crossed his arms. "I suppose we'll see soon enough."
"Nonsense, he knows what he's doing. Professor Lockhart wouldn't be on the Dark Force Defense League if he didn't know what he was talking about," Florence Moon argued. She had a rather complicated braid down the middle of her back. Harry wondered how long it took for someone to have done up her hair like that or if she knew how to do it with magic. That would be even more impressive.
The classroom door opened, and the professor stuck his head out. He beamed at them, showing his sparkling teeth. Harry thought he could see little flashes of white light pop off the enamel. Was it magic or a potion? Could there be something else at work?
"Welcome, welcome!" Professor Lockhart greeted as he opened the door wider. He wore bright red and gold robes that glittered in the light. "Come in, come in!"
Harry and the others filed into the familiar classroom. Professor Lockhart changed the decorations from what Quirrell had. Instead of focusing on anything to do with Defense or the dark creatures of the world, the professor had portraits of himself on display. There was even a stuffed troll in the corner, like the one on the cover of his book.
"Good morning, my dear students!" the professor continued while everyone found a place. Harry sat near the back of the room, and the more eager students sat near the front. "And, welcome to what I am confident will be a thrilling, eye-opening, life-changing class that will stay with you for years to come," Professor Lockhart boasted with another gleaming smile.
"Why, you'll be telling your grandchildren about the day you first sat in a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson taught by none other than 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! Hooowwever, enough about me… for now," he winked.
Professor Lockhart looked around the room, looking closely at each student. Harry locked eyes with the grinning professor for a moment before his gaze moved on to Ernie. Suddenly the professor stood up straighter and looked back at Harry, his eyes narrowing slightly. His grin, if possible, widened.
"Ah, but who do we have here?" Professor Lockhart cried as he glided down the middle of the classroom. "Harry Potter himself! The Boy-Who-Lived, gracing my classroom. I must say, I always thought it rather poetic that I would have the privilege of teaching the young man whose fame nearly rivals my own." He paused, letting the room fill with an awkward silence before continuing. "Of course, I was a Ravenclaw, but I must commend the Hufflepuff House for nurturing such a promising young wizard. Hard work, loyalty, and all that. Admirable traits indeed."
Professor Lockhart straightened up and threw his arms wide. "Now, let's dive right into the curriculum, shall we? Today, we'll begin with a quiz… about me! After all, how can you hope to learn from me if you don't first understand the vast wealth of knowledge and experience I bring to the table?"
He handed out golden sheets of parchment as he flitted from table to table. Each page bore Lockhart's grinning face at the top and questions like 'What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?' and 'In which year did Gilderoy Lockhart defeat the Wagga Wagga Werewolf?'
As the other students groaned, laughed, or reluctantly picked up their quills, the professor lingered near Harry, lowering his voice just enough for only him to hear. "You know, Mr. Potter, it's not often I meet someone who truly understands the burden of fame. We should talk… privately sometime. I'd be happy to share a few tips on handling the pressure. Trust me, I've been in your shoes."
The professor flashed another dazzling smile, awkwardly patted Harry on the shoulder, and swept back to the front of the room. Harry grimaced and felt vaguely nauseated as the lesson continued.
There were sixty-nine questions on the professor and his life. Professor Lockhart gave them thirty minutes to answer all the questions and claimed he would give House points to anyone who got all the answers correct. Harry didn't even try. He marked a few that he knew, but other than that, left most blank.
"So, sad, it was a good try!" the professor called as he rifled through the papers at the front of the room after collecting them. "Almost no one remembered that my favorite color is lilac. I say so in Year with a Yeti. It looks like a few of you need to reread my Wanderings with Werewolves more carefully. I clearly state that my ideal birthday gift would be harmony between all magical and non-magic peoples. Although, a nice large bottle of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey wouldn't go amiss," he beamed.
"Please tell me this isn't going to be all about him," Ernie whispered. Susan snorted from the table behind him. "Hush," Hannah whispered, which sounded suspiciously like a suppressed giggle.
"Now, those of you are wondering what we'll do for the last ten minutes. I want to show you how dangerous some of the dark creatures you could encounter are. They won't be nearly as life-threatening as the ones I have expertly handed, but you must start somewhere," Professor Lockhart beamed as he sat something covered in a black cloth on the desk.
"You must be ready at all times to defend yourselves. Now, do not scream," he warned as he whipped off the covering with a flourish.
A metal cage appeared with several electric blue pixies. They were about eight inches tall with pointed faces and a shrill voice that set Harry's teeth on edge. The moment they saw the students, the lot of them started jabbering and rocketing around the cage. One hit the bars and tried to snake a slender arm out to open the catch.
"Freshly caught Cornish pixies!"
Harry frowned. They were less dangerous than Peeves the Poltergeist. At most, the devilish little things were a nuisance that got into mischief. In Newt Scamander's book Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the Ministry of Magic classified them as XXX, or creatures who should give competent wizards no trouble at all.
"Let's see how you fair against these little devils!" he cried as he opened the cage.
Eleven pixies shot out and started toward the moving portraits of Lockhart. His magical depictions yelled and ran for other portraits in the room. Some of the pixies got bored quickly and turned for the students; however, most went after a portrait with several cowering Lockharts in it.
Harry wasn't the first to have his wand out. Susan was on her feet and sent a Knockback Jinx at one of the pixies when it got too close. The jet of light hit the fast-moving creature and sent it rocketing into a wall, where it dropped onto a table, stunned.
Jets of light and screams filled the classroom. Harry sat there looking at the pandemonium. This wasn't how you taught a class at all! Even Quirrell who had the Dark Lord in his head did a better job. Two of the pixies got a hold of one of the empty portraits, and Harry watched as Professor Lockhart's entire demeanor changed. He seemed confident in watching the chaos until his portraits were attacked.
"Oh no, you don't! Relashio," he cried with an upward flick of his wand. The purple flash at the end of his wand signaled that something had happened, but the pixie didn't drop the portrait. Instead, another portrait jumped off the wall.
A pixie landed on Harry's table and went for his quill and ink. Standing, he backhanded the thing as hard as he could. It hurt, but Harry felt better instantly when he saw the blighter bounce off the floor several feet away.
"Immobulus!" Padma Patil cried as she flicked her wand toward a group of pixies near the window. Somehow they'd gotten someone's book and were fighting over it. The charm exploded close to the pixies. Harry watched them float in the air, slowly moving away from the slowly descending book.
"Marvelous!" Professor Lockhart cried as he waved his wand." Immo," he said and swished his wand over his head, however, at the same time a pixie swooped from the air and grabbed his light-colored wand.
Thankfully, Patil wasn't the only one who knew the Freezing Charm. She, however, was the only one who displayed the same level of skill or control over the Charm.
"Immobulus!" Rivers, Michael Corner, Justin Finch-Fletchley, and Wayne Hopkins cried.
The air felt heavy, and Harry found it hard to move. He spotted the pixie he'd hit get up and look around. Before he could aim his wand at the annoyance, he heard "Flipendo" from Bridget across the room. Her spell hit the thing and sent it flying toward the front of the class.
Professor Lockhart and the pixie went down together. Harry fought hard not to laugh.
Thankfully, getting all the pixies back into the cage was easy, and Florence Moon found the professor's wand under a table.
"I knew you all could do it!" Professor Lockhart beamed, his hair slightly disarrayed. He looked over the partially destroyed room.
Harry had to give it to the pixies; they knew how to cause trouble. He wondered if Fred and George Weasley were part Cornish pixie too.
"Yes, yes, for an excellent job, Ravenclaw is awarded ten points!"
Harry glanced at the other Hufflepuffs. His yearmates seemed a little upset about being left out. Owen and Leanne both used Seize-and-Pull Charms to reach pixies that were near the ceiling. That was something from The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 3. It appeared he wasn't the only one who read ahead over the summer.
"What a bloody nightmare," Ernie huffed as they made their way to lunch.
"It could have been worse. We got all the pixies back in the cage," Megan argued. It had been her book the pixies stole. Harry wasn't sure why she was defending the professor.
They were late getting to the Great Hall because the cleanup took over fifteen minutes. Professor Lockhart claimed he would give House points to anyone who stayed. Of course, he didn't follow through with it, and everyone left with his heartfelt praise for helping someone as great as him instead of points.
"I hate that we have double Defense on Wednesdays," Harry sighed.
"It wasn't that bad," Hannah laughed. He shot her a look, and she stuck her tongue out at him.