The Tale of a Hogwarts Student

Chapter Six: The First Week

Meredith decided the next morning that the only way she would be able to find her way to class was by following Hermione, since she seemed to be the only one in their year with a rough idea on how to get anywhere.
"Let me guess," Meredith said to her as they raced down the hall to their Transfiguration class, "you studied a map of the whole castle?"
"No," gasped back Hermione, clutching her bag indignantly, "I just asked Percy."
Meredith thought that when Hermione and Mafalda met they'd land up fighting for Percy's approval. She smiled at the thought.
The Transfiguration classroom was well lit and had rows of desks on either side. Meredith found a seat next to Hermione; another way to get ahead since Meredith had a feeling Hermione was going to have all the answers. Harry and Ron settled behind her.
"Find the class alright, Ron?" Meredith turned in her seat to talk to the boys.
"It was a bit touch and go there but we managed," he replied.
"I heard Professor McGonagall is really strict," whispered Meredith.
"Hopefully not to her own house," Harry said back.
Professor McGonagall entered the classroom and Meredith whipped back into place.
"Good morning," she said briskly. She flicked her wand at her table and wordlessly turned it into a pig, and then with a similar flick turned it back. Everyone clapped in awe, no one clapping harder than Hermione. Meredith heard Ron snort something along the lines of "suck up".
"Today you will be learning the basic rules of Transfiguration," continued McGonagall, "know that this is a precise form of magic and relies heavily on your own confidence. I suggest you pay close attention."
They took down pages of complicated notes and the last half of the class was spent trying to turn a match into a needle. Only Hermione managed to get her match to sharpen slightly.
"It's really very simple," explained Hermione, "you just weren't doing it right."
Meredith spent the rest of the week not sitting with Hermione, instead sitting with Fay Dunbar- who didn't feel any need to criticise everything Meredth did.
Quirrell's Defense Against the Dark Arts class turned out to be really disappointing. He barely managed a sentence and seemed terrified of his own adventure stories.
Meredith enjoyed Flitwick's Charm's lesson a lot more than Ron did, who had been paired with Hermione.
"She's insufferable!" he said loudly as they headed to dinner that evening. Later that night they'd be going to the highest tower to study the night sky for Astrology.
"She's not too bad," said Meredith unconvincingly, "she's just... enthusiastic."
Ron scoffed.
On Friday they had double potions, and Harry voiced his concerns to Meredith.
"At the first banquet," he said in lowered tones, "I felt like Snape really didn't like me. He glared at me from the teacher's table."
"Well he is the Slytherin Head of House, maybe he just doesn't like Gryffindors."
Harry looked doubtful but didn't press the conversation further.
Sat beside Harry and Ron in the Potions class, Meredith glanced over at Mafalda. She had tried to get her attention when they first entered but she had been too busy talking to Pansy. Meredith didn't want to take it personally but after being at Hogwarts for a week, it was starting to feel like an intentional avoidance on Mafalda's part.
"There will be no foolish wand waving in this classroom," said Snape as an introduction.
"Many of you will not be able to achieve the precise art of Potion Brewing as I doubt many of you will have the fine tuned skill."
Professor Snape started first by taking the register. Meredith saw Harry squirm in his seat as Snape paused over his name.
"Ah... Our local celebrity."
Harry's face went red and Meredith saw Mafalda snickering with Malfoy and his cronies. She glared at the back of her sister's head.
"Tell me, Potter," said Snape with a smug smile, "what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Meredith hung her head in shared embarrassment, she could tell Harry had no idea what Snape just asked. Hermione's hand shot straight into the air but sadly Snape wasn't done with Harry just yet. He asked Harry several more questions which went unanswered, the Gryffindors shuffling in their seats in irritation while the Slytherins laughed into their hands.
"Maybe you should ask Hermione," said Harry innocently, "she seems to know, sir"
Meredith laughed along with the others but stopped when she saw Snape looking less than pleased.
"Put your hand down you silly girl," snapped Snape, "five pints from Gryffindor, Potter, for your insolence."
Ron looked at Harry sympathetically and Meredith sent him a consoling smile. They all knew Snape hated Gryffindor but even this seemed a bit harsh. Maybe Harry was right about that personal vendetta, wondered Meredith.
The rest of the class carried on in much the same way, with the Gryffindors feeling hard done by and the Slytherin's loving every moment of it. The class ended with Neville somehow melting the base of Seamus's cauldron, causing a vile green liquid to flood the floor. Meredith climbed onto her stool with everyone else.
"Stupid fool!" Snape's voice cracked through the room like a whip. He waved his wand and the potion vanished.
Neville whimpered as boils started bursting on his hands.
"You," Snape spat at Meredith, "take him to the hospital wing."
Meredith didn't have the nerve to protest. Instead she grabbed her bag and gently pulled Neville from the class.
"You alright?" she asked.
"It really burns," he muttered, clutching his hands to his chest.
"Madame Pomfrey will sort you right out."
"I'm sorry you had to leave your friends," he mumbled, cheeks pink, "I know you would probably be with someone else."
"That's not true Neville," Meredith lied. Luckily they were close to the hospital wing so she didn't have to convince him that she was happy to be there. She knew that Neville had formed a slight hero worship for her since she found Trevor, and she found it uncomfortable when he was around. It wasn't that she disliked Neville, it was just that he never seemed to be able to have any semblance of a conversation with her. He landed up going red and stammering, which just made everyone around them tease Meredith ruthlessly, saying they made a cute couple. This usually resulted in Meredith throwing things at the perpetrators, once hitting Fred in the head with an Astrology chart.
She left him in the hands of Madame Pomfrey and made her way to the Great Hall for lunch. Sat at the table, Ron and Harry were talking about going to Hagrid once Herbology class was over.
"Can I come?" Meredith asked.
Ron seemed reluctant but Harry agreed happily.
They made their way across the grounds to Hagrid's hut, which was situated near the forest. Meredith looked through the massive tree trunks, imagining all the creatures hidden there.
Harry knocked at Hagrid's door and they heard a booming bark followed by Hagrid saying, "back Fang! Back, you bleemin' oaf."
Hagrid opened the door, one hand around the collar of a giant black boarhound.
"Come on in," he said, "make yer'self at home. Don't mind Fang, he's harmless."
They sat at the table and Fang put his head on Meredith's knee, drooling on her robes. She ruffled his ears and he closed his eyes happily.
"This is Ron and Meredith," introduced Harry.
"Another Weasley," said Hagrid fondly, "it's nice to meet you both."
They spoke about their first week of classes and Harry confided about the lesson with Snape.
"He hates me," Harry said grumpily.
"Nah he doesn't. What reason would a professor have to hate one of his students?" Hagrid assured.
"You didn't see it, Hagrid," Meredith said, "it was brutal."
Ron nodded in agreement.
Hagrid changed the subject, "How's yer brother Charlie? He had such a way with animals."
"He works with dragons now in Romania."
"I'd love a dragon," said Hagrid wistfully.
"Hagrid!" said Harry excitedly, pointing at a newspaper article on the table, "a break in at Gringotts happened on my birthday! It could have happened while we were there!"
Hagrid avoided their eyes.
"It says the vault had been emptied that day so the thieves never got anything anyway," read Meredith, pulling the article towards her.
Harry's eyes lit up, "we emptied a vault, Hagrid. Do you think it was the same vault?"
Hagrid hastily tried to change the subject, offering them all rock cakes and more tea. They pretended to enjoy the rock cakes but they could only manage sucking on them or they'd break their teeth.
They made their way back up to the castle. Meredith listened as Harry and Ron discussed the break in at Gringotts. Meredith split from them in the hopes of catching Mafalda in the Great Hall but she couldn't find her anywhere.
She was sat at the Slytherin table talking to another girl clad in green. Meredith walked over, head up in false confidence. As she got closer the slytherins turned and sneer at her as she passed them.
"Oh look, a Gryffindor squib seems to have lost her way," Malfoy said loudly.
Mafalda avoided eye contact with her, instead staring adamantly at her half eaten salad.
"Mafalda," Meredith said, ignoring Malfoy, "can we talk? I haven't seen you all week."
Mafalda sighed, as if Meredith had asked her for an inconvenient favor. "Alright," she said, "but make it quick."
They walked out the Great Hall together, ignoring more snide remarks from Malfoy. They found their way to a bench in the court yard and sat together in silence.
"Have I done something wrong?" asked Meredith, feeling pathetic.
"No," replied Mafalda slowly, "it's just... we're in different houses. Houses that don't like each other. I just think it would make our lives easier if we didn't hang out too much."
"Ah, but we're sisters," said Meredith resentfully, "who cares what anyone thinks?"
"I care," responded Mafalda, not unkindly. "I'll see you later."
She got up and walked away before Meredith could say more. Meredith felt her eyes stinging with tears, even though she wasn't sure how such a small conversation could hurt so much. Even though she spent time with Ron and Harry, she still felt like she hadn't made any close friends yet at Hogwarts and her sister was the last deep connection she had. She never really had to make friends with others before. Meredith had always been there and her only friend back home, Silas, had been around for as long as she can remember.
Meredith couldn't help but feel completely alone.