A Sharp Sensation

4

The next morning at breakfast, Aesop was absent. You were about to ask Mirabel about it until you spotted him walking along the Slytherin table, handing out parchment.

"He's the Slytherin house head," Garlick explained. "I so wanted to be the head of Hufflepuff but Howin has that honor."

You peer at the other tables noticing Matilda Weasley at the Gryffindor table and  Satyavati Shah of Astrology at the Ravenclaw one.

"Elle used to be the Gryffindor Head of House..." Mirabel murmurs softly, staring solemnly at the Deputy Headmistress.

"Elle?" You ask.

"Eleazar Fig, your predecessor," Mirabel explains with a sad smile. "He was a good friend of mine, I called him Elle."

"I'm truly sorry," you reply, giving her shoulder a light squeeze for comfort.

You were startled when you heard the scrape of a chair beside you.

"Aesop, Good Morning!" The Herbology Professor says sweetly. "How is Sebastian doing?"

Aesop sighs. "They still haven't found his Uncle, it's like he disappeared..."

This was a conversation you had no part of, you weren't an eavesdropper. You decide to distract yourself by looking out over the four tables. Little eleven year olds hesitantly served themselves while the rowdy seventh year students talked amongst old friends. It was truly a great mix of people in here, and you would have the pleasure of teaching a few of them.

Mirabel elbowed you, startling you from your people-watching.

"Huh?" You reply dumbly.

"Aesop was just asking if you were ready for today," Mirabel whispered.

"Ah, yes, well I certainly hope so!" You flush. "With all the help you guys have given me, I feel like I'm fairly prepared for whatever happens."

"Except explosions, you aren't prepared for explosions," Aesop grumbles in return.

"Excuse me-" you interject. "Explosions?"

Mirabel giggles merrily. "He's just talking about his favorite student Garreth."

"Weasley is by far my least favorite," He growled. "Right pain that one is."

"I hear we're discussing my nephew?" Matilda says as she pulls out her chair next to Phineas.

"Your little monster, yes," Sharp retorts.

Matilda only rolls her eyes. "He gets it from his Father."

"I didn't know you had a nephew," you say as you buttered your toast.

Matilda points to a tall ginger-boy who appeared to be mixing something atrocious looking in his pumpkin juice.

"The kid wants to be the next Fleamont Potter," Dinah declares. "Making all sorts of weird concoctions like Sleekeazys."

"I think he has potential," Mirabel muses. "He's always been a joy to have in my class."

You couldn't help but feel that everyone was a joy for Mirabel; she was certainly a Hufflepuff, friend beyond measure.

"Well he's a terror in my class," Sharp sneers. "I could care less what he does in his free time, but practicing potions in my class?"

"Aren't you the potions teacher?" You ask quietly.

Aesop looks at you as if he were analysing you or something. "I teach Potions, Gareth makes messes."

A few of your fellow Professors laugh, including Matilda.

Phineas Nigellus Black stands, barking, "Get to class!"

And with that, teachers and students alike head to their classrooms. When you arrived in the Magic Theory class, you were delighted to see desks full of first years.

"Hello everyone," you greet warmly, causing a Hufflepuff boy to jump in fright.

"Sorry, sorry," you say with an apologetic smile. "Welcome to Hogwarts."

A Gryffindor boy raises his hand. "Ma'am, why do pure-bloods oughta take this class?"

You grin. "Tell me Mister, what is the difference between Levioso and Wingardium Leviosa?"

The boy cocks his head. "They're the same, aren't they?"

You shook your head. "That's why you need this class, they're completely different!"

You gesture for the students to stand, dismissing the desks with your wand.

"If you were raised in a wizard family, please stand the left; if you're new to all this magic, please stand on the right."

A handful of weary children head right while a fairly confident group go left. You glance between the two groups.

"I am Professor (L/N) and I will be your magic theory teacher," You say with a flourish and boy, causing the kids to giggle. "How about we introduce ourselves?"

The Gryffindor boy from before piped up. "Potter, Ralston Potter!"

"I'm Lillian Prewett, my Brother's a sixth year!" A red head girl exclaims. "Please call me Lilly!"

A little girl in green says, "Greengrass" very shyly.

"You gotta tell her your whole name you Moon Mind!" Ralston exclaims. "She's Daphne, our fathers are friends."

That was all the students on the left, next was the reluctant group on the right.

A Gryffindor girl takes a deep breath before stepping forward. "I'm Agatha Singer!"

Another no-maj born child clad in blue raises his hand. "Ethan Harris."

The last, a positively petrified Hufflepuff boy squeaks. "Georgie- I mean- George Cook!"

Six students, a fairly small class size that you were thankful for, smaller classes meant more attention to each individual student. You clap your hands, looking between the two groups.

"Who here has heard of Red-Rover?" You ask.

The Ravenclaw boy, Ethan, raises his hand again. "It's an American game, is that were you're from Miss?"

You nod, appreciating his inquisitiveness. "I am, I attended Ilvermorny which is much like Hogwarts!"

The Ravenclaw boy looked like he wanted to take notes.

"Red-rover is a game where one group calls someone from the other by name, I think it will work nicely to help us remember, hmm?" You explain.

You stand beside Daphne, "Like this: Red-rover, red-rover, Send George right over!"

You gesture for him to come to the other side, grasping his hand as a sort of encouragement.

"Now Agatha, how about you try?" You instruct.

Agatha called Ralston over and it looked as if they would become fast friends.

"Great!" You exclaim. "Now how about we make it a bit more interesting?"

"How so?" Lilian asks.

"Every time someone is called over, I'm going to say the name of a spell and we're going to explain to our no-maj raised friends what we know about it."

"D'ya mean Muggle-borns?" Potter asks.

You nod. "Bombarda!"

"Ooh ooh!" The Prewitt girl cheers. "Fire!"

"Close, combustion which is often followed by fire!"

The no-maj raised students all beg to see it. This continues for the rest of the class period; calling on new friends, reciting spells and their uses and even demonstrating some. Once class has ended, each of your new students seemed much more comfortable with you and each other.

As everyone was packing up to leave, little Georgie gives you a tight hug. "Thank you Miss (L/N), I had so much fun!"