Star-Crossed

Chapter Thirty Seven: Pixies and Pompous Professors

Later in the day, Gryffindors, Slytherins and Hufflepuffs were in the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom. Everyone was chattering loudly, waiting for class to begin.

I was thankful to be sitting beside Dahlia, and my friend from Hufflepuff and previous seatmate from Professor Quirrel's class last year, Magnolia Everwood. The three of us were laughing cheerfully, talking amongst ourselves as the rest of the class did the same.

I was muttering about how ridiculous I found the new decorations in the room. The portraits of our new Professor littered the walls. Replacing what was once informational charts, and portraits of creatures, light and dark.

But then out of the blue, the very same, golden-haired, plastic smiled man from Flourish and Blotts slammed open the office door and burst into the room. It was his portraits that covered the walls. I fought back an eye roll and pursed my lips as Maggie giggled next to me, fiddling with a piece of her strawberry tinged hair. Dahlia was staring, star-eyed at the professor as he traipsed down the stairs.

"Let me introduce you to your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher," He chuckled, and then flourished his hand, gesturing to himself and the blindingly bedazzled, opulent robes he wore. Were they practical for this class, most likely not. But in my opinion, neither was he.

"Me," He grinned, "Gildaroy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, third class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force defence league, and five time winner...of Witch Weekly's Most Charming Smile award." He gestured to the wall of plaques behind him. He chuckled, flashing his grin at the group of us.

I frowned, pursing my lips. I glanced at my brother, behind me and found his reaction was more or less the same.

"Oh, but I don't talk about that," He waved off, "I didn't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at him." He laughed at his own joke and I scoffed, no one else was laughing except for most of the girls who were still staring starstruck at the ridiculous professor.

Suddenly, the professor pulled out his wand, whipping it forth, "Now, be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures known to wizardkind." He tapped the tip of his wand against a cloth covering something on his desk, and whatever was beneath began to shake violently, "You may find yourselves facing your worst fears in this room. Know only that no harm can befall you whilst I am here. Now, I must ask you not to scream, it might," He smirked widely as sharp inhales were heard cascading across the room.

Maggie pursed her lips, her fists tightening their grip on her robes, scrunching them into knots under her fingers. Dahlia seemed almost entranced by the professor, her jaw dropped open admiringly as she gazed at him, an expression nearly akin to adoration filling her typically stern features.

"Provoke them!" Professor Lockhart, revealing a cage full of small, blue, winged creatures that almost resembled tiny blue elves.

Then, toward the middle of the classroom, a laugh burst from the row of desks, "Cornish pixies?" A flurry of laughter followed him as well.

"Freshly caught, Cornish pixies." Lockhart clarified and Seamus laughed even harder, "Laugh if you will, Mr Finnigan, but pixies can be devilishly tricky little blighters. Let's see what you make of them, now!" He unlatched the cage and the blue creatures immediately swarmed the classroom, wreaking havoc.

"Come on now, round them up, round them up!" Lockhart was urging as the rest of us were struggling even to avoid the pesky pixies, "They're only pixies."

I was fighting off a trio of three pixies tossing books and other stationary at Maggie, Dahlia and I when Neville's shouting breached my ears.

Two of the pixies had grabbed poor Neville by his ears and hoisted him up into the air. Then they took him and hung him up on the chandelier as Poppy jumped and leaped through the chaos, trying to pull him back down desperately.