The sun rose over the spires of the castle, the slates and bricks scintillating with dew from the night. Hortencia opened her eyes wearily, awakened to something poking her arm. She shuffled away from it and pulled a pillow over her head.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
Poke.
She opened her eyes and rolled over to face whatever it was. She jumped back suddenly.
A girl with vibrant ginger hair stood over her; the longest hair she'd ever seen on a person, at least to her ankles. It fell over most of her face except her bumpy nose, large circular mint spectacles, and soft green eyes. She stood inches from Hortense's face. She stood up straight and pointed to the clock that hung over the door; It read ten minutes to nine.
"Ah fuck-"
she clambered out of bed, with only ten minutes to spare before class. She got into uniform and rushed up the dungeon stairs, tying her hair up as she went. Through the ornate halls she skidded into transfiguration class just two minutes late. The tabby cat that sat along the desk sprung up and transformed into an older lady with a tight bun and crescent glasses.
"Mizz Harding. You're late." She spoke with a formal voice.
"Sorry professor." She said through tired breaths.
"Well be seated then. Go on. 5 points from Slytherin for your tardiness."
The Slytherins of the class groaned in annoyance. Hortencia sat at an empty seat in the second row to the front of the class. She noticed upon each desk was a bowl. She peered into the one before her and saw a small being with glistening scales. "Now today, we will be turning fish," Mcgonogall placed a fish bowl on the desk with a goldfish inside, swimming back and forth. She waved her wand and the fish warped into something shimmery, sinking to the peddled floor of the bowl. "Into gold."
Mcgonagall raised her wand again and the coin turned back into a fish, as spry as it was before the first spell. "Now raise your wands and use this incantation: Transmaureo morpha."
The class all raised their wands.
"Transmaureo Morpha."
About half the class gasped with excitement as before them, beneath the water, lay a sparkling coin. Hortencia looked into the bowl. Still, a bright orange fish with blank black eyes squirming about.
"Again, the rest of you." Mcgonagall spoke.
"Transmaureo Morpha!" Hortencia and a few others waved their wands. Maybe five exclaimed in surprised. Still, for Hortencia, just a fish.
"Minerva..? Minerva?" Someone called out outside the classroom. They glanced in before entering. It was professor flitwick. "Professor, you're required for an emergency." He glanced about the class, clearly very nervous about something.
"Right." She nodded. She faced the class. "I'll send in a cover-teacher soon. Until then, don't burn the place down." She half joked, though she seemed quite concerned for whatever the matter was.
As soon as she and Flitwick left, the class erupted in chat. Hortencia felt someone poke her again. She jumped back, nearly falling off her chair. It was the girl with the orange hair again.
"Jesus- dude. What do you want from me?" She frowned. She was already on edge, feeling a little down about her failure at magic. The girl seemed unfazed by her hostility. She stared at her intently for a second before holding out her hand.
Hortencia looked her up and down a second, before she grasped her hand and shook it. The girl stared at her a second longer before retreating back to her seat in the back of the class. "What. The fuck." Muttered Hortencia to herself. The person who sat next to her looked her way.
YOU ARE READING
Hortencia Harding and the Draugr's wrath
Fanfiction"My parents are Portunus and Melpomene Harding. They are both in Azkaban. But I am not them and they are not me. I can forge my own path. I have to. Before I follow their lead."
