The Foreigner {Fred Weasley x OC}

7.

Muggle appliances. That's my first lesson at Hogwarts. I might as well be back in my home-ec class. Ovens, microwaves, fridges, and how Muggles use them with electricity. It's almost comical seeing my professor - Ms Burbage - describe simple topics of science as though they were some kind of magic. Which is kind of ironic, isn't it?

Lunch can't come fast enough, I nearly burst from the classroom once we are dismissed. I'm not sure why I thought that wizarding school would be any more interesting than regular schooling.

I hustle my way through the old halls - trying to find my History of Magic classroom. I enter a hall filled with paintings and find myself getting lost in them. People and animals run from painting to painting as though they exist within one large world together.

"Can I assist you, madam?" A loud voice calls from one of the pieces of art on the wall. My eyes dart from painting to painting until they land on a man clad in a suit of armour - that of a knight.

"Actually, I think you might be able to help me," I say in response. He stands tall as though I am his commanding officer, "I'm looking for my History of Magic class. It's on the fourth floor-"

"With Professor Binns?" He interrupts me.

"Yes." I clutch the parchment with my schedule on it, hoping that he'll know where to take me.

"Our quest begins then, my friend! Shall we find our way to our goal!" He takes off at a brisk pace - armour clanging along as he moves from painting to painting.

I try to ignore the fact that I must look crazy chasing after a painting of a knight and focus on keeping up with him as the paintings grow further and further apart.

"Here we come upon our final hurdle!" The knight hollers. I look to where his sword points and I can see several students entering a classroom.

"Thank you- um-"

"Sir Cadogan at your service, madam! Call upon me if you ever need a noble escort! Farewell!" He runs off I can hear the clanging and crashing of his armour disappear down the hall.

"What are you doing, Green? You're gonna be late if you keep standing there." One of the twins calls my attention to him. I turn around and George stands holding the door open for me.

"Oh, right! Sorry!" I scurry through the door and take my spot next to Lee who is seated in front of Fred. I can hear George settle into his seat beside his brother.

I pull out my textbook along with some small scraps of parchment and my quill - I didn't take any notes in my Muggle Studies class but seeing how I don't know the first thing about wizarding history I should probably write some things down for this one. I struggle to write with my quill and the date that I wrote at the top of the page looks more like some kind of ancient rune than anything else.

My situation only grows worse when who I can only imagine is Professor Binns floats through the wall at the front of the classroom. I let out a small yelp and I slap a hand over my mouth but that doesn't stop my friends around me from laughing at my shock. I mean no disrespect, but I wouldn't have minded being told my professor was a ghost before I got to class.

"Is everything alright back there?" Binns' voice drawls out in my direction. I feel my stomach sink before I reply, "Everything's fine! I just dropped my quill!"

I choose to pretend that I can't hear the continued snickers of Fred and George coming from behind me.

Usually, history would be interesting to me, especially learning about an entirely new history I know nothing about. But, Professor Binns has a voice I believe to be designed to make those who hear it fall asleep. The faint snores of the two boys behind me and Lee's head nodding off every couple of minutes tell me that I'm not the only one who feels this way.