Illicit Affairs

TWO

The sun rose, heralding the first official day at Hogwarts. As dawn broke, Kira donned her robes, brushed her hair, and hastened to Transfiguration class, her Prefect badge proudly adorning her robe. Close on her heels were Scorpius and Albus, both of whom seemed to have had a rather interesting morning themselves.

Scorpius, with his hair sticking out at odd angles, looked as though he'd been caught in a duel with his pillow - and the pillow had won. Albus, on the other hand, had somehow managed to put on his robe inside-out, the Slytherin crest sitting awkwardly against his back.

"Merlin's beard, Al, did you dress in the dark?" Scorpius teased, trying to stifle a laugh.

Albus shot him a glare, "Maybe I wanted to start a new fashion trend at Hogwarts, ever think of that?"

Kira chuckled at their banter, shaking her head. "You two are hopeless," she said, but there was a warmth in her voice that only friends could share.

As they entered the classroom, Rose, already seated next to Matthias Hastings, couldn't help but notice their disheveled appearance. "I see the Slytherin boys have decided to redefine 'school chic' this year," she quipped, a playful smile dancing on her lips.

The group erupted into laughter.

As the laughter subsided, Professor Silva entered the room. "Good morning, class," he began, his gaze sweeping over the students. "I see we're starting the year with a bit of humor, right Mr. Hastings?" he said "Let's channel that energy into our lesson."

The class turned their attention to the front, where a series of objects were laid out on a table. "Today, we will be practicing the art of transfiguration, turning the mundane into the extraordinary," he explained, gesturing towards the objects.

Kira's eyes lit up; this was her element. She watched intently as Professor Silva demonstrated the proper wand movement and incantation. "Remember, it's swish and flick, not swash and flop," the professor said with a pointed look at Albus, who blushed but nodded earnestly.

Scorpius volunteered to go first. With a flourish, he attempted to transfigure a teacup into a teapot. However, instead of a spout, the teacup sprouted a tiny, flapping wing. The class erupted into laughter again.

"An innovative approach, Mr. Malfoy, but I think we'll stick to the traditional teapot design for now," he said, his tone light.

As the class continued, each student took their turn, some more successful than others. Rose managed to perfectly transfigure her object, earning a nod of approval from the professor. Matthias, though a bit hesitant, managed a passable attempt, his object taking on a slightly lopsided form.

The morning's lesson ended with a sense of accomplishment and camaraderie among the students.

During the break, the atmosphere in the courtyard was light, with students enjoying their first respite of the day. Albus, Kira, and Scorpius were huddled together, discussing the morning's transfiguration mishaps, when a shadow loomed over them. Looking up, they saw James Sirius Potter, Albus's older brother, standing there with a grin that promised nothing but trouble.

James, the epitome of a Gryffindor heartthrob with his messy black hair and mother's beautiful brown eyes, leaned against the stone balustrade.

"Little brother and his band of serpents," James teased, his voice carrying the confidence and charm that made him so popular.

Albus felt a familiar surge of irritation at the sight of his brother. The two had always had a rocky relationship, with James often finding ways to get under Albus's skin. "What do you want, James?" Albus asked, his tone cold.