The start of September 1992 was certainly an interesting one. To start with, there were rumours flying around the school that Potter and Weasley had flown a blue muggle car from Kings Cross Station, all the way to Hogwarts, damaging a tree in the process. This was backed up the first morning at breakfast by the Weasley's owl flying in with a large red envelope. The first Orla knew of it was when a loud voice, one she recognised from Flourish and Blotts, filled the room. Being the Great Hall, it was a pretty big voice!
"RONALD WEASLEY, HOW DARE YOU STEAL THAT CAR."
Orla looked at Daphne, and the pair of them, along with the rest of the Slytherin table, howled with laughter. Crabbe and Goyle were wiping tears from their eyes, and Blaise had spat a mouthful of milk and cereal out over Pansy in laughter, which in turn made Draco and Theodore laugh even more. The envelope kept screaming at Weasley, so loudly, that dust was starting to fall from the ceiling.
"... PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT HOME!" The envelope started to smoke, then caught fire, and dissolved into ashes. Silence fell across the hall, and gradually everyone turned back and chatter and babble returned.
As Orla made her way across the grass to Greenhouse Three, she saw Potter talking to a teacher. Lockhart! What was he doing here? Probably coaching Potter on how to attention seek more. She looked at Daphne, then slid her arm through her best friend's, and they carried on into the Greenhouse.
"Good morning class," said Professor Sprout, a dumpy little witch.
"Good morning, Professor," they chanted back.
"Now today we are learning about Mandra... Oh Potter, come in."
"Sorry I'm late Professor," he mumbled.
"Yes Professor Sprout, it's all my fault," grinned Lockhart. "Young Harry here was asking for advice on fame, so I was explaining to him about starting slowly." He he flashed his dazzling white teeth once more gave a hearty wink, and left, as Professor Sprout rolled her eyes. Potter took his place between Granger and Weasley, while Orla watched Lockhart with a little smile. As were all the other girls in the class. She didn't know why, but every time he was around, she just wanted to fawn over him.
"Right," said Professor Sprout, "as I was saying, we will be learning about Mandrakes, and re-potting them. Now, can anyone tell me the properties of a Mandrake?" Granger's hand was first in the air as usual.
"Mandrake, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative. It is used to return people who have been petrified to their original state."
"Correct, ten points to Gryffindor. The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is, however, very dangerous. Who can tell me why?" Once again Granger had her hand in the air.
"The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it."
"Exactly, which is why I have given each of you a pair of ear muffs, for protection." She pointed to the fluffy ear muffs scattered in the middle of table, then lifted up a tray of little plants. There were about a hundred or so of them lined up along the edge of the greenhouse. "I want four to a tray please, put the earmuffs on when I tell you to, and this is what I want you to do." She demonstrated how to re-pot the plant, then sent the students off. Orla had a tray with Daphne, Blaise and Theodore. Putting on a pink fluffy pair of ear muffs, she gasped. It was total silence. The only thing she could hear was the pulsing of her heart beat in her ears. Orla assumed these earmuffs had been magically charmed. She pulled out the first baby Mandrake and nearly dropped it in surprise. It wasn't what she had expected. In fact, if she had to guess, she would say it looked like a purple potato, all scrunched up and ugly looking. It's mouth was open and it's eyes were scrunched up, screaming. She stuck it in the bigger pot and covered in it fresh compost, hoping that would calm it down.
After class, as they trooped back to the dungeons to get cleaned up, ready for the next lesson, Draco was grumbling. Apparently, he had decided too stick his finger in one of the Mandrake' mouths and it had bitten through his dragon hide gloves, and left a mark on his finger. Thankfully it wasn't sore, or so he said, but Orla and Daphne couldn't stop laughing. Pansy, however, was cooing over him, and trying to make sure he was ok. Next lesson was Defence Against the Dark Arts.
"I wonder who the new teacher will be," wondered Daphne, aloud. "There was nobody new at the teacher's table at the start of term feast." Orla had her suspicions though, and she was hoping she was right. Making their way through the Entrance Hall, a small, squeaky voice caught the Slytherins attention.
"Hi Harry," a small boy, with mousy blonde hair was saying, breathlessly. "Can I have your picture?" Orla walked over slowly, to see what was going on. "See, I'm in Gryffindor too. Would, would it be ok?"
"A picture?" Potter asked, looking blank.
"So I can prove I've met you. I know all about you, how you defeated You-Know-Who when you were a baby, how you got that scar. I read all about it. A boy in my dormitory said that if I process the film in the right potion, the picture will move.."He stopped for a breath, then carried on, grinning. "It's great here, isn't it. My dad's a milkman, and no-one in my family could believe it when my letter for Hogwarts arrived. I never knew all the odd stuff I could do was actually magic. So I'm taking loads of pictures to send to him. It would be really good if I had one of you, t0 - to say that I have met you. I could stand next to you, and your friend could take it and then........ and then you could sign it."
"Signed photos? You're giving out signed photos, Potter?!" Draco laughed, scathingly. He was stood right behind Colin, with Crabbe and Goyle either side, while Orla and Daphne stood either side of them. "Everyone queue up, Harry Potter's handing out signed photographs," called Draco, loudly, his voice echoing through the Hall.
"No I'm not," growled Potter, his face flushed and his fists curled up. "Shut up Malfoy."
"You're just jealous," squeaked Colin.
"Jealous?" spat Orla? "Of what?"
"I don't want a foul scar right across my head," said Draco. By now, the Entrance Hall was filled with half the school listening in. No-one needed to shout. "I don't think geting your head cut open makes you so special." Orla and Daphne were sniggering.
"Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Weasley, angrily.
"Be careful there, Weasley,"said Orla. "You don't want to start any trouble or your mummy will have to come and take you away. from school." She put on a high pitched piercing voice. "If you put another toe out of line -" Marcus Flint and his friends were stood near by and they were laughing loudly at this.
"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Draco. "It'd be worth more than his whole family's house."
Weasley drew his wand, bent and covered in spellotape.
"What's all this?" A jolly voice from behind them made them all stop. Gilderoy Lockhart was striding towards them, his blue robes flowing out behind him. "Who's giving out signed photos?" Potter opened his mouth to say something, but was cut short by Lockhart flinging his arm around his shoulders. "Ah shouldn't have asked. Harry Potter, we meet again!"
Draco and the rest of the Slytherins slunk into the large crowd and headed towards their Defence class. Orla looked back, grinning, and saw the new boy taking a photo of Potter and Lockhart together. She shook her head, sighing, linked her arm through Daphne's again, and wondered if Potter was ever going to stop attention seeking.
