The Life He Never Knew

Chapter 8

The next day, everywhere Harry went, there were whispers.

"Look! Over there."

"Where?"

"See the tall redhead?"

"Yeah."

"Next to him. Wearing the glasses. See his face? See his scar?"

"I wonder if he would give me an autograph."

It was annoying, was what it was. People followed him. They stared after him. They whispered as though he wasn't there. Really, all he was trying to do was find his way around this impossible school, but it was hard to concentrate. He wished his dad had that map he'd told Harry about. According to James, it included secret passageways, and showed everyone in the castle and where they were. But, in seventh year, James and Sirius had dropped the map out of a pocket, and when they went back for it, it was gone.

Harry thought the kids were a problem, but Peeves kept popping up everywhere and dropping things on you, getting you lost, or he would sneak up invisible behind you, grab your nose, and shout, "GOT YOUR CONK!"

And then, there was the caretaker, Argus Filch. Harry had heard his parents stories about him, but even those hadn't prepared him for Filch's awful personality. Granted, Harry and Ron's first encounter with Filch wasn't great, but nobody liked Filch. They had been trying to get through a door, which turned out to be the forbidden third floor corridor door, but Filch didn't believe that they were lost. Luckily, they had been rescued by Professor Quirrell, the teacher with the large purple turban, as he passed.

The classes were just as Lily and James described them. On Wednesday nights they studied astronomy. Three times a week they learned Herbology with Professor Sprout. The class that bored Harry the most was History of Magic. Even Lily admitted that she had fallen asleep in that class. Professor Flitwick was the Charms teacher, and he was tiny. James had told Harry that is was because he was part goblin. As he took roll, he was standing on top of a pile of books. When he read Harry's name, he shrieked with happiness, and went on to tell Harry how wonderful his parents were.

Professor McGonagall taught transfiguration. James had affectionately referred to her as Professor Minnie. He insisted she loved it, but after meeting her, Harry wasn't so sure. She began the class with a stern talking to.

"Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned." She waved her wand, changing her desk into a pig.

Just as Lily had said, they spent the first Transfiguration lesson learning to turn a match into a needle. Since this was one of the spells Lily had made him learn before he went to Hogwarts, he found it easy. Harry and Hermione Granger were the only ones to accomplish this, and Professor McGonagall showed the class their sharp, shiny needles, and gave each of them a small, rare smile.

Harry was looking forward to Defence Against the Dark Arts, mainly because James had spoken so highly of it. But, it wasn't as cool as he had anticipated. The classroom smelled like garlic, which Harry hated. Rumor had it, that the smell was to ward of a vampire. Professor Quirrell told the class that his turban was a thank you present from an African prince, because he had gotten rid of a vampire. Harry didn't believe it. He was even more doubtful after Seamus Finnigan asked how he had managed to get rid of the vampire. Quirrell had mumbled something about that being "a story for another time" and had proceeded to talk about the weather.

Harry got several letters from his parents, asking about Hogwarts and how he was doing. He replied explaining his classes, Draco Malfoy, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger. James was furious with Malfoy, and Lily loved Hermione, despite Harry's complaining. She said that Harry should just get to know her. She also mentioned that Hermione was a lot like her. Harry had rolled his eyes at this, although he knew it was true. Hermione seemed to be the mini version of his mother.