Alohomora

4) First Lessons

I woke up early, the september sunlight streaming through the windows. Sitting up, i yawned and looked over at my room mates. I was sharing with Hermione and two other girls called Lavender and Parvarti. By the time we all got to bed last night, we all shared a quick hello before we all fell fast asleep, tired from all the food and excitment. Hermione was already awake, fully dressed in her new Gryffindor robes, reading Hogwarts:A History. She heard me moving about and looked over smiling. "morning Ruby". "morning, have i overslept?" "oh no, i just wanted to be prepared for the day, do you want to go down to breakfast together?"she asked timidly. "of course,ill just get ready" i smiled, jumping out of bed and pickin my robes up from the end of my bed. Lavender and Parvarti soon got ready too. I was determind to find Draco before our first lesson because i had a feeling he was annoyed at me for being in Gryffindor. It wasn't my fault and i couldnt do anything about it. The sorting hat obviously thought Gryffindor was the right house for me and anyway, the people seemed nicer than in Slytherin. I picked up my bag, stuffed full of books and parchment and joined Hermione on the way down to the Great Hall for breakfast. We only got lost once, one of the staircases changed direction and confused us, but we followed some Hufflepuff students and eventually found our way. 

The four long tables were the same as the night before, but with all kinds of breakfast foods lining the table. Hermione and I joined the other first year boys and helped ourselves to toast and cereal. " i wonder what lesson we have first?"asked Seamus excitedly. "i hope its Defense Against the Dark Arts, that sounds so cool" joined in Ron. "i really want it to be flying, i can't wait to finally learn" replied Dean. Just then i noticed Draco, Crabbe and Goyle enter. They sat down opposite. Draco caught my eye and gave me a small smile, then turned back to Goyle. I tried to ignore the feeling in my stomach. He always said Hogwarts was going to be a big adventure together, but we had been here for a night and he was already ignoring me. Listening to talk in the common room, i learned that Gryffindor and Slytherin didn't get on, but a silly house rivalry shouldn't get in the way of our 7 year friendship. Professor McGonagall started walking down the table handing out pieces of paper. "our timetables!" cried Hermione excitedly, almost knocking over her orange juice. First lesson we had Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. Hermione and I set off as soon as we had finished breakfast, leaving the boys trailing after us.

Transfiguration was taught in a large classroom with a high ceiling. wooden desks were lined up facing a big wooden desk at the front. Sat on the desk, was a cat with markings around its eyes.It was sat very still, watching everyone enter. I took a seat inbetween Hermione and Seamus. This lesson was also with the Ravenclaws. Everyone took out their books and wands and placed them on the desk, waiting for the Professor to arrive. But when everyone was settled, something stranged happened. The cat lept off the desk, and in the air, started to turn into Professor McGonagall. The class watched, open mouths. "wow" said Ron, making me giggle. After introducing herself and telling us about what we would be doing in our first year of Transfiguration (and telling us all that if we messed about we would leave and never come back) she set us off to try our first proper piece of magic. Professor McGonagall demonstrated by turning her wooden desk into a pig and then back into a desk. Watching this made me eager to learn how to do it myself. But we were starting off small, so we were all given matches to try and turn into needles. Professor McGonagall made it look easy, but it certainly wasn't. After many attempts, i had managed to turn my match silver. Hermione however had also made hers pointy. 

That afternoon we had our first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson with Professor Quirrell. I had read the classes textbook and had heard many anti dark wizard stories from my father who worked at the Ministry Of Magic, and i was looking foward to learning how to protect myself. You never know when you might need these spells. But this lesson wasn't as great as everyone had expected. The classroom stunk of garlic, apparently to keep vampires away. He told us he was given his turban by an African Prince for helping his village get rid of a zombie. This made everyone excited, but when Seamus asked for the story Professor Quirrell quickly changed the subject which made people suspicious. 

On Friday, we had our first Potions lesson, with the Slytherins. I had been so busy with all my new lessons and friends that I hadn't gotten a chance to speak to Draco, but now i had my chance. The potions classroom was located in one of the dungeons where it was cold. The shelved walls were filled with jars with strange things in, some looked horribly like they contained eyes. Workstations were dotted around the room. Hermione, Lavender, Parvarti and I joined one and set up our cauldrons in silence. Draco was sat on the opposite side of the room, glaring at Harry. Professor Snape started the lesson taking the register. He named Harry as the new celebrity and the Slytherins laughed. Snape wasn't like any of the other Hogwarts teachers. He wasn't welcoming and spoke in a slow drawl, only wearing long black robes, long greasy hair falling on his face. He gave a speech, leaving the class in silence about brewing glory and putting a stopper in death. I looked to see Draco hanging onto his every word. Snape suddenly turned on Harry. "Potter, what would i get if i added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Hermione was bouncing in her seat next to me. Harry said nothing. Snape, ignoring Hermione, continued. "where would you look if i asked you to find me a bezoar?" The slytherins were laughing and Hermione was almost stood up, trying to get Snapes attention. "what is the difference Potter, between monkshood and wolfsbane?" "i don't know sir, i think Hermione does, why don't you ask her?" Harry replied. A few people gasped. Hermione sunk back into her seat. "asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful its know as living death, a bezoar is the stone taken from the stomach of a goat which will save you from most poisons, monkshood and wolfsbane are from the same plant which is also known as aconite, why aren't you all copying this down?" he snapped. Everyone rushed to write the information down, whilst Snape announced he was taking a point from Gryffindor. Then we paired up to make a potion to cure boils. Hermione and i set to work weighing nettles and crushing snake fangs. Dracos poition was the only one that was up to Snapes standards. Seamus had accidentally melted his cauldron and Neville spilt his potion, causing boils to appear all over his skin and Snape to yell at him. Seamus helped him to the hospital wing whilst Hermione and I took extra care to follow the instructions. Our potions seemed to be right but Snape ignored us and dismissed us without any praise, So we made our way back to the common room when i felt a hand on my arm.

It was Draco. "hey Ruby, erm im sorry we haven't had time to talk, i've missed you but you know how it is being a Gryffindor and Slytherin?Have to told your parents yet?i hope they'll be ok with it. we might not be able to spend as much time together now seeing as the house situation, but we could still talk when we have the chance, im sorry but i don't want my new friends laughing at me for having a Gryffindor friend" my heart sank, tears forming in my eyes. Draco noticed. "im sorry Ruby, listen, we can always send each other letters using Petal!" "but Draco, why should our houses matter i thought we were friends?!" i said, voice shaking. Draco looked ahead to see Crabbe and Goyle leaving. "we're still best friends ok?" he said, giving me a weak smile, before walking away. I sighed and followed some third year Gryffindors back to the common room.