10) The First Day

2.4K 121 27
                                    

Happy Memorial Day, and a happy late birthday to Haley.

We had double Herbology first. I walked with my Gryffindor buddies for this, watching Neville's happy smile grow wider at the thought of his favorite class

"You kinda deserved that," I said, looking at Ron.

"What makes you say that?" Ron snapped.

"Well, I told you that we should've just waited for your parents, or wrote a letter. But no, you threw me on your stuff then threw me in the car. You wouldn't have gotten in trouble if you'd have just done what I said."

Ron scowled and we watched Professor Sprout come walking with bandages and Lockhart. I could see the Whomping Willow with slings in its branches.

"Oh, hello there!" Lockhart called, beaming at us. I truly do hate him. "Just been showing Professor Sprout the right way to doctor a Whomping Willow! But I don't want you running away with the idea that I'm better at Herbology than she is! I just happen to have met several of these exotic plants on my travels..."

"Greenhouse Three today, chaps!" Sprout said, not looking very happy.

We've only worked in Greenhouse One before, so this was bound to be fun. I could see the excitement on Neville's, a Demeter child, face. We all walked in except for Harry, who was stopped by a certain full of himself Professor.

"Harry! I've been wanting a word — you don't mind if he's a couple of minutes late, do you, Professor Sprout?"

"That's the ticket," Lockhart said, closing the door in her face and not waiting for a reply.

Sprout looked mad, but she didn't say anything, waiting instead for Harry to come back into class.

A few minutes later, Harry came and stood between Ron and Hermione. I was standing by Hermione. There was a bunch of colorful earmuffs on each table.

"We'll be repotting Mandrakes today. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?"

Hermione's hand shot up, "Mandrake, or Madragora, is a powerful restorative. It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," Professor Sprout said. "The Mandrake form an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"

I raised my hand, "The cry of the Mandrake is fatal to anyone who hears it."

"Precisely. Ten points to Hufflepuff. Now, the Mandrakes we have here are still very young."

I stared at the purple-greeny plants. Luke said that he'd had to mess with these in his second year. Ugly little things. I knew that there was probably more to the plants.

"Everyone take a pair of earmuffs," Sprout said.

I grabbed a blue pair, putting them over my ears. I couldn't hear a thing. Harry and Ron both grabbed black pairs. Hermione and Neville had gotten stuck with fluffy pink ones.

Sprout said something but I couldn't hear her. I did, however, see her give a thumbs up before putting her own pink earmuffs on. Everyone else followed her.

Then she pulled out the Mandrake.

"Baby," I said, though no one could hear. It was ugly and pale green, with nasty, wrinkly skin. It looked like it was screaming very loudly.

Sprout took a pot out from under the table and put the Madrake in it, carefully patting down the dirt so it couldn't be heard. Then she made a thumbs up and everyone else pulled off their earmuffs, so I did too.

"As our Mandrakes are only seedlings, their cries won't kill yet," Sprout said. "However, they will knock you out for several hours, and as I'm sure none of you want to miss your first day back, make sure your earmuffs are securely in place while you work. I will attract your attention when it is time to pack up.

"Five to a tray — there is a large supply of pots here — compost in the sacks over there — and be careful of the Venomous Tentacula, it's teething." Sprout then slapped a plant that had been slowly crawling over her shoulder.

Justin joined us at our table.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley," he shook Harry's hand, "Know who you are, of course, the famous Harry Potter... and you're Hermione Granger — always top in everything... and Ron Weasley. Wasn't that your flying car?"

I smirked at Ron, and he glared at me.

"That Lockhart's something, isn't he?" Justin said as we started filling up our pots with dragon poop compost. "Awfully brave chap. Have you read his books? I'd have died of fear if I'd been cornered in a telephone box by a werewolf, but he stayed cool and — zap — just fantastic."

"My name was down for Eton, you know, I can't tell you how glad I am I came here instead. Of course, mother was slightly disappointed, but since I made her read Lockhart's books I think she's begun to see how useful it'll be to have a fully trained wizard in the family..."

We had to stop talking after that. The earmuffs were back on and we were struggling with the Mandrakes. They kicked and flailed and bit. I shouted in Greek when one punched my arm. It immediately looked up at me and stopped flailing, so I just talked in Greek to the rest of them.

We eventually left and went to get cleaned up, scrubbing the dirt away from our fingernails. We then quickly rushed to Transfiguration.

We had to turn beetles into buttons. It was pretty easy. I always just had to imagine it changing into something else.

Luke explained that it was because of my heritage. Poseidon had blessed a son of his ages ago to be able to shapeshift into anything they wanted. I guess I have a connection with that.

Harry wasn't having much success, but Ron was doing worse. His Spellotaped wand was only blowing smoke in his face. He even had to ask for a new beetle once he squashed his.

He definitely deserved that.

I had a (mostly) good day yesterday. I went to church for the first time in what seems like ages. Then we got Sonic, and at at Brianna's house. HateMate was there. She says I wanted to bite her. I did not. We went to the river, but I didn't swim, cause I'm coming off my period and am not a fan of tampons. We ate pizza at the park after that. We went to my grandma's house, and they swam in her pool. I watched Impractical Jokers. On the way home, we found out my aunt's dog died. I don't really handle death well. I never like the dog, don't really care for it, so I wasn't really to bummed. Kadee was crying. Of course, the first thing my brain decided to do was joke about it. Then we told Emblem, and she laughed. We are not good at dealing with death.

I was planning on writing something for Memorial Day, but I was a bit busy these past two days, so I'm sorry. I may be able to think of something later and write it, but I'm not sure. Also, yesterday was Haley's birthday. She would have been fourteen.

Have a happy Memorial Day, and I'll see you guys on Wednesday.

Percy Jackson and the Heir of Slytherin [Book 2]Where stories live. Discover now