Adrian Craddock and The Philosopher's Stone

First Classes

Aiden shot up in his bed and looked around. Recognizing where he was, he simply sat there on his bed, panting, sweating and thinking. It was the same nightmare as usual, if only a bit shorter. He wondered why he kept seeing his parents' final moments every time he fell asleep.

Shaking himself out of his thoughts, Aiden looked over to his alarm clock and read the time. 5:12. He always woke up close to that time. Quickly grabbing his toiletries, Aiden got ready for the day.

After getting dressed, Aiden made his way down to the common room. There he saw Hermione sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace, reading Hogwarts, A History.

"Hi Hermione." greeted Aiden.

"Hello Aiden." she responded, not even looking up from the book.

"Why are you up so early?"

"I didn't want to over sleep, so I decided to wake up early and read up a bit. And you? Why are you up so early?"

"I ha-I normally wake up this early." While it wasn't a complete lie, Hermione seemed to notice his slight hesitation at answering and looked a him concerned.

"Really? Because you seem-" Aiden simply stopped her by giving her a look that said: "I don't want to talk about it."

After a rather awkward silence, the two simply talked again and read Hermione's book together before going to have breakfast.

Their first breakfast at Hogwarts was eventful (can you call Aiden not realizing his tie was in a cup of coffee eventful?), though Ron and Harry were still asleep in their dorm. Moving on from breakfast, Aiden and Hermione made their way to their first ever class: Transfiguration.

When the two got to the classroom, they found it empty except for a cat on Professor McGonagall's desk. While Hermione simply found a seat, Aiden stared at the feline on the desk. He remembered something Ethan told him a few days ago.

'If you want extra points in Transfiguration, just say 'Hello Professor' to the cat on McGonagall's desk. Believe me, she'll be proud you got that.'

Taking his godfather's advice, Aiden walked up to the cat and said, "Good day, Professor." before going to sit next a confused Hermione.

"Aiden, why did you-" she was interrupted, however, by the cat who turned into Professor McGonagall right in front of them. Both were rendered speechless.

"Good day, Mr Craddock, Miss Granger. May I ask, how did you know it was me?" the Professor asked, clearly surprised. 

Aiden managed to pick his jaw off of the floor before answering. "My godfather told me ma'am, though I was a bit suspicious as to why a cat was in the class. Looks cool. Will we be learning it sometime in the future?"

"No Mr Craddock, learning to become an animagus will not be apart of my class. However essays will be written about them in due time. Now, since you two are quite early, you will have to wait for the others to show up before we begin." McGonagall went over to her desk and transformed back into a cat while waiting for the rest of the students.

The class started filling up a few minutes later. Some students looked confused at the cat on the desk. Ron and Harry, however, were still nowhere to be found.

The two boys came in the class a few minutes later, exhuasted. Ron decided to quip seeing as McGonagall was 'not in the class'. "Good thing ol' McGonagall isn't here. Imagine the look on her face if we were late."

It was at that moment Professor McGonagall decided to turn back into herself. The class gasped. Meanwhile, Aiden snickered and Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron and Harry's fearful expressions.

"That was bloody brilliant." blurted Ron.

That was enough for Aiden to burst out laughing but managed to hold it in. He turned to his textbooks and ignored Ron and Harry being scolded, knowing he would explode if he listened.

After the two were properly chastised for being late, McGonagall introduced the class to the magic of Transfiguration and gave them their first task: turn a match into a needle. Only Aiden and Hermione managed to achieve this at the end of class.

oOo

The week passed too soon for any Gryffindor's liking and soon it was time for double potions with Professor Snivellus Snape as Ethan would call the greasy git. As with their other classes, Aiden sat next to Hermione and was reading his potions textbook. When Professor Snape entered the class, he immediately put his textbook away and pulled out a notebook and quill.

"There will be no foolish wand-waving or silly incantations in this class." the Professor says matter-of-factly. Sighing when he sees only Aiden paying attention, he continues. "As such, I don't expect many of you to appreciate the subtle science and art that is potion making. However, for those select few  who possess the predisposition." Here he paused. "I can teach you how to bewitch the mind and ensnare the senses. I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory and even put a stopper... in death." By the the whole class was listening to Snape's every word. "Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable that you feel comfortable enough to not... pay... attention."

Professor Snape then acknowledged Harry and started bombarding the poor boy with questions that he didn't (but Hermione did) know. After Harry's interrogation session, the Professor proceeded to give the answers to the questions he asked. When he turned to the class, only Aiden was writing down what he said.  

"Well, aren't you going to copy down what I just said like Mr Craddock here." he sneered as the class started to get stuff needed for writing before he continued. "Gryffindors, let it be known that I would have given Craddock 10 points for being smarter than the rest of you. However, because of your local celeBraty (Aiden was sure that mess up was deliberate) Mr Potter's lack of basic knowledge, your points shall stay the same."

With some unfair glares being sent to Harry, Aiden started to see why the Gryffindors hated the Head of Slytherin.