I all but ran out of the dormitory and out the portrait. I was the last first year girl to leave this morning. Ashley had left while I was in the shower. Classes were going to start in less than two hours and I could not be more excited. In the corridor, I saw a large group of older students and I followed them, for I had completely forgotten my way to the Great Hall, already. I just hoped that was where they were going as well. I noticed the familiar heavy oaken doors and happily made my way inside, spotting Ashley almost immediately in the same place we had sat the night before.
I greeted her happily, telling her how anxious I was to begin classes and then helped myself to some bacon and eggs. Professor McGonagall walked up behind us and gave us our schedules. I quickly looked down mine, and then at Ashley’s.
The schedules were identical. Potions from 9:30-10:30, Transfiguration 10:30-11:30, an hour and a half for lunch and a short study hall from 1-2, then Charms at 2:30-3:30, Charms was the only class we were scheduled for every day. The others were Monday, Wednesday, and Friday classes. Our Tuesday and Thursday classes seemed just as bad, with Defense Against the Dark Arts from 9-11, a short Charms lesson from 11-12, then a short break after lunch in time for Herbology from 2-2:30 and History of Magic from 2:30-3:30. Wednesday nights held Astronomy classes from Midnight to 1 a.m. and I wondered if I would ever be able to wake up for the 9 o’clock classes Thursday mornings. Flying lessons were Tuesdays from 4-5.
“Are all first year schedules the same?” I questioned Ashley, a little upset at the idea that I would have to spend nearly every day with James Potter and crew.
“In Gryffindor, yes. Each house has different schedules for the core curriculum. Look at your schedule. In potions, we have it with Hufflepuff, but Transfiguration is with Slytherin. In third year, we’ll get to choose our own electives.” That led to my question of what other classes there were to take and how in the world it was all going to fit into my schedule! We still had to take the subjects we were starting and at least two more before taking the O.W.L exams in fifth year. My head was spinning thinking of all the work that went into a magical education.
We finished our hefty breakfasts and I glanced at my watch, noting that we had a little less than 15 minutes. “Are you ready? Ok… let’s go ahead and get started trying to find,” I quickly looked at my schedule again, “potions. With Professor Slughorn.”
*********
We got to the classroom and took seats in the front. The air was thick with the smell of something woody and I immediately was brought back to a camping trip with my parents in the forest when I was nine. After everyone was seated, a man who greatly resembled a walrus, with a large protruding stomach and a thick moustache, came in and walked to the front of the classroom.
“Hello class, my name is Professor Slughorn. I shall be your teacher for at least the next five years so you had better get comfortable. I shall teach you the ways of potion brewing, poison making, and antidotes for those poisons. I just hope that at least one of you has exceptional talents at potions. Today we shall just be going over the basics.”
He began taking role, looking up at each name and adding in comments to many. “Yes, yes, Mr. Johnston, how is that dear aunt of yours… Matilda? Wonderful woman, wonderful!”
“Chachere, any relation to Dennis? Yes, he was always a magnificent potion’s student. Amazing on a broom though! I always did tell him he’d go far.”
“Mr. Potter, pleasure! Your dad was made for the Aurors. Always with a quick and steady hand.”
Although I knew none of the students he was pointing out, save Potter, I could see the embarrassment he was causing each one.
Class ended after three pages of notes on the proper methods of brewing potions and cauldron care. The professor was long-winded, but he really knew what he was doing and took great care in making sure his students knew his subject well. He thoroughly welcomed questions and comments from the students and I thought that I would maybe grow to like him and the class as one of my favorites.
After Potions, we had Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. Ashley and I hurried up to her class on the fifth floor.
I also really enjoyed Professor McGonagall’s class. She discussed the art of Transfiguration and the different things we could do with the subject. She handed us a matchstick and walked us through turning it into a needle. The only thing I could get was a grayish wooden match by the end of the class and I wasn’t the only one. No one had succeeded in changing the matchstick completely, but James had been close and earned a point for being the furthest along in the transfiguration.
Professor McGonagall did assign a half-foot essay on the basic transfiguration of a matchstick to a needle with the correct wand movements and incantation, as well as what we believed we were doing wrong in class. I didn’t mind though, my favorite part of school back home was learning from my mistakes, so I was quite excited to start on my essay.
“I’m exhausted!” I exclaimed to Ashley when we sat down for lunch. “Later is going to be just as bad! At least we have Charms. I think it seems like a fascinating subject.”
“Yes, well I personally can’t wait until we have Transfiguration again! But wait ‘till later, you’ll be even more tired,” Ashley replied happily.
After that quick exchange, we fell silent, only talking when asking some one to pass a certain dish. Once we finished we headed out of the great hall up to the third floor for Charms. Once we got there Ashley and I got a seat at the front of the class. After Professor Flitwick took roll, he showed us how to do basic wand motions that we would be using most of the year. After class was over we all had sore wrists from the unusual movements that we used.
I could barely keep my eyes open throughout dinner and my feet were aching. We must have walked miles to get to and from classes today. Ashley begged out of desert and retreated to the dorms. I thought about going with her but the pudding looked too tempting to pass up. Before I knew it, I was standing in front of the Portrait hole and the Fat Lady was staring impatiently at me, tapping her foot, with her arms crossed over her chest, and I realized that she was waiting for the password. “Err… sorry!” I said and quickly gave her the password and climbed in, tiredly finding my way to the dorms and Ashley, who was lazily perched against her pillows, going over notes from today’s classes. I stretched, yawned, and got ready for bed. I was asleep the second my head hit the pillows. It had been a long day.
Lily and James, A Love Unfolding by lupinslover
Chapter Notes: Yeah, so this is really the fist part of Chapter 3, there are two more parts after this, then I need to start writing again. ;-P
Alson none of this (except Ashley and the storyline) is mine, all JK's, thought if i suddenly become her overnight i'll be sure to let you know...