by
Catherine King
Chapter 5: Back to School
“Today is the first day of school.” Hermione chirped brightly. Professor McGonagall was handing out course schedules. Harry took his and groaned. So did the rest of the seventh years. History of Magic class was a very dull subject. And it was the first subject of the year.
Harry and the rest of Gryffindor seventh years went to a very dark and dusty classroom.
“I wonder why Professor Binns doesn’t clean the place?”
“He’s a ghost, Ron.”
“Oh, yeah, their brains and nervous system, except for basics, like speech, and, of course, the ability to teach, have left them utterly.”
At this, half the class broke into giggles. “Now, really!” snapped Hermione.
“Take your seat, class, take your seats.” Professor Binns had entered the classroom. “Now, open your books, ‘Even More History,’ to page 297 and we’ll read up on…” His voice droned on and on and on like the Energizer Bunny, and on and on, making Harry think of scuba-diving trip. Seaweed, rocks, shells, sand, smooth figures gliding as though just a colored part of the water… “Potter!” came Professor Binns’ dry, reedy voice. “You aren’t even on the correct page. Page 308, like Miss Grant.” “Granger, Professor.” “Whatever. Anyway, in 1823, the Congress decided…” and a slight snoring from the back of the room announced that Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnagin had gone to sleep.
Fifteen minutes later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were in the familiar Transfiguration classroom. Professor McGonagall was a woman who was very strict, but also could be fair at times, and, like most teachers who were the Head of Houses (McGonagall had Gryffindor), she slightly favored her students, especially Hermione.
She gave them a good talking-to at the beginning of the class.
“ Now that you are seventh years, your Transfiguration will become even more complex.” The class groaned. “But now you are ready to do things such as designing front lawns with a simple hand movement and the long-awaited act of changing potions.” At this the entire class started cheering. Designing front lawns was something very neat. And changing potions was something that could bring up your Potions grade in case you had a tough time, like extra credit.
The lesson started. They were given a daisy and were asked to turn it into a rose, then a daylily, then a tulip, then back into a daisy. Unfortunately, Neville Longbottom’s daisy exploded, but Professor McGonagall excused him since she knew he was concentrating hard because rose, daylily, and tulip petals flew all over the room, along with daisy.
At the end of the class, Harry, like the rest of the Gryffindor seventh years, was exhausted and (practically) had flowers in his hair. “Really,” said Ron later that night, “do they expect us to learn this in 9 months?!” “Please, Ron…” “Hey, I’ll give anyone 14 Galleons at Honeydukes if they will do my History of Magic homework, please, I’m doing Bambi eyes!” His eyes were very big.
Hermione laughed. “You know the old saying, ‘If you want something done, you have to do it yourself,’ not to pay others to do it for you.”
“Cut it out, Hermione,” answered Ron.
Harry looked at the schedule for Tuesday. “Hmm,” he said. “Morning: 6:00, Divination, 8:15, Potions, and Transfiguration at 10:30. 12:00: Lunch. Afternoon: 12:45, Herbology, 3:00, Care of Magical Creatures, and Defense Against the Dark Arts at 4:15. I wonder who our teacher will be. I wish we still had Professor Lupin.” There was a murmur of agreement. Professor Lupin was easily the best teacher they ever had.
Let me explain about the teachers for Defense Against the Dark Arts. The first year, the teacher turned out to be in league with Voldemort (and he died). The second year, not only did the teacher turn out to be lying (horribly), but also lost his memory (hip, hip, hooray!! I hated him). Professor Lupin, the third year teacher, was wonderful, but turned out to be a werewolf LL. The fourth year teacher was this guy, no, he was this guy, well, it’s a long story. Professor Lupin was back in the fifth year, but then he bit someone and then his brother took over, and then he turned out to be an aggressive werewolf. “I heard a rumor that it’s going to be a girl,” said Dean. “I know that, if it is female, that I won’t flip for her.” A slight giggle from most of the girls followed.
“Oh, yeah, and Quidditch practice is Saturday. Have you been practicing over the summer, Ron?” Harry put down the schedule and glanced at Ron, waiting for an answer. Harry was captain of the Quidditch team for Gryffindor (remember Quidditch?). As captain, Harry had to organize training schedules, choose new team members, and keep track of games. It kept him very busy. He wouldn’t have chosen to be captain, but, as the members of the ‘old team’ had pointed out, he was a great player and would last longer than all of them. Harry was the youngest House player in a century, starting in his first year.
“Yeah, I trained, Harry,” Ron replied. Ron was also on the team, in the Keeper position. (The Keeper is like a goalie.) The other positions on the team (Chasers and Beaters) were filled by fifth years.
Quidditch was the most popular - and only - sport at Hogwarts. Suspenseful, thrilling, and (with a good commentator) downright funny!! (A good commentator used the proper language for the feeling and actions.)
