Albus Potter and Friends
Lessons & Expectations
The cool temperatures of early autumn accompanied the two eleven-year olds on their way to the greenhouses. Albus felt his stomach flutter with excitement at the thought of his very first lesson. He wondered what they would be doing in Herbology... sure, the subject didn't sound as exciting as others, but still, it was going to be magic of some kind. He felt more comfortable with the fact that Neville Longbottom, a close friend of the family, would be teaching.
Once at the greenhouse, Albus and Scorpius found their seats among the other first years. It was strange, Albus realised, seeing Neville dressed in extremely ratty robes caked in dirt, standing in front of them as their teacher, not friend.
However, Neville's tone of voice was friendly and welcoming as he looked around his new class. “So, you're my first years.” He paused, giving a wide smile. “I'm Professor Longbottom, and welcome to Herbology.”
Albus’s eyes flicked around the room at his peers. Unlike him, they were tense and almost anxious for their first class, despite Neville's cheerful introduction.
Neville, or Professor Longbottom rather, clapped his hands together. “So. Herbology. Now, for our first lesson today, we're going to have a look at Devil's Snare. Can anyone tell me what it is?”
The entire greenhouse was quiet. No one, obviously, knew the answer.
Professor Longbottom smiled, before picking up a pot from the bench behind him. He held up the plant before the class. It had to be one of the strangest plants Albus had ever seen. A dull green-grey colour, its stalks began to squirm and coil up, right before everybody's eyes. A few of the students gasped in surprise, their full attention now directed at the bizarre object in front of them.
“Devil's Snare is, by nature, an aggressive plant,” Professor Longbottom explained, placing the pot down in front of him. He watched it for a moment before continuing. “To capture it's prey, Devil's Snare coils around the victim, and tightens if the victim chooses to struggle.”
Albus noticed the horror etched upon most faces in his class.
“There is, however, a way of repelling the plant.” Professor Longbottom looked at the class expectantly. “Anyone know how?”
Once again, the class remained silent.
The teacher smiled. “Fire,” he said simply. Within a second a small flame was emitted from the tip of his wand, the ugly plant curling back somewhat reluctantly in response.
Albus’s amazement at such a demonstration was not to be short lived for the rest of his first day. Transfiguration involved an exciting demonstration of Professor Robinson turning a porcupine into a pin cushion (he did, however, give an extremely long and boring talk on the theory of Transfiguration beforehand), while Professor Flitwick started off their first ever Charms lesson with casting a levitation charm on the entire class for a bit of fun. Needless to say, many students screamed in fright at having floated upwards as soon as they entered the classroom.
Albus and Scorpius were relieved to return to their common room full yet nonetheless exhausted after their first day. The fire was brightly burning as they entered through the portrait hole to a chatty Gryffindor common room. Students from different years happily discussed their return to the classroom after a long summer break, while the two eleven-year-old boys sought to find Rose.
She was, for once, alone, rather than surrounded by friends, sitting by the fire reading her new book on Potions. Her face lit up upon seeing her cousin.
“Hey Albus!” She placed her book down, motioning for Albus and Scorpius to sit down. “How did you like that Charms lesson, eh? It was really cool how Flitwick made up levitate like that… I didn’t realise teachers could be so much fun.”
Albus smiled absently in reply as he looked into the heat of the fire. He had had a pretty cool day, and he had been nervous for nothing in the end. He knew it was to be expected, though, that everybody in the school would know him as Harry Potter’s son. Was it normal to feel as though he had so much pressure on him to be as good as his mother and father – and older brother – at everything?
“Albus?” Rose pressed gently, leaning forward and giving her cousin an intent look. “Are you okay?”
Albus shook his head, tearing his gaze away from the fire. He gave a reluctant smile. “I’m fine, Rose. Just… really tired.” He turned to Scorpius. “I think I might head off to bed.”
Scorpius rose from his seat, stretching his arms wide while yawning. “Yeah… me too. I’m exhausted.”
“’Night Rose.” Albus gave a quick wave to his cousin before leaving with Scorpius to head up to their dormitory. All of a sudden his good mood had faded – and was replaced with sullenness.
Was he going to live up to his family’s reputation?
Once at the greenhouse, Albus and Scorpius found their seats among the other first years. It was strange, Albus realised, seeing Neville dressed in extremely ratty robes caked in dirt, standing in front of them as their teacher, not friend.
However, Neville's tone of voice was friendly and welcoming as he looked around his new class. “So, you're my first years.” He paused, giving a wide smile. “I'm Professor Longbottom, and welcome to Herbology.”
Albus’s eyes flicked around the room at his peers. Unlike him, they were tense and almost anxious for their first class, despite Neville's cheerful introduction.
Neville, or Professor Longbottom rather, clapped his hands together. “So. Herbology. Now, for our first lesson today, we're going to have a look at Devil's Snare. Can anyone tell me what it is?”
The entire greenhouse was quiet. No one, obviously, knew the answer.
Professor Longbottom smiled, before picking up a pot from the bench behind him. He held up the plant before the class. It had to be one of the strangest plants Albus had ever seen. A dull green-grey colour, its stalks began to squirm and coil up, right before everybody's eyes. A few of the students gasped in surprise, their full attention now directed at the bizarre object in front of them.
“Devil's Snare is, by nature, an aggressive plant,” Professor Longbottom explained, placing the pot down in front of him. He watched it for a moment before continuing. “To capture it's prey, Devil's Snare coils around the victim, and tightens if the victim chooses to struggle.”
Albus noticed the horror etched upon most faces in his class.
“There is, however, a way of repelling the plant.” Professor Longbottom looked at the class expectantly. “Anyone know how?”
Once again, the class remained silent.
The teacher smiled. “Fire,” he said simply. Within a second a small flame was emitted from the tip of his wand, the ugly plant curling back somewhat reluctantly in response.
Albus’s amazement at such a demonstration was not to be short lived for the rest of his first day. Transfiguration involved an exciting demonstration of Professor Robinson turning a porcupine into a pin cushion (he did, however, give an extremely long and boring talk on the theory of Transfiguration beforehand), while Professor Flitwick started off their first ever Charms lesson with casting a levitation charm on the entire class for a bit of fun. Needless to say, many students screamed in fright at having floated upwards as soon as they entered the classroom.
Albus and Scorpius were relieved to return to their common room full yet nonetheless exhausted after their first day. The fire was brightly burning as they entered through the portrait hole to a chatty Gryffindor common room. Students from different years happily discussed their return to the classroom after a long summer break, while the two eleven-year-old boys sought to find Rose.
She was, for once, alone, rather than surrounded by friends, sitting by the fire reading her new book on Potions. Her face lit up upon seeing her cousin.
“Hey Albus!” She placed her book down, motioning for Albus and Scorpius to sit down. “How did you like that Charms lesson, eh? It was really cool how Flitwick made up levitate like that… I didn’t realise teachers could be so much fun.”
Albus smiled absently in reply as he looked into the heat of the fire. He had had a pretty cool day, and he had been nervous for nothing in the end. He knew it was to be expected, though, that everybody in the school would know him as Harry Potter’s son. Was it normal to feel as though he had so much pressure on him to be as good as his mother and father – and older brother – at everything?
“Albus?” Rose pressed gently, leaning forward and giving her cousin an intent look. “Are you okay?”
Albus shook his head, tearing his gaze away from the fire. He gave a reluctant smile. “I’m fine, Rose. Just… really tired.” He turned to Scorpius. “I think I might head off to bed.”
Scorpius rose from his seat, stretching his arms wide while yawning. “Yeah… me too. I’m exhausted.”
“’Night Rose.” Albus gave a quick wave to his cousin before leaving with Scorpius to head up to their dormitory. All of a sudden his good mood had faded – and was replaced with sullenness.
Was he going to live up to his family’s reputation?