Little Black Sheep

The next morning as I walked by Harry and Ron whispers filled the corridors like wild fire.
“There, look.”
“Where?”
“Next to the tall kid with the red hair and the girl with the black hair.”
“Wearing the glasses?”
“Did you see his face?”
“Did you see his scar?”
I shot a glare over at the group of Hufflepuffs that were gossiping near a staircase and walked closer to Harry.
I leaned into his ear, “It’s ok, Harry. This was to be expected right?”
“Ya, but it just seems so…weird.” He answered.
“Just try to ignore them,” I tried to assure him as we passed a Ravenclaw who glanced at us and then took a double take.
He groaned, “I just wish they would all stop.”
“Hey didn’t I just see that guy in the feathered hat a few hallways ago?” I heard Ron questioned a puzzled look on his face.
“How are we ever going to make it to any of our classes?” I complained, exasperated, “There has to be a million staircases in this place! They’re all different, but the never stay in the same place! I can’t even depend on the doors anymore!”
“There’s actually a hundred and forty-two staircases in Hogwarts and you just have to go down those steps to get to your class.” I heard a familiar voice behind me. Suddenly, it felt as if a cold wind just blew through me and Nearly Headless Nick appeared in front of my face.
“Oh, I’m dearly sorry, Emily, but there isn’t any room to move.” He apologized and continued to glide through the halls.
“That was a little disturbing. He just…floated right through you!” Ron exclaimed, his face a little pale.
“I think my breakfast is not very happy right now.” I clutched my stomach.
“At least our class if just over there and we didn’t run into Peeves. Come on, before we’re late!” Harry ushered us over to the staircase, it moving under our feet.
“Remember what Peeves did to Neville at breakfast?” Ron asked.
“Ya.” Both Harry and I replied and I shuddered.
Peeves once again was at his tricks and had poured a whole bucket of toe fungus jelly onto the poor boy. I was pretty sure he was still in the hospital wing, scrubbing the foul slime off.
We reached the classroom door and tugged it, slipping inside before the bell went off.
The week went by with a few incidents. Peeves officially was known to all first years to be the last thing you wanted to run into when you were late for class. He would do all sorts of pranks and tricks on you that would make you late for sure. What was even worse was when you got lost. Harry, Ron, and I were looking for our class and we tried tugging on this one door. Soon enough, Filch saw us and a yellow toothed grin appeared on his face. It turned out to be the door that lead to the out-of-bounds corridor on the third floor. We tried to convince him we were just looking for our class, but he continued to say that we were trying to break school rules. Then suddenly, Professor Quirrel came by, giving a nervous smile at Harry and persuaded Filch to leave us alone. I remember seeing Filch’s cat, a dirty colored, thin, devious thing. It already built up a reputation in my first week here. She was Filch’s side kick and if you even set a finger in the wrong place, she was off to her master and he’d appear just a second later. It was no secret that Filch also knew many of the passage ways that tunneled through the school’s walls and could get anywhere at anytime. Everyone despised the old man just about the same he despised us. Many of us also wouldn’t have minded if his cat just happened to go missing either.
There were many classes at Hogwarts too, but they seemed more difficult that I imagined. Sure I knew how to lock my suite case, but as soon as I got into class, I found out spell casting was more than flicking your wand and saying some mumble jumbo. I remember going to a few of my classes. The teachers made the spells sound simple to do, but I couldn’t figure out when to flick or how to say the word, it was all very frustrating over time. We had many different and strange classes, some that could be related to a normal, human class, but each had a magical twist.
Every Wednesday night I would have to go out with a telescope and name six stars and trace the path of the planets right before I went to bed. Three times a week we would have to go to the greenhouses right outside the castle to go to a class called Herbology. The teacher seemed nice enough, but she was a short…wide witch. She probably was a grandmother. There we studied plants and fungi, seeing what uses they had and what potions they were used in.
We also had a class called History of Magic and that was when most people got their sleep. It was taught by a ghost, which I had a suspicion he never knew he died. I heard that he, Professor Binns, was just sleeping in front of the teacher’s lounge fire and his spirit got up the next day to teach, his body long forgotten. His voice was monotone and dry, which easily lulled people to sleep, but what was worse was the things we had to learn. We didn’t learn about the cool things, like how Dragons were discovered or about the times humans tried to cremate magical folk. No, we learned dates and strange names. It even seemed like he got them mixed up!
Charms was another class we have, which was taught by Professor Flitwick, a dwarf like man. On the first day I saw that he had a rather few large books behind his desk that he stood on. During attendance he called my name, and didn’t wink, or look at me funny, he just continued down the list. When he reached Harry’s name it seemed like he was going to have a heart attack from pure joy.
The head of the Gryffindor house, Professor McGonagall, was different from all the teachers. Yes, she was a strict teacher and was very witty. On the first day, she had a speech prepared. “Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts. Anyone messing in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned,” and flicked her wand at her desk, changing it into a snot nosed pig, and then back to a wooden table, just to prove her point.
Everyone was glossy eyed and excited, but it turned out we weren’t going to be doing anything that complicated for a while. What we had to do instead was take notes that Professor McGonagall had a floating piece of chalk write onto the board. They were all very confusing, but at least a little exciting. By the end of the class we were each given a match and a spell to change it into a needle. Everyone in the class was frustrated, and I looked down at mine, my brow furrowed as it continued to be a piece of wood. I watched as Ron and Harry struggled next to me and a few minutes before the class was over Mrs. McGonagall showed everyone Hermione’s, she was the only one to make it change at all. It was silver and slightly pointy. Mrs. McGonagall gave her one of her few smiles. I glared at the girl, little miss know-it-all.
The class that always was heard through the halls though was Defense against the Dark Arts. Harry, Ron, and I walked in to only find that rumor was a dud. I wrinkled my nose every time I walked inside, it smelling of potent garlic, which the gossip mill said was because Professor Quirrel met vampires in Romania and was afraid they’d come back to get him. He told us a story about how an African prince gave him his purple turban as a present for getting rid of some zombies, but many people said it was rubbish. Seamus even asked how Quirrel fought of the flesh eating zombies, but he only started rambling about the weather and many people thought the Turban smelled rank. The Weasely Twins said they were sure it was filled with garlic, to protect him wherever he went.
As I watched many other students in my classes struggle and ask ‘too many’ questions, I saw that Harry was relieved. His worries from the train surely vanished. Even Ron was having trouble and his family was full of Hogwarts graduates. There were also many kids from Muggle families, they were very different from Hermione, who also had Muggle parents, and some didn’t even know how to hold a wand right. Also, the fact that no one could have known everything that they were going to be taught this year, it was too much to comprehend over just one summer kept Harry and I pretty much equally informed as everyone else.
Today was finally Friday, the end of the week, which was very important to us, of course. That morning Harry, Ron, and I for the first time didn’t get lost on the way to the Great Hall for breakfast, score!
I sat down at our now usual seat and spooned a little sugar into my coffee, “What do we have today?”
I somehow had all my classes with Harry, along with Ron. It was a huge joy, but I couldn’t help, but feel it was planned.
“Double Potions with the Slytherins,” Ron groaned, spooning some porridge into his mouth, “Snape’s Head of the Slytherin House. They say he always favors them-we’ll be able to see if it’s true.”
“Wish McGonagall favored us.” Harry grumbled and wrinkled his nose at my cup.
I scooted my cup away, “Don’t knock it ‘till ya try it,” and I envisioned the huge stack of unfinished Transfiguration homework sitting on my nightstand and sighed, “Ya, it’s still sitting untouched by my bed. Did any of you get it finished?”
“No.” they both said just as our owls started swooping in.
I watched as all the different colored owls dropped little packages or letters into their owner’s laps and suddenly Harry’s owl, Hedwig dropped a letter onto Harry’s empty plate and waddled over to Rosemarie.
“Who’s it from Harry?” I asked as I gave Rosemarie a piece of doughnut.
“Hagrid,” and he passed the note to me.
I tried to read Hagrid’s messy handwriting:
Dear Harry,
I know you get Friday afternoons off, so would you like to come and have a cup of tea with me around three? I want to hear all about your first week. Send us an answer back with Hedwig.
Hagrid
P.S. Bring that Emily lass with you too.
I handed the letter back to Harry and he scribbled a response on it. Why would Hagrid want to see me? Harry held out the letter for Hedwig and he bit onto it, flapping his wings, and disappearing with Rosemarie. Harry smiled at Emily, obviously excited that he would be seeing Hagrid again. Good thing too, because he probably needed that to get through Potions class.
To get to Potions class we had to climb down the cool, damp, moss covered steps that lead under the school to the dungeons. The place seemed perfect for a guy like Snape, or what I heard of him. I still wondered what happened the first night, the flash of pain that erupted through my wrist. It was so strange…
I sat down at a wooden desk and cringed as I saw a dead rat float in one of Snape’s Mason jars. I nudged Ron’s arm and pointed towards it and his face turned a little green.
“It looks a little like Scabbers.” He said and I started to worry.
I was so distracted I didn’t even know Snape was doing name call, “Emily….Blarsh.” He spat my last name and gave me a hate-filled grimace. What crawled up his butt and died?
The list continued and he glared at all the Gryffindors and I groaned when he announced Draco’s name. Just great!
“Ah yes,” Snape paused, “Harry Potter. Our new- celebrity.” He stretched the last word and spoke nonchalantly, with venom flowing underneath.
I could hear Draco’s and his goons’ laughter as Snape continued down the list. Snape then looked up, his eyes hard and black, full of hatred and misery for anyone who dared to look into them.
“You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making,” Snape’s voice was very quiet, but with the class deathly quiet, he didn’t need to be any louder, “As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don’t expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death- if you aren’t as big of dunderheads as I usually have to teach.” And he finished his speech, a lingering bite at his insult.
Harry, Ron, and I looked at each other with stares that seemed to say, “This is going to be a great year.” I glanced over at Hermione Granger with a slightly eager and insulted look on her face. She obviously wanted to prve she was no dunderhead.
“Potter!” Snape suddenly snapped, “What would I get if I added powered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?”
Powder root of what? What was Snape asking him? I saw Hermoine’s hand shoot into the air, desperate.
Harry looked over at Ron and I, fully confused and I gave him a sympathetic look. He turned back to Snape, “I don’t know,sir,” His voice was small.
Snape had a delighted look on his face, “Tut, tut- fame isn’t everything.”
Snape didn’t even glance over at Hermione’s arm.
“Let’s try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?” Snape asked.
Hermione seemed like she was going to explode and was practically hopping out of her seat. I could hear Draco’s snickers from where I was sitting.
“I don’t know, sir.” Harry’s voice sounded defeated.
I just wanted to go up to Snape and give him a piece of my mind, Ron didn’t seem too happy either.
“Thought you would open a book before coming, eh, Potter?” Snape’s voice was smug and he continued to ignore Hermione’s desperate face.
Harry’s eyes became harder and his expression a little angrier, but he continued to look into Snape’s cold, depthless eyes.
“What is the difference between monkshood and wolfsbane?” he shot another question at Harry.
Hermione seemed to finally have enough and now was standing up, raising her arm as high as she could.
“I don’t know. I think Hermione does, though, why don’t you try her?” Harry said, receiving a few laughs.
Snape finally turned to Hermione, “Sit down,” he barked and looked back to Harry, “For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is know as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name aconite. Well? Why aren’t you all copying that down?”
The students suddenly started scrambling for their parchment and quills and so did I. Snape also added, “And a point will be taken from Gryffindor House, for your cheek, Potter.”
Snape told us to get into groups and I started to get with Ron and Harry when Snape said, “Two per a group, Ms. Bl- arsh.” He glanced at the two boys, “Why don’t you pair up with Goyle, hm?”
I was going to argue and say another girl was looking for a partner when Ron shot me a warning glance. I sighed and shuffled off to where Goyle was sticking the cauldron spoon up his nose. This’ll be fun. We began weighing dried nettle and crushing snake fangs, or I did anyway, Goyle was still playing with the spoon.
Snape swooped over, “You have too much nettle, Blarsh. Better try again,” He sneered.
“I’m pretty sure I weighed it fairly accurate, sir.” I tried to say lightly, frustration boiling in the pit of my stomach.
“You dare contradict me? You’re a foolish child. Another point from Gryffindor.” And he swept away as I bit my tongue.
Draco snickered next to me, “Shut it, Blondy.” I whispered, sure to keep the insult away from Snape’s ears.
A while later, Snape came over again, but to Draco’s pot, “Nice job, Malfoy. You stewed the horned slugs perfectly. Look everyone, see how he used-“
Snape didn’t finish bragging for his favorite student because a green haze started to fill the room and a loud spitting noise came from the floor as I got up on my chair. Neville was drenched in the potion from when it ate through the cauldron and started scratching at the angry boils that appeared on his limbs.
“Idiot boy!” Snape ridiculed, using his wand to wipe the potion away, “I suppose you added the porcupine quills before taking the cauldron off the fire?”
Neville started to whine when red bumps started sprouting form his nose.
“Take him up to the hospital wing.” Snape snapped at Seamus and then span around to Ron and Harry.
Snape stuck an accusing finger at Harry, “You-Potter- why didn’t you you tell him not to add the quills? Thought he’d make you look good if he got it wrong, did you? That’s another point form Gryffindor.”
I saw Harry open his mouth, but I beat him to it, “That isn’t fair, Professor Snape! Harry didn’t even reach that step yet! How could he have known?”
“Well, if he read the recipe before starting he would have. And I see you are farther than that, so you did know. Why didn’t you stop him yourself, Ms. Blarsh? Two points from Gryffindor for your un-thoughtfulness!” He glared hatefully at me and I was about to open my mouth when I bit bottom lip.
Sure, he won for now, but I would get Snape back one day. I continued with my potion, ignoring Goyle for the rest of the hour. When the bell finally rung, I stomped out of the dungeon room.
“Erg! Why does Snape have to be such a bloody git!? I can’t believe it, I lost three points for Gryffindor. What else is he going to do next time?” I fumed as I turned to Harry’s glum face.
“I’m sorry, Harry. I didn’t mean to loose those points..I should have just kept my mouth shut.” I said more quietly, a hand on Harry’s back.
“No, it’s ok. Thanks for standing up for me. I also lost points, so I should be sorry. Why does Snape hate me so much?” Harry said his head low.
“He seems to hate both of you very much.” Ron added, his voice angry.
“Hmm..he does.” I said thoughtfully, my mind zoning out.
What was wrong with Snape?
Ron then nudged Harry, “Cheer up. Snape’s always taking point of Fred and George. Can I come and meet Hagrid with you?”
We walked through the halls and checked the clock above us. It was five to three, time to go to Hagrid’s. Harry, Ron, and I walked up to the hut in the back of the school which sat on the border of the Forbidden Forest. Harry knocked on the wooden door and I could hear somebody jostle through the house and a few loud barks. I could hear Hagrid oder the dog, “Back, Fang-back.”
Soon enough, the door opened, revealing Hagrid’s hairy face and friendly eyes and he closed the door a little.
“Hang on,” Hagrid said, “Back, Fang,” and then let the door fully open.
He held on tight to the collar of the overly excited boarhound. As I looked around there were animals hanging from the ceiling, a tea kettle was boiling over the fire, and there was a huge bed in the corner of the room.
“Make yerselves at home.” Hagrid said and let go of Fang’s collar, who ran over to Ron, licking his ears.
“This is Ron,” Harry introduced him and I sat in the background a little nervous.
“Another Weasely, eh? I spent half me life chasin’ yer twin brothers away from the forest.” Hagrid glanced over at Ron, studying his red hair.
He then looked over at me, “Emily, why you sittin’ back there? C’mon, here’s a seat.” I scuttled over to the wooden stool, “Got yer dad’s eyes.” He said airily and then turned back to the boys.
“How was yer first week?” Hagrid asked and we started in our tale.
While we explained our first classes, Hagrid set out a plate of lumpy, rock hard cakes, but we tried to look as if they were delicious, just to make him happy. I petted Fang’s black fur covered head as he drooled on Harry’s knee. When we got to when Mr. Filch accused us of going into the third-floor-corridor Hagrid called him an old git.
“An’ as fer that cat, Mrs. Norris, I’d like ter introduce her to Fang sometime,” I gave a little giggle at the thought, “D’yeh know, every time I go up ter the school, she follows me everywhere? Can’t get rid of her- Filch puts her up to it.”
We then started to tell Hagrid about Snape’s lesson.
“Don’t worry ‘bout it, Harry. You too Emily. He’s like that to everyone.” Hagrid said in response.
“He really seemed to hate us though.” I persisted.
“Rubbish! Why would he?” Hagrid looked slightly away as he said that and switched to a different subject, “How’s yer brother Charlie?” Hagrid turned to Ron, “I like him a lot- great with animals.”
As I listen to Ron tell Hagrid about Charlie working with dragons in Romania I spot a piece of newspaper clipping under a tea cozy. I nudged Harry and he picked it up.
Gringotts Break-In Latest
Investigation continue into the break-in at Gringotts on 31 July, widely belived to be the work of Dark wizards or witches unknown.
Gringotts goblins today insisted nothing had been taken. The vault seemed that was searched had in fact been emptied the same day.
“But we’re not telling you what was in there, so keep your noses out if you know what’s good for you,” said a Gringotts spokesgoblin this afternoon.
A pictured accompanied the article; it had a goblin talking with a reporter.
“Hagrid!” Harry exclaimed, “that Gringotts break-in happened on my birthday! It might’ve been happening while we were there!”
I looked at Harry confused, he was there during the break-in? Hagrid didn’t continue the subject and my suspicions rose. As we walked back, our pockets were weighed down with rock cakes we couldn’t refuse to bring, I started letting my thoughts wander. What would Hagrid be hiding about the break-in? Why was Harry there? Did Hagrid know something about Snape that we didn’t?