8 Hogwarts: A normal day (rewritten)

That evenin', a mighty chill breeze rattled them winders of a long-forgotten classroom, its desolation plain as day with the thick layer of dust that clung to every bench, chair, and inch of the floor. In that there silent, neglected chamber, a lone figure done cast a shadow 'cross the whole darn scene, sittin' perched on one o' them chairs,

Then, a sudden creak done echoed in from the door, bustin' up the feller's lonesomeness.

Arthur: "Sorry if I scared the whiskers off ya."

Elias: "Oh, just a minor startle," he replied, absentmindedly scratching his head. "What brings you here? Anything amiss?"

Arthur: "In fact, I've got something rather crucial to discuss. But before we delve into that, how's your day been?"

Elias: "Started off reasonably well, but I swear I won't follow another Weasley anywhere... He's the reason I've been fashionably late for nearly every class... And to make matters worse, do you recall the bushy-haired one from the train?"

Arthur: "Ah, yes. What was her name again?"

Elias: "Hermione, Hermione Granger. Well, she took it upon herself to learn me how to do things 'by the book,' as she says. We butted heads at every turn. Who you reckon was usually right? That gal can be mightily vexing... But enough 'bout me. How 'bout your day?"

Arthur: "Mine got off to a sour start, I'll confess, but it done ended on a right positive note, you might say. Only hiccup was havin' to teach a lesson 'bout the weight of one's words."

Elias: "You mean... Did you find yourself in a pickle?"

Arthur: "What makes you say that?"

Elias: "I heard a couple of older students from my house talking about witnessing quite a thorough thrashing of Malfoy's son and his gang..."

Arthur: "They had it coming, talking 'bout my mum like that in my presence."

Elias: "It's just the first day, Arthur... You reckon it's too soon for trouble?"

Arthur: "I thought so too, after I had my go at 'em..."

Elias: "How many was there? As far as I know, Malfoy don't travel light."

Arthur: "There was three... I got lucky."

Elias: "Luck was on your side, but I get it, brother. You ain't one to act 'less there's a good reason. But next time, give me a shout too. We might be in different houses, and them houses don't see eye to eye..." Elias flashed his house badge. "This badge don't mean nothin' to me. You're more important than any school. We ain't just friends; we're brothers. Keep that in mind next time you're fixin' to stir up trouble." He grinned as he spoke.

Arthur: "For me, that house don't mean nothin' either... But I didn't call you 'cause o' that... I called 'cause of a mighty peculiar dream I had."

Elias: "Oh... What kinda dream was it?"

Arthur: "Well..."

It took a spell for me to lay it all out, describing the dream down to the finest detail. As I spoke, we moseyed toward the Gryffindor bedrooms. I sent the force to keep an eye out for anyone lurking nearby; we'd already stirred up enough trouble for one day.

Elias had a good laugh when he found out I'd earned Slytherin points in the morning. It sure had folks scratching their heads, 'cause points usually came from the teachers, and Professor Slughorn wasn't known for divvying 'em up so easily, especially outside of class.

Elias: "How you plannin' to track down this feller? You got yourself a scheme?"

Arthur: "It's just the first week, truth be told, I ain't too worried. First, we gotta get the hang of them magical subjects and this here castle. The rest can wait."

Elias: "That's a sound plan, Arth, but don't forget, I'm catchin' on quick. I hope you can keep up."

If only they knew I already knew more than most of the students who'd been here for years.

Fat Lady: "What kinda time do you think it is? Don't reckon it's right to be wanderin' these corridors so late... 'specially for the first-years."

Elias: "Awfully sorry, ma'am, had to step out for somethin' important."

Arthur: "Looks like we done arrived, and the Lady's right, it's gettin' quite late... gotta rise early tomorrow..."

Elias:"...Arth before you go...I feel that I did not make myself understood enough... I've heard a lot of stories about those in your house... What I want to say is don't hesitate to tell me if you need help"

Upon hearing his words, a smile naturally crossed my face. I couldn't deny that I understood why Elias had been sorted into Gryffindor—loyal, brave, and honorable, he embodied the very essence of his house. Elias North, my brother.

The Fat Lady, the guardian of the Gryffindor common room entrance, chimed in impatiently, "Are you going to give me the password, or should I prepare to stay awake all night waiting for you to finish your conversation?"

I nodded to her, then approached the wall. I pressed a random brick, and like magic, a door materialized before us. Elias stood there, his mouth agape in astonishment.

"B-but how? It's the first bloody day, Arth! How?" he stammered.

I shrugged nonchalantly. "Take care, Eli, and don't do what I wouldn't do... Well, maybe not the best advice I've ever given you, but see you around."

With that, I stepped through the doorway, and it sealed shut behind me, leaving Elias standing at the entrance to the Gryffindor dormitories.

The Fat Lady remarked, "You've got quite an interesting friend there, little one."

Elias chuckled and replied, "If only you knew. Anyway, 'Caput Draconis.'" He spoke the password, and the painting swung open to reveal the entrance to the Gryffindor common room.

The morning after the scuffle, or perhaps I should say the day following the chaotic incident, brought with it a sense of relief. Finally, I could savor a night of undisturbed rest, free from the tumultuous dreams that had, until now, consistently jolted me awake...

Regrettably, this new morning served as a stark reminder that not all matters could be so easily resolved. I had yet to acclimate myself to the incessant whispers of my fellow students, their restless curiosity following me from the moment I stepped out of my dormitory. A queue of people congregated outside, their hushed voices buzzing like a constant undercurrent. Fortunately, I was not condemned to traverse these echoing corridors alone. It seemed that Theodore Nott had taken a peculiar interest in me, and we found ourselves, as he humorously termed it, allies. In Slytherin, he insisted, friendships were an elusive concept, replaced instead by pragmatic alliances. Over the course of our connection, I had learned a great deal about him, yet the primary reason I hadn't distanced myself from him was our shared belief in blood purity—or rather, the absence of its significance. We shared the conviction that one's lineage should not define their worth, but rather the respect they offered and received.

Unidentified Voice 1: "There, take a look."

Unidentified Voice 2: "Where?"

Unidentified Voice 1: "Right beside the tall lad with the perpetually twitching nose."

Unidentified Voice 3: "Did you catch a glimpse of his expression?"

Unidentified Voice 4: "Did you see the intensity in his eyes?"

Unidentified Voice 2: "Did he glance in my direction?"

Students of various ages and backgrounds stood on their tiptoes or doubled back in the corridors to catch another glimpse of me, their unabashed stares almost palpable.

I fervently wished they would desist, for I was struggling to focus on finding my way to the Great Hall. Navigating shortcuts through the castle was tempting, but with so many prying eyes upon me, I couldn't risk it. I had made a promise to Mr. Flinch, the groundskeeper, to keep our secret shortcuts concealed from the rest of the student body. It was his unique means of keeping pace with the students and their magical abilities, he had explained, and I was duty-bound to uphold our pact.

There were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then some doors wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. It was also very hard to remember where anything was because it all seemed to move around a lot. The people in the portraits kept going to visit each other and I was sure the coats of armor could walk. The ghosts didn't help, either.

I couldn't believe how much my life changed...Every step I take in this place is as if it was made to remind me that I am no longer in the same small town in Romania where I come from... I am honestly happy that I have this opportunity.

My happiness was overshadowed by awe when I sat down for breakfast in the Great Hall. I could see the hundreds of owls that streamed inside the Greathall to deliver mail. So many owls of all shapes, colors, and sizes had swooped down to release their burdens into the intended recipient's awaiting hands or lap. Though I didn't receive anything, I had been entertained by the creatures' graceful entrance and exit. Issues with Malfoy and future punishment from Professor Slughorn aside, it was another excellent day that began with another full stomach.

Easily the most boring class was History of Magic. Professor Binns had droned on and on while they scribbled down names and dates as I had done in a normal school. Even now, I thought that I'd gotten Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball mixed up while I was taking notes, though I was equally sure that Emeric had never owned a Fwooper, a magical bird whose song could drive a listener insane.

There had been a long free period after that class and then after lunch was Charms Class. Professor Flitwick was tinier in person than he had been sitting at the enormous High Table. He had to stand on a pile of books to see over his tall desk. At the start of their first class, he took roll call, and when he reached my name he gave an excited squeak and toppled out of sight. The Slytherins laughed at the teacher, and I nodded respectfully to him.

I was glad I didn't start the lesson with Wingardium Leviosa, this is not a spell for the faint of heart. If we had started with that, maybe I would have understood my reasonable frustration. Instead, I started with an even simpler spell. One that came naturally and was just an extension of a wizard's natural ability to make sparks fly from the tip of his wand. The Lumos spell was a simple twirl of the wand. At least, Professor Flitwick had assured me that, a few Slytherins had done well on their first try, as had the Hufflepuffs.

"Lumos," I muttered for the umpteenth time, glancing at the slightly glowing tip of my wand. I was doing something to him, obviously, but it wasn't working as well as I wanted it to. At most, I had a midnight glow, while the others ranged from vibrant colors to bright torches.

"Lumos," I insisted, the light shining a little brighter. I glanced over at the others and how they were going through the motions of the spell book. The flick of the wrist, and the spinning motion, all made sense in hindsight, but I couldn't let go of the motion. If I did, It would shine with the rest of the class, wouldn't I? However, I took the book in my hand again and started to look past the wizard's movement from the picture, and into the description of the spell itself - and the horrible cursive writing used, I seriously can't understand why we still use quills and ink. - I read a passage that left me puzzled.

The more the spell is charged, the brighter the light. A sorcerer's ability to naturally select the most appropriate of glows for the right setting varies with their control over their magic.

I can't understand my magic anymore, it acts as it wants nowadays, even in the fight I had with Malfoy, everything was from reflex...although my training at home went well here, it's like something is blocking me and I don't know what...I felt this blockage after the dream I had...

How did one even go about charging spells? the book doesn't explain this at all...damn!

I could try to maybe scrunch my eyebrows, put the effort in as if I had to go to the loo, think really hard about it, and then... "Lumos!" and a shining, dazzling, light shone from the tip of my wand with such a bright intensity that I actually let go of the wand and clutched my eyes, which teared up from the abrupt change in luminosity.

"Who did that!?" Filius yelled as I whimpered softly, massaging my eyes. "Mister Prince? Are you alright"

"I'm fine," I muttered, "My eyes sting," I added as I kept them closed, massaging them ever so slightly with the palm of my hands.

"I suppose they would," Professor Flitwick's voice came through, "That was quite the strong Lumos spell, perhaps tone it down a little. Five points to Slytherin, for such brilliance." There were a few cheers from Slytherin's and the Hufflepuff's side. I spend most of the remaining lesson rubbing my eyes and trying to get the image of the crimson wand out of my seared retinas.

Their next class was with Professor McGonagall. She was again different than all the other teachers. I had been quite right to think she wasn't someone to cross when she first greeted us in the Entrance Hall. Strict and clever, she gave us a talking-to the moment we sat down in her first class.

Professor McGonagall: "This Transfigurations class will hold some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts," she said. "Anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."

Then she changed her desk into a pig and back again. Some of my year-mates were impressed. Others weren't quite. but all of them had something in common and that was that they couldn't wait to get started, but soon realized we weren't going to be changing the furniture into animals for a long time. After making a lot of complicated notes, we were each given a match and started trying to turn it into a needle. By the end of the lesson, only I was successful in changing my match in a needle the others as Nott, Draco, and Daphne had made any difference to their match but were not fully transfigurated as mine was,

Professor McGonagall showed the class how my match had gone all silver and pointy and gave me a rare smile.

Transfigurations, the magic of changing things into something else, took up two periods in a day, and then there was another free period after lunch...

During this time I visited the place where I was brought here the first night in my dreams, maybe I can find some clues, maybe I can break the blockade that was imposed on my magic... the corridor where the painting was, was now empty ...As I sat there ... I wondered if I would be able to pass the test ... I know I shouldn't worry... But still, I would give anything to find answers to the questions I have now that no one is answering.

These thoughts were interrupted by a touch on my shoulder ... I looked to see who is responsible for it... I could see the same eyes that looked at me the day I bought my wand…

Caitlyn: "Sorry did I scare you, Arthur? or better said, Mr. Prince"

I scratched my head and smiled

Arthur:" Not at all" I scratched my head and smiled. "Fancy seeing you here Caitlyn, how are you on this fine evening"

She smiled at me back and said

Caitlyn:" Same old same, did you not see me at the sorting? I waved at you.."

Arthur: "Sorry Caitlyn, I think I was too amazed by the beauty of the castle that I couldn't see you.."

Her smile grew.

Caitlyn: "Isn't it!? Hogwarts is amazing! I'm glad I can study where my parents studied." she looked at my uniform and said " so Slytherin huh... I would have expected the hero's child to be a Gryffindor"

Arthur: "So I have heard, so how is life in Hufflepuff?"

Caitlyn: "Hufflepuff is like a home for me everyone is like a family ... you know... My grandfather, my parents were part of the Ravenclaw ... But I was sorted to Hufflepuff, my grandfather says I'm some kind of wild card of the family but I don't know what to say about that..."

Arthur:" You seem to be very close to your grandfather ... "

Caitlyn:" yea... My parents died in the war ... And my grandfather is the only family I have left... how is it with you?"

Arthur:" For a while, I thought it was just me and my mother ..... "I scratched my head at that and

said" Until I met my aunt, Iris. And my whole life took a drastic turn, I could say."

Caitlyn:" A drastic turn, you say...why is that?

Arthur: "you see...I didn't know I was a wizard until recently..."

Caitlyn: "I can't believe it! yesterday you put on a show at sorting, no one heard that dirty hat speak anything but that annoying song, and the name of the house you are sorted in... I thought you were already quite familiar with us, you know what I mean, you are full of surprises Arth"

Arthur: "Not much, but I try. "

Caitlyn: "Anyway what are you doing here?"

I don't think it would be good to tell her... I don't know if I can trust her yet...

Arthur: "to be honest, I tried to explore, but I got lost "

she smiled and said

Caitlyn: "Oh I see...then it's good that I found it"

Arthur: "but may I ask what you are doing here?"

Caitlyn: "This place is the corridor leading to the Headmaster. I have something to talk about with the Headmaster, family problems... "

Arthur: "Oh I see well then don't let me hold you back, see you later"

Caitlyn: "Yes indeed it is getting quite late...before you leave...be careful this corridor is visited very often by Peeves, a prankster with bad jokes.."

Arthur: "ok... see you later"

Caitlyn: "later then!"

after that, we parted, each in his own way...

I headed to the great hall for dinner, and she went about her business... today I didn't succeed in finding anything relevant... I just put more questions on the shelf... damn