Chapter 5- First Class Classes
Waking up to a stone ceiling, red curtains surrounding the boy's four-poster bed, Rigel smiles excitedly. 'Finally. I'm in Hogwarts, something I've wished would happen since I first saw the films, and to make things even better, I can learn magic formally.' He had a shower as quickly as he could, dressing again in semi-formal wear, so that should he have to remove the robe, he would remain well-dressed. Checking his watch, which sat just beside his wand holster, he noticed he had awoken at 6:30 am, just as he had for the past month during his Black education. Sitting at a small desk made of English Oak, a simple chair with the trademarked red and gold colouring, Rigel took out a quill and some parchment. He'd have preferred to use a biro, but Arcturus had explained that quills made from magical creatures could provide finer handwriting, and responded better to enchantments, so he had learned how to use one.
Grandfather, he wrote. I'm writing to inform you of my sorting. As I planned, the musically tormenting hat has placed me in Gryffindor, and while the décor is revolting, I'm somewhat glad to not be in Slytherin dealing with Malfoy, who was lacking in both decorum and guile. I've made a connection with the Potter girl and will continue to build the friendship. Three of the teachers appear worrying, Dumbledore, for reasons we both know, and Snape for his hatred of Sirius even after all these years. But there is another who was carefully observing the girl, and he has been pretending to have a stutter, for reasons unknown. I've met children with trauma-induced stutters and it is nowhere near as forced as his. I will write to you weekly.
Signed, Rigel Sirius Black.
The scratching of quill on parchment had woken up all but Ron, whose snoring was genuinely horrific, however the curtains, when sealed provided soundproofing which would be beneficial for late-night reading/homework, or anything else young boys do in their rooms. Making it to the Great Hall, led again by a prefect, though this one was remarkably quicker, the trip barely taking ten minutes. 'That ginger twat led us on a scenic route,' Rigel thought as he simmered with annoyance.
Taking platefuls of toast, sausages, fruit and eggs, the students mingled warmly, even the Slytherins were excited, although their table manners were remarkably better than our own. "Ron, use the cutlery provided or I'll cast a stinging hex every time you forget." Just as the boy was about to groan out a reply, food still in his mouth, Rigel smacked Ron's knuckles with a metal spoon. "And don't talk with your mouth full. What are you a child? It can't be that you weren't taught because the twins seem perfectly capable of using them, so use the damn utensils." After another two swats with a spoon, Ron had wiped his hands and started using the cutlery properly, which both slowed down his eating and made it remarkably less disgustingly horrific to watch. 'I can't believe I managed to tame the wild beast,' he thought, glad he wouldn't have to sit with a barbaric savage the entire time he was here.
"First-years, here are your timetables. Curfew is at nine pm and ends at 7 am, Anyone seen outside the Common rooms during those times will lose points for their house." Taking the schedules from the prefect Rigel was surprised by the amount of free time, assuming it might have to do with the rather ridiculous amounts of homework that is required of them.
Gryffindor 1stYear Timetable:
7-9 am Breakfast, 1-2 pm Lunch, 5-7 pm Dinner, 9 pm Curfew
Monday:
9:10-10:30 am Potions G/S
10:45-11:30 am Herbology G/H
11:45- 1:00 pm Free
2:15- 3 pm Charms G/R
3:15- 4 pm Transfiguration G/R
Tuesday:
9:10-10:30 am Charms G/R
10:45-11:30 am DADA G/S
11:45- 1:00 pm Herbology G/H
2:15- 3 pm Free
3:15- 4 pm Free
Wednesday:
9:10-10:30 am Transfiguration G/R
10:45-11:30 am History of Magic G/H
11:45- 1:00 pm Free
2:15- 3 pm Free
3:15- 4 pm Charms G/R
7:45-8:30 pm Astronomy G/R
Thursday:
9:10-10:30 am DADA G/S
10:45-11:30 am Potions G/S
11:45- 1:00 pm History of Magic G/H
2:15- 3 pm Flying Lessons G/S
3:15- 4 pm Flying Lessons G/S
Friday:
9:10-10:30 am Potions G/S
10:45-11:30 am Potions G/S
11:45- 1:00 pm Free
2:15- 3 pm Herbology G/H
3:15- 4 pm Transfiguration G/R
7:45-8:30 pm Astronomy G/R
The first class of the year and it's the famed potions class with the hook-nosed, greasy-hair bat called Snivvelus Snape. 'Maybe he'll be less of a git because it's a girl,' he hoped, though he knew that Snivvelus would have it out for him, being both attractive and Sirius's son. Though he wasn't sure which would offend the potions professor more. Walking as a group down to the dungeons, guided by helpful portraits, the Gryffindors reach the potion's room.
"Have you read the prescribed texts?" Hermione asked Jasmine, "Because I have. I found them fascinating. The number of herbs we have to remember seems a lot, but the way that astrology interacts with potion-making is incredible, isn't it?"
"I had a look through it," Jasmine replied, but she seemed far from confident, unsure whether she would be behind everyone else.
"That's as much as most people will have done Jasmine," Rigel says putting a hand on her shoulder, "Only the pure-bloods who would have had tutoring or the incredibly eager like Miss Granger would have a detailed understanding of the first-year material." This did help the green-eyed girl relax, understanding that she wouldn't stand out much for her lack of knowledge. "But I heard a rumour," he said, lying his ass off, now whispering in her ear as he finishes the made-up rumour, "that Professor Snape hated our fathers back in school, so expect him to be a poncy, rude git." Hermione, Ron and the would-be renowned gossip mill, Pavarti and Lavender were watching closely as he did this, intrigued by the idea of secret rumours.
"Really?" Jasmine said leaning back, but her confidence wasn't shaken, instead, she seemed more resolute, determined to perform well even if he didn't like her. She was truly interested in the idea of making potions, of all aspects of magic, and wouldn't let a bad teacher stop her from learning.
A note on the door told them to come into the room and sit in pairs. Hermione pretty much assaulted Jasmine as she grabbed and yanked her along into the room, leaving Rigel with Ron, who although incompetent, was less dangerous than Seamus or Neville. 'Especially when working with chemicals,' he thought.
The room was dark, both in poor lighting and in the slightly morbid gothic décor. Jars of skeletons and body parts of creatures lined the shelves, though he had to admit the room was at least clean. With a bang the door of the classroom opened, Snape, entered briskly as his dark robes trailed behind him, billowing from the speed, and perhaps an enchantment, though he couldn't be sure.
""You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a murmur, but everyone in the room could hear him, his presence keeping the class silent and focused on him. "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 delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, and ensnaring the senses… I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death, should you be smart enough to listen when I instruct and not stupid enough to ignore the exact recipes as they are given to you."
'Hmm, slightly more pleasant-sounding speech,' the Black heir observed. Though as the professor took the roll, he knew it was the same old Snape. "Rigel Black, the son of a deranged criminal. Perhaps I should alert the Aurors to prepare a cell beside him, should you be anything like your father."
"If I were deranged sir, I would have issues with sanity and speech. For instance, I might call you Snivvelus by mistake." Rigel was many things, able to put aside petty revenge was not one of them. The teacher flared in anger; yellow teeth bared as he stripped the boy of 3 house points, calling him a wide variety of names and comparing him to his Azkaban-sent father. Once he settled, he continued down the roll, stopping again at Jasmine Potter, flashing a look of irritation at the boy again before snarling to the class.
"Ah, yes, Jasmine Potter. Our new celebrity." His remark caused Draco and his two goons to giggle but was silenced by the smile on Black's face as he watched them. "Potter!" Snape said suddenly. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
"Uhh…I have no idea, sir."
"Tch. It seems fame isn't everything.
"Black," he said, though with remarkably more venom, "where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Ignoring the outstretched hand of Granger, the boy replied, "The stomach of a goat, or an apothecary, as it will counter the effects of most poisons."
"I did not ask for the use nor the snark, Mr Black. 1 point from Gryffindor." His words made some of the Slytherins chuckle, but the majority in the room were surprised by the punishment, seeing nothing in his comment as being rude at all. "Potter, what's the difference between Wolfsbane and Monkshood?" Snape was currently standing between the tables of Jasmine and Rigel, so he hinted with his hands, bringing the two hands together and mouthing the word 'same.'
"They, uh, are the same?" she said, though she phrased it more as a question.
"Hey, they cheated! Rigel helped her." Draco called out.
"Are you accusing me of cheating without evidence Draco?" the heir asked with a small smirk, causing the ferret to sit back in his seat. Snape was glaring at the two of them but couldn't punish them for it, so instead confirmed it.
"Yes, they are the same plant, though sometimes also referred to as Aconite. And the answer to the first question I asked you, Potter, is that you would get the draught of living death, a sleeping potion that one cannot awake from." After the mayhem of Neville's metal-melting cure boils potion, which had eaten through the cauldron and required him to be taken to the infirmary, class ended. The Gryffindors were well and truly sick of the daunting potion master who would glare at you or watch from over your shoulder in order to throw the lions off, causing them to make mistakes he would catch and then berate them for making in the first place.
Herbology was a fairly simple lesson, as Professor Sprout explained the different tools that are in the greenhouses, as well as the rules students must follow while in it, including which plants not to stand near in case they attempt to eat the child. Rigel spent the majority of the class with Neville and two Hufflepuff girls who seemed bonded at the hip, Hannah Abbot, and Susan Bones, copying them as they handled gently the cooling mint, named because the mint was literally cold to the touch. He talked with the girls not only to help his Herbology growth, though that certainly played a part, but to become friendly with Susan Bones, niece of Amelia Bones, possibly the only just DMLE member in the Ministry. 'The fact that fanfic decreed both girls became thicc baddies has nothing to do with my decision to befriend them,' the boy lied to himself.
Charms was the easiest of the subjects so far, and the first that required a wand. Flitwick had made clear that spellwork was often demanding of three things, wand movement, spell chanting, and a wizard's visualisation/intent, and through combining all three a spell would be most potent and effective. Rigel figured that it makes more sense this way, as by performing all three the spell would become more cost-effective, which is why silent casting isn't taught until sixth grade, and why although Dumbledore was the most powerful and experienced wizard in Britain, he still used a wand, despite being capable of some minor magic without it.
Still standing atop a pile of books written by people the professor didn't like, such as Lockhart, he began teaching the first basic spell. "Today we will be learning a very important spell known as the Wand-Lighting Charm. This charm is useful in dark places, whether you are searching a shadowy room for hidden dangers... Or trying to find a scroll that rolled under the sofa. Lumos!" After watching the half-goblin perform it and grant permission, everyone reached for their wands, performing the downward flick required.
"Lumos." Rigel's wand glowed a brilliant blueish white arousing an excited squeak from the Ravenclaw head of house.
"Well done Mr Black, have 2 points for Gryffindor," he said holding onto a pin of some kind that must act as a notetaker or perhaps controller for the house point systems. Hermione followed close behind and Pavarti after that, as Rigel then continued to practise, visualising different coloured light, managing to shift colours between casts, helping other struggling students as he did.
"Excellent control and I'm impressed at your willingness to help others regardless of house. 3 points to Gryffindor." The Gryffindors were glad that he'd made up the points he lost, and had stopped pulling weird faces when they looked at him. Earlier that morning the older students had explained that the winners of the House Cup were granted certain privileges, such as lessons from their head of house, as well as priority for booking the quidditch pitch, though he had wondered why the quidditch cup didn't give the last one. "Your father was rather good at charms," he said quietly, voice somewhat more sombre despite the squeakiness. Everyone had managed to perform both the Lumos and Nox spells before the end of class, including Ron, though his was more of a candle than a torch.
Finally making it to transfiguration, the class Rigel had been looking forward to the most, as although he had tried and practised a few of the charms, he had not attempted transfiguration. Something he was desperate to resolve.
Ron had left to go to the bathroom so the rest of the Gryffindors simply moved together, seeing as they went from class to class together anyway, though the groups were becoming more separated. Rigel's group of Gryffindors consisted of Jasmine, Ron, Neville, and Hermione, who communicated with him now after being forced to in Charms, as well as Lavender and Pavarti. Jasmine was still shy, as it had only been a day since meeting them, but was smiling almost non-stop as the girls gathered around her.
As they entered the room, Rigel passed by his friends who had taken the leftmost seats, leaving a spot next to Neville and another with Lavender, 'easy choice,' and looked at the tabby grey cat on the professor's desk. "Hello professor," he said quietly, his hand already scratching the cat's head. The cat looked up at him suddenly, tail straight and flared slightly, showing both her surprise and affront at being recognised and petted accordingly.
As Ron barrelled into the classroom, having run the entire way to the class, he panted out his relief, "Thank Merlin I'm not late. McGonagall would have had my head if I was late." Rigel felt his hand get swatted aside and in a second of morphing, McGonagall had taken human form again.
"Not your head Mr Weasley, just 5 points from your house," she said with a stern face causing him to gulp. "Mr Black, how did you know it was me?"
"The markings around the eyes look like your glasses and you ARE the transfiguration teacher, turning one thing into another."
"Very well, Mr Black, now take a seat." Rigel had smoothly taken a seat before Ron had even interpreted her words, positioning himself next to Lavender and meeting her with a smile. "Transfiguration is an incredibly complex and intensive manner of spellwork, so no fooling around will be permitted in this class. If I catch any of you doing anything that could affect another or potentially harm them, you will be banned from attending my class and receive a T for this class." Most of the smiles were now gone from the learners, but she continued, having finished her mandatory safety speech. "Today we will be transforming matches into needles, or at least attempting to. The chant is conmutocus (kon-moo-TOH-kus), and the wand is simply jabbed towards the match."
When the students were permitted to begin there was a series of failures, with only Hermione and Rigel having some changes to their matches. Hermione's was slightly pointed, whereas Rigel's was now completely silver, though still a match. "Good attempt, the both of you. 2 points each to Gryffindor." It took another ten or so minutes before Rigel managed to completely transform the needle, earning more points and a nod of approval.
Just as he had in charms class, the boy continued to alter the spell through visualisation, trying to engrave patterns into the needles, at first simplistic, then progressively more complex. By the time the class ended he had made a needle with his full name written on it across its length, something noticed by the professor who stopped him as he went to leave.
"Mr Black, a word? Can you show me the final needle you made today, with the writing along it?" Taking it into her hands, she examined it thoroughly, the smoothness of the engraved letters and the pointiness of the needle itself. "Has your family ever taught you transfiguration magic?"
"Before this class I had never cast or practised a transfiguration spell professor." She eyed him for a moment, eyes seemingly piercing into his. 'Wait, she doesn't know legillemency does she?' "I'll be taking this Mr Black, though know that you have done nothing wrong. I simply wish to have this needle for the teacher's discussion at the end of the week. Keep up the good work, and I'm looking forward to your homework."
She'd left four inches of writing on 'What is transfiguration,' for homework. A small amount, but Ron and Lavender had complained anyway, while Hermione had muttered about not having enough room.
With Jasmine spending more time with the girls in her free time, not all but most, and Ron more than happy to argue with Dean Thomas over whether football or quidditch were better sports, Rigel was able to get a lot of free time. Time without being watched or annoyed. So he tested the best learning resource in Hogwarts, the Room of Requirements. Having to ask a portrait of a witch who was dancing with a dressed-up giraffe for directions, he made it to Barmy's dancing trolls. 'I need a space I can practise spells in, with a pull-up bar.' Walking back and forth in front of the space he saw the door appear from the wall, decorated in vine work and with corrugated iron hinges and handles. Entering the room, it was as he imagined. Training dummies, a pull-up bar, and a pile of books listing basic combat spells next to a deep cushioned chair. Rigel spent the majority of his free time there, using the excuse of exploring the castle or spending time in the library, which scared off the male Gryffindors other than Neville, who was so easy to get distracted that Rigel could start a conversation with him about plants next to another person, then slip out of it unbeknownst to him.
Rigel came back to his common room Wednesday night and surveyed the room, spotting Ron playing chess, Jasmine talking with Hermione, Pavarti and Lavender and Neville reading a novel. Seeing how relaxed they were he couldn't help but think, 'Considering how much the others goof off it's no wonder the protagonists always surpass them quickly. Well, at least there's flying tomorrow.'