Second Year Classes (Potions/History)

Seeing as Hermione is ignoring me and Ron and Harry are probably going to be late I decided to head to Potions first. Walking in I notice that no one else is here yet I just sit down and wait, I'm 20 minutes early anyway.

I take a deep breath and sigh. "Exhausted already, Black?" a monotone voice rings out from me behind me.

I turn in a start to see the greasy-haired hook nose himself is behind me. I play off the scare with a smile. "Better early than late I figure."

He stares at me blankly unamused. "Punctuality is a good trait. But perhaps you should find something to keep yourself busy… rather than just wasting time…" He walks past me to the teaching podium grabbing herbs, organizing them, and then starts looking through his bookshelf.

I roll my eyes once he can't see me but he speaks up "I don't expect lip."

I stare at him wondering how he knew. But quickly reply "I don't know. I think there is a value in being left alone with your thoughts for a while." I say trying to sound stoic.

He grunts "But there is more value in learning." His dry voice resounds a bit in the large room. Once he finishes speaking he seems to find what he is looking for on the shelf and grabs it out reading a bit out of it before nodding. Walking over to me he sets it on the desk in front of me and looks at me with his ever blank face.

"I would suggest you do not waste your talents, young Black. Many would give everything to be in your place…" He begins walking away as I look at the book.

I turn and talk to his departing figure "What? To be an orphan?" He doesn't say anything in reply to my joke but he lets out a long breath. I think that was the closest I'll get to a laugh out of him... FOR NOW.

After he is gone I finally pick up the book and read the front cover 'Potioneer's Legacy'. My eyebrows raise as I read the title.

I didn't have expectations when starting to read it but I wasn't let down. It gave a detailed history of influential potions and who invented them along with their story's. Not only that but there were notes scribbled into the margins, I can only assume they're Snape's personal notes.

The book is interesting enough for me not to notice that the room is quickly filling up. Hermione tap my shoulder pulling me back to reality for a moment as we exchange a quick greetings before going back to our books. She gets to class around six minutes before eight which is still pretty early, but we both were reading books anyway so I don't stop reading.

I finally stop when Ron and Harry come in 1 minute before the class actually starts. They sit at the only open seats not far to my right.

Snape walks back in at EXACTLY 8 and immediately starts his monologue similar to last year but this time he went over more of what we would be doing. I'm sure Hermione will be happy knowing what to study for… but she'll probably study everything anyway.

The class goes by fairly fast since it was mainly listening to him talk while taking notes. Kind of boring but better than actually doing work. Next is History of Magic which I go to with Ron, Harry, and Hermione since I don't have to wait for them this time.

Ron and Harry tell us that they had woken up only a few minutes before class and they practically ran there.

I don't see why they mentioned it, that's what they usually do, although it is impressive how fast they made it to potions. Professor Binns, unlike Snape, is already sitting at his desk waiting for the room to fill up. I guess he doesn't mind waiting… you know… being dead and all.

Also unlike Snape, he lets us out early after we get done talking about the curriculum for the year and how the muggle wars affected magic. It was nice being let out early since that class cut into lunch hours, not that I really wanted to go to lunch at 10 but Harry and Ron didn't get to eat last night or this morning so I'm sure they are hungry.

As we sit down a voice sounds behind us "H-Harry Potter?" We all turn around to see a boy smaller than usual with dirty blond hair holding a camera. He stands maybe five foot one, even smaller than the short Harry.

Harry turns to him looking confused "Yes?"

The boy's face lights up "May I have an autograph?!" He nearly yells his words as he hands Harry a picture of himself with Lockhart and a quill.

Harry looks taken aback but still says "Sure." and signs the photo. As he holds the photo as if holding a treasure he asks again. "Can I take a picture as well?"

"Uh-" Before he can answer a flash happens and the kid walks away holding his camera and photo with a newfound swagger.

Ron and I start laughing as Harry's face goes red. "Looks like it won't be long before Harry gets a Fanclub."

Ron laughs as Harry starts picking up food with a red face. From my right, I hear Hermione "hmph" which causes me to turn and face her.

"What?" I say looking at her 'yeah sure' expression.

"If anyone gets a Fanclub it would be you." She says all high and mighty.

My brows furrow "What? Why me?"

She grabs my head and points it towards the Ravenclaw table and I see three girls who look like third or fourth years talking while looking at me with coy smiles. As they notice, my gaze they look away and start giggling to themselves.

My chest swells a bit at a feeling of confidence I've never had. "Well, I mean they have good taste. I'm quite a catch. Tall, handsome, talented, mysterious, strong." I grin at Hermione with a confident wink.

"UGH." Hermione and Ron both roll their eyes in sync causing Harry to laugh.

"You're both just jealous of my fame," I say grabbing myself a small amount of food.

"More like infamy," Hermione says under her breath.

"He-" I'm cut off by the sound of an owl hitting the table at full speed.

Ron sighs "Errol," as he grabs mail from its talons.

"I told you, that bird is on its last leg." As she speaks it hops up back to life and flies away.

"Oh, no" Ron mutters quietly as he unwraps a red envelope with his name on the front.

From further down the table you can hear Seamus yell "LOOK, Weasly's got a howler!"

Dean looks confused "What's a howler?"

Seamus grins "Just watch."

I'm also confused since I've never seen a howler, I may vaguely know what it is but I can't remember.