Chapter 27

Defense Against the Dark Arts class was rather calm, if you can forget about the multitude of eyes looking at you with murderous intent.

While the class itself was nothing difficult, what made it difficult was the other students, Allen knew it would be something like that. The Gryffindor students held a grudge against him for some reason, one he can imagine, but it sounds so stupid to him in his mind that he refuses to acknowledge it.

Wishing that they are actually mad because they had to put on the burned Sorting Hat.

"Mr Lionheart, are you paying attention?" Professor Baker asked him, getting his attention back to the class.

He looked around the classroom, wondering what they were talking about, then turned his eyes to the blackboard, there, he saw the name a couple of creatures.

"Yes Mrs Baker, we were talking about dark creatures and how to fight them" He answered, hoping to get it right.

Professor Leah looked at him with squinted eyes and then turned back to the board. "That's right, well then, ghost, now, we have a couple of them at Hogwarts…" Class continued as normal, well, except for the Gryffindors who looked at him from all directions whenever they could.

"Alright kids, since class is about to end, I want all of you to write me an essay about ghosts and poltergeist, what's the difference and how to deal with them if they are violent."

After finishing the class lots of students stood up, but not one from the Gryffindor house left, they continued to look towards Allen, except for the Slytherins, seeing what was brewing, his classmates decided to leave, except for Armand and William.

"Can we talk?" Asked a boy with brown hair, while a red haired boy was hiding behind him.

Allen packed up his books. "No, not really, I have a class to attend, but if it's important you can make an appointment."

Armand and William just laughed and the boy flushed red in anger. "Oi, I'm serious you… you…" The boy tried to find a word to call him out and it looked like he didn't want to use his last name nor his name, since it would show closeness, which they don't have.

Allen put his hands on top of his friends shoulders and took them with him. "Alright boys, have no time for that, we have Herbology next and that's a bit far away from the third floor, but do make that appointment and we'll talk alright? Bye bye."

He put a bit of his magic so the three of them could walk faster while not being caught by any prefect or the caretaker. In the background he could hear the Gryffindor boys screaming at him to come back.

Allen just looked at his friends and laughed about the absurdity of the situation, his friends laughed in turn with him.

"An appointment? You made it sound as if you are always busy!" Armand cried.

"But he is! He needs to tutor us, the girls, take classes and detention after that, I gotta say, we might need to make an appointment as well!" William added while laughing.

The two boys just look back at him and after registering what he said they laughed again as well.

"You are right William, I am a busy man! Can't be spending time when I don't have any."

"Do you know what they wanted?" Armand asked.

Allen just shook his head in negation. "No, but I can imagine one thing, which I don't like, it would seem really stupid, so I really hope it's not that and it's instead that they didn't like to wear a burnt hat."

Armand just nodded, agreeing with Allen. "Yeah, I think we might have the same theory, which I also hope it's not because of that."

"What?! Tell me! Why am I the only one who doesn't know?!"

Allen scratched his head, wondering how to say, he tried to walk around the topic but it looks like he couldn't do it anymore, he had to get used to it after all.

"Right, so, you know how they are Gryffindors?" William nodded in confirmation.

"And what's my last name?" Allen continued.

"Your last name is Lionheart! Which honestly I don't know why you don't like it, it's pretty cool, like a character from a novel." William grinned at Allen after he finished talking. He wasn't wrong, it really was the last name of a character, not a novel, but a game. He sighed.

"Right, so, that's why." William turned his head to the side, confused. "I don't get it."

Allen let out a breath. "Lionheart, Lion, Gryffindor? What I'm thinking is that they might be thinking I betrayed them for some reason just because my last name has a lion in it."

"Oh. OH! I get it now! That's so dumb!"

"Right, it is dumb, that's why I hope they are mad because of something else."

With Gryffindors… you never know" Armand looked back to where they came from, as if waiting for the kids to come after them.

"Right then, we should get going to Herbology, don't wanna be late" Said Allen, and the other two boys nodded in agreement.

They walked around the castle after asking a portrait where the Herbology class would be held, apparently, for first years it's too dangerous to be close to the plants from Greenhouse Three, so most of their class will be in a classroom, in which Professor Sprout will bring the corresponding plant for the lecture. It made sense to Allen. This would also help him acclimate to the magical plants, since all the kind of plants he ever saw where the boring ones, they don't scream and make you faint, they don't try to strangle you or explode releasing a putrid yellow liquid as a defense mechanism. Well, some might do that, but not to the extent of the magical ones.

When they reached the classroom, Allen saw Sophia and Elsie a few meters away from them. He waved at them and Elsie waved back, while Sophia just turned her head around, faking seeing him. Allen just let out a chuckle.

"Why you laughing mate?" Asked William.

"Well, I think it's funny to mess with Sophia, it hasn't been that long since we met them, but her reactions are fun."

William just looked at Allen with a quizzical look. "You okay in the head?"

"Yeah, perfectly."

They sat down next to them, waiting for Professor Sprout to arrive. "How did your class go?" Asked Allen to the two girls.

"Dreadful, Professor Binns is a ghost and he doesn't even pay attention to any of us, most of our classmates ended up sleeping, and they were Ravenclaws!" Sophia answered to him.

"Is it really that bad?" Armand, Elsie, Sophia and William answered his question in unison. "Yes!"

"Wha- What the hell guys! We haven't taken that class yet!"

"My father-"

"My parents-"

Both Armand and William answered at the same time. "Say that that was the worst class they ever got."

"Hmm." Armand just nodded. "My father says that some School Governors have tried to get rid of him since the time of my grandfather, but they just can't, not because they don't have Dumbledore's cooperation, but because he's linked to Hogwarts' wards since he died here. The wards protect him from any harm, it just an added bonus that they get to save money from his salary, since he doesn't need it."

"What, so it's the same with the other ghosts?" Allen asked, wondering if the same could be said about Myrtle.

"Hmm, probably? It depends if Hogwarts considers them as part of its own, but the ghosts also have free will, so if they ever decided to pass away, they can do it communicating with the castle. The problem with Binns, sorry, Professor Binns, is that he doesn't even know he's dead."

"But, haven't they tried to tell him that he's dead?" William asked in return, apparently he didn't know that much either, just that his class was a dreadful venture.

"Yes, of course they have tried it, but he refuses to listen to anyone and instead, he will continue to give the lecture and if your questions are not about the subject, he will reject it. And since the castle protects him, they can't forcefully remove him, so we are in a stalemate. With the benefit of saving money since he doesn't need it."

The four kids looked at Armand as if he were a professor giving a lecture and applauded him.

Armand blushed, and before he could say anything, Professor Sprout entered the classroom. "Settle down kids, we'll begin our lesson in a moment."

They all went to their respective seats, not before giving Armand a sly look, then turning back to the front.

"Right then, I will be your Herbology teacher for as long as you want to pursue this noble art of plant keeping. I'm also the Hufflepuff's head of house, but that doesn't mean you can't come to me if you ever have any problem. Just come and find me if you want to tell me anything."

"Now then, anyone can tell me about anything about Herbology?" She asked the class.

All the kids looked around, trying to not make eye contact with the Professor, then suddenly, she called out a name. "Mrs Smith, can you tell me what does Herbology entails?" She asked one of the Hufflepuff girls which jumped in surprised at her name being mentioned.

She answered more or less the question. Then Professor Sprout went to another kid, and so on and so forth, the class continued.

The Professor Sprout asked them to look for a specific plant on their book, and then she started explaining all about the plant and it's properties. The class was more theoretical than practical. She continued to ask questions to the class to keep them engaged and Allen answered one or two, since the answers were in the chapter they were in.

After a while the class finished and Professor Sprout gave them their homework. "We will be covering the same magical plant next class, but I'll ask you to research about the Fire-Making Spell, the incantation, what is used for, and how we can apply it to Herbology, fourteen inches would be good. Now run along kids"

When they exited the classroom Allen stretched himself. The class wasn't boring at all, but so many events happening on his first day at the castle made him tired, and there was still more for him to do, it was almost time for him to go and scrub some cauldrons the muggle way, so he had to eat before, then do his homework, or first do his homework, detention, then eat.

Allen continued to think what to do while they walk to the Great Hall. The others were talking animatedly between each other about the class.

"So what do you think Allen?" Asked Elsie.

The question took him by surprise, shaking him out of his thoughts about homework, detention and dinner. "Hmm? Ah, well, it wasn't boring, but I don't think it's gonna be my favorite class, maybe we'll see next year that we can go to the greenhouses."

"I liked it, and Professor Sprout made it easier to understand. Do any of you know about the Fire-Making Spell?"

"The incantation is Incendio" Said Allen.

"The wand movement starts with a slow upward arc, then a sharp jab in the direction of the target." Added Armand.

Elsie, Sophia and William just looked at the two of them with shocked faces. "How is it that you two know that?"

Allen just shrugged while Armand responded. "It's on our charms book, as well as Herbology, it's used to take care of some plants or pests."

"I see… I guess I really need to read my books." Elsie commented.

"Would be good, yeah."

Allen stood in its place, letting the others walk ahead. "I think I'll go to the library to do my homework, then I'll go to my detention with Professor Snape" He said looking up at them.

"Ah man, then I guess we all need to do our homework now." Said William, raising his arms to put them behind his head.

Allen shook his head. "You don't need to, I'll just go and you guys can do it when you want."

"Well, I do think it would be better to do it already than to wait more time." Said William, and Sophia and Elsie agreed with him.

He just let out a breath, dropping his shoulders. "Alright then, let's go to the library."

"Do you know where it is Sophia?" Allen asked her.

"O- Of course I know, who do you take me for?" She stuttered her words while answering him and Allen just smiled at her.

"Alright then, you guide us!"