Strawgoh: The American Hogwarts

Chapter Six

The next morning Laurel told Lottie. Lottie’s watery blue eyes lit up with a smile. She clapped her hand over her mouth and she giggled quietly. Maddie’s eyes widened when she saw Lottie’s reaction.

“I knew it!” she squealed. “I knew it!”

“Lottie, hush up!” shushed Laurel. “I don’t want Grace to know and I truly don’t know Emma. And don’t start planning our wedding or anything. We’re only eleven!”

“Alright,” Lottie humphed.

The girls were joined by Maddie, but Emma was trying to wake up Grace. Emma had tried shouting in her ear, sticking her wand up Grace’s nose, pulling her hair, whacking her with a pillow, and lifting her eyelids up. Maddie nudged Laurel and gave her a look that said ‘You like Ben! You like Ben!’ Laurel rolled her eyes.

They sat down in the Great Hall at the Gryffindor table by Charlie, his girlfriend, his best friend, and his best friend’s girlfriend.

“I think Craddock might give a speech again,” Charlie said. “Oh, Lottie, Laurel! Aren’t you Madella Craddock? Well, this is my girlfriend, Pia Pippins. And this Teddy Belle and his girl friend Jeanine Kravitz. These are my baby sisters Charlotte, but don’t call her that, and Laurel.”

“Well, um, I’m actually a cousin,” Laurel said.

“Laurel Hare?!” asked Jeanine.

“Uh, yeah, I think that’s my name,” Laurel said in a sarcastic tone.

“That’s so cool! Do you remember Barry and Della’s death? Do you remember seeing You-Know-Who? What about your father’s wand? I heard that it was destroyed in the duel, but I truly don’t know. Can you tell me?” asked Jeanine.

“I was one.” Laurel rolled her eyes. “And Craddock told me that my parents didn’t put up a fight.”

You could see Teddy, Asher, and Charlie’s stressed looks. “I’m sorry,” Teddy apologized. “Jeanine doesn’t really know her boundaries, you see.”

Laurel, Lottie, and Maddie nodded. Joseph, Ben, Easton, Alex, and Oliver sat down. Alex grimaced at the sight of Pia, and he sat down exasperatedly. Maddie knudged him.

“Are you two related?” she asked.

“Sadly, yes,” replied Alex wistfully. “She’s my big sister. I have seven sisters. And my dad’s not too proud of me because I’m not ‘boyish’ enough.”

Maddie patted his back. A loud clap came from the teachers’ table. It was Headmaster Craddock. His granddaughter was bollixed. He had delivered a speech the night before, but Maddie and her friends hadn’t listened. She felt bad for paying little attention to her grandfather and turned to him with much assiduity. Craddock cleared his throat once again and everybody in the room turned to him.

“Eagles, badgers, lions, and serpents, I feel as if many of you did not listen to my welcoming speech,” Craddock said in a compunctious tone. “It was a big night for so many. My granddaughter Madella is now attending this school, as is Laurel Hare. I see you have many reasons to be excited. Two main points of my speech was that the Minister for Magic, Artemis Peverell, has asked we teach the three Unforgivable Curses.” Gasps hit many of the tables, but Laurel looked around puzzled. “Also, the Ministry has begged me that Professor Effemy teach Divination to first years, as it has not been available to first years since the founding of Strawgoh. Also, our Defense Against the Dark Arts will be teaching the three Unforgivable Curses.” Professor Effemy’s sallow face turned a pale shade of grey and Professor Brentley shrugged. “Last night, this young man,” he gestured to a tall blond boy, “ failed to arrive on time. Many of you should know that Professor Hugo Brentley of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class will be retiring. May the wine glasses be full and the crystallized pineapple be plenty!”

The headmaster raised his coffee filled mug high and many followed with applause and goblet-raising. Professor Brentley smiled and waved, and the cheers became booming.

“Thank you! Thank you!” shouted Professor Brentley. “I must say, in the sixty two years I’ve been teaching at Strawgoh, I have never had a more appreciative and enthusiastic crowd to teach. I am indebted to you forever, but I hope that my successor will get as much ardor as I have been pleased to have. Once again, I thank you.”

The applause grew rowdy once again. A boy at the Hufflepuff table stood up on the clean table, shouted “TO BRENTLEY!”, pumped a fist in the air, and then fell of the table. Another girl shouted “Levicorpus!” before he could fall, and he flew back in the air. She continued to move her wand until he was above a chair and then said “Liberacorpus!” The boy dropped and the Great Hall was again filled with merriment.

Craddock cleared his throat and the joyous noises halted. “Our Junior Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher is Pontius Trumble. He is only twenty one, but has had enough adversities and experiences to teach like he has lived a full life, much like Professor Brentley. Although I am sad to see such a familiar face go, I am happy to bring new light into our school. Sir Pontius Trumble!” Claps filled the Great Hall once again.

Pontius Trumble was a tall, blond haired, blue eyed man that made all the seventh and sixth year girls swoon. He stood up and looked around the humongous room. “Headmaster, thank you for those quite kind words! I must say, Professor Brently finished teaching me only four years ago, and I excelled in his class. I am so pleased to take his place. I have seen many intriguing faces,” he looked directly and Laurel, “and hope to get to know them soon. Also, Headmaster, my father is Sir Pontius Trumble. I am Tius Humble. I don’t boast about my blood—” his gaze went to the Slytherins “—or my smarts, or my bravery, and I am so proud I was a Hufflepuff! Thank you, my kind pupils, thank you a quadrillion times over!”

Craddock’s kind blue eyes hardened. He dismissed the Gryffindors, then Ravenclaws, Slytherins, and Hufflepuffs. His gaze turned to Tius Humble.

“Oh, Mr. Trumble, I must say, that was one speech you made,” Craddock recalled in a strangely cold voice. “I am the headmaster, young man. If you plot to overthrow me, that will not suffice.”

“Oh, Craddock, I thought you knew!” chortled Tius. “I do not seek to overthrow you! You were my headmaster, and you still have that rightful position of authority in my mind. But please, I want to know Laurel Hare and her friends, what were their names? Oh, yes, Lottie and Maddie. Maddie is your granddaughter, and I seek your permission to get to know them well. I did that speech to reach out to Miss Hare. I hope you understand.”

“Very well then, Pontius. Your father would be disappointed, though,” Craddock thought aloud. “Throwing away such a pureblooded name. I thought you wanted to gain your father’s undying love, not hate, m’boy. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

“For the billionth time, it’s TIUS!” shouted Tius to Craddock, who had already left the room in one fluid motion.

Tius’ intentions had made their point. Was a professor really interested in finding out how she could have possibly survived the Killing Curse? That couldn’t be it. Perhaps he had known her parents. No, no, he was much too young. Laurel was nonplussed. It couldn’t be that he simply just wanted to know her? Why must she be the center of attention. Her first day at Strawgoh had taken an interesting turn.