crescent ☾ d. malfoy

chapter two ⁀➷

jia hirai

Whispers followed Harry, Ron and Jia around the hall as they tried to get to their classes. Most of them were talking about Harry's scar. With all of the chatter, it was hard for the group to get to their classes. In Hogwarts, there were so many different staircases, doors, and walls, you had to use certain tricks to get past them.

On Wednesdays though, Jia found her favourite class, Astronomy.

In Astronomy, they had to study the night skies, mark certain constellations, learn the names of stars and so on. The only downside to the class was that the Gryffindors had to share it with the Slytherins. And that the class took place at midnight but Jia didn't mind that very much.

As a child, Jia's grandmother had a telescope that Jia always loved looking through. All throughout her vacations at her grandmother's house, Jia would sneak out of her room at night, only to gaze at the millions of twinkling stars in the night. It brought her peace, to be surrounded by the calm night and only the steady chirping of crickets.

Other than that, Jia's first days at Hogwarts were hectic and all her energy was spent trying to get to classes on time. There was so much to learn at Hogwarts that Jia felt happy when she saw even 'purebloods' like Draco Malfoy didn't have a head start.

On Friday morning, Jia had finally managed to make her way down to the Great Hall without getting lost. She sat down next to Ron, who was putting butter on a piece of toast.

"What have we got today?" Jia asked Harry, who was pouring sugar into his porridge.

"Double potions with the Slytherins." said Ron grimly. "Snape's head of Slytherin House. They say he always favours them- we'll be able to see if it's true."

"Wish McGonagall had favoured us." said Harry, eating his porridge.

Professor McGonagall had proved to be a very stern teacher. Strict and clever, she gave the class a lecture on how Transfiguration was some of the most complex and dangerous magic they would learn in Hogwarts.

Potions lessons took place in the cold dungeons. Jia certainly did not like all of the creepy creatures floating in glass jars on the shelves of the Potions classroom. The teacher, Professor Snape, was a mean and cruel looking man, with the way he insulted all of the students, well, all students except the Slytherins.

"Potter!" Snape said suddenly, "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?"

Harry glanced at Ron and Jia, looking stumped. Jia had no idea what Professor Snape was even talking about.

Snape's lips curled into a sneer as Harry couldn't answer his questions. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were shaking with laughter. Jia gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowing as she looked over at the Slytherins. Her fist clenched as she saw the smirks on the Slytherin's faces. The potions lesson had been the worst thing that had happened so far.

Things didn't improve even later on, when Professor Snape divided the class into pairs and gave them instructions to brew a simple potion. Professor Snape strided along as the students worked, breathing down their necks and watching closely for a small mistake to criticize.

That is, everyone except Malfoy, whom Snape seemed to like. Jia grew irritated when Malfoy smirk widened as Snape told everyone to look at how perfect his potion was. Jia's own potion looked identical to Malfoy's but Professor Snape ignored that.

Jia was so relieved when the lesson ended, her anger subsided as Harry suggested they all go down and visit Hagrid, whom Jia found out was the gamekeeper.

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The days passed by swiftly, like falling sand in an hourglass, as the first years got used to their schedules. Jia spent most of her evenings with Ron and Harry in the common room, talking about Quidditch, doing their homework, or playing chess.