The Tales of Black I (Original)

Chapter Three: First Day

“Well, let’s get a move on,” I said, grinning suddenly. “We don’t want to be late for our first class of the year, now do we?” All but Anthony grumbled in response, who beamed at my sudden cheery attitude.

On our way out, Stephen, Morag, Lisa, and Kevin, clutching their schedules in one hand and the straps on their bags in the other, joined us.

Several wrong turns and a few directions from third years, we made it to Professor McGonagall’s classroom, where some of the Slytherin students were already sitting in their seats. A tabby cat sat on the desk, watching as we took seats together in pairs. I sat down and Terry slumped next to me. The tabby cat scanned over all of us as the last of the Slytherins came in and sat, its eyes lingering on me for a fraction of a second more than everyone else, I could have sworn. The moment the bell rang, the cat jumped off the table and began to grow. Many of the other’s eyes widened as the cat’s fur disappeared and became the stern-face Professor McGonagall.

The Ravenclaws clapped. Not so much the Slytherins. They didn’t seem the least bit interested, though they clapped half-heartedly.

“Welcome to your first Transfiguration lesson,” said Professor McGonagall. “I’m going to start class with roll call, so please be quiet. When I call your name, just simply raise your hand. Miss Lucille Black?”

I raised my hand a half a foot above my head and she glanced up at me. She gave me a piercing stare before continuing.

“Mr. Boot?” Terry raised his hand.

She went down the list, in alphabetical order from our last names.

“Mr. Malfoy?”

Across the aisle, Draco smirk and raised his hand as if her were the king of the world. What an arrogant fool.

For the first part of class, we were given a load of complicated notes to copy down. I finished a few minutes after Terry, who was the first to finish. We passed notes back and forth on a piece of spare parchment while we waited for the others too finish.

See? Not so bad. The Slytherins haven’t said a word.

You just wait, Lucy, by the end of the day, they’ll be shooting offensive words at us nonstop.

I sighed. He was probably right.

If they do, don’t listen to them. If they choose to be mean, that’s their choice; it doesn’t have to affect us.

I suppose you’re right.

During the last part of class, we were given a match and told the instructions on how to transfigure it into a needle. Professor McGonagall asked for a volunteer to try it out, and when no one did, I raised my hand. She gave me an apprehensive look, and then nodded me on.

I willed the magic in me to travel into my wand and at the match as I said the incantation. To my utter surprise, the match was now a shiny, thin needle.

“Fantastic,” praised Professor McGonagall. “Miss Black has transfigured her match to a needle – and on the first try, too! I am very impressed. Five points to Ravenclaw.”

I smiled shyly at her as the Slytherins shot me harsh looks.

“Now, I want all of you to try too, now,” said Professor McGonagall, and with that, the air was filled with the incantation.

Looking around, I realized just how much that Ravenclaws live up to their titles. Many of the others from my house had accomplished the transfiguration within one try, just as I had. Michael and Morag were having a bit of trouble, but they eventually got there. Only one Slytherin girl whom I believed was Su Li had been able to change her match. The rest were putting on bored faces while they tried over and over again.

At the end of the period, all of the Ravenclaws, Su Li, and Tracy Davis had transfigured their matches. The rest, however, had not.

“We shall continue with this lesson on Wednesday, but for now, just look over your notes,” said Professor McGonagall. “And five points to every person that was able to transfigure their match.”

Terry gave a loud snort as we walked out of the classroom.

“Only two of them!” he snickered. “Two of them figured out how to change it!”

I had barely smiled at his glee when almighty Draco Malfoy and his thugs shoved between the two of us, causing us to both drop out bags. My books, quills, inkbottles, and bits of parchment spilled out of my bag. I bent over bitterly, picking them up off the floor and letting Terry go on without me.

“Oh, here, let us help you,” said a male voice.

“Don’t worry, I’ve got it,” I said, glancing up to the pair of red haired boys, obvious twins. They were some of the third years that had pointed us in the right direction before Transfiguration. I quickened myself as I grabbed up my things. Ignoring me, they picked up the remainder of it all and helped me shove it all into my bag. The one that had spoken, held onto my copy of The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection and peered at the cover before giving it back.

“Well, Lucille, you seemed to have gotten on the Slytherins’ bad side,” he said with a smile. “And on your first day too!”

I flushed red, mumbling about having to get to Defense Against the Darks Arts.

“Defense, you say?” said the other twin. “We’ll show you the way. Don’t want you to get lost.” He winked.

“I’m George Weasley, by the way,” said the first one as they led their way through halls.

“I’m Fred,” said the second. “We’re in Gryffindor.”

“What house are you in?” George asked me.

“Ravenclaw,” I said in a small voice.

He looked back at me with a frown and a raised eyebrow.

“You know, you don’t need to be afraid of us,” he said. At that moment, I noticed a small mole on the side of his neck. It was tiny, but there. And now I could tell them apart.

“Yeah, we’re not like the Slytherins,” said Fred. “We don’t push people or hex them without reason.”

“And here we are,” said George, stopping in front of an open door. I could hear voices coming from inside. “Defense Against the Dark Arts.”

“Th-thanks,” I said, smiling sheepishly. I stumbled into the classroom, vaguely hearing George call “Good luck!” through the door.

I sat in a seat next to Terry. Across the aisle were Harry Potter and another redheaded boy.

And that was how my first day at Hogwarts began.