The Shrieking Shack || The Marauders (Book 1)

12. PETER

They were twenty minutes late to Professor Binns's class, a fact that Professor Binns took no notice of.

Peter was most astounded when he entered the classroom to find a ghost floating behind the teacher's desk, droning on about the Goblin War. It was quite unusual, even by Hogwarts's standards, to have a ghost giving lectures. 

But at the same time, Peter thought, who better to teach the History of Magic than someone who was a part of it himself. 

He turned around to look at Binns closely, while they crept towards the back of the class, wondering what era he was from.

The rest of the day was quite unremarkable. They had Herbology with Slytherin after History of Magic, where Professor Sprout- a squat witch with brown eyes and muddy brown hair, showed them a bunch of plants in the greenhouse and took a small quiz. A kid from Slytherin with greasy black hair and pale sallow face answered most of the questions earning his House ten points. He shot Sirius a dirty look each time he answered correctly, as if to declare he was better than him. Sirius, on the other hand, looked quite bored and unconcerned, which for some reason made the kid even madder.

"What's the deal with big nose?" Peter asked and James, who was absent-mindedly poking his wand at plants, snorted loudly.

Professor Sprout called for a quiet at that and glared at both of them while deducting five points from Gryffindor for indiscipline. Peter could feel the entire Slytherin first years cheer internally, except maybe Selena who, when he looked at her, pointed her index and middle finger at him, then jerked it upwards in a quick motion and blew at them. He gave her a quizzical look which only made her laugh, quietly though.

After Lunch they had Flying Lesson with Ravenclaw. James was the best in class, earning back the points he had lost Gryffindor in Herbology. Remus and Sirius were doing fine too, but Peter couldn't even lift his broom off the ground. He kept screaming "UP!" at it and for the first half of the class but it didn't even budge.

"Don't scream at it Peter. Just ask it, like you'd ask a friend," James said. He made it sound so easy and yet it didn't help Peter.

After Flying, they had Defence Against the Dark Arts with Hufflepuff. Peter was too sulky from the Flying Lessons to pay any attention to the garlic chucking Professor.

"It was just one lesson Pete," Remus said. "You'll get better, don't worry."

"Easy for you to say," Peter said bitterly. "You were doing alright."

"And with some practice you will too," Remus said, patting him awkwardly on the back.

"What say we check out the giant squid?" asked Sirius, throwing his arm over Peter's shoulder.

"Giant squid?" Peter asked anxiously.

"Yeah that ought to cheer you up," said Sirius cheerfully. He completely ignored Peter who was shaking his head vigorously and steered him out of the castle towards the lake. "Oi Potter!" he called suddenly and fell back with James. "Our bet still on?"

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