I woke up only to see the dormitory dark as ever. I took out my pocket watch only to discover that I'd woken up at six-thirty in the morning. Groaning to myself, I decided to quietly get dressed for the day ahead. I went into the bathroom to take a quick shower, brush my teeth and put on my Gryffindor robes. Afterwards, I stared at my relfection in the mirror. My wavy black hair was messy and wet, while my piercing grey eyes looked alive despite my tiredness. Thankfully, being a metamorphmagus always quickened my morning routine. I left my hair in its natural form, letting it fall open till just above the half way point on my back, while quickly performing a drying charm Mum had taught me.
I tiptoed silently through the dormitory and I went into the common room carefully, avoiding the pranks I'd set up the night before. I threw myself onto the armchair and waited until the clock struck eight, before heading into the Great Hall for breakfast.
However, a few early birds got caught in my traps! I laughed my head off, looking at them struggling to break free, or screaming and shouting here and there. Covered in slime, or getting chased by birds, their shrieks woke up everyone in Gryffindor Tower, and even the Weasley twins became victims, as they slipped down an oily step on the stairs and right into a huge pie which was invisible until now, awaiting for the target to hit.
When the twins stood back up, shocked by what had just happened, I laughed even harder looking at their faces covered in cream, as I fell onto the ground, clenching my stomach, which was now hurting from laughing constantly for the past five minutes.
In my fit of laughter, I hadn't seen the twins walk toward me and glare. Once I noticed their shadows, I managed to calm myself down and stand up to face them. I tried holding back a snort, seeing them shooting daggers at me with their eyes.
"We would have never suspected you to do something like this!" Fred yelled loudly at me, causing heads to turn.
"Especially on the first day and it's not just one prank, we were bombarded by them!" George added.
"Well, it wasn't me, I just came here to wait for the right time to go down as I couldn't sleep. You seriously can't expect me to do all this?" I replied, gesturing at the mess and chaos in the common room. "I think some first years may be giving you competition." I whispered and I turned on my heels, and exited through the portrait hole to go down for breakfast, as the twins
shared a look, thoroughly not convinced by my answer.
***
Although I sat alone by myself, I enjoyed my breakfast due to the fact of my troublesome plot's success! I sniggered when I watched a fellow Gryffindors pass by, looking dazed by the eventful morning, until when the twins and Lee Jordan showed up. I managed to hold a straight face.
I expected them to find a spot by themselves, but they surprised me by sitting around me.
"Enjoying breakfast, are we?" Fred said, as he sat down beside me.
"Yeah, the jitteriness is gone so I'm feeling much better today." I smiled back.
"Oh okay, or is it because of all those pranks you set up?"
I turned to stare at him directly in the eyes.
"I didn't set them up, you seriously expect a shy girl like me to do all that?!" I exclaimed, rather loudly.
"Well, Fred does have a point." George chimed in, causing me to shoot him a look. "How come you didn't get caught in any of them? I mean you said you were waiting for breakfast, how did you manage to not trigger any of them?"
I stared back at him, lost for words, but I had to act quick or I would blow my cover.
"I-I um, well, there was nothing there when I came down. I might have dozed off for a bit. By the time I woke up, there were already a few people awake. It must have been one of them." I explained, but I hoped my slightly grey hair didn't give me away.
"Okay, we believe you." George answered, although I was sure they were on to me.
Soon, Professor McGonagall came around with our timetables. "Black here's yours. Jordan here's your timetable, Weasley and Weasley here are yours." She said as she handed them to the four of us.
I went through my timetable. I had Divination first followed by Transfiguration with McGonagall.
I've found Transfiguration rather interesting, due to which I gave out a squeal of excitement, earning looks from the troublesome trio.
"What's got you all excited?" Fred questioned, with a raised brow.
"Oh," I felt my face go pink, and so did my hair. "I find Transfiguration interesting and I have it second, so I just got a bit excited." I replied. I pulled out my pocket watch only to see that there were only ten minutes till nine o'clock. I stood up immediately and started making my way towards the door, when I heard a voice call behind me.
"Where are you going Rubina?" I turned around recognizing Fred's voice.
"To my first class obviously." I said,
"Oh, right." His face fell. "See you later." He added. I waved back as a response and exited the Great Hall.
***
The classes passed by in a blur and I hurried off to the Great Hall for lunch. I was slightly disappointed by how my classes had started, and I sat there deep in thought, eating my sandwich, when someone slipped into the seat beside me.
"Hello Rubina, how were your classes?"
Once again, to my surprise, the twins along with Lee were sitting with me.
"Oh they were alright. Divination was horrible, Professor Trelawney went on and on about Harry having the Grim in his teacup, and he'll die, blah, blah blah whatever, rubbish honestly. Professor McGonagall talked about Animagi and when no one was interested, she went on to explain how Trelawney predicts a student's death each year and no one dies. I'm a bit disappointed actually with how the first two classes went, hopefully Care for Magical
Creatures is better. Seems interesting to learn about fascinating magical creatures." I looked around to see the trio smirking at me. "What?"
"Nothing." Fred said, as he grabbed a sandwich.
"Seriously, what are you all smirking about?"
"Just the fact of how you were ranting, even though you barely talk." Fred replied.
"Oh, was I?" I asked, feeling slightly embarrassed.
"Haha! It was just nice to see you talking."
"Oh, really?!" I said, rolling my eyes playfully, and smacking Fred lightly on the arm while holding back a grin. "I'm not that quiet."
"Yeah you are."
"Okay, well maybe you're right George, just this once though."
"Hey!"
I smirked, but then a question formed in my head. "By the way, can I ask you guys something?"
"Sure." Lee said.
"I'm not trying to be rude but, how come you guys have become so interested in sitting with me?"
They all shared a look until George piped up and said, "Because we're friends?" with some uncertainty in his voice, which I dismissed.
"Oh." Was all I managed to say as the realization hit me that I have friends at Hogwarts, the one thing that was bugging me throughout the whole summer.
***
After the awkward conversation, we finally relaxed and had a few laughs before heading off to our classes. I headed down the grounds, towards Hagrid's hut as he was going to teach the class of Care For Magical Creatures.
Unfortunately, we had class with the Slytherins and the way Malfoy and the others were teasing Harry, about him passing out on the train because of the Dementor, gave me a feeling that this class wasn't going to end well.
"Got a real treat for yeh today! Great lesson comin' up!" Professor Hagrid said, as he led us a bit into the Forbidden Forest. We gathered around the fences, as he asked us to open our books. I pulled mine out anxiously, but looking around everyone had their copy of The Monster Book Of Monsters tied shut with something.
"How do we open these?" Malfoy asked coldy.
"Yeh've got ter stroke 'em" answered Professor Hagrid, like it was common sense.
After that, we waited in silence until I heard Lavender squeal, and Hagrid was heading back with these creatures that had heads of an eagle and bodies of a horse. I felt nervous, wondering what we would have to do with them.
"So, if yeh wan' ter come a bit nearer...' ' Professor Hagrid started, but when no one budged Harry, Ron and Hermione moved, but Harry was the one who decided to go up to one of them. Not wanting to hurt Hagrid's feelings, I took a deep breath and remembered a few words I'd heard from somewhere, What's life without a little risk?
I also stepped in. We were told to bow, so I bowed down to the Black Hippogriff, not daring to blink because eye contact was important for him to trust me. He slowly bowed, and I proceeded forward cautiously. I reached out, my hand out in front of me and all the fear washed away right on touch, and I realized he wasn't dangerous at all, that he trusted me. I was excited to be able to ride on him, and it was truly one of the best feelings in the world.
Seeing our bravery, the rest of the class took over the six Hippogriffs, but this joy was short-lived because Malfoy disrespected Buckbeak, even though Professor Hagrid explicitly said not to ever offend them, and Buckbeak in response attacked Malfoy. He let out a shriek as he fell onto the ground, blood splattering everywhere, clutching his arm.
"I'm dying!" He yelled.
"Yer not dyin'!" Hagrid said, as he was very shaken by the sudden turn of events. He picked up Malfoy and took him to the Hospital wing.
Well so much for a good class.
***
"That git didn't pay attention when Hagrid specifically warned us not to insult the Hippogriffs, and then got himself injured! The class was going great! I loved the feel of wind in my hair when I flew on the Hippogriff, I mean I rode a broomstick before, but this was quite different. Anyways, I'm starting to despise Malfoy, such a drama queen!"
We were in the Great Hall for dinner later that day, and I was telling the boys of how the class went from enjoyable to shocking in a blink of an eye.
"You'll get used to that idiot. He always thinks big of himself." George told me.
"Yeah, he thinks because he's a Pureblood, everything has to go his way." Lee added. Fred on the other hand, was staring at me, looking like he was daydreaming.
"Hello?! Earth to Fred Weasley!" I yelled as I snapped a finger in front of him.
Breaking out of his trance he said, "Sorry, I had a few things on my mind."
George and Lee smirked, while I went back to my dinner.
Hi!
So I hope that chapter was somewhat enjoyable, and I'm hoping I'm not boring anybody. I'm having a lot of fun writing this fan fiction! I started a while back, and it's been turning out pretty good! I know this chapter is longer then my previous chapters, but my earlier ones were originally written longer, I split them into shorter ones before I posted them, realizing they are a bit long. So sorry if anyone found this chapter a bit long!
Here's a question:
What is your favorite magical creature from the Wizarding World?
Mine might as well be Hippogriffs, specifically Buckbeak and I guess House-elfs as well, like Dobby!
Have a good day!
Mini-Padfoot