Classes started early the next morning; Charms was easily the most amusing class, the Slytherin's had double charms with Hufflepuff before lunch.
Holly got a chance to talk to Hannah before class started, but as Professor Flitwick - a tiny little wizard with a neat middle part and a small whiff of moustache - was taking attendance, he paused at Holly's name, gave her a quick odd look and went back to attendance.
Holly might've been offended, but it's nothing she hasn't dealt with before. When you come from a family such as hers, it's a miracle if one doesn't get nasty looks at least once every two weeks.
Herbology with Professor Sprout - a tall, ample woman with fluffy silver hair tucked under her straw hat - was an interesting event; the class began with Michael Corner running into a pot of Venomous Tentacula. Its long spindly vines weaved its way around Micheal's body until Professor Sprout entered the green house and prevented a death on their first day of school.
Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall was the most nerve racking, she just sat there on her desk as a cat- Holly later found out that Professor McGonagall was an animagus and not because she's a metamorphmagus.
Her every meow caused everyone to freeze up, her every scrutinizing gaze made everyone tremble and wish the floor would open up and eat them whole.
But one thing Holly liked about McGonagall was that: she treated her like she would treat every other student. Not overly fond like Professor Sprout or overly skittish like Professor Flitwick.
No, she treated Holly like she would every student: with unflinching terror.
Surprisingly, Holly was great at Transfiguration. Not like great, great, but better than the average first year. She'd actually manage to turn the match into a wooden needle, Professor McGonagall said that with a bit more practice, she'd be able to turn the match into a normal needle. To be fair, this is her first Transfiguration lesson.
Defence Against the Dark Arts with Professor Quirrel - a turban wearing wizard who reeked badly of garlic - was by far the worst class. Holly can't focus past the horrid smell of garlic, it clogged her nose and teared up her eyes.
Shaun, a third year Slytherin, told them over dinner that Professor Quirrel was a notorious vampire hunter back in the days. But after an encounter with a particularly nasty one in the forest of Albania, the Professor was never the same. Always stuttering, always alert and very paranoid. Like one day, his old nemesis Wumpus the Worse will pop up and get his revenge.
Although, Holly thinks Shaun was exaggerating it a bit. Theo however was eating the whole story up, he even made a bracelet made out of garlic that he carried around making him smell like Quirrel.
Draco found it amusing because Blaise found a reason to stay away from Theo, he can be a bit dramatic sometimes.
Thursday was the day Holly had been looking forward to all week, that night after dinner they were to go up to the Astronomy tower and watch stars and name constellations all night. It was right up Holly's alley. Something she was sure she's good at.
Her aunt had practically drilled every constellation, every star, every galaxy into Holly's mind before she could even sing the alphabet.
But before that, they had their first History of Magic before lunch with the Hufflepuffs.
It was with Professor Binns - the only ghost teacher and the most boring one yet, The Bloody Baron held a more interesting conversation than him.
Professor Binns died in a classroom fire, Maria - their Prefect said. In a job he disliked the most, so when his soul left his body, he was stuck forever in the classroom. He wasted away his miserable life and so that's why Ghost Binns turned out that way. Droning and boring.
At least Zacharias Smith made it bearable after he tumbled off his seat and rolled down the steps, which gave the kids something to talk about for the next half hour.
Astronomy with Professor Sharma - a dainty Indian woman, was by far Holly's favourite subject.
They spent an entire hour watching a rain of shooting stars on wide comfy blankets. The Professor made it a game where the first person to spot a shooting star and name a constellation would receive 5 house points.
It was no surprise that Holly collected most of the house points; she was on fire with back to back answers.
It was also no surprise that she quickly became Professor Sharma's favourite student (she had never met a student so eager to learn about dots in the sky), although that did save the others the pain of having to memorise all the constellations.
Padma Patil - one half of the Patil twins - had even asked her after class if she could teach her a bit more about Astronomy.
Her aunt and uncle were delighted to hear about the friends she's making, they said so in their letter that Friday morning.
She'd already made a few friends from both Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw- although some were still reluctant to befriend her; With the name she carries and the reputation with it, she wasn't at all surprised.
However, there was one house she hadn't made many acquaintances with.
All week, their classes had been with either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. But so far, there's only been one class where Slytherin and Gryffindor are together. Potions with Professor Snape on Friday after breakfast.
Holly thinks it's probably because of the long lasting feud between the two houses, never in history has a Slytherin and a Gryffindor gotten along. They just don't.
So it came with a great deal of surprise when Professor Snape paired her up with Ronald Weasley, the very person who loathes Slytherin.
Professor Snape was this pale, hooked nose teacher with long, flat greasy hair. Holly got the impression he didn't like her very much from the very first time he set eyes on her, he reeked of hatred like Theo reeks of garlic.
Her assumption was only made stronger when he paired her up with Ron Weasley, he wouldn't even look at her as they brewed their cure for boils.
It wasn't a surprise that Ron didn't like her, but Holly likes to be liked. It might be her own fault, but she wouldn't be able to live if she didn't at least try to make Ron like her.
"How is Charlie?" Holly asked as she crushed the snake fangs in the pestle.
Ron perked up at his brother's name, he then gave her a suspicious one over. "How do you know about Charlie?"
"He was in the same year as my cousin, Nymphadora Tonks." Holly explained, Ron gave her an even more confused look. "He even came to my house once."
Ron shook his head. "Dunno," he shrugged.
"Well...?" Holly prodded. "How is he?"
Ron sighed and rested his cheek on his palm, he twirled a porcupine quill between his fingers. "In Romania, saving dragons and stuff."
"Huh," Holly hummed. "He did say he wanted to work with dragons."
"How come I've never heard of you?" Ron asked, his full attention turning to Holly.
Holly raised her eyebrows, "You sure you haven't heard of me?"
"You're with Malfoy, aren't you?" Ron inquired, though it sounded more like a sneer.
"Yes..." Holly said reluctantly, she measured the crushed fangs before throwing it in the cauldron and heating it up.
"Well, he's evil." Ron said bluntly, although he went back to playing with the porcupine quills to notice Holly's bewildered look. "And you're..."
"I'm what?" Holly asked, sitting back on the stool and turning to Ron intently.
"You're... well..." Ron waved his hand vaguely. "Less evil?"
Holly snorted before turning back to their cauldron. "Draco's not evil," she said. Ron gave her a look which made her pause. "Sometimes." She shrugged.
"Well, I'd like to see that sometimes."
"You'd be waiting forever."
"Is he always like that?"
"Not when we were kids," Holly waved her wand. "And if I hear you tell anyone..." she subtly pointed the tip of her wand in his direction and smirked.
He nods before starting to stew the horned slugs.
"But if it's any consolation," Holly said after a while. "He's mean to just about everyone."
***
Potions for Ron and Holly went off without a hitch, except when Neville blew up his potions and Snape blamed it on Harry.
Well, it gave her some comfort to know she's not the only one Snape hates.
Since then, she hasn't had another encounter with Ron or his friends.
It wasn't until Gryffindor and Slytherin were paired up again for their first flying lesson did she see either of them, she was not at all excited.
Draco and Harry in one room, plus adding the fire that is Weasley was sure to turn out into a disaster. Blaise said so himself. He, however, couldn't wait for their flying lesson.
Not Daphne, she would prefer to swallow a whole snail egg than fly on a broom. She said, in a very nasal tone, that riding a broom or playing Quidditch is the most unlady-like thing.
Luckily for her, she had seemed to suddenly develop a minor case of the frosted fever the day before and was excused for the flying lesson.
However, Holly and the rest of their class wasn't as lucky.
It's not that Holly didn't like flying - her uncle and cousins were die hard Quidditch fans after all, it's just that she didn't know how to fly. She's never done it before, her aunt never let her on a broomstick - even Tonks' old Cleansweep Six with the custom footholds. Charlie tried to teach her Quidditch, even showed it to her but she never actually tried Quidditch herself.
She doesn't like not knowing things, it makes her feel vulnerable, weak and helpless. And she never wants to feel that way, never again.
Her whole body was racked with nerves as she made her way down to the training grounds - a neatly cut, flat lawn near the forbidden forest with Pansy and Millicent.
Millicent sniffed as they approached the group of awaiting Slytherins, she looked around as if scouting for their competition.
None of the Gryffindors were there yet which gave the Slytherins time to regroup, Pansy immediately went to Draco, Blaise and Theo, which prompted Millicent and Holly to follow.
"Lovely day, isn't it?" She greeted Draco shrilly.
Draco grinned like a Cheshire cat. "Unless you're a Gryffindor." He said, his eyes sharply on the approaching group adorned in red and yellow.
They stood out against the vibrant greenery, you could spot them from a mile away, an army of red ants marching towards them.
The Gryffindors stood on one side, the Slytherins on the other staring challengingly at each other. However, the thick tension was interrupted as Madam Hooch - a short grey haired woman with an elfish face and hawk-like yellow eyes, hurried down the centre.
"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone, stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up. Stick out your right hand over your broom, and say 'Up!"'
Holly walked up to a broomstick, she stared at the broom intently hoping it'll stand on itself. When it didn't, she stuck out her hand and muttered: "Up!"
The chipped handle flew right into Holly's hand, the force almost knocked her off balance but she quickly regained her footing.
The broom was heavy- of course she's held a broom before - some of the bristles fell off as she held the broom up.
Holly turned to her right; the broom at Pansy's feet rolled over and hit Blaise's foot, he scowled at her before turning back to his stubborn broom. To her left, Draco grinned triumphantly as the broom finally sped to his hand.
Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips.
Draco was sour for the next twenty minutes after Madam Hooch said he's been doing it wrong for years, but she patiently corrected Holly's grip and even gave them a few more pointers for first timers.
"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard." said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle: three...two-"
But Neville, probably frightened of getting left behind, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.
"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle.
Twelve feet
Twenty feet-
Holly strained to look up at the sky, the sun was shining brightly at her eyes and she had to squint hard to see Neville still rising higher and higher.
She just caught glimpse of him slip sideways off the broom when-
WHAM!
A thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.
Madam Hooch appeared right next to Neville in an instant, her face as white as his.
"Broken wrist," Madam Hooch muttered, as Holly joined the crowd and strained a look at Neville. "Come on, boy. It's all right, up you get."
She turned to the rest of the class.
"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."
Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.
Holly tried to catch his attention, send a reassuring smile his way but he was in too much pain to notice his surroundings. He didn't think he could've made it to the Hospital Wing if it weren't for Madam Hooch.
No sooner were they out of earshot did Draco burst into laughter. "Did you see his face, the great lump?"
"Draco!" Holly whipped around and glared at him. "He's been badly hurt!"
But she was ignored as the other Slytherins joined in, even Theo which greatly offended her. It wasn't like he ran crying to his nanny after he fell off his stolen- sorry, borrowed broom. She thought he'd at least feel some sympathy for the boy, none of them grew a pair of confidence overnight.
"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil.
"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" Mocked Pansy. "Never thought you'd like fat little crybabies, Parvati."
"Look!" said Malfoy, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."
The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up, a glass ball the size of a large marble filled with white smoke.
"Give that here, Malfoy," Harry said, his teeth gritting in anger yet he said so quietly.
Everyone stopped talking to watch.
Draco smiled nastily. "I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find...how about up a tree?"
"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Draco had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called, "Come and get it, Potter!"
Harry grabbed his broom. Holly almost ran after them, she was about to tell off Harry and Draco but Hermione beat her to it.
"No!" Hermione shouted, stomping over to Harry and blocking his way. "Madam Hooch told us not to move, you'll get us all into trouble."
Her effort was futile, but appreciated nonetheless. Still, despite Hermione's warnings, Harry mounted his broom and kicked off the ground.
Harry flew higher and higher until he was almost as high as Draco, the blonde boy looked stunned as Harry turned to him.
"Give it here," Harry called. "Or I'll knock you off that broom!"
"Oh, yeah?" Draco challenged, trying to sneer, but looking worried.
Holly can count with both hands the amount of times Draco let himself look even slightly bothered in public, Harry really was getting onto Draco's nerves.
And then Harry sped towards Draco, barely enough time for him to dodge and barely enough time for Holly to process before they continued to jeer at each other.
However, they were high enough that Holly couldn't make out what they were saying to each other.
But then Draco threw the Remembrall straight to the ground, Harry dove after it.
Holly gasped when he almost hit the ground, but then he pulled his broom up just in time and only toppled onto the grass. No scratches, no broken bones.
This was going even better than she-
"HARRY POTTER!"
Every head turned her direction as Professor McGonagall sprinted towards them, Holly instinctively froze up at her voice. Almost ready for a scolding - or a compliment for her good Transfiguration.
But none of that happened, instead, Professor McGonagall...stuttered?
"Never- in all my time at Hogwarts- " Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock. "-how dare you- might have broken your neck-"
"It wasn't his fault, Professor-"
"Be quiet, Miss Patil"
"But Malfoy-"
"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now."
Draco, Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy and Theo smiled triumphantly as they watched Harry follow after McGonagall defeatedly back into the castle.
Holly watched with a frown, she clenched her fist in frustration until Blaise nudged her side. She turned to him as he shook his head, Holly took a deep breath before breaking the tensed silence.
"I'm gonna go find Madam Hooch," she announced. No one stopped her as she marched up the lawn and into the castle, no one came looking for her even after she found Madam Hooch who dismissed the class.
authors note: what another chapter?! here to make up for the previous chapter, look at Holly making friends with a Weasley!!! It either goes really well, or well, really bad...
<3