IF THERE WAS ONE THING THAT ARIANA felt strongly eager about was the opportunity to dive straight into new educational experiences, and the fact that these classes were magical was only an advantage.
After a very difficult route to her classes, avoiding peeves the poltergeist's degrading yet equally hilariously honorable tricks - at all possible cost, the young girl sat next to Hermione who she bonded exceptionally with over their supreme intelligence they shared which Hermione seemed to admire in the girl.
Aria sat in transfiguration, after an interesting class of charms where Professor Flitwick almost fainted from excitement over seeing Harry's name in the roll call. Shortly after the clock in Aria's mind struck signaling class had begun, Professor McGonagall stood in front of the class giving them a strict lecture to begin.
Aria could already tell she was going to admire the woman as she was strict yet clever. Not to mention that along with magical creatures, and charms, she found transformation extremely interesting.
Her leg bounced up in down as she hung onto McGonagall's ever word. "Transfiguration is some of the most complex and dangerous magic you will learn at Hogwarts, anyone messing around in my class will leave and not come back. You have been warned."
Then with a quick talent show as she changed her desk into a pig and then back again leaving the students in awe.
After a few minutes and many dwelling notes later, they were each given a match and started attempting to turn it into a needle.
Aria worked exceptionally hard and scribbled notes down on her parchment paper as she attempted to succeed in the transformation.
By the end of the lesson, only Hermione and Aria had made any difference to their needle and they proudly exchanged grins with each other and as Aria looked away back at her notes she smiled knowing she had already made a friend who was swarmed with brilliance within her. And she couldn't be happier.
~~
The hours flew by quickly until potions class, just the thought of it made her exceptionally nervous. She knew the connection the Malfoy's had with the professor, Snape. which only made her stomach curl in nerves. Putting together the pieces of the puzzle, Aria realized that because of that connection he would know of her families status and since she was in Gryffindor -- Slytherin's rising enemy; he was bound to despise her.
So when she sat next to Harry in potions she kept her head down and jotted down reminders for studying later until Snape began the lesson with roll call.
when he landed on Aria's name, one of the very first on the list, he paused for a split second looking at her directly not saying a word, his facial expression describing his thoughts perfectly, before continuing down the list causing her to shrink in her seat. Harry who had seen the interaction, among other students in the classroom, looked over at the girl with his eyebrows furrowed confused.
It wasn't until Snape paused at his own name when Harry retracted his glance.
"Ah, yes," Snape paused "Harry Potter. Our new -- celebrity."
Draco and his friends, sniggered behind their hands as Snape continued to call their names and then looked up at the class.
"You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," Snape began causing the class to grow silent, "As there is little foolish wand-waving here, many of you will hardly believe this is magic. I don't expect you will really understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses. . . . I can teach you how to bottle fame, brew glory, even stopper death — if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach."
"Potter!" Snape exclaimed suddenly throwing Harry off guard at the sudden exclamation. "What would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?"
Harry glanced over at Ron then at Aria who gaped slightly before flipping through her notes she took ahead of class to prepare, he cleared his throat awkwardly as Hermione's hand shot into the air and he looked back at Snape, "I don't know, sir." he answered honestly only causing the professor to sneer.
"Tut, tut -- fame clearly isn't everything." he taunted brushing off Hermione's eager hand.
"Let's try again. Potter, where would you look if I told you to find me a bezoar?"
Harry looked like he had drawn a blank so Aria spoke up surprising her newly made friends
"A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat."
"Thank you, Mr. Potter." Snape jokingly sneered as red rose on his cheeks in irritation, causing some people to laugh under their breath and Aria, who's bravery seemed to click in the last few minutes, retorted with a challenging eyebrow rose, "Anytime Professor."
"well why aren't you copying that down?" he asked the class quickly changing the subject resulting in a sudden noise of rummaging of quills and parchment to erupt across the classroom. Over the noise Snape added, "and two points will be taken from Gryffindor House for your cheek, Anderson and Potter. And i'll see you after class Anderson."
Aria shook her head as she looked back down at her notes, focusing on her work for the rest of the class.
~~
"You sure you don't want me to stay behind?" Hermione offered as Aria stood by her friend's side as she finished packing her stuff. "I can or I can even convince Harry to considering he's the reason your getting detention in the first place, I am a very good persuader when need be."
"I don't have detention yet Hermione, don't go jinxing my luck now, and besides it wasn't Harry's fault. I choose to bite at their disagreement and I will stand with it, he was treating Harry unfairly because of his last name. Besides, you have studying to do."
"I thought we were planning on studying together?" Hermione raised an eyebrow.
"I'll catch up." Aria assured her with an assuring smile "I always catch up."
~~
Waiting for the students to file out of the dungeon was quicker then Aria thought, which didn't surprise her considering if she had a choice she would leave in a heartbeat when she was able to. It had been one class with Snape and her spirits were already down in the dirt and the coldness of the dungeon and Snape's black eyes piercing down at the class and over your shoulder didn't help.
"First day Miss Anderson and you already can't stop running your mouth. Your mother always spoke so highly of your intelligence and ability to articulate with authority but after today, amongst other things, I am once again doubting your mothers perspective."
"Sir with all due respect, this has nothing to do with my intelligence level and you cannot degrade it because I stood up for a friend who clearly didn't know the answer because unlike some people, others don't have the opportunities to read ahead and educate themselves without your help."
"Are you done?" he acknowledge with a short unamused hum after the girls short rant causing her to let out a huff crossing her arms, "yes."
"You will be writing a 5,000 word essay about what we discussed today in class and I want it on my desk tomorrow by the beginning of class and I will be owling your mother. Don't let it happen again. You may be excused."
Aria's jaw clenched and she went to speak but then she realized the rumors about him turning very nasty if taunted and smiled tightly and grabbed her bag turning on her heels and walking out of the dungeon.
"Trouble with Snape on the first day?" Peeves chuckled as the girl strolled down the hallway and she rolled her eyes when she heard him next to her. "what did you do? throw a quill at him? Snape is the most amusing professor to prank --"
"I'll keep that in mind, bye Peeves." Aria chorused as she quickly picked up her pace and left the ghost in her dust not feeling extremely chatty this evening.
~~
Aria headed to the great hall for dinner moments later and plopped down next to Ron who had already begun pilling food on his plate.
"Rock cake?" Ron offered
"What?" Aria asked quietly confused at the sudden interaction.
Ron sighed and pulled a rock cake out of his pocket placing it on her plate, "Hagrid made them."
Aria pushed her plate back, "I'm good. Thanks. I'm too irritated to eat." she informed the boys pulling out a piece of parchment paper and the other things she needed to write her paper.
"What are you doing?" Harry wondered curiously.
"Snape's 5,000 word essay." Aria hummed causing Ron to almost choke on his food.
"He gave us an essay??!" he panicked his face turning pale.
"No." Aria dulled "it's my punishment."
"For what?" Harry chuckled going to take a sip of his drink "answering his question?"
"running my mouth." she quoted deciding on taking a bite from the rock cake completely dismissing what she said earlier then pausing to swallow "Not to mention because he doesn't trust my mother's perspective he thinks that I lack intelligence and have no ability to speak correctly towards authority, hint the running my mouth part."
"Wait... Professor Snape know's your parents?" Harry asked causing her to freeze realizing they don't know her back story.
"Um, yeah." she shifted in her seat "my mother at least, though no one really knows my father considering he ran off when my mother had me and took half of our money and things with him."
Shoving a piece of the rock cake in her mouth she began to scribble down a few things as they came to her mind for her essay.
"Is that how Malfoy knows?" Harry spoke up his eyes drifting to Draco at the Slytherin table who looked over at them feeling eyes on him and Harry looked back towards Aria.
"What?" Aria asked out softly not realizing that she was currently stress eating until she felt the sweat on her hands, she always got nervous telling people about her family considering she was afraid of disappointing them or rejection. And when she got overwhelmed or nervous, when she wasn't fiddling with her necklace or feeling enclosed, she was stress eating.
"On the train, he said something about 'being a burden' and 'leaving a footprint in your life' he was talking about you wasn't he?"
"He was looking directly at me, so yeah I'd say he was talking about me." she retorted quickly before sighing "sorry, I get defensive and upset about my family. We lost our house a few years back to the bank, because we could please the government with our amount of expenses we were giving in. So my mother contact the only people she knew of, the Malfoy's. They were acquaintances and at a time Malfoy's mom and my mother were friends but other then that...." she trailed off shaking her head before continuing "his father offered my mother a job and ever since she's been cleaning and working for them to get me to go to this school and live the life she wants for me. a terrific one, and that's what i'm here to do." she tightened her lips together in a straight line her eyes flickering down to the parchment paper in defeat, "after I finish this rubbish essay."
Aria let out a short sigh continuing working on her essay while Ron and Harry shared short looks. Concerned for the girl they were starting to warm up to, become friends with. They weren't sure what they could do to help her and they felt bad that she had to live with a nitwit like Draco Malfoy, so they stayed quiet and decided to just be here for her when she needed, because that's what friends are for.
~~
It wasn't until they saw a notice on the Gryffindor's door that Aria felt as thrilled as she did.
Flying lessons.
She had read so much about Quidditch and her mother told her stories about their games at Hogwarts.
The girl dreamt of being on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, or any Quidditch team, the only downside of this new announcement was the fact that they had gotten stuck with the Slytherin's for the lessons.
It was just what she needed for Draco to be in the audience when she gets on her first broom.
But at this rate, perhaps, she might get the chance to knock him off of his broom without getting expelled.
Now that was a bright side.
The teacher, Madam Hooch, had short gray hair and yellow eyes like a hawk. Which intrigued the girl. She had never seen eyes like that, in a way it sent shivers down her spine.
"Good afternoon, class." Madam Hooch greeted as she walked down the isle between the two rival houses.
"Good afternoon, Madam Hooch" the class replied in a close sync.
"Welcome to you're first flying lesson well what are you waiting for? Everyone step up to the left side of their broomstick, come on now. Hurry up, stick your right hand over the broom and say, up!"
"Up!" The class says.
Harry and Aria's brooms were first to fly rapidly up into their hands and the looked at each other with excited grins.
"Up!!"
Aria overhears nearby causing her to look over only to witness Ron's broom fly up and smack him right in the nose causing Aria to tumble over laughing at her friends surprised face as she covered her mouth trying to contain her laughter only to see she wasn't the only one admiring this scene, as Harry was laughing alongside of her.
"Shut up guys." Ron laughed.
"Now, once you've got hold of your broom, I want you to mount it. And grip it tight, you don't want to be sliding off the end. When I blow my whistle, I want each of you to kick off from the ground, hard. Keep your broom steady, hover for a moment, and then lean forward slightly and touch back down. On my whistle...3...2.." Hooch instructed however Neville's broom had other plans, as it immediately lifted off into the sky.
"Come back, boy!" Hooch shouted.
As everything went down hill very quickly from there in a flash, a thud was heard and a nasty crack and as Aria peered at the scene finally she cringed as she saw Neville laying face down on the grass.
"Everyone out of the way!" Hooch declared picking up her speed to get to Neville. "Come on, get up."
"Everyone's to keep their feet firmly on the ground while I take Mr. Longbottom to the hospital wing. Understand? If I see a single broom in the air, the one riding it will find themselves out of Hogwarts before they can say, Quidditch."
A very tear-fulled Neville shakingly stood up clutching his wrist in pain as he hobbled off with Madam Hooch who was supporting his every step.
"Did you see his face, the great lump?" Draco taunted as soon as the duo was out of ear shot.
"Shut up, Malfoy." Aria snapped a bubbly feeling rising within her as she clenched her wrist next to her side.
"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" Pansy Parkinson caught Aria's attention causing her gaze to snap from Draco's face to Pansy's.
"Never though you'd like fat little crybabies, Anderson. I figured you'd go for a riffraff like a weasley but I never thought you'd stoop that low."
"Listen here Parkinson --" Aria began only to be cut off by Draco who had darted forward and snatched something out of the grass.
"Look! It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."
"Give that here, Malfoy." Harry announced stepping forward.
"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find - how about - up a tree?"
"Give it here!" Harry's voice rose as Draco leapt onto his broomstick and took off.
"Draco!" Aria called out as her stomach turned as she looked down at her broom not noticing that Harry had grabbed his broom after Draco's taunting sentence.
"Come and get it!"
Aria was quick to mount her broom she looked over towards Harry.
"You coming? I've always had a fair need to knock some sense into Malfoy."
A small smile crept on Harry's face as he didn't seem so hesitant anymore but instead he was determined as he grabbed onto his broom Hermione shouted out a quick "No! Madam Hooch told us not to move —you'll get us all into trouble. Do you really want to get in trouble again, Aria?"
Aria's face fell slightly as her heart dropped to her stomach, her mind crossing to her mother's dissapointment then her eyes traveled to Harry.
"Sorry Hermione, but I don't do bullies. If I don't stand up for Neville who will?"
After that short declaration she kicked off into the air, Harry on her tail as she heard Hermione let out a defeated groan as she kicked the ground.
Feeling the adrenaline course through her veins and her heart pumped against her chest while the wind hit her face and ran through her hair a grin spread across her face as a sparkle of mischief showed in her eyes.
"Give it here," Harry called grabbing the girls attention causing her to turn her broomstick sharply towards the boys, stopping directly to face Draco. "or i'll knock you off that broom!"
"Oh, yeah?" Draco sneered but Aria saw the worry in his eyes causing her to smirk slightly in amusement that they had him cornered.
Harry grabbed onto his broom and took a shot directly towards Draco and he moved just in time.
"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck now Malfoy!" Aria chimed in.
"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted as he threw the glass ball high into the air as Aria's eyes widened she watched Harry dive after it in a sudden flash he had it in his clutch yet he seemed to be gathering speed in the steep dive.
"Aria!" Harry exclaimed causing the girl to swing forward when he reluctantly flung the ball causing it to soar through the sky and Harry pulled his broom straight as soon as Aria leapt forward on her broom catching it then she flew downwards next to Harry who was on the ground and landed gently onto the grass, the Remembrall clutched safely in her fist.
"HARRY POTTER! ARIANA ANDERSON!"
Aria's face grew pale as her stomach dropped and her heart sank as she turned to see Professor McGonagall running towards them, Harry was quick to stand up and Aria grasped his wrist in slight fright as her blood went cold at the fierce look on the professor's face. The two looked at each other as soon as it happened and she awkwardly dropped his wrist stepping away as the professor marched up to them.
"Never -- in all my time at Hogwarts -- how dare you -- might have broken your neck---" she listed off almost speechless with shock.
"It wasn't their fault, Professor --"
"Be quiet, Miss Patil ---" she warned her heavy glare still set on the duo who looked guilty in front.
"But Malfoy---" Ron began to interrupt
"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, Anderson, follow me, now."
The two followed Professor McGonagall's numbly. Aria kept her eyes glued to the ground despite Harry's glances she felt ever so often.
She felt extremely guilty, not only did she break the rules that we clearly demonstrated in front of her, she got Harry in trouble as well via peer pressure.
She fiddled with her necklace as she attempted to keep her breathing under check soon however after walking along the corridors McGonagall stood outside a classroom she opened the door and poked her head inside.
"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?" she asked
Aria felt sick to her stomach, she should've listened to Hermione, she already got in trouble with Snape and now she was going to get expelled and 'wood' was going to do the honors.
Wood turned out to be a fifth year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused as he met eyes with the two first years.
"Follow me, you three." she ordered and they continued to move up the corridor.
"In here."
McGonagall moved them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard which normally Aria would find amusing if she didn't feel so terrible.
"Out, Peeves!" she barked.
Peeves threw the chalk into a bin and swooped out cursing which was soon followed by a slam of the door and McGonagall turned to face the trio.
"Potter, Anderson, this is Oliver Wood. -- I've found you a seeker and a chaser."
Wood's expression changed to delight within seconds.
"Are you serious, Professor?" Oliver asked as Aria's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.
Was this some kind of joke?
"Absolutely." she declared with a nod "they are naturals, never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick?"
Harry and Aria exchanged unknowing glances before nodding.
"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive." she recalled "didn't ever scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."
"And the girl?" Oliver asked raising his eyebrow.
"The girls name is Aria." Aria interrupted "and if you ever call me 'the girl' ever again I shall knock you in the face."
"That's enough Miss Anderson." McGonagall responded as Oliver held a surprised look yet McGonagall seemed to have a slight twinkle of amusement in the back of her eye.
"Sorry Professor." Aria apologized.
"She's got spunk that's for sure." Oliver muttered "But a chaser? We could use that spunk as a beater."
"You already have Fred and George Weasley, besides, I saw the way she caught the ball when Harry threw it, she could definitely control a Quaffle."
"Ever seen a game of Quidditch?" Oliver asked excitedly.
"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team." McGonagall explained.
"He's just the build for a seeker, too." wood said now walking around Harry staring at him like something in a zoo, Aria raised an eyebrow at this action "Light — speedy — we'll have to get him a decentbroom, Professor — a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say. Aria too." he said throwing the girl a grin when he said her name correctly.
"I want to hear you're training hard or I may change my mind about punishing you." McGonagall declared towards the duo causing Aria to swallow and nod and then she suddenly smiled towards Harry.
"Your father would have been proud," she told him. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."
~~
"You're joking." Ron asked speechless, the duo had just finished explaining to the Quidditch loving boy what happened when they had left the ground with Professor McGonagall. To say he was bewildered was an understatement.
"Seeker?" he asked pointing towards Harry before he gushed towards Aria, "chaser?"
Aria nodded as she took a sip of her drink.
"But first years never -- you must be the youngest house players in about ---" Ron rambled
"-- a century," Harry and Aria finished together causing them to exchange a quick glance before Aria glanced back at her plate.
"We start training next week." Harry informed Ron who was so amazed as he gaped at his friends in front of him. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret."
"Well done." George piped up in a low voice almost causing Aria to jump at the sudden appearance. "Wood just told us. We're on the team too --- Beaters."
"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch Cup for sure this year." Fred declared "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."
"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."
"Bet it's the one behind the first week."
"Wanna come Ace?" Fred questioned surprising Aria.
"Um..." she muttered looking at Ron who rolled his eyes causing Aria to awkwardly smile at the weasley twins.
"I mean you have to learn all the good parts of the school from the masters." Fred boasted "right ace?"
"Don't flatter yourself Fred." Aria rolled her eyes standing up to go with the twins.
~~
Aria sighed as she put her hair into a pony tail so she could wash her face yet when she turned on the water the door swung open causing her to jump on to see Hermione standing in a pink bathrobe and a strict face and furrowed eyebrows.
"Do you know where Harry and Ron are?" she asked pointedly.
"what?" Aria asked confused
"Your friends! I thought you of all people would understand the importance of following the rules--"
"you thought that me, the person who almost got expelled today, knew the importance of following the rules?"
Hermione rolled her eyes irritated, "They're going to duel Malfoy."
"What?" Aria asked surprised "Draco... Draco Malfoy?"
"Yes! Draco Malfoy! Where have you been? How do you not know about this?"
"I met them two days ago Hermione, I don't know everything about them, besides, what does this have to do with me?"
"We have to stop them from getting caught and risk loosing points for Gryffindor!"
Aria groaned placing her hand on her forehead blinking irritably before switching off the water grabbing her wand and pulling on her robe, "I am so going to kill those two."
"Actually, the killing curse is --" Hermione began as she trailed down the staircase.
"Hermione!" Aria demanded in a soft whisper attempting not to wake everyone up.
"Yup, okay." Hermione muttered under her breath as she trailed behind the girl.
The two girls sat in near by the fireplace when dimly flickered in the dark.
Soon quiet movement was heard and when the two boys had almost reached the portrait hole Aria spoke up, "I can't believe you guys didn't tell me!"
Hermione flickered on the lamp and gave her a short glare in disapproval causing Aria to frown slightly, "she means --- I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry."
"You!" Ron exclaimed "Go back to bed!"
"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped enraged "Percy -- he's a perfect, he'd put a stop to this."
"He's also very self - absorbed, no offense Ron." Aria informed
"None taken." he responded
"Come on." Harry rolled his eyes pushing Ron through the hole portrait. Causing Hermione to get up and Aria to groan and follow her.
"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the House Cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells"
"Go away."
"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so —"
suddenly a complete silence was filled as Hermione turned around to see the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside was empty.
"Now what am I going to do?" she asked with a sigh.
"That's your problem." Ron informed "We've got to go, we're going to be late. You coming Aria?"
Aria shrugged and followed the boys and it wasn't until they reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.
"I'm coming with you."
[edited; yes ! (09/27/20)]