"What are you guys looking at?" Vincent asked curiously
It was breakfast time and the whole school was in the great hall. Four long tables were filled to the brim with students from different houses which Vincent learned later were, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw.
He also learned that it was at this time that a majority of students would receive mail.
Ron, however, was extremely pale as he looked at the letter sitting in front of him. Harry and Hermione were also present as was a couple of other students who were snickering at Ron's misfortune.
"It's a Howler," Ron said as he gingerly picked the letter up.
"You better open it, Ron," said a student named Neville just as nervous as Ron, "It'll be worse if you don't."
Both Vincent and Harry exchanged confused looks before looking at the petrified faces of Ron and Neville.
"What's a Howler?" asked Harry
Ron and Neville didn't answer as they both stared at the envelope which started smoking.
"Open it," Neville urged, "It'll all be over in a few minutes—"
Vincent took another spoonful of porridge as he watched Ron's resolved look as he tore open the envelope.
Vincent learned exactly why it was called a Howler. An enormous roar of sound filled the entire hall, shaking the very ground beneath his feet.
"—STEALING THE CAR, TAKING A MUGGLE TO HOGWARTS, I WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN SURPRISED IF THEY'D EXPELLED YOU, YOU WAIT TILL I GET HOLD OF YOU, I DON'T SUPPOSE YOU STOPPED TO THINK OF YOUR FATHER AND I WENT THROUGH WHEN WE SAW THAT IT WAS GONE—"
Vincent was just sitting there munching on his toast, although the sound was deafening, breakfast came first. He assumed that the woman shouting was Ron's mum, Mrs. Weasley. Ron however sunk so deep into his chair that all anyone could see was his redhead. Harry tried to look as if he didn't hear the incredibly loud noise on his side, but to no avail, as his eyes kept twitching. People throughout the hall turned silent as they listened in.
"— ABSOLUTELY DISGUSTED — YOUR FATHER'S FACING AN INQUIRY AT WORK, IT'S ENTIRELY YOUR FAULT AND IF YOU PUT ANOTHER TOE OUT OF LINE, WE'LL BRING YOU STRAIGHT BACK HOME!"
And with that lovely note, the letter burst into flames leaving a pile of ashes on Ron's meal. The once silent hall had a few giggles before people started talking again.
Hermione closed her book before looking straight at Ron.
"Don't tell me I deserved it," Ron muttered darkly as his head hung low.
Harry just pushed his porridge away and looked incredibly guilty while Vincent was finishing his breakfast.
"Hey Ginny, what are you looking at?" Hermione asked curiously as she saw the redheaded girl reading a newspaper. It obviously was a muggle one with no moving pictures.
"No-nothing," she said, her face turning a bit red as she looked at Vincent who tilted his head in confusion.
"Come 'on, give it here," Ron tried to shake off his embarrassment while taking the newspaper from Ginny who tried taking it back but to no avail.
Harry, Hermione, and Vincent gathered around the newspaper to see the headline, LONDON'S VIGILANTE STRIKES AGAIN. The picture depicted a hooded figure jumping across the rooftops, the only thing that they could identify from the picture were the two rods like weapons on his waist. Harry and Ron looked straight at Vincent who looked away and started whistling. He already suspected that Dumbledore or McGonagall informed them of his history. Hermione was invested in the story.
"The London Vigilante known as the Trespasser has destroyed the drug traders run by the ex-military soldier, Frank Merlin. Merlin was kicked out of the military for his crime of acting and killing fellow comrades in the army. He was arrested on multiple charges of violence and extortion. Just yesterday morning, police found Merlin and twenty-three unconscious thugs with evidence suggesting their involvement in drug dealing. Police officers arrived at the scene in time to see the Trespasser make his escape. The Trespasser is known for taking out various thugs and drug traders so London can rest easy knowing that the guardian angel known as the Trespasser is out there."
Hermione finished reading and looked in amazement, "He took down an ex-military soldier along with twenty-three other thugs all at once, this Trespasser is pretty good at his job."
She then noticed that everyone else was silent and saw them all looking towards Vincent who was looking off to the side. She then noticed the two rods sheathed at his side and compared them to the picture. Her eyes then widened in shock as she looked at Vincent who was sweating under the attention.
"You're the Trespasser!" she cried out making Vincent wince with how loud she was.
Ginny giggles while both Harry and Ron smiled wryly since they were already informed of Vincent's story by McGonagall.
"Geez, Hermione can you be a little louder?" Vincent said while Hermione looked down in embarrassment, "Ginny, why did you have that paper?"
It was Ginny's turn to be embarrassed as she stumbled over her words, "Well, um, ever, since that night, I just wanted to know about the person who saved me."
"Wait, when did he save you?" Ron asked surprised
"I kind of accidentally used floo powder to sneak out two nights ago," Ginny said in embarrassment
"You WHAT?!" Ron started lecturing Ginny who was looking like she was going to cry under the pressure.
"Didn't you fly a car here Ron?" Hermione asked, "I don't think you really have the right to blame Ginny."
Ron stopped in embarrassment while Vincent was comforting Ginny. Vincent only ever socially interacted with children far younger than him from the orphanage or elders such as Sister An and Dumbledore. The only thing he could think of to comfort Ginny was to pat her head.
Ginny lightly blushed under the physical contact. She got nervous before noticing how comfortable Vincent's hand was.
Ron looked annoyed at Vincent's actions, "Hey mate don't touch my sis tee like that."
Vincent just looked confused as he removed his hand from a disappointed redheads head.
"Is it wrong to touch another person's head? he asked leaving Ron to gape at him, while Hermione felt amused by Vincent's innocence
"Ron, he was just comforting Ginny, who, might I remind you, was crying because of you," Hermione stared Ron down
Ron was saved from Hermione's scolding by Professor McGonagall who was handing out the timetables to all the students. When she got to Vincent, she handed him a blank timetable and another parchment with all the classes that could be attended up to the third year of Hogwarts.
"You can attend any of these classes," she explained, "I don't recommend transfiguration or charms since they require magic. Herbology and Muggle studies are definitely subjects that you can learn. The rest is for you to decide."
"Thank you, Professor McGonagall." Vincent gave a small bow before taking the sheets of paper.
McGonagall nodded at how polite the boy was before moving on to the rest. Ginny already ran off leaving only Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Vincent.
"So where do you plan to go?" Hermione asked curious to what Vincent would decide
"I think I'll go with you guys for a bit before deciding what classes I want to join," Vincent said with Hermione nodding in understanding.
The first course they had involved Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.
The four of them made their way out of the castle and for the greenhouses. Along the way, Hermione was asking Vincent whether he talked to people close to his age or not.
"The only people I interacted with were younger kids and older men and women," he said, "I've saved people my age, but you guys and Ginny are the first friends I had."
Harry, Ron, and Hermione got a better understanding of Vincent's attitude. Due to his little to no friends, he wouldn't know how to properly act around them. Everything he says and does is all based on how he feels. Like no man would ever casually pat a girl's head without permission.
"Well, once a friend, always a friend," Harry said
Both Ron and Hermione gave encouraging smiles which Vincent returned.
"Is this what friends feel like," he thought to feel extremely grateful to meet such people.
...
"So, is that our teacher?" Vincent asked
Professor Sprout, The a Herbology teacher was a squat little witch with a patched hat on her head. Vincent noticed the bandages on her arms and looked in the distance to see the Whomping Willow with slings through several branches. Harry and Ron also noticed this and had a flash of guilt across their faces.
Professor Sprout wasn't alone however as she was accompanied by a handsome blonde-haired man with bright white teeth when he smiled which, to Vincent, seemed unnerving.
"Who's the creepy man?" Vincent questioned Hermione
The whole class heard this question with a lot of sniggering while the rest glared at Vincent. Harry and Ron were part of the sniggering while Hermione gave him a glare.
"That is our Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Gilderoy Lockhart," she explained, "and he's a great wizard who had done many great deeds."
"Like what?" Vincent asked curiously
"He saves villages, took down werewolves and outsmarted vampires," Hermione said excitedly, "he's basically a hero."
"Huh, ok," Vincent just nodded
Hermione was about to say more before she remembered that Vincent has been in situations just as dangerous. She remembered an article about the Trespasser a couple of years back when he first appeared. It was about the time when he saved people from a burning building.
The firefighters were not going to make it in time and there were still people in the building. When everyone felt despair, a crowd of people came running out of the building. When questioned, they said that a hooded figure with two rods at his waist rushed deep into the fire before bringing one person at a time into a safe place that they could make their way out themselves. While there were a lot of injuries, some extremely severe, no one died that night. That was one of the Trespassers first appearances.
"Hermione, hello, you in there?"
Hermione snapped out of thought as soon as she saw Vincent's face in front of her.
"You ok Hermione?" Vincent asked worriedly, "you seem out of it."
"I'm fine don't worry," she turned her head about to avoid him seeing her embarrassed face.
"Harry, my boy, great to see you!" Lockhart wrapped his arms around Harry before dragging him off, "is it ok to borrow him, Professor Sprout? Thanks for being ok with it!"
Professor Sprout definitely wasn't ok with it and gave him the stink eye as he dragged Harry away, "OK, class is about to begin, everyone gets to your seats."
Harry came back five minutes later with an annoyed face and took his spot between Ron and Hermione who was sitting next to Vincent.
Vincent observes the greenhouse they were in. They were all seated around a trench bench with Professor Sprout behind it. There were around twenty or so earmuffs on the bench coming in different colors.
"Now we'll be investigating Mandrakes today. Now, who here can tell me the properties of the Mandrake?
Hermione's hand shot up so fast that Vincent couldn't follow with his eyes.
"Mandrakes, or Mandragora, is a powerful restorative," Vincent sat there listening in amazement as she answered, " It is used to return people who have been transfigured or cursed to their original state."
"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor," said Professor Sprout, "The Mandrake forms an essential part of most antidotes. It is also, however, dangerous. Who can tell me why?"
The whole room turned silent as they saw the person that put up his hand, even Hermione was so stunned that she didn't even raise her hand.
"Umm," Vincent got a little nervous feeling all the eyes on him, "Mandrakes are extremely loud."
"That— that is correct, ten points," she said stunned before getting back to the task, "we—well the Mandrakes here are still young."
"How'd you know that?" Harry asked from two seats away
"Uh, the woman that runs the orphanage is a wizard that likes plants," Vincent said
Harry and Ron understood since McGonagall told them about Sister An, but Hermione looked confused and looked like she wanted more answers.
"Not now Hermione, class remember?" Vincent said seeing her open her mouth for a question
She nodded and decided that she would ask him later.
"Now children, I will demonstrate how to plant a Mandrake, everyone takes a pair of earmuffs, I will give you the signal to take it off."
Everyone scrambled to take a pair of earmuffs that weren't pink. Vincent however just shrugged and took one without caring. The moment he put it on, he couldn't a thing. He turned to watch Professor Sprout demonstrate how to handle a Mandrake. She picked a purplish-green plant and pulled up.
He looked on in shock as he saw that instead of roots, the plant had a small baby like creature with roots growing out of it. The moment it was out of the ground, it started bawling its lungs out.
Thankfully for the students, the earmuffs blocked out any sound they would have heard. Professor Sprout placed the Mandrake into an empty pot before indicating to the students that it was safe now.
Only when everyone had taken their earmuffs off did she start speaking.
"Ok everyone, group up into four per tray, pots are over here, compost is in the sacks over there."
Vincent joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione. A curly-haired Hufflepuff joined their table since there was an odd number of people.
"Justin Finch-Fletchley," he shook everyone's hand, "know who you are, the famous Harry Potter, Hermione Granger the smartest student in our year and Ron Weasley wasn't that your car?"
Vincent raised an eyebrow when Justin didn't mention him. Justin looked at Vincent and held his hand out, although with much less enthusiasm.
"I'm sorry, you're the muggle that everyone's been talking about, lately right?" he asked
"Vincent Wong," Vincent shook the boy's hand
Justin nodded in acknowledgment, he then went on to say how he nearly got into another school called Eton, before rambling on about how great Lockhart is.
They talk much before putting their earmuffs back on and focusing on the task at hand. Vincent witnessed everyone suffering to handle the Mandrakes. Harry, in particular, spent a whole ten minutes before it was Vincent's turn.
Vincent took a deep breath before pulling his Mandrake out, he expected a lot of struggling, but there was no resistance in his hand.
He looked at the root like-baby in front of him and was stunned to see it looking at him with curiosity. He then used his other hand to give the baby a pat on the head, he couldn't hear but the baby looked like it was laughing as it snuggled into the hand.
Vincent gave a small smile before slowly planting it into a pot. He dusted his hands off before realizing everyone was staring at him with their earmuffs off.
He took his earmuffs off before looking at all of them nervously, "Did I do something wrong?"
Professor Sprout shook her head quickly, "No, no you did nothing wrong. If anything, that was amazing! How did you do it a boy? How did you make the Mandrake laugh?!"
"I-I don't know," said Vincent, "It just didn't cry when I pulled it out."
Professor Sprout stared at him before sighing and waving her hand, "Class is over, chop-chop."
Along the way to their next lesson, Harry asked Vincent what happened back there.
"I really don't know," he said thoughtfully, "I just treated it like any other baby."
Harry and Ron looked at each other and shrugged. Neither of them had to deal with a baby before.
"I think he looked cool," Hermione thought remembering the scene of Vincent patting the baby
Unknown to Vincent, many of the girls present fell for his kind and gentle act.
The next lesson was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. Vincent just sat at his desk while he watched everyone try to turn beetles into buttons. Vincent winced as Ron squashed his beetle with his sticky taped wand.
Harry in the other hand had extreme trouble keeping the bug still. Vincent caught the bug gently and held in place. Harry gave a grateful nod before using his wand to turn the beetle into a blue button.
The lunch bell sounded. Everyone left the classroom with only Ron smacking his already broken wand on the desk.
"Stupid, useless, thing!"
"I don't think the desk did anything wrong to you," said Vincent earning a glare from Ron whose wand made a cloud of smoke
"So, what's the next lesson?" asked Harry quickly
"Defence against the Dark Arts," Hermione said at once
"Why do you have hearts circled around it?" Vincent asked as he took a look at her schedule
Hermione blushed furiously as she put her schedule away.
"Guess I shouldn't have asked," thought Vincent as they made their way to lunch
They finished lunch before heading out to the courtyard. Harry and Ron were talking about a wizarding sport called Quidditch while Hermione was reading a book.
"You have any books I can read?" Vincent asked
Hermione rummaged through her bag and brought out five to six books before returning to her reading. Vincent was amazed she carried that much.
He looked through the books before his attention was caught on a book about potions. He remembered that this particular subject required no magic and was something anyone can do.
"Strength potion, requires Fanged Geranium, an Arm Bone of any creature and a snake fang," he read, "strengthening potion, requires salamander blood and powdered Griffin claws. The same effects as the strength potion but requires longer to prepare."
"Girding potion, increases endurance for weeks, Morpus potion, gives seer like powers and telepathy," Vincent's eyes widened in excitement before dimming at the next line, "Ingredients are unknown, dang it, telepathy would be cool."
"Signed photos, you're giving out signed photos Potter?"
A blond pointed face boy with two other standing beside him like bodyguards walked up to Harry who was next to a boy with a camera in his hands. Vincent looked questionably at Hermione.
"A boy wanted Harry to sign a photo, Draco Malfoy over there overheard and came to make fun." Hermione gave the rundown of the situation.
"So is Draco part rat?" Hermione was totally thrown off by the question, "I mean the hair, the face reminds me of a rat."
Silence was heard from Harry's end. Draco looked menacingly at Vincent while Ron was holding his stomach laughing. Harry also gave a smile at Vincent.
"Huh, guess they heard me," thought Vincent
"Would you like to repeat that muggle," Draco said through his clenched teeth
Vincent then stood up and bowed surprising everyone. Draco smirked thinking that Vincent was frightened until his face froze at his next words.
"I'm sorry if I had offended you and your whole race of rats, I'm still new to this world and I don't know the customs between different species, so please forgive me."
At this point, Ron was on the ground laughing his head off while Harry, and even Hermione were trying their best not to laugh. The rest of the courtyard was filled with sniggers directed at Malfoy whose face was beet red.
"I, am, a, HUMAN!" he shouted at the top of his lungs
Vincent's face warped in shock as he stared at Malfoy, "Well, I'm sorry, your face told me otherwise, so I just assumed—"
"I AM NOT A RAT!" Malfoy was furious
If it was a taunt, the Malfoy could probably deal with it, but the problem was that Vincent looked like he genuinely believed that Malfoy was part rat.
"What's going on here?"
Lockhart came into the courtyard and spotted Harry. He gave a smile so wide that it seemed humanly impossible to Vincent.
"Oh Harry, giving out photos, are you? Well, how about one with both of us, come on boy take one!"
The small boy with the camera fumbled around a bit before snapping a photo. Lockhart dragged an unwilling Harry into the picture.
"Ok now what happened here?" he asked the group
Before Malfoy could open his mouth, Vincent answered.
"It was my fault, I assumed that Malfoy was a rat person until he outright denied it, I'm sorry to trouble you Professor."
"A rat person? Why I've met a few in my days and let me tell you Malfoy, it's nothing to be ashamed of. Their quite nice chaps."
Malfoy looked like he was going to burst. What Vincent said next was the final straw.
"So, he is a part rat?"
Malfoy passed out from excessive anger and was taken by his bodyguards to the nurse. Leaving a confused Vincent to ponder what made Malfoy pass out like that.
"Is he sick in the head?" he asked the group
Ron was dying in laughter, Harry was laughing quite a bit as well and Hermione kept sniggering to herself leaving Vincent to ponder the question on his own.
...
"Me," Lockhart said holding up a book called Travels with Trolls to show his own winking face on the cover, "Gilderoy Lockhart, Order of Merlin, Third class, Honorary Member of the Dark Force Defence League, and five-time winner of Witch Weekly's Most Charming-Smile Award — but I don't like to talk about that. I don't get rid of the Bandon Banshee by smiling at her!"
Vincent just had a blank look on his face as he looked towards Harry, Ron, and Hermione, "Yeah, he definitely doesn't talk about his exploits."
Harry and Ron both gave a small chuckle at Vincent's sarcastic remark. Hermione just rolled her eyes as she tried to pay attention to the "lesson".
"You have thirty minutes to fill the test in front of you, starting now!"
Vincent raised an eyebrow at the questions.
What is Gilderoy Lockhart's favorite color?
What is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest ambition?
What, in your opinion, is Gilderoy Lockhart's greatest achievement to date?
..
..
"Favourite color, well he's wearing, what's the word, lilac? Ambition, fame, and glory. Achievement, huh hard one, just existing? Not too harsh. How about even qualifying to be a teacher? Yeah, that sounds about right." Vincent just answered the questions without much thought, he honestly was curious about how Lockhart's lessons will go.
"Ok times up!" Lockhart collected all the sheets of paper with a wave of his wand
He started looking through them with a smile before he came across one that made him falter. Vincent watched curiously as Lockhart's face turned extremely red before coughing and putting the tests to the side.
"Are you alright Professor?" Vincent asked and was sent a "glare" before being graced with a smile from Lockhart
"Yes, my boy, I just came across an interesting test sheet and was fascinated with its answers," Lockhart's eye started twitching leaving the whole class to wonder what kind of student could get on the narcissistic teachers' nerves, "I would like to point out, that Miss Granger received full marks, ten points to Gryffindor!"
"Okay class moving on to today's lesson," he lifted a large, covered cage of sorts, "Now, be warned! It is my job to arm you against the foulest creatures to wizardkind! You may find yourself facing against your worst fears here, but never fear! No harm can befall you while I am here!"
Vincent looked at everyone's face and saw the anticipation in their eyes, even Harry and Ron were leaning forward on their desk to get a better look at the cage.
"Don't scream, it might provoke them," Lockhart warned, before whipping off the cover, "Yes, freshly caught Cornish pixies!"
The pixies were electric blue and around eleven inches high with a pointed face and nose, their voices were so shrill that sounded like budgies arguing.
"Are pixies dangerous?" Vincent asked Hermione while Lockhart was warning a student who laughed/
"Well if anything their kind of pests," Hermione whispered, "I'm sure Professor Lockhart brought them in for a reason."
"Not that dangerous?" Lockhart smiles at one of the students claim, "well, why don't you see for yourself!"
"He wouldn't," thought Vincent.
Lockhart opened the cage causing mayhem throughout the classroom. The pixies surprised Vincent with their show of strength as they causally flipped desks and carried students away by their ears. The one called Neville was going to be hung on the chandelier before the pixies both got hit by two iron rods. Neville gave a grateful nod which Vincent gave in return as he picked up the rods and sheathed them.
"Come on you lot, their only pixies!" Vincent has a striking urge to smash the man's perfect teeth, "I'll show you guys how it's done."
Lockhart rolled back his sleeves and brandished his wand before bellowing, "Peskipiksi Pesternom,"
Vincent waited for a moment before realizing that the spell did absolutely nothing. He wasn't sure if it was an actual spell at all.
Lockhart's triumphant smile turned rigged as a pixie grabbed his wand and threw it out the window. He hurriedly ducked under his desk avoiding the flying objects being thrown his way.
The bell rang and there was a mad rush towards the exit. Lockhart bolted towards the door and stopped to look at Vincent, Harry, Ron, and Hermione who were left behind.
"Well, I'll ask you three to nip the rest back into their cage," with that he shut the door
It took a good half hour before the pixies were put back into their cage.
"That all of them?" Harry asked while stuffing a pixie into the cage, "What the heck was this trash lesson?"
"Hermione, nothing you will say will make me believe that was a proper lesson," Ron said seeing Hermione about to say something
"It was just some hands-on experience," she said
"Hermione, I'm not sure what all Wizard classes are like, but he did not have a bloody clue what he was doing!" Vincent said while pushing a chair back to place
"Rubbish," said Hermione, "You've seen his books, look at all the amazing things he's done."
Vincent raised an eyebrow. He just got to the wizard's world and could not be expected to have read Lockhart's books.
"He says he's done," Ron muttered as they made their way out of the classroom
No one noticed a pair of black beady eyes poking out of Vincent's pocket.