Chapter 21: First classes
Authors Note:
Hey guys, sadly I'm going to have to slow down the release to maybe once every other day for the next remainder of the week as I have to study to take another SAT in hopes of raising my score to get more scholarship money, gotta love 'murica am I, right?
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"Now class, let us begin our first lesson." Professor McGonagall said addressing the class
"Transfiguration is some of the most dangerous magic you shall encounter in your time at Hogwarts and after. You could change a desk into a pig, you could change a turtle into a crocodile, and you can even change a tiny item such as a match into a needle made of pure silver." McGonagall said beginning her lecture and transfiguring a random desk into a live pig and back into a desk much to the awe and amazement of the first years.
Once the children quieted down, McGonagall sporting her signature stern look continued her lecture. "However, as I said before, it is a nasty bit of magic if used wrong or on another human being. All it takes is a slight mistake and you can create an abomination from what was once a person." Hearing her grave tone most of the students tensed up, after letting what she said sink in she went back to her lecture in a stern yet more relaxed tone.
"During your time in class today, you will be doing the last task I mentioned, changing a wood match into a silver needle, Now, do not assume you can 'get rich quick' as they say with Transfiguration, none of the items you transfigure will stay as they have changed, they will always turn back, the only way to completely change an items state of being is Transmutation, but, that is far to complex for anyone of you to even attempt until your reach your sixth or seventh year."
"Now, here are your matches, I do not expect many of you to succeed today but do try your best," she said while magically distributing matches to every student
With the match now placed in front of every student, the children all took out their wands and started trying their hardest to transfigure the match.
As the first years were all busy making faces like they were about to shit themselves or were about to burst a blood vessel, Alaric couldn't help but laugh at the children's current predicament.
"Haha, look at all of the poor gits trying their hardest not to fill their knickers." Alaric couldn't help but chuckle while saying
"Hey! That's not very nice, they are all trying their hardest, and it's not like you have even finished the assignment so why are you making fun of others, hmm?" Hermione said judgementally to Alaric
Without dignifying her words with a response, Alaric gripped his wand and changed the match into a perfect silver needle with a nonchalant flick of the wrist.
"There, all done, that wasn't quite so hard," Alaric said with a wry smile
Seeing how easily he had completed the assignment Hermione was gobsmacked, to say the least, from the other side of the room Alaric could even hear the duo of Ron and Harry exclaim in surprise as well.
"Bloody hell, did you see that Harry, how in merlins beard did he do that?" Ron asked with a raised tone in disbelief, his inferiority complex was also flaring up
"I-I, I don't know Ron, I knew he could do some magic but I thought he was only slightly more adept than the rest of us, I didn't know he was this well-versed in magic already," Harry replied with an equally surprised face
Although the kid's reactions may seem over the top for just one feat of magic, it was understandable due to the first years struggling so much over this one simple task, so to them it was like a prodigy had graced them with his appearance.
"How did you do that!" Hermione exclaimed in shock and reverence
"Tell me Hermione, what is the main component that goes into casting a spell?" Alaric asked, drawing the attention of the whole class, McGonagall included.
"Of course, it's the wand movement and incarnation obviously."
"Hmm, if so, then pray to tell how we go about the act of transfiguration?"
"I mean, it's not like there is a specific wand motion or incantation that goes into Transfiguration, now is there." Alaric posed a great question that stumped Hermione as she had no idea just how transfiguration truly works
McGonagall who was watching off to the side was surprised and intrigued at the boy's insight into Transfiguration and magic, she herself already knew what the driving force of Transfiguration magic was, but she never would've thought a fledgling first year who only attended Hogwarts for one day to know it as well.
"I... I do not know." Hermione sighed in defeat
"Haha, it's quite alright Hermione, most young wizards our age pay no mind to the more intricate workings of magic, allow me to enlighten you," Alaric said with a light chuckle at the girl's defeated face
Now that Alaric was about to unveil the way to accomplish transfiguration magic in a more straightforward fashion, the entire class perked up and gave him their undivided attention, seeing this Alaric just shook his head in light mirth.
"The way to truly accomplish what we have been tasked to do by our wonderful teacher is to use your imagination, and to mean everything you do truly, that is the secret behind Transfiguration, and magic as a whole, intent, while it may seem like a trivial matter, your intent can make or break a spell."
Once Alaric finished what he was saying, it was like a dam broke, one after another, students all around the room quickly got to trying to change their match once again, while a few succeeded, Hermione and Harry included, others like Ron and Draco who were too rigid in their way of thinking were unable to accomplish the task that they set out to complete.
--After Class--
After the assignment of changing a match into a silver needle, McGonagall had spent the last half hour of class lecturing on the principles of transfiguration and how it works.
Alaric was currently walking out of the classroom and was going to head back down to the dungeons as his next and final class of the day was potions, which coincidentally was also with Gryffindor, so that was going to be interesting.
As he was heading down the stairs, Alaric could hear the voice of someone calling out to him. "Wait, Alaric!" suddenly from around the corner Sofia had come running at full speed and almost ran into Alaric if it wasn't for his quick thinking and using a stopping spell on her.
"What in the bloody hell is wrong with you?" Alaric asked in a raised tone at his sister
"S-Sorry, I just really wanted to come and see how your first class went, knowing you I trust it went splendidly?" Sofia asked with a sorry tone that turned into a cheery smile
"Yes, I would say it went fine."
Back from behind Sofia, another voice rang out. "Fine? That lesson was positively brilliant!" Hermione beamed toward Alaric. Seeing the now-approaching girl chat with Alaric about the class with a friendly tone, Sofia couldn't help but put on a mischievous smirk.
"Soo, I take it my brother has already started taking young maidens' hearts hmm? Oh how it saddens me that another woman has come into my sweet little brother's life, it is naught but a short while until he forgets about little old me" Sofia said with an overtly sad tone and an exaggerated performance
Hearing the older girl's words, Hermione couldn't help but let a faint blush appear on her cheeks. "Oh, can it Sofia, she's just messing with you Hermione, pay my nitwit of a sister no mind," Alaric said but as he turned back to the bushy-haired girl he couldn't help but sigh when he saw the blush on her face
'Kids, I swear.' Alaric thought with a mental facepalm
'Since she decided to annoy me today, I guess it should react in kind, just wait, my 'oh so dear sister' It may be petty but petty is my middle name and I'm going to wreak havoc on you for the next week.' Alaric thought as he schemed different pranks and spells to use to make his sister's life a living hell for the next week, all because of a minor annoyance, but hey, who cares, not Alaric.
Seeing the creepy smile etch onto Alaric's face, Sofia couldn't help but feel a shiver go down her spine, she knew that look all too well, and she knew that he was cooking something devious up there in that mysterious brain of his.
--Dungeons, Potions Classroom, a few minutes before a certain caped grease man makes an all too "grand" entrance--
As all Harry Potter fans know, On the first day of classes, Professor Snape does not craft a clever icebreaker for students to get to know each other. Nor does he step unceremoniously into a boring lecture. Instead, the Potions master begins with a speech.
Suddenly while the students were talking and murmuring with each other, the doors to the potions classroom fling open, and in step a man with a long black coat/cape/robe, who knows, the man has long greasy black hair, dark gloomy eyes, and a face that looks to have sucked on more than a thousand lemons.
"'You are here to learn the subtle science and exact art of potion-making," he began. He spoke in barely more than a whisper, but they caught every word. Like Professor McGonagall, Snape had the gift of keeping a class silent without effort. "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 put a stopper on death, that is, if you aren't as big a bunch of dunderheads as I usually have to teach." Snape growled in a low monotone voice
'Hello, Severus Snape~' Alaric said in a drawn-out voice in his head, if he had said it out loud, he would've popped the last part of Snape, but alas he only thought it mentally.
During the whole of Snape's speech, Draco Malfoy was staring at the gloomy professor as if he had just found the love of his life.
Meanwhile, Harry who was sitting next to Hermione who in turn was next to Alaric, was busy writing down what Snape had said, for what reason, who knows, much less cares. Seeing the boy keep writing with a quill and ink in his notebook, Snape singled out Harry immediately.
"Then again, maybe some of you have come to Hogwarts in possession of abilities so formidable, that you feel confident enough, to not. pay. attention!" Snape said raising his voice with every last word in Harry's direction, the little twat in question continuing his writing, this is until Hermione nudged him.
Seeing the boy had finally looked up, Snape continued. "Mr. Potter, our new celebrity, tell me, what would I get if I added powdered root of Asphodel to an infusion of Wormwood?" Snape enquired with a predatory gaze
Although in this world, being raised by Sirius, Remus, and even sometimes Arcturus had given the boy some more backbone, he still couldn't say anything but just glare at Snape as he had no clue what those ingredients would do.
Sitting right next to him, however, Hermione shot her hand up and was practically jumping in her seat.
"You don't know? Well, let's try again, Where Mr. Potter would you look if I asked you to find me a Bezoar?" and like clockwork, Harry sat there with no answer and Hermione the always dutiful student shot her hand up once again
Sitting to her left side, Alaric was just watching the show with a hint of amusement and a touch of boredom.
"I don't know sir," Harry responded through gritted teeth, allowing Snape to continue. "And what is the difference between Monkshood and Wolfbane?" Snape asked another question the boy didn't know yet Hermione kept her hand in the air, now almost standing.
"Pity, clearly, fame isn't everything... is it, Mr. Potter?" Snape asked while Draco looked back at Harry with a mocking look, meanwhile the whole time during Snape's grilling of Harry, the blonde bug was looking to be hot and bothered with how Harry was being humiliated by Snape.
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