Dumbledore's Army and The Alchemists Secret - 5. A New Beginning

Albus and Scorpius woke up late on their first day at Hogwarts having spent most of the night chatting about the Sorting Ceremony and the excellent food. Ben Tukker was still snoring loudly as they left their dormitory, hoping to find Rose and go down for breakfast together. They sat in their common room waiting for her when they couldn’t find her, wondering aloud why she was taking so long to come down, when Rose came in through the portrait hole with Molly.

‘We were waiting for you!’ said Albus looking outraged, ‘we waited an hours for you!’

‘For what?’ snapped Rose.

‘For going down to breakfast’ said Scorpius glaring at her too, ‘but I guess you already had it’

‘I never promised to come down with you two!’ said Rose glaring back at him, ‘why did you even- oh, wait- you two were hoping that I would help you find your way to the Great Hall? So that’s what you were after?’

Albus looked at her in disbelief and turned to look at Scorpius to see him rolling his eyes. He shook his head as Scorpius was about to retort and dragged him through the portrait hole scowling.

It was good that the term started with a weekend. Albus and Scorpius got lost around so much that they barely made it to the Great Hall on mealtime and to their Common Room for bedtime. They were able to eat only the desserts for Lunch and Dinner and had to steal a few toasts from the breakfast table before the food vanished. Much to their chagrin, they found Rose moving so easily about the Castle as though she was born and raised here. She had even been to the library once and came back with her bag laden with books. A teenage ghost with a photograph, gliding through the Gryffindor Common Room told the first years that she had a right little tantrum at the Library when the age-bent vulture-beaked Librarian, Madam Pince, had rejected to lend her more books as she had reached her book limit. Rose was only seen either eating in the Great Hall or buried behind the piles of books around her in their Common Room.

‘I bet she is going to finish school in one year, the rate at which she is reading’ said Scorpius as he and Albus finally found their way to the Great Hall after getting lost four times that Saturday night, ‘I wonder how she managed to find her way so easily around here’

It was surprising how the castle kept springing surprises on them every time they walked from their Common Room to the Great Hall. There were too many staircases to climb, too many doors to open, too many corridors to walk and too many secret passageways to remember. Albus tried to map their way to the Great Hall on their way to dinner that Sunday night, only to get lost a couple more times and arriving moments before the puddings vanished. Scorpius sighed reflecting that at this rate they will end up in the hospital wing starved, though he said, that it might at least assure that they had a few square meals.

Monday morning dawned grey and bleak as opposed to the sunny weekend they had. Albus was already gloomy about finding their way to the classes on time and the climate dampened his spirits further. Scorpius suggested half-heartedly if they could really ask Rose to chaperone them, for which Albus refused point blank. He knew she would help them out if they asked, but would then haunt them with snide remarks and bossy attitude all through the rest of their lives. He would rather get scolded for being late to the class than getting humiliated by Rose for asking her assistance.

They took it as a good omen when they reached the Great Hall fifteen minutes before the breakfast ended. They stuffed their pockets with toasts and scones, just in case they missed lunch. Professor Longbottom walked down to the first years and handed them their time-tables and gave general direction to where the classrooms are. Scorpius eagerly scanned their time-table and said with a relish, ‘we have charms this afternoon! Better not be late for that!’ though Albus thought that it was highly unlikely for them to reach any class before it was time for the next one.

And as Albus feared, they were 20 minutes late for their first ever class at Hogwarts. Professor Clemency Fey, their transfiguration teacher, was so cross with them that she threatened to transfigure one of them into a map so at least the other one would be on time. The rest of the class proceeded without any further incident, unless you counted Ben Tukker turning Hufflepuff first year Daisy Zeller’s pigtail into a Radish.

The bell rang and Albus turned around when he heard someone calling him. Jessica Ambrossa walked to him and told that the rest of the Gryffindor first years had decided to walk as a group to the classes for the rest of the week which would ensure that no one got lost or late to the classes. Albus and Scorpius immediately agreed and went to join the rest of the class waiting at the bottom of the stairs.

‘Where’s Rose Weasley?’ asked Andrea McGuffin.

‘I don’t know’ said Leah Montgomery standing on her toes to scan the crowd from above their heads, ‘I can’t find her around here’

‘May be she left’ said Lionel Hemsley looking cross, ‘you know she isn’t exactly the friendly kind. This morning I asked her to point the way to fourth floor and she was absolutely horrible to me. Looked at me like I was a sea slug or something’

Albus and Scorpius exchanged looks but said nothing. All of them started for their herbology class. Since it was held on the grounds beside the castle inside the greenhouses, they didn’t have much difficulty finding their way, what with the help of one of the resident Ghosts of Gryffindor, a teenager with a broken camera, giving them directions.

They trouped inside the Greenhouse one, looking wary, surrounded by twisting, moving, creepy plants and bright, rustling shrubs, honking flowers and poisonous-looking vines. In the middle stood Professor Longbottom, smiling at them and signaling them to gather around him. They formed a rough half circle around him along with the first year Ravenclaws and found Rose standing in the front, with her nose up. She didn’t even as much look behind when her fellow Gryffindor first years arrived and they were all throwing mutinous stares at her.

‘Welcome to Greenhouse One’ said Professor Longbottom once they settled down, ‘now before I start telling you about what we will be doing in your first year at Hog-’

‘Is it true that you have a Diamond-studded, Goblin-made Sword that was given by the ghost of Godric Gryffindor to you, Professor?’ interrupted a blue-eyed Ravenclaw first year.

Professor Longbottom looked slightly uncomfortable as he said, ‘No, I just pulled it out of-’

‘Did you really kill a gigantic basilisk with that sword, Professor?’ quipped Jessica Ambrossa.

‘No, really that was a Viper. Now coming back to the lesson, I mean syllabus, we will be-’

‘And did you really tell Voldemort to shut his face, when he tried to kill you using Cruciatus Curse?’ asked Adelaide Fawley, another Gryffindor first year, looking ready to swoon with awe.

‘A cruciatus curse doesn’t kill you. Anyway that’s beside my point. I want you to listen closely. You need to be careful in the Greenhouses. Dragon hide gloves and-’

‘But I heard the resident ghost of Ravenclaw, that is the Grey Lady, telling me that-’

‘That is enough’, said Professor Longbottom sharply, ‘we are here to learn Herbology. Not discuss about- about how- or what I did. Now pay attention. You are to bring your….’

The bell rang and the Gryffindors grouped again outside the Greenhouse, save Rose Weasley who made a beeline straight to the Oak Doors. They decided to meet right outside the Great Hall after lunch to head for their charms class and went on their way for lunch.

‘Is she always like that?’ asked Scorpius breaking the silence between him and Albus, loading steak-and-kidney pie on his plate.

Albus gave a start. He was so lost contemplating why Rose turned into a monster overnight since their sorting that he hadn’t uttered a word since he heard her snorting bossily at them while Professor Fey rebuked them for being late. She had always supported him when James played pranks on him or made fun of him. He was finding it difficult to understand why she was behaving in such a, what they called as, Uncle Percy-ish way.

‘N..No’ he said grabbing a drumstick, ‘she wasn’t like this before. Anyways, you saw her on train. She behaved well, didn’t she?’

‘Well… That’s what I thought too. Do you think she ate the branch of holly for a bet? My mother says that they cause anger and irritation. I heard they do it for bets, them Slytherins’ said Scorpius eyeing Rose, ‘My dad told me he ate them twice’

‘No wonder Slytherins are always in foul mood’ said James dropping beside Scorpius, ‘you people had charms class yet?’

‘No. We will have it now. Did you have one?’ asked Scorpius immediately perking up.

‘Oh, yeah. We had it just now, and it was, beyond words’ said James grinning in an awed sort of way, ‘never ever try to duel her. She is going to stun you before you even think about picking up your wand. Anyway, Al, I came to have a chat with you’

‘What about?’ said Albus stuffing buttered peas and avoiding his brother’s eyes.

‘About Quidditch’ said James blandly and started piling his plate with a mountain of food, ‘As Kevin told you yesterday, he’s expecting you to be a part of the team. Now, I told him that you don’t play and the thought of Quidditch scares you witless-’

‘I am not scared witless. It’s just that a broomstick never lets me stay in the air long enough for me to say Quidditch’

‘Yeah, about same that is. But Kevin’s insisting that you try at least. So, I thought once he sees you on a broomstick, I thought it would be easier for him to believe that you are simply not made for this stuff. The trials start two weeks from now and I thought you would start practicing a bit so that you don’t embarrass me – er, I mean – yourself too much’

Albus concentrated on eating his lunch, but his thoughts were flying. At least his thoughts were flying, he thought drily as he gobbled a boiled potato. He was always afraid to even touch a broomstick and James was right – it scared him witless. Considering his mom and dad, everyone expected him to be a famous Quidditch player. Even though his dad always said that everyone has their own talent stored within waiting to be discovered, Albus knew that he didn’t have any exceptional talents to showcase. He was meek, calm, enjoyed time alone or with a few people of his choice, loved being at home with his parents and liked being in the background, rather than at the center.

James had always been that. The center of attention. The son whom his dad could look up to. Sure, he messed a lot. But he got really good grades and played really good Quidditch. Albus heard his dad telling his mom that James is just like his granddad James Senior was. Even Lily was good with magic. He heard Grandma Molly telling aunt Hermione how Lily showed magic when she was just a two-year-old, just like her daughter Ginny. So, now it was apparent that she took it all after mom, while James was living up to his dad and his granddad.

He looked at James, now regaling some Quidditch story to Scorpion. Both of them were laughing their heads off.

‘Hey, Quidditch sound like real fun, apart from the serious game part. Do you think a first year could get into the team? I mean, I fly pretty well, would you watch over my flying some time and tell me whether I can make into the team or not’ asked Scorpius positively bubbling with excitement.

James’ face fell. He looked around uncomfortable and said without making eye contact. ‘Ah. Well. That. Um, you see – Kevin was very particular about – er – about Albus making it into the team’

Scorpius looked upset and turned his head towards his pudding and became silent. A tall boy with shoulder length sleek black hair, Lionel Blakehurst, who beckoned them outside the Great Hall where most of the Gryffindor first years were already waiting. Albus and Scorpius quickly said their goodbyes to James and dashed out along with the group for their Charms class. They did manage to get lost once and were found by Mr. Gimp after being found out unknowingly trying to force their way into the Quidditch room.

Mr. Gimp seemed to accuse them of trying to tamper with the Quidditch balls, at least that’s what they thought when the Trainee Caretaker, who looked like half a troll, grunted and screamed at them. They were rescued by the passing Professor Longbottom, who safely deposited them in the Charms class with just a minute to spare, where the Slytherin first years were already seated occupying the front two rows, sneering at the late arrivals. They saw Rose Weasley huddled at the very back of the class, throwing alarmed glances at the Slytherins and she seemed to relax after seeing her fellow Gryffindors arrive.

Before they even had time to take in the pyramidal ceiling, walls upholstered with something shiny, an ornate door visible behind a fluttering silk curtain and cabinets full of strange looking instruments, the bell rang and in came Professor Sekhet. She seemed to float into the room through the ornate door and rested herself behind a carved and polished wooden desk, on a gilded peacock feather throne. The class seemed to have held its breath and even the air seemed to have ceased to flow as Professor Sekhet appraised them with a disarming smile.

‘I’, she began softly, in a sing song voice, that seemed to be like a whisper, yet carried to the very back of the classroom, ‘am Professor Sekhet. I used to teach Charms at madrasat ghamidat min alssihr – the Mysterious School of Magic, that’s in Egypt. But then, I was asked to come here and teach, as a favor to your Ministry of Magic, in an exchange program”

Her accent was almost unnoticeable and her voice was haughty but not vain. She swept them with a glance through her kohl caked eyes and regarded them with a searching look. And then, she stood up abruptly making them all jump.

‘Charms is not a precise branch of magic’ she said, her voice suddenly becoming business-like, yet a bare whisper, ‘when I say it is not precise, I mean that it is evolving. It is dynamic. Can anyone tell me why we need a wand to perform magic?’ she asked fixing them with a glare.

They were all so surprised by such a sudden turn of events that most of them were gaping at her with their mouths wide open, not even realizing that a question had been directed towards them.

To everybody’s even more surprise, Rose raised a trembling hand into the air.

‘Yes?’ said Professor Sekhet, fixing Rose with an eagle gaze.

‘Wands or scepters are preferred by people who can perform magic, so that they can channel their magic through an object for accuracy and precision. It is possible to perform magic even without a wand, but magic cannot be easily concentrated without the help of a streamlined object like a stick or a staff’ said Rose too fast all in one breathe and gasped at the end trying to catch her breathe.

Now everybody started gaping at Rose, who was slowly turning red under Professor Sekhet’s gaze. Then –

‘That was indeed a worthy answer’ said Professor Sekhet as her face relaxed into a smile, ‘and you are?’

‘Rose Weasley’ said Rose in a whisper to match that of Professor Sekhet’s and turned beetroot red.

‘As Ms. Weasley said, Wands are merely for channeling magic, devices to concentrate magic on an object or person. There were no wands or scepters or staffs in the ancient times. The magic was crude and was mostly used to control only the things and people around the person who cast magic. With the invention of wands, it became easier to cast magic to a greater distances with more precision and to a greater effect. Still, in the wilds of the forests on Albania and in the sandy deserts of Egypt and the Sahara, you will find people with magical abilities who don’t use or need a wand to cast magic. Some of them have even learned to concentrate their magic without relying on a channeling object. Well, I hope you are noting it down, I am sure you will forget what I said by tomorrow if you don’t put this all in parchment’ said Professor Sekhet gliding in aisle separating their desks, as the students scrambled for ink and parchment.

She stopped besides Rose’s desk and smiled ‘Rose, airtafae, as we call in it, has always been an important flower in history’.

Rose turned red again, this time with pride and nobody heard Albus scowling from behind Professor Sekhet.