Draco Malfoy and the Muggle Contraption

Draco Malfoy and the Muggle Contraption

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Chapter 2

From Windows, With Love

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Draco Malfoy walked into the Great Hall and sat next to Malcolm Baddock at the far end of the Slytherin table. He looked at the schedule for Slytherin Fifth-Years that Professor Snape had just given him. "Right before lunch?" he said in a whining voice. "That's not exactly my ideal way to warm up for a meal, dealing with some crappy muggle garbage."

"It could be worse," Malcolm said. "You could have it with the Gryffindors."

"That would be worse," Malfoy agreed. "I don't think I could stand another class with Perfect Potter and his pathetic (A/N: PaTheTic) people." Malfoy consulted his schedule. "We have computers alone. Good. What about you?"

"Right after lunch, with the Ravenclaws," Malcolm responded. "Not as good as alone, but better than with the Gryffindors."

At that point, the bell rang, causing a giant traffic jam exiting the Great Hall. Nobody wanted to be late for his or her first class of the year. The Slytherin Fifth-Years went to Transfiguration. Throughout class, Draco Malfoy was thinking of the horrors that he would be encountering in his next class, Muggle Computers. Whatever it was, he hoped he wouldn't have to deal with it for long. He had owled his father first thing in the morning to tell him the news. He also included a brief explanation of Operation Hacker. He couldn't make it as detailed as he'd wanted to, for fear of the owl getting intercepted. The Death Eaters had to overcome many of the same obstacles in avoiding the Ministry that the Ministry had to overcome in avoiding the Death Eaters.

Finally, the bell rang, ending first period. Malfoy and the other Slytherins went to the newly built computer lab on the South side of the castle. Malfoy walked into the room and stopped short. For one thing, the room was freezing cold. For another, it was filled with white box-like things with little things on top that had white frames and black centers. Each box was attached to a rectangular thing with a lot of buttons, most of them having either a letter or a number, and a little thing on a cord with two buttons. (A/N: These are the computers. I know a lot of the computer parts are described as "things," but I'm doing this from Malfoy's perspective and he doesn't know what the different parts of the computer are called. Also, I know that nowadays, many mice (or is it mouses?) have three buttons, but this is in 1994, I don't remember 3 button mice back then (Then again, I didn't have a mouse on my computer during that time since I didn't have Windows). Also, I use a 2-button mouse, so it's easier for me to have the Hogwarts students using 2-button mouses).

Professor Dumbledore instructed the class to sit down. Malfoy sat at the far end of the room by a very clean-looking box with a silver and green thing underneath the thing with the cord. He then turned away from staring at the black thing in the white frame to look at Professor Dumbledore.

"My dear students," Professor Dumbledore began. "It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you to your first computer class at Hogwarts. For many of you, this is the first time you've come across a computer. It is my deepest hope that it will be a pleasant encounter. To teach this class, I would like to introduce the newest Hogwarts Professor, Professor Gabs. And now, I must leave you. Good day, my students."

A tall man with curly brown hair and blue eyes walked out from behind the desk. He then addressed the students. "Hello, students," he said in a very shaky voice. "Welcome to your first computer class. Since I do not know any of your names yet, please wear these name stickers I have prepared for you so it would make life easier for all of us." He then called out each students name and gave him or her a name sticker.

Once all of the stickers had been distributed, Professor Gabs continued with class. "The first thing I have to teach you is the different parts of the computer. This 'box'," he said, pointing to the white box on his desk, "is called the console. It contains the computer's 'brain,' also known as the CPU, or Central Processing Unit. It tells the computer what to do."

He pointed to the thing with the white frame and black center. "This screen is called the monitor. It is where the information on the computer appears. It shows you what you are doing and what the computer is doing and can do.

"This," he said, pointing to the thing with a lot of buttons, "is called a keyboard. It's where you input letters and numbers into the computer. It is one of the two main ways to tell the computer what to do."

He then picked up the thing attached to the cord. "This is called a mouse. These two buttons tell the computer what to do. Moving the mouse moves the corresponding cursor on the computer.

"I know this makes almost no sense," he said, "which is why the next thing we do will is to learn how to turn on the computer and input data. Any questions?"

Draco raised his hand. "Yes, Draco Malfoy?"

"Why is it so bloody cold in this room?" he asked.

"That's a good question," Gabs answered. "The cold helps the computers function better. Any other questions?" Once he had answered all the class's questions, he continued with the lesson.

"To turn on the computer, press the green button on the Console. To turn on the monitor, press the white button next to the light. Anyone having a problem?"

Draco raised his hand. Professor Gabs went over to Draco's computer and turned it on easily. "Mr. Malfoy," he said, "Are you trying to be bad at this?"

"No," Draco replied. "It just comes naturally."

Professor Gabs sighed. He was expecting many technical problems, but he had forgotten that he would also be encountering many attitude problems.

Fortunately for everyone, the bell chose that point in time to ring. The class rushed out of the room and Professor Gabs was left by himself to think about the classes he had taught that morning.

END OF CHAPTER 2