Tales of a Hufflepuff: Prank McKite and the Song of Meridian

Chapter 6: New Beginnings

Prank was terribly disappointed to find out that Cedric and he were not going to spend any classes together, and also wouldn't even living on the same dorm level. Cedric was three floors down from his own room that housed he and the other four Hufflepuff first year boys. There were only three girls in first year (though there had been a surplus of girls three years previous, so the extra beds were taken). Acclimatising to sleeping in a real bed (an uncomfortable something he didn't tell his new Hufflepuff roommates about) was very difficult, especially without the sound of his father's snores or a roaring fire (which Lyon had even lit in the single roomed apartment they had shared while they lived at Aquae Solace). He felt very homesick, and spent his first weekend (before classes started) in a terrible state of mind. This put his fellow first years a bit off him, much to his great disappointment.

Cedric, too, gave him a little distance, except at meals (which Prank always took great delight in) and when Prank happened into the common room when he found the silence of the first year boys room almost unbearable. The group of Hufflepuffs that had he had met on the train, he discovered were the Quidditch team substitutes (the main team were very serious minded sixth and seventh years). The substitutes (who were third through sixth year students) were permitted to play one game out of the three they played all year long. The ability to get on the main team was determined by age and friendship with the captain...sadly long over skill. But the substitute team always had good fun - for some reason, most of them were Muggleborn, or at the very least, extreme muggle enthusiasts - and they took to Prank quite well. So well, in fact, that Cedric (who was raised in the wizarding world) seemed a little lost as Prank told them stories about Muggle America and Europe and the sights he'd seen in his short life. Prank asked Cedric privately at one point if this didn't bother him. Cedric considered the question carefully, then asked if Prank might draw him a map, to make his stories a little clearer. Prank had agreed to it instantly, though he hadn't started the map just yet.

The breakfast before his first class, over a bowl of porridge, Cedric (and the substitutes that were nearby) explained to all the first years in their speaking-all-at-once manner exactly how to treat each teacher, explaining the faults of each, and how best to make friends with those that were open to it.

'Be careful with McGonagall. She's really very cautious about over-achievers.'

'Best to become her friend, first. Ask for help.'

'Gryffindors always like that!'

'And Snape...he'll give you bad marks in his class no matter what you do.'

'Don't bother with him...'

'Try not to stick out too bad. He'll ignore you and give you very mediocre marks if you do well...'

'Head of Slytherin, so if any of them try anything, don't try and report it to him, he'll just give you bad marks!'

'Sprout should like you...'

'She's our head after all!'

'I do know of some Herbology. My dad was...'

'That's good news, Prank!'

'Professor Quirrel's sitting over there.'

'With the purple turban.'

'He's always had that stutter.'

'Heard he stuffs it with garlic.'

'Keeps the vampires away!'

'What does he teach?' A dark-haired girl on Prank's right called.

'Defence against the Dark Arts!' Answered a lithe girl named Julia. Prank knew her name because she was one of the sub-Seekers.

'Now, about Flitwick, he's nice to everyone, and gives extra help to anyone who needs it.'

'All of you can come to me too,' said a girl Prank couldn't see. 'So don't worry about it!'

'Don't ask him too many questions, though, or he'll treat you like you're completely daft.'

'That's true. He's always one to act like Hufflepuffs are morons!'

'Most do, you know.'

'Just because we know when to work and when to play.' There was a squeal as a frisky fifth year named Johnny (who was one of MANY Beater subs) pinched the substitute Keeper's bottom. She slapped at his hands and they began to play fight.

'What about History?' Prank piped up as jeers and laughter had suddenly stolen the topic quite away.

'Professor Binns!' one person shouted.

Most groaned.

'He's a ghost. Really, very boring...' That disappointed Prank.

'Well, if you've a head for history...'

'THAT'S JUST NAUGHTY, JOHNNY!'

'Who went there first, you or me?'

'Shut up, you!'

And so ended the conversation entirely, as more dirty comments were flung back and forth between the subs. Prank turned to his fellow first years and shrugged. A tallish blond boy made a face. 'Are they always this dumb?'

Prank shrugged again. 'I met them on the train here. And I suppose, if ye call this bein' dumb.' He jerked a thumb over his shoulder as the aforementioned Keeper sub tried to jump over the table to get away from Johnny. She almost fell, but was caught by her friends on the other side, and lowered gently to the ground. They all laughed.

'It's not so bad,' said Claudia, a dark haired girl with queer dark-green eyes. 'They're having fun, which is better than most of the sour-puss houses around here!'

'Can you imagine a Slytherin goofing off?'

The first years laughed. The girl who had asked the question was freckled with her chestnut hair bleached blond. It was short, which made the grown-in part all the more obvious. Prank couldn't recall her name at the moment. It was a little confusing, having just met so many people, but half of them couldn't recall his name either (he was often referred to as 'the kid with the red hair'). But he already had a plan to remedy the situation. During roll call in their first class (Charms), he'd write out everyone's name and a description of who they were, so he wouldn't have to ask and embarrass himself.

Cedric met his eyes, and was about to say something when suddenly, something white leapt up between them. The first year with the bleached hair let out a frightened squeal. The ghost turned, a cheery smile on his pudgy face. 'Oh, I'm sorry, my dear! Didn't mean to scare you!' The girl's face paled and she nodded.

'Hullo, Friar!' Johnny called out. 'How are you today!?'

'Quite well, actually. Been hunting Peeves with the Baron.' The fat ghost floated in a circle. 'He's a slippery little devil!' He chuckled to himself. 'But I realized that my first years were about to go to their first class, and I wanted to wish them off.' The ghost turned once more and Prank smiled despite himself as the ghost folded his hands together in a prayerful manner. 'I am known among Hufflepuffs as the Fat Friar. It is my curse, for I indulged too much in the earthly pleasures, and am now trapped here. But do not feel too sorrowful for me!' He bowed his head, his grin not leaving his face. 'I take it with great pleasure, for I can now remind all Hufflepuffs from now on of what laziness might do to you, should any of you follow my path.' He tilted his head in a strange manner, Prank saw now that his neck was strangely misshapen. 'But let us not become negative! Remember, work hard, stick together and take pleasure in your lessons and the time you are here! And I recommend, chew slowly, next meal you take! You never know when it will be your last!' He then raised two fingers in a blessing. 'May the Lord bless you and keep you today, dear hearts! Now, I must be off! Poltergeist hunting, you know!'

With that, the ghost gave a final chuckle, saluted a horribly grumpy-looking ghost hovering over the Slytherin table and floated up through the ceiling.

'Gotta love that old codger,' one of the subs was saying to the first years. 'Choked to death on a chicken bone laughing when someone told him a dirty joke! Right in this very hall!'

The girl on Prank's right looked as though she might be sick. He patted her shoulder. She was Muggleborn (as though the bleaching in her hair didn't make that obvious) and ghosts were a bit much for her. He figured they would be to anyone who hadn't seen one before. He'd never been fond of them (they were a little death obsessed) and the few he'd met he'd never been on really friendly terms with. The friar seemed a little more amusing than most. Someone cleared their throat behind Prank, who looked up to see Harmony standing there.

'I'm to show you to your first class.' She smiled, but Prank thought it false. 'First years, follow me, please.'

Prank got to his feet and straightened his robes. He picked up his book bag and patted his right side, feeling the wand hanging from his belt-loop there. The words of the old man in the wand shop came back to him, sinister wand hand...Prank wondered what that meant. Was it was bad thing to be right-handed, but have to use one's wand in their left? It had felt a little awkward that it might be so, but the wand only felt proper in his left hand. Both of his parents were right-wand-handed, now that he thought about it...but that word...sinister. They travelled up several staircases, some of which changed, or had steps that were only an illusion. Harmony didn't point any of them out until Prank had gotten himself stuck in one of them, his leg dangling out into space. The blond girl and two of the boys managed to catch him before he really fell through. Harmony came bounding back down when she heard their cries of surprise and anger, and apologised profusely for not taking more time to explain things. But they were only a short walk from the Charms classroom and they were early, so Prank had time to calm down before the class began.

He closed his eyes after drawing a sheet of parchment out along with a quill and his bottle of ink (which was green, his favorite color). He leaned back on the bench he sat on, and let his mind drift. He'd have to memorise exactly where all the trick stairs were. He didn't like being made a fool of. It seemed a cruel joke of Harmony not to let any of the first years know about that. He figured that Gryffindors and Ravenclaws would have less trouble with stairs, being as they didn't live underground (there were pitfalls, and the occasional puddle that was a couple hundred feet deep, or a sliding wall or two, but if you kept your mind on your internal map, it wasn't too hard to get to the common room on Sundays (when the main tunnel would be blocked off). There was a little hum, Prank felt, between his ears, like a song that one can't quite remember the words to. It sort of muddled itself about his mind, whispering here and there. He'd almost gotten his finger on it (at first he was certain it was some sort of folksong) when another group filed in. His eyes flashed open. They were a group of rather surly-looking students, including one that Prank had dreaded seeing ever again.

Mandy Hyde was seated with a angry looking little girl, but all she seemed to be capable of was glaring, out-right, at Prank. Prank smiled suddenly, realising that she wouldn't be able to do anything much here, at least not in the middle of a classroom. And as he was well aware that using magic at Hogwarts to attack another student was expressly forbidden, he wouldn't have any trouble with her, or her wand, ever again. This seemed to anger her more, and she drew out her wand. This just made Prank grin all the more. He dared her with his eyes. She knew what could happen if she tried anything. He'd overheard some witches talking in the resort about the letter that had been sent to her parents, saying that while the Ministry of Magic didn't discourage first years from trying out their new wands, that directing that magic at a living creature was forbidden and that her wand would have to be confiscated until she arrived at Hogwarts.

He seriously doubted she'd want it taken away again.

This thought seemed to come to her as well, as a tiny man suddenly trotted in, and in a high pitched voice, began to greet the class. He climbed up a pile of books that were piled much like a staircase to get to the top of his desk, then up quite a few more, so he could reach his lectern, which, though small, was still quite larger than he. Prank grinned despite himself as the man turned and withdrew a smallish wand.

'Welcome to your first class at Hogwarts, Slytherin and Hufflepuff, I believe?' He looked down at his note and nodded to himself. '8 Hufflepuffs and 11 Slytherin, oh my!' He looked over at the Slytherin. 'Quite a few of you, aren't there?'

A few of them cracked horrible looking smiles at him, most as though they were barely tolerating things so far. Prank watched them with interest. Certainly, he understood now why his mother fit in their lot. Every single one of them seemed to have something physically strange about themselves. Mandy was built like a brick, the little girl beside her seemed to have permanently red cheeks, many of the boys seemed either otherworldly and cruel, or else harsh and violent looking. Girls ran along the same lines. Hufflepuffs, on the other hand, were mediocre on some level, they were either a bit round about the edges or fairly well put together, but they never took note of it one way or the other. Despite his mental musings, the Professor continued.

'Now for the roll!' He put his pen to his paper and Prank drew his own quill. He dipped it just as the first name was called. A Slytherin boy answered and Prank breathed a sigh of relief. The rest of the Slytherins were soon named and Prank began to take note of each Hufflepuff as they were called.

'Brandt, Kevin,' was one of the boys that had caught him. He had long dark hair and glasses - he seemed quite intelligent. 'Garvey, Simon' was the other boy who had caught him, and the blond that had addressed him at the table - definitely funny, with a good head on his shoulders. 'Hendrick, Ruthann' was the bleached blond that sat on his right at the table - she was pretty, and he felt terrible about how the Friar had scared her (he added that they had something in common in not being fond of ghosts). 'Kerry, Silvia' was the quiet one, with brown hair and glasses - not sure what she's like.

By the time he had reached 'Laine, Claudia', Prank had become aware that several Slytherins had noticed his busy writing, and were now laughing at him. He then realized that so had the rest of his housemates, though they seemed both devastated and silent. His face colored and he bowed his head, not knowing quite what to do. Professor Flitwick gave him a funny look and Prank hastily put down his quill, cursing himself for being so obvious about things. The tiny teacher continued the rest of the roll, though there was a sudden scratching of 11 quills as he answered to his own name. Every single Slytherin had written down his name, and with the time spent writing, quite a bit more. If he could have died, he would have. Immediately.

The rest of the class, he spent with his lips sealed and his eyes downcast. He didn't even want to take notes, for fear a mockery would take place in that. He knew he was blushing, and his stomach was in a knot as the class came to end. The class was far too short, for the whole time he feared what might happen to him when his roommates had the ability to actually tell him face to face what an embarrassment he'd caused them. He knew there was only one way to avoid it. As soon as Flitwick dismissed them, he threw his things into his pack and raced out of the classroom at his top speed. When he reached the staircase that had the trick step, he leapt over nearly seven steps in a hope to avoid it. He crashed to his knees at the bottom, but now desperate to put as much distance between himself and anyone who had been in that classroom, he just kept on heading downwards. Suddenly he looked up and dodged to the side just in time to keep from colliding with a tall man. The man caught his arm, his eyes oddly wide for a moment. He trembled, then smiled.

'W-w-why, i-it's a-a-a student! H-h-hello, there.' The man smiled kindly down at Prank. 'W-where y-you headed off to in s-such a-a h-hurry?'

This must be the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Something about the man seemed entirely calming. His hand was strong, but obviously a stutter would only effect his voice. Just looking into his eyes caused Prank to halt. 'I'm just...' he struggled for a completion to his sentence, 'late.'

'F-f-for class?' The Professor released his arm.

'I don't know where it is, sir.' He blushed. He didn't even know which he had.

'Ahh. I-I s-s-see. Y-y-you're i-in H-Hufflepuff?'

'Y-yes.' Prank found himself stuttering now. He only did when he felt like he was in trouble, and he was certain that his man knew something more about him, even though that was impossible. Besides, his cloak had the Hufflepuff coat right on it. For some reason this didn't comfort him all that much.

'F-F-F-First year?'

'Yes, sir.'

The man's face broke into a new smile, and he trembled a bit more. 'Ahh, w-well then, I-I-I can take-take y-you straight th-th-there. I-I-I'm teaching ye-your next c-class.'

'Thank you, sir,' Prank breathed, even though that last place he wanted to go was to another class with his (probably furious) housemates he had abandoned in the charms classroom five minutes ago. He followed the turbaned man, ignoring the pungent odour he gave off, down the hallway and to a simple-looking classroom, the walls lined with relics and cages, strange weapons and stuffed beasts of every shape and size. The classroom was empty and Prank chose a seat in the corner at the front. The rest of his housemates came in. They were completely silent, and Prank didn't look at them. He reached into his bag and pulled out a clean piece of parchment noting that his quill (which had not been capped or given time to properly dry) had put a largish splotch of green ink at the bottom. He reached for the quill next and felt it catch on something. He pulled it a bit harder and a wrinkled piece of parchment flew out and hit Claudia in the leg. Prank went as pale as a ghost when she picked it up. He knew which bit of parchment it was, and he would have paid every bit of money in his vault at Gringotts to keep her from turning it over. She did so, and expressionless, she read the entire thing.

Prank put his head down on his desk and prayed for death.