Artemis Hexley and the Mystery at Hogwarts

Chapter 3: Spelling Trouble

On Monday morning, the first years had their first day of lessons. As Professor McGonagall had told them when they arrived, the students from each house would have their lessons together, joining students from other houses for certain lessons.

"So, we've got Charms with the Gryffindors first thing this morning," Rowan said, over breakfast, pointedly ignoring a group of Ravenclaw students who were whispering as they walked past Artemis. "Then, after that we have Potions with the Slytherins."

Dora Tonks, sitting in the seat next to Rowan, groaned loudly.

"What's wrong with Potions?" Penny Haywood asked her. "It's the thing I'm most looking forward to."

"Have you not heard about Snape?" Dora said. "He's the Potionsmaster and head of Slytherin. Apparently he's foul, and favours his house massively. Just our luck to be put with the Slytherins for his class."

"I'm sure they won't be that bad," Penny breezed. "Even Professor Snape. He's probably just misunderstood."

Artemis and Rowan continued their conversation as Penny and Dora continued to discuss Professor Snape.

"I'm looking forward to Charms," Artemis said.

"I've heard Professor Flitwick is a great teacher," Rowan replied. "Did you know before he became a professor he was a champion dueller?"

"A dueller?" Artemis said, her eyebrows raised. "Like fighting with wands? That sounds pretty cool."

"Unfortunately they don't have a club for it," Rowan grinned at her.

"That's a shame. It's one of the few clubs I'd actually be interested in trying."

Artemis didn't know what she'd expected from a former duelling champion, but it certainly wasn't Professor Flitwick. He had a friendly face, a smart moustache, and was tiny, even compared to Artemis. As the lesson started, he climbed up onto a stack of books in order to teach the class. Artemis took a seat near the front, next to Rowan.

For their first lesson, Professor Flitwick would be teaching them a spell that was both useful and fairly simple, at least, so he told them.

"Lumos," he said, and the tip of his wand glowed brightly. "See? This is the wand-lighting charm."

After a few demonstrations and a brief lecture on wand safety, Flitwick asked the students to practise the spell in pairs.

"Do you want to go first or shall I?" Artemis asked Rowan.

"You go first," Rowan said, opening her copy of The Standard Book Of Spells. "I want to have a quick read up about the proper pronunciation and wand movement, first."

"Okay," Artemis said, raising her wand in the way Professor Flitwick had demonstrated. "Lumos!"

She cast the spell, and the tip of her wand lit up like a Christmas tree, with a bright, unflickering glow. Rowan looked up over the top of her book, clearly impressed. Professor Flitwick witnessed the event, and looked delighted.

"Well, look at that," he squealed, almost toppling off his stack of books. "We have our first successfully lit wand!"

He looked at Artemis' face and his eyes widened slightly. Artemis knew why. She and her brother looked alike, and Flitwick was the head of Ravenclaw house. He'd obviously recognised her as Jacob's sister.

At the end of the class, by which time almost all of the students had managed to light their wands at least once, Professor Flitwick called Artemis over to talk with him.

"You go ahead," Artemis said to Rowan. "If I'm late, do you mind telling Professor Snape why?"

"Don't fret, I won't keep you long," Flitwick giggled. "I just wanted to tell you that I was very impressed by your efforts today, Miss Hexley. I don't recall ever seeing a student master that charm so successfully on their first attempt."