Junior Hallows

Chapter 8

An Hour Later

Emerging from the floo-fireplace into the dining hall of the Leaky Cauldron, Harry grinned at finally having mastered keeping his feet. He took a quick step forward to his father’s side, as he knew that Sirius would be right on his heels. They waited patiently for the rest of their group to join them, each addition moving off to the side.

“Good afternoon, Professor Black.” A pair of teenagers greeted Sirius as he stood bedside Greyson, Harry and Draco, just waiting for Neville to join them.

“Afternoon, Mr Oswald, Mr Jordan. Here for your school supplies?” he replied.

“Yes, sir. Just finishing up, but I’ll have to come back again next week, neither Flourish and Blotts or Abernathy’s bookshops have a book we’ve been told we need for the new Ancient Runes professor.”

“The Advanced Runic Syllabary? Or Foremost Symbolic Hieroglyphs?”

“Both, sir. Mr Fincher at Abernathy’s says he should have them Friday next week, but Mrs Blotts did say that she could them forwarded straight to Hogwarts, but only if the new professor approved it.”

“Hmm… Just a sec.” Sirius turned away from the students. “Grey? Neither Abernathy’s nor Flourish and Blotts will have your books until later in the week, Fincher says he should have them by Friday, but Mrs Blotts can have them sent straight to Hogwarts. What’s your preference?”

“My books?”

“For your seventh year class.”

“Oh, right, sorry, wasn’t thinking. Go with Flourish and Blotts, every time, Siri. Fincher might say Friday, but just as likely be the following week, but F&B’s? If Mrs Blotts say Friday, then she means Friday.”

“Right. There you are, Mr Oswald.”

“Thank you, Professor Black… sir.” The teenager hesitated. “Ah… sir? Mrs Blotts said we’d have to have permission from the professor.”

“Certainly, I’ll drop in and tell Mrs Blotts that she can have any books not in stock, forwarded directly to my classroom. Mr Oswald, was it?”

“Yes, sir. Thomas Oswald, seventh year, Ravenclaw, sir.”

“Good to meet you, Mr Oswald, I’m Greyson De Silver, this is my son Harrington and his friends, Draco Malfoy and Neville Longbottom. All three are going to Hogwarts for first year, in September. Now, Mr Oswald, I don’t plan on asking my students to read too far ahead over the summer, if you’ve read Advanced Rune Translation, that’s more than enough. Particularly for seventh year, you will need a significant amount of practical work if you plan on getting O’s. You might want to let your housemates know and if you’ve anyone in the other houses, that you’re friendly with, I’d approve sending an owl. No, no don’t bother, I’ll get their details and send them myself, save you the need and I can introduce myself.”

“Oh… ah, thank you professor, that’s… a relief. It’s not the hardest class, but Professor Babbling wasn’t always consistent with her information. Frequently we had to order books mid-term or during holidays.”

“So, I’ve been told. Well, Mr Oswald, you won’t have that issue in my class, I prefer to have everything ready beforehand, that way everyone knows exactly where they stand. I won’t tolerate inattentiveness, but I will take circumstances into consideration before issuing penalties.”

“That’s good to know, professor. Well, we’d best get a move on, Mrs Jordan will be expecting Lee and I back for lunch. Oh, professor Black? Due to father’s illness, I went to the DMT and applied for my Apparition Licence, they approved me, but recommended that I continue Apparition and Animagus Studies this year.” He sighed. “I did have an Animagus blowout the night before last, though. I let the DMLE know as soon as I could and they gave me an ‘extenuating circumstances warning’, which was really good.”