What's the Point?

{Chapter 1}

I made my way into the familiar Dining Hall, breathing in the scrumptious smell of pastries and cakes and chicken and dumplings and pudding and basically all of my very favorite foods.

I took my usual seat at the Gryffindor table beside my best friend, Hermione Granger. And, soon, Harry and Ron found their seats in front of us. I reached for a shiny red apple and took a bite as I watched the new first-years begin their sorting.

Harry, Hermione, Ron and I made small talk and applauded every once in a while when a new Gryffindor was announced.

Of course, my mind wandered off as usual and I soon found a pair of startling grey eyes latching themselves onto me. I met his eyes, and didn't look away. I only stared back at them. Finally, he broke off the staring contest and looked away. I smirked to myself.

Once the first-years had all been sorted, Dumbledore took his place in the front of the podium in the Dining Hall and began his welcoming speech: The forbidden forest is forbidden to anyone under Third year...blah blah blah...Quidditch tryouts would begin next Saturday...blah blah blah...and finally he got up to an interesting part: "And, something new this year," he chuckled to himself, "All of the Sixth-year students must attend a Muggle Studies class for this semester."

There were plenty of groans, mostly from the Slytherin table. Dumbledore continued, "I'm sure that you will find it to be quite...interesting...And, that ends the announcements!"

The Headmaster took his regular seat in the back at the professors' table. Ron asked, "What do you reckon' he's on about?"

"I don't know, but I'd really rather not have to take a Muggle Studies class," I said. "It will be an awful waste of my time."

"Oh, no," Hermione chimed in, "It's really rather interesting-"

"What's Dumbledore mean, it's gonna be interesting this year? What's so special about this year?" Harry asked, taking a scoop of his plum pudding.

I shrugged. "Beats me. I suppose we'll find out today." I reached into my robes and pulled out my schedule, and immediately groaned. "First class is Potions, what about you, 'Mione?"

"Same for me!" She exclaimed.

Ron groaned. "Harry and I have Muggle Studies first."

"Oh, well, tell us how it goes, will you?" Hermione asked, standing up and pulling me along with her, nearly spilling my pudding right down my clean robes.

"'Mione!" I scolded her.

"Oops!" She giggled. "Sorry, but we really should get going."

I nodded in agreement, and allowed her to whisk me away into the hallway and down the hall towards the staircase. "I wonder who we have Potions with?" I asked aloud.

Hermione shrugged. "I dunno...But I do wish that we all had the same schedule."

By 'we', I knew that she meant her, Harry, Ron, and I. I nodded. "Me too."

She pushed open the door to the Potions classroom and we took a desk around the center of the room. Hermione had refused to sit in the back, I like I had wanted to. I groaned as Slughorn made his way into the room, his eyes searching for Harry, no doubt, and then he audibly sighed when he realized that Harry wasn't here.

I sneered. Hermione thumped me.

The class was going by slowly. Too slow, for my taste.

Slughorn had automatically taken a liking to Mione, because of how quickly and accurately she answered questions. As for me, he looked at me with distaste, as if I had just ran over his cat.