What's so Odd about It?

Ch.4.2: History Class and Draco

Undertaker P.O.V :: A few hours later ::

Oh~ I have had a wonderful day! I have managed to scare quite a few students into passing out or to tears of fright. I always wanted to teach for this very reason. Of course, I could very well have at Weston College, but it was easier for me to be the Headmaster. The history room here at Hogwarts was so dreary--like a ghost was living there! Heheh~ I can certainly make myself laugh! It needed to change and the skeletons...well, maybe just in a different place. The walls I painted black, the windows have deep crimson curtains, the floor a mint green tile, and the desks alternating between mint and crimson. I had previously asked Mr. Dumblebee to transfigure the stairs up to the ledge where my office/room is to be hidden behind a false wall with a "doorway" the size of one of my coffins. He did as I asked, and I put a coffin there with a false back on it, so I can come in and out in a creepy fashion. As extra décor I put up the book shelves with beakers, old tomes, and skeletal remains along the back wall where the stage area is and the coffin door. Also, because I can be quite sentimental I put up the only portrait of Hadrian and I above the coffin door for everyone to see.

I have one more class for the day, and it is the first year Slytherins and Gryffindors with my adorable little Hadrian in it. He will so love what I have in store for them as a first day lesson like I did with all the other classes. I watch as the little firsties trickle into the class through a peephole in the coffin door lid. Most stop for a moment and stare before finding their seats all grouped together in bewilderment. I noticed that the Gryffindors gravitated to the crimson tables while the Slytherins went to the mint. I waited until the last of the students came in, and checked to see where Hadrian sat. I saw him at the front mint table with two other students, a dark skinned boy with braded hair and a pale blonde child (I peg him as a Malfoy, but I am unsure of who the other one is). All twenty first years are present in the room with me still behind the coffin lid. I think it's time to begin!~

Hadrian P.O.V.

I choose a seat in the front of the room at a mint table. The aesthetic of the room is very much something I could expect from father, and I believe it is a good choice. Better than a cracked and run down building to run a undertaker shop out of. Though it did give the place a haunted feeling easier than a perfectly safe building. Noticing the coffin in front of us and behind the podium, I get the feeling I know where this is going. I start to giggle quietly to myself. Blaise glances over at me with an eyebrow raised in question, "You know something don't you?" I look at him with mirth in my eyes and put a finger in front of my lips before going, "Shhh, it's a secret." A bang is heard from the front of the room. The whole class jumps to attention and looks that way. After nothing happens the class starts to whisper to each other. Another bang and everyone saw the coffin lid move outward just a bit from the force of the hit.

A few girls squall in fright for a good while before everyone shushes them. The room seems to darken and the curtains close shut bringing us into darkness. Almost the whole class yells in fright and a few jump up from their seats. The candles that went unnoticed around the room lit one by one in a blaze of light. They only brought just enough light for us to see around the room, but the candles cast shadows that dance around the room. A high pitch laugh could be heard from the coffin. A few more bangs come from within. Most likely from how hilarious he thought the classes reaction was. I was suppressing my laughter as I wanted to burst out laughing with my father, but only the occasional giggle comes out. As the coffin lid creaks open there are more screams, a few tears, and my giggles. Out steps my father, Undertaker, and the whole class clams up. A student passes out at a crimson table. Hmmm, looks like red hair, hahaha~

"Good evening my dear class~ I hope it wasn' too much o' a fright fo ya. My name is Undertaker, ye Professor, and yes I 'twas an undertaker before becomin' ye teacher. Welcome to History class!~" Father finished off his introduction with a flourish of his hands. Above him I notice there was a "candle" right on top of the coffin lighting up our portrait. That "candle" was just a little light made from stored magic in a rune on the coffin. I made that one myself. Father just didn't tell me what it was for, but I didn't question him. Hehe~ Maybe I should make my accent come out too? I just don't think anyone would actually take me serious with a poor boys nonliterate accent of the streets. Father must have some kind of plan or he just does not care. "Now what do ya say? Shall we start off with a game ta get this class star'ed? I like the idea of ye all trying to make me laugh and I might just give yo a free grade if you get me to laugh."

"Yes miss?" Father tilts his head to the side with a smile making his hair fall that way covering more of his face in shadows despite the contrast of his silver hair. "Umm, Professor? What do you mean make you laugh for a grade? I though this was History class? oh, and my name is Hermione Granger, sir. " I turned slightly to look at the girl and feel a bit impressed. Father's smile widens before he replies, "Oh, yes! Silly me, hehe~ Well, you see Miss Granger, 'tis history making when someone gets me to truly laugh. Anymore questions? No? Well then proceed...oh and Hadrian ye can't participate as ye have the unfair advantage of bein' my son."

I sigh as that just makes it a bit more boring. So that goes on awhile with no one succeeding. Before I know it he gives up and moves the class along to an actual lesson. But the first time today in a class we are doing something as groups. The groups are the people at the tables, so my group is Blaise and Draco Malfoy. Father hands out a book per table of students and asks us to get out paper and a writing instrument. "What ye be doing as groups is looking up what ya think is the most interesting piece of information in those books. There has to be at least three per person and when you finish as a group you'll present it to the class. Any questions?~ I thought not, now get to work, children!~"

We scoot our chairs closer together towards the book in the middle of us three. "So, Draco, you ready to work with us?" He snorts and lifts his chin before he says, "Of course, I can't let anyone make me fail a class, thank you very much." Blaise says nothing to that, but he comments, "So that is your dad, Hadrian? He is very...interesting to say the least. And you were right, I don't think anyone could be more odd than him. It was also a surprise for the beginning of a class." I smile at that before we all get to work on finding interesting information from these books that father must of kept from before I joined him. During this group assignment I got to know Draco and Blaise a bit more and they got to know me more. You can tell where our interests lay with what we picked out. I picked out the tidbits of alchemic study verging on the beginning of chemistry. Blaise found information about Italy's older magical people and how they would wield it. Draco it seems has the most surprising for someone of his blood status. He found fae laws, a snippet of Viking prowess, and information about different folci being good for certain magics.

Draco, Blaise and I found some of the better information out of the class. Granger did a good job as well, but one can see the direction it points her interests in--books. Neville found rare info about a some plants that are extinct while Ronald managed to find some rather profound notes about the progress of Quidditch turning into a game of importance for the British magicals. Us three after class went on to dinner and sat together ignoring social order for the night as we had found more important things to talk about that pushed us closer to being friends by the end then just acquaintances. We discussed magic, alchemy, Flamel, folci used to direct magic, a little Quidditch, and a few other things way into the night.

Unknown P.O.V.

The corridors freeze us to the bone as we walk through them after dark. The only sound is the swishing of our cloak and the soft steps of our feet when they hit the stone floors. All the paintings sleep the night away, awaiting the sun to wake. We decided to test something tonight before we leave it alone. Going down the stairs to the lower parts of the castle towards what would be the upper dungeon, we think on what we are to do. Find the snakeling and leave a note. We go into the dark unknown side hallway to the dorms and enter the correct door. We see the little one sleeping in his bed and another on the other. We touch the sowilo on the forehead, leave the note before leaving with the parting words, "Say goodnight, little snake."