The Eight Part Soul

First Day

Nico's POV

I'm glad to say that I didn't spend my first night at this school in detention.

I made it into the Slytherin dorm room and no one was the wiser.

After a few hours of sleep, I was woken up by one of my roomies, Blaise Zabini to wake up and get ready for lessons.

Not a morning person, I groaned and sluggishly made it down to the Great Hall. The sky was stormy as I sat down and ate a minimal breakfast.

Up ahead, there was flapping of wings and I saw in astonishment that there were a pack of owls flying to different people. I panicked, thinking that Athena was planning some takeover.

No... wait... there are screech owls, so maybe not.

But those landing at the Slytherin table, the owls clicked their beaks at me in anger or something before flying away.

Really, that Mimbulus Mimbletonia, cat and a pack of owls. What else?

The timetables were handed out and after I changed mine to Greek with a tap of my wand, I scanned through and groaned.

I have Herbology today, which means something with plants, and Care of Magical Creatures tomorrow.

Are they trying to torture me?!

This will not end well.

And oh joy, I have Herbology next.

***

As rightly predicted, Herbology plainly sucked. We had it with the Ravenclaws. When I just entered the greenhouse, the plants, which are actually alive and kicking, especially kicking, immediately scooted away from me.

Except for one, which immediately tried to bite me. I slapped it away and it cowered like a puppy.

Blaise looked at me and said, "What did you do to make the Venomous Tentacula so angry at you?"

"That's what the plant's called?" I said, looking at the thing that wanted to bite me. It was snarling but made no threatening movements at me.

"You didn't answer my question," Blaise said.

"Plants and animals hate me, full stop," I said flatly.

Afterwards, no questions asked as the professor, Professor Sprout, came to order.

Thanks to Persephone, I had enough knowledge of plants not to feel redundant but I tilted my head when she was talking about OWLs. What does animals have to do with plants?

A Ravenclaw girl who noticed my confusion whispered, "OWLs are Ordinary Wizarding Levels, important exams for us fifth years."

I gave her a small nod and she slightly blushed.  I didn't care because the word exams made anyone sane inwardly groaned. To be sent here in a year where there are important exams!

Then again, what do I care? I'll be probably long gone before you know it.

When the professor assigned us to do group work at a bunch of plants, it was agonising. All the plants just immediately hissed back at me as I tried to make a move. Just like animals.

The only good thing that could be said was that it was not a double period.

***

Afterwards, Potions took place with the Gryffindors in the dungeons.

Malfoy who seems to want to get on my good side saved me a seat with his goons at the dungeon. Nowhere else to sit, I sat with him and looked ahead.