Monday, 3rd September, 1990
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
The first day of lessons, and every newcomer in Slytherin was awake at exactly six o'clock, as Altair had ordered them to.
When they woke up, they found their uniforms waiting for them, ironed, clean, and now decorated in silver and green, their House colours.
There were also sets of Slytherin ties and scarves, three each for every student. Their robes were lined in green from the inside, and also bore their House crest on the left of their chests. The same crest was also on their black sweaters with silver and green stripes at the bottom.
In Altair, Aurelia, and Cho's case, however, it was a tailored green waistcoat with silver linings, silver buttons, and the House crest right on their hearts.
The three of them took a bath together, helped each other wash, and then also helped each other get dressed.
At exactly quarter to seven, they exited their suite with Sidious, who too was ready for the day.
The other students were waiting in the common room, and for a moment, even the seniors were stunned at how stylish they looked.
And they finally understood what Altair had meant by dressing well during his speech.
Without a word, the Young Black led his classmates out of the Common Room, and then up the dungeon and to the Great Hall.
Their arrival caught the attention of a lot of students, both new and old, and even the teachers, who were having their breakfast.
With an organised grace and elegance, the Slytherins sat down at the table and silently started having their meal.
Even if they talked, they kept their voices low, not letting their excitement get the better of them.
At quarter to eight, all of them stood up and followed Altair to the washbasins in the Antechamber next to the Entrance Hall.
They cleaned their hands, made sure they were looking their best in the mirrors, and five minutes later, they left for their classroom.
Altair dictated their pace, and it was exactly two minutes before the start of the class that they entered the Charms Classroom on the third floor, where the Ravenclaw students were already present.
It was a bright and airy room with large arched windows offering views of the castle grounds.
The desks were arranged in orderly stepped rows with plenty of space between them, and only a pair of students could sit at each desk.
Altair sat alone at the front, and both Aurelia and Cho sat behind him.
The rest of the Slytherins too took their seats in an orderly manner, making sure they had the best view of the chalkboard and the raised platform where their Professor would stand.
They could not help but notice that the walls were lined with shelves that contained magical items: enchanted feathers, levitating goblets, and small charmed trinkets, most likely for demonstrations.
Their attention, however, was soon on Professor Filius Flitwick, who was the Head of Ravenclaw, and a very short man because of his Goblin heritage.
He was also one of the finest Charms Masters in the wizarding world, a former Champion of the European Duelling Circuit, and he was quite lively.
"Good morning, students!"
"Good morning, Professor." They all answered in unison, which made his smile brighten even more.
"I can't express how happy I am to have the honour of starting off your school term at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he said emotionally and took a deep breath. "Let's do our best, shall we?"
He did not waste any time and started by telling the students what Charms were, and what the differences were between Charms, Hexes, and Curses.
The explanations were simple enough, but even if some students had some confusion, he patiently explained things to them in even simpler words and with quite fun examples.
He also asked them to take out their wands and then helped them understand the reason why hand movements were extremely important when casting spells.
To his surprise, all the students in his class had studied the book of Magical Theory and prepared for their first lesson.
He was expecting Ravenclaw to do it, but Slytherin students were truly a pleasant surprise, especially Aurelia and Cho, who assisted him in explaining things to other students.
The two helped students understand the sensations of their magic with their hand movements, which saved Professor Flitwick a lot of time.
He was impressed by them, and he awarded them five points, which made them very happy.
Next, he helped them cast the Lumos spell, then taught them Nox, and he had never been happier to have such a talented class.
Since they were doing extremely well, he waved his wand and levitated all the enchanted feathers from the walls to set them down in front of every student.
"The charm I just used is the Levitation Spell. It allows you to levitate things, but the control required to perform is quite delicate," he smiled. "Put your wands down and repeat after me."
"Wingardium Leviosa..."
"Wingardium Leviosa..."
"Wingardium Leviosa..."
He was beyond happy, but not too surprised when the students managed to quickly learn it.
Altair, Aurelia, and Cho got it on the very first try. After all, they already knew this spell and loved to use it a lot.
All of them could even cast it without reciting the spell name, but that would have been a little too much for their Professor to handle. They kept their secret, as all Slytherins should.
"I will openly say that yours is the most talented First Year class I have ever had the honour of teaching in my career. You are all brilliant wizards and witches, and I have no doubt that you will become very successful in your lives."
The students were taken aback when Flitwick bowed to them, and they understood that day that he was a very kind man.
All of them sincerely thanked him as well for the lesson, shared a few words with him since there was still some time left for the class to be over, and then Altair stood up and said goodbye to him before leading the Slytherins away.
The Ravenclaws shared the entire Monday timetable with them, and they too quietly followed after him.
It was quite a meaningful, surprising, and lasting sight for the passers-by as they watched over forty First Year students following the Young Black in an orderly manner as he led them to their next class, which was on the first floor, adjacent to the Infirmary, in the Medical Arts Classroom.
The door was large, made of polished oak, and it had the symbol of a silver serpent wrapped around a wand, which was the ancient symbol of Magical Healing.
Altair gently pushed the door open, and it parted on its own.
The students could not help but stare at the massive hall of a classroom.
All the desks were wide and paired, ideal for teamwork, and atop the far end of the class was an elevated platform, where a long demonstration table was standing. It was topped with a variety of enchanted anatomical models and sample cauldrons.
The walls around were lined with tall and long wooden cabinets, all neatly labelled:
Salves & Antiseptics
Herbological Extracts
Minor Curse Reversal Tools
Injury Charts - Magical, Non-Magical, and Non-Human
...
...
...
Once they entered, everyone looked around in intrigue, even Altair.
Fifteen minutes before the class, the enchanted chalkboard came to life, and words appeared on it, requesting students to take their seats.
Altair slowly walked to the front, and as much as Aurelia did not want to sit at the front of this class, she obediently sat down behind him with Cho.
"Winky."
The Young Black suddenly called out a name, and the next instant, a House Elf appeared by his side and bowed.
"Yes, Master Black?"
"Can you bring me a cup of slightly chilled water, please? Also, ask my classmates if they want it as well."
"Of course," she brightly smiled, and then teleported to the elevated platform to ask the class if they wanted some water.
A lot of students raised their hands, and then Winky disappeared.
A few seconds later, cups with water appeared on their desks, and Altair slowly sipped on his.
As soon as the cups were empty, they disappeared. Moments later, a certain Ravenclaw, unable to bear curiosity, walked over to the Young Black.
"Yes, Miss Holmes?" he gently asked before he turned to look at her, and she quickly curtsied to him.
"May I ask how you are able to summon your House Elf at Hogwarts, Heir Black? Isn't it forbidden?"
"It is forbidden," he smiled, and watched her brows cutely furrow. "Winky is not my House Elf, Miss Holmes. She's linked to this castle."
His words widened her eyes in surprise, and her mouth dropped open in a cute 'o'.
"Oh..." she thought for a few seconds and smiled a little. "Can anyone summon them?"
"I am sure if you manage to befriend one, they will help you out with some minor things. But no, not everyone can summon them."
"Where can I find one?" she excitedly asked, but kept a calm composure.
"Come close," he said, and when she leaned her ear close to his mouth, he planted a kiss on her cheek, making her face burn in a furious blush. "Try the kitchens," he whispered before she pulled back, and she quickly curtsied to him and rushed back to her seat.
Cho laughed when she watched the girl bury her face in her arms, but Aurelia was not happy at what she had just witnessed.
"Altair." She softly took his name, and a smile formed on his lips.
"Yes, love?"
In an instant, all her grievances evaporated, and she too blushed.
"Nothing..." she whispered and decided to forget about what she had just witnessed.
Cho laughed at her behaviour, but did apologise when Aurelia glared at her, and five minutes before half past ten, everyone turned very quiet.
A couple of minutes later, they heard the footsteps echoing on the polished floor as their Professor entered the classroom.
The oak door closed behind her on its own, and the curtains over the tall arched windows parted, allowing more light to come in.
Everyone turned around, only Altair didn't, but he glanced at the back of the tall slender woman, who had a graceful and regal charm to her.
She was dressed in black, green, and silver, like a true Slytherin, and this was something that amused Altair a lot.
Her thick dark hair, brown but almost black, was tied in a long braid, reaching her waist.
The strands that were loose over her head had slightly wild waves to them, and when she climbed the platform and turned around to face the class, the enchanted chalkboard wrote down her name.
Andromeda Lyra Tonks
She glanced at all of them, her eyes briefly settling on both her niece and the child of her cousin.
Aurelia felt very unwell in her heart when she saw the regal Black features on her face.
Andromeda was unmistakably her aunt, and almost as beautiful as her own mother.
"Professor Flitwick spoke very highly of you when I met him on my way here. He hasn't praised a class as much as yours for as long as I have known him," she smiled, her voice effortlessly and clearly reaching all their ears. "How many of you have gone through the first chapter of Health & Healing: First Aid for Young Witches and Wizards?"
She was not surprised when everyone raised their hands, even Altair and Aurelia.
Their differences aside, they were teacher and student at school, and after Altair's speech on Saturday, the Malfoy did not dare disappoint him.
"I suppose he was right to praise you so much."
Her words made the kids smile.
"If you remain as committed and focused for the rest of the term, we can avoid the readings in class and focus on magic and the practical side of our subject. You would like that, right?"
"Yes," they all answered in unison and lowered their hands.
"Of course, if you have any questions, you can always ask me to explain things to you. However, I recommend that you don't read too far ahead into our course. I will only be explaining things to you that concern the ongoing topics in our class."
Andromeda then proceeded to give them a brief introduction to their subject, the reason it was brought into the curriculum, and how it would prove very helpful to those who wished to become Healers in the future.
"I am hoping to teach you two medical charms today, but let's see how good you all are."
Her words excited them all.
For young witches and wizards, learning spells was a fatal temptation.
"These two spells are what every Healer should know. Even if you are not a Healer, these are very essential spells," Andromeda smiled. "The first one is a hand and body cleansing charm. The incantation is... Purifica Me."
She waved her wand over herself, which created a shimmering silver miasma that made her body briefly glow.
"Use this spell before treating anyone or even yourself. Use it when you need to touch something that requires you to be clean. It will help you prevent catching an infection or a virus after coming in contact with something unclean."
Her words added to all their excitement, but Altair, Aurelia, and Cho already knew which spell it was.
"However, you must remember that it is not a replacement for bathing," she said strictly. "The spell does not penetrate deep into your pores, nor does it cleanse your scalp or hair properly. It also does not remove magical residue from prolonged exposure to ingredients, hexes, or creature by-products. Remember, your skin needs water, and you will age faster if you neglect bathing. It will also not help you with your body odour, nor will it help your body and mind relax or make you feel refreshed."
A smile formed on her lips.
"Charms are not a replacement for common sense hygiene. You may look clean, but you'll still smell like a troll's armpit to anyone with a Niffler's nose."
Her words made them laugh and giggle, and they nodded their heads in understanding.
"The second spell is a minor healing charm. The incantation is Cutis Sana. This spell will help you heal small cuts, abrasions, scrapes, and surface-level magical burns. It stimulates skin regrowth and numbs minor pain. To use this spell, you must form a cross with the tip of your wand on the affected area and recite the incantation. It feels a little ticklish and warm, but if it burns, know that you were not supposed to use this spell on that wound," she sighed a little. "Do not, and I repeat, do not use this on a poisoned wound, deep cuts, or broken bones. You will make things worse. The medical charms cannot be recklessly used. They require a lot of knowledge, but since you have already read the first chapter, you should have ideas where such minor healing charms are meant to be used."
The students had read a number of examples, so they knew when and where to use such spells.
Seeing them nod their heads, a bright smile bloomed on her face.
"Let's start. Recite after me... Purifica Me."
Purifica Me...
Purifica Me...