Chapter Twenty-Two, New Classes

The first day of their Second Year dawned with the incessant beeping of Izzy's alarm clock. Quickly switching it off so she didn't wake the other girls, as Izzy always got up early, she slid out of her warm bed shivering a little as she quickly slid her feet into her slippers and gathered up her wash bag, towels and clothes and hurried into the bathroom.
Once Izzy had finished her morning facial cleansing and morning routine, showered and washed her hair: she quickly changed into her uniform trying not to look at the scars littering her body from the Dursleys, put her hair up into a high ponytail with a braid running through it and slipped on her rings. Gathering her belongings with a mind full of worries, Izzy headed back into the dorm just as Celeste woke up.

"Morning Izzy." Celeste yawned, startling Izzy as she'd been lost in her thoughts.
"Morning Celeste." Izzy said shyly.
"You look really nice. But I think you should add some lipgloss for a certain Weasley." Celeste teased, winking at Izzy who had blushed a deep red.
"Lady Longbottom has been teaching me but I still don't know which one to wear." Izzy confessed, as she hung up the towels, and washed-mitt in her section of the railing in front of the round log burner.
"I'll help." Celeste said, jumping out of bed and making her way over to Izzy all the while  ignoring her arguments. "It's fine, I want to help." She assured, waiting for Izzy to get the makeup out as she was brought up better than to rummage through someone else's trunk.

Izzy softly thanked her as she got out the makeup box and sat it on the bed so Celeste could look through it while she slipped on her shoes, her wand into the pocket in her robes, made sure she everything she'd need in her bag and strapped the wand holster to arm.
"Okay, this one." Celeste said, holding up a red Berry lip gloss.
"Thank you." Izzy said shyly, putting on the lip gloss like she was taught.
"No. Put it in your bag just in case." Celeste said, stopping Izzy's hand from putting it back in the case. She took the lip gloss from her and put it inside Izzy's bag. "You look beautiful. That colour makes your green eyes pop. And I'm sorry for what's happened to you Izzy. You don't deserve that, but I'm glad you're in a good and happy home now." Celeste said, pulling Izzy into a hug startling the small brunette.

"If you ever want to talk. Fay, Kellah and I are here for you." Celeste assured as she released Izzy.
"Thank you." Izzy said softly, blinking away the tears.
"You're welcome. Now I'm going to jump in the shower before Lavender, Fay or Pavarti do." Celeste said, running over to get her bed and quickly gathering everything, as the rest of the girls were starting to wake up now, and ran into the bathroom making Izzy laugh. Replacing the box back into her truck, Izzy grabbed the book she was reading 'Emma' by Jane Austin and headed down to the Common Room to wait for the others. Izzy had gotten so into her book that she hadn't noticed that Fred had come down and was standing there with a smile on his face as he stared at the beauty that she is.

"Izzy!" Ron and Neville shouted, heading over to her and breaking Fred from his trance and caused Izzy to look up from her book. A blush appeared on her face when she spotted Fred and gave him a shy smile.
"Hi Freddie. Hi Ron. Hi Nev." Izzy said with a happy smile, although her hair and cheeks were pink as she slipped her book into her bag by her feet.
"You okay?" Fred asked concerned, after shooting a glare at George and Lee who stood there laughing quietly at him.
"I'm okay. Did you all sleep okay?" Izzy asked, smiling happily when they said they had.
"Let's head down then." Hermione said, coming over to them with Ginny, looking at Izzy confused as she was wearing lip gloss.

***

As the group entered the Great Hall Remus was shocked at how close Izzy and Fred were despite not acting on anything. It seemed they were closer than Lily and James had been in their last years of school; and they had been together.
"I reckon they'll be together by next year." Filius whispered from Remus's left side, Andy sat on Remus's right.
"Filius!" Minerva reprimanded, shaking her head from Filius's other side. She had gotten rid of the golden chair, sold it to bring more money into the school (scraped a lot of things Dumbledore had wasted the School's money on including all the objects in her new office), and now sat on a normal chair like the rest of her staff.
"Come now, Minerva, don't tell us you haven't thought about it?" Bathsheda Babbling, the blonde haired, grey eyed, Ancient Runes Professor asked.

"That is besides the point, Sheda. They are our students. Besides, no matter how much Mr Weasley dotes on Izzy he values her too much to act on his own feelings. At least right now in any case." Minerva replied, smiling and waving back to Izzy who had waved at her.
"Sounds like you have thought about it." Andy teased.
"No, I just remember how scared he was last year. Although you may be right, Filius." Minerva relented with a sigh, as the rest of her friends and staff members laughed. "Do not see that poor girl as a reincarnation of her parents Remus." Minerva warned sternly.
"I don't. I just feel so guilty I wasn't there." Remus sighed, waving to Izzy who shyly waved to him and watched how she brightened up when Hagrid entered the room.

"What's done is done. Feeling guilty isn't going to fix that relationship you once had. Only you can do that, Remus." Andy said firmly, "so if you want a relationship with her I suggest you get a move on. If not I'll kick your arse if Sirius doesn't beat me to it." She added.

***

All throughout breakfast Izzy kept sparing glances at Ginny who sat away from them writing in the black diary despite being offered to join them like Luna had. Once Professor Tonks, the new Head of Gryffindor House and Transfiguration Professor had brought round their times table the bell rang signalling the start of their new classes.
"I'll keep an eye on Ginny, Izzy." Luna promised, climbing to her feet after she'd gotten her times table off of Professor Flitwick.
"Thanks Luna." Izzy smiled, hugging her friend.
"What are you doing hugging Loony for Potter?" Cho Chang sneered.

"Don't call her that!" Izzy shouted, silencing the Great Hall as everyone froze and stared at Izzy who now had blood red hair, a fierce glare on her face as she stood protectively in front of Luna. "How dare you! You are supposed to be someone that the younger years in your House can look up to! But instead you pick on someone just because they hold different views to you! You're disgusting and nothing but a bully!!! Luna is my friend and is the kindest person you could ever meet, so don't you ever say things like that again!" Izzy screamed, her hair now starting to crackle as the cutlery and the windows in the Great Hall started to shake as a wind swirled around Izzy.
"But she is a freak!" Marietta insisted. That was the wrong thing to say.

Things happened in quick succession after that. Izzy flinched away from the girl as if she'd been struck by a hot branding iron and her magic burst out of her throwing the two Ravenclaws away from herself and Luna, causing them to land with a loud thump on the Hufflepuff table on the other side of the room covered in boils causing the two girls to scream and cry.
"It's okay, Izzy, calm down. I'm okay, thank you for defending me. You are a true friend, my best friend. You're okay, please calm down." Luna said soothingly, rubbing her hand over Izzy's arm gently. The Professors had been in shock at Izzy's shout for they've never heard the quiet girl shout or become so enraged but they should've realised because of what happened to her. As Marietta got involved, Professors McGonagall, Tonks and Flitwick quickly headed over to them but they were too late.

They were only a few feet away when Marietta called Luna a freak, Cho laughing in agreement when the two girls were thrown back to the other side of the Hall by Izzy's magic only it had been Accidental.
"Professors, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I -" Izzy rambled terrified, when she saw the three Professors only to stop when Professor Tonks came closer causing Izzy to flinch and cover her head as if she expected to be hit.
"We know it was Accidental Magic, Miss Potter, so you shall not be punished. It was triggered by the foul things they were saying and they will be dealt with." Professor McGonagall said gently, before turning to glare at the two Third Year Ravenclaws who were being treated by Madam Pomfrey.

"I think twenty points to Gryffindor are in order for standing up for a fellow student, especially one not in your House." Professor Flitwick said proudly. "If only other students would stand up for others whether they are in their House or not. Don't you agree, Minerva, Andromeda?" He asked.
"Yes, well done Izzy." Professor Tonks beamed at her.
"Izzy if you feel you need to talk to someone over what has happened to you these last few years and especially this summer. Know that my door is always open, as are the other Professors if you cannot talk to me." Professor McGonagall explained gently.
"Thank you Professor." Izzy said softly, smiling when she and Luna were hugged by their friends.

"Everyone off to classes." McGonagall ordered the students lingering about in the Great Hall. "Filius, I think we need to deal with these Ravenclaws about their lack of conduct and abysmal behaviour." McGonagall added, her lips in thin line; the only thing expressing her anger.
"We do indeed. I shall call a House meeting this evening to deal with all of my House once lessons are over." Professor Flitwick said, as he praised Izzy once more before marching over to the two members of his House and started shouting at them.
"Come on off to classes now." Professor Tonks said gently.

"You sure you're okay, Izzy?" Fred asked concerned, pausing in leaving with George and Lee.
"I'll be okay." Izzy assured them. "Have a good day Freddie."
"As long as you're okay." Fred said, hugging her and placing a gentle kiss to her forehead, he left with George and Lee for Defence Against the Dark Arts.
"Come on." Hermione said, smirking at Izzy who stood with a blush on her cheeks. "We need to get to Greenhouse Three."
"Bye Luna. I'll see you at lunch." Izzy said, hugging her friend once more before the blonde followed after Ginny to their Charms lesson. "Oh, shut up." Izzy blushed, noticing the smirking and teasing looks on Ron's, Neville's and Hermione's faces.

***

Once they reached Greenhouse Three they put on the brown cloaks over their school uniform, picked up the earmuffs and slipped on their dragonhide gloves and lined up along each side of the table. Neville and Ron were on the other side of the long workbench/ table opposite Izzy and Hermione; Seamus was next to Neville and Dean was on the other side of Ron. It was Gryffindor with all three of the other Houses in this class. They hadn't been waiting long when Professor Sprout entered the Greenhouse through the back.
"Morning, everyone. Good morning, everyone." Professor Sprout said a little louder, banging her wand on a pot.
"Good morning, Professor Sprout." Everyone chimed.
"Welcome to Greenhouse Three, Second Years. Gather around, everyone." Professor Sprout introduced.

"Today we're going to re-pot Mandrakes. Now, who can tell me the properties of the Mandrake root?" Professor Sprout asked, as she lifted a large pot over to the front of the desk. Izzy, Hermione and Neville's hands flew up into the air. Thanks to being friends with Izzy, Ron and Hermione, Neville had grown in confidence and was now more willing to participate in lessons when he knew the answer. Especially in his favourite class: Herbology.
"Yes, Mr Longbottom?" Professor Sprout asked.
"Mandrake, once they are fully grown, are used to restore someone to their proper state after they've been petrified. However, their cry as adults is very dangerous as it can kill you. Seedlings such as these can knock you out and they are also known as Mandragora." Neville explained, earning proud grins off of Izzy, Hermione, Professor Sprout and Ron who patted him on the back with a large grin.

"Excellent. Ten points to Gryffindor." Professor Sprout said proudly. "Now, as Mr Longbottom said: our Mandrakes are still only seedlings so their cries won't kill you yet. However, they can knock you out for several hours which is why I've given you all some earmuffs for auditory protection. So could you please put them on, right away? Quickly. Flaps tight down, and watch me closely." Professor Sprout instructed firmly, pulling her own earmuffs tight over her ears. "You grasp your Mandrake firmly. You pull it sharply up out of the pot." She pulled her Mandrake up out of the pot as a demonstration causing the Mandrake to let out a shrill scream; only to cause everyone to cover their ears despite the earmuffs. "Got it? And, now you dunk it down into the other pot... and pour a little sprinkling of soil to keep him warm." Professor Sprout said, finishing her demonstration by placing her Mandrake into a larger pot and covering it with soil.

"Right, on we go. Plenty of pots to go around. Grasp your Mandrake and pull it up." She ordered the class. At once the Greenhouse was filled with shrill screams as everyone pulled their Mandrakes up out of the pot, dumping them in a larger pot and covering them with soil. As Ron was completing the task he couldn't help but smirk when he saw Draco get bitten by his Mandrake: that made up for all the shrill screams piercing his ears. As they were heading to Defence Against the Dark Arts their ears were all still ringing from the shrill screams of the Mandrakes, most of the class had been dubious about Remus due to last years Professor but they had to admit it was turning out to be the best lesson of D.A.D.A they've had so far.

They'd caught up on the spells and creatures they were supposed to have learned the previous year which Remus had made rather fun. The day was turning out to be a rather good day despite what had happened after breakfast, but Izzy should've known it was too good to last.

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Sally Mortemore as Madam Irma Pince -Librarian.

Hazel Showham as Professor Septima Vector - Arithmancy Professor.

Cameron Diaz as Professor Bathsheda Babbling - Ancient Runes Professor.