Hogwarts First Year

 Hogwarts First Year Journal

September

September 1:

I boarded the Hogwarts Express to Hogwarts today with my cousin Kiyo, and we took a while to choose where to sit on the train because  We were both nervous and excited however I didn't want to socialize with the other students just yet. I won't lie, I was a bit worried that I would run face-first into a solid brick wall attempting to get onto Platform 9 3/4. Once we found a place to sit and got settled, I bought Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans from the snack trolley and shared them with Kiyo. The train ride was much longer than I expected. The sorting hat was fun, even though Kiyo and I got sorted into different houses. Kiyo being Ravenclaw, and myself being Slytherin. I do wonder though if the professors use some sort of spell on the sorting hat to protect against lice. After a delicious dinner, a year 7 Slytherin boy, whose name I entirely forgot, showed me and the other year 1 Slytherins the way to the Slytherin common room and dorms. I am in Slytherin Girls Dorm Room 1 with the other year 1 Slytherin girls. I wish Kiyo was also a Slytherin so that we could share a dorm room.

October

October 31:

It sure has been quite a while since my last entry. I have been very busy adjusting to life here at Hogwarts. I have come to terms with the fact that Kiyo and I are in different houses. Speaking of Kiyo, today is her and my 12th birthday. Happy Birthday to us! Today also happens to be Halloween and the great hall had a wonderful feast for us to enjoy. Kiyo and I exchanged gifts at dinner. I gave her a beautiful blue and gold pen, with ink cartridge refills. I know that quills are preferred at Hogwarts, however, pens are less messy. I also gave Kiyo a pair of sapphire stud earrings set in sterling silver. I chose those earrings since blue is her house colour and they will match well with her uniform. The funny thing is, Kiyo gifted me a pair of Emerald stud earrings, set in silver. Great minds think alike I guess. It is my first birthday since my mother died so the entire day was bittersweet. 

December

December 11:

Everyone around me is getting excited for the upcoming winter holidays. I know I should be excited as well, however, this is the first Christmas without my mother. I can't stop feeling sad, and lonely knowing that when I go home for winter break she will not be there. I miss her every second of every day. Kiyo and I will try our best to make this Christmas bearable. Thank Merlin for my cousin. She has already made so many plans that I will probably need a vacation from my holiday. There is the trip home, singing carols, building snowmen, picking out our Christmas tree, skiing, skating, baking, Christmas shopping, dress shopping, the annual Christmas party and the New Year's Eve ball. I just hope there is enough time to enjoy a peppermint hot chocolate.

February

February 2:

It was beyond freezing today! Why can't winter be over already? I hate being cold. Somebody please Avada Jack Frost already. Some random boy pelted Kiyo and me with a couple of snowballs, if I ever find out what house he is in and his name, he will surely be eating slugs in the future! Classes have been going well so far. I am determined to not just simply pass but to excel in my classes by the end of the year exams. Failure is not an option! Kiyo is just as determined as I am to pass, well maybe she is a little less determined, but the point is we WILL succeed! My lack of effort in writing in my journal is unacceptable and I promise to do better from this point on. I also need to make an effort to be more social with the other students.

March

March 15:

I can't believe I waited such a long time to write a new journal entry. I really must do better. Today we learned about Unicorns in one of the lessons. Kiyo was not feeling well, so she missed the lesson on Unicorns, but never fear, I took notes and will share them with her. One thing that really stood out to me during the lesson on Unicorns was that drinking Unicorn blood can keep the drinker alive at the cost of a cursed life. I wonder if Unicorn blood could have saved my mother. Actually, I would rather her not live a cursed life. I learned that Unicorn blood is silver in colour and thick in consistency, like mercury. I can't help but wonder what it tastes like. Logic tells me that Unicorn blood must taste metallic, but a childish part of me still hopes it would taste like cotton candy. 

March 18:

I am keeping my word and paying more attention to keeping up my journal entries. Today in potions class Kiyo convinced me that we should sit with another first-year from her house, Ravenclaw. The girl is named Moira and she seems to be the friendly sort. I did promise Kiyo that I would put in an effort to make friends and socialize more with our fellow students and I did. I sat at the table in potions with Kiyo and this girl Moira, however, once class started and we began to brew our potions I could not help but think of Moira as competition and quickly abandon all thoughts of attempting to make friends with her. You simply cannot be friends with the competition, even if it is a one-sided competition. I will crush the Ravenclaw girl with my superior potion, and then maybe we can circle back to the whole making friends thing.

March 19:

I was not planning on writing a journal entry today, however, the Transfiguration class today was fun. I sat with Kiyo of course, and successfully cast Parillis Verto on a candle, after a few attempts. It is not the easiest spell to cast with my current level of abilities. Kiyo on the other hand….. Let us just say our desk became an abstract painting of rainbow-coloured wax. After classes ended for the day Kiyo and I were standing in line behind one of her friends from Ravenclaw at the fountain waiting for our turn to get a drink of water. So Kiyo introduced me to her friend. He is very formal and even bowed during his introduction, which I thought was cute. It turns out that his name is Liam Nightshade. I wonder if he is a distant cousin?

March 21:

I enjoyed the flying class today. We were helping the professor sort working brooms from the defective ones. I slapped the rebellious broom I had been given into submission. However, I was unsure if the broom would be considered defective or working now, so I asked the professor if it should still be considered defective. The answer was yes the broom is still considered defective. I guess it takes a little more than slapping a broom into submission to make it work for everyone. I like the Flying professor, Professor Louie Lane, I think he may be my favourite professor. I also like Liam Nightshade and may become his friend in the future. The charms professor, Professor Morrgian on the other hand, he completely intimidates me so I need to make sure to be on my best behaviour around him. There is also a student in his class that I despise as well, and I hope for their ultimate downfall. 

April

April 1:

The Spring holiday is half over. Kiyo and I attended the Spring Equinox Wizarding Faire before she went home to the Manor, and we both got a new outfit, however, I am unsure if we will be allowed to wear them. They may violate the school's dress code. The first week of the Spring holiday has passed uneventfully. There have been some parties thrown by some older students, however I do not know them and didn't wish to attend a gathering of strangers. If I wished to be surrounded by a gathering of random people, I could just go shopping in Diagon Alley. I have spent most of my holiday in my dorm room playing with my kitten Scythe, reading, listening to music, singing, dancing, or watching movies. I have also spent a lot of time in the library searching for the spell Kiyo was looking for, to no avail. I think another venture to the library is needed so I can get some new books to read for the remainder of the holiday.  I have already completed all the class assignments given to us to complete over the holiday and sent Kiyo a letter by OWL. Kiyo seems to be enjoying her holiday and assures me things are well at the manor. My father sent me a gift since he abandoned me here for the spring holiday. I received a new dress, 3 chocolate frogs, and 3 boxes of Bertie Botts' Every Flavor Beans. I will be sure to share the sweets with Kiyo when she returns.

April 6:

 Kiyo returned from spring break today, or at least she was supposed to, however she missed the train. It seems a lot of older students didn't return after the spring holiday either. It seems strange, but I am just a first year, what do I know? Maybe this is normal. I will be missing classes for this upcoming week since the one-year anniversary of my mother's death is on the 10th. I keep bouncing from emotionally hurt and depressed to feeling completely numb. I bought my mom some of her favourite chocolate and I will place it on her memorial altar for her on the 10th. I really wish I could just, see her, talk to her, and hug her once more. I miss my mother so very much, and without Kiyo, I would be entirely alone. I hope she gets back soon. I don't think I can face the 10th without my cousin/best friend by my side.

April 11:

I did something. Something that I will have to hide. It is nothing bad, or illegal, and it doesn't hurt anyone, but it does violate the dress code. Yesterday on the 1 year death anniversary of my mother, I got a helix piercing on my left ear. I already have 3 piercings on each ear lobe, but they are all healed, so during the school year, I only wear one pair of earrings so as not to violate the dress code. The problem with my helix piercing is that I cannot remove the piercing until it fully heals in about 6 months. I am going to have to try to artfully style my hair to hide the piercing. The thin sliver hoop isn't very noticeable anyway, so hopefully, it will go undetected and I will not receive a dress code violation. I have to keep this piercing. It was something I always told my mother that I wanted, and she thought it was really cool and stylish. She came with me the first time I tried to get a helix piercing and it didn't end well.  The first time I tried was a couple of years ago the earring got stuck on the piercing thingy at the muggle shop and ripped out, and I was too scared to try again. My mother told me I shouldn't let bad things hold me back from doing what I wanted, but I was just too scared. So yesterday in honor of my mum I got my helix pierced with a needle this time. I did it, Mum, I was brave, and I did it.

April 16:

In DADA today we played hide and seek and it was kind of fun for the most part. At first, I was trying to find a place to hide on my own but then I decided last minute to hide with Kiyo under the stairs that lead to the DADA class. I did whisper to Kiyo that it was a bit of a childlike hiding place and maybe we should move but I also didn't want to risk getting caught. Two of the other students who were hiding under the stairs with us left to find another hiding place when a fifth student joined our group under the stairs. So I decided to stay put, thinking that maybe they would lead the seeker away from our hiding place. That plan failed, and the three of us left under the stairs were caught. I will have to do better next time.

May

May 12:

       Today is Mother’s Day…. It is a really hard day for Kiyoshi and me because both of us have lost our Mothers. So when everyone else spent the day out on picnics and brunches with their mothers, Kiyo and I spent the day shopping and going on a scavenger hunt. We bought a couple of Kawaii summer outfits and had a mini fashion show in my summer study hut. I love our semi-matching summer outfits.

May 15:

Kiyo and I had a bit of trouble in herbology class today. While tending to one of the plants, we over-watered the plant and mud started to overflow from the pot. While I scooped up the mud with my hands to dump back into the pot, Kiyo went to get something to help clean the mess. At that point, the mud spilled onto the floor and Kiyo slipped on the mud. In my attempt to try to catch Kiyo before she fell, I accidentally knocked the plant pot onto the floor, breaking the pot in the process and spilling mud all over Kiyo. The class was almost at an end at that point so we pushed the pot together as best as we can, and scooped up as much of the mud into the pot as we could along with the plant. We then hid the broken muddy potted plant behind all the healthy ones and hurried out of class before anyone noticed.

May 31:

Today there were not too many students in Dragonology, it was quite strange since I am so used to the class being overflowing with eager students excited to learn all they can about the wonderful beasts. Still, class was held even though it was just me and 3 other students. It was just so odd. Most of the other students opted to study for the upcoming end-of-school-year exams instead of showing up to class. After Dragonology was Care of Magical Creatures. There were not many students there either, which makes no sense to me since it was a review class, and Professor Bane is actually one of my favourite professors, since is is kind and patient. The entire day just seems strange to me with a lot of the students missing class. Was today a traditional skip day and nobody informed me? 

June

June 3:

We took the house photos for the yearbook today. It took quite some time to get all the Slytherins organized and posed for the photo. One of the older Slytherins mentioned that she loved how “Badassed” I and another one of the first-year Slytherins looked. Another older Slytherin mentioned that I looked like I was leading them into battle, to which I ended up laughing. I was positioned in the very front with AJ because we are both first years and smaller than the other Slytherins. I look forward to seeing the Slytherin House photo.

June 20:

Exam week is almost over, and I could not be more relieved. I have one or two more exams to write and then I shall be done with the whole ordeal. I know for a fact that I have failed Transfiguration, there is no possible way for me to have succeeded and I hold no hope of passing that class. I do dread the moment I receive a (T) Troll for said class. I do however hold out hope of passing my other classes. I studied a considerable amount and am confident that I have passed. I do believe I have excelled in Potions and stand a high chance of receiving an (E) Exceeds Expectations. I also think I have done more than adequate in CoMC . I expect to score an (A) Acceptable, in said class. Astrology on the other hand I  am not so confident about. Do not take that to mean I expect to fail Astrology, quite the contrary, I actually expect to pass but I do not think I shall pass with anything more than a low scoring (A). I did try my best, however, if I spend too much time looking at the stars, trying to identify constellations rather than admiring their beauty, I just end up becoming cross-eyed. I have to write my Charms exam next, and as anyone who knows me is well aware, Charms is one of my least favourite classes, since I find the Professor intimidating. Still, I hold out hope that I shall at least score an (A) Acceptable for that class as well but cannot shake the sinking feeling that, just like Transfiguration, a (T) Troll will be my final grade in Charms. I can breathe a sigh of relief when I have completed writing all my exams, however, I will not truly find said relief until I receive the results of my exams.

June 25:

I have received some of my grades and so far it seems I will not be able to return home this summer, and I will have to seek refuge with Kiyo and my Uncle until my father’s temper has fizzled out. I did not fail Transfiguration like I had assumed, and have in fact received an (A) which was a great surprise. However, my assumption of my grades in both Dragonology and Care of Magical Creatures was overly ambitious. I am not too happy with my results in those classes. I received an (A) in Care of Magical Creatures, which is a pass but I will have to do better next year. I thought I would have done better since I enjoy that class and Professor Bane is my favourite professor. Dragonology was a complete disaster. I received a (P) in Dragonology and it was entirely my fault. I didn't want to answer any questions that would mention harming dragons so, I briefly mentioned a dragon's vulnerable spots on their body and skipped another question entirely. I should have answered that question. Grades of (O) and (E) are what my father demands from me, a couple (A) grades would be barely tolerated but a (P) is completely unacceptable, and if I return home my father will make sure I no longer exist. It does not matter if I score all (O) and (E) in my other classes the (P) in Dragonology has decidedly sealed my fate. If this is my last journal entry, just know, that I did not go missing, my father eliminated me to prevent further shame and humiliation to our family name.