THE NASTY BOX OF ADVENTURES
Albus' head
felt very heavy. He sat up on his bed and looked around. He had
filtered his head from the event of last night and had completely
forgotten that he was twenty minutes late for his first class. He
jumped from his bed in one leap and quickly took off his robes and
shoes and put on his uniform and searched for his astronomy books and
quickly rushed out. Surely he had missed his breakfast but surely, he
can manage to stay hungry for the other six hours and breathe the air
around to keep his body and soul together.
He asked a senior the way to astronomy. He ran in the fear of not
getting a shout from the professor but from Rose, because her shouts
and lectures meant extra-time waste and pretending very hard to care.
When Albus got inside the astronomy class, he was glad that the
professor was late. Rose had saved him a seat two girls next to Alex.
Albus knew sitting beside her meant a whole lot of questions but he
coudn't help it. There was no place to sit.
"What took you so long?" asked Rose, impatiently. "For a moment there, I thought you had forgotten about astronomy."
"I overslep", said Albus, grumpily.
Rose had understood that Albus did not like being questioned and so she
merely opened her book of 'Theory Relating To The Sky' and soon became
engrossed in it.
Albus glanced sideways and saw Alex reading the Quibbler. He then
remembered that the night before, Alex had mentioned about his father
and the ministry controversies. Surely, there was more written in
today's Quibbler than that of yesterdays. He would really like to read
that and know about his father's state of mind. But two enormous girls
with curly black hair were talking about their dinner last night.
Just as he was about to stand up and call Alex himself, a tall dark and
plain blonde woman entered and clapped her hands just once to get the
attention of all the students who were not looking at the door. Alex
subdued from what he was doing.
"Good morning class", she said. "I am your professor Evilyn and will teach you astronomy."
She soon scribbled her name on the board. "Many of you presume that
astronomy is just a simple study of stars and their divisions,
theoratically it is true, but practically they are a lot of help as you
go on in life.
Without hesitation, Rose lifted her hand in the air and asked,
"Professor, are you talking about the potentials and the scope of
career in the field of astronomy as per chapter five?"
Almost everyone looked at her. Albus knew it coming.
A grin spread on the professor's face and she said, "Miss Weasley, you
are too good a reader but not so good an observer. If you observe my
tone of speech, you will notice that it has nothing to do with logic
nor ethics. Think practicle."
Rose sank. Surely, her sudden enthusiasm wasn't really necessary.
Professor loked around and understood that no one really knew what she meant.
"I guess you are anonymusto what I mean to say", she smiled. "Well
then, I'll demonstrate with a small activity. Please take out your
wands and repeat after me 'lecardium'. All together please".
Albus' first ever wand practice. He cleared his throat and with a slight swing said, "Lecardium".
Just then a small box appeared from within the wardrobe and was placed
on everyone's desks. It was black and had a small star carved on it.
And beside it was written "The Nasty Box Of Adventures".
Rose's hand as usual went up in the air and she cried out, "Professor,
are we really matured to use the applications realted to practical
knowledge?" Anyone would say she was nagging and irritating, even
Albus. Alex sighed. Albus really wanted to get on with the work and end
it soon so that he could have a talk with Alex about the current news.
Professor smiled hard and said, "Miss Weasley, I ensure you that by the
time you sit for your examination, you'll be ready with your theories."
Two boys who sat in front of Albus and the girl beside chuckled and siad something to each other.
Rose sank.
"Now to get on with our lesson, we have a sample of a very rare piece
of magical element known as Nasty Box Of Adventures. You may probably
wonder why such a bizzare name for something that looks so interesting.
Well, I simply cannot expand your curiousity there but I can promise
you that it can be fun as well as deadly. Now follow my instructions
carefully. Take your wands out and swing it over the box and
say,'Miniata'".
Everyone took their wands out and did as they were instructed. Albus
very carefully watched Rose do it and followed. Nothing special seemed
to happen.
"Wonderful try, children. Now carefully open the box and look inside. Tell me what you see".
Everyone did as they were told. Rose opened the box and saw orange
jelly like material. There was no logical meaning. Alex opened the box
and saw papers where many minute things were scribbled.
"You all maybe wondering what the things inside the box mean. It is a
very rare piece of element. It will give you a hint of what is to come
in your future, can be temporary or permanent."
Rose's hand was in air again. "Professor, forgive me, but this is almost like applying divination",
Professor smiled and said, "I know miss Weasley. But you know
sometimes, the stars can predict better future than tea leaves and
crystal balls."
Rose sat and said to Albus, "I wonder what this orange thing means."
The professor came around to check the students with a cup of liquid
which he took a sip of. Just like he approached Rose, accidently, he
tripped and his cup slipped and the entire pumpkin juice fell on Rose's
skirt.
Rose jumped up and cried. The professor apoligised for the scene but
there was nothing that he could possibly do but to ask her to go to the
girl's washroom and clean herself. When Rose left, the professor opened
and saw the inside and smiled. "Well, maybe that was why there was an
orange jelly in her box".
Well, talk about some humour.
Professor then turned to Albus and asked his box to be let open. Albus
never really tried opening it by himself but did as he was told.
Inside, thick black smoke filled the box and a smell of medicine
flowed. Professor's brow deepened and he said, "This is very rare. You
usually don't get to see such things around. Anyways, Albus, you stay
away.........away from unknown people."
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