Burn Out Bright
Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I am not, the talented, J.K. Rowling.
September 2nd, the second official day of term, that was today. Hayley was thinking about her classes as she headed out of the Great Hall from breakfast. She had received the list from her head of house, Professor Pomona Sprout, during breakfast, and was on her way to Potions with Gryffindor which was followed by Transfiguration with Ravenclaw. She was almost to the Potions class room when she shoved into by a group of Slytherins, some of which were the ones who kicked her out of her compartment on the train the day before.
"Move it," and "Watch where you're going," was all she got when they ran into her. All except for a small, "'Xcuse me." Hayley looked up to see the same sixth year walking past her, avoiding her gaze. He quickened his pace after a, "Come on, Andy," from the rest of the group.
That is what his name was, wasn't it? Andrew Hawthorne. Hayley recalled hearing one of her Professors saying it in the past. She let the matter slip from her mind as she entered Potions class. Besides, it didn't really matter what his name was, did it?
The mostly insignificant Potions class involved Hayley paired with the kind, and notably attractive, Gryffindor, Sam Wessen, and brewing a Restoration Potion.
Then she met up with Kiara, on the second floor corridor, and they were on their way to Transfiguration. In McGonagall's class they were learning how to turn bluebirds into potion flasks. To say that Hayley was bad at Transfiguration wasn't necessarily true but when the professor wasn't looking, Kiara often preformed the charm on behalf of Hayley. Kiara never minded and it got Hayley a better grade so there were no complaints on either side.
As class was about to end, and McGonagall told everyone to return their birds to original state, Kiara asked, "What class do you have next?"
Hayley looked at her schedule.
"Divination," she read. "Ugh! With Slytherin."
"Good luck."
"Yeah. . . Besides, I'll just sit with Cassie."
And that she did. When Divination started Cassie and Hayley sat together in the cold, smokey tower.
"Welcome to a new and wonderful year everyone," Professor Trelawny said dreamily as she came drifting into the class room, her bangles and necklaces jingling. "I have foreseen that this year will be better than any before."
"Sure. You've 'foreseen' it," Cassie muttered.
Many of the students thought that Divination was a bunch of baloney. Although, Hayley thought that, sure, maybe there were some 'seers' out there, but she wasn't that sure that Sybill Trelwany was one of them.
"We will be beginning the term by writing dream journals. Now everyone grab one of these journals off my desk. This is where you'll be recording your dreams."
Dawn Collins, of Slytherin, piped up. "What if we don't remember our dream?"
"No worries my dear," Trelawny said as she place a wooden crate full of glass bottles on her desk. "These potions will help you remember your dreams for the next couple of weeks. Everyone form a line and come take one of these potions."
•••••••• •••••••••••••••• ••••••••
The next few days of the term had gone well. Students were getting used to their new classes and schedules. The night, for a certain three young witches, was spent in the relatively empty Great Hall, studying is what they were attempting, but really they were just comparing Mark Wahlberg films.
"Invincible, Shooter, or Max Payne?" Hayley asked while sitting sideways on an armchair.
"Shooter," was Cassie's response, which she expressed in a tone that showed she felt there was no question in the matter.
"Max Payne," Kiara said without another thought.
"Really? Seriously? I was going to say Invincible." Hayley was pretending to be distraught with her friends and prominently turned her back on them in mock anger.
"Yeah," Kiara spoke up. "But we can all agree that Four Brothers is the best. Besides Garrett Hedlund in that one, too."
"Are you kidding me? It's good, but I'm gonna say that Max Payne is better than Four Brothers." Cassie did not share Kiara's opinion.
"Come on, back me up on this," Kiara turned to Hayley, who was not, in any way, paying attention, until she received and smack on the arm.
"Hey!"
"Hmm?" Hayley looked up. "Oh, sorry, I was just thinking..."
"About..." Cassie said intending for Hayley to finish.
"Well, you're in Slytherin-"
"Last I checked."
"Tell me about Andrew Hawthorn."
Cassie thought for a moment before she began, "His friends call him Andy, for starters, and he's...I don't know. He's just another Slytherin, I suppose."
"Just like any other Slytherin?" Hayley was a bit surprised.
"Umm...actually, I've always thought there was something different. I think he doesn't exactly agree with... "Slytherin policy." "
"How so?"
"Well, even amongst his friends, who are all 'high and mighty' he doesn't seem to be open to the discrimination of other witches and wizards, regardless of their lineage and house. Although, he does not seem to want to say anything about it. I think he's scared since his family are all," she used finger quotations, " 'above the rest of us' because they are all pureblood and there's not been a single Hawthorne recorded who wasn't in Slytherin."
"So you think he's too afraid, of being disowned or exiled, to say anything?"
"Yup. In fact, he's very good at playing up the whole 'rude to the unworthy' thing."
"Really? I actually thought he was kind of bad at it. How could you tell he was faking?" Hayley was curious.
"Because," Kiara butted in. "She can read people like books."
Cassie smiled pleasantly at this praise.
"Why do you think he's so bad at it? Maybe you just doubt my gift. You think there is no way I'm that good? Huh?" She accused, jokingly.
"No," Hayley giggled. "You are so wonderful at this incredible gift, I just think...well he's nice to me. Sort of."
"Sort of?" Kiara questioned.
"Well, he wasn't too happy about threatening me, in my compartment on the train. Oh, and he says 'excuse me' every day when he passes me on my way to potions."
Her friends were staring at her in skepticism and shock.
" 'You sure it was him?" Kiara was doubtful.
"Positive."
"Then why is he being nice to you, a muggleborn?"
"Maybe I can get it out of him?" Cassie suggested.
"No." Hayley spoke up. "I don't want him to feel trapped and in trouble for doing something kind. I think I just might ask him myself, in private." She decided.
"When are you going to do that?" Cassie asked, disappointed with her rejected plan.
"Tomorrow. I see the Slytherin house on my way to Potions. I'll pull him aside and ask him then."