Chapter Two
"Of course, I told her everything would be okay so long as she believed in herself and I hope that helped her! She's so nice and sweet; I really hope she gets on the house team. Ravenclaw will be five times brighter with her smile!"
This incredibly (boring) optimistic speech isn't the gushing of a devoted boyfriend/girlfriend about their significant other. No. Unfortunately, this is my younger sister - Ravenclaw 4th Year Saule Appleberry. This is how she speaks about everyone.
"And I saw Scorpius Malfoy studying for his mock exam for Ancient Runes last night in the common room and I wished him the best luck in the world; I really hope he does well! After all of the effort and time he's put in to that subject he deserves it."
Being exposed to this much optimism in the morning can make anybody a pessimist.
"That's really nice of you, Saule. I'm sure Scorpius will be fine; from the classes I share with him he seems very smart." I told her, smiling in what I hoped was an encouraging way but which probably made me look constipated. Which was how this conversation was making me feel.
Saule beamed at me as she finished braiding her blonde hair before piling eggs and bacon onto her plate.
I turned to the dark haired girl sitting next to hair. "How are things going with you, Epona? The first week of classes went well I hope?"
Epona is my other younger sister and Saule's un-identical twin. Saule was blonde and all bubbly smiles whilst Epona was brunette and slightly frightening stares. However, they do share the same dark eyebrows, as well as twinkling brown eyes. The latter is a feature we all share, that is; Saule, Epona, our older sister Maia (who is currently travelling the world with her girlfriend of three years, Char) and I.
"I found out that a horse's eye is up to nine times larger than a human's and they also have three eyelids. Their nictitating membrane occasionally sweeps across the eye, cleaning and lubricating it if necessary."
She also has an obsession with horses.
I nodded and gave a strained smile. "Wow, that's er, really something. Cool."
Epona smiled at me serenely and began eating her fruit salad.
Breakfast with my two sisters was something we did every Monday morning without fail. We caught up on gossip and stories and it was also just nice to see them once in a while. I don't get the chance to visit them as often as I'd like to, as they're both popular 4th years in a different house to me, which makes things difficult.
"Excuse me ladies, but could I offer you these?" A snickering voice said behind me. I turned around to see Christopher Wood holding out-
"Apples and berries? Wow, that's really original of you Wood. We've never heard that one before." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes and turning back around to my food ignoring the dejected mumbling behind me.
Appleberry wasn't the worst last name in the world, but it tended to make us the butt of the same stupid joke a fair few times.
"Honestly, what a daft idiot." I said to Saule and Epona, biting into my toast.
Saule gasped. "Clio! Don't be so rude!" She admonished.
"What? It's the truth. You agree right, Epona?"
"Hm, yes. Wood once said the world would be a better place if unicorns replaced horses. I told him the world would be a better place if he ceased to exist in the time and space continuum."
Some things never change.
I walked to my afternoon History of Magic class feeling sad and betrayed. The explanation behind my mood was due to one Vivian Wen. She had been taking this class with me for the first week of classes but apologetically told me about ten minutes ago that she'd dropped out and decided to have a spare period instead so she could focus more on Herbology and spend more time in the greenhouses.
I swear if that girl spends any more time in there she's going to become a plant.
So basically now I don't have any body to sit with. Granted, it is an interesting subject, but Binns is just so bloody boring!
I arrived at the classroom and looked around, seeing most of the students seated already. There were only around ten people taking it this year, which thoroughly confused me as it was an amazing area of study.
As I was looking around, I spotted the slightly familiar messy head of black hair at one of the middle tables. Smiling, I made my way over to where Albus was sitting. I know that helping him with one essay didn't make us friends or even acquaintances but there was no way I was going to suffer through Binns' toneless monologues by myself.
I sat down next to Albus and pulled out my notebook and quill.
"Hey!" I said, smiling brightly at him.
"Er, hey?" He replied, looking around the classroom confused. "Not to be rude or anything, but don't you usually sit with Wen in this class?"
"Well, normally yes, but she's decided to be even more of a Herbology nutter than usual and legitimately convinced Hainsworth to let her drop this class so she could spend more time in the greenhouses studying the plants. So now I feel betrayed but at the same time I'm worried for her. I mean being around plants as often as she is cannot be healthy." I explained incredulously.
Albus chuckled. "I'm sure she'll be fine. Last I heard, plants produced oxygen, not sucked it out of passing humans." He said.
I felt my cheeks heat up. "I know that. I just meant – oh, you know what I meant!" I cried over his laughter.
"Anyway, is it okay if I sit with you? I really don't want to suffer alone." I asked hopefully.
"Yeah, it's cool. We'll suffer together."
I grinned. "Awesome."
Binns chose that moment to glide through the wall and settle at the front of the classroom, as the whole class simultaneously sighed.
"Here we go."
"Freedom at last!" I cried dramatically as Albus and I left the classroom.
"You know for someone who loves History of Magic so much, you sure do seem to hate it a lot." He said, laughing.
I shrugged. "I find it really interesting, but Binns makes it so boring. If we had a teacher who's voice didn't sound like an old vacuum, I guarantee there would be more than ten people in that class." I told him.
"Oh my Merlin. He does sound like a vacuum…" Albus whispered, looking into the distance.
"Plus, he also sucks all of the fun out of lessons so that's another thing they have in common." I said, and we both laughed as we continued walking to the Great Hall for lunch.
"Ah! Miss Appleberry, just the girl I wanted to see."
Normally, those words coming out of the mouth of a certain Professor Hainsworth would make me swoon and blush so much that my face resembled a giant tomato.
Today was no different.
"Oh, h-hey Professor Hainsworth. S'up?" I asked, nodding my head at him.
Bloody hell. I just bro nodded my Head of House.
Excuse me while I go pack my things and move into to the Forbidden Forest where I shall spend the rest of my life as a tree. Maybe I can get some tips from Vivian…
"Not much Miss Appleberry. I actually just wanted to say I hope you work extra hard in potions this year. I know you have the talent, but last year your marks just did not reflect that at all. You can do better. I'll see both of you after lunch for class." He said, smiling at Albus and I.
Wait.
Albus and I. That means Albus heard that whole thing.
Honestly, that man does not have even a single drop of tact or subtlety. It's a good thing he's pretty.
I groaned as Hainsworth walked away in all his 6-foot 3 muscly glory. "That was so embarrassing."
Albus shrugged and gave me a small smile. "Not as embarrassing as thinking the Centaur massacre was in 1759."
I smiled back, appreciating his attempt to cheer me up before an idea came to me.
"Hey, you're really brilliant at potions, aren't you?" I enquired, narrowing my eyes slightly.
"Um, yeah I guess so?" He replied, looking a bit startled before seemingly catching on to my idea. "And you're amazing at history of magic…"
"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
"I think I am thinking what your thinking."
We both grinned before shaking each other's hands.
Let the tutoring begin.
AN: Disclaimer – the wonderful world of Harry Potter of course belongs to the lovely J.K. Rowling!
Second chapter! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story and characters so far! The next few chapters are when the plot is introduced :)
Thank you to Messed up Reality for the review on the last chapter! :)
Also, a few explanations:
Professor Hainsworth is the potions master and the Head of Hufflepuff house, succeeding Professor Sprout who retired a few years back (for the purposes of this story)
Also, you may have noticed that the Appleberry sisters (Clio, Maia, Saule and Epona) are all named after figures that correspond to their respective interests or personalities (though Maia hasn't made an appearance yet)!
Thank you for reading and I'd love if you could leave a review!
