A.N. Part Two brought to you by EmuFrost!
Chapter 2- Magic
Wanna fall, I fall so far, I wanna fall, I fall so hard, And I call it magic, And I call it true, I call it magic.
Izzy was greeted into the Great Hall by a pleasant sensation she would never forget. Rows and rows of golden plates stacked past their limit with every food imaginable, and what was that smell? Chocolate. She hated to admit it, but the food at Hogwarts beat Gram's without a question. Izzy found her place near the end of the Gryffindor table between James and Mia Black. As usual they were arguing.
"James, honestly, we're not even 5 minutes into the first term and you already started a fight!" Mia said.
"He would've won too," Izzy grinned and put her arm around James. Their relationship had always been nothing but friendly. Mia had always said that they were meant to be together. Izzy had always laughed and wondered what it would be like to love James. She couldn't imagine the idea of getting together and then breaking up with him. Breaking up, and never talking to him again. Izzy had never explained to Mia why she couldn't love James, there was no way Mia would ever understand.
"The nerve of you two," Mia sighed and turned towards the front of the room where Headmaster, Professor McGonagall had cleared her throat to get everyone's attention.
"Welcome back to another promising year at Hogwarts! Before I make any announcements, we have some sorting to get through!" she said and looked at the trembling group of 1st years. Izzy smiled, remembering how terrified she was when she got sorted. The Sorting Hat had fallen down over her forehead almost covering her eyes. It thought for a moment considering her options. You would make a lovely Slytherin, no not quite, Slytherin doesn't seem to be your fancy, Hufflepuff, of course not, Ravenclaw, no no no, Gryffindor? Possibly, I can see the bravery, somewhat loyal, yes yes indeed! Gryffindor indeed! Izzy let out a breath of relief as the Sorting Hat shouted "GRYFFINDOR!" Izzy had been eager to join the Gryffindors, unlike her sister Phoebe, who had glared at her from the Slytherin table with a disappointed look. Izzy clearly remembered the moment when she had joined her house and stared longingly across the room at Phoebe who was engaging in a conversation with a Slytherin boy who's jet black hair was brushed to the side in an arrogant style. It was the first time Izzy had been introduced to Lucas Christopher Riddle, and not the last.
Izzy snapped awake suddenly realising she had been day dreaming.
"What did I miss?" she whispered to Mia who she assumed had been paying keen attention.
"Nothing much," Mia whispered back.
"A Ravenclaw boy was so excited he tripped on his way off the stool!" James said.
"Well, of course that's all you remember," Mia said.
"I remember what's important," James explained twirling a strand of his hair around his finger. James's hair wasn't exactly long, but it was long enough to be called long, long enough to make Gryffindor girls fall at his feet in awe.
"Is there something in my hair?" James asked, realising that Izzy had been gazing longingly at his head. Izzy felt a rush of blood to her head as she began to blush slightly.
"No," she said. "Just a giant spider."
•••
After a long and filling feast McGonagall had cleared her throat again and returned to the podium.
"I have an announcement, but first, 1st through 3rd years you may return to your dormitories, 4th through 7th years stay seated." The younger years filled out as Izzy perked up. This couldn't be a usual announcement, stay out of the forest, don't touch the trophy case, Izzy had heard it all before. Not that she particularly listened to those announcements, but announcements for the older years were usually worth something. Mcgonagall seemed a little reluctant giving the announcement, but once the younger students had cleared out McGonagall tapped on her glass to get everyone's attention again.
"As you very well know, on rare special occasions Hogwarts holds the tradition of a Ball. The Ball I am speaking of is the Christmas Ball we are hosting this year. The Ball is strictly for 4th years and up, so try not to mention it, we have had some previous incidents in the past of ageing spells and what not. The Ball is not for a few months, but I thought it right to give you a fair warning ahead of time, to get prepared. The Christmas Ball, if you are not aware, is a formal dance," McGonagall said. A wave of excited chatter and squeals swept through the crowd. Izzy groaned, dancing, wasn't exactly her forte.
"You are dismissed," McGonagall said. Izzy got up from the table, she had never exactly been to a real dance. The dances at her muggle school in 5th grade consisted of swarms of sweaty teenagers bouncing around for hours waiting for one another to awkwardly ask each other out. Mia looked fairly pleased.
"A Ball!" Mia exclaimed. "Aren't you excited, I mean what am I going to wear! I didn't bring anything fit for a Ball!" A look of wild excitement suddenly crossed Mia's face.
"Shopping," she sighed longingly. Izzy nodded.
"Yeah, I'm real excited, in fact I'm practically jumping out of my seat Mia!" Izzy said with sarcasm.
"Who'd think you'll go with?" Mia inquired. Izzy shrugged.
"I don't care, whoever asks," Izzy said. James had only been half listening to the conversation.
"What if I asked?" James said.
"You? Ask me? Don't you have loads of other Gryffindor girls to ask out, Mr. Popular?" Izzy laughed.
"No, I'm serious, what would you say?" James said.
"Yeah, I would yes," Izzy said. James stood up on the bench and held out his hand to her.
"Isabelle Lupin will you go to the Christmas Ball with me?" James said, much louder than he needed to making sure to be insanely dramatic. Izzy laughed and played along. She got up from her seat and curtsied taking his hand.
"I shall, James Potter, attend the Christmas Ball with you!" Nothing, but friends, Izzy repeated in her head. Nothing, but friends.
"If only getting a date was that easy!" Mia sighed. Albus Potter, a shy 4th year tapped Mia on the shoulder.
"Uh, Mia, I've got something to ask you," he said quietly. Albus and James looked so much alike, yet had barely anything in common. Albus had always been the shy, quiet one.
"Later Albus," Mia said and turned back to Izzy.
"No, Mia, it's really kind of important," he said. Izzy sat down suddenly realising what Albus was trying to do.
"I said later Albus!" Mia insisted. Albus nodded.
"Okay, later," he said and returned to his seat.
•••
Izzy and Mia made their way to the Gryffindor Common Room after the feast. Izzy smiled at the warm and welcome feeling the Common Room gave. It had always been her favourite place in the castle. A circular room filled with red tapestries and Gryffindor banners. Izzy checked the notice board where announcements were regularly posted. Nothing new except a flyer for Quittich tryouts. Izzy grinned suddenly remembering the Quittich team. Izzy had been a chaser on the team since her second year when she was finally allowed a broom, a Cleansweep 70.
"Quittich?" Mia asked, peering over Izzy's shoulder. Izzy nodded and signed her name in short jagged letters under the Chaser section. Mia signed up for beater, Izzy never would've expected Mia to make a good beater, but besides her thin build Mia had a killer arm that could smash a bludger out of the Quittich pitch with no effort. Then again, there was nothing, it seemed that Mia couldn't do.
Izzy's eyes narrowed as she read the rest of the Chaser tryouts list. There wasn't much competition, except for the last name on the list. In perfect handwriting was a name Izzy gagged at the mere mention of it. A name so, so evil and vial that Izzy was surprised it didn't burn a hole in the paper. Rose Weasley.
"Ooh! Yay, Rosie is trying out!" Mia said.
"Yay? Are you kidding me? This is not a good thing Mia! We might have to be on the same team! And worse, the same position!" Izzy said. She was seriously considering scratching Rose's name out and leaving a little note that said 'oops, didn't mean to sign up!'. Mia read Izzy's mind.
"No, you are not scratching her name out, just because you hate Rose Weasley doesn't mean the rest of the world does!" Mia said.
"Of course!" Izzy said. "The rest of the world loves Rose Weasley, perfect little, stuck up, redhead." Suddenly a curios face peered over Mia's shoulder.
"Did I hear my name?" Rose inquired. Izzy felt the vomit surface to her throat as she turned to see Rose Weasley, a 4th year. The glossy red hair, the perfect speckled complexion, the crisp blue eyes, nobody could beat Rose Weasley, nobody.
"Rosie!" Mia exclaimed and immediately turned around to hug her. "I didn't see you all summer! Where were you?" Rose flipped her hair off her shoulder dramatically.
"Oh, we had to visit Uncle Charlie in Romania! It took forever! Seriously, I was doubting if we'd make it back in time for school!" Rose said.
"Wouldn't that be a pity?" Izzy muttered.
"What was that Isabelle?" Rose said.
"Nothing," Izzy grimaced.
"Nice to see you," Rose lied. She was so good at putting on her goody-two-shoes-I-would-never-hurt-a-fly act, it almost fooled Izzy sometimes. Rose and Izzy had been enemies ever since their first year. Izzy was still unsure what really started it, but she hated Rose Weasley more than she hated booger flavoured beans, and that's saying something.
"You too," Izzy said.
"Let's get unpacked," Mia said and grabbed her bag. The two hurried off to their dormitory in a giggly rush to fill each other in on the latest gossip. Boy talk. Izzy had never found that sort of thing interesting. And she had actually never been especially good at it. She couldn't keep a secret to save her life. Not that she would tell, she would most likely forget.
The Duke of Honey rubbed up against Izzy's leg purring loudly. Izzy had been very inventive in naming her cat after her favourite candy shoppe. She scooped him up and ran her fingers through his brown and grey fur. Duke had a small yellow spot of fur where Izzy had tried out a colour spell. It didn't exactly end well.
"Just you and me buddy," Izzy whispered as she levitated her trunk to her dormitory.
•••
Izzy fastened her leather shin guards onto her Quittich robes quickly and grabbed her Cleansweep 70. She was late, as usual, to Quittich tryouts. Izzy ran halfway across the pitch trying to hold her broom and fasten her hair up all at once, then jumped on her broom and flew the rest of the way. Izzy touched down near the edge of the huddled up Quittich players.
"Nice of you to join us Izzy," James smirked. Izzy guiltily smiled and poked her head into the group.
"Chasers, over there, beaters, to the right, keepers, by the posts, and seeker is me, so if you're thinking about trying for seeker, sorry. First years, go, it's the rules," James said quickly. He was probably the youngest Quittich captain ever at Hogwarts, only 15. A few first years shuffled out looking ashamed. James suddenly looked surprised as he noticed his little sister in the crowd.
"Lily, what are you doing? You don't even play Quittich. Is that my old broomstick?" Lily tried to protest, but James shooed her away.
James sighed in disbelief as he made some scratches on his clipboard of notes.
"Let's go!" James yelled as the brooms lifted into the air. Izzy stayed behind and peeked at James's clipboard.
"Izzy, thought you wouldn't come! You wouldn't mind directing the chasers? Just a few easy drills, tell me who's the best later," James said.
"How do I tryout then?" Izzy asked.
"You're already on the team," James laughed. "Come on Izzy, you're one of the best people here." James nodded to a miserable looking 2nd year who was trying to mount his broom backwards.
"You're not just saying that, because of you know," Izzy's voice trailed off. "The Ball?"
"Course not, just go fly!" James said as he kicked of the ground to observe the keepers. Izzy glided over to the group of chasers.
"What was that all about, Isabelle?" Rose giggled. She sounded innocent as usual, but with a hint of demand in her voice.
"Nothing, James just said he wants me to lead some drills, and it's Izzy," Izzy said and narrowed her eyes at Rose who's smile stretched up a bit.
"Come on!" Rose said impatiently as she kicked of the ground. Izzy grabbed the nearest quaffle and followed.
"Chasers," Izzy shouted to the kids still on the ground. "Follow me and Rose." They kicked of the ground with the rest of the practice quaffles.
"Stanley pass off drill," Izzy shouted to Rose as she threw the quaffle sideways to Rose's hands. Rose caught it easily as Izzy sped forward. She threw it back to Izzy with a quick snap of her wrist sending it slightly too far forward. Izzy dove down a few feet and grabbed the quaffle. The post was only a few feet away, a shot she could easily make. She was supposed to pass it. She had to pass it. Rose had her hands up ready to catch. Somehow she found that she just couldn't pass it, not to Rose Weasley. Izzy turned back to the post and spun the ball through the shortest post. Izzy and Rose touched down by the end of the post where the quaffle had landed.
"Why didn't you pass, Isabelle?" Rose sneered.
"I had the shot," Izzy defended, trying to think of a better excuse than 'I was too selfish to give up the shot to a brat like you.' Rose picked up the quaffle.
"And James trusted you?" she said as if Izzy was the most unworthy person to be trusted. Izzy crossed her arms and didn't respond.
"Oh, I see it now!" Rose said as a smirk spread across her face. "You two are in lo-"
Rose never finished her sentence.
•••
Izzy calmly made her way up to the castle from the Quittich pitch. After the mass chaos, tryouts were finally called off. Izzy was exceedingly pleased with herself, it wasn't everyday you could give Rose Weasley a black eye and get away with it. Izzy couldn't stop thinking about the glorious moment of triumph Izzy had had when Rose had realised that she had a black eye.
Izzy skipped up a flight of stairs and was suddenly blocked by someone hurrying to the Quittich pitch. Izzy tripped on the last step and slammed onto the tiles taking whoever she had hit with her. Izzy's hand shot to her throbbing head.
"Sorry, sorry, sorry!" she said as she lay on the ground. She turned her head slightly to see the boy next to her. Pitch black hair and stormy grey eyes.
"Not sorry," she corrected herself. Luke moaned and rubbed his elbow.
"Bloody hell, Izzy, look where you're going!"
"Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realise I was talking to royalty, honestly I should have bowed before you, forgive me, your royal prat-ness." The two got up and brushed themselves off.
"Aww, did you get a speck of dust on your robes?" Izzy said.
"As a matter of fact I did," Luke sneered.
"Did what?" a voice came from behind Izzy's shoulder. Izzy spun around to see James Potter.
"Well, what do you know, a reunion of the two greatest Gryffindor pricks there are!"Luke greeted. James only responded by forcing a fake smile.
"Can't imagine what you'd be up to, slithering of to the Quittich pitch," James said.
"It seems that only James Potter can get away with saying slithering to a Slytherin," Luke laughed.
"How's the Slytherin Quittich team?" James said, trying to draw out the conversation. Izzy felt James slip a small cylinder into her hand. Izzy grinned as she fingered the exploding firecracker. James always seemed to know how to cheer up her day.
"Better than Gryffindor, how's captaining?" Luke said. James began to give Izzy the signal to release it by slowing his words.
"Oh, its grand, As easy as 1, 2, 3!" Izzy slammed her firecracker on the ground in unison with James. Luke yelped and jumped back as the firecrackers exploded in a burst of orange sparks crackling up at Luke's robes. Luke jumped backwards as he tried to stamp the flames out.
"Damn you Potter!" he yelled.
Izzy turned and sprinted down the corridor behind James laughing at a job well done. She could just barely make out the sound of Luke screaming "You'll pay for this!" Izzy grinned wildly, she knew she would pay for it, probably with one of Luke's lousy attempts to prank her back, but a wild grin spread across Izzy's face. The truth was, she couldn't wait to pay.