Edited: yes
Anyways, with that out of the way, we move on to our story. Please enjoy the fruits of my labor.
Also, thanks to wingswordsandmetaphors, the-writing-vampire, WhatHurtsMeMost, Nerigirl 108, Firemaker, and Cruciatus96 for your love. This is all for you darlings~
Third Year: Semester One
Albus, Roxanne and I were saddled with the responsibility of watching Lily, Louis, and Hugo on the train that year. Lily was levitating her pumpkin pasties simply for an excuse to finally use her wand. Hugo was fidgeting in his seat, asking every couple of minutes if we were there yet. Louis, who is Bill and Fleur's youngest child, simply sat and conversed quite maturely with our cousin Roxy. It's amazing how well their ages lined up so perfectly. Kind of scary really, almost like it was planned. But then they were very different. Lily was a little devil in her own right, Hugo was going to be a big boy, I could tell, though he was like a teddy bear. Louis was extremely mature for his age and often became exasperated with Lily's antics.
Alex was in the compartment as well as Nina, who was attempting to coax him into a conversation, and Riley who was leafing through Luna's new book on her (legitimate) discovery of Wrackspurts, Durophatics, and the healing properties of gnome saliva.
"So do you have any brothers or sisters?" Nina asked Alex
"Brother" Alex answered shortly with a blank face. This was a natural sate for him but Nina was not discouraged by this.
"Is he a muggle? How old is he?"
"Non-magic, he's sixteen"
"What do your parents do?"
"Mum stays at home, da's a dentist"
"Really?" Hugo cut in excitedly "Me 'n Rosie's grandparents are dentists as well!"
"What do dentists do anyways?" Nina asked with curiosity.
"Fix your teeth" I told her. That seemed to mystify her, as it had many magic folk before her.
"I hated the dentists" Riley said with her head still stuck in her book "Magic is so much more practical."
"Agreed" Alex added.
"How come you'll talk of your own free will to her, but you won't say anything to me!" Nina complained with a pout.
"Cause she's not annoying." he stated matter-o-factly. We all had a good laugh at Nina's expense.
"Screw you guys, I'm transferring to Bobatons" Nina said in an offended huff.
"You wouldn't last" I reminded her "You'd go insane without boys."
"Speaking of which," Nina said perking up "There's a fine Ravenclaw boy who I know for a fact is sitting with Lysander. I think I might just go visit the twins" She stood up and hurried after her new prey, only to let one Scorpius Malfoy in.
"Some stupid sixth years took over my compartment" he muttered looking highly annoyed and with a frown plastered on his normally blank face.
"Come join us then Scorpius" Albus offered and Alex scooted over to create room for him between the two. Malfoy simply nodded and took a seat. An awkward tension filled the room. Potters and Weasley's are taught about the Malfoy's. Albus's friendship with him is a sore spot to a few family members. Like my dad and Aunt Ginny. And myself.
"So you're the Malfoy, huh?" Lily commented, ignoring any sense of decorum. "You're quite the celebrity in our household." Malfoy raised a delicate eyebrow, but withheld comment. Roxanne took that as a sign to get out of there. She up and muttered something about finding other first years to dump the three on, collected the protesting first years, and shuffled out to avoid any on-coming catastrophes that may occur.
"Bye baby ferret!" Lily shouted right as Roxanne pulled her out. Silence pervaded
"How was your break Scorpius" Riley asked suddenly putting her book down, resting her chin on her hand and locking eyes with Malfoy. She seemed not to notice the awkwardness of the whole situation. He shifted, looking something close to uncomfortable even with his face in place. I knew for a fact that Riley's large cat eyes gave the feeling of being X-rayed, which would explains his lack of normal prideful stoicism.
"I went on holiday with my parents to Denmark" he said, still eyeing Riley like she knew something he didn't "visiting my mums side of the family."
"Ahhh, Denmark is nice, I hear they had a large break out of Chizpurfles recently though." Riley said, nodding sagely. Malfoy only shrugged. Silence descended again, only broken by shards of laughter from the outside world. Finally, Malfoy cleared his throat.
"How was your summer Howard?" he asked Riley, seeming to question himself for even asking a question. I'm wondering myself, but Albus lets a small smile slip at his friends slip up of a social moment.
"Quite satisfactory" Riley replied thoughtfully "I visited the Scamander twins for a few weeks. We collected Durophatics for their mother to study for the book she just finished." Here she held up her copy of Commonly Neglected Critters.
"How… enchanting" Malfoy said raising one eyebrow. I snorted; Malfoy just said enchanting, how can that not be funny?
"We should all change into our robes I think." Albus cut in before we can fall into yet another silence or Malfoy recognizes my amusement at his speech.
"Good plan" I relied before pulling down my trunk.
Awkward moments with Scorpius Malfoy
….
"You know" Albus said, grinning in much the same fashion as his brother "You and Scorpius didn't insult each other once on the train."
"A fluke" I said, brushing it off as we make our way to the Gryffindor common room. Albus had insisted he walk with me. Apparently he just wants to give me crap.
"You had every opportunity, and yet you remained quiet" He persisted.
"I didn't want to upset you, I know you hate it when we fight." I reminded him, walking at little faster to get rid of him quicker. He's in one of his annoying moods. They're rarity, a small break for his normal neurotic behavior.
"Sureee, because that's mattered before." He pointed out with a smirk. He actually smirked at me. Oh Merlin's beard, I'm in trouble.
"Well maybe I've matured." I dismissed in muttered irritation.
"The lady doth protest too much, me thinks" he quoted in a sing-song voice/
"Do you even know what that's from?" I asked him as I spun to face his grinning mug, I'm just about ready to jinx his mouth shut.
"Some muggle book you lent me" he answered, half grin-half smirk still in place. Quoting Hamlet against me, I will not allow this.
"You're taking it out of context and misconstruing it!" I accused crossly.
"So? I get my meaning across"
"You're impossible" I complained, throwing my hands up in the air in exasperation before murmuring the password and marching into the common room.
I slammed the door in his smug face.
….
It was freezing up on the astronomy tower; with it being November it's not hard to figure out why. The whole of Gryffindor house was up here tonight as we plot the movement of the planets against where they were last month. It was tedious, boring, and extremely chilling work.
"Roooooosieeeee" Nina said, peeking over from the telescope next to me and distracting me "Did you hear? Lily, Hugo, and Louis blew up a toilet in moaning myrtles bathroom." I can't help it, I laugh. That is something they would do. "And they sent the toilet lid to Fred"
"Oh my God, they did? That's fantastic!" I was laughing so hard that it was hard to breath. Donald McLaggen was giving me this affronted look, but screw that, this is pure gold. "Fred never did get around to doing that himself. They probably want him to know his post as mischief maker has been filled. Successfully I might say."
"Agreed" Nina added with a giggle before wrapping her cloak tighter around herself.
"Merlin, its freezing. Do they want us all to catch our death?" I complained as I pulled my scarf over my numb nose.
"I wouldn't be surprised. Professor Doge doesn't want you beating them in Quiddtich in two days, so getting you sick is a one way ticket to Slytherins victory." Nina said as she gave my shoulder a squeeze "But I don't see why he has to take the rest of us with you. He should just lock the Quidditch team up here instead of us."
"Because locking up most of the Weasley family is going to work out so well" I replied sarcastically. A bunch of us stuck together could probably take down a small army with enough feelings of vengeance.
"Good point, better to pick you guys off one by one, and covering it up as a lesson gone wrong"
"Damn Slytherin cunning." I said with a laugh before blowing into my hands and rubbing them together for warmth.
"10 points from Gryffindor Ms. Weasley" Came the gravely voice of Professor Doge.
"Bullox" I muttered under my breath. Nina just laughed and shook her head at me.
"Sooooo" she started in a falsely innocent voice "You know James's mate Quillin?"
"Uh, yea, considering I'm on the Quidditch team with him" I replied as I gave her a weird look "And?"
"Isn't he just dreamy" she sighed and batted her long eyelashes at some imaginary image of said boy "With his dimples, and his sexy accent, and that body. I mean, damn! I wish I played a contact sport with him"
"Yes, because getting smacked around by a buff guy on a broom is super amorous" I remind her dryly. I normally don't get much contact as the keeper, but during tryouts, you best watch yourself. There is a good reason for him being a chaser and that is because he will run into you headlong, take you out, and steal the quaffle all in one go. I think he's part bull. Quite a contrast to what a sissy he actually is. He once got a splinter from his broom and told me to kiss his boo-boo better. I slapped the back of his head.
"Where's you romantic side Rosie?"
"Beaten out of me by the chauvinistic James and the general idiocy of the male gender."
"Come on Rose, isn't their at least one boy your interested in?" Nina prodded with a sly grin.
"Boys are the last thing on my mind, though I am interested in where you mute button is located."
"Liar, I've seen the way you act with Duke" she teased, making kissy faces at me; I stick my tongue out at her for that.
"And I've you seen the way you look at Alex" I retorted while I made the last mark on my map of the sky.
"What? He's quite a looker, all tall, dark, and handsome. That and he totally gives off a bad-boy air. All girls are suckers for bad boys" this time she giggled slightly and half swooned.
"Uh-huh, I can totally understand why girls like harsh, intimidating, dangerous guys who are usually total pricks."
"Oh, don't be such a downer Rosie" Nina excused me by flapping her hand at me in dismal for my lack of estrogen. "They're just misunderstood is all; you need to unlock their soft side." I didn't try to hide it when I rolled my eyes. Women.
….
The energy in the changing room was electric. Our first match of the season against Slytherin. There had been some rather drastic changes to the team, our beaters: Lucia, and our captain Christy Wood. Our chasers consist of James, Quillin, and Roxanne. Me as the keeper of course, but then there was the problem of seeker.
James had lost the position left open by Fred to no other then little Lily Potter, his younger sister. He was beyond livid. Needless to say there was some tension between the two siblings. Even better? She would be facing her other brother in an attempt to catch the snitch. And as much as I hate to say it, Albus was going to beat the pants off her more likely then not.
So here we were, moments away from taking the field, and Fred had been stupid enough to leave Christy in charge of a team of Weasleys' and angry Potters'.
"Okay guys" Lucia called as she stepped up for Christy "I know some of us are a little upset about the arrangement of the team."
"A little!" Shouted James whose cheeks had been flushed an angry red since he caught sight of Lily this morning.
"Stuff it" she said fiercely as she pointed a finger at James "Or I will call in someone to take your place for this game if you can't grow up."
"You can't do that! You're not Captain!" he accused
"Christy?" Lucia questioned
"I agree with what ever Lucia thinks is best" she said, knowing the smart move was surrendering control "I can do strategy and planning, but I can not handle your guys' family quarrels."
"Fuck you all" growled James, who was positively livid at that point.
"Language" Roxanne warned but he just retaliates with a rude hand gesture.
"James, just because you're a Potter does not merit you special treatment, I am your best friend and I still won't give it to you, not on the Quidditch field" she reprimanded as she glared up at him "I know you have the ego the size of Russia, but can you just pretend your not the son of the boy-who-lived for just one game?"
"I do not!" James complained as his face begins to turn red do to rage, in true Weasley nature.
"James, for Godrics sake, just cut the rubbish, learn to deal, and play your best. Is it really so hard to bring yourself down to the same level as us mere mortals?" She finally yelled at him, almost seeming to grow taller then everyone there.
"That's it! I'm out of here." James snapped as he stood up suddenly "I'm not letting a tiny girl like you push me around, and I don't plan to stay on a team where my little sister beats me out!" he stormed out of the room, and slammed the door forcefully behind him. You could hear his string of curse words fade as he retreated. Silence hung in the air as his words died away. Nobody spook for a whole minute.
"We're so screwed" Christy cried into her hands as she flopped down on the bench her face in her palms.
"No we're not" Lucia said as she placed a soothing hand on Christy's shoulder "He's got his mothers temper, his grandfather's ego, but his fathers guilt. He'll be back, not today, but later. But for now" she walked over to open the broom closet, and to our astonishment, out fell Violet Thomas, the sixth year girl who had been a close call for the last chaser slot. "I have back up" We all shouted and run to hug our savior, except for Quillin who is banging his head against his locker muttering about how he ended up on the 'all girls plus that one guy' team. "I've even been teaching her all our moves and plans on nights off" she said proudly.
"You're brilliant Lu!" Roxanne exclaims with admiration. She just waved the compliment off.
"I just know James Potter better then himself, that's all." she said modestly "Anyways, let's get out there and beat those Slytherins halfway to Saturday!"
"FIGHT FIGHT GRYFFINDOR" we all yelled piling our hands on top of each other.
"Break" Christy commanded and we all hollered and headed out toward our battle.
The conditions were decent. No snow, no rain, only an inconsistent and frosty breeze. It wasn't bad considering.
The first half an hour of the game went on without much interest. We slowly racked up goals as I kept most everything out of our hoops. A task much easier said than done. Malfoy had been coming at me with this other first year who had been executing the best dodging I have ever had the displeasure of receiving. The pair racked up two points and it's 100-20. Our seekers were still out looking, nothing of interest, and they can't even fake each other out because they've watched each other play practically since birth. They just zipped around looking for the tiny little ball.
Our luck started to turn as Lucia hit a bludger that took out the Slytherins keeper. This was met by roars of approval from the mass of burgundy and gold spectators and a few cheers from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Our girls got to work, open hoops meant a field day for a chasers. I start to have to worry less as the Slytherin chasers focused more on not letting our team score. An hour in and it was 170-30. Slytherins beaters had taken out Violet during an attempt at getting Quillin down. Our beaters had distracted the chasers enough for us to score a number of times and the crowd came alive as we put the score up to 180-30 with a great shot combination shot from Roxanne to Quillin. Even if Albus did catch the snitch, we would tie. That was just a testament to how amazing our chasers were. Not ten minutes later then the crowed screamed in approval as both seekers are off after the snitch. I split my attention between the seekers and my goal. I know if I let even one goal in it could mean the game, but it was very hard to keep your eyes off them. Brother and sister, the most epic battle of the siblings. They were neck in neck the entire time, hands both reaching desperately.
"Come'n" I muttered "Come'n" I'm not even sure which one I wanted to win at this point because Roxanne just made one more goal. The game was ours either way.
Suddenly, the snitch took a dive. Albus had always been more in tune to small movments while Lily has always just barreled ahead. That sudden switch sealed the deal. Albus dove without a blink and snatched it up before Lily could even so much as dip her broom. Albus touched down with a small grin on his face, Malfoy landed next to him and gave him a slap on the back in the way only boys do. Lily landed on our side of the field and we all patted her on the back and told her how proud we are of how hard she tried, and that it was her first game, so it was okay, that she had been so close. She was still pouting like crazy, but at least she doesn't go stomping around cursing and damning her brother. Like someone else we know would have.
This game was going to go down in Hogwarts history for our spectacular win.
….
The entire Transfiguration class room was quiet except for the scratch of quills, the shuffling of parchment, and the cracking of someone knuckles. This was defiantly the final I am struggling with the most. D.a.d.a was a cinch, I didn't bat an eyelash in History of magic, I was paired with Albus in potions, Astronomy was a breeze, Herbology wasn't even close to fazing me, Charms was simple enough, Ancient Runes was a welcome challenge, and Muggle Studies was a joke.
But this
I just couldn't get the hand motion down. I knew all the paper, quill, book stuff. I mean, I learned most of it over the summer. But looming over my head, distracting me from focusing was the God awful realization that I many not come out as top of this class if I could not perform the Veraverto spell. It was completely rudimentary, I just don't know, I really don't know why I can't get it down.
"Times up" called Professor Bones "Please bring your parchment up to the front and I will call you up alphabetically to perform a spell for me"
Oh Merlin, that only gave more time to worry myself sick. I wish Albus was in this class with me, but he had Herbology right now with Lucy, and Riley's in Care Of Magical Creatures.
By the time the she reaches the 'S's I am going mental.
"Bee in your bonnet Highness?" Malfoy asked from behind me. In my surprise I squawked and twirled around to face him. He quirks an eyebrow at my shock. Stupid eyebrow, I wonder if he charmed it to do that by it's self when ever I'm around. "That was quite a remarkable noise you just produced. Reminiscent of the swans back home"
"Sod off you, and take the dictionary you swallowed with you." I snapped as I pushed him back slightly. I added a glare but he just gave me his blank look.
"Tsk, tsk, not very sociable today are we?" he taunted shaking his head "Even less so then is customary"
"I said sod off" I whisper-yelled at him as I was basically oozing hostility.
"Could the great Weasley, Hermion's daughter, top of her class, be worried about her transfiguration final?"
"If we weren't in a class room I'd jinx you seven ways to Tuesday." I hissed at him. I don't know what it is, but the more passive he is, the more worked up I get. And I know for a fact that's what he aims for. Merlin he drives me batty. I don't know what it is, but his mere existence just provokes me.
"You can do that, but you are incapable of transform a porcupine into a pincushion?" his face finally broke, and that smirk I dislike so much came out to tease me.
"I will beat you with a bludgers bat if you don't shut up this instant!" I yelled at him, utterly livid. The entire class has turned to face us at my sudden outburst. Professor Bones shoots us a look and I nod an apology.
"You know" Malfoy continues while tilting his head to the side, faking a thoughtful look "Your face is about as red as the rose you're named for. It's not your color, I'd try some green. Far more fitting."
"You insufferable bastard!" I started before being cut off.
"Ms. Weasley, please stop shouting and come transfigure this porcupine for me" Professor Bones commanded as she pointed to the small rodent on her desk.
"Yes Ma'ma" I sent Malfoy another nasty look before marching up to the desk, pointing my wand and then- "Veriverto" I said, giving my wand an angry flick. And the little bugger turns into a pincushion, and not just any old pincushion, but one with some nice, crisp white lace, and a paisley fabric. I shot the bane of my existence a look that said something like 'Suck it' but he just gave me that eyebrow and smirk and my happiness almost got flushed away until Professor Bones' praises hit me.
"Well done Ms. Weasley, this is by far the best transfiguration of the day!" she patted my shoulder as the class either smile for me, or mutters about how annoyingly smart I am. Not my fault I'm bloody brilliant.
Before I leave Professor Bones said softly to me-
"I was going to give you detention for disrupting my class, but I'm feeling kind today, and it's almost Christmas break anyways." She patted me on the back once more "Well done Weasley, well done. You are your mother's daughter it seems."
"Thank you so much Professor" I replied, happiness bubbling up into my words. Such a high compliment, and in the class I struggled in the most. I resist the urge to hug her, and simply go to gather my stuff. Being a 'W' meant that there aren't many people after you alphabetically so as soon as I'm done packing I headed out to tell my family the great news.
Hur Dur, and that's the first semester. All the next years will be split into two parts as well, first and second semester. The sixth year may still take up a few chapters, we'll see.
I'll be waiting to hear from you my pretties~
ps. is it creepy that I reply to peoples reviews? (o.O)
