Chapter Three: Welcome… To Another Year At Hogwarts
It takes a while for the initial shock to wear off. Killian and Regina's faces are still one's of disgust, and it is clear that Marian is uncomfortable with the idea of Robin and Regina patrolling together whilst; Ariel, John, and Victor are still quiet.
"So, we're not going to have any problems, are we? Wouldn't want to strip one of you of your prefect status, would we?" Eva says, in a softer, but still firm tone.
Emma can tell that Mary Margaret's mother is not confident in the new plan, especially knowing how much Emma and Killian dislike one another. Clearly Professor Blanchard had been overruled.
"I'm sure we can act like adults." Killian drawls in his Irish tone, not glancing in Emma's direction. "After all, head boy is something my father has been pushing me to achieve since first year."
Emma rolls her eyes. Not happening with me, buddy.She thinks.
Ariel sighs and turns to John, her partner for the entire school year.
John Darling is the second eldest child of the Darling siblings. Wendy is the year above them, and is a Ravenclaw girl who doesn't have many friends, due to her wild beliefs and stories. John is a little more serious, and everyone was surprised when he had been sorted into Hufflepuff and then the youngest, Michael had followed in his brother's footsteps and Emma often wondered why Wendy wasn't in Hufflepuff as well.
"So apart from your corridor patrol duties, there are also other tasks you must complete and you must conduct yourselves in an approachable and friendly manner… for everyone. Not just your fellow house members." Eva explains, pulling out some more parchment. "The first thing you need to remember is kindness. As a prefect, the younger students need to know that they can approach you if they have a problem with anything. For example, a Hufflepuff student should and will be able to approach Killian and Regina for help."
Emma quietly sighs to herself at Killian's obvious look of disgust. Despite the warning, it is quite clear that neither Regina nor Killian where going to help out anyone they considered below them unless they are from Slytherin.
"Secondly, as prefects you also have the power to deduct house points. You have to be fair. The other professor's and I will always keep our eye on you, so you're not deliberately taking points from a certain house. I shall forewarn you, if we get any inclination you are deducting points on purpose, you will lose your power to do so." Eva says in a strict tone, her gaze mainly lingering on Killian and Regina. "Next, you are required to keep your house common room in order. You are to put an end to any rule breaking or anything that might get out of control. For example, parties. Any items that we consider against the rules, you are to confiscate. This includes any joke shop items; sweets that make you sick, love potions, and remember sugar quills are not to be used in lessons. If you see any student using one, you are to take deduct points as soon as the lesson is over, to avoid public humiliation."
Emma knows that Eva is talking to her when she explains about the sugar quills and shifts awkwardly in her seat. Last year, Emma had been caught eating one in Professor Mills' class, and she had to scrape off any chewing gum remains from under the tables, and unlike the Muggle stuff, it was hard-core and not an easy job.
"I think the Gryffindor Princess was buying some for her classes the other day." Killian dobs as he lazily stretches.
Emma looks towards him and glares. "How would you know what I was getting them for?"
"Oh this is going to be interesting." Ariel mutters under her breath, resting her head in the palm of her hand.
"You got caught last year, princess. I know you're thinking of trying again this year, just hoping you are less obvious in doing song." Killian simpers.
"Stop calling me princess." Emma snaps in return.
Regina rolls her eyes and picks at her perfectly polished nails. Eva sighs already knowing that this year is going to be a disaster.
"Moving on. Prefects, just like the rest of the school, you still have to follow boundary restrictions which are set in place for your safety. As always, The Forbidden Forest is off limits to everyone, even professor's try to avoid it. There are dangerous animals in there. No one is to leave the castle after seven in the evening, unless escorted by a professor, including the eight of you. Professor Lucas, Ruby's grandmother will march you straight back to the castle if you are seen doing this. Just like everyone else you are not permitted in the common rooms of the house you are not in. Any evidence of this, there will be severe consequences. All of you apart from Victor play for your house Quidditch team. When you are not playing, you are required to keep an eye on everyone in the stands…"
Emma finds that she can't concentrate properly on what Eva is saying. Killian Jones had gotten under her skin once again, and she really needs to find a way to stop him from doing so.
…
Three hours later, Emma is glad to be off the train and as far away as she can manage from the Slytherin's. She, Robin, David, Mary Margaret, Ruby and Graham are sitting inside one of the carriages that will take them up to the castle. Heavy rain is beating down outside and the thunder is rumbling, the weather matching Emma's mood.
"Emma, promise me you are not going to hex Killian when you do your prefect patrol. You will get into so much trouble." Mary Margaret warns.
"I know, and I don't want to go back to living with my pretending to be non-magical aunt, her stroppy husband and their bully daughter." Emma replies bitterly. "But that doesn't mean I can't sabotage his chances at becoming head boy. I don't think daddy dearest would like that, would he."
"No." Ruby answers. "His father is a hard-ass. I met him once. Didn't smile. Treated his son like he was a business partner and not his own child."
…
The welcoming back feast is as chaotic as ever. Emma finds herself squished between Ruby and Mary Margaret, and to make matters worse, right in her vision is Killian, who sends a taunting wink her way. Emma huffs and turns to look up at the teacher's table. It seemed everyone from last year was back. Mary Margaret's father, Headmaster Leopold is sat in the middle of the table, Eva on his left and Professor Mills on his right. Zelena Mills is standing in front of her mother, and beside her is Walsh Ozland, his eyes scanning around the school, as though he owns the place. Typical Slytherin behaviour. Sorting had finished ten minutes ago, and each table is in the process of welcoming their new members.
"Why are both Walsh and Zelena up there?" Emma asks, turning back to face Mary Margaret.
"Oh, they're giving the welcome back speech." Mary Margaret answers, with a bored tone. "Apparently Zelena just wants to show off she's head girl and annoy Regina."
Emma rolls her eyes in response. "Of course she does. I'm just glad that we will see the last of one of the Mills' this year."
Zelena and Walsh's speeches are rather short and the entire room sigh in relief, including the Slytherin house. Zelena is known for giving long speeches and reminding everyone she held power. Clearly Leopold had warned them to keep it short. And the man himself is already standing on his podium, smiling at everyone.
"Before we begin our feast I would just like to say, welcome to another year at Hogwarts. For some of you this is your first year, and for some, you're last, but for all, it is going to be another magically wonderful year. We have a lot of new things planned this year, but I will make the list short seen as I bet all of you are hungry. This year, we are trying to encourage students to socialize with people from other houses. We are planning more inter-house activities and as our prefects are aware, they will now be working with someone not from their house, when engaging in their prefect duties."
Emma and Robin look at one another both rolling their eyes, and Emma catches sight of Regina and Killian shaking their heads in disgust.
"Secondly, as I know many of you are itching to find out, Quidditch Practice will start up next week. Like last year, the teams are currently the same, unless the house wants to go through trials again. The first match of the season is in four weeks' time, and it will be Gryffindor vs. Ravenclaw."
The respective tables all cheer, Hufflepuff included, whilst Slytherin boo.
"Now, the general rules are the same as last year. No student is to enter of go near the Forbidden Forest. If you break this rule, you could risk dismissal from the school itself. Entering a house common room that is not your respective house is against the rules. Any students who do so will receive detention with our caretaker, Professor Tremaine. All students must be in their house dormitories by eight o'clock. No student is permitted to leave until six the next morning. Any student caught out of bed will lose house points and also receive detention, unless you are under instructions by a teacher. Prefects will be patrolling the corridors til ten each night, and sometimes later."
Emma rests her head in the palm of her hand, blocking out her view of Killian, who is looking over at her in a pompous manner. Yeah, this was definitely going to be a long year.
…
True to the rules, all students are in their house dormitories by eight and many asleep by ten. Breakfast would be served to them at seven in the great hall.
Being a prefect, Emma is allowed to leave the dormitory tower to use the Gryffindor Prefect bathroom any time before six. She and Robin had drawn up a schedule so they wouldn't have any awkward run ins. Emma had the bathroom for the next half hour. She showers, dresses and readies herself for the day, before returning to the common room which is now packed with students.
"Morning." A squeaky female voice comes from the armchair to Emma's left.
Emma recognizes the young girl as the one she had helped in Flourish and Blottson Saturday.
"Hi, do you like Hogwarts so far…" Emma stumbles, not knowing the girl's name.
"Ava." She smiles. "I am thank you."
"Glad to hear it. See you at breakfast."
Schedules come out during breakfast. Emma is in the middle of her fruit salad when Eva places a piece of parchment in front of her. Double Charms, Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Potions.
"What do you have first?" Emma asks, peering over at Mary Margaret's and David's timetable. "Divination, seriously?"
"Well, if you just answer the scariest predictions, Professor Seer will give you top marks."
Emma rolls her eyes and peers at Robin's, Graham's and Ruby's.
"Thank god you have Charms." Emma mumbles, as she reads Ruby's timetable.
Ruby chuckles. "We have the exact same timetable." Emma notices Ruby's expression darken quite suddenly. "Oh no."
"What is it?" Emma asks, not liking Ruby's glare she's sending her timetable.
"We're with the Slytherin's. Every single class."
Emma hates Charms. She always had. Her entire six years at Hogwarts, Professor Mills, (Regina and Zelena's mother), had been her teacher, and Cora never failed to hide her obvious biasness to her own house.
When Emma and Ruby enter the Charms room, it is to see that half the classroom is empty, with a very frustrated Cora standing at the front, tapping her fingers impatiently on her wooden desk. It was then Emma notices that the students, who are in the room, are lining up against the wall.
"Join them." Cora orders in her usual cold tone, no hint of a welcoming behind it.
"I wonder what's going on." Ruby whispers as she and Emma stand against the wall.
Another Gryffindor student, Billy Gus makes his way over to them. "Headmaster Leopold was just in here. He gave Cora a seating chart."
"Are you fucking serious?" Emma whispers and Billy nods.
By the time the entire class arrives and everyone is lined up against the wall, Emma truly feels the anxiety well up inside of her. She'd be sitting next to a Slytherin for the year, and considering that both Regina and Killian are in the class, it only makes sense to pair two prefects up together.
"Trust me when I say this…" Cora says, in a slightly pissed off tone. "I am about as happy as you are on this seating chart. If it were me, you'd be sat with people you like and work well with. Sadly this year, the school has decided to break tradition. In my opinion all these new rules are going to be ignored and are simply a time waster and I don't see them lasting long. Anyway on with the seating chart."
Emma holds her breath as people are seated by last name. And soon Cora reaches Killian's name on the list.
"Mr Jones and Miss Swan, second from the right at the back." Cora points to a table.
Both Emma and Killian freeze where they are standing, and neither makes an attempt to move to their allocated desk.
"Miss Swan, if you don't sit down in twenty-seconds you will be scraping the gum off the bottom of these tables tomorrow night."
Emma forces down her glare at the fact that Cora hasn't said anything to Killian and with her head held high, she walks to the table, places her books down as calmly as she can, and sits down. A few moments later, Killian saunters over, sending Emma a wink as he sits down beside her. Emma quickly moves her chair as far away as she can without moving off the desk, and leans away. The arrogance coming from him is enough to make her vomit.
"Now…" Cora says, finally having finished allocating her students to their new seats for the year. "I forewarn you, if you have any other classes with the person you are currently sitting next to, meet your partner for that class as well."
"This is bullshit." Killian mutters under his breath.
And for once, Emma agrees with him.
…
The rest of the day follows in the same pattern. As though god hates her, Emma finds that she and Killian have every class together, and she half wonders whether the professor's had planned this in an attempt to try and show other students that if Emma Swan and Killian Jones, who hate one another can get along, then everyone can.
"Spend all frigging day with him, and now I have patrol with him." Emma seethes as she throws back some pumpkin juice in the same manner as one would do shots.
…
It is now dinner, and an entire day of Killian Jones is enough to drive one insane. Killian hadn't talked to her in their lessons, as today was mostly the teacher's explaining their topics for the year, but his attitude, cockiness and arrogance had made up for it. Emma can't understand how the professors can actually think that she and Killian would be able to pass an assignment together, let alone work on it in a civilised manner.
"Just ignore him." Robin offers. "I plan to do the same with Regina."
Emma nods. "Good luck."
"You too."
…
Emma is the first to arrive outside the library, where she and Killian have been told to meet the previous day on the train for the first prefect patrol. Emma is twiddling her wand, thirteen inches, rosewood, with a phoenix feather tail core, and pliable as she waits for him. Killian finally saunters over, an unamused expression on his face.
"Let's get this over with, Swan." He drawls in a bored tone. "I have better things to do."
"You're a prefect." Emma snaps, as they start walking. "You signed up for this."
"I didn't sign up for you."
Emma shuts her mouth and it takes all of her will not to hex him right there in the middle of the corridor.
It is pitch black outside the castle, and Emma is wearing a thick woolly jumper, and her Gryffindor scarf, whilst Killian still looks rather posh, (too posh to just be walking through corridors Emma notes). Emma is convinced that Killian wears nothing but designer wizard clothing.
Rain begins to fall outside, and the sky grows even darker, as the moon is slowly covered by clouds. Killian is shuffling his feet, becoming agitated at the awkward silence. Eventually, Emma sighs loudly.
"Look, I don't like this anymore than you do, but purposely dragging your feet like you are a five year old throwing a tantrum is annoying. Stop it."
"No." Killian argues. "You don't get to tell me what to do."
"Don't make me take points off your house."
"What?" Killian barks a laugh. "Have fun trying to convince the professors that the reason why you are taking house points is because I was dragging my feet."
Emma glares. "You really are a bastard, aren't you? Your entire house is up themselves."
"At least we're not annoying Gryffindor's pretending to have brains, wit and courage. I must say darling, you look very uncomfortable right now, so stop pretending to be brave." Killian smirks.
Emma's hands curl into fists. "I am not your darling so don't call me that."
"Alright, princess." Killian says, before walking ahead.
Emma groans and follows him. "Don't call me that either, I'm not your princess…"
"Trust me, I'm glad you aren't. Listen here Swan; let me assure you, I mean princess as an insult." Killian explains with a cocky Irish drawl.
Emma narrows her eyes even further. "You're a right shit, you know…"
Emma trails off when they round the corner and come face to face with a small girl who is sitting on a bench, her knees drawn to her chest and crying.
"Caught out of bed." Killian says in a pompous manner. "Twenty points from Hufflepuff."
Emma glares at him, slightly in shock at the same time. "Not happening, Jones." She walks up to the small girl, who looks up at Emma in slight fear. "Are you okay?"
"I'm lost. I can't find my way back to the common room. I was hoping someone would come by and find me, but no one did, and now I've lost twenty-points." The first year wails, clearly in distress.
Emma gives Killian the finger, before looking back at the child. "You haven't lost anything. This is a big castle. I got lost here once too, so we'll get you back; explain to your head of house, Professor Geppetto. He'll understand."
The small girl nods and stands, cowering slightly at Killian's pissed off gaze.
"I'm Grace."
"Emma."
It is clear to Emma and Grace that Killian is fuming that his prefect order had been dismissed. Emma was not letting him bully a first year, especially considering how terrified and upset the kid is. Once outside the Hufflepuff common room, Grace mutters the password, thanks Emma and enters, leaving both Killian and Emma in the corridor alone.
"You're not worthy of being a prefect." Killian spits, as they head back to the same corridor they had found Grace. "She should have been deducted in house points. Lost or not, she broke the rules."
"She was terrified." Emma argues. "And twenty house points is ridiculous."
"At least I'm fulfilling my duty."
"Only because daddy paid for it." Emma smirks.
Any cockiness drains from Killian's face and Emma freezes when he steps close to her, looking in her eyes in a dangerous manner.
"You need to bite your tongue princess. You don't know what you are talking about or anything about me. I suggest you keep out of my life and stop bringing my father up, or I will get pissed."
Killian doesn't even give Emma chance to respond, before he storms off in the opposite direction, leaving Emma to finish the patrol by herself.
Emma knows that she has hit a sore nerve, and it is clear to her that Killian and his father do not have a good relationship. Despite hating Killian with every bone in her body, she swears to herself that night to not use Killian's father to spite him in the future.
And so, she slowly sets off to the Gryffindor tower, this time being the one to drag her feet.