TEA AND TAILS
The following morning Brooke arrived at the Great Hall for breakfast to see Draco Malfoy telling something really funny to the bunch of Slytherins. She would not have noticed him if it weren't for the fact that two seats away from him sat Del, laughing along with the crowd, throughly entertained by Malfoy's impression of a swooning fit.
It was Pansy Parkinson who first looked in Brooke's direction and shrieked, "Hey Potter! Potter! The Dementors are coming, Potter! Woooooooo!"
And sure enough a little behind Brooke stood the Gryffindor boy with his two best friends. However, he did not rise to the bait and made his way to the Gryffindor table, dropping next to one of the Weasley twins. Brooke sat a little away from them and managed to catch the gist of their conversations : Malfoy… Dementor… wet himself… something something… Dad… Azkaban prison… something… Quidditch…
Brooke also heard Hermione and Ron have quick discussion about Hermione taking more subjects than possible and having three classes at the same time and she briefly sneaked a glance in their direction to see if she could catch a glimpse of the time turner.
Hagrid had also paid them a quick visit and sure enough the half giant was excited about it.
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Penny had been extremely lucky because of the fact that she got to share a dorm with Padma and three other girl who she was yet to talk to. But Padma was nice enough and it seemed Penny had already made a friend. She had arrived early for breakfast (Padma liked to go early) and had met Anthony Goldstein and Terry Boot, fellow Ravenclaws. It seemed that the first class they would be having was Potions and then Anthony had gone on for close to twenty minutes explaining how horrible Professor Snape was and what not. Penny agreed with Anthony on every point but she still couldn't deny that the man, no matter how horrible, was not only brilliant but brave as well.
Loud laughter from the Slytherin table cut off their talk and the four of them turned to stare at the source. Terry and been the one to point out that Malfoy had taken it upon himself to exaggerate what happened to Harry Potter on the train. Penny had tried to listen to listen to Terry explain the Dementor attack on the train but her eyes kept drifting to a dark-skinned boy sitting beside Malfoy. The boy had caught the sneaking glances unfortunately and since then Penny spent the breakfast ignoring the Slytherin table altogether.
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Scott Bones, true to his word had introduced Sam to his cousin Susan Bones and the girls along with Hannah Abbott seemed to be sharing a dorm. Though Sam had formed a semi-friendship with the two third-year girls, she still preferred the fifth years she had spent dinner with. The fifth years did not seem to mind at all. Scott had gone so far as to even adopt Sam as a sister (just for name but he did treat her like a sister). The group was really funny (especially Scott) and it felt nothing short of being at home. Even though Sam had got new friends, she turned to look at all her three girlfriends to see how well they had adjusted.
It seemed, just like her, Del too had found herself some friends, Draco Malfoy being one of them (it was easy to recognise the boy really). She briefly wondered if Del would become a Malfoy follower soon. On the Ravenclaw table, even Penny seemed to have friends. Three people only, but it was a start. After all, Penny was the only one, apart from Sam herself, who was shy in their group.
It was Brooke who had surprised Sam. Knowing Brooke, Sam was sure the girl would already be a popular one. But it was not so. Brooke sat away from most students, quietly eating and had hurried away with a boy with the Head Boy batch pinned to his chest. She hasn't already got a boyfriend right? So she had asked Cedric, who was sitting to her right about who the Head Boy was. Now Sam would be really surprised if Brooke had started dating Percy Weasley.
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Del had no doubt that it was her ambition that had gotten her into Slytherin. She prided herself on being ambitious. As a school student, her greatest aim was to be popular and smart. Brooke had taken away the popular crown before anybody could even think about wearing it in her previous school. But now was her chance. And Draco Malfoy would be the one who would lead her there. He was rich, popular amongst the Slytherins, smart and good looking enough. It wasn't hard to like him if you could ignore the snarky little attitude problem. And she could easily ignore it. Now, to become his girlfriend, that was the thing and Pansy Parkinson was a big enough, pug faced obstacle.
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First class for the Gryffindors was Divination. Brooke was in luck that Percy Weasley had shown her the way, not too lucky as he would not stop telling her tidbits about Hogwarts that she already knew.
A few Gryffindors had already arrived, Dean and Seamus among them and Brooke had made her way towards the boys. They were the first ones to approach her in the common room last night and being with Dean gave her a little comfort. This Dean was definitely very different from her boyfriend back home but they still shared a name and that was enough.
Only after they had all settled around a soft, misty voice suddenly came out of the shadows.
"Welcome! How nice to see you in the physical world at last."
And then Professor Sybill Trelawney went on to introduce herself and talk of the 'Inner eye' and make predictions. Poor Neville was her first target when she asked him if his grandmother was well and then telling Parvati to be warned against a red-haired man. Parvati had given Ron a startled look and quickly scraped her chair away from him.
Professor had warned Lavender Brown next that the thing she was dreading would happen on Friday the sixteenth of October and Brooke remembered that Lavender had a pet rabbit who would die.
"Now I want you all to divide into pairs. Collect a teacup from the shelf, come to me and I will fill it. Then sit down and drink; drink only until the dregs remain. Swill these around the cup three times with the left hand, then turn the cup upside down on the saucer; wait for the last of the tea to drain away, then give your cup to your partner to read. You will interpret the patterns using pages five and six of Unfogging the Future. I shall move among you, helping and instructing. Oh and dear-" she caught Neville by the arm as he made to stand up, "after you've broken your first cup, would you be so kind as to select one of the blue patterned ones? I'm rather attached to the pink."
True to those words, Neville had broken the first cup. Brooke had picked up her cup and apprached the Professor to have the tea when the older lady went into a weird trance of some sort, grabbing Brooke's wrist in a vice like grip, causing the cup to fall and whispered,
"Far from home she will travel with her companions,
With no way out, she will change the tides;
Work as hard as she might,
The master and the servant shall reunite.
Born at the end of the third quarter,
She with no knowledge of power,
Will play with fate's dice."
Her voice was not loud, infact nobody would have heard her if it weren't for the cup breaking. It was then that all the heads had turned towards the duo.
Now out of her trance the woman let go off Brooke's wrist and asked, "Are you alright, child?"
Brooke, too shocked to say anything, shook her head as a no and walked out of the class. She walked all the way down to the Gryffindor tower, only then taking a moment's break and mulling over Trelawney's words. It was only in her trances that she said a proper prophecy and sure enough this was one of the times. She completely missed the rest of the class where Trelawney had gone on to predict Harry's death on observing a Grim in his tea cup.
Brooke arrived early in Transfiguration finding a seat in the back of the class. Students poured in, gave her looks and went away. Nobody seemed to want to sit beside her and that was fine with her. The class was about to start when Harry Potter of all people sat beside her. Brooke turned to face him, shocked. He did not look up at her and suddenly remembering that according to the books, Trelawney had said Harry would die, she whispered, "You know she is a hoax. You won't die."
Harry Potter had sat at the back of the classroom, feeling as though he was in the spotlight with people shooting him fugitive glances like he would drop dead any moment. However, a female voice cut through and he turned to his left to see the new girl. On hearing her words, he just gave her a tight-lipped smile.
"You know what," the new girl beside him started again, "I will make a prediction. You will live for atleast twenty-three more years."
"Twenty three years? Why twenty-three?" Harry asked, by now definitely intrigued by the girl beside him.
Before the conversation could proceed Professor McGonagall arrived and started talking about Animagi and transformed herself in front of their eyes into a tabby cat with spectacle markings around her eyes. Harry, however, barely paid attention.
"Really, what has gotten into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall on turning back into herself, "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."
Everybody's head turned towards Brooke and Harry, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand.
"Please Professor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and-"
"Ah, of course." said Professor McGonagall, suddenly frowning, "There is no need to say any more, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"
Everybody was busy staring at the Professor that nobody saw Brooke smirk.
"Me." Harry said finally.
"I see." she said, turning towards Harry. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student a year since she arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite way of greeting a new class. If it weren't for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues-" she broke off, nostrils flaring. She went on, more calmly this time, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience with it. true Seers are very rare, and professor Trewlawney…"
"Well, you look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."
Harry felt a little better and turned to the girl beside him. Told you, she mouthed and shrugged. He flashed a smile her way.
When Transfiguration ended, Harry finally had the sense to introduce himself properly, "Harry Potter."
"Brooke Kingston."
"So why twenty-three?" he asked again, this time teasing her.
"Because, it will be nineteen years after we pass out from Hogwarts." she answered and laughed.
Harry stared at her, confused. He was about to ask her to elaborate but Ron and Hermione came by then and Brooke excused herself.
Lunch in the Great Hall was a loud affair. The talk of Trelawney predicting Harry's death had spread like wildfire. Being a new girl, curiosity followed Brooke everywhere she went. After all transfer students were unheard of. But now it increased tenfold with everybody coming to know of a prophecy being made at her name.
As promised, she met up with Sam and Penny after finishing her lunch. They had tried to motion to Del to join them but Del was too busy talking to Malfoy to notice.
"So explain." Penny said, as soon as the girls stepped out of the Great Hall.
"Explain what?" Brooke asked.
Sam stared at her with narrow eyes and elaborated, "News of a prophecy about you is being circulated."
"The prophecy may not be about me you know." Brooke answered. "And really I don't remember much of the words. Honestly. Plus, Trelawney is a bat, a hoax. Don't believe it. She just wanted to humour the class I think." Brooke answered, though she herself feared that the prophecy was not a lie, it was not made up.
"But it wasn't suppose to happen, you know. I mean, we are not even suppose to be here and you are not suppose to be in that class. So there should be no prophecy to begin with." Penny said.
"You guys are making my head ache and I have Divination right now. Can we please discuss this later?" Sam asked.
"Meet up on the seventh floor after classes, okay?" Brooke said. "We'll try and find the Room of Requirement.
"Done." Sam said and headed off for her class.
"Brooke?" Penny called. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"
"Sure." Brooke answered and on seeing Penny's worried look, continued, "Is something wrong?"
"Well, do you know Blaise Zabini? I mean not here, but what you have read about him in our time." Penny whispered, not wanting anybody to listen in.
"He isn't exactly the most popular character, but ya, Slytherin, Malfoy's friend I think. Why?"
And so Penny went on to explain her meeting with the Italian.
Blaise Zabini was a boy who knew he was handsome. He had used it a number of times to get some favours. And right now, he had a new girl to land. After his first class, he had Herbology with the Ravenclaws and if memory served him right a Ravenclaw had been eyeing him during breakfast. He had asked Del about that girl's name and he knew exactly when to bump into her. As soon as Herbology ended, he whispered a quick charm on Penelope Green's bag, causing it to tear open. She had brushed her friends away, denying their help. Perfect opportunity. Muttering something about talking to Sprout he had stayed back with the girl.
"Oi, Green?" he finally called out.
Penelope looked up at the boy in front of her, and her eyes widened when she recognised who he was. After all, she had been staring at him during breakfast.
"What do you want?" she asked.
"What do I want? I think the question should be what you want." he winked.
"Excuse me?" Penny decided that glaring daggers at they was the best option.
"Are you really going to play the innocent one here? You and I both know where your eyes were during breakfast. I prefer my girls to be less shy and more straight forward."
"How… What…" Penny stuttered, not sure how to retort back. Really flirting was Brooke's area of expertise, not her's.
"It's not a very attractive quality in a girl. Though glad to know I have this effect on you." he answered back, clearly amused by the entire situation.
"Listen here, you…"
"Zabini. Blaise Zabini." he interjected.
"I was not staring at you during breakfast. I have no interest in you, you pig." she retorted.
Blaise Zabini laughed, actually laughed, at her.
"Pig? How innovative. It's lunch so I have to go. My friends are waiting. But you know where to find me, eh?" With one last wink, he sauntered out of the greenhouse, leaving behind a highly irritated Penelope Green.
"Do you want me to have him beaten up?" Brooke asked as soon as Penny finished the story.
Penny smiled at her best friend. it was typical of Brooke to jump to her friend's defence. Usually it involved violence.
"No. It's fine. I just…"
Brooke gasped, "You actually like him?!"
Penny turned red, having been caught. "He's attractive." she squeaked.
"Brooke!" a third voice shouted and they turned to stare at Harry standing with Ron and Hermione. "We have Care of Magical Creatures. Let's go."
Brooke raised a finger, signally that she needed a moment and turned towards Penny, "This is so not over. We will discuss this tonight. I promise you." and then went away, heading for her class with the Trio.
The Gryffindors and Slytherins were starting to assemble outside Hagrid's hut for they class. Brooke saw Del standing alone, a little behind Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle and decided to approach her.
"Hey Del." A voice said and Del turned around to notice her friend standing in front of her.
"Can I talk to you for a moment?"
Del's reply was cut off by Malfoy, "What do you think? How dare you approach a pureblood Slytherin, you stupid Gryffindor?"
"I wasn't talking to you so butt out." Brooke replied without sparing a glance in Malfoy's direction.
That seemed to enrage Malfoy for he approached Brooke and sneered, "Do you know who I am?"
"Malfoy, leave her alone." Harry said, coming behind Brooke.
"Careful Potter there's a Dementor behind-"
"I don't need you help Harry. It's alright. Dogs that bark, don't bite, do they Malfoy?" Brooke cut in and then turing towards Del added, "If you wanna talk after classes, come where no one can find me, unless they know where to look."
A vague statement that only Del recognised.
"Is she a mudblood?" Draco asked, once Brooke and Harry had turned away.
"Yes." Del answered, walking away from him, deciding to focus on class.
Hagrid brought forward a few Hippogriffs. The Hippogriffs were beautiful with their gleaming coats,changing smoothly from feather to hair, each of them different colour: stormy grey, bronze, a pinkish roan, gleaming chestnut and inky black.
"So, if yeh wan' to come a bit nearer…" Hagrid said, rubbing his hands and beaming.
"Now firs' thing yeh gotta know abou' Hippogriffs is they're proud. Easily offended, Hippogriffs are. Don't never insult one, 'cause it might be the last thing yeh do."
Buckbeak! Del realised when Hagrid asked the class about who would like to go first. She knew exactly what would happen. Harry would be the first to approach Buckbeak and would succeed while Draco would taunt the creature and be injured in the process.
She watched as Harry approached Buckbeak, ignoring Parvati and Lavender's warning, and bowed. The Hippogriff slowly bowed back and Harry approached him. And suddenly, Hagrid placed Harry on Buckbeak's back and the Hippogriff took off.
On returning to ground, Buckbeak was taunted by Malfoy and easily offended, the Hippogriff hurt Malfoy's arm. Malfoy had screamed something along the lines of "I'm dying." as he was carried by Hagrid to Madam Pomfrey.
Then Pansy had to start with getting Hagrid sacked while one of the Gryffindors retorted that it was Malfoy's fault. Not willing to deal with it right now, Del headed back to the castle to check on Draco.
