Chapter Ten

By Moonlight Rhapsody

"Ms. Nemesis and Ms. Laplace. Follow me." Professor McGonagall voiced out strictly. She was mad. I could tell. As we walked towards Professor McGonagall's office, I could see the other professors trying to bring Ron an Harry down. I didn't know how I did it. How I made Ron fly. I didn't think of it a while ago. I was pre-occupied with Lara. I was burning with rage. I was about to explode. She insulted Ron. I wanted to turn her into a frog, or better yet, a cockroach. I wanted revenge.

"Sit down." Professor McGonagall pointed at two chairs. "I wouldn't have imagined exchange students to cause trouble here in Hogwarts. Explain to me what happened."

Lara and I froze. We will get detention if we tell the truth. I gathered enough courage to tell a lie.

"Um… Lara and I were just… playing and… we wanted to know which of our wands was… longer?" I muttered. I'm not good at telling lies. I just hope McGonagall would fall for it.

"Yeah… and Peeves came and…. He made Ron and Harry float… in the air." Lara added.

"We're not really enemies. Actually we're friends. Really close friends." I held her hand just to show McGonagall that we were telling the truth. Lara put her arm around my shoulders.

"Yeah. We get along so well!" She told McGonagall in a fake voice.

"Okay. It seems that you two are speaking the truth. But the next time you cause a big commotion, it's detention for you girls. You may leave."

"Thank you!" we chorused. We walked out of her office. I glared at Lara. She glared back. I didn't blink at all. I was so mad. I have never been so furious in my life. Then, It happened again. My scar. It was really painful. But I tried not to feel it.

"I'll get you next time." I intimidated her.

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" She asked annoyingly.

"I thought you were supposed to be perfect. Why can't you understand what's a threat and what's not?" I said.

She glared back. I'm not little miss goody-goody anymore. I'll show her that no-one stands up to Callista de Laplace. No-one.

"How dare you call Ron a flea-bitten beggar! Just because he's broke doesn't make him a beggar. You have such a poor vocabulary. Beggars ask and beg for money. Did you ever see Ron beg or ask for money? I think you better study your vocabulary first before you spit out words at me. And what's wrong about kissing? It's mainly a way to show how much you love someone. I expect no-one ever loves you. They just hang out with you because you're pretty. No-one could ever love a snake." And I walked out on her enraged face. I went to the common room, and I saw Ron, sitting in front of the fireplace. I sat down beside him.

"Hey. Sorry about what happened."

"No. It's fine. I know how you feel."

"I'm apologizing for what Lara said about you. It's not true."

"Thanks for standing up for me."

"Of course I would. I love you don't I?" and I held his hand.

"I suppose the whole school knows that we're going steady."

"Yeah."

"Let's not keep it a secret anymore."

"Okay." I said while leaning my head on his shoulder.

"I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too." I answered. "I rested my eyes, and before I knew it, we were fast asleep."

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"Hey you guys! We're going to be late for Potions!" I opened my eyes and saw a blurred vision of Harry. I rubbed my eyes.

"What time is it?" Ron asked.

"You just missed lunch! Come on, hurry up!" Harry said quickly.

"Double Potions with the Slytherins?" I groaned.

"Yes. Now hurry up you lovebirds!" Harry giggled. Ron and I blushed. We got our books and ran towards the dungeon. Good thing Snape wasn't there yet. We took a seat next to each other. Lara and her friends were giggling madly staring at me. I glared at them. I felt someone hold my hand.

"Don't mind them. They're just jealous." He said with a smile. I smiled back. And I noticed Lara and her friends giggle even louder. Ron was right. They are jealous. Just then Professor Snape came in and started the lessons.

"Now I will group you into pairs." He said after explaining the potion we need to create. He started calling names.

"…Thomas-Crabbe, Longbottom-Zabini, Weasley-Goyle, Potter-Malfoy, Laplace-Nemesis…"

Oh just great. I could have been grouped with Blaise, or Pansy at least but no I was grouped with the devil. She came near me, bringing her books.

"Move it!" she told me.

"Couldn't you just say Excuse me? You have no manners." I said while transferring in a new seat. Snape gave us the ingredients for the potion. We were told to follow the instructions on the board. Lara started to cut the ginger roots into tiny pieces while I weighed some moth wings. I then started to grind some gillyweed when Lara started complaining.

"You're not supposed to grind it! Didn't you read the instructions?" she said in a know-it-all voice.

"I read the instructions, and for your information, it says grind the gillyweed." I told her. "And if you can't see well, go ahead. Go near the board and read it." She amazingly followed me, and to no surprise, she saw that she was wrong. She came back looking embarrassed. She continued cutting the ginger roots. Then we placed the gillyweed, moth wings and ginger roots into the cauldron. We heated it. Then I chopped some bat liver and added it into the concoction. Suddenly, Lara stepped on my foot.

"Are you blind or something?! First you can't read, now you can't even see my foot?" I asked her.

"Ooh, sorry. I thought you were a piece of dirt."

"Well Miss visually impaired, for your information, that is a foot, in case you haven't learned basic knowledge in Durmstrang."

She became so enraged that she kicked the brewing cauldron and the hot brown-green potion spilled on my feet. The potion burned through my shoes and robes, it was painful.

"YOU BITCH!" I screamed, kicking some of the spilled potion toward her face. Every Gryffindor in that room howled with laughter as Lara's face swelled with warts. Professor Snape dragged both of us towards the Hospital Wing where Madame Pomfrey treated our warts with medicine. Then, Snape took us to McGonagall's office.

"I see you two created another fight." McGonagall said as we took our seats. "I didn't believe your first story. I just thought I'd give you a second chance. But you caused trouble again. Detention. 6:00 sharp. Mr. Filch will be waiting for you in his office. You may leave."

GREAT. Just a perfect day. A whole day with Lara. Plus, detention. With Lara. I am so fortunate.