Chapter 9
I sat down in divintations hardly out of breath from the sprint. Students were filling in and the teacher, Professor Trelawney, came through the door. Ron and Harry sat down beside me, but Hermione was no where to be found.
"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked. I pretended to look confused. "At lunch."
"Good day," The airy voice of Trelawney saved me. Harry jumped a little. She was sickly thin and pale with very large glasses, causing her eyes to look chipmunk. "You are preoccupied, my dear, my inner eye sees past your brave face to the troubled soul within. And I regret to say that your worries are not baseless. I see difficult times ahead for you, alas… most difficult… I fear the thing you dread will indeed come to pass… and perhaps sooner than you think… dread will indeed come to pass… and more" She spoke directly to Harry and I saw Ron roll his eye.
"Can you believe her?" A voice whispered in my ear. I turned and saw Seamus sitting behind me.
"I know," I whispered back. "Harry just got his fortune read and it didn't even cost him a sickle. That's favoritism." Both Ron and Seamus snickered.
"My dears," Continued Trelawney, either not hearing or ignoring Seamus and Ron. "It is time for us to consider the stars. The movements of planets and the mysterious protents they reveal only to thise who understand the steps of the celestial dance. Human destiny may be deciphered by the planetary rays, which intermingle…." I could already tell this class was boring and meaningless.
My thoughts drifted to Austin and Fred. The entire school is probably talking about it. What happened? Do I even know? I know that Austin was bothering me about the library and Fred stood up for me. Literally. I hope no one made it out to be something else. Fred was being a great friend and Austin was being an annoying pain in the butt. An annoying pain in the butt who might be the key to unlocking my memories. I rolled my eyes. Should I bring anything when I go to the library? Yes I'll bring my wand (just in case. His magic isn't any higher than mine). Should I bring the bow or will it reveal too much?
I had gotten up early that morning in the tent to search for it. Upon finding it, I also found a button to minimize it. It was currently wedged in a corner of my trunk, tangled in many items of clothing. I had gone shopping with Ginny on the fourth day at the Weasleys home. I have to say she has a pretty good fashion sense.
"Harry!" Ron hissed next to me. Making both me and Harry snap out of our daydreams.
"What?" Harry answered. The entire room was looking at him.
"I was saying, my dear, that you were clearly born under the baleful influence of Saturn," Trelawney, for I have decided she doesn't deserve the title of Professor, continued.
"Born under - what sorry?" Harry said.
"Saturn, dear, the planet Saturn!" Trewlaney sounded peeved. "I was saying that Saturn was surely in a position of power in the heavens at the moment of your birth…. your dark hair… your mean stature…. tragic losses so young in life… I think I am right in saying, my sear, that you were born in midwinter?"
"No, I was born in July." Harry said bluntly. Ron, Seamus and I suddenly had fits of hacking coughs.
A half hour later we were given impossible star charts that we were expected to complete by the end of class.
"I've got two Neptunes here," Harry finally said. "That can't be right, can it?"
"Aaaah," Ron said before I could help. "When two Neptunes appear in the sky, it is a sure sign that a midget in glasses is being born, Harry…" Sean and Dean behind us snickered loudly.
"No." I said, surprising myself. My hands had finished the assignment almost like they knew the answer. "Neptune is in May. So Saturn goes there, and that's Jupiter…" I trailed off, fixing Harry's chart. "Like that."
"Wow, cool. When did you become an expert?" Dean asked. "Can you do mine?"
"Oh! Professor, look! I think I've got an inspected planet! Oooooh! What's that one, Professor?" Lavender squealed excitedly.
"It is Uranus, my dear," Professor Trelawney said, smiling.
"Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?" Ron said. The hacking cough suddenly made a must've been contagious because half the room had it. Odd.
"A detailed analysis of the way the planetary movements in the coming month will affect you with reference to your personal chart. I want it ready to hand in next Monday, and no excuses." Trelawney snapped at us. I think she heard Ron.
"Miserable old bat," Ron said as we descended the stairs after class.
"Lots of homework?" Hermione asked, falling into step beside us. "Professor Vector didn't give us any at all!"
"Well, bully for Professor Vector," Ron grumbled.
"Weasley! Hey, Weasley!" Oh no.
"What?" Ron snapped.
"You're dad's in the paper, Weasley! Listen to this." We turned to face Malfoy as he read.
"Imagine them not even getting his name right, Weasley. It's almost as though he's a complete nonentity isn't it?" He asked, halfway through the article. I moved closer to Ron, ready to hold him back if he were to spring at Malfoy. "And there's a picture, Weasley!" Malfoy said, holding up the picture. "A picture of your parents outside their house - if you can call it a house! your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?" At this point we were attracting a crowd. I saw Lex looking mildly disappointed. She was standing ten feet away from Malfoy and her gaze could've frozen fire. I turned and saw Fred and George pushing there way through the crowd to stand beside me.
"Get stuffed, Malfoy. C'mon, Ron…."
"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter?" Malfoy sneered, as if staying with a friend for the summer was a sin.
"Yeah, Malfoy. You wouldn't know what staying with a friend is like, considering you have none." I snapped. Ron was now trying not to leap at Malfoy. I grabbed his robe to stop him. Malfoy went red.
"You stayed too, didn't you. You were that girl that was found under the dark mark? You stayed with the Weasleys cause everyone else wanted you in Askaban. Although I don't see how there's much difference." My face heated up, and I could've flown at him if Fred and George hadn't held me back. "So, tell me, is the mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?" Fred and George remained calm, although their eyes blazed. Ron on the other hand was putting a lot of strain on my arm.
"you know your mother, Malfoy? That expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?" Harry spat the insult. I grinned and calmed down.
"Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter." Malfoy yelled.
"Keep your fat mouth shut, then," Harry said. He turned his back on Malfoy. BANG! I had my wand out and pointed at Malfoy in record time. A second BANG sounded.
"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"
Moody was at the bottom of the stairs with his wand pointed at Malfoy, or rather pointed at where Malfoy used to be. For a second, I thought he'd incinerated him, and then I saw the ferret. Oh boy.
"Did he get you?" Moody asked Harry.
"No. He missed."
"LEAVE IT." Moody yelled.
"Leave - what?" Harry asked.
"Not you - him!" Moody growled, pointing to Crabbe who was about to pick up the ferret. I looked to where Lex was standing. Her expression held barely concealed horror. She took a step, but Moody held out a hand. The ferret gave a terrified squeak and started running.
"I don't think so!" Moody shouted, pointing his wand at the ferret. The ferret flew ten feet in the air and fell with a smack that made me wince. Then, the ferret bounced up and flew again.
"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned. Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do…"
"STOP!" My heart plummeted into my shoes as Lex stepped in front of Malfoy. Now there was no way out. This was going to get ugly. I turned to one of the first years next to me.
"Get Professor McGonagall." I ordered him. He nodded with wide eyes and sprinted away. I turned back to the scene. Lex had her want pointed at Moody and she stood between him and Malfoy, who was still a bouncing ferret. The ferret let out a squeak of pain.
"Expelliarmus!" Lex yelled. With a flick of his wand, Moody deflected.
"Is that all you got?" He taunted. Lex set her jaw. She sent curses and hexes, but Moody deflected everything and shooting his own.
"Expelliarmus!" I shouted and Moody's wand flew out of his hand and into mine. I had my wand pointed at him. Everyone backed away from me. I kept my eye trained on him and took sidesteps over to Lex. She panted lightly.
"Thanks." She nodded, keeping her eye and wand on Mad-eye.
"No prob." I said, trying not to dwell on the fact I'd just disarmed one of the most powerful auroras in history. Malfoy was still a ferret, but he had stopped bouncing. "What do we do about him." I asked.
"Wait for McGonagall." She shrugged. I glanced at the ferret for a brief moment, but that was all it took. Moody had a wand from lord knows where. He shot a spell without saying a word. Lex and I dove to opposite sides. The ground where we had previously occupied exploded, sending dust all over us. I scrambled to my feet and ran behind a column. Mad-Eye was shooting spells at Lex and she desperately dodged.
"Jelly leg jinx!" I shot out from behind the column; Moody blocked the jinx. We had the upper hand now. Lex and I shot spells so fast it was all he could do to block them. I got the feeling he was feeling more and more oppressed.
Finally, out of desperation he screamed, "Incendo!"
"Shit." I said, and dove from behind the column just at it exploded.
"Serena!" I heard Fred yell. Suddenly, I was being helped off the floor by Fred and George. They stood in front of me with their wands raised. I brushed myself off and did a quick check for any injuries. None.
"THAT IS ENOUGH!" McGonagall came through the door and with one spell set everything straight. "What is going on here?" She snapped. One of the students explained the entire situation.
"Moody, we never use transfiguration on our students!" she snapped. "However, attacking a teacher can't be overlooked, either." Malfoy was now Malfoy again and he didn't look happy at all. "Lex and Serena, you will go to Dumbledore's office immediately!" I slowly put my wand away and, with as much dignity as I could muster, walked towards the door with Lex. As we passed McGonagall she whispered the password. I looked up at her and saw her eyes smiling back at us. My mouth twitched.
As soon as we were out the doors Lex started giggling. I stared at her incredulously.
"Quite the dangerous pair, eh?" She said. "We just took down one of the most powerful auroras in history." She laughed outright now. I joined her.
"So, you and Malfoy yet?" I asked, wiggling my eyebrows. She shoved me lightly.
"It's never going to happen!" She denied.
"Still in denial?" She glared. I laughed.
"So I saw what happened at lunch." I winced at her choice of subject.
"And you want to know what happened?" I said.
"No. I just wanted to let you know that the whole school thinks its a love triangle." She said. I groaned.
"Great, just what I need." I said, rolling my eyes.
"Yeah, and it's only the first day of classes." She added. I glared at her and she put her hands up in mock surrender.
"So not helping." I told her. "I wonder if Moody will teach us differently in class."
"Probably get his vengeance. He will show the class all the worst spells with us to demonstrate." I made a face.
"Great. Just peachy. First day and I'm in a love triangle plus the angriest teacher hates my guts. On top of all that I have double potions tomorrow."
"Potions isn't that bad." Lex said, shrugging.
"For a Slytherin." I said. This is what I loved about our friendship. Instead of taking offense or snapping like any other Slytherin would've done, she just laughed.
"Yeah, I heard Snape ain't to fond of y'all." She leaked an accent before covering it up saying, "Snape really isn't that bad of a teacher. He just doesn't like Gryffindors."
"Where are you from?" I asked.
"California. You?" She was lying. I didn't know how I knew, but I did.
"Florida." I lied. Why would she lie about something as simple as where she was from? We reached Dumbledore's office.
"Sour Lizards" I said and the gargoyles moved to reveal a staircase. We went up to Dumbledore's office. I took a breath and walked through.
"Aah Lex and Serena." Dumbledore peered at us from over his half moon spectacles. He sat in front of the window at his desk. I hid a smile. "I trust your finding Hogwarts to your liking?"
"Yes, sir. Everything is quite nice." Lex answered for both of us.
"Yet here you are in trouble?" Dumbledore said it like a question, waiting for an explanation.
"We had a bit of a run in." Lex said, obviously embarrassed.
"Regarding Mad-Eye" I finished for her.
"Yes, I know all about that." Dumbledore said.
"Wha-how?" I asked, shocked.
"There are rarely things that go on in this school that I am not aware of." was his answer. "Tell me this, are you sorry for doing what you did?"
"No." Lex answered with her chin high. "I am not sorry. What he was doing was wrong and I am not sorry I stood up for Malfoy so if you are going to expel us, just get it over with."
"I am not going to expel you." I let out a relieved breath. "However. You're actions are entitled to some form of punishment. I will let you choose the punishment."
"Library." I said so fast that he had barely finished speaking.
"You didn't let me give you the choices, yet. Your choices are: Library, detention with Snape, or your punishment can be to help me."
"How so?" I asked and he shook his head.
"You must first give me your answer before I tell you." He said mysteriously. I didn't even need to think.
"Help you." I answered. He turned to Lex
"Help you." She agreed.
"Okay, then. You will watch Mad-Eye Moody very closely and report to me everything he does. I have a bad suspicion about him, but one cannot make an unfound accusation based on an hunch. Proof is what I need. Your job is to get me proof for or against him. Got it?" We nodded. By far, coolest punishment ever. "Okay, you may go now. Not a word of this to anyone."
"Understood." Lex said as we left. "Well that went better than expected." She said as we walked into the hallway. I nodded.
"Yeah, coolest punishment ever!" I grinned. She laughed.
"We should attack teachers more often."
"Yeah, just not McGonagall." I reminded her.
"Or Snape." She added. We both shuddered and then laughed. We split our separate ways and I went into the Gryffindor common room. When the portrait swung open and I stepped through the hole I was ambushed. The common room was so full I was sure there were people from other houses there.
"That was wicked!" Someone (I think Seamus) yelled.
"What did Dumbledore do?" Lee yelled.
"Are you expelled?"
"What about lunch?"
"What the heck happened?" That was Lucy. I located her in the back corner near the stairs. She stood next to Lilly, Hermione, and Ginny. I shot them a meaningful glance, hoping they'd get the message. I tried to find Fred and George in the crowd.
"Alright! Alright! That's enough." Fred pushed his way through the crowd and he stood in front of them and me. I must've looked terrified because he gave me a reassuring smile. I gave a sarcastic smile back. "Everyone can just go back to whatever they were doing." I sighed in relief. "Pictures and interviews are tomorrow in the common room at 5:00. $5.00 every two minutes!" What? This shot some adrenaline into me. I smacked his arm.
"He's joking." I said before I could help myself. Then I thought; why shouldn't I make money off of this fiasco? "It's 6.00 every two minutes. Any question you like, I'll have a waiting list posted here tomorrow morning." Everyone filed out and soon it was just a couple people left. I sank into a chair and closed my eyes. I opened my eyes to see Fred and George hi-fiving and something that sounded like "caching" from Fred. I rolled my eyes. Boys.
"Hey! I still get my 40%!" I reminded them.
"I still think it should be 12." Fred said teasingly. I swung my leg around and kicked him lightly in the leg. "Ow!" I laughed tiredly.
"Hey, any news on the aging potion?" I asked.
"Yeah, it's going to take a week to brew and then a month to cool, so… we should start brewing in about a week." Fred calculated.
"Okay, cool. Where?" They exchanged a glance. Fred looked around at the few people that were still in the common room. He shook his head. 'Later' he mouthed. I nodded.
"Oh, hey! Hermione and Ginny carried your bag to your room for you." I grinned. They're the best.
"I'll have to remember to thank them." I said. Suddenly, I snapped my fingers. I had almost forgot. "I need your help with something. Be right back." I said to the twins. I sprinted upstairs and grabbed my 'special' box and ran back downstairs. I put it on the table and snapped the buckles. The twins stood behind me. Fred leaned over my shoulder to get a better look at the box. I was acutely aware of how close we were and I froze for a moment.
"What's in the box?" George said, breaking the moment. I opened it. It was some serious stuff. Fireworks, pranks, and every joke candy you could think of was in that box. The twins gawked at me and I smiled.
"Holy mother load…" Fred said in awe. I grinned and looked at him. Our noses were almost touching.
"Right?" I said, still grinning, but looking back down at the box. "This is where you two come in."
"What the-" Fred said in wonder as I lifted the fake bottom to reveal my masterpiece invention. I grinned evilly, holding the wand up at eye level. "What's that?"
"My own little invention." I said, still grinning.
"What's it for?" George asked, but I was looking at Fred. We exchanged evil smiles, both thinking the same thing.
"Revenge."