Fourth Year – October

Hello.

Hi, Lysander! Blimey, I haven't written to you in ages.

I know. What are you revising?

Transfig., I hate it and I swear to you that if Hugh tells me one more time how to manipulate this equation I'll kill him.

Yes, I can hear him from over here. Which equation are you stuck on?

The one about Untransfiguration. We're supposed to relate that to something else – I don't know, it's all very complicated.

I think I know which one you mean, is it the Bowlby one?

Yep.

Oh, it is awfully simple. All you have to do is differentiate the equation with respect to A and make P the subject. It is a bit fiddly but it should work.

I would be lying if I said I understood that.

Do what you learnt in Arithmancy about rates of change, then tweak the equation so that it all equals zero. Once you have done that, replace even numbers with the letter P and hey presto, it's done.

Lysander, I love you. You're a genius.

Ly?

SCAMANDER.

Sorry, I was talking to James about elf rights.

As you do.

It's part of our Magical Theory NEWT.

If you say so … What are you studying? Whatever it is, it looks awful.

It isn't that bad!

You have at least forty books on your table alone. Hugh counted.

Well, we did come into the library for a reason.

And what's that reason?

To study!

Oh. I thought it was to see me, since we haven't talked in simply ages.

That was a contributing factor. How come you and Hugo are in the library anyway; fourth-years don't have frees, do they?

Nah, our teacher's ill so we have the double lesson off.

Lucky you.

Quite. Getting much studying done?

If you ignore the fact I am procrastinating by sending you all these notes, yes, I suppose so.

I'm bored.

Me too.

You're bored of studying?!

No need to say it like that. Seen Scorpius lately?

Yeah, we had breakfast together.

You don't sound particularly enthusiastic about that.

There was this girl in my year called Olivia Reynolds who kept butting into our conversation. She's a Slytherin, and Abigail kept trying to engage her in conversation to get her out of the way, but it didn't work. I hope Scor doesn't fancy her.

He's going out with you! No boy in their right mind would fancy somebody else when they're going out with someone like you.

Is that a compliment? What do you mean, 'someone like me'? What's wrong with me?

Nothing, Lily. It was a compliment.

Oh. Fair enough.

I am so bored I want Fred and Roxanne to do one of their infamous pranks. That is saying something.

I wish they would! It's your last year, too, you all may as well have fun. I bet Hugh won't want to have fun when we're in seventh-year. He's actually driving me insane.

What is he doing now?

He wants me to teach him how I unscrambled the Untransfiguration equation.

Why don't you?

It's extremely satisfying being better than Hugo in Transfiguration for once.

That makes sense.

How're you, anyway?

Not bad. Yourself?

Oh, good! I'm all right, thanks. Just bored.

Want to leave?

Leave? You serious?

… Yes?

You actually want to leave the library?!

Oh, ha, ha. James has finished writing his elf-rights essay anyway so he's going down to play Quidditch with the twins. It has something to do with getting the current team up to scratch since they have got new players after try-outs.

I'll see if I can drag Hugh along, too. He plays Chaser, I think, doesn't he?

Yes, James says he does.

Who's in the Quidditch team now?

James, Fred, Roxanne, Hugo, a girl in Rose Weasley's year called Rachael something … I really do not know the names of the rest.

Fair enough. Wait for me!

James says hurry up.

I AM!

Honestly, I don't know what James was telling me to hurry up, it's not like watching seven red-and-gold players zooming around in the air is something to particularly look forward to.

I agree. I also do not understand why James asked us to be quiet, either.

We were hardly laughing that loudly. Not like he could hear us, since we're in the stands; he's just trying to take charge of everything. Still, least I can pass you these notes.

True. Oh, look, there's Scorpius Malfoy. Is that Lucy Weasley with him?

Yep.

It doesn't look like her.

She dyed her hair blonde over the summer. I've been trying to convince her to turn it brown again, but …

It looked nicer brown, I think. She looks nice with blonde hair, too, though.

She looks like such a Slytherin, I love her.

How come you aren't talking to Scorpius? I mean, he has just arrived.

He hasn't talked to me. He hasn't even said hello.

He did, it was just drowned out my James's yelling.

Oh. That's all right, then! Why was James yelling, though?

Were you not paying attention?

Who pays attention to Quidditch?

Fair point. He was yelling at Roxanne because she "accidentally" mishit a Bludger and it knocked one of James's teeth out. It was quite amusing, but James isn't too happy.

I can't believe I missed that. Oh, well. I can probably convince Roxanne to do it again.

You could probably convince any member of the team to do it again, judging by how annoyed they look with him.

Exactly! I get that Quidditch is a sport and all, but is there really any need for all this shouting? I mean, seriously, if I were James I'd just let everyone get on with it; it's not like they've never played before.

Precisely. What are you and Lucy giggling about?

Nothing!

Lily …I can see your smirk from here. Your hair doesn't hide your face that much, you know.

Oh, shut up and talk to Scorpius.

I am doing so.

I know.

I know you know.

I know you know I know.

I know you know I know you know.

I know – what?

I win.

Do not.

I am sorry, but I clearly do.

Don't. What are you laughing about with Scor?

Nothing. Two can play at that game.

He's my boyfriend.

And you're my friend.

Really? Would you really class me as a friend? Oh, that's made me happy.

Of course I would, Lily.

Oh, my goodness, Ly, stop reading.

I am bored!

So am I, but I'm having too much fun with Lucy and Scor to notice.

I have my NEWT examinations coming up.

Yeah, in like 10 months.

Eight, actually.

Same difference.

Not really. Both numbers have complex yet distinct magical properties; ten, for example, being the first two digit number, and eight, being the first proper cube number, have subtle differences between them that alters the course of wizards' perception as they view the coming year.

What the bloody hell does that mean?

It's Advanced Arithmancy Studies coupled with a bit of Divination.

I didn't know you did Divination.

I don't anymore, but to achieve top grades in the NEWT examinations you need to branch out of the specification a bit and link different aspects of magical study.

Still doesn't make any sense, though, no matter what its purpose.

I thought you did Arithmancy?

I do, and I like it, I guess. Better at Potions, but …

You'll come around. Arithmancy really is fascinating, and the opportunity to study Advanced Arithmancy this early on is amazing.

If you say so.

Lily, there are wizards out there who devote their entire lives to studying subjects such as this!

Ew.

It really makes a difference, you know.

Right.

Am I boring you?

Honestly? Kind of. No offence, though. It just doesn't interest me much.

How can you live with yourself?! Arithmancy's one of my favourite subjects now; admittedly, OWL level is a bit dry but when you get to NEWT …

I'll take your word for it, Ly.

What's Scorpius's favourite subject?

Why don't you ask him, since you're such good pals? He's sitting right there.

Lily, are you okay?

Sure.

I don't much know what to say.

You don't have to say anything.

You're clearly upset, and I do not know what I should do. Statistically speaking, there's a strong correlation between looking down and feeling upset, so …

Ly, I'm fine.

Is it something to do with Scorpius?

Maybe.

Erm, I don't know what to say to help you. Do you want to talk about it?

Not particularly.

Why?

Lysander, we're sitting in Quidditch stands in the freezing cold passing notes to each other. It's not really the place to talk about deep issues.

So something is going on, then?

I never said that; I was making a general statement. See, it's not just you who can sound clever.

Lily, we can go if you want.

Nah, I like hanging out with Lucy and Scor; it's fun.

All right.

Hello.

Hi. Got enough books there?

I was going to say the same thing to you, in actual fact.

This? It's all Hugh's doing, don't ask. He's gone OWL mad.

Aren't your OWL examinations next year?

That's exactly what I said, but like he'd listen to me. Er, are you sure you can eat that over your books?

Lily, James might have mentioned that I am what he calls a nerd.

Just a bit.

Thus, it is completely habitual of me to balance eating breakfast whilst revising three subjects at once.

Oh, Ly.

I did not see you in the library this morning. How come you have so many books; it's breakfast time!

Yeah, Hugh woke me up at six this morning for no reason! I swear to you, Ly, if he weren't my cousin I'd kill him. Then he had the grand idea of thinking I'd actually want to go to the library that early in the morning, so we went, and here we are now in the Great Hall.

Oh, that'd be why I didn't see you, then; I went to the library about half an hour ago. It's really quite hard trying to pass you these notes over those third-years.

Exactly what I was just thinking.

They could move. You know, if you wanted to speak to each other, you could just sit together.

James

We could. Doesn't mean we're going to.

Exactly. So, what are you having for breakfast this fine morning?

Porridge. You?

Scrambled egg on toast. I say, what on earth is all that noise?

That would be me, yelling at Hugo.

I can't see anything over these third-years; I wish they would just settle down; who on earth is that energetic at eight in the morning? Why are you yelling at Hugo?

Hugo Weasley is an idiot.

Well, that may be, but why in particular this morning?

Hugo, who has an appetite unrivalled by anybody save for perhaps James, decided to have a large breakfast. This is normal. However, as I was tucking into my porridge, Hugo thought that my porridge seemed quite boring. And so I'm mad at him.

I think I am missing something. What did he do?

HE PUT BACON IN MY PORRIDGE.

Oh.

LYSANDER, I CAN HEAR YOU LAUGHING FROM HERE. THIS ISN'T FUNNY.

It kind of is, aha.

LYSANDER! I AM SO MAD RIGHT NOW; I HATE HUGO!

But he will always love you.

AAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH HHHHHHHH!

STOP SNIGGERING! AND TELL JAMES TO STOP LAUGHING, TOO, IT'S NOT FUNNY!

Just get some more porridge, honestly.

Oh.

Did you not think of that?

I don't want more porridge.

You are only saying that because you want to be mad at Hugo and you don't want to admit that there's no point to you being angry at him.

Shut up and stop being so smart.

Love you, Lily.

Stop laughing at me. And I love you too but I STILL HATE HUGO.

The twins have just arrived and they asked me to give Hugo their thanks – Lily, will you and Lysander please stop flirting with each other. If you want to talk to each other, how difficult is it to jinx those third-years out the way and sit together? Also, tell Hugo he's a genius.

James

I hate James. How are we flirting with each other, anyway? The 'I love you too' was meant to be said platonically, it didn't mean anything.

I know. Just ignore him.

That's a concept I'm familiar with.

Are you eating toast?

Yes, why?

There are crumbs all over this parchment.

Oops, sorry!

It's no problem at all. Which lessons do you have today?

Arithmancy, Charms, DADA and Astronomy. What do you have?

I have Defence too, but it's followed by Transfiguration and Care of Magical Creatures. I wish I had Charms; my lessons are so boring today. Well, Defence is not bad, and I suppose Fred livens up Care of Magical Creatures … and Transfiguration is quite fun, too.

So basically your day isn't boring at all, then?

Pretty much. Listen, I have to go now, but will you be here for lunch?

Nah, I said I'd meet Scorpius, we might be eating outside.

It's raining!

I know, but it might brighten up by lunch. Whatever, I'll see you in the common room if I don't see you around today. Bye!

See you later.