Chapter 14: Gillyweed
I do not own Harry Potter
Frankie found himself dribbling on his piece of parchment, not really paying attention to anything his dad was saying. Different types of L's showed up in different fonts as he kept on doodling.
"Frank?"
He looked up to find the whole class staring at him.
"Sorry, what was it?", he asked feeling his cheeks go red as Lucy gave him a confused look.
"Can you name some of the symptoms of eating gillyweed?", his dad asked, looking expectantly.
Frankie knew the answer, he knew all the symptoms, of course he did it was what his dad had always talked about with him when he was little and bored, of the plants and cool stories involving them, he had always been fascinated but now he looked around. Nathan Flint and his friends, some of the guys who had constantly bothered him started smirking, and sniggering to themselves.
'Perfect Hufflepuff aren't you Longbottom?'
'Daddy's boy, oh so smart and perfect?'
This words came back to his head, all the mocking they had done.
Frankie shook his head and shrugged.
His dad's expression changed, he looked disappointed but confused, obviously he knew that Frankie knew all about gillyweed.
"Okay, Lucy?", he asked looking at the girl raising her hand.
Frankie droned out again but not before casting another side glance look at the bunch of boys laughing.
He walked out of the greenhouse books in his arms and Lucy by his side one the lesson ended.
"Daddy seemed disappointed Longbottom", Flint mocked, leaning on the side of the greenhouse his give friends smirking.
"Piss off"
"The only thing you're good at and you just failed", he said shaking his head.
Frankie lunged on him making him take a step back before Lucy held him back.
"For your information Flint he got in the quidditch team in his second year when did you get in? Oh right you haven't", Lucy shot back.
"Only cause daddy could expel the captain if he didn't", he said not backing down.
"I could beat you at anything Flint", Frank growled, his eyes on fire.
"Can you now? Cart race, tomorrow at 6:15", he glared at them before walking off, laughing.
"You're not honestly doing it are you?", Lucy asked, her eyebrows knitted in worry.
Frank sigh.
"Yeah"
In the morning of the next day he woke up to find his hands shaking. Saturday. At 6:15 he would most likely meet his doom. He was a fair driver, he loved to race his cart around the fields by his house, but he had never actually been in a competition where if he lost he would have to do something that could get him in trouble. He rushed to the Great Hall taking a seat by Lucy and Sam Finnigan.
"So you are doing if aren't you mate?", Sam asked for what seemed like the billionth time.
Frank nodded and looked down at his breakfast.
"Ok… do you know where?"
He shook his head.
"What happens if you lose?"
He shrugged.
"You're doing this blindly!", Sam exclaimed.
He stood up and without another word left the hall.
Frankie sigh, throwing his fork down.
"I don't even know where I'll get the cart from!", he exclaimed.
"You do know you don't have to do…"
Frankie shot Lucy a look making her stop talking.
"Just saying"
The rest of the day he spent it in silence, by the lake doing his homework, occasionally when he passed through the halls flyers were being passed out.
He took one and read it over.
Supreme Cart Race!
Frank Longbottom vs. Nathan Flint!
December 2 at 6:15!
Winner takes it all!
And after that everywhere he went people either booed him down or cheered for him, that was primarily the reason he retreated to the lake.
It wasn't until six o'clock that Nick ran up to him, a piece of parchment in his hand as he waved it around.
"Is this true?!", he asked once he had gotten to him.
"Yeah…I mean now it is isn't it", he said looking up at his little brother.
"Why?", he asked, sitting down next to him.
"Because, I don't know, I guess I just want to prove something? I don't really know", he sigh picking at the blades of grass.
"Does dad know?"
He shook his head.
"Alice?", he asked again.
"I don't know, I haven't told her but those bloody flyers are everywhere", he responded.
They sat in silence for a moment before Frank stood up.
"I gotta go meet them up at the quidditch pitch", he said taking his bag and throwing it over his shoulder.
"Is that where it starts?"
Frank nodded and waved at him before making his way to the pitch.
"Thought you wouldn't show Longbottom", Flint laughed, making his ugly teeth pop out.
"You wish Flint", he replied, feeling the anger and determination to kick the crap out of this guy stronger than before.
"Some seventh years got the carts, transformed them apparently, people will start to show up. Are you sure you don't want to back off and go to daddy?"
"I would shut my mouth if I were you Flint", Frank looked back to see Sam standing there, he grinned at him and glared back at Flint.
Flint shrugged.
"Give me my car then", Frank said. Flint pointed to a car on the other side.
Frank nodded and headed to it, examining it before jumping on.
"Alright mate, I checked the track, go around the whopping willow and all around the grounds then come back here, easy enough, carful though, saw some Slytherins hiding in the bushes, don't know what they're up to but I would watch my back", he said, handing him a helmet.
He nodded, taking it and putting it on his lap.
"You got it", he grinned giving him two thumbs up.
In the short while they had talked people had crowded around them, making the noise get significantly louder.
He suddenly saw his sister pushing through the crowd of people, James and Nick behind her.
"Frankie!"
He looked up and gave her a small but determined smile.
"Oh hi Alice", he said.
"What in the name of Helga are you doing?", she asked, having to yell with all the noise that was going on around her.
"Racing"
"Why?!"
"Because I want to!"
"Okay!", a seventh year boy that looked exactly like Frankie's rival stood in front of everyone, his wand to his throat, "Welcome everyone!", he gave a nasty smirk as everyone cheered.
"Today Frank Longbottom and my little brother Nathan, are going to see who is the ultimate champion! Let's not forget that whoever loses has to make a delightful visit to the bottom of the lake and bring back a message from the merpeople, who may or may not be friendly", everyone cheered, Alice gasped and looked down at her brother who had a fiery look in his eyes.
"As for the winner, he gets a months worth of no potions homework for the loser has to do it all! Now they will have to go around the grounds, circle the Whopping Willow, and then come back here! There are people around to see if they have done it! Now the race starts in five minutes!"
He walked away to his brother rubbing his shoulder as they both smirked.
"Frank Alexander you can't do this! You'll get hurt!", Alice shouted.
"I have too! Don't you see! This is my shot of proving to everyone that I'm not just, Frank Longbottom, Perfect Hufflepuff and Professor Longbottom's and the Leaky's owner's son! I'm my own person!", he shot back, putting the visor back down.
"Come on Sully no one thinks that just call it off", she pleaded, using her nickname for him.
Frank adjusted himself in his seat, not showing signs that he had payed attention.
"James! Please tell him! Help me!", she looked back at her boyfriend.
"I can't! There's nothing I can do", he said helplessly.
"Alright racers! Ready…"
"Please Frank!"
"Set…"
"James! Nick do something!"
"Go!"
Frank stepped on the pedal, looking straight ahead of him, his heart bumping fast with adrenaline. The last thing he heard from the crowd was his full name being shouted by his sister.
He looked to his side where Flint was trailing slightly behind. Not losing his concentration he grinned to himself and continued to control the car.
He passed through the Whopping Willow avoiding it's branched as best as he could occasionally one hitting him or the car slightly. But he kept going, not stopping for anything. It was as Sam had said, there were moments when he would see blasts of light, signaling spells were being shot, he swerved them as best as he could and noticed that Flint was also having trouble avoiding the ones being shot at him. Confused Frank looked up quickly to see older students with red and yellow ties also in the bushes with wands out, cheering him on as they fired spells.
He laughed to himself, starting to enjoy it more than he though possible, the roaring of the engine, the cheers, the hopeful looks of his friends faces, proved that people didn't think of him what Flint mocked him for, and he felt the rush of excitement run through his chest.
"Whoooooohooooo", he yelled, stepping harder on the accelerator.
That's when he noticed, how fast he had actually gone through the grounds, for when he blinked he was meters from the finish line, people on the sides cheering and yelling. Flint was in front of him now, only millimeter ahead, but they were only feet from the finish. Taking a moments decision he did the craziest thing he though possible, he stepped on the accelerator all the way, turning the stirring wheel as fast as possible so that he ended up only ridding on the one side wheels. He saw everything to the side and before he knew it the car had landed back down and his house mates and friends jumped, cheering. He stopped, sending dust to the other side and jumped out. Before he knew it people were crowded around him, patting his backs and ruffling his hair.
Alice rushed up to him, a relieved look on her face.
"Merlin you're an idiot", Alice laughed pulling her little brother into a hug.
"A winning idiot", he laughed.
"You do know you're more than the Longbottom's son right? You didn't have to prove that", she said.
"I needed to prove it to myself I guess", he responded, smiling lopsidedly.
They looked over at Flint who had a dumbstruck look on his face his older brother shooting them a nasty glare.
"And to him", he added.
Alice laughed.
"Good job Frank-o!", James ruffled his hair.
"Thanks James, now if you don't mind I think I'm gonna go give Flint a few tips on gillyweed"
He walked over to the Slytherin a smug look on his face as his friends followed him.
"Hey Flint!"
"What do you want Longbottom?", he growled.
"You might want to prepare yourself for searing pain in the neck, stretching feeling in the hands and feet, loss of breath while the process takes place, nausea, possible headaches, oh and you might not want to take more than an hour", he winked at him smirking, before walking back to the castle laughing with his friends.
There we go! If you want to know why his nickname is sully the answer will be in Our Story… Through Parenthood or as a fact on my Instagram page next_generation_facts !