Lizzy scanned the book's pages and soon figured out the main gist of the massive tome. "Magician's in WWI?" she asked Amy, who nodded fervently.
"It's a great book – filled with accurate information, and really interesting, because it not only discusses wizards and witches, but also sorcerers! I haven't read far yet, but it seems to me the main difference in the wand, sorcerers preferred a staff over a wand, and they also…"
"All right, Amy, I'll wait until your report to hear a-all about it, OK?" Lizzy suggested, hoping to deter Amy from one of her historical ramblings.
"Yes, I have to get on with reading." Amy carefully found her place and flopped the book open.
"You know, Amy," Lizzy began slyly. "You might want to run to Professor Binns before a certain Slytherin does."
"Wait, are you telling me that Black is trying to steal my idea from me?" Amy exclaimed, wheeling in the middle of the hallway to face Lizzy.
"Actually, he was talking about it after history, so technically, it's the other way around," Lizzy pointed out, happy in her logic.
"Why, the little…" Amy fumed, unable to find words to describe Alex Black. "Well," she said, shutting the book with a decisive snap. "I'm off to Professor Binns right now to get my topic before Black does." Amy turned around and marched straight back down the stairs.
Lizzy smiled and picked up Amy's forgotten book bag. Hoisting it on her shoulder, she winced at the weight, then made her way to Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Mia was waiting for her outside the door. "Did you grab my quills for me?" she asked anxiously, taking the other end of Amy's bag. "What does she keep in here, rocks?" she gasped as Lizzy carefully placed all the weight in her arms.
"Sorry," Lizzy said. "Your quills are in my bag." She rummaged in her bag as Mia opened the door, still struggling with Amy's bag, and finally dumping it on her desk.
"Where's Amy run off too, anyway?" Mia asked, rubbing her sore arms.
"She went to register her topic for Binn's report. Apparently, she had the same idea as Black, and she wants to make sure she gets that topic." Lizzy explained, finally pulling out a few slightly bedraggled quills out of the bottom of her bag. "Here you go. Don't forget them next time."
"Yes, Mummy," Mia sighed, taking the quills. "Oh, look, here's Amy now. Hi, Amy! Did you get your topic?" Amy sat in her chair, scowling.
"No! The stupid idiot barged in just as I was about to tell Binns, and he shouted it out. So Binns gave it to him, and I just stood there looking like a blimming idiot!" Amy railed angrily.
"Well – " Lizzy began.
Amy turned on her. "Don't you dare say anything, because it's not my fault he's more – more – physically attuned then I am."
"What the heck does that mean?" Mia asked bluntly.
"He's better at running," Amy muttered. "Stupid, arrogant – " Lizzy and Mia shared a slightly amused and tired look. They would never hear the end of this, at least until Black performed his next atrocity.
"Hi! Lucy's in the bathroom. What happened?" Tia asked, noticing Amy's expression.
Black entered, hair tousled and book bag slung over one shoulder. He sauntered over to where the girls were sitting.
"Come to gloat?" Amy spat. His permanent smirk twitched a little.
"No," he replied. "You forgot your book." He thumped it on the table. "Good luck with your project." He turned away, and Lizzy was surprised that two neat holes didn't sizzle into the back of his skull, the way Amy was glaring at him.
"So," Amy said loudly. "Mia, did you do your homework?"
Mia, completely nonplussed, said: "Yes, of course…"
"You did?" Amy continued in a loud tone. "Did you, Lizzy?"
Lizzy sighed. "Amy, it's just one project. He didn't get the better of you, you'll probably find something more interesting anyway."
"Did you do your homework, though?" Amy asked determinedly.
"Why, need help with yours?" Black said, endangering his life again by coming back to their desks.
"No," Amy said sharply, gripping her wand so tightly sparks shot out of the tip. A few landed on the hem of Black's long robes, setting them alight. Frantically, he attempted to stamp them out, as Amy turned away to greet an approaching Lucy.
Robes doused, Black walked straight up to Amy. "I can't wait to see you try to fly," he said bitingly. "Especially after seeing the pitiful way you attempt to run."
"Hello, Black," Amy said, venomously pleasant. "Was there something you wanted?"
"Oh, yes," he said, ignoring her comments and smiling infuriatingly. "Yes, I can't wait to see you try."
"I can fly perfectly well, thank you," Amy sniffed.
"About as well as an arthritic flobberworm," he retorted.
Amy looked up at him, and crossed her arms. "Flobberworms don't have bones." To add, 'take that' would be immature, but her tone indicated exatly what she wanted to convey.
His grin didn't exactly make here feel comfortable. "My point exactly. See you later." Somewhat dejected, Amy sat and looked down. On her desk was Tia's agenda book. Spinning it to face her, she quickly scanned the day's schedule.
"No," she said softly. "Damn it!"
"What?" Mia said, concerned at her friend's sudden outbreak.
"We have flying after DADA," Amy said, voice trembling a little. Minimally.
"Well, you can fly, right?" Mia asked. Amy was silent. "Oh, no," Mia groaned. "You LIED?"
"It's not like I could have said anything else, is it?" Amy snapped. "Besides, we're not expected to fly, are we? We're only first-years."
Tia, who had been listening in on this conversation, edged closer. "But that's not the point!" she hissed. "The point is, Black knows! Or, at least," she added. "Will know."
Amy banged her head on the desk. "Why today?" she moaned, as Lizzy put a comforting arm around her shoulder, and Tia and Mia disucssed how best to teach Amy how to fly, at least in theory, before ultimate Doom.
Meanwhile, a certain Slytherin smirked in a corner. How enjoyable today was turning out to be.